BLOOMSBURG HUSKIES (1-4, 0-0 PSAC East) at GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS (4-2, 0-0 PSAC West)
HAWAIIAN DAY
DATE/TIME: Friday, November 22, 2024 | 1:00 p.m.
STADIUM/LOCATION: Hagerty Family Events Center l Erie, Pa.
LIVE STATS
LIVE VIDEO
 
EAST STROUDSBURG WARRIORS (3-1, 0-0 PSAC East) at GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS (4-2, 0-0 PSAC West)
THANKFUL DAY
DATE/TIME: Saturday, November 23, 2024 | 3:00 p.m.
STADIUM/LOCATION: Hagerty Family Events Center l Erie, Pa.
LIVE STATS
LIVE VIDEO
 
THE GANNON-BLOOMSBURG SERIES
Gannon leads 13-3  
Last Meeting: Dec. 1, 2023 – Gannon 128, at Bloomsburg 113 | RECAP
In a game that featured 55 fouls and 76 free throws Gannon opened PSAC play with a win at Bloomsburg. Gannon went 37-of-49 at the charity stripe, both figures coming up one short of the school record. In the 2007-08 season the Golden Knights went 38-of-50 at the line vs. Hilldsale. Josh Omojafo (Hamilton, Ontario/St. Jean de Brebeuf) led three players with 20-or-more points, scoring 33 points. Lyle Tipton (Glenside, Pa./Philadelphia Montgomery Christian Academy) added 21 points and Derrick James (Columbus, Ohio/Canal Winchester) 20. Matt Bengel paced the Huskies with 28 points.
 
THE GANNON-EAST STROUDSBURG SERIES
Gannon leads 11-10  
Last Meeting:  Dec. 2, 2023 – Gannon 110, at East Stroudsburg 96 I RECAP
If any validation was needed that the Golden Knights were for real a win at PSAC East preseason favorite East Stroudsburg proved it. Gannon jumped out to a 19-point halftime lead (57-38) and six players ended up scoring in double figures. Mike Montano (Alexandria, Va./Thomas Edison) led the way with 20 points.


ERIE, Pa. – Gannon opens up PSAC action with a pair of crossover games this weekend. The Golden Knights host Bloomsburg on Friday, November 22 before East Stroudsburg invades the Hagerty Family Events Center on Saturday.
 
The Golden Knights enter the weekend riding a four-game winning streak after a 90-72 win at Salem (WV) on Saturday. That stretch has seen the Golden Knights continue their high-scoring ways with a pair of 100-point efforts.
 
But the defense has been much-improved. After allowing over 100 points in both games of the season-opening Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic, Gannon has limited each of the next four opponents to 77 points or less.
 
First-year head coach Easton Bazzoli is slowly getting his entire roster back healthy. Isiah Warfield (Monaca, Pa./Central Valley), a transfer from Howard, played last week against Davis & Elkins before sitting out the Salem game. Mike Montano (Alexandria, Va./Thomas Edison), last year's leading returning scorer and rebounder, has missed the last four games while Victor Desmond (Onalaska, Wisc./Onalaska), a transfer from Des Moines Area CC, has yet to play this year.
 
Following this weekend's PSAC crossover games Gannon will host the 40th Annual Gary Miller Classic on Saturday, November 30 and Sunday, December 1. Gannon plays West Virginia State the opening day and Walsh the next day.

The Knight Watch:
Record:  4-2, 0-0 PSAC West
Head Coach: Easton Bazzoli (1st year)

• Gannon improved to 4-2 on Saturday, leading from start to finish for a 90-72 win. Justin DeBuck (Broward County, Fla./Pembroke Pines Charter) led the way with 20 points, along the way scoring his 1,000th career point. Ernest Shelton (Philadelphia, Pa./Father Judge) added 18 points and Tasman Goodrick (Sydney, Australia/St. Joseph's College) had17 points and 16 rebounds. It was the first time this year that Gannon had less than five players score in double figures.
• The Golden Knights are averaging 96.0 ppg., good for 11th in Division II. They have scored 100-or-more points twice after topping the century mark 16 times a year ago.     
• Cal Baptist transfer Tasman Goodrick (Sydney, Australia/St. Joseph's College) continues to put up big numbers. The 6-foot-9 sophomore has scored in double figures in all six games and has three double doubles. He has pulled down 16 rebounds on two occasions, this past Saturday against Salem and vs. Winston-Salem. He is averaging 16.5 ppg. and 11.3 rpg. while shooting 60.0 percent (39-of-65) from the floor. He was named the PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Week earlier this week.
• Ernest Shelton (Philadelphia, Pa./Father Judge) has made at least two 3-pointers in every game this season and at least one in 11 straight games dating back to last season. The 6-foot-5 sophomore is leading the Golden Knights at 18.8 ppg. and has made 24-of-62 3-pointers. He made 7-of-11 three's against Davis & Elkins.
• Justin DeBuck (Broward County, Fla./Pembroke Pines Charter) played four seasons at Union (Tenn.), scoring 925 points. On Saturday the 6-foot-1 grad transfer scored a season-high 20 points, in the process topping 1,000 career points. He now has 1,016 career points. DeBuck is averaging 15.2 ppg, and like Goodrick has scored in double figures in every game.
• Three freshmen have played key roles in the early portion of the season. Pace Prosser (Berlin, Pa./Berlin Brothersvalley) has been the most prominent. A 6-foot-2 guard who has started all six games, Prosser is averaging 12.2 ppg. and 5.0 rpg. while leading the team with 28 assists. He has made 13-of-34 3-pointers. As a high school standout at Berlin Brothersvalley High School he earned all-state honors in both basketball and football. Lucas Sekasi (Washington, DC/Jackson-Reed), a 6-foot-5 guard, is playing 19 minutes per game, averaging 6.0 ppg. with 24 assists and 10 steals. Mason Kemp (Shawnee, Kan./Mill Valley) is a 6-foot-7 forward from Kansas. He is contributing 5.5 ppg. and 2.2 rpg. while playing 11 minutes per game.

Scouting Bloomsburg
Record:  1-4, 0-0 PSAC East
Head Coach: Chris Bess (3rd year)
Top Players: Matt Bengel (G, 6-4, Sr., 17.4 ppg., 7.0 rpg.); Louie Wild (G, 6-1, Gr., 15.0 ppg., 5.8 rpg., 14-of-37 3's); Tony Henderson (G, 6-4, Sr., 8.6 ppg., 3.8 rpg.); Danny Bruce (G/F, 6-8, Jr., 7.6 ppg., 72.7 FG%)
 

• Bloomsburg dropped a 75-72 decision at Caldwell on Tuesday after picking up its first win the previous game, a 75-58 win over Georgian Court. After trailing by 11 at the half the Huskies led by seven in the second half only to see undefeated Caldwell rally on its homecourt. The loss leaves the Huskies at 1-4. They were picked to finish ninth in the PSAC East.
• The Bloomsburg roster features a pair of players from northwestern Pennsylvania. Matt Bengel, a 6-foot-4 senior, is the team's leading scorer at 17.4 ppg. and also the top rebounder at 7.0 rpg. He dropped in 21 points against Caldwell, adding seven rebounds. Bengel played at Mercyhurst Prep.  Danny Bruce comes off the bench to average 7.6 ppg. Bruce previously played at General McLane High School.
• Grad student Louie Wild is also putting up big numbers. The 6-foot-1 guard averages 15.0 ppg. and 5.8 rpg. He has made 14-of-37 3-pointers.
• Bloomsburg head coach Chris Bess played basketball and football at Edinboro. He also served as an assistant coach for the men's and women's teams at Edinboro.

Scouting East Stroudsburg
Record:  3-1, 0-0 PSAC East
Head Coach: Jeff Wilson (22nd year)
Top Players: Lakeem McAliley (F, 6-6, R-Sr., 25.5 ppg., 7.0 rpg.); Evan Morton (G, 6-2, Fr., 15.0 ppg., 14 asts., 10-of-23 3's); Cam Young (G/F, 6-7, Sr., 11.3 ppg., 6.3 rpg., 16 stls.); Carson Howard (F, 6-9, So., 9.0 ppg., 4.0 rpg.); Nasir Griffin (F, 6-8, Jr., 9.0 ppg., 6.5 rpg.)

• East Stroudsburg was voted the preseason favorite in the Eastern Division after finishing with a 25.5 record a year ago. The Warriors are off to a 3-1 start after dropping a 79-77 decision at undefeated Caldwell on Sunday. 
• Jeff Wilson is in his 22nd season as the head coach at East Stroudsburg. Wilson is ESU's all-time wins leader and ranks fifth all-time in the PSAC in victories. The ESU alum has a 409-203 record. He has led the Warriors to eight PSAC East regular season titles, three PSAC championships, and seven NCAA Playoff appearances.
• The Warriors feature three-time All-PSAC East selection Lakeem McAliley. The 6-foot-6 forward earned first team honors the last two seasons. He led the Warriors in scoring (17.3 ppg) and rebounding (5.9) last year. He comes in leading the PSAC in scoring at 25.5 ppg. adding 7.0 rpg. McAliley has climbed to sixth in career scoring with 1,536 points and also ranks among the career leaders in numerous other categories.

Next for the Golden Knights: Gannon's four-game homestand continues as the Golden Knights host the 40th Annual Gary Miller Classic. The tournament is set for Saturday, November 30 and Sunday, December 1. Saturday's first game features Walsh vs. Mansfield at 4:00 p.m., followed by the Golden Knights facing West Virginia State at 6:00 p.m. This year's tournament games are predetermined, with Mansfield and West Virginia State playing on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. and Gannon and Walsh squaring off at 4:00 p.m.