Justin DeBuck
Mike Gallagher

Men's Basketball Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

Men's Basketball Tournament Preview: No. 7 Golden Knights Seek First Win at PSAC-CIAA Challenge

No. 7 GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS (0-2, 0-0 PSAC West) at VIRGINIA STATE TROJANS (15-15, 8-9 CIAA in 2023-24)
PSAC-CIAA CHALLENGE
DATE/TIME: Friday, November 9, 2024 | 7:00 p.m.
STADIUM/LOCATION: Multipurpose Center l Ettrick, Va.
LIVE STATS
LIVE VIDEO

No. 7 GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS (0-2, 0-0 PSAC West) vs. WINSTON-SALEM STATE RAMS (19-9, 13-5 CIAA in 2023-24)
ATLANTIC REGION CHALLENGE
DATE/TIME: Saturday, November 10, 2024 | 5:00 p.m.
STADIUM/LOCATION: Multipurpose Center l Ettrick, Va.
LIVE STATS
LIVE VIDEO
 
PSAC-CIAA CHALLENGE SCHEDULE
Friday, November 8
Winston-Salem State vs. Shepherd – 5:00 p.m.
GANNON at Virginia State – 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 9
GANNON vs. Winston-Salem State – 5:00 p.m.
Shepherd at Virginia State – 7:00 p.m.
 
 
THE GANNON-VIRGINIA STATE SERIES
Gannon leads 2-1  
Gannon and Virginia State first met in the 1989-90 season. The last meeting between the two teams came in the 2012 Porreco Cup championship game.
Last Meeting: Dec. 15, 2012 – at Gannon 67, Virginia State 42 | RECAP
Playing in the 2012 Porreco Cup championship game, the Golden Knights jumped out to a 34-13 lead at the half and went on to win 67-42. Oscar Macias led three Golden Knights in double figures with 18 points, while Robert Wilson had 14 and Darrell Blanton 12.    

THE GANNON-WINSTON-SALEM STATE SERIES
First Meeting  


ERIE, Pa. – The Gannon men's basketball team opened the 2024-25 campaign last weekend in the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic in Lakeland, Fla. The Golden Knights faced a pair of teams that were among the final 16 teams remaining in the NCAA Tournament last year. They suffered a 122-99 loss to Division II runner-up Nova Southeastern on Saturday, followed by a 107-87 setback to Lake Superior State the next day. Gannon entered the tournament ranked seventh in the NABC Division II Preseason Top 25.
 
The first day's Gannon-Nova Southeastern matchup featured the Sharks, who came in ranked second in the NABC Division II Preseason Top 25, against a Gannon team that is seventh in the preseason poll. Lake Superior State was among "others receiving votes" after reaching the Midwest Regional final last year.
 
First-year head coach Easton Bazzoli looks to pick up his first career win this weekend when the Golden Knights face another strong pair of games while competing in the PSAC-CIAA Challenge. Gannon plays host Virginia State on Friday, November 8 at 7:00 p.m., followed by a 5:00 p.m. game vs. Winston-Salem State on Saturday.
 
The Golden Knights were picked to finish third in the PSAC West preseason poll. That comes after they recorded the biggest turnaround in NCAA history a year ago, going from 3-23 in 2022-23 to 32-3, a school record for wins. Gannon won its first PSAC title since 2015 and went on to win the Atlantic Regional and earn a trip to the Elite Eight.
 
However, for the second year in a row it is a whole new cast of characters, and that begins at the top with assistant coach Easton Bazzoli taking over for Jordan Fee. Fee parlayed the record-breaking season into an assistant coach's position at Division I Florida Atlantic.
 
Two key returnees were at the forefront at the Hall of Fame Classic. Sophomore guard Ernest Shelton (Philadelphia, Pa./Father Judge) averaged 18.0 ppg. and made 7-of-22 3-pointers. Fellow sophomore point forward Mike Montano (Alexandria, Va./Thomas Edison) had 15 points and seven rebounds against Nova Southeastern but played just 14 minutes vs. Lake Superior State.
 
Bazzoli brought in 11 newcomers, including two grad transfers. While two potentially key newcomers were missing, several new Golden Knights had promising debuts. Tasman Goodrick (Sydney, Australia/St. Joseph's College), a 6-foot-9 sophomore from Division I Cal Baptist averaged 14.0 ppg. and 10.5 ppg. in the two games, with Justin DeBuck (Broward County, Fla./Pembroke Pines Charter), a 6-foot-1 guard, also scoring 14.0 ppg. DeBuck transferred in from Union (Tenn.).
 
Recapping the SCB Hall of Fame Classic:
No. 2 Nova Southeastern 122, No. 7 Gannon 99 -- Gannon played second-ranked Nova Southeastern tough for a half, trailing 55-45 at intermission, but the Sharks shot 71 percent from the floor over the final 20 minutes. Six Golden Knights scored in double figures, led by Ernest Shelton's (Philadelphia, Pa./Father Judge) 21 points. The sophomore guard made 5-of-13 3-pointers. Mike Montano (Alexandria, Va./Thomas Edison) added 15 points and seven rebounds while Layne Sarver (New Madison, Ohio/Tri-Village) came off the bench to contribute 14 points. Nova Southeastern's 122 points are the most ever scored against Gannon.
Lake Superior State 107, No. 7 Gannon 87 – for the first time since the 1970-71 season the Golden Knights allowed 100-or-more points in back-to-back games. They again ran into a hot-shooting team. The Lakers shot 56.5 percent from the floor, including 14-of-28 on 3-pointers. Once again six Golden Knights were in double digits. Tasman Goodrick (Sydney, Australia/St. Joseph's College) had his first career double double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Ernest Shelton (Philadelphia, Pa./Father Judge) and Justin DeBuck (Broward County, Fla./Pembroke Pines Charter) added 15 points apiece.
 
Gannon Seventh in NABC Preseason Poll, Picked Third in PSAC West Preseason Rankings
The NABC released its preseason poll a week ago with Gannon ranked seventh in the NABC Division II Preseason Top 25. Earlier in the preseason the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference announced its 2024-25 Men's Basketball Coaches' Preseason Poll. The Golden Knights were third in the Western Division behind California (Pa.) and Slippery Rock.
 
Scouting Virginia State
Record:  15-15, 8-9 CIAA in 2023-24
Head Coach: Lonnie Blow, Jr. (11th year)
Top Players: Kendall Bynum (G / 6-1 / Sr. / 10.2 ppg. / 86 asts.); Tyrek Williams (C / 6-9 / Jr. / 5.3 ppg. / 3.0 rpg.)
The Trojans finished at 15-15 a year ago and were recently picked to finish sixth in the CIAA Preseason Poll. Five players return from a year ago, including point guard Kendall Bynum and center Tyrek Williams. Virginia State reached the CIAA Tournament quarterfinals last year.
 
Scouting Winston-Salem State
Record:  19-9, 13-5 CIAA in 2023-24
Head Coach: Corey Thompson (1st year)
Top Players: Jeremy Dixon (F / Jr. / 4.7 ppg. / 1.7 rpg.)
Former WSSU standout Corey Thompson takes over as the head coach in 2024-25. He takes over a Rams team that was 19-9 last year and reached the CIAA Tournament quarterfinals. The Rams were picked to finish fifth in the 12-team CIAA. Like Gannon, WSSU has a fresh look with the top five scorers gone. The top returnee is Jeremy Dixon, a junior forward who started 11 games last year.
 
Next for the Golden Knights: Gannon will make its home debut for 2024-25 hosting Davis & Elkins on Wednesday, Nov. 13. Tipoff at Hagerty Family Events Center is 5:00 p.m.
 
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Players Mentioned

Mike Montano

#1 Mike Montano

G/F
6' 7"
Sophomore
Ernest Shelton

#4 Ernest Shelton

G
6' 5"
Sophomore
Justin DeBuck

#5 Justin DeBuck

G
6' 1"
Graduate Student
Layne Sarver

#12 Layne Sarver

G
6' 6"
Junior
Tasman Goodrick

#23 Tasman Goodrick

F
6' 9"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Mike Montano

#1 Mike Montano

6' 7"
Sophomore
G/F
Ernest Shelton

#4 Ernest Shelton

6' 5"
Sophomore
G
Justin DeBuck

#5 Justin DeBuck

6' 1"
Graduate Student
G
Layne Sarver

#12 Layne Sarver

6' 6"
Junior
G
Tasman Goodrick

#23 Tasman Goodrick

6' 9"
Sophomore
F