Victor Desmond vs. Shepherd
Joe Mattis

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

Men's Basketball Game Preview: Gannon Plays for Final Time in 2024 with Last Crossover Game at Lock Haven

NR/No. 17 GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS (9-2, 5-0 PSAC West) at LOCK HAVEN BALD EAGLES (5-5, 2-2 PSAC East)
DATE/TIME: Saturday, December 21, 2024 | 3:00 p.m.
STADIUM/LOCATION: Thomas Fieldhouse l Lock Haven, Pa.
LIVE STATS
LIVE VIDEO

THE GANNON-LOCK HAVEN SERIES
Gannon leads 26-3
The Golden Knights have dominated the series until recently. Lock Haven has won three of the last five meetings including a 69-64 win in the most recent meeting during the 2022-23 season.
Last Meeting:  Dec. 30, 2022 – at Lock Haven 69, Gannon 64 I RECAP
Gannon rallied from a 17-point deficit in the second half to pull to within four points in the final minute but could not complete the comeback. Demetrius Mims led three Golden Knights in double figures with 18 points while Lock Haven's Jayy Davis also scored 18 points.
 

ERIE, Pa. – The Gannon men's basketball team takes the court for the final time in 2024 and also will play its final PSAC crossover game, traveling to Lock Haven on Saturday, December 21. Tipoff at Thomas Fieldhouse is 3:00 p.m.
 
The Golden Knights, and all Division II teams, will have a mandated layoff before returning to action with a makeup game against West Virginia State on Thursday, January 2.
 
Gannon has run off nine straight wins following an impressive 92-72 win over Shepherd on Tuesday. First-year head coach Easton Bazzoli has led the Golden Knights to a 9-2 start and 5-0 in the PSAC. They have climbed to 17th in the latest D2CSC Division II Top 25.
 
They will face another challenge against a Lock Haven team that was 20-7 last year, the most wins since 1989-90. The Bald Eagles are 5-5 overall and 2-2 in the PSAC. They come off a 71-69 win at Edinboro on Tuesday.
 
GOLDEN KNIGHTS ADD GAME ON JAN. 2
Gannon was originally scheduled to play West Virginia State in the Gary Miller Classic on November 30. While severe weather conditions forced the cancelation of the tournament the two teams have come up with a date to make up the game. Gannon will host the Yellow Jackets at the Hagerty Family Events Center on Thursday, January 2. Note the 1:00 p.m. tipoff. Both teams were in the Atlantic Regional last year.

The Knight Watch:
Record:  9-2, 5-0 PSAC West
Head Coach: Easton Bazzoli (1st year)
  • Gannon improved to 9-2 and 5-0 in the PSAC with an impressive 92-72 win over Shepherd on Tuesday. The game featured the top scoring team in the PSAC, with Gannon at 98.9 ppg., against a Shepherd team that led the PSAC in scoring defense (66.3 ppg.).  Gannon won out thanks to a big rebounding advantage (50-39) and forcing 25 turnovers. The Golden Knights took 22 more shots than the Rams.
  • Ernest Shelton (Philadelphia, Pa./Father Judge) led Gannon with 18 points and pulled down a career-high 10 rebounds for his first career double-double. The 6-foot-5 sophomore is averaging 18.6 ppg. and has made 36-of-101 3-pointers.
  • All told Gannon has four players scoring in double figures. That includes 6-foot-9 Cal Baptist transfer Tasman Goodrick (Sydney, Australia/St. Joseph's College) who comes in at 14.2 ppg. and 10.5 rpg. The sophomore ranks third in the PSAC in rebounding.
  • Gannon's depth was once again evident against Shepherd. It was definitely needed, as three Golden Knights fouled out. Lucas Sekasi (Washington, DC/Jackson-Reed), one of several freshmen making an impact, had 15 points and six rebounds off the bench. Layne Sarver (New Madison, Ohio/Tri-Village) contributed eight points and six boards and Mason Kemp (Shawnee, Kan./Mill Valley), another freshman, had eight points and four rebounds in just 10 minutes.
Scouting Lock Haven
Record:  5-5, 2-2 PSAC East
Head Coach: Mike Nestor (13th year)
Top Players: Eli Washington (F, 6-10, Gr., 15.0 ppg., 60 asts., 21 stls., 88.9 FT%); Isaiah Stewart (G, 6-2, So., 13.8 ppg., 4.4 rpg., 29 asts., 12-of-52 3's); Kevin Coleman (G, 6-5, Fr., 10.0 ppg., 7.4 rpg., 13 blks., 60.0 FG%)
  • Mike Nestor is in his 13th season as the Lock Haven head coach and has guided the Bald Eagles to five consecutive appearances in the PSAC Tournament. After losing five of their first seven games the Bald Eagles have run off three straight wins to balance their record at 5-5. The last was a 71-69 win at Edinboro on Tuesday as LHU improved to 2-2 in the PSAC East.
  • Nestor led Lock Haven to the PSAC East regular season championship after securing a 20-7 overall record and 18-4 conference mark. The Eastern Division title was the first for the program, while the 18 conference wins is a program best and the 20 overall victories was the most since the 1989-90 season. He was selected the PSAC East Coach of the Year for the second time. Lock Haven was picked to finish fifth in the PSAC East preseason poll.
  • Graduate student Eli Washington leads the Bald Eagles in scoring at 15.0 ppg. The 6-foot-1 guard is tied for the PSAC lead in assists per game and has 60 total. He is also fourth in the PSAC in free throw percentage (88.9 pct.) and fifth in steals (21). Washington recently topped the 1,000-point mark for his career and now has 1,057 career points.
  • Isaiah Stewart is also scoring in double digits at 13.8 ppg. A 6-foot-0 senior, Stewart finished second in the PSAC in 3-point percentage (.439) and 13th in 3-pointers made (54) last year. He has made 12-of-52 3-pointers this year.
Next for the Golden Knights: Gannon begins 2025 with two games in three days. The Golden Knights will play a makeup game with West Virginia State on Thursday, January 2 and two days later begin PSAC West play against California (Pa.). Both games are at the Hagerty Family Events Center. The West Virginia State game was originally scheduled to occur as part of the Gary Miller Classic. Note the tipoff time of 1:00 p.m.
Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Ernest Shelton

#4 Ernest Shelton

G
6' 5"
Sophomore
Lucas Sekasi

#2 Lucas Sekasi

G
6' 5"
Freshman
Layne Sarver

#12 Layne Sarver

G
6' 6"
Junior
Tasman Goodrick

#23 Tasman Goodrick

F
6' 9"
Sophomore
Mason Kemp

#33 Mason Kemp

F
6' 7"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Ernest Shelton

#4 Ernest Shelton

6' 5"
Sophomore
G
Lucas Sekasi

#2 Lucas Sekasi

6' 5"
Freshman
G
Layne Sarver

#12 Layne Sarver

6' 6"
Junior
G
Tasman Goodrick

#23 Tasman Goodrick

6' 9"
Sophomore
F
Mason Kemp

#33 Mason Kemp

6' 7"
Freshman
F