LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference today released its 2023-24 PSAC Men's Basketball All-Conference Teams with Gannon well represented. First-year head coach Jordan Fee was selected the Western Division Coach of the Year while Josh Omojafo (Hamilton, Ontario/St. Jean de Brebeuf) earned a spot on the first team. Derrick James (Columbus, Ohio/Canal Winchester) and Lyle Tipton (Glenside, Pa./Philadelphia Montgomery Christian Academy) were accorded second team honors.
California (Pa.) captured two of the major awards as KJ McClurg was voted the Western Division Athlete of the Year and teammate Bryson Lucas was named the Defensive Player of the Year. Seton Hill's Kedrick Curtis was selected Freshman of the Year.
Fee engineered a remarkable turnaround for a Gannon squad that won just three games a year ago. The Golden Knights currently own a 27-2 record and finished as the PSAC West regular season champion with a 20-2 record after being picked to finish seventh in the preseason poll. That's the most conference wins ever for the Golden Knights. The turnaround currently ranks as the best-ever in NCAA Division II, with the 26 wins tied for the third-highest season total at Gannon.
In addition, Fee has set a new Gannon record for wins by a first-year coach, eclipsing the record of 25 wins set by Ed Sparling in 1974-75. He is the first Gannon coach to earn PSAC West Coach of the Year accolades since John Reilly in 2014.
Fee joined the Golden Knights after serving as the associate head coach at Nova Southeastern and helping the Sharks to the 2023 NCAA Division II National Championship.
A native of western Pennsylvania, he replenished the roster with nine new players while bringing in a chaotic style of play featuring mass substitutions, a full court trapping defense, and a fast-paced offensive attack.
The season began with a school-record 140 points against Glenville State and the points have just kept coming since then. Gannon has topped the 100-point mark a school-record 15 times and has led Division II in scoring all season long. The Golden Knights currently average 103.3 ppg.
Fee's tenure began with a ten-game winning streak and the Golden Knights are currently on a school-record 16-game winning streak following Wednesday's 94-89 win over Indiana (Pa.) 94-89 to advance to the PSAC Final Four.
Omojafo is a native of Hamilton, Ontario who rates as one of the most improved players in the PSAC. He is Gannon's first All-PSAC West first team selection since Zay Jackson in 2017-18. He was recently named to the Bevo Francis Top 50 Watch List.
His meteoric rise has mirrored the resurrection of the Gannon program this season. The 6-foot-5 sophomore is one of the most improved players in the PSAC after averaging 8.2 ppg. as a freshman, Omojafo leads Gannon and is fifth in the PSAC in scoring at 19.7 ppg. He is shooting 48.8 percent from the floor with 27 3-pointers in 79 attempts. In addition he has set the Gannon record for free throws made in a season (192) and for free throw attempts (237). He ranks first in the PSAC in free throws made and attempted, while standing third in Division II in the former and fifth in the latter.
Omojafo led Gannon with 24 points at Seton Hill last Saturday, his 15th game with 20-or-more points. That includes three games of 30-or-more points. He dropped in a career-high 32 points vs. West Chester along with scoring 31 at Bloomsburg and 30 at California (Pa.). He has led Gannon in scoring 16 times and has been in double figures in 28 of 29 games.
James and Tipton are two of the four transfers brought in by Fee last summer. Tipton is Gannon's second-leading scorer at 15.1 ppg. and is third in rebounding at 4.3 rpg.
A 6-foot-3 guard/forward, Tipton enjoyed an illustrious career at Geneva before joining the Golden Knights. He scored over 1,700 career points and was twice named the Presidents' Athletic Conference Player of the Year. Throwing in his time as a Golden Knight Tipton's career points total now stands at 2,195 points.
Tipton is a highly efficient shooter, making 55.6 percent of his field goal attempts (159-of-286), including 35-of-94 3-pointers, along with 84-of-102 free throws (82.4 pct.). He is fifth in the PSAC in field goal percentage and fourth in free throw percentage. He has scored in double figures in 23 games while leading the team in scoring five times. That includes a 30-point effort, 12-rebound effort recently vs. Pitt-Johnstown. He led Gannon with 23 points on Wednesday vs. IUP.
James is the catalyst for Gannon's fast-paced attack and pressing defense. A 5-foot-10 sophomore, he played a year ago at Ashland. He is currently averaging 9.8 ppg. and 2.8 rpg., but more importantly leads the team in assists (146) and steals (73), while committing just 56 turnovers. He stands second in the PSAC and 20th in Division II in assists per game (5.3) while ranking second in the PSAC in assist/turnover ratio (2.54). His 73 steals rank fourth in a season and lead the PSAC along with standing sixth in Division II.
Like many of his teammates, James has proven to step up in the big moments. Twice in recent games he has a key 3-pointer, and he has also hit key free throws in the waning seconds to clinch wins, including on Wednesday vs. IUP. James is shooting 78.9 percent from the line (75-of-95).
The top seed in the Western Division, Gannon will now host the PSAC Final Four on Saturday, March 9, and Sunday, March 10. The Golden Knights will host Eastern Division No. 2 Millersville on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at Hagerty Family Events Center in the second of two semifinals.
2023-24 PSAC Men's Basketball Western Division All-Conference
Athlete of the Year: KJ McClurg, California
Defensive Player of the Year: Bryson Lucas, California
Freshman of the Year: Kedrick Curtis, Seton Hill
Coach of the Year: Jordan Fee, Gannon
WESTERN DIVISION FIRST TEAM
| Player |
Institution |
Cl. |
Hometown / Previous School |
| Maceo Austin |
Slippery Rock |
Gr. |
Sharon, Pa. / Kennedy Catholic |
| Garvin Clarke |
IUP |
Sr. |
Euclid, Ohio / Euclid HS |
| Zyan Collins |
California |
R-Sr. |
South Riding, Va. / Freedom |
| KJ McClurg |
California |
So. |
Morgantown, W. Va / University |
| Josh Omojafo (Hamilton, Ontario/St. Jean de Brebeuf) |
Gannon |
So. |
Hamilton, Ontario / St. Jean de Brebeuf |
| Jeff Planutis* |
Mercyhurst |
Sr. |
Hazleton, Pa. / Hazleton |
| Ethan Porterfield* |
IUP |
Sr. |
Sharon, Pa. / Sharon |
WESTERN DIVISION SECOND TEAM
| Player |
Institution |
Cl. |
Hometown / Previous School |
| Bernie Blunt |
Edinboro |
Jr. |
Morgantown, Pa. / Peddle School |
| Jomo Goings |
Slippery Rock |
R-So. |
Washington, D.C. / Winston Churchill |
| Jermaine Hall Jr.^ |
California |
Sr. |
Baltimore, Md. / Severn School |
| Derrick James (Columbus, Ohio/Canal Winchester) |
Gannon |
So. |
Columbus, Ohio / Canal Winchester |
| Cam Kearney |
Clarion |
So. |
Virginia Beach, Va. / Salem |
| Ryan Meis |
Seton Hill |
Sr. |
Bethel Park, Pa. / Bethel Park |
| Lyle Tipton (Glenside, Pa./Philadelphia Montgomery Christian Academy) |
Gannon |
Gr. |
Glenside, Pa. / Philadelphia Montgomery Christian Academy |
*Indicates previous First Team All-PSAC selection
^Indicates previous Second Team All-PSAC selection
2023-24 PSAC Men's Basketball Eastern Division All-Conference
Athlete of the Year: Justice Shoats, Lock Haven
Defensive Player of the Year: Jordan Kellier, West Chester
Freshman of the Year: Markus Frank, Shippensburg
Coach of the Year: Mike Nestor, Lock Haven
EASTERN DIVISION FIRST TEAM
| Player |
Institution |
Cl. |
Hometown / Previous School |
| Elijah Allen |
West Chester |
Jr. |
Dover, Del. / Dover |
| Matt Dade^* |
Millersville |
Sr. |
Collegeville, Pa. / Episcopal Academy |
| Jaden Faulkner^* |
Millersville |
Gr. |
Landover, Md. / Eleanor Roosevelt |
| Jordan Kellier |
West Chester |
Gr. |
Kingston, Jamaica / Redemption Christian Acad. |
| Lakeem McAliley^* |
East Stroudsburg |
R-Jr. |
Philadelphia, Pa. / Mastery Charter |
| Daniel McClain-Corley* |
Shepherd |
Sr. |
Clinton, Md. / Massanutten Military Academy |
| Justice Shoats |
Lock Haven |
So. |
Wilkes-Barre, Pa. / Holy Redeemer |
EASTERN DIVISION SECOND TEAM
| Player |
Institution |
Cl. |
Hometown / Previous School |
| Saraj Ali |
Mansfield |
So. |
Williamsport, Pa. / Loyalsock |
| Collin Jones |
Lock Haven |
Gr. |
Lock Haven, Pa. / Central Mountain |
| Phillip Jordan |
Shepherd |
Sr. |
Rockville, Md. / St. Albans |
| Jaelen McGlone |
East Stroudsburg |
Jr. |
Cheltenham, Pa. / Cheltenham |
| Justin Paz |
East Stroudsburg |
R-Sr. |
Allentown, Pa. / Bethlehem Catholic |
| Robert Smith^^ |
West Chester |
Jr. |
Philadelphia, Pa. / Bishop McDevitt |
| Drew Stover |
Millersville |
Jr. |
Oreland, Pa. / Upper Dublin |
*Indicates previous First Team All-PSAC selection
^Indicates previous Second Team All-PSAC selection
