Derkack’s league-leading third NEC Player of the Week award comes on the heels of a pair of outstanding all-around efforts in Merrimack’s season opening home sweep. The sophomore guard produced 24.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game, while shooting at a 57.1 percent clip from the field and 60.0 percent from long range. Derkack opened his second NEC campaign with a game-high 21 points, alongside five rebounds, six assists and three steals to spark the Warriors to a 60-56 win over FDU in an NEC title rematch at Lawler Arena. Two days later, his 27 points led all scorers, and he added seven rebounds, three assists and a pair of steals as Merrimack cruised to an 82-58 win over preseason favorite Sacred Heart. The 27 points marked the second-highest scoring game of Derkack’s career behind his 33-point performance vs. UMass-Lowell on December 2. Derkack, who hails from Colonia, NJ, improved his NEC-leading scoring average to 17.9 per game, and he ranks fifth on the circuit in rebounding (6.1), fourth in FG percentage (.527), seventh in assists (3.3) and fourth in steals (2.3).