NEC MEN'S BASKETBALL CO-PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Peter Kiss, Bryant
6’5”, 200 lbs.
Gr., F, New York, NY/Notre Dame Prep (Rutgers/Quinnipiac)
Kiss put the cherry on top of a historic senior campaign with his second straight NEC Player of the Week accolade and fourth overall on the year. The nation’s top point producer averaged 29.0 points on 51.2 percent shooting from the floor, and added 6.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.0 steals per game to lead Bryant to a pair of wins that clinched the first NEC regular season title in program history. Kiss dropped 35 points in Thursday’s 86-66 triumph at St. Francis Brooklyn and tossed in 23 more in Saturday’s riveting title clinching win over the Seahawks in front of a SRO crowd at the Chace Center. Kiss, who had his ten game streak of 25+ points and six game stretch of 30+ point outings snapped, averaged 28.2 ppg in NEC play and heads into the postseason producing 25.1 ppg overall. He also ranks in the NEC top-10 in assists (3.2, 10th), free throw accuracy (.788, fifth) and steals (1.6, seventh).
Eral Penn, LIU
6’7”, 215 lbs.
R-Sr., F, Brooklyn, NY/St. Francis Academy (MD)
Penn was dominant inside and outside in yet another 2-0 week for the Sharks, who stretched their win streak to six following home wins over Merrimack and FDU. In collecting his second NEC Player of the Week honor, the bruising redshirt senior forward registered 30.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.0 assist and 1.0 blocks per game, while shooting 59.4 percent overall and a scintillating 66.7 percent from outside the arc. Penn exploded for a career-high 37 points in Saturday’s 84-77 win over FDU, the majority of which came on his career-best eight three-pointers. He also posted a 24-point, 11-rebound double-double as LIU downed Merrimack, 85-74, two days earlier. Penn is fifth on the circuit in scoring (17.4), sixth in rebounding (7.5), eighth in blocks (1.0) and third in double-doubles (seven).
NEC MEN'S BASKETBALL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Anquan Hill, FDU
6’9”, 195 lbs.
Fr., F, Philadelphia, PA/Archbishop Carroll
Hill wrapped his first season in Hackensack with his third NEC Rookie of the Week award, all of which came over the last six weeks. He produced 9.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.0 spg, and shot 46.2 percent from the field and 83.3 percent from the line in a split for the Knights. Hill finished with 14 points, six boards and three helpers in Thursday’s dramatic 88-86 upset win in overtime over then first place Wagner at the Rothman Center. He made 5-6 shots and drained his lone three-point attempt. Hill, who hails from Philadelphia, ranks second among NEC freshman in scoring (7.6) and rebounding (5.1).
NEC PRIME PERFORMERS
Peter Kiss (BRY, Sr, G)
While the nation’s leading scorer finally had his ten game streak of 25+ points and six game stretch of 30+ point outings snapped in the regular season finale against Wagner, he still put up 29.0 ppg on 51.2 percent shooting from the floor for the week. Kiss also produced 6.0 rpg, 3.5 apg and 2.0 spg for the regular season champion Bulldogs. The senior dropped 35 points in Thursday’s win over SFBK and tossed in 23 more in the title clinching win over the Seahawks. The 25.1 ppg scorer ranks in the NEC top-10 in assists (3.2, 10th), free throw accuracy (.788, fifth) and steals (1.6, seventh).
Charles Pride (BRY, Jr, G)
Pride supplied the Bulldogs with 17.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 2.5 apg and 1.0 spg while shooting 6-13 (.462) from deep in a 2-0 week. He scored 20 points, including a 4-7 mark from downtown, and made a pair of key late buckets to help Bryant down Wagner and take the NEC regular season crown on Saturday. Pride ranks first in the NEC in rebounding (8.3), second in double-doubles (eight), fourth in scoring (17.8), fifth in made 3P (1.9), sixth in steals (1.6) and ninth in free throw percentage (.750).
Nigel Scantlebury (CCSU, Jr, G)
Scantlebury fueled the CCSU attack during the best week of his CCSU tenure. He averaged 24.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 3.5 apg and 2.0 spg, and shot 48.4 percent from the floor and 5-12 (.417) from three-point land. He scored a career-high 30 points on 10-18 shooting in Thursday’s setback to SFU. On the year, he ranks 11th in the league in scoring (13.1), seventh in assists (3.5), and second in FT shooting (.857) and 3P accuracy (.410).
Brandon Rush (FDU, Jr, G)
Rush was absolutely spectacular in FDU’s 88-86 overtime win over then first place Wagner on Thursday. He dropped a career-high 36 points on 12-22 shooting from the floor and was a perfect 10-10 from the line. He added 18 more at LIU on Saturday. For the week, Rush registered 27.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.5 spg and converted 47.4 percent of his FG attempts. Rush is the NEC’s ninth leading scorer at 14.1 ppg and also ranks fourth in free throw shooting (.831).
Eral Penn (LIU, R-Sr, F)
Penn was at his 2021-22 best last week, pumping in 30.5 ppg on 59.4 percent shooting overall and a stellar 8-12 mark (.667) from long range. He added 8.5 rpg, 2.0 apg and 1.0 bpg as LIU swept a pair of home games to extend its win streak to six entering the postseason. He was unstoppable in Saturday’s 84-77 win over FDU, scoring a career-high 37 points that included an 8-12 mark from three-point territory. He also added a 24-point, 11-rebound double-double against Merrimack two days earlier. Penn is fifth on the circuit in scoring (17.4), sixth in rebounding (7.5), eighth in blocks (1.0) and third in double-doubles (seven).
Ziggy Reid (MC, Jr, F)
Reid raised his game last week to the tune of 20.0 ppg on 60.0 percent shooting. He pulled down 5.0 rpg, and added 2.0 apg, 1.5 bpg and 1.5 spg. Reid finished with a season-high 27 points in Saturday’s 72-52 win at SFBK that closed out a 10-8 NEC campaign. He made 11-15 shots and sank 4-7 3P. Reid averages 11.0 ppg and his 76.7 percent mark from the strike ranks seventh on the loop.
Josh Cohen (SFU, R-So, F)
Cohen continued his strong play of late with 20.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg and 3.0 apg in a split. He shot at a 53.6 percent clip from the floor. Cohen scored 19 in a road victory over CCSU on Thursday and compiled his fourth 20+ point outing of the season with 21 at SHU on Saturday. He leads SFU and is 14th in the NEC with 12.9 ppg. Cohen is also second in the conference in FG accuracy (.575) and tenth in rebounding (7.0).
Maxwell Land (SFU, So, G)
Land twice matched his career-high with a pair of 20-point showings in a 1-1 road swing to close out regular season play for the Red Flash. He went 6-8 from distance in Thursday’s 79-63 win at CCSU, and for the week shot 8-15 (.533) beyond the arc. For the week, he averaged 20.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg and 1.0 spg. Land has recorded 11.4 ppg this season and his 1.8 3P/game ranks tenth in the conference.
Alex Morales (WC, Gr, G)
Morales was fantastic across the board last week with 24.5 ppg, 10.5 rpg, 3.5 apg and 2.0 spg for the Seahawks. He scored 25 points in an OT loss to FDU on Thursday, then went for 24 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and a steal at Bryant on Saturday. Morales ranks in the NEC top-10 in scoring (18.5, third), rebounding (7.8, third), assists (3.7, sixth), steals (1.9, third) and FG percentage (.510, ninth).