Release courtesy of Daemen University Sports Information

AMHERST, NY – Daemen redshirt senior forward Justin Hemphill (Buffalo, N.Y.) and redshirt sophomore center Benjamin Bill (Hamburg, N.Y.) were each tabbed to the Bevo Francis Award Top 100 Watch List which was announced by Small College Basketball, a national organization which highlights the accomplishments of non-NCAA Division I basketball teams and student-athletes. The Bevo Francis Award is named for the former basketball star at Rio Grande College who averaged 50.1 points per game during the 1952-53 season. It is awarded to the player who is deemed to have had the finest season within Small College Basketball, which consists of NCAA Divisions II and III as well as the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) and National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA).

Bill and Hemphill join Andrew Sischo (Guilderland, N.Y.) as the only three members of the Wildcats to ever be named to the Top 100 Watch List in program history. For both Hemphill and Bill, it is their first time they have been under consideration for this prestigious award. 

"Congratulations to all 100 players that are on the Bevo Francis Award Watch List of 100 Players," stated John McCarthy, founder of Small College Basketball. "This is a remarkable accomplishment to be listed as one of only 100 out of approximately 13,000-16,000 players that compete at the NCAA DII, NCAA DIII, NAIA and NCCAA levels. I want to emphasize that, while this is ultimately an individual award, we focused on team success as an important criteria for this list, and for this award."

Coming off an injury last season, Bill has put up a historic season this year as he leads the Wildcats in both total points with 235 and points per game with an average of 16.8. Bill currently leads the ECC and ranks third nationally in field goal percentage at .708 while his 102 total field goals rank second in the ECC and 36th nationally. The Hamburg, N.Y., native has averaged 1.71 blocks per game through 14 games which currently stands at third in the ECC while his 24 total blocks rank fourth in the league. A five-time ECC weekly award honoree, Bill has finished in double figures for scoring in all but two games this season.

An All-ECC Third Team selection last season, Hemphill currently ranks second on the squad for points per game with an average of 11.4 and is tied with Bill for the team lead for both total rebounds with 95 and rebounds per game at 6.8. The ECC Player of the Week back on Nov. 18, Hemphill is currently fifth in the ECC for defensive rebounds per game at 4.8 while his 6.8 rpg rank sixth within the conference. One of five players to start in all 14 games this season, Hemphill has tallied three double-doubles, most recently on Jan. 12 at Queens (12 pts, 11 reb) and leads all active Daemen players in career double-doubles with 11. 

The duo are the only members of an East Coast Conference school to make the list this season. They are joined by Tray Alexander of Pace University as the only three representatives from the East Region as well. 

On February 15, the list will be reduced to the Top 50 players. One month later on March 15, the Top 25 players will be announced. On April 5, the finalists of this year's award will be announced, followed by the Bevo Francis Award winner being crowned on April 7.