Player of the Week
Zach Philipkoski, Daemen
Junior | G | New Hartford, N.Y.
Zach Philipkoski averaged 19.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.7 blocks per game while leading to another unbeaten week with wins over Franklin Pierce, District of Columbia and Staten Island to improve to 18-0 this season. For the week, Philipkoski shot 60% from the field (18-for-30), 53% from three-point range (8-for-15) and 93% from the free throw line (14-for-15). After scoring 20 points to go with a game-high five assists vs. FPU, he netted 10 points to go with six boards, three assists and three blocks in just 24 minutes of action vs. UDC. His signature performance of the week came Sunday when he shot 10-for-13 from the field and scored a season-high 28 points while also grabbing nine rebounds in the win over CSI. For the season, Philipkoski ranks fifth in scoring, rebounds and assists, and sixth in field goal percentage, among the ECC leaders.
Defensive Player of the Week
Phil Nwugwo, Daemen
Redshirt Junior | F | Rochester, N.Y.
Phil Nwugwo had a stellar week on the defensive end to help Daemen go 3-0 with wins over Franklin Pierce, District of Columbia and Staten Island. The 6-foot-6 redshirt junior averaged 2.7 blocks per game to anchor Daemen's defense which limited the three opponents to just 63.0 points per outing. Nwugwo set a new career-high with five blocked shots in Friday's win over UDC. He has been an important cog for Daemen this season, especially since being inserted into the starting lineup in place of injured All-American center Benjamin Bill. Over the last nine games, Nwugwo is averaging 12.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.8 blocks while shooting 55.6% from the field.
Rookie of the Week
Chase Timberlake, Molloy
Freshman| G | Baldwin, N.Y.
Timberlake stuffed the stat sheet in Molloy's victory over Queens College on Saturday. The freshman totaled 17 points, tied a team-high five assists, and secured five rebounds while swiping two steals and collecting one block.
ECC Weekly Honor Roll
Marko Milivojevic, D’Youville
Senior | F | Oakville, Ontario
Milivojevic was a rim protector for the Saints this past week, averaging three blocks per game. Milivojevic had his best defensive outing against the College of Staten Island, coming away with a career-high five blocks.
Elisha Warren, D’Youville
Redshirt Junior | G | Woodhaven, Mich.
Warren had strong week for the Saints after their mid-season break, averaging 22 points on 57% shooting from the field and 50% from beyond the arc. Warren started the week off strong with a career-high 30 points against Frostburg State University and followed that up with 22 points against the College of Staten Island. Warren also averaged 6.7 rebounds per game and completed the double-double performance against Frostburg where he secured 10 rebounds.
Bryce Merchant, Molloy
Junior | G | Laurelton, N.Y.
Merchant helped lead the Lions to an 87-78 victory over Queens Saturday afternoon. The junior tallied 20 points on 75 percent shooting (9-of-12) and secured a team-high seven rebounds.
Tahj-Malik Campbell, Queens
Senior | F | Philadelphia, Pa.
Senior forward Tahj-Malik Campbell delivered a dominant week on the road, averaging 22.0 points, 12.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.5 steals over two games. Campbell opened the week by recording his sixth double-double of the season, pouring in a team-high 30 points on 12-of-22 shooting, including 4-of-5 from three-point range, while adding a career-best 17 rebounds, two steals, and two assists in the victory over AIC. The performance marked his second 30-point outing of the season, tied a career high with 12 made field goals, and set a new career best with four three-pointers. On Saturday at Molloy, Campbell followed up with a strong all-around effort, finishing with 14 points, eight rebounds, a career-high six assists, and one steal.
Dylan Kopp, Molloy
Sophomore | G | East Quogue, N.Y.
Kopp led all scorers against Queens on Saturday, totaling 22 points while shooting 9-of-15 from the floor.
Henri Mennander, Queens
Freshman | F | Queens
Rookie forward Henri Mennander also impressed on the road, averaging 14.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.0 blocks across the two road games. In Wednesday’s win over AIC, Mennander scored 14 points on an efficient 6-of-8 shooting, while adding four rebounds, two blocks, and a steal. The rookie capped the week on Saturday against Molloy by recording his fifth double-double of the season with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and three assist
Oliver Spence, District of Columbia
Freshman | C/F | Slovakia, Europe
In UDC’s conference matchup at D’Youville, Spence finished with 14 points and nine rebounds, narrowly missing a double-double while also recording three blocks.
Derrick James, St. Thomas Aquinas
Senior | G | Columbus, Ohio
James recorded 22 points, while grabbing seven rebounds, dishing six assists and swiping four steals in 33 minutes of action, as STAC defeated Roberts Wesleyan 88-74 last week. The senior guard shot 66.7 percent (8-12) from the field, 100.0 percent (2-2) from beyond the arc and 80.0 percent (4-5) from the charity stripe.
Asa Kone, Staten Island
Senior | F | Bronx, N.Y.
Kone was a prime performer in the week for the Dolphins as he and Goldstein led the scoring charge for the team. Kone averaged 14.3 ppg, good for second on the team through three games, while recording 5.7 rebounds per game.
Jordan Brown, Roberts Wesleyan
Freshman | G/PG | Annapolis, Md.
Freshman Jordan Brown recorded a trio of double-digit scoring games to help the Redhawks to a 2-1 week. He had 11 points against Redeemer and then scored 10 and 16 against STAC and Mercy over the weekend. He finished with 37 points, 12 rebounds, nine assists and six steals for the week.
Kohen Rowbatham, Mercy
Sophomore | G | Slidell, La.
Rowbatham had a game-high 22 points on 7-of-15 shooting with four rebounds, two assists and one steal at Roberts Wesleyan on Sunday.
ECC Men's Basketball Weekly Award Winners
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Nov. 17 - Benjamin Bill, Daemen
Nov. 24 - Aaron Goldstein, Staten Island and Zach Philipkoski, Daemen
Dec. 1 - Benjamin Bill, Daemen (2x)
Dec. 8 - Elisha Warren, D'Youville
Dec. 15 - Zach Philipkoski, Daemen (2x)
Dec. 22 - Aaron Goldstein (2x)
Jan. 5 - Justin Hemphill, Daemen
Jan. 12 – Zach Philipkoski, Daemen (3x)
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Nov. 17 - Ryan Heath, Daemen
Nov. 24 - Benjamin Bill, Daemen
Dec. 1 - Tahj-Malik Campbell, Queens
Dec. 8 - Justin Hemphill, Daemen
Dec. 15 - Justin Hemphill, Daemen (2x)
Dec. 22 - Justin Hemphill, Daemen (3x)
Jan. 5 - Ryan Heath, Daemen (2x)
Jan. 12 - Phil Nwugwo, Daemen
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Nov. 17 - Henri Mennander, Queens
Nov. 24 - Ky Panda-Massey, St. Thomas Aquinas
Dec. 1 - Henri Mennander, Queens (2x)
Dec. 8 - Lashard Lowry, Jr., D'Youville
Dec. 15 - Sean Reynolds, D'Youville
Dec. 22 - Henri Mennander, Queens (3x)
Jan. 5 – Chase Timberlake, Molloy
Jan. 12 – Chase Timberlake, Molloy (2x)
1. Daemen - 81 points (9 first-place votes)
2. St. Thomas Aquinas - 69 points
3. Staten Island - 54 points
4. Queens - 48 points
5. Roberts Wesleyan - 45 points
6. D'Youville - 42 points
7. District of Columbia - 24 points
8. Molloy - 22 points
9. Mercy - 20 points