BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian College men's basketball team returns from its holiday break by hosting the 38th Roosevelt's 21st Greyhound Classic in Johnston Hall on December 30-31.
The first two years of the tournament were played as a season-opening tournament before switching to a January tournament during the 1980-81 season. The tournament was not held in 2014-15 or 2015-16 due to a conflict with the Landmark Conference schedule.
Host Moravian has a 50-24 record in the 37-year history of the tournament, and the Hounds have won 17 tournament titles. most recently in January of 2014. Lebanon Valley College is in the tournament for the second time while Bryn Athyn College and Hamilton (N.Y.) College are making their debut appearances.
Moravian will play Bryn Athyn at 4:30 p.m. in Saturday's first game while Hamilton and Lebanon Valley will play the 6:30 p.m. game on Saturday. The Greyhounds and the Continentals will play on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. while the Lions and the Flying Dutchmen finish the tournament with a 5:30 p.m. game.
The Greyhounds have had just 11 days off since a game versus Eastern University in the Hoop MIA Holiday Shootout in Miami, Florida on December 19. Moravian headed into the holiday with an 8-2 mark and a 1-0 slate in Landmark Conference action.
Moravian is led by head coach Justin Potts, who is in his third season with a record of 38-25. The Hounds are 59-55 all-time against Lebanon Valley, who they will not face in the tournament, and the Greyhounds will be playing both Bryn Athyn and Hamilton for the first time in school history.
Junior guard Jimmy Murray leads the Hounds in scoring at 17.3 points per game to go along with 28 rebounds, 20 three-pointers, 19 steals and 14 assists. Junior forward Oneil Holder is netting 15.6 points per contest and leads Moravian on the boards with an average of 9.0 rebounds per outing to go with 13 steals, 11 assists and eight blocked shots while sophomore guard C.J. Barnes is contributing 11.9 points and 4.5 rebounds per game with 18 three-pointers and 13 steals.
Sophomore guard Elijah Davis is tossing in 8.2 points per contest with 24 rebounds, 14 three-pointers, 10 assists and six steals while junior guard Nicholas Casazza is netting 7.9 points per outing with a team-high 22 three-pointers, 21 rebounds, 16 assists and 14 steals. Junior guard Will Brazukas leads Moravian with 49 assists to go with 19 rebounds, 12 assists and a scoring average of 6.3 points per game. Senior guard Matt Cardonne has 53 points, 20 rebounds and 13 three-pointers while senior forward Khalil Rhett has added 37 rebounds and 23 points.
Sophomore guard Mike Martino has 27 points, 14 assists and 13 rebounds for the Greyhounds while freshman guard Matt O'Connor has 23 points and 12 boards. Sophomore forward Addis Ralph has contributed 20 points and 20 rebounds while freshman guard Shon Wilson has 18 points and freshman guard Keith Otto has 10 points.
Bryn Athyn College from Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania rode into the holiday break with a 6-3 record before an exhibition game at NCAA Division I New Jersey Institute of Technology on December 22. The Lions compete in the North East Athletic Conference, and are 3-0 in conference play. Bryn Athyn is headed by Justin Baxter, who is in his sixth season at the helm.
Junior guard Rahim Washington leads the Lions in scoring at 19.2 points per game to go with an average of 5.4 rebounds per contest, 26 steals, 20 steals and 19 three-pointers. Junior guard/forward Lamarr Crenshaw is adding 15.8 points and 6.1 rebounds per outing to go along with 13 steals, 10 assists and seven blocked shots while senior forward Christian Rivera has averages of 8.8 points and 5.1 rebounds per game with 18 assists, 12 steals and seven three-pointers.
Senior forward Adonis Rosario is contributing 8.0 points and 4.6 rebounds per contest with five assists while senior guard Devante Laws is netting 5.6 points per outing with 14 rebounds, 12 three-pointers and eight assists. Senior guard Jerome Staley is contributing 5.4 points per game for Bryn Athyn to go with 23 rebounds, 16 assists, 11 steals and eight three-pointers while junior guard Larry Stevenson III has 40 points, 25 rebounds, 11 assists, 11 steals and seven three-pointers.
Hamilton College from Clinton, New York entered the holiday break with an 8-0 record. The Continentals compete in the New England Small College Athletic Conference and will begin conference play in January. Hamilton is coached by Adam Stockwell, who is in his seventh season.
Sophomore guard Kena Gilmour leads four players in double figures for the Continentals at 17.3 points per game to go with an average of 7.0 rebounds per contest, 18 assists, 12 steals, 12 three-pointers and six blocked shots. Junior forward Michael Grassey is contributing 14.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per outing with 19 assists, 17 three-pointers, five steals and five blocked shots while junior forward Peter Hoffman is also adding 14.1 points per game to go with 35 rebounds, 17 assists and nine steals. Junior guard Tim Doyle is netting 11.8 points per contest with 22 rebounds, 37 assists, 14 three-pointers and eight steals.
Senior guard Joe Pucci leads Hamilton with 18 three-pointers to go with an average of 8.4 points per outing, 11 rebounds, nine assists, eight steals and six blocked shots while junior forward Andrew Groll is adding 6.9 points and 7.0 rebounds per game with six assists and six blocked shots. Sophomore guard Vince Conn is netting 6.1 points per contest with 14 assists, 12 rebounds and five three-pointers while sophomore guard Mark Lutz has an average of 5.6 points per outing with 18 rebounds, 10 three-pointers, and seven assists and freshman guard Tyler Washington has added 34 points, 27 rebounds, 10 steals, nine assists and four three-pointers.
Lebanon Valley College from Annville, Pennsylvania took an 8-3 record into the holiday break. The Flying Dutchmen compete in the MAC Commonwealth Conference, and are 3-1 in conference play in 2017-18. Lebanon Valley is led by Brad McAlester, who is in his 24th season.
Senior guard Sam Light leads the Flying Dutchmen in scoring at 22.5 points per game to go with 4.7 rebounds per contest, 19 three-pointers, 18 assists and 12 steals. Senior forward Andy Orr is averaging a double-double with 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per outing to go with 19 assists and 14 blocked shots while senior guard Ricky Bugg is contributing 8.0 points and 5.2 rebounds per game with 19 assists, eight steals and eight three-pointers.
Senior guard Will Boccanfuso is averaging 6.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per contest with 17 assists and 11 steals while junior guard Chris Anderson leads Lebanon Valley with 27 assists to go with 29 rebounds, 11 steals and an average of 5.9 points per outing. Freshman guard Zach Tucker is netting 5.5 points per game with 18 rebounds, 12 assists and eight three-pointers while junior forward Andrew Eberhart has 53 points and 37 rebounds this season.