BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian College men's basketball squad is set to host the 39th Steel Club Classic in Johnston Hall on December 30-31.
The host Greyhounds have a 51-25 record in the 38-year history of the tournament, and the Hounds have won 17 tournament titles, most recently in January of 2014. Montclair State University is in the tournament for the third time while Williams (Mass.) College and Virginia Wesleyan University are making their debut appearances. 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.
Moravian will play Virginia Wesleyan at 4:30 p.m. in Sunday's first game while Williams and Montclair State will play the 6:30 p.m. game on Sunday. The Greyhounds and the Ephs will play on Monday at 3:30 p.m. while the Marlins and the Red Hawks finish the tournament with a 5:30 p.m. game.
The Greyhounds have had just 10 days off since a game at Yeshiva (N.Y.) University on December 19. Moravian headed into the holiday with a 7-3 mark and a 1-0 slate in Landmark Conference action. Moravian is led by head coach Justin Potts, who is in his fourth season with a record of 57-34.
Senior forward Oneil Holder leads the Hounds is scoring at 18.0 points per game and on the boards at 7.2 rebounds per contest to go along with 20 assists, 13 steals, 11 blocked shots and 10 three-pointers. Senior guard Jimmy Murray is tossing in 15.5 points per outing to go with 21 three-pointers, 19 rebounds, 16 assists and 13 steals while senior guard Nicholas Casazza is netting 10.3 points per game with 24 three-pointers, 24 rebounds, 13 assists and nine steals.
Junior guard C.J. Barnes is contributing 6.7 points an outing with 25 rebounds, 13 three-pointers, six assists and four steals while junior guard Elijah Davis is adding 6.0 points per contest with 31 rebounds, 17 steals, 11 three-pointers, nine assists and five blocked shots. Senior guard Will Brazukas leads the Greyhounds with 31 assists to go with 52 points, 18 rebounds and 10 steals while junior forward John Hargraves has 50 points, 17 rebounds, eight assists and five blocked shots.
Sophomore guard Keith Otto has contributed 47 points, 29 rebounds, 12 assists, 12 steals and seven three-pointers while freshman forward Steve Breeman has 39 points, 21 rebounds, seven assists, six steals and six three-pointers. Junior forward Addis Ralph has added 38 points, 21 rebounds, six three-pointers and five blocked shots while sophomore guard Matt O'Connor has tossed in 25 points with 14 assists, 12 rebounds, nine steals and five three-pointers. Sophomore guard Shon Wilson has 19 points and 12 boards while junior guard Mike Martino has 22 assists, 18 rebounds, eight points and six steals.
Montclair State University from Montclair, New Jersey rode into the holiday break with a 9-2 record and has been off since December 12. The Red Hawks compete in the New Jersey Athletic Conference and are 5-1 in conference play. Montclair State is headed by Marlon Sears, who is in his fourth season.
Junior guard Akbar Hoffman leads the Red Hawks is scoring at 17.9 points per game to go along with 29 rebounds, 21 assists, 19 steals and 31 three-pointers. Sophomore guard Myles Mitchell-White is contributing 15.2 points per contest with 48 rebounds, 31 assists, 12 steals and 12 three-pointers while senior forward/center Jordan Roberson leads Montclair State on the boards at 8.3 rebounds per outing to go with 8.3 points per game, 13 assists, 10 steals and four blocked shots.
Junior forward/center Eddie Emedoh has averages of 8.2 points and 5.0 rebounds per game to go with five steals and three assists while sophomore guard/forward Irving Callender IV is netting 6.6 points per outing with 45 rebounds, nine three-pointers eight assists and six steals. Junior forward Jalen Parham is adding 6.4 points and 5.1 rebounds per contest with 23 assists, seven blocked shots and four steals while sophomore forward Joseph Radi is netting 5.4 points per outing with 25 rebounds and nine assists. Junior guard/forward Justin Porter is contributing 4.9 points and 4.8 rebounds per game with 28 assists and 10 steals.
Virginia Wesleyan University from Virginia Beach, Virginia entered the holiday break with 5-5 record. The Marlins compete in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference and are 3-0 in conference action this season. Virginia Wesleyan is coached by Dave Macedo, who is in his 19th season.
Sophomore forward Tim Fisher leads the Marlins with averages of 14.7 points and 7.9 rebounds per game to go with 15 blocked shots, 10 assists and seven steals. Senior guard Keijon Honore is contributing 13.1 points per contest with 25 rebounds, 46 assists, 17 three-pointers and eight steals while junior guard/forward Percy Burt is adding 11.8 points and 7.4 rebounds per outing with 17 steals, 11 blocked shots, 10 three-pointers and 10 assists.
Junior guard/forward Lamont Stewart is netting 11.6 points per game to go with 5.4 rebounds per outing, 21 assists, 17 blocked shots, 11 steals and 10 three-pointers while senior guard/forward R.J. Nicholson is tossing in 7.8 points per outing with 29 rebounds, nine three-pointers, seven assists and seven steals. Sophomore guard Corey Pelham has 58 points, 20 rebounds, 16 three-pointers, nine assists and six steals while freshman guard Jordan White has added 23 points, nine rebounds and six three-pointers.
Williams College from Williamstown, Massachusetts took a 9-0 record and the No. 2 spot in the D3hoops.com Top 25 poll into the holiday break. The Ephs compete in the New England Small College Athletic Conference and begin conference play in January. Williams is led by Kevin App, who is in his fifth season.
Senior guard Bob Casey leads the Ephs at 18.1 points per game to go along with 5.2 rebounds per contest, 38 assists, 31 three-pointers and five steals. Senior forward James Heskett is contributing 16.6 points per outing with 29 rebounds, 24 three-pointers, 14 assists and 13 steals while senior forward Kyle Scadlock leads the Ephs at 9.2 rebounds per game to go with 14.4 points per contest, 21 assists, six blocked shots, six three-pointers and five steals.
Junior center Matt Karpowicz has averaged of 11.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per outing with 12 blocked shots and 16 assists. Junior forward Henry Feinberg is contributing 6.6 points per game with 33 rebounds, nine assists and four steals while junior guard Mickey Babek is adding 5.1 points per outing with 17 rebounds, 12 assists, eight three-pointers and six steals.
Sophomore forward Marc Taylor is scoring 4.8 points per contest with 15 rebounds and five three-pointers while senior center Michael Kempton has 38 rebounds, 20 points and 20 assists. Freshman guard Spencer Spivy has added 25 points, six three-pointers and five rebounds.
