Greyhound Men Ready for 40th Steel Club Classic January 4-5 in Johnston Hall
BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian College men’s basketball squad is ready to host the 40th Steel Club Classic in Johnston Hall on January 4-5. 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 and has moved back to January after being in December the last three years.
BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian College men's basketball squad is ready to host the 40th Steel Club Classic in Johnston Hall on January 4-5. 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 and has moved back to January after being in December the last three years.
Host Moravian has a 52-26 record in the 39-year history of the tournament, and the Hounds have won 17 tournament titles, most recently in January of 2014. There has been no champion sine the tournament resumed in 2016 with matchups being predetermined. Montclair State University is in the tournament for the fourth time while Ithaca College is making its second appearance and SUNY Oswego are making its debut appearance.
Moravian will play Ithaca at 4:30 p.m. in Saturday's first game while SUNY Oswego and Montclair State will play the 6:30 p.m. game on Saturday. The Greyhounds and the Lakers will play on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. while the Bombers and the Red Hawks finish the tournament with a 5:30 p.m. game. Live video for all of the contests will be available at https://portal.stretchinternet.com/moravian/. Tournament Program.
The Greyhounds have had just 13 days off since a game versus Immaculata University on December 21. Moravian headed into the holiday with a 6-4 mark and a 1-0 slate in Landmark Conference action. Moravian is led by head coach Shawn Postiglione, who is in his first season leading the Hounds.
Senior guard C.J. Barnes leads Moravian is scoring a t 15.3 points per game to go with 4.8 rebounds per contest, 24 three-pointers, 13 assists and nine steals while junior guard Matt O'Connor is netting 13.2 points per outing to go with 38 rebounds, 31 assists, 19 three-pointers and 10 steals. Junior guard Keith Otto is contributing 8.9 points per game to go along with 20 rebounds, 10 assists, nine three-pointers and seven steals while senior forward Addis Ralph has averages of 7.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per contest with 10 blocked shots, six three-pointers, five assists and five steals.
Freshman guard Greg Eck is netting 7.2 points per outing with 24 rebounds, 10 three-pointers, 10 steals and eight assists while junior forward John Rigsby is adding 7.0 points and 5.2 rebounds per game with 12 three-pointers, 10 assists and nine assists. Senior forward John Hargraves in contributing 7.0 points and 4.7 rebounds per contest with nine blocked shots, nine steals and six assists while junior guard Nick King is scoring 5.5 points per game with 24 rebounds and 10 assists and senior guard Mike Martino has added 43 rebounds, 40 assists, 28 points and 22 steals.
Ithaca College from Ithaca, New York entered the holiday break with 4-2 record and has not played since December 10. The Bombers compete in the Liberty League and are 2-0 in conference action this season. Ithaca is coached by Jim Mullins, who is in his 23rd season.
Senior guard Riley Thompson leads four Bombers in double figures at 20.7 points per game to go along with 21 rebounds, 16 three-pointers and nine assists. Senior guard Sebastian Alderete is averaging 14.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per contest with nine steals, eight assists and eight three-pointers while freshman forward Jack Stern is netting 11.8 points per outing with 22 rebounds and eight blocked shots. Sophomore guard Skylar Sinon is contributing 10.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game to go along with 36 assists, 12 steals and six three-pointers.
Senior guard Jake Mitchell is adding 8.8 points and 4.0 rebounds per contest with 17 assists, 11 steals and nine three-pointers while junior forward Bryan Karl is scoring 6.7 points per outing with 10 three-pointers and 10 rebounds. Freshman guard Liam Spellman has 15 rebounds and 13 points for Ithaca while sophomore guard Zach Warech had 12 rebounds, 10 points and 10 assists. Sophomore forward Clay Medling has added 11 points and seven boards while sophomore guard George Sikoryak III has 15 rebounds.
Montclair State University from Montclair, New Jersey rode into the holiday break with a 7-3 record and has been off since December 18. The Red Hawks compete in the New Jersey Athletic Conference and are 5-0 in conference play. Montclair State is headed by Justin Potts who is in his first season after coaching his alma mater Moravian the last four seasons with two NCAA Tournament berths the last two years.
The Red Hawks have five players in double digits led by senior guard Akbar Hoffman at 18.3 points per game to go along with 33 three-pointers, 22 rebounds, 19 steals and 17 assists. Senior guard Nate Nahirny is netting 12.9 points per contest with 38 assists, 36 rebounds, 19 three-pointers and 14 steals while senior forward/center Eddie Emedoh is adding 12.7 points and 5.2 rebounds per outing with seven three-pointers, seven assists and seven steals. Senior forward Jalen Parham is contributing 12.6 points and 6.6 rebounds per game to go with nine steals, eight blocked shots, seven assists and seven three-pointers while junior guard/forward Irving Callender IV has averages of 10.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per contest with 14 assists, seven steals and seven three-pointers.
Senior guard/forward Justin Porter is contributing 8.5 points and 6.2 rebounds per outing with 22 steals, 21 assists and eight three-pointers while sophomore forward Steve Breeman is adding 7.5 points per game with 38 rebounds, 13 three-pointers, 11 assists and seven steals. Sophomore guard DeAireus Brown has added 43 points and 11 rebounds while junior forward Joseph Radi has 40 points, 32 rebounds, 11 three-pointers and 10 assists and freshman guard Kenyon Pryce has 19 points, 14 assists and 12 rebounds.
SUNY Oswego from Oswego, New York took a 5-2 record into the longest break of the tournament having last played on December 7. The Lakers compete in the State University of New York Athletic Conference and are 1-1 this season. SUNY Oswego is led by Jason Leone, who is in his ninth season.
Freshman guard Jeremiah Sparks leads four Lakers in double figures at 14.1 points per game to go with 7.1 rebounds per contest, 14 assists and 10 steals. Senior forward Joe Sullivan is adding a double-double of 14.0 points and 10.9 rebounds per outing with 13 assists, eight steals and seven three-pointers while senior guard Brandon Gartland is also netting 14.0 points per game to go with 26 rebounds, 18 three-pointers, 14 assists and eight steals. Junior guard Liam Sanborn is tossing in 11.9 points per contest to go with 36 assists and 18 rebounds.
Sophomore guard Julien Crittendon is averaging 9.8 points per contest with 14 rebounds and seven three-pointers while sophomore guard Colby Moultrie is netting 7.0 points per outing with seven three-pointers. Sophomore forward Jordan Brown has averages of 6.0 points and 4.4 rebounds per game to go with a team-high four blocked shots while freshman guard Caleb Cook has 41 points, 11 rebounds and eight three-pointers and sophomore center Louis Fedullo has added 17 rebounds.
