STANDISH, ME – Saint Joseph’s is ranked second in the latest Maine Men’s Basketball Coaches and Writers Association Poll and sophomore guard Zach O’Brien (Schenectady, NY) has been listed on the Honor Roll for the second time this season.
The Monks, with 38 points and three first-place votes, are ranked second in this week’s MMBCWA Poll, which is voted on by the head coaches of the DIII and NAIA programs in Maine. Colby College takes over the top spot with six first-place votes and 41 points and Bowdoin (26 pts), Husson (10) and Thomas (10) round out the top five. Bates College received nine votes as well.
O'Brien averaged 20 points, 6.5 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals in a 1-1 conference week for the Monks. The sophomore scored a career-high 29 points, off a 12-17 effort from the floor, in a win over Lasell on January 16th and netted 11 points, 8 assists and 4 steals in a close loss to Norwich on January 12th.
Through January 18th, O’Brien leads the Monks in assists (4.0 APG) and ranks second on the team in scoring (14.3 PPG) and free-throw percentage (75%, 45-60).
The poll and weekly accolades are supplemented by the State of Maine statistical leaders, and several SJC players continue to rank highly individually (all stats are through games played on January 17th):
• Ray Eatmon ’10 (Huntington, NY)
leads the state in blocked shots with 24 and a 2.0 BPG average. The
senior forward also ranks sixth in rebounding (8.0 RPG) and seventh
in assists (3.3 APG).
• Chris Petzy ’12 (Kensington, NH)
ranks second in three-point success with a 50% (19-38) effort,
fifth in FT efficiency (82.4%, 28-34) and ninth in field goal
percentage (53.4%, 47-88).
• Rashon Jones ’11 (Bridgeport, CT) is
second in blocked shots (1.7 BPG), seventh in FG% (55.7%, 34-61)
and 12th in rebounding (6.6 RPG).
• Tyler Kelley ’11 (Saco, ME) ranks
fourth in both scoring (16.5 PPG) and 3PT% (42%, 29-69) and eighth
in FG% (53.9%, 76-141).
• O’Brien is third in assists (4.0
APG), seventh in scoring (15.0 PPG) and eighth in FT% (75%, 45-60).
Saint Joseph’s (10-3, 5-2 GNAC) will play at Bates
College (6-8, 0-2 NESCAC) on Wednesday at 7:30 PM.