LANCASTER, Pa. - The Atlantic East Conference announced the Men’s Basketball weekly award winners on Monday, as Neumann’s Jalen Vaughns and Jarrell Keel sweep Player and Defensive Player of the Week respectively.
Player of the Week:
Name: Jalen Vaughns
School: Neumann
Class: Senior
Position: Forward
Hometown: Tobyhanna, Pa.
High School: Pocono Mountain West
Brief Outlook of Week: Vaughns averaged 21.5 points and 16.5 rebounds in a 2-0 conference week for Neumann. He shot 78.8% from the free throw line (7-for-9). In a 70-54 win at Cabrini, the senior scored 18 points and 16 rebounds. Vaughns followed with 25 points and 17 rebounds in an 86-70 win over Centenary.
Defensive Player of the Week:
Name: Jarrell Keel
School: Neumann
Class: First Year
Position: Guard
Hometown: Philadelphia, Pa.
High School: Academy of the New Church
Brief Outlook of Week: Keel averaged 10.0 rebounds and 9.0 points in a 2-0 conference week for Neumann. Out of his 20 rebounds, 16 were defensive and Keel added five blocks. In a 70-54 win at Cabrini, Keel tallied seven points and six board (five defensive). He followed with 11 points and 14 boards (11 defensive) in an 86-70 win against Centenary.
Weekly Honor Roll:
Marcus Beckett (Sr., Guard, Marymount): Beckett was a steady force in the Saints' game plan over their 1-1 week, averaging 15.5 points per game, putting up 21 against AEC foe Immaculata. Shooting 50% from the floor, the senior added 14 rebounds and four assists.
Manny Clark (Gr., Guard, Gwynedd Mercy): Clark played a big role in a pair of AEC wins over Centenary and Cabrini as Gwynedd extends their current league winning streak to five games. Clark came off the bench for 17 points in a 92-65 win over the Cyclones; he hit three three-point baskets (3-of-5, .600) in a 5-of-8 (.625) shooting effort that came with a 4-of-4 (1.000) performance at the free throw line, five rebounds, an assist, and two steals. Against the Cavaliers, Clark was the star of Senior Day with a team-high 16 points, eight rebounds, an assist, and a steal.
Mike Marable (Jr., Guard, Gwynedd Mercy): Marable continues to do all the things that have allowed Gwynedd to win five straight AEC games as he helped the Griffins to league wins over Centenary and Cabrini with back-to-back renaissance performances. In a 92-65 win over the Cyclones, Marable offered 16 points, nine rebounds, a team-high five assists, and a steal. On Saturday, he provided 10 points, six rebounds, two assists, and a tremendous defensive effort with four blocks and two steals in a 75-64 win over the Cavaliers.
Kenneth Rankin (Fy., Forward, Centenary): Rankin averaged 18.5 points per game with 9.5 rebounds per game in the two-game week for the Cyclones. The first year added a steal per game and one block across the two contests.
Dinero Washington (Fy., Guard, Immaculata): Washington scored 41 points shooting 14-for-26 (.538%) from the floor, 11-for-13 from the foul line, with eight rebounds, and seven steals over two Atlantic East Conference games. He scored 18 points, with three rebounds, and four steals to help Immaculata to a win over Marywood on January 31st. He scored a game-high 23 points, with five rebounds, and three steals vs Marymount on February 3rd.
Previous Weekly Award Winners:
Nov. 13, 2023 – Jalen Vaughns, Neumann & Tyler Tillery, Immaculata
Nov. 20, 2023 – Kyle Thompson, Neumann & , Marcus Beckett Marymount
Nov. 27, 2023 – Jalen Vaughns, Neumnan & Tyler Tillery, Immaculata
Dec. 4, 2023 – Jalen Vaughns, Neumann & D.J. Johnson. Gwynedd Mercy
Dec. 11, 2023 – Montell Cooper, Marymount & Bryan Warren, Cabrini
Dec. 18, 2023 – JoHaan Vinson, Gwynedd Mercy & Dylan Crews, Immaculata
Jan. 2, 2024 – Jalen Vaughns, Neumann & Aquil Stewart, Gwynedd Mercy
Jan. 8, 2024 – Montell Cooper, Marymount & CJ Highsmith Jr., Marymount
Jan. 16, 2024 – Manny Clark, Gwynedd Mercy & Jarell Keel, Neumann
Jan 22, 2024 – Jalen Vaughns, Neumann & Jarell Keel, Neumann
Jan 29, 2024 – Aziz Parker, Gwynedd Mercy & Tyler Tillery, Immaculata