CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – American junior guard Sa’eed Nelson was named the 2018-19 Patriot League Men’s Basketball Preseason Player of the Year and selected to the League’s five-member all-League team when the Patriot League office announced preseason honors on Wednesday.
Four of the five preseason all-League selections were on last season’s All-Patriot League squad, including Nelson and Holy Cross senior forward and 2017-18 Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year Jehyve Floyd. Lehigh senior guard Lance Tejada and Colgate junior forward Will Rayman, both 2017-18 second-team picks made the preseason squad along with Bucknell senior forward Nate Sestina.
The Mountain Hawks earned 145 points and seven first-place votes to capture the top spot in the preseason poll for the third time in four seasons, while two-time defending League champion Bucknell finished with 140 points and eight first-place votes for second place. 2017-18 Patriot League runner-up Colgate received 130 points and three first-place votes, while Boston University picked up 121 points and two first-place votes to take third and fourth, respectively.
Voting for the Patriot League men’s basketball preseason player of the year, all-League squad and poll were conducted by League head coaches and sports information directors. Neither group was permitted to vote for their own team or student-athletes.
2018-19 Patriot League Men’s Basketball Preseason Player of the Year
Sa’eed Nelson, American, Jr., G, Pleasantville, N.J./Saint Augustine Prep
*Nelson was a Second-Team All-Patriot League selection in 2017-18 and is the League’s returning leading scorer after averaging 18.6 points in 29 games.
*The junior point guard finished second in the Patriot League in assists (5.1 apg) and third in steals (1.8 spg) during the 2017-18 season.
*Nelson is 15 points shy of joining the 1,000-point club, scoring 985 points through his first two seasons in Washington, D.C. His 14.9 points per game as a freshman in 2016-17 was tied for sixth in the League, helping him earn a spot on the all-rookie team.
2018-19 Patriot League Men’s Basketball Preseason All-League Team
Sa’eed Nelson, American, Jr., G, Pleasantville, N.J./Saint Augustine Prep
*2017-18 Stats: 29 GP, 29 GS, 18.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 5.1 apg, 1.8 spg
*2017-18 All-Patriot League Second Team; 2016-17 Patriot League All-Rookie Team
Will Rayman, Colgate, Jr., F, New York, N.Y./Millbrook Prep
*2017-18 Stats: 33 GP, 33 GS, 14.6 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.2 apg, 41.8 3FG%
*2017-18 All-Patriot League Second Team; 2016-17 Patriot League Rookie of the Year
Jehyve Floyd, Holy Cross, Sr., F, Sayreville, N.J./Sayreville War Memorial
*2017-18 Stats: 31 GP, 31 GS, 12.2 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.6 apg, 2.2 bpg, 66.8 FG%
*2017-18 Defensive Player of the Year; All-Patriot League Third Team; All-Defensive Team
Lance Tejada, Lehigh, Sr., G, Miramar, Fla./Ely (East Carolina)
*2017-18 Stats: 27 GP, 24 GS, 14.7 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.0 apg, 45.3 3FG%
*2017-18 All-Patriot League Second Team
Nate Sestina, Bucknell, Sr., F, Emporium, Pa./Cameron County
*2017-18 Stats: 34 GP, 6.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 0.9 apg, 0.6 bpg, 53.7 FG%
*2018 Patriot League Men’s Basketball All-Tournament Team
Lehigh (16-14, 11-7 PL in ’17-18) – Head coach Brett Reed starts his 12th season at the helm of a Lehigh program that will welcome back four starters, including two of the Patriot League’s best outside shooters with preseason all-League senior guard Lance Tejada (14.7 ppg, 45.3 3FG% in ’17-18) and junior forward Pat Andree (12.6 ppg, 42.9 3FG% in ’17-18). Senior guard Kyle Leufroy (10.0 ppg in ’17-18) and sophomore center James Karnik (7.1 ppg, 6.5 rpg in ’17-18) are also back and provide stability for a team that lost the Patriot League’s career assists leader Kahron Ross to graduation. Overall, Reed’s Mountain Hawks return eight players that averaged more than 16 minutes per game last season, to go along with a talented freshman class.
Bucknell (25-10, 16-2 PL in ’17-18) – Head coach Nathan Davis and the two-time defending Patriot League Champion Bison will look to reload after graduating a trio of all-League performers, including back-to-back League players of the year in Nana Foulland and Zach Thomas. Senior guard Kimbal Mackenzie (8.3 ppg in ’17-18) was hampered by injury last season, but will look to return to form from being an all-League selection in 2016-17. Juniors Bruce Moore (5.6 ppg in ’17-18) and Avi Toomer both bring starting experience, while senior forward and 2017-18 All-Patriot League Tournament selection Nate Sestina (6.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg in ’17-18) will look to step out of the large shadow cast by Foulland and Thomas in the frontcourt.
Colgate (19-14, 12-6 PL in ’17-18) – 2017-18 Patriot League Coach of the Year Matt Langel took his team to the Patriot League Championship Game last season and will return junior all-League forward Will Rayman (14.6 ppg, 6.7 rpg in ’17-18), who has been a force during his first two seasons in Hamilton, N.Y. Sophomore guard Jordan Burns (11.9 ppg, 2.8 apg in ’17-18) will look to build upon a strong freshman season that saw him earn all-rookie accolades. Junior center Dana Batt (7.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg in ’17-18) returns after starting all 33 games a year ago, while senior forward Malcolm Regisford and sophomore guard Jack Ferguson, both of whom provided the Raiders with crucial minutes off the bench, will be tasked with easing the loss of Sean O’Brien and Jordan Swopshire to graduation.
Boston University (15-16, 10-8 PL in ’17-18) – Head coach Joe Jones – beginning his eighth season in Boston - returns four of the team’s five leading scorers from a season ago, including all-League junior forward Max Mahoney (12.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg in ’17-18) and all-rookie forward Walter Whyte (9.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg in ’17-18). The Terriers also welcome back versatile junior forward Tyler Scanlon (10.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 3.0 apg in ’17-18) and sophomore guard Javante McCoy (9.3 ppg in ’17-18) to a team that will receive depth from a talented freshman class.
Holy Cross (12-19, 8-10 PL in ’17-18) – Head coach Bill Carmody’s Crusaders will be led by 2017-18 senior forward and Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year Jehyve Floyd (12.2 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 2.2 bpg in ’17-18), who experienced a breakout junior season. Floyd will have plenty of help from a trio of rising sophomores, including all-rookie guard Austin Butler (9.8 ppg, 3.7 in ’17-18), forward Jacob Grandison (9.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg in ’17-18) and guard Caleb Green (8.9 ppg, 2.9 apg in ’17-18).
Army West Point (13-17, 6-12 PL in ’17-18) – Head coach Jimmy Allen and the Black Knights welcome back their four leading scorers and nine players who averaged more than nine minutes per game last season. Senior guard Jordan Fox (13.7 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 4.2 apg in ’17-18) and junior guard Tommy Funk (10.8 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 5.7 apg in ’17-18) make up one of the most experienced backcourts in the League, while junior forward Matt Wilson (12.0 ppg, 59.7 FG% in ’17-18) and sophomore forward Alex King (9.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg in ’17-18) give Army West Point a pair of quality frontcourt options.
American (6-24, 3-15 PL in ’17-18) – Head coach Mike Brennan will have a combination of talent and experience back in the fold this season highlighted by preseason player of the year Sa’eed Nelson, who is the League’s returning leading scorer at 18.6 points per game. All-rookie forward Sam Iorio (14.9 ppg, 6.5 rpg in ’17-18) and senior guard Larry Motuzis (14.6 ppg, 4.7 rpg in ’17-18) compliment Nelson, while the Eagles also look forward to the return of 2016-17 all-rookie center Mark Gasperini (11.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg in ’16-17), who lost last season to injury.
Navy (20-12, 11-7 PL in ’17-18) – Head coach Ed DeChellis’ Midshipmen lost three starters and six rotation players to graduation, but will have senior point guard Hasan Abdullah (9.9 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 3.4 apg in ’17-18) back to run the offense. Junior center Evan Wieck (5.5 ppg, 3.2 rpg in ’17-18) started all 32 games last season, while senior forward George Kiernan (9.8 ppg, 4.7 rpg), the team’s sixth-man and fourth-leading scorer, will also be looked upon to deliver more on both ends of the floor. Sophomore guard Cam Davis (5.2 ppg in ’17-18) will also have an expanded role after playing in all 32 games, making two starts during his freshman campaign.
Lafayette (10-21, 7-11 PL in ’17-18) – Head coach Fran O’Hanlon begins his 24th season at the helm of the Lafayette basketball program and will have plenty of talent and depth, led by 2017-18 Patriot League Rookie of the Year guard Alex Petrie (15.0 ppg, 40.5 3FG% in ’17-18). Including Petrie, three of the Leopards top-five scorers from a season ago were freshmen, with guards Justin Jaworski (10.8 ppg in ’17-18) and E.J. Stephens (6.8 ppg in ’17-18) also asked to contribute early in their careers. Senior forward Paulius Zalys was a significant factor during the second half of last season, averaging 10.1 points and 6.3 rebounds during the 18-game League slate, and providing the Leopards with another frontcourt option to help make up for the graduation of two-time All-League forward and leading scorer Matt Klinewski.
Loyola Maryland (9-22, 6-12 in ’17-18) – It will be a new era at Reitz Arena, as Greyhounds’ first-year head coach Tavaras Hardy will have to quickly find a way to replace the production of all-League guard Andre Walker and forward Cam Gregory. Junior guard Andrew Kostecka (11.0 ppg, 2.1 spg in ’17-18), an all-defensive team pick last season, led the League in steals, while junior guard Chuck Champion is the team’s returning leading scorer after averaging 11.5 points per game last season. Sophomore guard Isaiah Hart averaged 10.1 points per game in League play.
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The Patriot League is in its third decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes that are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.