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Western New York's Premier Division II Team
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beverly usbwa nat'l player of week (1.14.15)
Gerald Beverly put up big numbers in leading Daemen to three wins last week

Men's Basketball

Beverly Named USBWA Division II National Player Of The Week

Selection Comes On The Heels Of ECC & USCAA Player Of The Week Selections Announced Yesterday

AMHERST, N.Y. - Daemen College men's basketball player Gerald Beverly (Rochester, N.Y./Gates Chili) has been named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) Division II National Player of the Week for the week ending January 11.  The announcement from the USBWA comes on the heels of yesterday's announcements which had Beverly tabbed as the East Coast Conference and United States Collegiate Athletic Association Player of the Week.  Beverly becomes the first Daemen player to earn this distinction from the USBWA which is selecting a National Player of the Week at the Division II level for the first time in its history which dates back to 1956.

Beverly, a 6-foot-7 senior forward, led Daemen to a 3-0 record last week which included victories over Washington Adventist University (82-76 on Monday, January 5), Dowling College (89-88 on Friday, January 9) and University of Bridgeport (91-88 in overtime on Saturday, January 10).  In those outings, Beverly averaged gaudy numbers of 25.3 points, 16.7 rebounds and 3.7 blocks per game while connecting on 60-percent of his field goal attempts (27-for-45).  With double-doubles in all three outings, Beverly has now accumulated nine such performances this season and 37 for his career.  He also extended his personal streak of consecutive double-figure scoring games to 43.

Beverly opened the week with a 13-point, 14-rebound effort in the win over Washington Adventist, helping Daemen avenge a 58-57 loss from last season's USCAA Division I National Championships semifinal game.

Later, Beverly and the Wildcats returned home for the pair of ECC tilts vs. Dowling and Bridgeport.  Against Dowling, Beverly canned 12-of-18 shots from the field, accounting for 27 points while corralling a career-best 21 rebounds, and also adding six blocks.  In a come-from-behind defeat of Bridgeport, Beverly amassed a season-high 36 points, including 14-of-18 shooting from the charity stripe and 11-of-15 shooting from the field, to go with 15 boards while logging 44 minutes in the overtime thriller.  The pair of home, conference wins helped Daemen extend a pair of winning streaks.  The Wildcats have now won 42 straight at home and 21 straight in ECC play, both of which rank as the longest such streaks among NCAA Division II programs.

Beverly leads the team in scoring (19.4 ppg), rebounding (12.7 rpg), blocks (55) and field goal percentage (.582) so far this season.  In the ECC he ranks third in the league scoring while leading all players in blocks, field goal percentage, rebounds per game, total rebounds (165), defensive rebounds (106) and offensive rebounds (59). 

He also continues to rise among Daemen all-time's leaders.  Earlier this season, he became the Wildcats' all-time leader in blocks, surpassing the previous record of 233 established by Ron Wright during his two-year career (2004-06).  Beverly currently sits with 275 blocks.  In the win over Bridgeport, Beverly recorded his 1,400th career point.  He presently ranks seventh all-time in scoring (1,431) and fourth in rebounding (796).  Should he continue on his current pace, he will finish his career ranked fifth all-time in scoring and second in rebounding.

Beverly and the Wildcats sit at 10-3 overall and 5-0 in ECC play so far this season.  The team recently broke into the NCAA Division II Sports Information Directors of America (D2SIDA) East Region media poll, garnering a No. 7 ranking after last weekend's key ECC wins.  The Wildcats are also ranked No. 1 in the latest USCAA Division I poll.  Daemen is a member of the USCAA to ensure its student-athletes the chance at individual awards and accolades and also its teams the chance at competing in postseason play.  The Wildcats are not yet eligible for postseason opportunities within the ECC or NCAA Division II.

Beverly and the Wildcats return to the hardwood this Friday, January 16 when they travel downstate to face St. Thomas Aquinas College in an ECC matchup.
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Players Mentioned

Gerald Beverly

#55 Gerald Beverly

F
6' 7"
Senior

Players Mentioned

Gerald Beverly

#55 Gerald Beverly

6' 7"
Senior
F