AMHERST, N.Y. - Four members of the Daemen University men's basketball team have been honored by the East Coast Conference for their outstanding play during the 2023-24 season. Graduate student Joey Atkins (Watervliet, N.Y.), senior Dylan Fasoyiro (Houston, Tex.), senior Justin Hemphill (Buffalo, N.Y.) and sophomore Justin Glover (Buffalo, N.Y.) were all named to the 16-player All-ECC team that was announced this afternoon in a press release from conference headquarters on Long Island.
Atkins, who was also voted the ECC Defensive Player of the Year, was a first team selection for the second-straight year. Fasoyiro earned first team honors this year after picking up second team honors last winter. Hemphill and Glover both earned all-conference honors for the first time and were both voted to the third team.
Daemen led the way with four selections, while St. Thomas Aquinas College placed three players on the team. It marks the fifth time in the past seven years that Daemen has placed four players on the all-conference team.
Atkins becomes the second player from Daemen in the past three years to earn Defensive Player of the Year honors, as Sean Fasoyiro collected the award in 2021-22. The ECC Preseason Player of the Year, he has scored in double figures 19 times this year and has posted five double-doubles. A five-time ECC Defensive Player of the Week selection during the year, he ranks second on the team in both points per game (12.3) and rebounds per game (7.3) and leads the team in blocks (50) and steals (48). Among the ECC leaders he ranks 17th in scoring, eighth in total rebounds per game, second in defensive rebounds (163), 15th in assists per game (2.4) and third in both blocks and steals. After totaling just 131 points and 89 rebounds over his first two seasons (one at Jefferson, one at Daemen), he has totaled 703 points and 393 rebounds over the past two seasons and has posted back-to-back seasons with 50 blocks. He has played in 100 games over his collegiate career and has totaled 834 points, 482 rebounds and 141 blocks.
Fasoyiro is in his second season at Daemen after transferring from Ashland University. Despite missing six games due to a hand injury, he still managed to lead the team in total points (408) and ranks second in three-pointers (54). A one-time ECC Player of the Week selection, he started 24 of 30 games this year and is averaging a team-high 17.0 points per game. He has scored in double figures in 20 of 24 games and has netted 20 or more points 11 times this season. He also leads the team in field goal percentage (.485) and ranks third in rebounds per game (4.6). Among the ECC leaders he ranks fifth in points per game, 25th in rebounds per game, fifth in field goal percentage, seventh in three pointers made, eighth in free throw percentage (.753), 20th in blocks (14) and 19th in steals (28). After scoring just 23 points during his two seasons at Ashland, he has racked up 782 points in 52 games (15.0 ppg) at Daemen. He is the younger brother of Sean Fasoyiro, who was a two-time All-ECC pick for ther Wildcats and earned ECC Defensive Player of the Year in 2021-22.
Hemphill has enjoyed the most productive season of his career. He has played in 27 of 30 games (12 starts) and is averaging 11.1 points and a team-high 7.9 rebounds. A two-time ECC Defensive Player of the Week and one-time ECC Player of the Week selection during the year, he has scored in double figures 14 times and has posted five double-doubles on the year. He totaled a career-high 27 points and a career-high 16 rebounds in a double overtime win at Saint Anselm College on Dec. 31. Among the ECC leaders he ranks 23rd in points per game, sixth in total rebounds per game, second in offensive rebounds (90), 13th in assists per game (2.7), sixth in blocks (33) and ninth in steals (38). He has played in 66 games over his four-year career and has totaled 571 points, 407 rebounds, 66 blocks and 76 steals.
Glover took over as Daemen's starting point guard this season after veteran Ryan Salzberg went down with a season-ending injury during the preseason. He has played in 29 of 30 games this season and is averaging 12.1 points and a team-high 3.5 assists. He also ranks third in three-pointers (49) and second in steals (39). He has scored in double figures 19 times and scored a career-high 21 points in a win over District of Columbia on Feb. 11. Among the ECC leaders he ranks 19th in points per game, 10th in total three-pointers, seventh in assists per game, second in assist/turnover ratio (2.7) and eighth in steals.
Atkins and Fasoyiro were joined on the All-ECC first team by Malik Brooks of Roberts Wesleyan, Messiah Mallory and Bryce Waterman of Staten Island and James Patterson of St. Thomas Aquinas. The All-ECC second team consisted of Kyle Pulliam and Rich Smith of St. Thomas Aquinas, Sunnie Diamond of Queens, Rob Matos of Molloy and Eric Morgan, Jr. of District of Columbia. The All-ECC third third consisted of Glover, Hemphill, Malik Bentinck of Queens, Kevin Constant of Roberts Wesleyan and Tevin Curtis of District of Columbia.
In addition, the ECC announced that Patterson was named Player of the Year, Matos was voted Rookie of the Year and T.J. Tibbs of Staten Island was selected Coach of the Year.
Daemen extended its winning streak to seven games after posting a 76-68 win over Queens in the first round of the ECC Championship tournament last night at Lumsden Gymnasium. The third-seeded Wildcats advance to the semifinals, where they will face second-seeded College of Staten Island. Top-seeded St. Thomas Aquinas will take on fourth-seeded Roberts Wesleyan in the other semifinal game. Both semifinal games will be played Saturday (March. 9) and the championship game will take place Sunday (March 10). STAC will host the tournament semifinals and championship The ECC Tournament champion earns an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament.
Daemen University features the premier NCAA Division II athletics program in the Buffalo-Niagara region, sponsoring 17 intercollegiate teams. For the latest information on Daemen Athletics, follow the Wildcats via social media on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, or sign up to receive customizable news alerts, e-mail newsletters and weekly schedule alerts.
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