Hemphill Named ECC Defensive Player of the Week

12/8/2025 1:00:00 PM

AMHERST, N.Y. - Daemen University senior forward Justin Hemphill (Buffalo, N.Y.) has been named the East Coast Conference Men's Basketball Defensive Player of the Week for the period of December 1-7. Hemphill is one of three weekly honorees, joining D'Youville's Elisha Warren (Player of the Week) and Lashard Lowry, Jr. (Rookie of the Week).

Hemphill was a defensive menace in two lopsided Daemen victories last week, extending their season-opening winning streak to 10 straight games. The No. 3-ranked Wildcats scored conference wins over Queens (76-51) and Molloy (94-62), and Hemphill played a central role in Daemen's ability to limit the two opponents to just 56.5 points per game on just 34.3 percent field-goal shooting. For the week, Hemphill corralled 14 rebounds, including 12 defensive, while totaling eight steals and two blocked shots.

Against Queens on Dec. 5, Hemphill hauled down all 10 of his rebounds at the defensive end, and added three steals and two of Daemen's season-high 13 blocks. He also served as the primary defender on Queens forward Tahj-Malik Campbell, who entered the game averaging 25.2 points per outing - fourth best in NCAA Division II at the time. Campbell was limited to just 12 points on 6-of-20 shooting.

Against Molloy on Dec. 7, Hemphill swiped a season-high five steals - one shy of his career-high. He added a season-high nine assists on the offensive end as well.

A two-time All-ECC recipient, Hemphill is averaging 10.8 points, 7.1 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 2.5 steals and 0.8 blocks per game this season. He leads Daemen in steals and assists, ranking among the conference's top three leaders in each category.

Daemen, which is allowing a league-low 65.7 points per game, has now had the ECC Defensive Player of the Week in three out of four weeks this season, and Hemphill is the third individual player to garner the accolade. He joins junior guard Ryan Heath (Rochester, N.Y.) and redshirt junior center Benjamin Bill (Hamburg, N.Y.) as Daemen players to have been recognized with Defensive Player of the Week honors this season.

In addition to Hemphill's selection, Bill and junior guard Zach Philipkoski (New Hartford, N.Y.) were each named to the ECC weekly honor roll. Bill averaged a double-double last week with 19.0 points per game and 10.0 rebounds per game to go with 3.0 blocks per game while shooting 71.0 percent from the field (80.0 percent from the stripe). Philipkoski averaged 18.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks.

Daemen returns to action this Friday, December 12 when they head to Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. for a 7 p.m. tip-off against Mercy.

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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