The Hudson Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Conference announced its 2019-2020 All-Conference teams for men's and women's basketball on Monday morning, and Berkeley College's squads were well-represented. On the men's side, Daquan Jackson, Joshua Hardy, and Turray Bynum earned All-Conference recognition, while Daniella Wood, Ebony Lofton, and Jennifer Lightner earned All-HVIAC distinctions. In addition, women's basketball Head Coach Dondre Simmons, as well as assistants Candice DeRisi and Ashley Duplan were all recognized as the Coaching Staff of the Year.
Daquan Jackson, a two-time HVIAC Player of the Week, and four-time conference Rookie of the Week, has been a dominant force for the Knights this season. He currently leads the team in scoring (14.2 PPG), and his 8.7 rebounds per evening are a team-high. That aforementioned rebound average is good for second-best in the conference. Jackson has netted over 20 points on seven different occasions, and has registered six double-doubles. In Berkeley's classic 76-73 victory over SUNY-ESF in the HVIAC tournament semifinals, he scored 13 points, grabbed a game-high 16 rebounds, and tied for the game-high with five assists.
Turray Bynum averages 12.4 points per contest for Berkeley this season, while also snatching six boards per game. He has posted two double-doubles on the 2019-2020 campaign, while scoring 17 points or more on five different occasions. In addition, he hit some huge baskets down the stretch for Berkeley, nailing a buzzer-beating, game-winning shot to pace the Knights to a 68-66 victory over Villa Maria back on February 1. He also connected a clutch three-point basket in the final minute of Berkeley's 76-73 HVIAC semifinal round win over the Mighty Oaks. Bynum's trifecta stretched the Knights lead to five, and Berkeley held on for the one-possession triumph.
Joshua Hardy, a three-time HVIAC Player of the Week honoree, averages 11.5 points and 7.2 rebounds per contest. The standout has posted five double-doubles on the year, while also scoring 19 points or more on five different occasions. Hardy is also one of only two Knights to play in every game this season.
Berkeley's men's basketball team has received an automatic bid to the 2019-2020 USCAA Division II National Men's Basketball Tournament. Berkeley College will have an opportunity to win its fifth National crown in a six year span. The Knights will learn who their opponent/potential opponents will be during the USCAA Division II selection show, which will air on Friday, February 28th. For the latest information on Berkeley College's quest for another USCAA championship, keep it posted to berkeleycollegeknights.com and/or theuscaa.com.
The Berkeley College women's basketball team, which made its return to the court after a one-year hiatus, accomplished a plethora of things during the 2019-2020 season under Simmons, DeRisi, and Duplan. Together, they led Berkeley to the Hudson Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular season title, as the Knights recorded an unblemished 4-0 mark in conference competition. Berkeley picked up impressive victories over NHTI and Albany College of Pharmacy, and the Knights compiled a winning record on the road, going 6-4. Berkeley allowed just 54.2 points per game (or just under 14 points per quarter). Under the guidance of the coaches, freshman Daniella Wood was named HVIAC Rookie of the Week five times, and three different players earned four collective HVIAC Player of the Week distinctions. Additionally, one Knight earned USCAA Division II Player of the Week honors, as well. Berkeley made its first trip to the HVIAC title game. Three players were all named to the HVIAC All-Conference team, and the Knights recorded their best winning percentage (.500) since the 2014-2015 season.
Daniella Wood, a five-time HVIAC Rookie of the Week, was a key member of the Knights this past season. She averaged 10.4 points per game, and led all players (with a minimum of 10 games played) with 8.9 rebounds per contest. She also scored in double figures eight times, while posting five double-doubles. He 15 blocks were also a team-best.
Veteran Ebony Lofton averaged 6.3 points per game, while also snatching 8.6 rebounds per evening. She was also the only Berkeley College player to appear in all 16 of the team's games. Lofton posted two double-doubles, scored in double figures five times, and pulled down double figures in rebounding six times.
Jennifer Lightner joined the Knights late in the year, but she made her presence felt in the four contests in which she did play. She averaged 17.3 points, 4.5 steals, and three assists per game. She scored 16 points or more three times, and netted double figures in points every game.
