by AMHERST, N.Y. – Justin Hemphill (Buffalo, N.Y.) of the Daemen University men’s basketball team has been honored by the East Coast Conference for his play in recent games. Hemphill was selected as both the ECC Men’s Basketball Player of the Week and the Defensive Player of the Week for games played between Dec. 18-31. The announcement of award winners was made via the league’s weekly sport report, which was released this afternoon.
Hemphill becomes the first Daemen player to collect ECC Player of the Week honors this season. It marks the sixth time this season a Daemen player has been selected for a major weekly award. Graduate student Joey Atkins (Watervliet, N.Y.) is a three-time Defensive Player of the Week recipient, while Hemphill is a one-time Player of the Week and two-time Defensive Player of the Week honoree. It is the fifth and sixth time in his career that Hemphill has collected a weekly honor from the ECC. He was named the ECC Defensive Player of the Week three times last year.
Hemphill recorded back-to-back double-doubles and averaged 19.0 points, 14.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 3.0 blocks and 2.0 steals per game during wins over Franklin Pierce University on Dec. 19 and Saint Anselm College on Dec. 31. A senior forward, he posted 11 points, 13 boards, five assists and three blocks during a 93-73 win over FPU. He dropped a career-high 27 points (11-of-22 FG) and grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds to go along with three assists, three blocks, and four steals in a career-high 42 minutes played in Daemen’s double overtime win over Saint Anselm. Hemphill shot 52 percent (16-for-31 FG) in the victories.
A product of Cardinal O’Hara High School, Hemphill has played in 13 of 14 games (four starts) this season and is averaging 10.0 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. He leads the team in offensive rebounds (40) and ranks second in total rebounds (100). He also ranks third in assists (28) and second in steals (18).
