Patriot League Men’s Basketball The Rock Player and Rookie of the Week Announced (2.26.18)
 
CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – Bucknell senior forward Zach Thomas has earned his seventh Patriot League Men’s Basketball The Rock Player of the Week honor, while Lehigh freshman guard Marques Wilson claimed his first The Rock Rookie of the Week this season, when weekly awards were announced by the League office on Monday.
 
Thomas ties former Lehigh star Tim Kempton’s record, set last season, for seven The Rock Player of the Week honors in a single-season, after leading the Bison to a 2-0 week and breaking the program’s single-season scoring mark, previously set by Mike Muscala during the 2012-13 season. Wilson becomes the 11th different League freshman to earn The Rock Rookie of the Week honors this season, after helping the Mountain Hawks to a 2-0 week.
 
Lehigh senior guard Kahron Ross was selected to the weekly honorable mention list, after leading the Mountain Hawks with 18.5 points during their 2-0 week. He is joined on the list by Colgate sophomore Will Rayman, who averaged 19.5 points and 6.5 rebounds, leading the Raiders to an undefeated week to help clinch the No. 2 seed in the upcoming Patriot League Men’s Basketball Tournament. Navy junior forward George Kiernan returned from injury to score 17 points and pull down five rebounds in a comeback win over Loyola Maryland on Saturday afternoon, while Holy Cross freshman guard Jacob Grandison averaged 16.0 points and 7.0 rebounds during the week to earn honorable mention.
 
The Patriot League Men’s Basketball The Rock Player and Rookie of the Week awards are selected in a vote by League media members and each school’s sports information director, who are not eligible to vote for their own student-athletes.
 
PATRIOT LEAGUE MEN’S BASKETBALL THE ROCK PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Zach Thomas, Bucknell, Sr., F, 6-7, Ijamsville, Md./Oakdale
Thomas averaged 19.5 points and 6.5 rebounds for Bucknell during a 2-0 week to help the Bison become the first Patriot League team to win 16 League games in a single-season. Thomas scored 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting, while pulling down six rebounds in a victory against Navy on Wednesday evening. The senior forward finished with 16 points and seven rebounds, while breaking Mike Muscala’s (637 in 2012-13) single-season program scoring record, giving him 651 points this season.
 
PATRIOT LEAGUE MEN’S BASKETBALL THE ROCK ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Marques Wilson, Lehigh, Fr., G, 6-4, Edmond, Okla./Edmond North
Wilson averaged 13.5 points and 7.0 rebounds during Lehigh’s 2-0 week to help them close the regular-season on an eight-game winning streak. The freshman guard scored 15 points, pulled down five rebounds and had three assists in a win over Loyola Maryland on Wednesday. Wilson had 12 points and nine rebounds in its final regular-season game against Lafayette on Saturday night. He has made 10 of his last13 attempts from 3-point range.   
 
WEEKLY HONORABLE MENTION
Will Rayman, Colgate, So., F, 6-8, New York, N.Y./Millbrook School
Rayman averaged 19.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals to help Colgate go 2-0 and clinch the second-place in the League, the program’s best finish since the 2014-15 season. The sophomore forward scored 29 points, pulled down seven rebounds and had three steals join a victory over Army West Point on Wednesday. In the season-finale, Rayman finished with nine points and four rebounds.
 
Kahron Ross, Lehigh, Sr., G, 5-11, Jonesboro, Ark./Jonesboro
Ross averaged 18.5 points, 2.5 assists and 2.0 steals during the Mountain Hawks 2-0 week, to help Lehigh finish the regular-season on an eight-game winning streak and clinch the No. 4 seed in the upcoming Patriot League Men’s Basketball Tournament. Ross went 14-of-21 from the field during the week. He finished with 20 points and four assists in a victory over Loyola Maryland on Wednesday. In the season-finale against Lafayette, the senior guard scored a game-high 17 points and pulled down three rebounds.
  
George Kiernan, Navy, Jr., F, 6-7, Hinsdale, Ill./Hinsdale Central
Kiernan came off the bench to score 17 points and pull down five rebounds in a comeback win over Loyola Maryland to help the Mids clinch the No. 3 seed in the Patriot League Men’s Basketball Tournament.
 
Jacob Grandison, Holy Cross, Fr., F, 6-6, Hinsdale, Ill./Hinsdale Central
Grandison averaged 16.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.0 steaks during a 1-1 week for Holy Cross. The freshman forward finished with 16 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals in the Crusaders victory over American. He also tallied 16 points and seven rebounds in the team’s regular-season ending loss to Colgate on Saturday.
 
Previous Patriot League Men’s Basketball Weekly Award Winners
2.19.18
Player: Shawn Anderson, Sr., G
Rookie: Sam Iorio, Fr. F
 
2.12.18
Player: Kahron Ross, Lehigh, Sr., G
Rookie: Alex Petrie, Lafayette, Fr. G
 
2.5.18
Player: Zach Thomas, Bucknell, Sr. F
Rookie: Alex Petrie, Lafayette, Fr. G
 
1.29.18
Player: Andre Walker, Loyola Maryland, Sr., G
Rookie: Jordan Burns, Colgate, Fr., G
 
1.22.18
Player: Zach Thomas, Bucknell, Sr., F
Rookie: Jordan Burns, Colgate, Fr., G
 
1.15.18
Player: Andre Walker, Loyola Maryland, Sr. G
Rookie: Alex Petrie, Lafayette, Fr., G
 
1.8.18
Player: Matt Klinewski, Lafayette, Sr., F
Rookie: Sam Iorio, American, Fr., F
 
1.2.18
Player: Cedric Hankerson, Boston University, Sr. G
Rookie: Walter Whyte, Boston University, Fr. F
 
12.26.17
Player: Zach Thomas, Bucknell, Sr. F
Rookie: Jack Ferguson, Colgate, Fr. G
 
12.18.17
Player: Nana Foulland, Bucknell, Sr. C
Rookie: Alex King, Army West Point, Fr. F
 
12.11.17
Player: Kahron Ross, Lehigh, Sr., G
Rookie: Austin Butler, Holy Cross, Fr. G
 
12.4.17
Player: Zach Thomas, Bucknell, Sr., F
Rookie: Justin Jaworski, Lafayette, Fr. G
 
11.27.17
Player: Zach Thomas, Bucknell, Sr., F
Rookie: Jimmy Sotos, Bucknell, Fr., G
 
11.20 17
Player: Jordan Fox, Army West Point, Jr., G
Rookie: Jordan Burns, Colgate, Fr., G
 
11.13 17
Player: Zach Thomas, Bucknell, Sr., F
Rookie: Caleb Green, Holy Cross, Fr., G
 
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its third decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes that are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.