Iona Gaels Sweep Hercules Tires MAAC Men’s Basketball Weekly Awards
Iona Gaels Sweep Hercules Tires MAAC Men’s Basketball Weekly Awards
Player of the Week
Isaiah Ross, Iona
Sr., Davenport, IA/Hillcrest Prep (AZ)
Senior guard Isaiah Ross averaged 28.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.5 steals in Iona's first two games of the 2020-21 campaign at Seton Hall and Hofstra. He shot 51.4% from the floor, 52.6% from beyond the arc and 90.9% from the free throw line.
In Iona's win at Hofstra, Ross scored a career-high 33 points on 10-17 (58.8%) from the floor and 6-for-12 (50.0%) from deep. He also contributed seven rebounds and three assists.
Against the Pirates, Ross scored 23 points to lead the Gaels. He shot 8-for-18 (44.4%) from the floor and 4-of-7 (57.1%) from deep.
Rookie of the Week
Nelly Junior Joseph, Iona
Fr., Benin City, Nigeria/NBA Academy Africa (Senegal)
Rookie forward Nelly Junior Joseph averaged 13.5 points and 8.0 rebounds per game in his NCAA Division I debut. The 6-9 Nigerian shot 57.9% from the floor, averaging 3.0 blocks, 2.5 assists and 0.5 steals in the two road contests.
In Iona's win against Hofstra, Junior Joseph came off the bench and scored 14 points and pulled down 10 rebounds, his first collegiate double-double. He shot 6-for-12 (50.0%) from the floor and was the anchor of the defense with four blocks.
In his first-ever college game, Junior Joseph earned the start against the Big East's Seton Hall.
He posted 13 points, six rebounds and two blocks, converting 5-of-7 field goal attempts.
About the 2021 Hercules Tires MAAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships:
The MAAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships return to New Jersey on March 9-13, 2021 at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. To stay up to date on MAAC basketball, visit
http://maacsports.com/basketball and follow
@MAACHoops on Twitter.
About Time Out for Black Lives
Time Out for Black Lives aims to inspire and educate youth, athletes, families and fans. The initiative has an interactive website where coaches and student-athletes from MAAC basketball programs contribute their time and resources to read children’s books in entertaining videos, all focusing on Black culture, history, music and myths. The program comes as part of the MAAC’s
United for Justice campaign that was announced over the summer. For more information, visit
timeoutforblacklives.com.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) celebrates its 40
th year of competition during the 2020-21 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.