CANISIUS COLLEGE ATHLETICS
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Canisius men’s basketball program recently announced its 2017-18 team awards, which were presented June 18 at the team’s end of the year banquet, which was held at The Romanesque Room at the Webb in downtown Buffalo.
The awards, which were formally presented by head coach Reggie Witherspoon, were voted on by the team’s coaching staff.
2017-18 Most Valuable Player – Jermaine Crumpton
Senior forward Jermaine Crumpton was voted the Golden Griffins’ 2017-18 Team MVP capping his final season in Blue and Gold that saw the Niagara Falls, N.Y., native earn Associated Press All-America honors while also being named the MAAC Co-Player of the Year. Crumpton led Canisius and ranked fifth in the MAAC with his 17.1 points per game, and his 563 total points ranked fourth-best among all seniors in program history. Just the eighth player in the program’s 114-year history to play more than 120 games in a Canisius uniform, Crumpton ended playing career on Main Street tied for sixth in career scoring with 1,587 points and seventh in career 3-point field goal makes with 159.
2017-18 Top Newcomer Award – Takal Molson
Guard Takal Molson, the first Buffalo native to be named the MAAC’s Rookie of the Year, was honored as the program’s top newcomer for 2017-18. Molson played in and started all 33 games in his rookie season, where he averaged 12.6 points and 5.0 rebounds per contest. A four-time MAAC Rookie of the Week honoree, Molson scored in double figures 18 times last season, the most for a Canisius freshman since 2006-07. He is just the fourth Canisius player to be named the MAAC Rookie of the Year since 1989-90, joining former Griffs Craig Wise (1992),Micheal Meeks (1993) and Frank Turner (2007).
2017-18 Most Improved Player Award – Isaiah Reese
The first Canisius sophomore to earn All-MAAC First Team honors since 1994, Isaiah Reese was voted as the team’s Most Improved Player for the 2017-18 campaign. Reese, who started in all 33 games last season, averaged 16.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game. He raised his scoring average by 9.8 points per game, his rebounding average by 2.1 boards per game and his assists per game average by 1.8 per outing. One of two players in the nation to grab more than 125 rebounds, dish out 125 assists and make more the 75 3-point field goals last season, Reese became the first Canisius player in the program’s 114-year history to record a triple-double when he posted 23 points, 11 boards and 11 assists in the team’s win over Youngstown State Nov. 18.
2017-18 Charles Eppolito “Unsung Hero” Award and the 2017-18 Father Demske Academic Award –Malik Johnson
For the second-straight season, guard Malik Johnson was honored with the Charles Eppolito “Unsung Hero” Award. Johnson, who has started all 68 games in his career as a Griff, averaged a career-high 7.8 points per game in his sophomore season and finished the year ranked sixth in the league with his 4.6 assists per contest. He led the MAAC and ranked 26th nationally with his 2.7 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Johnson was also recognized for his work in the classroom, as he was named the team’s Father Demske Academic Award winner for the 2017-18 season.
Canisius ended the 2017-18 campaign with an overall record of 21-12 to go with a 15-3 mark in MAAC play. The Griffs’ 15 wins in conference, a program record, helped the Blue and Gold earn a share of the MAAC’s regular season championship, the program’s first since 1993-94.
All WNY is made possible thanks to coffee and sleep deprivation.
We appreciate your readership. We like money, too.