Utica Aims to Repeat as Empire 8 Champion as the 2024-25 Men's Basketball Season Gets Underway

Men's Basketball | 11/5/2024 11:30:04 AM

Utica University will look to repeat as Empire 8 Champions, as the 2024-25 season gets underway on Nov. 8, with several teams in action. League play starts on Dec. 7. SUNY Brockport, SUNY Geneseo and SUNY Poly make their Empire 8 debuts this season as well, giving the league 12 members. 

The top eight teams will advance to the Empire 8 Championship Tournament, which will take place with first round action on Saturday, Feb. 22. Semifinal games will be hosted by the higher seeds on Wednesday, Feb. 26. while the highest remaining seed will host the championship game on Saturday, March 1. The Empire 8 Champion will receive an automatic berth into the 2025 NCAA Division III Momen’s Basketball Championship.
 
Fans can watch the action all season long, free of charge on the Empire 8 Network.  
Mekhi Beckett, Brockport, Jr., G/F, Westbury, NY/Mepham – Beckett was the top-scorer for the Golden Eagles last season averaging 13.6 points and 4.4 rebounds per game.
 
Damien Call, Utica Gr., G, Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy – Call, a former E8 Rookie of the Year in 2021-22, averaged 14.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per game for the Pioneers last season.
 
Tyler Cardello, Elmira, Jr., F, Scottsdale, AZ/Desert Mountain – Cardello, a 2023-24 all-E8 third team pick, led the way for the Soaring Eagles, averaging 19.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.
 
Noah Girard, Russell Sage, Sr., G, Glens Falls, NY/Glens Falls – Girard, a two-time E8 player to watch, averaged team best totals of 16.3 points, 2.3 assists and 1.6 steals per game last season for the Gators. 
 
Tyler Green, Keuka, Jr., G, Sackets Harbor, NY/Sackets Harbor – Green averaged 2.9 points and 1.4 rebounds per game for the Wolves in 2023-24.
 
Sebastian Pacheco, Geneseo, Sr., G, White Plains, NY/Valhalla – Pacheco averaged 12.2 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. He was the team leader in assists and steals with 85 and 42 in 2023-24.
 
Henry Perkins, Hartwick, So., F, Albany, NY/Green Tech High Charter – Perkins, the reigning 2023-24 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year, averaged 8.2 points and led the team with 6.9 rebounds per game.
 
Jajuan Preaster, Houghton, Gr., F, Orlando, FL/Central Florida Christian – An E8 player to watch for the third straight season, led the team averaging 19.1 points, 6.7 rebounds per game in 2023-24 and earned an all-E8 second team spot.
 
Jaylen Savage, Nazareth, Jr., G, Elmsford, NY/Alexander Hamilton – Savage, a two-time E8 player to watch, 2022-23 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year and an all-E8 second team selection in 2023-24, averaged 13.5 points per game and 4.1 rebounds per game.

Cheickne Toure, Poly, Sr., G, Bronx, NY/Fannie Lou Hamer – Toure was an all-NAC first team selection in 2023-24, averaging 20.5 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. Toure also led the team with 87 assists and 33 blocks.

Franlys Valenzuela, Alfred, Jr., Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic/San Ysidro – Valenzuela an all-E8 second team pick in 2023-24, averaged 10.3 points per game and led the Saxons with 11.7 rebounds per game.

Connor Williams, St. John Fisher, Sr., C, Victor, NY/Victor – Williams averaged six points per game coming off of the bench in 2023-24.
 
Utica
Utica, the reigning Empire 8 Champions, finished the season as the E8 regular season champion for the third straight season in 2023-24. The Pioneers finished 24-4 overall while only losing once in E8 regular season play. While Utica will look to replace former all-E8 first team standouts Justice Brantley and Thomas Morreale, the Pioneers return several key pieves to the court this season for 2023-24 Coach of the Year Sean Coffey. Graduate studetn and first team all-E8 selection Damien Call, seniors Hagem Foley and Griffin Barasa, along with junior Dayion Thompson are all expected to lead the Pioneers. Call, a former E8 Rookie of the Year in 2021-22, led the way for the group averaging 14.2 points per game. Foley and Barasa averaged 10 and 4.9 points per game.
 
Nazareth
Nazareth advanced to the Empire 8 Championship game and went 19-8 during the 2023-24 season. The Golden Flyers return 13 players while only losing two starters from last season. Top returners include junior Jaylen Savage, the 2022-23 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year, seniors Luke Insley and Jack Broderick and junior Tyler Putney. Savage, an all-e8 second team selection averaged 13.5 points per game and 4.1 rebounds per game is the leader headed into the season. Insley is right behind him averaging 9 points per game, while Broderick and Putney averaged 9.6 and 8.3 points per game. While the Golden Flyers will look to replace all-E8 first team pick Logan Blankenburg and all-E8 second team selection Jordan Haggard, the team looks to build on their success from last year and improve to make another deep tournamet run in 2024-25 for head coach Kevin Broderick.
 
St. John Fisher
St. John Fisher looks to return to the Empire 8 Championship game in 2024-25. The Cardinals will return 10 players including senior Cole Thompson. St. John Fisher will look to replace four-time E8 Player of the Year and three-time All-American Daniel Cook who finished his career second all-time in Empire 8 career scoring with 1,932 points. Senior Connor Williams is expected to lead the way for the squad. Williams averaged six points per game coming off of the bench in 2023-24. Thompson and fellow senior Eric Kegler are also slated to make a big impact on the court for the Cardinals. With the loss of four starters, Coach Mike Grosadonia II is excited about the addition of first years Max Michalski and Matt LaRusch.
 
Keuka
Keuka had a stellar 2023-24 after finishing fourth in the regular season. Their duo of all-E8 first team selection and Keuka career scoring leader, Devin Milton, and all-E8 second teamer Christian Sage will be missed, but junior Tyler Green, senior Will Tehan, sophomore Amar Jackson and grauate student Jaden Keasey are ready to step in as leaders for the Wolves. Tehan averaged 4.5 points per game while Jackson averaged 5.2 with 3.3 rebounds oer game. Keasey was second in blocks on the team with 18. Eyes will be on Green as their player to watch. Marcus Reed and Akinlana Popoola are exciting newcomers to the team that are expected to make a big impact. While the Wolves lose 10 players, they still retun 10 with nine newcomers after graduating eight seniors. 
 
Alfred
The Saxons return 15 plays from last season's team that will look to return to the postseason. They clinced the fifth seed of the tournament and advanced to the Empire 8 Semifinals in 2023-24. The Saxons will be led by E8 player to watch, junior Franlys Valenzuela, former player to watch, graduate student Casey Curran and junior Tyler Hind. Valenzuela, an all-E8 second team pick, averaged 10.3 points per game and led the Saxons with 11.7 rebound per game. Curran averaged 10.5 points per game and Hind came off the bench to average 14.6 points per game.
 
Houghton
After grabbing the final spot in the playoffs last season, Houghton looka to build and go further into the Empire 8 postseason in 2024-25. The Highlanders return nine players including senior Jajuan Preaster, Preston Thomas and David Rosa along with graduate student Luke Cole. Preaster led the team averaging 19.1 points and 6.7 rebounds per game in 2023-24 and earned an all-E8 second team spot. Thomas landed an all-E8 thirs team spot while averaging 15.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. Rosa also averaged 9.6 points and 5.3 boards per game. The Highlanders are bringing in transfer Christian Sage from Keuka, who was an all-E8 second team pick in 2023-24. In addition to Sage, Lou Bellany and Jake Verschoyle are exciting newcomers to the team. 
 
Elmira
Elmira is attempting to make its second postseason appearance in the last five seasons in 2024-25. The Soaring Eagles return juniors Tyler Cardello and JJ Babcock along with sophomore Riley Spencer. The trio were the top-three scorers last season combining for 1,064 total points. Cardello, an all-E8 third team selection, led the way averaging 19.6 points and 6.7 rebound per game while also leading the team in steals with 20. Spencer averaged 14.9 pints per game and Babcock averaged 9.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per game while leading the team with 27 blocks. A newcomer to watch for the Soaring Eagles is Chris Woodard who is the first Elmira High School graduate to play for the Soaring Eagles since Trey Clearwater '02.
 
Russell Sage
Russell Sage will look to get back to the Empire 8 Tournament in 2024-25. The Gators will return 11 players and three starters this season, including senior guard Noah Girard, sophomore guard Deavion Springsteen, senior forward Todd Williamson and sophomore forward Avery Oduro-Dompreh. Girard led the Gators in scoring last season, averaging 16.3 points and 2.4 rebounds per game and Springsteen was right there with him with 6.8 points per game. Oduro-Dompreh averaged 4 points and 3.9 rebounds per gme. Newcomer Trevor Green, is an exciting addition to the roster.

Hartwick
The Hawks return nine players from last season's team and look to earn a spot in the 2024-25 Empire 8 tournament. Hartwick returns the reigning 2023-24 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year in Henry Perkins. Perkins averaged 8.2 points and led the team with 6.9 rebound per game. He is set to be an even bigger contributor this season. Perkins and the rest of the eight returners are expected to step in for the losses of leading scorer Daniel Oyediran, Shea Barber, former E8 player to watch Kevin Felasco, Jeremiah Boatend and Cooper Francis. First-year head coach Brad Cooper will lead the 2024-25 squad.

SUNY Brockport
SUNY Brockport will look to make a splash in its Empire 8 debut this season. After going 12-6 and earning the third seed in the SUNYAC conference tournament last year, the Golden Eagles made an early exit in the tournament in the first round. Head coach Joe Clarke, going into his second season at Brockport, returns 10 players, including three starters. Junior Mekhi Beckett is slated to lead the way. Beckett was the top scorer for the Golden Eagles last season averaging 13.6 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. Seniors Tony Arnold, Colby Jordan and Milo Scheve are also expected to be big contributors in 2024-25. Arnold, an all-SUNYAC third team selection, was right behind Beckett averaging 12.2 points and 4.4 rebounds per game while leading the team in steals with 49.

SUNY Geneseo
SUNY Geneseo makes its Empire 8 debut in 2024-25 after winning nine games in SUNYAC play last season. Head coach Steve Minton is entering his 25th season at the helm with a record of 326-275, 10 wins away from passing Tom Pope as the winningest coach in program history. The Knights will miss their 2023-24 all-SUNYAC second team selection in Cole Kattan, but bring an exciting bunch of returners back. Senior guard Sebastian Pacheco is expected to be the leader after a season averaging 12.2 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. He was the team leader in assists and steals with 85 and 42. Sophomores Josh Garelle and Robert Pericolosi along with graduate student Michael Gentile will be key contirbutors to the Knights sqaud.

SUNY Poly
SUNY Poly makes its Empire 8 debut in 2024-25 after finishing 12-4 in the NAC last season, while advancing to the league quarterfinals. Both of Poly's top-scorers fom last season return. Senior Cheickne Toure and junior Anthony Rose combined for 1,010 points in 2023-24. Toure was an all-NAC first team selection averaging 20.5 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. Toure also led the team with 87 assists and 33 blocks. Rose, an all-NAC second team selection, averaged 18.4 points per game while leading the Wildcats with 6.8 rebounds per game. Senior Dylan Ernst also returns along with sophomore forward Kamryn Comstock. The Wildcats bring in transfers LaMarqus Merchant from Western New Mexico University and Daimarr Miller from SUNY Morrisville. Head coach Rob Schoener has E8 ties, having played for St. John Fisher from 1997-2001.
 
Final 2023-24 Empire 8 Men’s Basketball Standings
Utica (24-4, 15-1 E8) - League Champions
Nazareth (19-8, 14-2 E8)
St. John Fisher (18-9, 13-3 E8)
Keuka (11-13, 9-7 E8) – League Champions
Alfred (12-15, 8-8 E8)
Houghton (7-19, 5-11 E8)
Elmira (9-16, 5-11 E8)
Russell Sage (10-15, 3-13 E8)
Hartwick (1-22, 0-16 E8)

^ SUNY Brockport, SUNY Geneseo and SUNY Poly are making their Empire 8 debuts in 2024-25. Brockport and Geneseo competed in the SUNYAC in 2023-24, while Poly competed in the North Atlantic Conference in 2023-24.
 
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit www.empire8.com and YouTube
 
EMPIRE 8 SOCIAL MEDIA
YouTube – Facebook – Twitter – Instagram