Salem State’s Animashaun Named MASCAC Player of the Year, Headlines 2019-20 Men’s Basketball All-Conference Team
Senior forward Hakeem Animashaun of Salem State is the 2019-20 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Year and headlines the All-Conference team which is voted on by the seven coaches around the conference.
March 4, 2020
Westfield, Mass. — Senior forward Hakeem Animashaun of Salem State is the 2019-20 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Year and headlines the All-Conference team which is voted on by the seven coaches around the conference.
Animashaun, a senior from Dedham, Mass., closed out the year atop the conference in several categories, including total points (631), points per game (23.4), total rebounds (338), offensive rebounds (118), defensive rebounds (220), rebounds per game (12.5) and blocks (70). He also was second in field goal percentage (60.1) while adding 34 assists and 25 steals. His best game of the year was against Clark University where he tallied a double-double of 41 points and 20 rebounds while shooting 72 percent (13-18) from the floor.
Earning the 2019-20 MASCAC Rookie of the Year is Brendon Hamilton of Westfield State. The freshman from Worcester, Mass. finished his first year with the Owls averaging 6.8 points and 7.2 rebounds per game while leading the league in field goal percentage at 61 percent to help the team to a share of the MASCAC regular season crown. He also added 36 blocks, 20 assists and 15 steals. In the team’s win over Fitchburg State, Hamilton had a double-double of 18 points and 12 rebounds while shooting 80 percent (8-10) from the field.
Tyler Hundley of Worcester State is voted the 2019-20 Champion’s Choice Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year after leading the Lancers to a share of the MASCAC regular season title and the second seed in the conference tournament.
Joining Animashaun on the 2019-20 All-Conference First Team is Dimitri St. Louis of Bridgewater State, Jauch Green Jr. and Vawn Lord of Westfield State and Tyler Dion of Worcester State.
On the Second Team are Ryan Carney and Rayshon Ward of Bridgewater State, Noah Yearsley of MCLA, Erik Bjorn and Chris Cardoso of Worcester State.