Stockton University Athletics

Balance and Teamwork Led to Successful Season for Ospreys

Men's Basketball | 3/24/2020 10:00:00 AM

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The Stockton men's basketball team was a young squad that surprised the NJAC this season. Picked in the preseason to place seventh by the league's coaches, the Ospreys finished tied for first in the conference with a 14-4 mark and reached the NJAC championship game.
 
Head coach Scott Bittner helmed a balanced squad consisting of 13 underclassmen and five seniors to an overall record of 18-9. For his efforts, he was selected NJAC Coach of the Year for the first time in his career. Eleven players saw action in 18 or more games, with eight players averaging 5.2 points per game or more.
 
The Ospreys played as a team and played solid defense. Stockton finished sixth in NCAA Division III in field goal percentage defense, holding opponents to a paltry 38.1 percent shooting. The Ospreys topped the NJAC in three-point field goal percentage defense (.315) and rebounding margin (+4.9). Six players averaged between 3.9 and 5.4 rebounds per game.
 
Leading the way was sophomore Kyion Flanders, who was chosen to the NJAC First Team. Flanders led the Ospreys in scoring (14.2 ppg) and steals (1.7 spg; 7th in NJAC) and shot 44.8 percent from the field and 36.3 percent from three-point range.
 
The sophomore added 2.5 assists per game and hit 74.8 percent at the free throw line, which ranked 10th in the NJAC. Flanders scored in double figures in all but four of his 26 games played and also assumed a leadership role in only his second college season.
 
Freshman DJ Campbell was voted NJAC Rookie of the Year for his play, becoming the first Osprey to be selected for that honor since Mike Menefee in 1988. The first-year guard, who was named NJAC Rookie of the Week eight times, topped the Ospreys with 53 three-pointers (53) and a .859 free throw percentage that was second in the conference.
 
Campbell finished second on the team in scoring (12.1 ppg) and steals (1.4 spg) behind Flanders during his outstanding freshman year. He scored at least 15 points in 10 games and was selected NJAC Honorable Mention to go with his Rookie of the Year award.
 
Senior Jordan Taylor capped his career with an NJAC Honorable Mention nod after a stellar final season. Taylor finished fourth in the NJAC in assist/turnover ratio (1.9) and 10th in assists (2.8 apg) while topping Stockton in both categories.
 
He made 48 three-pointers to move into 10th all-time at Stockton with 142 career treys. Taylor completed joined Flanders and Campbell to form a trio of double-digit scorers for the Ospreys at 10.5 points per game and also grabbed 4.4 rebounds per game.
 
Freshman Jordan Williams, a three-time NJAC Rookie of the Week, led the Ospreys with a .485 field goal percentage. The rookie scored 6.4 points per game and grabbed 4.9 rebounds per game, placing second on the squad. Williams showed his versatility by stepping out to the perimeter and shooting 44 percent (11-25) from three-point range and also hit 73.7 percent (28-38) at the free throw line.
 
The Ospreys' depth and balance was enhanced by several more contributors. Junior Tariq Baker averaged 5.7 points per game off the bench while sophomore point guard Kadian Dawkins finished second on the team in assists (2.7 apg) and pilfered 21 steals. Baker did most of his damage from three-point range while Dawkins showed a knack for getting to the rim.
 
In his third year as a starter, senior Steve Ferebee averaged 5.2 points and 4.0 rebounds in just 14 minutes per game. Ferebee also swatted 11 shots this season to move into fourth in Stockton history with 78 career blocked shots.
 
Fellow senior Othniel Nyamekye shot 45.2 percent from the field and led the Ospreys in rebounds at 5.4 per game. Nyamekye posted three double-doubles and blocked a team-high 17 shots. The senior also pulled down 2.6 rebounds per game on the offensive glass, placing fourth in the NJAC. Senior Danny Moeller completed his four-year career at Stockton with appearances in 15 games.
 
A trio of newcomers chipped in in their first season at Stockton. Junior Luciano Lubrano (5.2 ppg, 33 assists, 16 steals), freshman Rynell Lawrence (18 games, .474 field goal percentage) and sophomore Jonathan Azoroh (24 games off the bench) gave the Ospreys valuable contributions. Lubrano made 18 starts while Lawrence played a larger role as the season progressed.