The Bear Facts

The Bears host New Paltz on Wednesday night to close out a two-game homestand at The Hill Center, their final home game of the calendar year. The navy and gray will embark on a six-game road trip following tonight’s contest, taking them through mid-January.

SJC fell to the College of Mount Saint Vincent last Saturday. Leading the Bears against the Dolphins were seniors Chris Mikos, who scored 12, and Richie Simon, who pulled 11 boards. Joe Sheehan put up nine points followed by Evan Sirakis’ seven and six from Emmanuel Coffy and Chris Williams.

Mikos remains third in the Skyline Conference in scoring, posting an even 20 points per outing. Sirakis holds the second spot on the Bears with 10.1 points per game. As a team, St. Joseph’s is the leading rebounding team in the conference with 43.00; led individually by Mikos (9.4), Simon (7.8), and Sheehan (4.3). Sheehan’s nine blocks place him fourth in the Skyline while the trio of Mikos (24), Sirakis (22), and Simon (10) have totaled double-digit assists of the season.

Simon and James Mojica each saw playing time in the December 2019 meeting against the Hawks. However, New Paltz narrowly edged the Bears, 67-61.

The Hawks Hub

At 3-3 overall, the New Paltz Hawks – under the direction of fourth-year head coach Keith Kenney – step away from SUNYAC play to face SJC Brooklyn. They’re also in the midst of a seven-game road trip, returning to the Hawk Center on the other side of the new year against SUNY Fredonia. 

Solomon Neuhaus led a quartet of Hawks sophomores in double figures during their 1-1 conference weekend, averaging 24 points; dropping 33 on Plattsburgh State. Rylan Blondo posted a 17-point, 14-rebounds in defeat to SUNY Potsdam and averaged 16.5 points last weekend. Sean St. Lucia and Lucas Seyoum each averaged 10 points and 4.5 rebounds in that span with St. Lucia nearing a double-double against Plattsburgh State thanks to a nine-point, 12-assist effort.

Neuhaus (15.5 ppg) and Blondo (14.8 ppg) are scoring in double figures on the year with Neuhaus’ 44.7% three-point percentage leading the SUNYAC. Fellow sophomore Tyreik Frazier’s conference-leading 21 blocks are good to place the 6-6 sophomore 10th in Division III. New Paltz’s 10.5 steals per game as a collective top their conference thanks largely to Blondo and St. Lucia with 12 total steals each and Brandon Scott forcing 10 of his own.