Posted: Mar 05, 2025

Merryman Headlines All-MASCAC Men's Basketball Selections

SALEM, Mass. -- Sophomore Omri Merryman (Lynn, Mass.) was named to the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Men's Basketball All-Conference First Team and headlines three all-conference selections for the Vikings. Sophomore Nick Martinez (Revere, Mass.) and junior Tyrese Rho (Boston, Mass.) earned second team recognition. Additionally, head coach Chris Harvey earned BSN Head Coach of the Year honors.

Merryman made an impact for Salem State in his first full year as a starter. He led the MASCAC in made three-pointers (80) and three-point percentage (44.9%). The guard finished seventh in the league in points per game (17.2) and his 151 made field goals ranked fifth. Merryman also ranked in the top-10 in the league in rebounds per game (5.1), blocks (16) and points (465).

Rho, a transfer-student, enjoyed a successful inaugural season with the Vikings. As a guard he started in 26-of-27 games, scoring a team-leading 17.6 points per game, which ranked second in the MASCAC. Rho shot 48.1% from floor and his 476 points scored were the second-highest in the league. Martinez was second on the Vikings and fifth in the conference with a 17.3 ppg average. He posted top-10 conference rankings in field goal percentage (47.9%), assists (62) and steals (80).

After guiding Salem State to a 9-4 record and second seed into the MASCAC Tournament, Chris Harvey of Salem State was voted the 2024-25 BSN Sports Coach of the Year by his peers.

Westfield State's Kenneth Rogers Jr. and Worcester State's Brandon Goris are the 2024-25 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year while the Owls' Eric Johnson is Defensive Player of the Year.

Rogers Jr., a first year from Springfield, Mass., burst on to the scene for the MASCAC Regular Season Champion Owls to earn not only MASCAC Player of the Year honors but Rookie of the Year. In his first season with the team, he averaged a league-leading 18.7 points, nine rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.7 steals per game. He was named the MASCAC Rookie of the Week 13 times this season while he amassed over 500 points and 250 rebounds this season alone. 15 times, he scored 20 points or more with one of his best outputs coming in the win over Fitchburg State where he tallied 26 points, 19 rebounds, six assists and two steals.

Joining Rogers as a Player of the Year honoree is the Goris from Worcester State. The senior from Bronx, N.Y., averaged 17.6 points while totaling 131 assists, 74 steals and 54.3 field goal percentage on the year which were all in the top five of the MASCAC. In the overtime victory over Salem State, Goris tied the Lancers single-game scoring record with 44 points while also collecting nine rebounds, eight assists, seven steals and a lights out 75 percent from the field.

Johnson nabbed the MASCAC Defensive Player of the Year accolades after the senior from Houston, Texas anchored the Owls high-pressure defense as perhaps the only true post player on the roster. He is averaging 6.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.3 blocks and 1.2 steals per game, while shooting 54.5 percent from the floor. Johnson was second in the league with 35 blocks and seventh with 152 total rebounds. He was at his best in the MASCAC tournament with 18 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks and three steals in the title game.

Joining Johnson, Rogers and Goris on the 2024-25 All-Conference First Team is Quentin Gittens of MCLA and Merryman of Salem State.

On the Second Team are Josh Campbell and Dante Kikuba of Bridgewater State, Joshua Saint Jean of Framingham State, Martinez and Rho of Salem State.

2024-25 MASCAC MEN'S BASKETBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS

FIRST TEAM

Player/Institution Class Position Hometown

Quentin Gittens, MCLA Senior Guard Pittsfield, Mass.

Omri Merryman, Salem State Sophomore Guard Lynn, Mass.

Eric Johnson, Westfield State Senior Forward/Center Houston, Texas

Lid Moreland, Westfield State Senior Guard Bridgeport, Conn.

Kenneth Rogers Jr., Westfield State First Year Forward Springfield, Mass.

Brandon Goris, Worcester State Senior Guard Bronx, N.Y.

SECOND TEAM

Player/Institution Class Position Hometown

Josh Campbell, Bridgewater State Sophomore Forward Plymouth, Mass.

Dante Kikuba, Bridgewater State Junior Guard Framingham, Mass.

Joshua Saint Jean, Framingham State Sophomore Forward Lynn, Mass.

Nicholas Martinez, Salem State Sophomore Guard Revere, Mass.

Tyrese Rho, Salem State Junior Guard Boston, Mass.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Kenneth Rogers Jr., Westfield State First Year Forward Springfield, Mass.

Brandon Goris, Worcester State Senior Guard Bronx, N.Y.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Eric Johnson, Westfield State Senior Forward/Center Houston, Texas

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Kenneth Rogers Jr., Westfield State First Year Forward Springfield, Mass.

BSN SPORTS COACH OF THE YEAR

Chris Harvey, Salem State