Pioneers take 7-0 record into Thanksgiving, Lead the NAIA in rebounding, 2nd in FG defense
PITTSBURGH -- As the calendar turns to Thanksgiving week, the Point Park University Pioneers men's basketball team is 7-0 and leading the nation in rebounding at 58.3 boards per game. The Pioneers are also second in the NAIA in field-goal percentage defense holding their opponents to 35.1-percent shooting and eighth in the country in scoring at 93.4 points per game.
Point Park's last game was an 87-64 victory at Bryant & Stratton-Rochester on Sunday, Nov. 19. Point Park was scheduled to play the Bobcats in a return home game on Nov. 22, but that game has been postponed. It will be made up on Jan. 15, 2024 for an MLK Day matinee at home tipping off at 3:00 p.m.
The Pioneers now have a break before their next game, which is the arrival of River States Conference play Nov. 28 at (RV) Rio Grande (Ohio). It is the first of 17 conference games among the 22 remaining games on Point Park's schedule.
LAST GAME: POINT PARK 87, B&S-ROCHESTER 64
The Pioneers had four starters in double figures to pick up the road win Nov. 19. Point Park got out to a 44-28 lead the first half by shooting 48 percent and holding the Bobcats to 31 percent.
Jamisen Smith led the way with 22 points and 4 for 9 from 3-point range. Point Park made 14 treys on the day shooting 41 percent from deep (14 for 34). Getting in on the act were Nathaniel Van going 3 for 6 on his way to 15 points and Jo Valrie and Jalen Stamps making two each on their way to 12 and 11 points, respectively.
Final starter Jags Jhawar made both of his shot attempts for five points, and the 7-2 center blocked four shots and grabbed four rebounds as well. The Pioneers dominated the rebounds, 58-24, with Stamps and Nazareth Fisher tying for the team lead with nine apiece. Valrie had eight rebounds, and Jordan Stowe had six.
The Pioneers had all 12 dressed players see game action, and they all scored. Amistad Hacket led the bench with six points, and he nailed a couple of 3-pointers.
Point Park had 20 assists on its 34 made baskets. Stamps and Valrie dished out four assists apiece while Smith, Stowe and Daniel Felix each had three.
NAIA REBOUNDING LEADERS
Point Park leads the NAIA in all rebounding categories. The Pioneers are first nationally in rebounds per game (58.3 rpg), defensive rebounds per game (40.1 rpg), offensive rebounds per game (18.1) and rebound margin (+26.6). Point Park has three of the Top-50 rebounders in the country with 6-5 Jo Valrie (11.3 rpg) ranking eighth in the country along with 7-2 Jags Jhawar (9.1 rpg) and 6-10 Nazareth Fisher (8.9 rpg).
Other rebounding leaders for Point Park are Jordan Stowe (6.3 rpg), Nathaniel Van (5.4 rpg) and Jalen Stamps (4.0 rpg). Point Park has three games with more than 60 rebounds and six games with more than 50 rebounds as a team.
DEFENSIVE RANKINGS
The Pioneers are second in the NAIA in field-goal percentage defense holding opponents to 35.1 percent for the year. The Pioneers have held seven of their eight opponents under 38 percent, which includes their exhibition matchp with NCAA Division I Robert Morris.
Other defensive stats have the Pioneers ranking eighth in the nation in blocks per game with 5.4 bpg and ninth nationally with only 13.0 fouls per game. Jags Jhawar is the team leader at 2.4 bpg, which ranks ninth in the country.
OFFENSIVE NUMBERS
Point Park is eighth in the nation in scoring at 93.4 points per game. The Pioneers have four players averaging double digits led by Jo Valrie at 19.2 ppg and Jalen Stamps at 16.4 ppg. Newcomer Jamisen Smith has been in double digits seven of eight games for 15.0 ppg while Nathaniel Van has entered the starting lineup with 13.4 ppg scoring double figures in seven of eight contests as well.
Jordan Stowe brings 8.3 ppg in just 20.4 minutes a game. Nazareth Fisher comes off the bench as well with 6.4 ppg in 14.6 minutes per game. Jhawar averages 4.9 ppg shooting 55 percent from the field to lead the regulars.
30 WINS IN 13 MONTHS
The Pioneers have won 30 games since the start of last year. That's since their 2022-23 season opener on Nov. 1, 2022, their first game under head coach Kevin Reynolds. Since then, Point Park is 30-7 overall. Point Park's current win streak of seven games is the longest during that span. The Pioneers were 23-7 last year to reach the 20-win mark for the first time in 16 years and just the seventh time in program history.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
Point Park started off the year with five straight home games to get out to a 5-0 record. When the Pioneers go to Rio Grande, it will be their fourth road game in a row. Point Park has presented itself well in its road tests leading for 18 minutes of an exhibition loss to DI Robert Morris, 66-56, before picking up a good NAIA road win at Washington Adventist (Md.) and the win at B&S-Rochester.
After the road game at Rio Grande, the Pioneers are at home for five of their six contests in the month of December. That includes big RSC matchups at home versus Shawnee State (Ohio) and Alice Lloyd (Ky.) on the first two Saturday of the month Dec. 2 and 9.