Shelton and Kennedy Take Home MAAC Weekly Awards

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. - The Merrimack College men's basketball team swept the MAAC's weekly awards with junior Ernest Shelton (Philadelphia, PA) earning MAAC Player of the Week honors and freshman Kevair Kennedy (Philadelphia, PA) earning the conference's Rookie of the Week.

Shelton and Kennedy were teammates at Father Judge High School in Philadelphia and reunited this year at Merrimack. 

ERNEST SHELTON (JR, G) - MAAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
After an impressive performance in Auburn the week prior, guard Ernest Shelton made 12 three-pointers in two games, including tying the school record with 9 treys in a win over Boston University. He shot 57 percent from 3 on the week and averaged a team high 25.6 points per game. In the win against BU, Shelton had a career-high 33 points, making 10-of-13 field goals. Shelton had 20 points at Tarleton State on Nov. 11. He leads the Warriors in scoring at 22.8 points per game and is shooting 51.4 percent from behind the arc (19-37). The Philly native also has converted on four 4-point plays in the last two games, with two of them coming in each game. 

"Ernest's performance was as good as I've seen as far as shooting goes," Merrimack head coach Joe Gallo said. "He got them in transition, off spot ups and off actions. I did not realize how special it was until I went back and watched a second time."

KEVAIR KENNEDY (FR, G) - MAAC ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Kevair Kennedy averaged close to a double-double last week, averaging 14.0 points and 9.0 rebounds in two games. The freshman from Philadelphia was two assists shy of a triple-double in the win at Boston University, with career highs in points (16), rebounds (11) and assists (8). Kennedy made 5-of-10 field goals and added two steals in the win over the Terriers. He had 12 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals at Tarleton State on Nov. 11. 

"Kev carried his momentum from the second half of the Tarleton game into the BU game," Gallo said. "We talked about attacking right from the start of a game, who cares what grade you are in, and he did that."

The Warriors are in action Wednesday for their home opener against the University of Maine Black Bears at 7:30 p.m in Lawler Arena.