Long Voted MSAC Player of the Year; Samuels and Nwosu Join Him on All-MSAC Team

Javonte Long, Marqiis Samuels, Kobe Nwosu

Three members of the conference co-champion Tompkins Cortland Community College men's basketball team have been voted to the Mid-State Athletic Conference all-conference team, led by MSAC Player of the Year Javonte Long (Harlem/Clayton H.S.). Joining Long on the first team was Marqiis Samuels (Long Island/The Patrick School) and Kobe Nwosu (Spring Valley/North Rockland H.S.) earned a place on the third team. Both Long and Samuels are repeat all-conference selections, while the freshman Nwosu is making his first appearance on the team. It marks the second straight year that three Panthers have been voted all-conference, and the third time in program history. Sheldon Schuler (New Haven, Conn./Lee Academy Prep) received Honorable Mention.

Long's selection as conference player of the year marks the sixth time a Panther has been chosen as the top player in the MSAC. He finished the season among the conference leaders in several stats. In 12 conference games, he was fourth in the MSAC in points (207), third in steals (33) and ninth in assists (51). He scored in double figures in 11 of the 12 conference games he played, with highlights coming against Jefferson (30 points, 11 rebounds) and Broome (28 points, 11 rebounds).

Long and Samuels are the first Panthers to repeat on the all-MSAC team since Tyseem Lyles accomplished the feat by winning the Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons, 2012-13 and 2013-14.

Samuels led the conference in steals (35) while playing in 12 MSAC games. He was among the leaders in assists (52), points (173), and free throws (38). His biggest scoring games of the season came in the two games against Genesee, when he scored 24 points each time.

Nwosu was among the premier big men in the conference, finishing fourth in rebounds (114) and blocks (22). He had eight double-doubles among his 13 MSAC games, including a season-best 30 points and 13 rebounds in the February 13 win over Corning.