PITMAN, N.J. — The New Jersey City University men's basketball team, fresh off the program's first New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) championship since 2011 and the 13th in program history, continued its postseason success today, Wednesday, March 31, as the NJAC announced its annual awards. The Gothic Knights dominated and hauled in three all-conference selections, coach of the year, rookie of the year and defensive player of the year.

Head coach Marc Brown was named NJAC Coach of the Year for the fourth time in the last nine seasons after guiding his squad to a 7-1 record in 2020-21, including a 5-1 mark in the regular season. His team historically came back from 21 points down in the NJAC title game to win it at the buzzer 79-77. Overall, Brown's team ranked fourth in all of Division III in defensive rebounds per game, sixth in turnovers forced per game, eighth in field goal percentage defense and 11th in offensive rebounds per game. He is now outpaced at NJCU in Coach of the Year honors by only his father, Charlie Brown, who has six.

Senior Denzel Banks (Newark, NJ/East Orange Campus) was selected as NJCU's first team all-NJAC representative and now owns three all-NJAC honors for his career — second team as a junior, honorable mention as a sophomore. Banks finizhed the season averaging 10.8 points per game over eight contests with five starts. He scored in double-figures in every game and finished first on NJCU in made FGs (36) and was second in scoring, rebounding (6.3) and steals per game (2.1).

On the second team was sophomore Derryen Whyte (Irvington, N.J./Union), who came to Jersey City following a season with Division II Caldwell University. Whyte led NJCU with 12.4 points per game and was tops on the squad three-point shooting percentage (51.4). He was one of only two players to play and start in all eight games and finished the season second on the Gothic Knights in made field goals (33). He was also third in shooting percentage (50.8) and free throw percentage (78.9).

An honorable mention selection, freshman Ryan Savoy (Lakewood, N.J./Lakewood) was also named Rookie of the Year. The Lakewood product was named NJAC Player and Rookie of the Week on March 1 and was named a Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association (MBWA) Division II-III Weekly honorable mention on March 2. Savoy played in all eight games and led the Gothic Knights in shooting (61.5 percent) and rebounds per game (6.9). He was second on the team with 1.3 blocks per game and third in scoring (9.5 points per game). In a regular-season weekend series sweep over Montclair State University on Feb. 26 and Feb. 27, Savoy notched back-to-back double-doubles (19 points/11 rebounds and 20 points/11 rebounds). Savoy is the ninth Gothic Knight to be named Rookie of the Year since 1982-83.

And last but not least is sophomore Michael Clement (Sicklerville, NJ/Winslow Township), who was named NJAC Defensive Player of the Year. The 6-foot-6 center played and started in all eight games for the Gothic Knights. He led NJCU with 1.9 blocks per game, including a career-high five in a single game. He finished third with 5.9 rebounds per game. He becomes the fourth NJCU men's player to win the award after ranking second in the NJAC in blocks per game.