Senior guard Shania “Shorty” Johnson and redshirt-junior guard Akwasi Yeboah have wasted no time taking the helm of the women’s and men’s basketball teams, respectively. Both are averaging over 17 points per game and have already been recognised as America East Player of the Week for three consecutive weeks. Their play throughout the last week was a microcosm exhibiting the successful start to the 2018-19 season.
Johnson offensively dictated Stony Brook’s tempo in the 87-50 blowout victory over New Paltz on Wednesday, Nov. 28. She led the team with a single-game conference record 15 assists and recorded 17 points en route to her third double-double this season. Johnson followed up the New Paltz performance against Cornell on Saturday, Dec. 1, recording 17 points, six assists three steals and knocked down five shots beyond the arc. Johnson’s assist to sophomore guard Jonae Cox gave the Seawolves’ the lead for good in a 63-61 nail-biter win.
Johnson currently leads the team by averaging 17.6 points, 9.3 assists and nearly three steals per game. She ranks second in the America East in scoring with 123 total points. Johnson has earned five total America East Player of the Week awards in her career and was named to the All-Conference team last season.
Meanwhile, Yeboah led Stony Brook with 14 points in the first half and contributed to a 20 point lead against Quinnipiac on Saturday, Dec. 1. He finished with 19 points in the Seawolves’ 71-61 victory. Before Sunday’s slate of games, Yeboah was just one of 21 players, nationally, that averaged 18 points and eight rebounds per game. Yeboah is now the second Seawolves player that has been named Player of the Week three times since the start the season, alongside former player Jameel Warney in 2015.
Yeboah is currently leading Stony Brook with an average of 18.5 points and eight rebounds per game. He also tops the team with 19 three-pointers and is shooting 37 percent from behind the arc.
The men’s team is currently on a five-game win streak, while the women’s team is on a six-game win streak. Both teams will look to continue their hot start on the road as the women take on Fairleigh Dickinson on Saturday, Dec. 8 at 2 p.m and the men’s team face Manhattan on Wednesday, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m
