BRIDGEWATER, N.J. – The NEC released their men's basketball 2024-25 preseason poll and the All-NEC preseason team during their "Virtual Media Day" airing on ESPN+ this morning. FDU finished third in the poll and junior forward Jo'el Emanuel was tabbed as a preseason All-NEC Selection.
 
The Knights are led by second year head coach Jack Castleberry, who guided the Knights to a 16-17 record last year. The team's season ended with an NEC quarterfinal loss to #4 Le Moyne.
 
Emanuel, a New York native, returns after a breakout sophomore campaign. The versatile forward averaged 10.6 ppg and 5.2 rpg in 2023-24. He is one of two starters returning for the Knights. The other is sophomore guard Terrence Brown. Brown, a 2023-24 NEC All-Rookie selection, grew into a starting role in his debut season. In conference play the Minnesota native averaged 10.2 ppg and put together a 2.0 assist/turnover ratio.
 
The 2024-25 Knights will enjoy one familiar addition. That would be senior Cameron Tweedy, a 6'4 forward, who missed all of 2023-24 with an injury. The Maryland product played a crucial role in FDU's 2023 NCAA tournament run. Most notably, he poured in 10 points in the Knight's historic upset over #1 Purdue.
 
Adding to the veteran experience returning is junior guard Brayden Reynolds, who played 18.0 minutes per game last season.
 
Castleberry brought in a trio of transfers to supplement his returning talent. Junior guard Dylan Jones comes into Hackensack from the junior college ranks in Utah. Jones is a 6'5 sharpshooting guard who shot over 40% from deep as a sophomore at Snow College.
 
Jones is joined by Ahmed "Tyree" Barba-Bey and Bismark Nsiah. These two graduate students played four years of collegiate basketball together at Jefferson. Barba-Bey, a 6'3 guard, scored 948 career points and was Third Team All-CACC last season. Nsiah, a diversely skilled 6'8 forward, recorded 122 career blocks in 87 collegiate games. He made three CACC All-Tournament Teams. Barba-Bey and Nsiah led Jefferson to a CACC title and NCAA tournament in their final years as Rams.
 
FDU opens their season November 4 at Miami. This marks the start of a challenging non-conference slate that includes trips to Creighton, Nebraska, Fordham, Villanova, La Salle, Minnesota, and Boston College, in addition to their game with the 'Canes.
 
Their home conference schedule is headlined by clashes with Metropolitan rivals Manhattan (Nov 17) and St. Peter's (Nov 23). More information on the broadcasts of those games will be made available later today.
 
The Knights begin conference play on January 5 at Wagner.
 
2024-25 NEC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll

1. (tie) CCSU (5)
    Wagner (4)
3. FDU
4. Le Moyne
5. LIU
6. Chicago State
7. Mercyhurst
8. (tie) Saint Francis U
    Stonehill
 
2024-25 Preseason All-NEC Men's Basketball Team

Malachi Davis, LIU, Sr, G, Toronto, ON/Central Tech (Tallahassee CC/Lake Land College/Arizona State)
Jo'el Emanuel, FDU, Jr, F, Suffern, NY/Suffern
Darrick Jones Jr,, LEM, 5-Yr, G, Richmond, VA/Oak Hill Academy (Towson)
Jordan Jones, CCSU, Sr, G, Florence, SC/Trinity-Byrnes Collegiate School (Coker)
Jeff Planutis, MU, Gr, F, Hazleton, PA/Hazleton