NEWTON, Mass. – The leading scorer on the Lasell College men's basketball team was honored Monday by the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) for his performance in a pair of conference victories last week.

Junior Stefan Masciarelli (Northbridge, Mass./St. John's) was named GNAC Men's Basketball Player of the Week, his first conference recognition this season. He was the leading scorer as the Lasers posted a pair of victories in the first two conference games of the year as one of only two teams so far to start the GNAC schedule at 2-0.

A 6-1 guard, Masciarelli averaged 36.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game, shooting 56.0 percent from the field and 58.8 percent from three-point range. He poured in a career-high 39 points (on 15-of-28 shooting, 6-of-10 on 3-pt shots) with eight rebounds, six assists and three steals last Tuesday in a big win over Saint Joseph's (Maine), which was 10-2 and riding an eight-game winning streak. He added 33 points (13-of-22 FG%, 4-of-7 3-pt FG%), six rebounds, three assists and two steals Saturday in a victory over Rivier University.

Masciarelli leads the Lasers, ranks second in the GNAC and 13th nationally in Division III scoring with 23.4 points per game this season. He ranks second in the league and 14th nationally in free throw accuracy, converting 90.4 percent from the line (47-of-52). He is also ranked sixth in the GNAC in assists per game (3.8).

The Lasers, 4-10 overall, play a pair of GNAC road games this week, visiting the University of Saint Joseph (Connecticut) on Thursday for a 7:00 p.m. tipoff and Regis College on Saturday for a 1:00 p.m. matchup. 

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