Brantley earns first Empire 8 Rookie Award

UTICA — Catskill High scool graduate Justice Brantley of the Utica College men’s basketball team has been named the Empire 8 Conference Men’s Basketball Rookie of the Week. The honor was announced on Monday by the Empire 8 offices in Rochester.

He wins the award for his efforts in a pair of Empire 8 conference games over the past week.

Brantley averaged 13.5 points per game for the Pioneers as they split their final two regular season games. In Tuesday’s previously rescheduled game against Houghton, he had nine points, five assists, and two steals in a Utica win.

In Saturday’s loss to Sage, he was 7-of-15 from the field and finished with a team-high 18 points in his first career start. He also added an assist and five rebounds in Saturday’s efforts.

The Pioneers are 18-7 this season, and will be the third seed in the Empire 8 tournament. They will meet St. John Fisher on Friday night in the Empire 8 Semifinals hosted by Nazareth College.