Juan Cranford, Jr. (Dayton, Ohio/Wayne), a member of the Saint Francis men's basketball team, has been named the Northeast Conference (NEC) Rookie of the Week for the December 16-22. It is Cranford's first weekly honor, and he became the 24th Red Flash player since 1997-98 to earn the distinction.

Cranford averaged 17.7 points and 3.7 rebounds per game, but what was even more impressive was that he shot 80.0 percent (20-for-25) from the field, 68.8 percent (11-for-16) from behind the arc and made both of his free throw attempts in three games for the Red Flash. The freshman started his week with a career-high 21 points against Maryland on Tuesday and became the second freshman under head coach Rob Krimmel to register 20 points in a game against a Power 5 team. Landon Moore was the only other freshman to turn the trick, and he did it exactly three years to the day at No. 25 Miami. Cranford then posted 13 points in a 104-47 win against Franciscan on Thursday. The freshman did not have eye-popping stats against the non-Division III but did score eight of the first 11 points in the game to get the Frankies off and running. Cranford finished the game against the Barons 5-for-5 from the field and 3 of 3 from behind the arc. He carried that momentum into the game against Robert Morris on Saturday after making his first four shots, including three from downtown, to hit nine consecutive shots, with six coming from behind the arc over 57 minutes and five seconds (nearly three halves). Cranford finished the week with 19 points at Robert Morris to average 20.0 points per game against the two Division I opponents in the week. He has made at least three triples in his last three games, including a career-high five from deep against the Colonials. He also added a career-high three steals on Saturday. 

Cranford has recorded double figures in seven-straight games to become the first freshman under Krimmel to have seven-straight double-figure games. He is also the first player since Keith Braxton to post double figures in seven of his first nine starts. He is averaging 14.7 points in his seven-game 10+ point streak. 

Cranford is averaging 9.8 points per game and is shooting 53.2 percent from the floor (50-for-94), 43.5 percent from behind the arc (20-for-46), and 94.4 percent from the free throw line (17-for-18) on the year. The freshman ranks 17th in the NEC in scoring, fourth in 3-point field goal percentage, fifth in field goal percentage, and 13th in 3-pointers made per game (1.43).

It is the first major weekly award for Saint Francis this season. Cranford becomes the 15th different player to be named an NEC Rookie of the Week under head coach Rob Krimmel. There have been 24 players selected as the top rookie of the week since 1997-98 for a total of 56 recognitions in that span for the Frankies. It marks the 32nd time under Krimmel that a player has bestowed the honor.

Cranford joins Bobby Rosenberger III as the only two players on the roster named NEC Rookie of the Week. Devin Sweetney, in his first season as an assistant coach, earned four NEC Rookie of the Week honors in 2006-07. Sweetney is one of four Saint Francis players to earn the top weekly rookie honor four times.

Saint Francis will now be off through the Christmas/New Year's holiday and return after the 13-day break to open NEC play at home against CCSU on Friday, January 3.