LORETTO, Pa.  –  Saint Francis men's basketball head coach Rob Krimmel has completed his 2024-25 roster with the additional of eight players to the roster. 

"I am excited about what this group will bring to Saint Francis University and Saint Francis basketball," said Krimmel. "They will impact us in a variety of ways on and off the court. We were able to identify a skilled and competitive group of student-athletes who will help us compete against a very difficult non-conference schedule and prepare us for a run at an NEC Championship. I am thankful for all of the efforts of our staff, our team, our administration, and our campus community to help attract a quality group of young men to Saint Francis." 

Rising juniors Riley Parker (Mandurah, Western Australia/Mandurah Catholic College [Cochise College]) and Valentino Pinedo (Murcia, Spain/Sunrise Christian Academy (Kansas) [East Carolina]), and rising sophomore Daemar Kelly (Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn Hills [Quinnipiac]) are transferring to Saint Francis, while Juan Cranford, Jr. (Dayton, Ohio/Wayne) and Victor Payne (Cromwell, Conn./Cromwell) come to Loretto as freshmen. This quintet joins incoming freshman Jeremy Clayville (Ridgewood, N.J./Saint Joseph Metuchen), who's signing was announced in November, on scholarship for the upcoming campaign.  In addition, sophomore Trey Weiand (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Trinity), and freshmen Zachary Jones (Cincinnati, Ohio/Indian Hills) and Carson Rhodes (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Hollidaysburg Area) are joining the team as walk-ons.

The nine newcomers will join 11 returners (seven scholarships, four walk-ons) to comprise the 2024-25 roster: juniors Gestin Liberis (Havertown, Pa./The George School), Chris Moncrief (Turtle Creek, Pa./The Kiski School), Wisler Sanon II (Sickerville, N.J./Paul VI) and Miles Webb (Arlington, Va./St. Stephens & St. Agnes), sophomores Aidan Harris (Annapolis, Md./Saint Mary's), Bobby Rosenberger III (Quakertown, Pa./Perkiomen School), and Ace Talbert (Wyandanch, N.Y./Scotland Campus (Pa.) [Combine Academy [N.C.]) along with walk-on seniors Brendan Scanlon (State College, Pa./Saint Joseph's) and KJ Swain, Jr. (Hamilton, Ohio/Cincinnati Christian) and sophomores Blaze Angellotti (Julian, Pa./Bald Eagle Area) and Ryen Gresko (Penn Run, Pa./Penns Manor).

riley parker

Parker, a 6-2 guard, comes to Loretto after two seasons at Cochise College, a National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division I school in Arizona. He posted 608 points, 268 assists, 186 rebounds, and 95 steals in 55 games during his two seasons. The Australian native had 29 games with at least 10 points and six 20-point performances. Parker was named to the NJCAA Division I Region I All-Region and all-conference second team and scored 25 points in his final game in the NJCAA Division I Region I Championship Game. Before his time in Arizona, he was a two-time Most Valuable Player in the WABL U18 and was named the MVP while a part of the WABL U16. 

ROB KRIMMEL ON RILEY PARKER

"Riley has a great feel for the game. He is an experienced guard who can create for himself and make others around him better. He is an excellent shooter who has won many games at Cochise in the last two years."

valentino pinedo

Pinedo, a 6-8 forward, appeared in 45 games with two starts, 32 points, 32 rebounds, six assists, five steals and two blocks at East Carolina in two campaigns. Pinedo came to East Carolina after spending the 2021-22 season at the Sunrise Christian Academy in Kansas. Pinedo also averaged 5.6 points and 4.3 rebounds per game to help the U-18 Spain National Team to a 68-61 win against Turkey in the 2022 FIBA U-18 European Championship and averaged 11.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.3 steals in the 2021 U-18 Spanish Championship with Baloncesto Torrelodones in Madrid before joining Sunrise. The rising junior was a U-16 Spain National Team member that won gold at the 2019 U-16 European Championship.

ROB KRIMMEL ON VALENTINO PINEDO

"Valentino is a skilled forward who has experience at a high level in both Europe and here in the states. Valentino has the ability to play on the perimeter and can also impact the game around the basket. As a two-time captain of his national team in Spain and a member of SAAC at East Carolina, in addition to his basketball talents, Valentino will bring an element of leadership into our program."

DAEMAR KELLY

Kelly, a 6-5 guard, played at Quinnipiac last season and registered 40 points, 26 rebounds, eight steals, and five assists in 26 games off the bench for the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular season champions. He scored eight career points in 22 minutes against Iona on March 1. Kelly is no stranger to the Keystone State after scoring 1,000 points and helping the Penn Hills boys basketball team to the Class 5A WPIAL championship. A three-time all-section choice, Kelly averaged 17.4 points and 5.3 rebounds per game as a junior with Penn Hills to be named the Section 5 Player of the Year.

ROB KRIMMEL ON DAEMAR KELLY

"Daemar is a winner. He has been a part of successful programs at all levels and will provide some experience to our team. He is a versatile guard who can score in a variety of ways. His length, athleticism, and understanding of the game will allow him to impact the game on both ends of the floor.  "

JUAN CRANFORD, Jr.

Cranford, a 6-3 guard, comes to Loretto after a four-year career at Wayne High School in Dayton, Ohio. He scored over 1,000 points in his career and was named the Greater Western Ohio Conference (GWOC) Player of the Year in his senior year. A three-time All-GWOC performer (first team: 2022-23, 2023-24; second team: 2021-22), Cranford was an All-State honorable mention and helped Wayne to the district title.

ROB KRIMMEL ON JUAN CRANFORD, JR.

"Juan is a strong, versatile guard who can score on all three levels. His ability to shoot and handle the ball will help us improve in those areas immediately. He can defend multiple positions and will also help us on that side of the ball. Juan was an all-state performer and a part of a very successful program at Wayne High School in Ohio. He is an outstanding student and will impact our program on and off the court."

VICTOR PAYNE

Payne, a 6-4 guard, left Cromwell as the program's second all-time leading scorer with 1,629 career points and registered the most points in a quarter. A two-time All-Conference Player of the Year, Payne averaged 26.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game as a senior after posting 25.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game as a junior to earn All-State honors both seasons. He helped Cromwell to a state championship and three conference titles.

ROB KRIMMEL ON VICTOR PAYNE

"Victor is a talented guard who can play a variety of positions. His length and athleticism will allow him to impact the game on both ends of the court.  He won a state championship as a junior at Cromwell High School in Connecticut and was an all-state performer during his high school career. I played and coached against Victor's father and have a lot of respect for him as a player, coach, and person."

NEC LEGACies: PAYNE AND CLAYVILLE

Payne and early signee Clayville have parents who played on Northeast Conference (NEC) Championship teams. Payne's father, Victor, was a four-year letterwinner on the CCSU men's basketball team from 1996-00, a two-year captain, and a member of the Blue Devils' first NEC Championship team in 1999-00. Payne started the NEC Championship Game against Robert Morris and scored 12 points to help CCSU win its first NEC title. NOTE: Payne does not have a suffix in his name since he does not share the same middle name as his father. 

Clayville's mother, Sue Steele, was a four-year letterwinner at FDU and a member of the Knights women's basketball championship teams of 1989-90 and 1991-92. As the No. 3 seed in 1990, FDU defeated Mount St. Mary's 70-65 and then downed the Mount again as the No. 2 seed in 1992 with a 78-55 win. 

international flare

Parker (Australia) and Pinedo (Spain) become the seventh and eighth players who hail from outside the United States to play for Krimmel in his 13 seasons.

The duo joins Ben Millaud-Meunier (Montreal, Quebec, 2012-16), Georgios Angelou (Halkida, Greece, 2013-17), Ifeanyi Umezurike (Uturu, Abia State, Nigeria, 2015-17), Deivydas Kuzavas (Kretinga, Lithuania, 2016-20), Luidgy Laporal (Petit-Boutg, France, 2017-18), Chukwu Ikediashi (Nigeria, 2018-22) to suit up for the Red Flash and to originate from outside of the United States.

It will be the first season since Ikediashi's senior year in 2021-21 that the team will have an international player on the roster.

TREY WEIAND

Weiand, a 6-4 guard, officially joined the team after the conclusion of the 2023-24 season. He posted 577 points, 376 rebounds, and 116 assists at Trinity High School. Named to the Mid-Penn All-Conference team two times, Weiand was an All-Sentinel honorable mention. He helped his team to the state semifinals, a district title, and twice the Mid Penn Capital Division crown.

ZACHARY JONES

Jones, a 6-0 guard, comes to Loretto from Indian Hills High School in Ohio. A two-time all-conference and all-district performer, Jones averaged 10.0 points per game in his senior year. He was also selected an All-Southwest Ohio Honorable Mention in his senior campaign. His father, Barrett, played on Mansfield's men's basketball team and grew up in State College with Krimmel.

CARSON RHODES

Rhodes, a 6-3 guard, is a local product from Hollidaysburg Area High School, where he amassed 541 points, 147 rebounds, and 141 assists in his career. Rhodes was a two-time Mountain League Honorable Mention. His sister, Gretta, will be a sophomore on the Saint Francis women's tennis team in 2024-25.

RECRUITING CLASS AT A GLANCE

No.	Name	Cl.	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Hometown / Previous School(s)
4	Juan Cranford, Jr.	Fr.	G	6-3	205	Dayton, Ohio/Dayton
5	Daemar Kelly	Fr.	G	6-5	195	Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn Hills (Quinnipiac)
7	Jeremy Clayville	Fr.	F	6-0	165	Ridewood, N.J./Saint Joseph Metuchen
11	Riley Parker	Jr.	G	6-2	195	Mandurah, Australia/Mandurah Catholic (Cochise College [Ariz.])
15	Victor Payne	Fr.	G	6-4	190	Cromwell, Conn./Cromwell
24	Carson Rhodes	Fr.	G	6-4	180	Hollidaysburg, Pa./Hollidaysburg Area
30	Trey Weiand	So.	G	6-4	200	Mechanicsburg, Pa./Trinity
31	Valentino Pinedo	Jr.	F	6-8	230	Murica, Spain /Sunrise Christian Academy (Kansas) (East Carolina)
33	Zachary Jones	Fr.	F	6-0	145	Cincinnati, Ohio/Indian Hills

RETURNERS 2023-24 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

No.	Name	Cl.	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	2023-24 Highlights
0	Chris Moncrief	Jr.	G	6-6	190	Matched career-high nine points vs San Francisco (11/9) & CCSU (1/13)
1	KJ Swain, Jr.	Fr.	G	6-3	205	Scored in three of the five games played
2	Ace Talbert	So.	G	6-0	185	Career-high 21 points vs Stonehill (2/10)
3	Miles Webb	Jr.	F	6-8	190	Career-high 19 points, nine rebounds vs Sacred Heart (1/25)
13	Blaze Angellotti	So.	G	6-4	195	Played four minutes vs. Franciscan (11/22)
14	Bobby Rosenberger III	So.	G	6-5	205	Career-high 22 points vs Stonehill (2/10)
20	Brendan Scanlon	R-Jr.	G	5-8	175	Missed season due to injury
21	Gestin Liberis	Jr.	F	6-9	215	Posted 15 points and 10 rebounds vs Merrimack (2/22)
22	Ryen Gresko	So.	G	5-11	170	Played four minutes with one rebound vs. Franciscan (11/22)
23	Wisler Sanon II	Jr.	G	6-4	190	Career-high 13 points and seven rebounds vs CCSU (2/1)
32	Aidan Harris	So.	F	6-7	205	Career-high 15 rebounds vs Lehigh (11/29)