Juan Cranford, Jr., a member of the Saint Francis men's basketball team, has been named the Northeast Conference (NEC) Rookie of the Week for January 21-26. It is the second time Cranford has been named the top rookie for a week this season.

Cranford had double figures in both games this weekend, while the 14 points he scored on Sunday against Wagner matched an NEC career high and the second-most he registered at home. He averaged 12.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game in the two games. The freshman added 11 points in the 74-64 win against LIU on Friday. The freshman shot 50.0 percent from the floor (8-for-16), 50.0 percent from behind the arc (4-for-8), and 83.3 percent (5-for-6) from the free throw line in the week. The freshman has 10+ points in four of his last five games and 11 of his last 15 contests.

Cranford is averaging 9.9 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. The freshman is shooting 50.3 percent from the floor (78-for-155), 42.0 percent from behind the arc (34-for-81), and 90.0 percent from the free throw line (27-for-90). In conference games, Cranford averages 10.0 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Cranford ranks fifth in 3-point field goal percentage, sixth in field goal percentage, and 22nd in the NEC in scoring. He ranks as the second-leading freshman in the league, trailing by 0.1 points per game. 

In a Red Flash uniform, Cranford joins a list of 11 players named NEC Rookie of the Week multiple times. Along with Cranford, Sam Sutton (1997-98), Rashaan Benton (2001-02), Stephon Mosley (2013-14), Malik Harmon (2013-14), Maxwell Land (2020-21) were each two-time winners, while Darshan Luckey (eight times, 2002-03), Keith Braxton (seven times, 2016-17), Landon Moore (seven times, 2022-23), Devin Sweetney (four times (2006-07), and Eli Wilborn (three times, 2023-24) received the honor three or more times. Harmon was in attendance for the win against the Sharks on Friday night. 

Twenty-five players earned top rookie of the week honors since 1997-98, for 58 recognitions for the Frankies. It marks the 34th time under head coach Rob Krimmel that a player bestowed the honor, and he has served as head coach for seven of the 11 players who earned the honor multiple times. 

It is the third time this season the Frankies have earned a major weekly award. Cranford was named the top rookie for December 16-23 and January 21-26, and fellow freshman Jeremy Clayville bestowed the recognition for January 6-12. The duo and sophomore Bobby Rosenberger III are the three players on the roster to earn recognition for NEC Rookie of the Week in their career.

Riley Parker was named an NEC Prime Performer for the fifth time this season. 

Parker averaged 22.0 points and 4.0 assists per game in the two games this week after posting a career-high 29 points against LIU, playing in front of his father for the first time as a collegiate athlete. The 29 points were the third-most scored in an NEC game this season and the most in a league game. Parker's point total was also the most points a Saint Francis player scored since Josh Cohen registered 32 points against FDU on February 23, 2023. Parker added 15 points, six assists, and three steals against Wagner. He shot 50.0 percent from the floor (14-for-28), 38.5 percent (5-for-13), and 91.7 percent (11-for-12) from the charity stripe, but that one miss was also intentionally trying to give the Frankies one more chance at tying the game. 

Parker has now scored double figures 13 times in his last 17 contests and has registered at least 15 points nine times in that stretch, including hitting that mark in each of the last three tilts. He is averaging 21.0 points per game in his previous three games. It was also the fifth time the junior had registered six or more assists in a contest. 

Along with this week, Parker earned the distinction of Prime Performer for November 18-25, November 26-December 1, December 30-January 5, and January 6-12. Rosenberger had three Prime Performer selections for November 11-17, November 18-25, and November 26-December 1, while Valentino Pinedo was a Prime Performer for November 11-17 and January 6-12. Cranford was selected as a Prime Performer the first time he was the NEC Rookie of the Week, but not this week, while Clayville was a Prime Performer for the week he was named NEC Rookie of the Week.

Saint Francis returns to action on Thursday at Mercyhurst. Game time is 7 p.m.