BEVERLY, Mass. — Endicott men's basketball student-athletes Elijah Kinney (Nashville, Tenn.) and Jalen Echevarria (Lynn, Mass.) have received Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) postseason honors, as announced by the league office earlier today.
Kinney earned 2023-24 CCC Rookie of the Year honors to highlight the duo.
He also claimed All-CCC Second Team honors for his impressive freshman year efforts.
Echevarria represented the Gulls on the All-CCC First Team following his historic senior campaign for the Blue and Green.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR | ALL-CCC SECOND TEAM
Elijah Kinney | Fr. | F | Nashville, Tenn.
Kinney is the seventh men's basketball student-athlete to secure Rookie of the Year honors, and the third in the past four years for the Gulls. He joins current teammates Jeff Hill (Lynn, Mass.) and Echevarria as Rookie of the Year recipients (2022-23 | 2019-20).
Over the course of the season, Kinney received five CCC Rookie of the Week awards (11/13/23, 12/4/23, 1/2/24, 2/12/24, 2/20/24).
He finished the year averaging of 14.5 points, 10.0 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 0.8 blocks in 24.1 minutes per game.
Kinney proved himself to be a scoring threat from anywhere on the court, as he shot an efficient 55.0% (121-220 FG) from the field and 33.3% (20-60 3PT) from three-point territory. His 14.5 points place him second in team scoring and 13th in the CCC, while his field goal percentage ranks third in the CCC.
His 10.0 rebounds per game led the CCC, and are the highest output by a freshman in program history. The average also places him third in program history for season rebounding average (Chris Rigothi '97, 11.1 | Erik Callo '12, 11.0).
The freshman big man recorded his first career double-double (13 points, 11 rebounds, 19 minutes played) in the second game and first Endicott win of the season (85-63) versus MIT on 11/15/23. He proceeded to register eight more double-double performances throughout the course of the season, totaling nine on the year.
At No. 24 nationally ranked Middlebury on 11/26/23, Kinney notched a career-high 25 points (9-17 FG, 1-3 3PT, 6-7 FT) and 15 rebounds in a nailbiting 90-86 loss.
In a 107-91 victory over UNE on 11/29/23, he hauled down a career-high 18 rebounds (12 defensive, six offensive), which ranks fourth all-time in single-game program history.
On 1/4/24, he guided the Gulls to victory with his 24 point (8-15 FG, 3-8 3PT, 5-7 FT), 12 rebound performance, which included the game-winning layup over a Curry defender with just two seconds remaining.
The Second Team selection marks the first All-Conference appearance in the freshman forward's career.
ALL-CCC FIRST TEAM
Jalen Echevarria | Sr. | G | Lynn, Mass.
Echevarria represents Endicott as the lone Gull on the All-CCC First Team this season.
The senior and Lynn native finished his season with a team-leading 414 points (18.0 points per game), while shooting 149-338 (44.1%) from the field, 58-167 (34.7%) from beyond the arc, and 58-72 (80.6%) from the charity stripe.
His 18.0 points per game and 34.7% three-point percentage each rank fourth in the CCC, while his 80.6% from the free throw line and 58 three-pointers made are each good for third.
Additionally, his scoring average of 18.0 points per game places him 10th all-time in program single-season scoring.
The craftiness and variety in which he scored aided the Gulls in numerous moments down the stretch of the season.
One such occasion was on February 10, 2024, when the senior guard posted a career-high 35 points (14-22 FG, 3-8 3PT, 4-4 FT) in a thrilling home 85-78 overtime victory over second-seeded Western New England.
With his 17 points in the regular season finale against Gordon, he surpassed Kamahl Walker '17 (Worcester, Mass.) with a total of 1895 career points, sliding into second all-time in program scoring. In the first round of the CCC Tournament, he registered 19 points in an overtime loss, ending his esteemed career with a total of 1914 points.
The First Team selection is Echevarria's third such selection in his career.
YEAR IN REVIEW
Endicott posted a 17-9 overall record with an 11-5 record in league play this season.
The Gulls earned the No. 3 seed in the CCC Tournament, but ultimately fell in overtime to No. 6 Suffolk, 80-79.
The Blue and Green were 9-5 at The Nest this fall, and rattled off an eight-game win streak between November 29, 2023, and January 6, 2024 — the longest win streak since the 2014-15 season.
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Photo Credit - (David Le '10)
