Damian Chong Qui Named First Team All-Northeast Conference; Nana Opoku Collects NEC Defensive Player of the Year Honors

March 5, 2021 -- Mount St. Mary's junior guard Damian Chong Qui earned First Team All-Northeast Conference honors while redshirt junior forward Nana Opoku has been named the NEC Defensive Player of the Year, announced today by the conference office.

Chong Qui, the NEC's Most Improved Player and a Third Team All-Conference selection last year, is averaging 14.9 points and an NEC-best 5.6 assists per game this year. He improved those numbers to 15.8 points and 5.9 assists in the Mount's 16 NEC regular season contests. Chong Qui has been terrific in crunch time for the Mount, knocking down game-tying or go-ahead shots in the final minute four times this season. Chong Qui has in double figures in 16 of the Mount's 20 games, including a career-high 30-point effort at Central Connecticut. He is shooting 36.4 percent (32-of-88) from three-point range and 82.1 percent (78-of-95) at the foul line. Chone Qui has two double-doubles this season, tallying 10 points and 10 assists in a win against Merrimack, and 14 points and 11 rebounds in a victory over Fairleigh Dickinson.

Chong Qui is the seventh Mount player to earn First Team All-NEC honors since the school joined the league in 1989-90. The list is a who's who among Mount guards including Chris McGuthrie (1994-95 and 1995-96), Riley Inge (1995-96), Gregory Harris (1998-99), Jeremy Goode (2008-09 and 2009-10), Elijah Long (2016-17) and Junior Robinson (2017-18). Chong Qui was the NEC's Most Improved Player and a Third Team All-Conference selection last year.

Opoku becomes the third Mountaineer to win Northeast Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors, joining Chris Wray (2017-18) and Mychal Kearse (2005-06 and 2006-07). Opoku averaged 1.9 blocks during the regular season, including a league-best 2.1 in NEC games. Opoku adds 7.2 rebounds per game as well. Opoku has become a key cog in the Mount's offense as well, averaging 12.4 points over the past seven games, shooting 56.5 percent (39-for-69) over that stretch. He has reached double figures in each of the past seven games and in 12 of the Mount's 20 games this year. For the season, Opoku is averaging 9.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.9 blocks while shooting 47.2 percent from the field.

Mount St. Mary's heads to Wagner on Saturday to face the top-seeded Seahawks in the Northeast Conference semifinals. Fans can watch the game on MASN, NEC Front Row or ESPN3.

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Players Mentioned

#15 Damian Chong Qui: G; 5' 8"; Junior

#22 Nana Opoku: F; 6' 9"; Redshirt Junior

Players Mentioned

#15 Damian Chong Qui
: 5' 8"; Junior
: G

#22 Nana Opoku
: 6' 9"; Redshirt Junior
: F

Players Mentioned

#15 Damian Chong Qui

#22 Nana Opoku

Players Mentioned

#15 Damian Chong Qui

#22 Nana Opoku