PHILADELPHIA – La Salle head men’s basketball coach Fran Dunphy announced the addition of six student-athletes to the roster for the 2024-25 campaign on Wednesday.
Eric Acker, Mac Etienne, Demetrius Lilley, Corey McKeithan, Jahlil White, and walk-on Jason Umosella will be suiting up for Explorers this fall. The team also announced the addition of freshman Deuce Jones in November.
“We are thrilled to add these six student-athletes to our program,” Dunphy said. “Each one brings a unique skill set to our team and will provide talent, depth, and versatility. I look forward to coaching them on the basketball court and seeing them develop as players and people.”
Acker comes to La Salle with three seasons remaining of eligibility after spending his freshman season attending Long Island University. The 6-foot-2 guard led the Sharks in minutes per game (33.4), including playing all 45 minutes of an overtime thriller against Merrimack. Acker led the team in assists, dishing out 3.7 per contest while averaging 12.7 points per game.
The Brooklyn native broke the 20-point barrier four times, including a 28-point outburst against LeMoyne in late February. He was thrice named Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week and earned a spot on the All-NEC Rookie Team at the conclusion of the campaign.
Etienne brings a wealth of high-major experience to 20th and Olney. The forward began his career in 2021 with the UCLA Bruins as a member of their most recent Final Four team. He played 13 games after becoming eligible in the second semester, including three in the NCAA tournament.
After sitting out 2021-22 due to injury, the New York City native suited up for 32 games for a UCLA squad which spent the entire season in the top 25 and the majority in the top ten. He averaged 8.1 minutes per game in his two seasons with the Bruins. Etienne spent last season at DePaul, averaging 8.2 minutes in 22 games. He was rated as the number 42 recruit in the class of 2021 by 24/7 Sports. He will have two seasons of eligibility remaining.
A native of Philadelphia, Lilley joins the Explorers after spending the last two seasons at Penn State. After an exceptionally successful high school career at Lower Merion where he set the school career rebounding record, the 6-foot-9 forward appeared in five games as a freshman with the Nittany Lions. The rising junior made a more substantial impact off the bench last season, contributing 2.8 points and 2.7 rebounds per game.
McKeithen will play his final collegiate season for La Salle after spending the last three years at Rider. The 6-foot guard brings an outstanding amount of experience to the squad, having logged appearances in 93 games and nearly 2,000 minutes over the course of his career.
Last season, McKeithan started every game for the Broncs, averaging 33.2 minutes per game, second on the team. The native of Windsor, Connecticut put up 8.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, and led all players with 3.3 assists per game while hitting .351 from beyond the arc.
Another familiar face to Philadelphia basketball fans, White makes the 4.5-mile trip from Temple, where he spent the last four years, to join the Explorers’ roster. The 2021-22 Big 5 Rookie of the Year brings a load of experience, having played in 86 games, including 44 starts.
A versatile 6-foot-7 wing, White can play on the ball as a guard or in the paint as a forward. The Whitesboro, N.J. native has averaged 25.1 minutes, 7.8 points, and 5.5 rebounds per game throughout his career. Last season was his best scoring-wise, adding a career-best 10.1 points per game while knocking down 46.2 percent of his shots from the field. He posted four double-doubles and scored in double-figures 15 times, including a career-high 21 points to go with 15 rebounds at Tulane.
Umosella will be the second freshman member of the incoming class after Jones. The freshman walk-on attended high school at St. Joseph’s Hammonton (N.J.). The 6-1 guard averaged 12 points a game as a senior en route to being named Second Team All Cape-Atlantic Conference and qualifying for the conference All-Star team. An elite shooter, Umosella led the Cape-Atlantic in three-pointers made with 77 while knocking them down at a 46% clip.
La Salle men’s basketball opens the brand-new John Glaser Arena in November. Season tickets are currently on sale by visiting goexplorers.com/tickets or by calling 215-951-1999.
