Amityville graduate leads NCAA DII basketball in scoring

Amityville’s Darnell Evans has been lighting up the scoreboard for Caldwell University this fall. Enough so, that he’s the leading scorer in NCAA DII basketball.

The sophomore guard is averaging 25 points per game for Caldwell (4-6), and also leads the team in assists and steals. His season-high point total was 42 on Nov. 26 against American International.

A First-Team All-Long Island player while at Amityville, Evans helped Caldwell, which is based in Caldwell, New Jersey, reach the NCAA DII Tournament’s East Regional in 2023. He scored 22 points with six assists and four steals during the Cougars’ first-round upset win over top-seeded St. Anselm.

At season’s end, he was crowned the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference’s (CACC) Rookie of the Year.

With Amityville, Evans in 2020 was part of a dynamic team that sprinted out to a 23-2 record before the COVID-19 pandemic forced an abrupt end to the season. He was flanked by fellow All-County selections, Myles Goddard, now a tight end at Brockport University, and Divaahd Lucas.

In the clip below, Evans leads Amityville during its 78-75 win over Center Moriches for Suffolk’s small school championship on Feb. 28, 2020.

Darnell Evans took over with 10 points over 90 seconds as Amityville led Center Moriches 26-20 after Q1 in Suffolk small schools final pic.twitter.com/ef70B6qrMi

— Owen O'Brien (@owenobri) February 28, 2020

Evans scored 28 points in Amityville’s 73-63 win over Kings Park in the Suffolk Class A championship in 2020. Led by Evans, Amityville beat Brentwood, 80-72, in the Suffolk overall title game that year.

In between Amityville and college ball, Evans boosted his recruiting profile while playing for Our Savior Lutheran in the Bronx.

In his most recent game at Caldwell, Evans had a game-high 26 points in a 81-78 overtime loss to Assumption on Dec. 19. He also recorded five steals and three assists during the narrow loss. Evans will play again Dec. 30 when Caldwell takes on Bridgeport.

Earlier this season, Evans earned two-straight CACC Men’s Basketball Player of the Week honors.

Darnell Evans Earns Second Straight CACC Men's Basketball Player of the Week; NCAA Scoring Leader Poured in Game High 38 vs. Felicianhttps://t.co/PnoAoaPZvi pic.twitter.com/D65E5DHjEw

— Caldwell Athletics (@CaldwellCougars) December 4, 2023

Evans’ cousin Melvin Evans, from the Bronx, also plays for Caldwell. Freshman Justin Fortuno of Hicksville is the only other Long Islander on Caldwell’s roster.

_{Top photo: X via @caldwellcougars}