SUNY COBLESKILL MEN’S BASKETBALL ANNOUNCES CAPITAL DISTRICT COMMITMENTS

SUNY Cobleskill Head Men’s Basketball Coach Kevin McCarthy returned from his year-long sabbatical in style today announcing the Fighting Tigers have commitments from five talented Capital District players for the 2006-07 season. After leading Cobleskill to the 2005 NJCAA Division III “Elite Eight” with a program best 30-6 overall record and 11 consecutive twenty-win campaigns the Fighting Tiger mentor took a coaching sabbatical in 2005-06 season.

“I am excited about the upcoming season on a number of different levels and feel that there is much work to be done. Our first priority is to assemble a group of young men who are serious student/athletes that are going to do things the right way on and off the court,” said McCarthy. “We need to get back to playing Cobleskill basketball next year which means playing hard nosed defense, unselfish intelligent offense and being very physical on the court. I think that this is the start of a strong recruiting class that will bring a very entertaining brand of basketball back to our campus next season.”

After a season which saw the Fighting Tigers play smaller line-ups than in past years the Cobleskill inside attack should be immediately improved by the addition of Hadley –Luzurne High School 6’7” power forward Kyle Mitchell and 6’9” Voorheesville High School Center Mike Hopper. Mitchell averaged 16.8 points and 13.5 rebounds per game for Eagles this season earning All-Adirondack League honors this season while Hopper averaged 6.0 points and 9.0 rebounds for the Blackbirds in the Colonial Council.

Cobleskill will also receive help on the perimeter from 6’3” Mechanicville High School small forward Aaron Boudreau who earned All-Colonial Council honors for the Red Raiders by averaging 19.2 points per game under the tutelage of Section II coaching standout Joe Loudis and from 6’0” Broadalbin-Perth High School point guard Harley Fuller who also earned All-Colonial Council honors by averaging 14.5 points and 5.5 assists per game. One other Colonial Council player of note who has committed for next season is 6’2” Cobleskill-Richmondville swingman Brennan McCarthy who will play for his father after averaging 2.6 points per game for the Bulldogs this season.

With an influx of new talent joining the Fighting Tiger roster, Coach McCarthy sees a number of pressing needs being filled with the first commitments of the new recruiting class.

“When you start looking at these players: Kyle gives us a low-post scoring option while Mike has good size and is only going to get bigger and stronger, Aaron has shown an ability to take the ball to the basket, Harley is a very good passer who can shoot the ball and Brennan understands what I want out on the court and will play defense. We have multiple needs to address for next season and many roster spots to fill so I am pleased with how we are starting things off this spring.”

The Fighting Tigers closed the 2005-06 season with an 11-17 under the direction of Interim Coach Marc Rybczyk including a 6-12 record Mountain Valley Conference play.