FIGHTING TIGER MEN’S BASKETBALL RANKED 12TH IN NJCAA PRE-SEASON
DIVISION III NATIONAL POLL

The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) announced today that the SUNY Cobleskill men’s basketball program has been ranked twelfth in the 2007 NJCAA Division III Pre-Season National Poll. The Fighting Tigers finished the 2006-07 campaign with a 21-8 overall record and recorded their fourteenth NJCAA post season appearance during the tenure of Cobleskill Head Coach Kevin McCarthy.

The Fighting Tigers will return a veteran nucleus this season led by 6’3” senior forward Stanley Francois, Suffern, NY, Suffern High School, an All-Mountain Valley Conference and All-NJCAA Region III selection who averaged 12.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.3 steals in 29 games shooting an impressive 57.6% from the field. Cobleskill will also return 6’0” senior All-Mountain Valley Conference point guard Harley Fuller, Gloversville, NY, Broadalbin-Perth High School, who averaged 5.2 points, 6.0 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game in 29 games last season.

The program will also return an impressive array of experienced post players including: 6’5” senior power forward Anthony Armstead, Schenectady, NY, Schenectady High School, who averaged 13.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.8 blocked shots and 1.1 assists per game while shooing 58.7% from the field in 14 games, 6’6” senior center/forward Jude Franck, Valley Spring, NY, Ramapo High School, who averaged 6.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocked shots shooting 55.6% from the field in 29 games and 6’5” forward/center Vladimir Colas, Warwick, NY, Warwick High School, who averaged 7.0 points and 6.0 rebounds shooting 48.9% from the field in 25 games.

The recruiting class will feature smooth operating 5’10” guard Nyaquan Bellamy, Poughkeepsie, NY, Poughkeepsie High School, and tenacious defending 6’1” guard De’Von Beaufort, Peekskill, NY, Peekskill High School, who helped lead Peekskill High School to a New York State High School Athletic Association State Championship in 2007. The Fighting Tigers will also receive a boost at the semester when former Schenectady High School standout explosive 6’2” swingman Brian Leadbetter, Schenectady, NY, is eligible after transferring from NCAA Division II program New Haven University.                  

As the Fighting Tigers head into the 2007-08 season coach Kevin McCarthy sees potential for the upcoming campaign.

“We have some experience and I think that we’ve had a good recruiting year. Now how it all musters out relates directly to how these talented high school players conform to a system that requires academic diligence and their ability to sustain an incredible work ethic in intense practice situations leading to the season.”

The Fighting Tigers will open the season on Saturday November 3rd when they travel to Plattsburgh, NY to meet the Cougars of Clinton Community College with tip-off at 1:00 PM.