CONTACT: Steve Mullen (518) 629-8063
FOR RELEASE: Immediate, Thursday, November 2, 2006
Entering his third season, head coach Andre Cook has the Hudson Valley Community College men's basketball team heading in the right direction as it prepares for its season opener this Saturday, November 4 against Erie Community College in the Viking Club Invitational.
The Vikings finished 20-11 a year ago, which was a four game improvement from Cook's first season. Hudson Valley will be looking for its 17th consecutive winning season in 2006-07, but Cook must replace five starters from a year ago to achieve that goal.
"We have a lot of new guys but we feel good with what we have seen thus far," Cook said. "They are doing well in the classroom and on the court. They like to come to practice each day and it shows in how hard they work and compete."
Hudson Valley has 10 newcomers to go with its two returning players, but to say the Vikings are young and inexperienced is not necessarily accurate.
Former Scotia-Glenville High School standouts Zach Bye (Scotia) and Rocco DiJohn (Scotia) along with Bryan Ashline (Watervliet/Watervliet High School) and Maurice Lane (Bakersfield, CA/West High School) transferred to Hudson Valley after playing elsewhere a year ago. Bye and DiJohn return closer to home after playing last season at Hilbert College. Ashline played at New England College a year ago and Lane averaged 16 points per game at Bakersfield Community College as a freshman.
Forward Kevin Goutos (Altamont/Guilderland High School), who averaged four points and 3.4 rebounds per game, and guard/forward Mike Canape (Queensbury/Queensbury High School), who averaged 3.4 points and 2.6 rebounds per game a year ago, are the lone returning players for the Vikings.
Last year's Colonial Council Most Valuable Player Justin Gallo (Brunswick/Lansingburgh High School) headlines five freshmen on this year's team. The other freshmen are guards Robert Barry (Duanesburg/Duanesburg High School), Ryne Luce (Cohoes/Cohoes High School) and Kevin Timmons (Owings Mills, MD/Owings Mills High School) and forward Derick Faragon (Schenectady/Schenectady High School).
Hudson Valley's opener with Erie is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. Saturday night. Schenectady County Community College and Springfield Technical Community College are also in the tournament.