CONTACT: Steve Mullen (518) 629-8063
FOR RELEASE: Immediate, Thursday, November 01, 2007
The Hudson Valley Community College men's and women's basketball teams open their 2007 seasons this Saturday, November 3 in the Second Annual Viking Club Invitational hosted by Hudson Valley.
The Lady Vikings will meet Dutchess Community College at 2 p.m. on Saturday in the McDonough Field House. The men will take on Broome Community College at 8 p.m.
Under fourth-year head coach Andre Cook, Hudson Valley's men's team returns two starters and four players from a year ago, including preseason NJCAA All-American guard Justin Gallo (Brunswick/Lansingburgh High School). Gallo hit 74 three-point baskets en route to 16.2 points per game as a freshman, leading the Vikings to a 21-10 record.
Sophomore guards Ryne Luce (Cohoes/Cohoes High School) and Bobby Barry (Duanesburg/Duanesburg High School) and sophomore forward Derick Faragon (Schenectady/Schenectady High School) also return. Luce shot 40.6 percent from beyond the arc en route to 8.5 points per game and Faragon added 4.4 points and 2.4 rebounds pre game a year ago.
Although only four players return, the Vikings will enlist the services of three transfers to make the team a veteran group. Guard Emanuel Mayben (Troy/Troy High School) started 12 games at the University of Massachusetts a year ago. Guard Jason Brown (Fonda/Fonda-Fultonville High School) averaged 4.1 points per game Elmira College and forward Datwan Hemmingway (Albany/Christian Brother's Academy) was a standout high school player before playing football at the University of Buffalo.
In addition, sophomore guard Just-IN'Love Smith (Sacramento, CA/Columbia High School) returns to Hudson Valley after playing during the 2002-03 school-year and serving four years in the United States Army.
Hudson Valley's women's team returns three players from last year's team that advanced to the Region III tournament for the first time in three years.
Guards Jenna Smith (Cohoes/Cohoes High School), Erika Russo (Salem/Salem High School) and Christine Martin (Corinth/Corinth High School) all saw significant minutes for Head Coach Colleen Ferris' Lady Vikings last season. Smith averaged 7.4 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. Russo added 6.4 points and 5.5 rebounds and Martin contributed 2.1 points per game and 3.5 rebounds per game.
