Bulldogs Sign Three Recruits
BRYANT UNIVERSITY MEN'S BASKETBALL ANNOUNCES THREE NEW ADDITIONS
Trio join pair of transfers for coach O'Shea this fall
SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Bryant University men's basketball coach Tim O'Shea is pleased to announce the signing of three recruits who will join the program this fall. Signing with the Bulldogs are Curtis Oakley (F, 6-4, 215, South Euclid, Ohio / Brush Hill HS), Shane McLaughlin (G, 6-1, 180, Old Tappan, N.J./ Old Tappan HS/ Choate Rosemary), and Andrew Scocca (F, 6-8, 245, Melrose, Mass. / Worcester Academy). The announcement was made today by O'Shea and Director of Athletics Bill Smith.
Oakley, the nephew of former NBA star Charles Oakley, is a 2011-12 Associate Press honorable mention honoree after averaging 19.0 ppg and 7.5 rebounds per game in leading Brush Hill High School to the district finals this past season.
McLaughlin prepped at Choate this past season following a standout career at Old Tappan High School in New Jersey. While at Choate, McLaughlin earned second team New England honors with an 11.0 ppg scoring average and 8.0 assists per game average in leading Choate to its second-straight Founders League title and berth in the NEPSCA finals.
Scocca, who will add good size up front for the Bulldogs, averaged 15.0 ppg, 10 rebounds per game, as well as 3.0 assists for game, in leading Worcester Academy to a 15-11 record and berth in the Class AA quarterfinals. He was Worcester Academy's first post-grad team captain in more than two decades. At Melrose High in 2010, Scocca averaged 20.0 ppg and 10.0 rpg in leading the Red Raiders to the Division II North sectional tournament.
O'Shea will also welcome transfers Dyami Starks (Columbia) and Joe O'Shea (Holy Cross) this fall. Starks, a 6-2, 195 guard from Duluth, Minnesota averaged 4.4 ppg in 20 games as a freshman at Columbia University in 2010-11, including 15 points against St. John's University. Starks was a Minnesota Mr. Basketball finalist at Duluth where he received all-star class 4A accolades all four years at Duluth East High School.
Joe O'Shea, a 6-4, 190 guard, appeared in nine games as a freshman at Holy Cross in 2010-11. The 2010 graduate of Burlington (Vt.) High School was the 2010 Gatorade Vermont Player of the Year and helped lead Burlington to the 2008 and 2009 state titles.
Bryant University, a member of the Northeast Conference, recently completed its four-year transition to Division I and will become eligible to compete in the NEC and NCAA tournament for the first time this fall as an official Division I member.