Tracking the College Basketball Stars of the Future=====

ECU & C-USA Hoops Recruiting Report Saturday, March 22, 2003 By Thad Mumau Special Correspondent

Pirates 'Cook' up some new scoring potential

©2003 Bonesville.net

East Carolina has landed a guard, receiving a commitment from 6-3 Mike Cook of New Hampton (NH) School as he chose the Pirates over Rhode Island.

A shooting guard who can also play small forward, Cook averaged 24.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game this season for New Hampton, the school that sent Rashad McCants to North Carolina after last year.

Strong at 210 pounds, the native of Philadelphia is known for his ability to drive the ball hard to the basket. The knock on him prior to his senior season was that he couldn’t shoot the three-pointer.

But he worked and improved his outside jump shot, showcasing the fruits of his efforts when he nailed six threes against Wolfboro (NH) Brewster Academy.

That was in the championship game of the Brewster Academy Invitational, the half-dozen treys coming as Cook scored 37 points to key New Hampton to an 82-80 win over the host school. Cook’s sixth three-pointer came with 25 seconds left and proved to be the game-winner.

He scored 30 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in New Hampton’s 62-51 win over Coastal Carolina. He sank two free throws and hit a basket in the last two minutes to force overtime, finishing with 26 points in an 82-81 loss to Winchendon (MA) School.

Cook played his junior season at Wynnewood (PA) Friends Central High School where he scored 19 points and grabbed seven rebounds per contest to go with five assists and two steals.

He was heavily recruited by Providence last year and also received attention from Massachusetts and ECU. He moved to New Hampton to improve his academics.

"Mike is a slasher," New Hampton coach Jamie Arsenault said, "and a very good shooter off the dribble. He gets to the basket, attacks the rim and is a good finisher. He has really improved in his time here.

"His jump shot, particularly on three-pointers, is better, and his defense is much improved. He has a nice pull-up jumper in traffic, and he handles the ball well. East Carolina is getting a good one. This kid can score."

Cook, who visited Greenville in October, joins November signee Keith Foster in Bill Herrion’s 2003 recruiting class. Foster is a 6-9 power forward from Winston-Salem (NC) Reynolds.

"Mike really liked his visit to East Carolina," Arsenault said, "but he just wasn’t ready to sign in the fall. He wanted to look around and see what was out there. But there are a lot of good things about the East Carolina program.

"Coach Herrion and his staff are doing a good job of building, and that Conference USA is a good one to play in. It’s a tough league that will get a lot of exposure."

East Carolina, which has two more available scholarships, would like to at least add a point guard during the spring signing period, which opens in April.

Around Conference USA

Marquette lost out on Donte Minter. The 6-8, 240-pound power forward from Fork Union (VA) Military Academy committed to Virginia. His final three schools were UVa, Marquette and South Carolina.

Minter signed with Appalachian State last year after leading Mount Ulla (NC) West Rowan to the state 3-A championship. He did not qualify academically and, thus, became a fifth-year senior at Fork Union.

Power forward Dennard Abraham includes a Conference USA school among his potential destinations. The 6-8 senior at Middleburg (VA) Notre Dame Academy made an unofficial visit to George Mason March 20. He will take an official trip to Florida Atlantic March 28 and has scheduled an official visit to St. Louis for April 11.

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02/23/2007 02:40:27 PM
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