The final installment of the series comes from the MAAC as it is time to look at the Canisius Golden Griffins.
The Griffs ended their season a year ago with a 79-64 loss to Rider in the MAAC quarter-finals. With the loss the celebrated class of Julius Coles, Elton Frazier, Robert Goldsberry, Greg Logins and Tomas Vazquez-Simmons graduated.
Tom Parrotta and his staff hit the bricks to bring in a new class of freshmen: Kevin Bleeker, Tyler Funk, Josiah Heath and Frank Milian along with transfers – Jordan Heath and Harold Washington. Sean Ezeamama joined the Griffs as a walk on. Fred Asprilla and Isaac Sosa will practice with the team for a season before gaining their eligibility.
Kevin Bleeker 6’10” 225lbs. C Alkmaar, Netherlands — BV Noordkop
Comes to Canisius after playing for BV Noordkop in the Netherlands…was a member of the Netherlands team at the 2011 U18 European Championship in Bulgaria…scored eight points to go with eight rebounds and three blocks in the team’s win over Romania...also played in the 16th annual Holland Nordic Basketball Tournament in April 2011.
Tyler Funk 6’7″ 220lbs. F Clarence, NY — Clarence
Played varsity basketball at Clarence High School…averaged better than 21 points per game in his senior campaign for the Red Devils…scored a game-high 30 points in his high school finale against Jamestown…was named an All-ECIC Second-Team choice and to the All-Buffalo Sports Daily High School Basketball Team after the 2010-11 season…helped lead Clarence to the Class AA title in 2009-10 with a buzzer-beating basket against Orchard Park…also played soccer at Clarence High honored as an all-league and all-area selection as well.
What they’re saying about Funk — Mike Blackwell Asst. Coach SUNY Geneseo: “”He runs the floor well. He’s got good hands with good agility. I saw him play at several AAU showcases. He held his own against some very good players. He’s got a nice mix. I would call him a 3-4 player. He can step out 15-17′ with a decent back-to-the basket game. He stepped out to 17 feet, and you had to guard him. He has good springs and can be a good help-side defender.”
Josiah Heath 6’9″ 230lbs. F Irondequoit, NY — Irondequoit
Won two varsity letters Irondequoit High School…averaged 21.7 points, 16.6 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game in his senior season…was honored as the Greater Rochester (N.Y.) Player of the Year by the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle…in the 2010-11 postseason, he was good for 24 points and 22 rebounds per game…helped lead the Eagles to the school’s first Section V championship in 66 years…against Greece-Athena High in the sectional championship game, he had a double-double with 27 points and 27 rebounds…was honored as the Section V Championship MVP after that effort.
What they’re saying about Heath — Mike Blackwell Asst. Coach SUNY Geneseo: “He is a big, thick, strong kid with athleticism. He makes people think about coming in the lane. If you gt around a perimeter defender, than you stare at him. He is a presence in the lane, but will not wander far from the basket. Like a lot of kids you recruit, he is long on potential. He doesn’t ahve a signature post move, but he can score. He is prepared for the physical challenges of division one basketball.”
Franklin Milian 6’4″ 215lbs. G La Vega, Dominican Republic — Our Savior New American
Led the Our Savior New American team in scoring and rebounding during the 2010-11 season…averaged 18 points and 8.0 rebounds per game…played at the same high school that produced teammate Marial Dhal.
Jordan Heath 6’10” 225lbs. Irondequoit, NY — Roberts Wesleyan College
• Must sit out the 2011-12 season in accordance with NCAA transfer rules…joins the Canisius program after playing two years at Roberts Wesleyan College (NAIA)…will have two seasons of eligibility remaining, starting in 2012-13.
Led Roberts Wesleyan to the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Final Four…led the team with 14.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game…named to the NCCAA All-Tournament Team following his double-double effort of 24 points and 10 boards in the regional championship win over Hope International College (March 18)…also named to the NCCAA East Region Second-Team and the American Mideast Conference Second-Team…scored 15 points to go with six rebounds in Roberts’ 72-63 win over No. 1 ranked Walsh (Feb. 13)…was the team’s leading scorer in 2009-10, where he posted 13.0 points per game…averaged 6.4 rebounds per game as a freshman for the Raiders and ranked second on the team in blocked shots…named to the 2009-10 American Mideast Conference All-Rookie Team…played at Irondequoit High School, where he averaged 19 points, 10 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game in his senior year…named the 2008-09 Monroe County Division II Player of the Year…also honored to the Greater Rochester (N.Y.) First-Team by the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle…was an all-county first-team choice in his junior and senior seasons.
Harold Washington 6’1″ 175lbs. G Brandywine MD. — Gwynn Park/Cecil College
Joins the Canisius program after playing the last two years at Cecil College…is eligible for action in 2011-12...played two seasons at Cecil College in North East, Md…averaged 13 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.9 steals per game in 2010-11…shot 49 percent from the field and 34 percent from 3-point range last season…in 2009-10, he helped guide the Seahawks to a sixth-place finish at the NJCAA National Tournament…was named a Junior College Division II Frist-Team All-American in his first year at Cecil…as a senior at Gwynn Park in Maryland in 2007-08, he averaged 18.9 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game while helping lead the team to a 25-2 overall mark.
Freddy Asprilla 6’10” 280lbs. F Villavicencia, Colombia — Patterson School/Kansas State
Must sit out the 2011-12 season in accordance with NCAA transfer rules…joins the Canisius program after playing at Kansas State in 2010-11.
2010-11 • Junior Year
Played in 16 games and made 13 starts for the Kansas State Wildcats…averaged 4.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 0.4 blocks per game…scored a season-high 17 points in a win over Emporia State (Nov. 29)…was credited with a season best nine rebounds against Alcorn State at home (Dec. 6)…finished the year with 42 of his 79 total rebounds coming off the offensive glass…shot 50.0 percent from the field (33-for-66) and made a season-high eight field goals against Emporia State…had two blocks in six different contests…made his first career start in a Kansas State uniform Nov. 12 against James Madison…averaged 16.3 minutes per game.
2009-10 • Junior College
Transferred initially to Miami Dade College in Miami, Fla., where he played in five games…eventually transferred to Cloud County Community College in Concordia, Kan., and opted to just take classes…rated as the No. 2 propect in the junior college ranks by JucoJunction.com.
2008-09 • Freshman Year
Played one season at Florida International in Miami, Fla…helped the Golden Panthers to a 13-20 overall record and a 7-11 mark in Sun Belt Conference play…the team finished in fifth place in the East Division and lost in the quarterfinal round of the 2009 Sun Belt Tournament to top-seeded Western Kentucky…named the 2009 Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year…also earned third team All-Sun Belt Conference honors…saw action in 23 games, where he made 14 starts…missed seven games midway through the season with a back injury…averaged 13.7 points, 9.2 rebounds, 0.7 assists and 0.7 blocks per game…shot a team-best 53.2 percent (126-for-237) from the field and 45.1 percent (62-for-142) from the free-throw line…led the Sun Belt with 12 double-doubles, including eight in conference games…scored in all 23 games played and posted double digits in the scoring column 18 times…posted four 20-point games, including back-to-back games against Western Kentucky (Jan. 8) and Middle Tennessee State (Jan. 10)…scored a career-high 28 points in the game against Middle Tennessee State…led the team in rebounding in 21 of 23 games played…averaged a double-double in league play with 17.3 points and 11.4 rebounds per game.
High School
A one-year starter and letterwinner at The Patterson School in Lenoir, N.C…helped the Bulldogs to a 36-4 overall record and a No. 3 national prep school ranking in 2006-07…that team advanced to the inaugural Prep School National Championship, where it lost in the semifinal round to eventual national champion Notre Dame (Mass.) Prep…was a teammate of Jamar Samuels (Kansas State) and Dominique Sutton (North Carolina Central)…played for head coach Chris Chaney.
Isaac Sosa 6’3″ 180lbs. G Guaynabo, Puerto Rico — Grandview Prep/ Central Florida
Must sit out the 2011-12 season after transferring from Central Florida…left the Golden Knights’ program ranked fourth in career 3-point field goals with 190…played in 96 career games at Central Florida, where he averaged 8.8 points per game for his career.
Before Canisius
Won three varsity letters at Central Florida, a member of Conference USA…made a total of 37 starts, with a career-high 15 starts coming in 2010-11…averaged 8.0 points and 1.8 rebounds per game in 2010-11, which ranked third on the team…shot 39.2 percent from 3-point land in 2010-11, which ranked sixth in Conference USA…scored a season-high 23 points at Stetson (Nov. 23) after he went 6-for-11 from behind the arc…was named to the Conference USA All-Academic Team three times…led the 2009-10 Central Florida team with his 10.3 points per game scoring average…also led Conference USA in 3-point field goal percent in 2009-10 after he shot 42.7 percent (73-for-171) from long range…scored a career-high 26 points in the Golden Knights’ win over UMass (Nov. 13)…went 6-for-7 from 3-point range in that game against UMass – ended his time at Central Florida with six 3-pointers in a game on four different occasions…as a freshman in 2008-09, he averaged 8.2 points per game in 31 contests…shot 45.2 percent (57-for-126) from behind the arc as a rookie for the Golden Knights…posted 18 points against North Carolina A&T (Nov. 16) in his first college game…after his freshman season, he helped Puerto Rico to a sixth-place finish at the 2009 FIBA U19 World Championships in New Zealand.
High School
Received Florida Class 1A All-State First Team honors as a senior at Grandview Prep…averaged 19.5 points, 6.5 assists and 6.0 rebounds in his senior season…named the South Florida Sun-Sentinel 3A-2A-1A Player of the Year and the Palm Beach Post Small School Player of the Year honors as well…helped lead Grandview Prep to the state final and a 28-2 record…shot 52 percent overall and knocked down 62 3-pointers in his high school career…averaged 13.8 points per game for Puerto Rico at the 2008 FIBA Americas U18 Championships in Argentina…was a member of the Puerto Rico team at the 2007 Centrobasket U17 Tournament…posted 11.8 points per game in that event, helping the host Puerto Rico team go 5-0.
Sean Ezeamama 6’2″ 210 G Providence, RI — Notre Dame Prep
Joined the 2011-12 team during preseason workouts as a walk-on...played his postgrad year of hoops at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla…earned his PG degree from Notre Dame Prep in Fitchburg, Mass…averaged 12.5 points per game at IMG Academy…scored a career-high 22 points against Miami-Dade Junior College…also played football in high school at Spanish River in Boca Raton, Fla.
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