Courtesy of GoBonnies.com
ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. – Tareq Coburn, a 6-foot-4 guard from Rosedale, N.Y., has signed a National Letter of Intent to enroll at St. Bonaventure University and play basketball beginning in the fall of 2016, Bonnies head coach Mark Schmidt announced.
Coburn is a senior at Cardoza High School in Queens. This season, he helped the Judges to a record of 27-3 and the championship of the Public School Athletic League’s Queens Division. At points of the season, Cardoza was ranked in USA Today’s Top 25.
Coburn was Cardoza’s second-leading scorer at 18.9 points per game. On a team with two other Division I signees, Coburn also averaged 7.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. He made 51 percent of his shots overall including 37 percent from three-point range.
During the season, Coburn helped the Judges win the SNY Invitational. Cardoza defeated powerhouse programs Mount Vernon and Christ the King in that event.
As a junior, Coburn averaged 13.9 points per game and was named to the New York Daily News’ All-Queens second team.
Coburn fits the mold of many other student-athletes who have flourished under Schmidt – players who improve every year. It was not until he entered ninth grade that Coburn gave up soccer to concentrate on basketball.
“Tareq is like many of our players in the program now and many who’ve graduated,” Schmidt said. “Even though he was on a high caliber (high school) team, he was a little under the radar, a little unknown. But, he’s a guy who has really improved over the last couple years and has a big upside. We think he will fit right in with our program because he has the right mindset – to come here and work at his game and do whatever it takes to get better. He can be a sponge and learn a lot from our guys, especially Jay (Adams) and Idris (Taqqee). We’re excited Tareq has chosen St. Bonaventure. We think he has a really bright future.”
“Tareq isn’t even close to reaching the ceiling of his potential,” said Cardoza coach Ron Naclerio. “He’s improved every year I’ve known him. He’s grown, he’s matured. He probably has an inch or two left to grow. He also has added tremendous shooting range over the years. I think St. Bonaventure has a steal.”
Coburn will join freshman center Amadi Ikpeze (Amherst, N.Y.) in the Bonnies’ incoming class next year. St. Bonaventure will also welcome junior guard Matt Mobley and senior forward David Andoh, who are both sitting out this year as transfers, as well as junior swingman Courtney Stockard, who was unable to play this season due to a foot injury.
The Bonnies will graduate two seniors this May – guard Marcus Posley and forward Dion Wright. St. Bonaventure won a share of the Atlantic 10 regular season title this past season, finishing 22-9 overall and 14-4 in the A-10.
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