St. Mary’s Picked as a Breakthrough Team

Charlotte, N.C. - The reigning Capital Athletic Conference Champions, the St. Mary's College of Maryland men's basketball team was named a ‘possible breakthrough' team by Chuck Mistovich of Basketball Times in the NCAA Division III featured in the 2008-09 College Basketball edition of Sporting News magazine.

The ‘possible breakthrough' selection comes on the heels of the Seahawks' breakthrough season a year ago when the Hawks reached the Sweet Sixteen in their first-ever trip to the NCAA Division III Tournament.  St. Mary's, who finished last season with a 19-12 overall record and a No. 24 ranking in the final D3Hoops.com Division III poll, will look to build upon last year's successes as well as defend the program's second CAC title.

As an unranked team, the Seahawks knocked off No. 8 Guilford College and Widener University en route to their Sweet 16 showdown with No. 14 Millsaps College.

Their goals of advancing past the Sweet 16 and defending the CAC title are definitely attainable as four of last year's starters return as well as the majority of the key players from the 19-12 squad of a year ago.  Along with the returners, fourth-year head coach Chris Harney also announced today the five student-athletes that will be thrown into the mix of the Seahawk men's basketball program for the 2008-09 season.

The five players, two of them former All-Met selections, come from three different states: Brian Grashof, a 6-7, 230-lb forward from Downingtown, Pa. (Downingtown West HS), James Davenport, a 6-3, 180-lb guard from Baltimore, Md. (Loyola Blakefield HS), Andrew Strittmatter, a 6-0, 170-lb, guard from Wyckoff, N.J. (Mohawk Valley Community College/Indian Hills HS), Johann Jones, a 6-5, 225-lb forward from Severn, Md. (UMBC/Meade HS), and Camontae Griffin, a 5-8, 150-lb guard from Baltimore, Md. (Shaw University/Dunbar HS).

"We are very excited about the potential impact of this year's recruiting class, it's one of the most talented groups I have seen in years.  We had hoped to follow up our 2007 class of nine freshmen with some experience to fill some of the gaps due to graduation,"  stated Coach Harney.

Brian Andrew Grashof
6-7 * 230 * F * Downingtown, Pa. (Downingtown West High School)

High School: Three-year letterwinner ... team captain as a junior and senior ... averaged a double-double as a senior (11 points, 10 rebounds) ... honorable mention All-Chesmont as a junior ... second team All-Chesmont as a senior ... Personal: Born on September 30, 1989 to Bruce and Janet Grashof ... has two siblings named Evan and Elise ... majoring in history. 

Coach Harney on Grashof:  "Brian is a very talented big man who runs the floor like a guard and has a tireless motor.  He will have a major impact on our program over the course of four years."

James Edward Davenport
6-3 * 180 * G * Baltimore, Md. (Loyola Blakefield High School)

High School: Four-year letterwinner ... All-Tournament Team junior year ... second team All-Baltimore City Conference as a senior ... averaged 13.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists as a senior ... Personal: Born on June 13, 1990 to John and Marsha Davenport ... his father, John, was an Olympic track athlete ... has a brother named John ... majoring in economics and computer science.

Coach Harney on Davenport:  "James has the potential to be an explosive shooting guard in our system, he can shoot the three and catch ally oops, while his greatest ability is his defensive tenacity."

Andrew Mike Strittmatter
6-0 * 170 * G * Wyckoff, N.J. (Mohawk Valley Community College/Indian Hills High School)

MVCC: One-year letterwinner at Mohawk Valley Community College ... averaged 14 points per game ... single-season record holder for three-point field goals ... High School: Three-year letterwinner ... voted first team All-North Jersey and first team all-county as a senior ... all-time career school scoring and three-point record holder ... averaged 24 points per game ... Personal: Born on April 28, 1988 to Mike and Karen Strittmatter ... has three siblings named Matt, Kurt, and Kelly ... majoring in economics.

Coach Harney on Strittmatter: "Andrew can flat out shoot the rock, he has unlimited range on his jumper and can really stretch out a defense, his shooting will compliment our drive and kick attack."

Johann Cubit Jones
6-5 * 225 * F * Severn, Md. (UMBC/Meade High School)

UMBC: One-year letterwinner at UMBC ... T. Rowe Price Scholar ... member of National Society of Collegiate Scholars ... High School: Three-year letterwinner ... 2006 Anne Arundel County Player-of-the-Year ... fourth team All-Metro ... team MVP ... elected to Charm City Classic All-Star Game ... averaged a double-double (23.0 points, 13.0 rebounds) ... member of National Honor Society ... Personal: Born on February 18, 1988 to Jerry and Gabriele Jones ... has two siblings named Jerry and Julia ... majoring in economics with a minor in political science. 

Coach Harney on Jones: "Johann, is a like a luxury SUV, he can do it all, shoot the rock and handle the ball gracefully on the perimeter and go off road with his size and rough you up in the paint.  A match up nightmare, he can hurt you outside or in."

Camontae Edward Griffin
5-8 * 150 * G * Baltimore, Md. (Shaw University/CCBC Catonsville/Dunbar High School)

Shaw: Played in five games with four starts ... .347 FG% (17-49) ... 8.6 ppg ... CCBC Catonsville: Two-year letterwinner ... Maryland Junior College First Team ... All-Tournament Team ... NJCAA All-Region Second Team ... High School: Two-year letterwinner ... 1A State Champion in 2003 and 2004 ... Personal: Born on July 25, 1986 to Eddie Griffin and Vondaleia Hunt ... majoring in economics.

Coach Harney on Griffin: "Tae is one of the toughest players I have ever seen play the game.  He flat out will not be denied when getting to the rim or doing whatever it takes to win a game.  His toughness will be symbolic of every thing we want to do as a program.  He has the potential to be one of the better players to ever wear a Seahawk uniform."