May 15, 2007

Daytona Beach, Fla. - Bethune-Cookman head men's basketball coach Clifford Reed, Jr. continues to add to what he, and many others consider one of the best recruiting classes in Bethune-Cookman University history this week as he added the final four members to his 2007-08 signing class. This brings the signing numbers for the Wildcats up to six inked to National Letters of Intent to play basketball at Bethune-Cookman.

After already signing Joey Woods and John Holmes, Coach Reed and his staff continued to blaze a trail across the United States for the best talent available to come to beautiful Daytona Beach, Fla. They think they have found that in the form of four additional individuals who are extremely talented, and two of whom are ranked by Hoop Scoop and other national publications covering college basketball as top caliber players.

The list begins with an athletic 6-foot-6, 260-pound power forward from Brooklyn, N.Y. in the form of Kyle Cook. Cook, ranked #44 by Ron Naclerio in New York City, is listed as an undersized post player that for Lincoln High School ... home of the NBA's Sebastian Telfair. Cook helped his team to the 2007 New York City & State championship, as well as providing a lot of the dirty work needed for the team that featured Lance Stephenson. He is said to possess all the little things necessary to help a team to victory, while also being able to pass and shoot the mid-range jumper.

Next is Gerrell Knightshead, a 6-foot-7, 240-pound wing forward that is said to have outstanding hands and the ability to finish around the basket. Coach Reed says he can run the floor exceptionally well for a bigger player, and he should be an immediate impact for the Wildcats next season. Knightshead was a transfer high school student-athlete that saw action in both California [Paso Robles] and perennial-power Calusa Prep in Miami, Fla. He finished his career in Miami, while helping Calusa Prep earn a playoff bid in 2006-07.

Gabby Cruz is the next for the Wildcats, and he enters a program as the first B-CU basketball player of total Puerto Rican decent to play for Coach Reed. Cruz, however, is not going to be alone as most of the B-CU baseball team is either from Puerto Rico or has Puerto Rican nationality.

Cruz comes to B-CU via Highland (Ill.) Junior College by way of Kennesaw State. Cruz was ranked #722 nationally by Hoop Scoop as a senior in high school in the Final Ranking of the Top Players in the Class of 2005. He is deemed as a three-point shooting threat, while standing a lengthy 6-foot-6 as a two-guard. Cruz is said to also possess a dangerous mid-range game while also being able to stroke the three-point shot very well. Added Jimmy Hudson and Josh Cummings to the outside and B-CU looks to be a dangerous three-point shooting team next season ... while the Wildcats finished near the bottom in shooting percentage in the MEAC last year.

The final member of the signing class includes Dominique Whatley from Panola (Tex.) Junior College. The 6-foot-5, guard/post threat is another excellent addition to this year's signing class as he is expected to be able to rebound and help run the offense in a variety of ways for the Wildcats next season. He averaged 10 points per game and shot an average of 42 percent from the field last season for the Ponies.

Whatley also finished up the year shooting a respectable 32 percent from three-point territory while being named as an Honorable Mention player for the All-Region (XIV) Team.

"I'm telling you the truth, I think we have a great recruiting class right here," admitted head coach Clifford Reed, Jr. who just finished his fifth season as head man at B-CU. "My assistant coaches [Gravelle Craig and Howard White, Jr.] really went out and got after the kids, and they did a great job of getting good talent in here that, at least I feel, can compete for a MEAC title in the very near future. I think this may be the best recruiting class I've ever had here so far."