Riverdale, N.Y. (May 14, 2007)- Manhattan College head men's basketball coach Barry Rohrssen is pleased to announce that Djibril Coulibaly (Queens, N.Y./Cardozo HS/Boys To Men Academy), Rashad Green (North Babylon, N.Y./St. Mary's HS/Bridgton Academy), and Andrew Gabriel (Brooklyn, N.Y./Christ The King HS) have signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball for the Jaspers for the 2007-08 season.
Coulibaly, a 6-9 center, received Second Team All-Queens recognition by the Queens Times Ledger after averaging 10.2 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 3.6 blocks per game while playing for Head Coach Ron Naclerio at Cardozo High School before transferring to Boys To Men Academy in Chicago, Ill. The Mali native put up 10 points and six rebounds a game for Head Coach Loren Jackson, and helped lead his team to a 32-6 overall record and a top-five national prep school ranking by Scout.com.
“Djibril is a long, athletic post player with a lot of potential,” commented Rohrssen. “He has shown an ability to block shots and run the court well, which makes him a nice addition to our team. The best thing about DC is not just that he is a quality basketball player, but more importantly, he is a quality person.”
Green, a 6-4 guard/forward, helped lead Bridgton Academy to its third straight NEPSAC Championship this past winter, averaging 11 points, seven rebounds, and four assists per game as the Wolverines posted a 34-5 record under the tutelage of Head Coach Whit Lesure. Prior to his stint at Bridgton, Green earned 2006 Long Island Player of the Year honors after averaging 20 points and 11 rebounds while playing for Head Coach Tim Cluess at St. Mary's HS in Manhasset. Green's older brother Danny plays at the University of North Carolina.
“Rashad is a skilled wing player whose talents should be an asset on both sides of the court,” noted Rohrssen. “He has been well coached at his high school, prep school, and AAU program and we look forward to him bringing that experience to Riverdale.”
Gabriel, a 6-6 forward, received Second Team All-Queens honors from the New York Daily News and Second Team All-CHSAA from the New York Post after nearly averaging a double-double with 9.1 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. The Brooklyn, N.Y. native was named Fourth Team Class AA All-State while playing for Head Coach Bob Oliva, and was ranked in the top-five on the InsideHoops.com top-10 New York City seniors list.
“Andrew is a solid frontcourt player who can best be described as a winner. His work ethic and attitude make any team he plays on better.” “Christ the King High School,” continued Rohrssen, “is one of the outstanding programs in the country which produces many successful college players, and we are excited about adding a ?Royal' to the Manhattan family.”
Manhattan posted a 13-17 overall record in 2006-07, 10-8 in MAAC, and returns 84.6% of its points, 83.9% of its minutes, and 81.9% of its rebounds. The 10 MAAC wins is the second most all-time by a Manhattan coach in his first season.
