Pfeiffer Wins Highway 52 Tournament Championship

SALISBURY, N.C. – Pfeiffer University trailed by 17 points with 11:19 to play in the second half before racing out on a 35-16 run to comeback for a 79-77 win over Livingstone College in day two of the Highway 52 Shootout at Catawba’s Goodman Gym. Chris Woods (Thomasville, NC) posted another double-double with a game-high 36 points and 10 boards as the Falcons improve to 2-0 on the young season. The Blue Bears drop their season opener.


A layup by Livingstone’s Tyler Johnson put the visitors up 17 until a three-ball by the Falcons Jeff Pettiway (Edgewood, MD) started the rally. Woods dropped in a layup at the halfway mark slicing the deficit to single digits before the Blue Bears used baskets by Omar Ford-Bey and Greg Henry to maintain an 11 point lead.

After Henry’s lay in, Pfeiffer exploded for a 12-0 run to take their first lead of the night with 6:04 to play after a free throw by Davon Gilliard (Charleston, SC). Both teams went back and forth to the buzzer with five lead changes over the final six minutes. Gilliard and Woods each squared the contest with jumpers taking the clock under five minutes of play, until a layup by Woods at 1:02 put the Falcons up for good. Jackson got the Blue Bears within one at 78-77 with nine tickets left, but a Gilliard free throw iced the win as a late three-point, buzzer beating attempt by Livingstone fell to the floor.

Each team placed three in double-figure scoring as Pettiway and Gilliard followed Woods with 18 and 15 for the Falcons. Livingstone had a 22-point output by Darius Cox followed by 13 from Aaron Wilson and a dozen from Ford-Bey. Pfeiffer did commit 14 turnovers on the night to Livingstone’s 11, but did not turn the ball over a single time over the final 12:29.

Pfeiffer will now hit the road for their first true road game on Monday night traveling to Virginia State for a 8:00 p.m. matchup.

Pfeiffer Earns First Opening Game Win Since 2006

MISENHEIMER, N.C. – A pair of Jeff Pettiway (Edgewood, MD) free throws with 46 seconds remaining broke the sixth and final tie of the night as Pfeiffer University dodged a second-half comeback by Urbana for a 100-92 season opening victory in men’s basketball on Friday night in the Merner Gym. Urbana put up 62 second half points coming up just short as the Falcons made eight-straight free throw attempts in those final few seconds.


Pettiway’s jumper with 13:38 to go in the first half created early breathing room for the Falcons as that sparked a 16-0 run. Josh Humphrey (Matthews, NC), Reggie Hollinger (Orlando, FL) and Chris Stokes (Virginia Beach, VA) each drained a three to help put the hosts up 15 at the half way point of the period.

Pfeiffer held that double-digit lead for the remainder of the half as Chris Woods (Thomasville, NC) drained a jumper with 6:41 to go for an 18-point Falcon lead before a Yuki Yamaguchi (Tokyo, JAPAN) free throw put Pfeiffer up 20 with just over two minutes remaining.

After Hollinger started off the second half with another long range three, the Blue Knights comeback began with a basket by Rob Matthews (Delaware, OH) and three-straight threes by Anthony Gage (East Sparta, OH). Pfeiffer freshman Kyler Gregory (Gibsonville, NC) knocked down a three to put the hosts back up 14, but an Urbana 8-0 run, brought the visitors within six after a Marcus Pearl (Cleveland, OH) charity stripe basket with 14:03 to play.

After threes by Gregory and Hollinger, Urbana’s Ramel Mitchell (Akron, OH) drained his own triple getting the Blue Knights again within a half dozen. Down by just two at the half way point, Gage would drain three free throws after a Pfeiffer foul to give the Blue Knights their first lead of the night with 9:13 remaining.

Both teams traded jumpers and three-balls not carrying a lead of more than four until Humphrey’s free throw at 4:52 made it a five point contest. With just over two minutes to play, Mitchell knocked down two more threes for Urbana while Sharif Muhammad’s (Brooklyn, NY) triple tied the contest for the final time with 64 seconds remaining. Pettiway would then start the clutch free-throw shooting for the Falcons to hold off the Blue Knights over the final minute of play.

Urbana’s Robert Wilson (Streetsboro, OH) and Pfeiffer’s Woods each had identical double-doubles with 27 points and 11 boards. Each team had five players finish in double figures. Pfeiffer held the slight advantage of 12-11 in made triples and 39-37 on the glass.

Both teams are back in action on Saturday night as the Highway 52 Shootout moves to Catawba’s Goodman Gym. Urbana will square off with the host Indians at 7:30 p.m. while the Falcons take on Livingstone 30 minutes after.

Falcon Greats Return for Alumni Game November 6th

Basketball to Host Meet the Falcons/Media Day on November 6th; Festivities Begin at Noon!

MISENHEIMER, N.C. – The Pfeiffer University men’s and women’s basketball will host a Meet the Falcons/Media Day on Saturday, November 6th from 12:00-3:00 p.m. in the Merner Gym as both teams prepare for the upcoming 2010-2011 season. The event is free and open to the public as plenty of events and activities are planned for the fans which includes a shot for free season tickets.

The festivities begin with the women’s alumni game at high noon as the current Lady Falcons take on former athletes such as Nicole Maready and Shannon Reid in the hour-long contest. Following the women’s alumni game will be the introduction of Falcons with cheerleaders, the spirit club and Pfeiffer’s newest mascot, Freddie the Falcon.

During the one o’clock hour, fans will get the first look and introduction of the Pfeiffer squads competing on the hardwood this season while getting to witness a dunk contest and three-point shootout judged by the fans. After that exhibition, fans will have a chance to come down onto the floor and take a half-court shot to score season tickets for all home games during the 2010-2011 season.

Wrapping things up at 2:00 p.m. will be the men’s alumni game bringing back familiar faces to include Tony Smith, Pfeiffer’s all-time leading scorer with a 15 year professional career, and the Grier brothers Rico and Mario. Rico departed Pfeiffer as one of the winningest player in Pfeiffer history notching over 1,900 points. His counterpart Mario topped the 2,000-point plateau as a two-time All-American representing Pfeiffer in the NABC All-Star Game.

After the event, media members will be allowed full access to all players and coaches in preparation for the season. To RSVP, please contact Sean Fox, Director of Sports Information at Sean.Fox@fsmail.pfeiffer.edu. For questions or more information on Meet the Falcons/Media Day, contact men’s head coach Jeremy Currier through Jeremy.Currier@fsmail.pfeiffer.edu.

Former Pfeiffer Star Earns Ireland Superleague Player of the Week

(Courtesy of Eurobasket.com) First place in round 3 took James Crowder (201-F-86, agency: Agency No 10, college: Pfeiffer) of Hibernian UCD Marian Dublin scoring 32 points with 14 rebs and 3 blocks. He helped his team to win against Ulster Elks 91-75. James Crowder is currently 5th in the league scoring 22.75 ppg and 4th in the league averaging 13.5 rebounds. He receives eurobasket.com player of the week award in round 3.
"The Pfeiffer Basketball Family is so proud of James and his accomplishments," said Falcon head coach Jeremy Currier. "James is a first rate player that knows how to make his teammates better and his team win games."

Basketball Times Covers Pfeiffer Basketball

From Basketball Times: Chuck Mistovich


Pfeiffer (NC) has led Division 2 in scoring the last two seasons, including 103.1 ppg last year in an 18-10 season. The Falcons take that big time offense to North Carolina State in a season opening exhibition game. The team lost 128-70 to Duke in an exhibition game last season. Pfeiffer returns seven players who were in the starting lineup. The lineup also features two All-American types in 6’5 Chris Woods and 5’9 Jeff Pettiway. Woods averaged 22.4 points and 7.3 rebounds and shot 60% from the floor. Pettiway scored 18.3 ppg and added 3.5 apg. Other top returning scorers are 5’10 Davon Gilliard (10.6) and Reggie Hollinger (9.2).

“Basketball Times is one of the most reputable media outlets that covers college basketball,” said Falcon head coach Jeremy Currier. “I have been pleased with the work that our players have done this preseason as the beginning of our season approaches. The Conference Carolinas league will be extremely competitive this season, and we are excited about taking on those challenges every night. We are honored that Chuck and everyone at the Basketball Times would cover Pfeiffer Basketball.”

National Collegiate Scouting Association Article

Coach Jeremy Currier was named head coach of men’s basketball at Pfeiffer University on April 20, 2010, having spent the past two seasons as the program’s top assistant. Considered a highly successful and talented recruiter, Coach Currier was rated the sixth best Division II assistant coach for recruiting success in 2009 by College Bound Hoops. Along the way, his recruiting efforts have helped build a Falcons offense that has netted the two highest single season scoring averages in program history (98.9 and 103.1 ppg) including the all-time Conference Carolinas single game scoring record set against Barton College in February 2010. We recently caught up to him and had the opportunity to discuss why his recruiting efforts have been so successful:

1. What do you look for when evaluating potential recruits?

We really try to target guys that love the game, want to work at it, and have the capability to be coached and be a great teammate. All coaches are looking for “winners”- but we really try to evaluate if a kid makes winning plays on the basketball court and championship decisions off the court. We feel like if a kid loves the game and has a winning mentality, then we can get them better in their time at Pfeiffer.



2.How do you initially reach out to a recruit?

Generally, we start with the initial introduction phone call to their coach to get a character reference. We are not looking to get kids to Pfeiffer that we will have to worry about whether they are going to get into the gym, go to class, and act responsibly on campus. Because of this, we contact multiple people that know the recruit on personal basis. Once we have done our homework, we will call the recruit, and begin the process.



3. Discuss your 1st call strategy for a recruit:

We want our first call to be memorable. We are in a age where every kid is being recruited by a number of schools, so we try to make an impact on the recruit. Every recruit is different, and has different goals, so we try to connect with the recruit and figure out what is important to them athletically, academically, and socially.



4. How often do you communicate with your recruits?

Because of NCAA restrictions, we are only allowed to call a recruit once a week. It is critical that we make that phone call count!



5. How do you “close” a recruit when you want them to commit?

I think that every kid is different- and we really try to figure out the most effective means to ‘close’ them. Some kids need an ultimatum or deadline to decide. Other kids, you need to just go along for the ride, and be there when he is ready to make the decision. Understanding this is critical in getting the commitment- and making a mistake in the process can result in losing the recruit.



6. What tips would you give coaches just getting started with recruiting

I think it is awfully important to get out and do your own evaluations of kids, and see what you think. I see more and more coaches out there that are recruiting just off what the ‘experts’ say. We certainly value this information because many of the recruiting services out there are very thorough in the job that they do- but they are not in practice with your team everyday- you are. Coaches need to get out there and see a potential recruit play, and decide if they are someone that they would like to go to practice with everyday. I think that the best coaches and recruiters are the ones that are meticulous in their evaluations.

Read more: Tips from the Legends: Coach Jeremy Currier – Pfeiffer University Men’s Basketball
College Recruiting Blog - Athletic Scholarships Blog
NCSA http://www.ncsasports.org/blog/2010/09/01/tips-from-the-legends-coach-jeremy-currier-–-pfeiffer-university-mens-basketball/#ixzz0zGPitrag
 
 

Woods Named to The Sporting News Preseason All American Team

(CHARLOTTE, NC)---Pfeiffer University senior forward Chris Woods (Thomasville, NC) has been tabbed as a preseason All American selection in the NCAA Division II ranks by the Sporting News. Woods led a prolific offensive attack in 2009-2010, as the Falcons averaged an NCAA record 103.1 points per game and finished the season with an 18-10 record. In his junior campaign, Woods was nationally ranked in the top ten in scoring (22.4 points per game) and field goal percentage (61%), and averaged 7.3 rebounds per game while playing 23 minutes per game. For his efforts, Chris was named to the Division II Bulletin All American team, the NABC All Southeast Region Team, and was the only underclassmen on the North Carolina Collegiate Sports Information Association All State Team. Woods was most recently recognized by the National Association of Basketball Coaches with their Honors Court Award which identifies student athletes that excel on the court and in the classroom.

“Chris is coming off the best individual seasons that we have seen at Pfeiffer since two time All American Demario Grier in 2007, and we are extremely proud of what he has accomplished thus far in his career” said Falcon head coach Jeremy Currier. “Chris is a special young man that is determined do whatever it takes to lead this year’s team to a Conference Carolina championship and NCAA Tournament bid.”

Woods and the Falcons will kick off the 2010-11 campaign with a trip Reynolds Coliseum on November 9 to face the North Carolina State Wolfpak. Following the NC State game, Pfeiffer will compete in the Highway 52 Shootout Tournament hosted at Catawba College on November 12th where they will face off against Livingstone College.

FORMER FALCON JAMES CROWDER SIGNS DEAL WITH IRELAND’S TOP LEAGUE

MISENHEIMER, N.C. – A recent graduate of the Pfeiffer University men’s basketball program has signed a professional contract to play ball in Ireland’s Super League, the highest league level in Ireland. James Crowder, from nearby High Point, inked a deal with UCD-Marian out of Dublin playing under head coach Frank Ryan.

The Super League runs from October to March with games every other Sunday amongst the 10 teams. UCD-Marian struggled in 2009-2010 and will look for Crowder’s immediate impact competing in the league’s North Conference. Quotes from both Crowder and Falcon basketball head coach Jeremy Currier are featured below.

CROWDER’S QUOTE

“It’s truly a blessing to get the opportunity to play basketball overseas, and I wouldn’t have made it this far without the Lord’s blessing me and placing coaches in my life that pushed me to my limits to make me better. I can look back on things now and say that attending Pfeiffer University was the best decision that I could have made. I was surrounded by coaches who demanded only the best from me, and played alongside a group of guys who wanted to win games every night.”
CURRIER’S QUOTE

“James Crowder is one of the finest young men to come through our program. During his time at Pfeiffer, we saw James turn in to a hard worker that was a good teammate, and leader on and off the court. James continues an incredible tradition of Falcon players leaving Misenheimer and continuing on in basketball at the professional ranks. Coach Frank Ryan and the UCD-Marian basketball team is getting a terrific basketball player and an even better person. The Falcon basketball program is extremely proud of James and wishes him the absolute best in his professional career.”

Falcons in the Professional Ranks

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 Former Pfeiffer University center Antonio Harvey headlines a lengthy list of players that have left the Misenheimer, NC campus and moved on to the professional ranks.

James Crowder Ireland



Dele Ojo ABA


Tavares Cooper ABA


Demario Grier Cyprus, Germany


Damien Argrett Romania, Czech Republic, England


Rico Grier Germany, Czech Republic


Anthony Williams Germany


Tim Granold Germany


Willie Bullock Mexico, Dominican Republic


Nem Sovic Iceland


Travis O’Sullivan Australia


Eric Coates Greece, ABA


Justin Thompson USBL


Marvin Dixon CBA, Australia


Poo Quillens Canada


Larry Washington France, Mexico


Antonio Harvey NBA, Greece


Leon Purdue Iceland, Australia


Tony Smith Spain


Brad Brown Turkey


Jeff Pinder Germany


Jermaine Carlton Spain, Kosovo


Antoine Davidson CBA


Craig Cordes Belgium


William Milteer Ireland


David Lee France


Jeff McPherson France


Steve Hickey Luxembourg


Mike Epps Australia


John Banner Europe


Harrison Finklea Europe


Henry Panzer Luxembourg, France

 

Pfeiffer Basketball All Americans

All American Senior Chris Woods looks to lead the Falcons back to the NCAA for the first time since 2004-2005

2010 Chris Woods *

2007 Demario Grier

2006 Demario Grier
2005 Damien Argrett

2005 Rico Grier

2001 Nem Sovic

2000 Nem Sovic

1995 Justin Thompson

1994 Jermaine Carlton

1993 Antonio Harvey

1992 Tony Smith

1991 Tony Smith

1990 Jeff Pinder

1986 Craig Cordes

1979 Mike Epps

1962 Bobby Franks

                                                             *Denotes Player Still Active

FALCONS TO BATTLE WOLFPACK IN MEN’S BASKETBALL EXHIBITION ON NOVEMBER 9th

FALCONS TO BATTLE WOLFPACK IN MEN’S BASKETBALL EXHIBITION ON NOVEMBER 9th


MISENHEIMER, N.C. – Men’s basketball head coach Jeremy Currier announced on Thursday afternoon that the Pfeiffer University Falcons will begin their 2010-2011 season with an exhibition contest in Raleigh against the Wolfpack of N.C. State on Tuesday night, November 9th at 7:00 p.m.
The Falcons and Wolfpack are scheduled to tip-off in Reynolds Coliseum on the campus of N.C. State. The Wolfpack started last year winning eight of their first nine tilts en route to conference play in the powerful Atlantic Coast Conference. Senior Chris Woods (Greensboro, NC) and Jeff Pettiway (Edgewood, MD) return for the Falcons after leading the team in minutes played and scoring a year ago. Woods averaged 22.4 points and 24 minutes per game last season while Pettiway scored 18.3 per game with just under 25 minutes per game.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for our basketball program,” remarks Currier. “Few Division II teams in the country get to play against ACC opponents, and we have had two of the best in the last two years with Duke and N.C. State. The atmosphere around campus is electrifying about the 2010-11 season and there is no better way to kick things off than playing the Wolfpack in Reynolds Coliseum.”

Tickets for the exhibition contest will be just $5.00 and available for purchase in late September, early October. Tickets can be purchased through the Wolfpack athletic website (www.gopack.com) or by calling the ticket office at 919-815-1510.

Going to School

(Courtesy of Southern Maryland Newspaper) How are you rewarded for playing a particular sport, in this case basketball, since age 6 for basically free? How do you repay a family who gave you rides to and from practices and games?

If you are recent St. Mary's Ryken graduate Elijah Matthews, you perform well enough on the hardwood, the only place you have known since you were a toddler, to earn a full athletic scholarship to Pfeiffer University. Matthews recently signed his letter of intent to attend the North Carolina-based institution.

"I am really excited, but just ready to get down there," Matthews said. "I am kind of nervous. I have to kind of show these upperclassmen what I can do. But, really, I am just going to go out there and try to have fun."

Matthews had a long list of suitors for his strong defensive skills on the floor and equal leadership abilities on the court. Schools such as Coastal Carolina, Mount St. Mary's, Holy Family (Pa.) and Philadelphia University, among others, each were after Matthews, but it was Pfeiffer and head coach Jeremy Currier who received Matthews' services.

"It's a good, Christian environment down there," Matthews said of Pfeiffer‘s campus. "That was the first thing that I noticed. People are very nice down there and really family-oriented. … It's a really nice campus and I was able to speak to a couple of the professors. I talked to a couple of basketball players that helped persuade me, too."

He said Currier expects a lot out of him coming into Pfeiffer, a Conference Carolinas school, but Matthews expects a lot out of himself as well.

"He told me he wanted me to come down and play big minutes," Matthews said. "He just wants me to do what I can do and help him get a championship."

Although he is talented on the court, Matthews said he understands what the game of basketball has meant to his life off the court. Openly admitting that life around him has been a bit tough at times, basketball is where Matthews always has been able to turn to.

"Basketball probably kept me out of a lot of trouble," Matthews admitted. "I have a lot of friends and some of them are dead, some of them are in jail, and basketball just kept me out of that. It's something for me to do, and I just love it."

The All-County honorable mention was the defensive stopper for a Ryken team, head coach Dave Tallman said, that set school records in overall wins, conference wins and conference team finishes this past season.

"It was really special this year," he said. "Breaking those records was really fun, really good for the school, especially with it being done in my senior year and being able to go out with a bang."

But with all of the numbers of points, rebounds, steals and statistics Matthews' biggest number just may be, in fact, zero, as in how much he will have to pay for school. And Matthews said he fully understands how special that is for him and his family.

"It's great," he said. "My parents don't have to pay for anything, so that's good."

FALCON BASKETBALL ADDS THREE MORE AS CURRIER INKS THREE TOP PROSPECTS

MISENHEIMER, N.C. – Pfeiffer University men’s basketball coach Jeremy Currier has announced the signing of three more recruits in the 2010 freshmen class. Guards Kyler Gregory (Gibsonville, NC), Elijah Matthews (Clinton, MD), and Daniel Kuhl (Winter Springs, FL) will make Misenheimer home for the next four years.

“We are fortunate to have these three young men come to Pfeiffer University,” stated Currier. “All three of them coming from winning programs, and have proven to be successful on the court and in the classroom. Adding Kyler, Elijah, and Daniel to the Pfeiffer family ensures a bright future for our program.”

Gregory, standing 6’9’’, joins the Falcons from Western Alamance High School where he played under head coach Wayne Stevens. Gregory averaged 24 points and 11 rebounds per game while shooting 44% from the three-point line. He was named second team all-region his junior year. During his senior season he improved to first team all-region while also being named the Burlington Times and News all-region player-of-the-year. Throughout his career, he was a three-time all-conference performer and scored 1,200 points. Gregory also garnered academic all-conference awards on five different occasions. “Kyler is a special young man,” commented Currier. “He has been one of the best players in the state for the last two years, and has carried a 4.0 grade point average while doing it. Kyler can shoot the ball at a high level, and hit length will help us immediately.”

Matthews checking in at 6’2’’, joins the Falcon program from St. Mary’s Ryken High School in Maryland where he played under head coach Dave Tallman. The point guard was a varsity starter in all four years playing in the WCAC, one of the top high school conferences in the country. He was a 2010 McDonalds All-American nominee and selected to play in the 2010 inaugural edition of the best basketball players of AAU. Matthews was ranked by Scouts, Inc. and ESPN Recruiting with a scout grade of 80. He finished his senior season averaging 14 points, nine rebounds, and five assists per contest. “We are extremely fortunate to get a player of Elijah’s level,” said Currier. “Elijah was an impact player for a winning high school team in one of the best high school conferences in the country, and played for one of the top AAU programs in the DC Assault. He is a proven winner that has a work ethic that will help our program right away.”

Kuhl, 6’4’’, comes to Pfeiffer as a four year starter under head coach Travis Jones at Winter Springs High School where they posted a 90-26 record. A three-year captain, Kuhl averaged 12.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 4.4 assists while leading the Bears to three conference championships, three district championships, one Regional Championship and a trip to the 6A Final Four.

“There is no better compliment that a coach can have for a player than trust. I have trusted Daniel to start every game over the past four years and gave him the green light to shoot and make plays at will,” stated Coach Jones. “Through his leadership over those four years the team racked up 90 wins with the multiple championships. None of these accomplishments are possible without Daniel. He will be missed at Winter Springs and an asset to Pfeiffer University on the court, on campus and in the community.”

Kuhl was a Seminole Athletic Conference selection as a sophomore, junior and senior, and selected as a Winter Park Rotary Tournament first team selection in 2008 and 2009. Kuhl was rated inside the top-100 players in the Country by National Underclassmen Basketball Report, and ranked by Eddie Oliver and Hoops USA, a national player ranking throughout the United States as a senior. Kuhl was rated as the 9th best player in Florida by BreakDown Magazine, was an Orlando Sentinel Top 25 Player to watch in the state of Florida, rated by Hoop Scoop Online as one of the best players in Florida.

“Daniel has great size for a freshman guard, and a dynamic skill set that will help us immediately,” added Currier. “To get a smart, multi-faceted player that can make everyone around him better is a special thing, and he is someone that can come in and help us right away. Daniel’s dad played in the ACC, with uncle’s playing major Division I basketball. He comes from a great basketball pedigree and he has been winning for the last four years in the highly-competitive Florida 6A high school league. We are thrilled to have Daniel join us at Pfeiffer University.”

Pinkerton grad takes head coaching job at Pfeiffer- Derry News Article

MISENHEIMER, N.C. — (Courtesy of the Derry News) Pinkerton Academy graduate Jeremy Currier, 29, has recently taken over as head basketball coach at one of the top Division II programs in the country at Pfeiffer University in Misenheimer, N.C.
Pfeiffer University has been one of the best records in the country since 1990, making appearances in the national championship game, Final Four and Sweet 16 rounds in the national tournament over the last 20 years.

Currier most recently served as the top assistant coach for the last two years at Pfeiffer, where he was rated as the sixth best recruiter in the country by College Bound Hoops.

He played a major role in the 2008-2009 Pfeiffer team that led the country in scoring at 99.8 points per game, and the 2009-2010 Falcon team that scored a record-setting 103.1 points per game.

Prior to going to Pfeiffer, Currier served as the head coach at Daniel Webster College in Nashua, where he was the youngest head coach in the country at age 25. Currier led the Eagles to the highest win total in a decade, and made consecutive post-season appearances for the first time in 14 seasons.

Currier's recruiting class at Daniel Webster included that New Hampshire State Player of the Year, two all-conference selections and the first ever conference Rookie of the Year winner. Those recruits went on the following season to post the most successful season in program history, and first winning campaign in 11 years.

Currier, the 2000 Nashua Telegraph state Player of the Year, led the state of New Hampshire in scoring at 27.9 points per game, and led the Astros to the state quarterfinals as a senior under coach Tony Carnovale.

While at Pinkerton Academy, Currier was named to the USA Today All American Honorable Mention team, New Hampshire All State First Team and represented New Hampshire in the annual Alhambra Game.

After Pinkerton, Currier attended Endicott College in Beverly, Mass., where he was the top three-point shooter in the NCAA, while shooting a record setting 53 percent as a junior. Named as the Commonwealth Coast Conference Player of the Year in 2003, Currier left Endicott College holding six school records and four conference records in 2004, and a member of the winningest class in program history.
"It is a great honor to be named head coach at Pfeiffer University", Currier said. "I have been blessed to have great mentors throughout my life, beginning with my parents and extending to the many outstanding teachers, coaches and administrators at Pinkerton Academy, Endicott College, Daniel Webster College and now, Pfeiffer University. I was fortunate to be taught that hard work pays off, and blessed that so many people invested their time in helping me to reach my goals."

Currier will begin his Pfeiffer coaching career on Nov. 9, when the Falcons travel to North Carolina State to play against the Wolfpack.

“Have passion for your mission—be enthusiastic—genuinely care for others—demonstrate it with integrity—increase your knowledge with humility. Help others do better and give praise freely. Become a servant-leader.
When you lead in this manner, you will gain loyalty. They will go to the wall for you. They will give their best efforts.
Good leadership breeds trust.
Trust breeds loyalty.
Loyalty breeds unity.
And unity gives you your best chance for success.”

-Courtesy of John  McCarthy at http://www.smallcollegebasketball.tumblr.com/
 

Pfeiffer Grad Brandon Jolly Named Top Basketball Coach in North Carolina

Pfeiffer University graduate Brandon Jolly has been named the 2009-10 Associated Press men's prep basketball coach of the year for North Carolina. Jolly, the head coach at Lake Norman High School, led his team to a 27-3 record despite being picked to finish third in its league. The program had never been past the sectional round before this season's run, which ended with a win against Fayetteville Sanford in the Class 4-A final. Jolly earned seven of a possible 22 votes from sports writers across the state to win the award.

Jolly took over at Lake Norman High School as the varsity coach in 2007, after compiling a 56-6 record over three years as the Wildcat’s Junior Varsity coach. At age 27, Jolly was one of the youngest head coaches in North Carolina, and began winning immediately, as LNHS won the 1st Statesville Record & Landmark Holiday Classic Championship in school history, men or women, and eventually lost in the state playoffs to defending state champion Concord. Since that time, Lake Norman has competed for North Carolina State championships under the guidance of Jolly.

“What Coach Jolly has done with the Lake Norman team has been remarkable, said Pfeiffer University head coach Jeremy Currier. “Within three years of Lake Norman having a varsity team, Coach Jolly has made it into a basketball power in one of the best basketball states in America. On behalf of the entire Falcon Basketball Family, I would like to extend Coach Jolly sincere congratulations in his accomplishments on the sidelines. I look forward to having him continue to work closely with our Pfeiffer Basketball program in the future.”

Falcons to Open Up 2010-11 Campaign at NC State

The Pfeiffer Falcons will open up their 2010-11 season on November 9th with a trip to the Reynolds Center on the campus of NC State to face the Wolfpack in a season opening exhibition game. The game will mark the Falcons 7th consecutive season opener against a Division I opponent, and third ACC school in the last five years. Pfeiffer played the Tar Heels of North Carolina, and the 2010 National Championship Duke Blue Devils in recent seasons. "We are thrilled at the opportunity to compete against NC State this season, said Falcon head coach Jeremy Currier. "Few Division II teams are given the chance to play a major Division I opponent, and we have been granted that opportunity by Coach Sidney Lowe and staff. This will be a tremendous event for our players, coaches, University, and Falcon Basketball family."

The Falcons have seen success against Division I opponents as they currently hold the record for the most points scored in a half of play in the historic Dean Dome (66 points), held a lead against Purdue University on their home court with 10 minutes to play, and was the only team to score 50 or more points against National Champion Duke University in 2010.

The Falcons will be lead by 2010 Basketball Times All American selection Chris Woods, Conference Carolinas selection Jeff Pettiway, and senior guards Yuki Yamaguchi and Jovonte Eaford.

Matthews Commits to Falcons

Elijah Matthews joins the Falcon program from St. Mary’s Ryken High School in Maryland where he played under Coach Dave Tallman. The 6’2’’ 185 pound guard played for the varsity program all 4 seasons in the WCAC, one of the top conferences in the country. Matthews was a starter his final 3 seasons and was also named honorable mention 3 years and named to the all state 3rd team his senior year. He was a 2010 McDonalds All American nominee and selected to play in the 2010 inaugural edition of the best basketball players of AAU. Matthews was ranked by Scouts, Inc. and ESPN Recruiting with a scout grade of 80. He finished his senior season averaging 14 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists per contest. Elijah played for the DC Assault AAU program that has produced hundreds of Division I level players, and multiple NBA players. Elijah chose Pfeiffer University over Howard University, North Carolina A&T, and Gannon University. “We are extremely fortunate to get a player of Elijah’s level, said Currier. “Elijah was an impact player for a winning high school team in one of the best high school conferences in the country, and played for one of the top AAU programs in the DC Assault. He is a proven winner that has a work ethic that will help our program right away.”

James Crowder- Pfeiffer University

Congratulations to 2010 senior James Crowder who was recently offered a professional contract in the top league in Ireland.

Annual Falcon Basketball Camp a Huge Success

Coach Currier welcomed 70 youth basketball campers to the Merner Gymnasium last week for the Annual Falcon Basketball Camp. Campers came from all over the Southeast Region attended, as there were campers from North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Arkansas. "It was a terrific week of camp," stated Currier. "Coach Cline did a tremendous job in bringing new drills, competitions, and awards to the camp this year. We are thrilled to welcome these youth players and their families to the Falcon Basketball Family." Campers left with an official camp t-shirt, certificated, and a season ticket pass. Guest speaker Jason Causby from Salisbury High School (NC) headlined a great week of camp. "Coach Causby runs one of the finest high school basketball programs in the state," said Currier. "We were lucky to have him come in a review the skills necessary to compete at the guard position. Campers left Coach Causby's lecture with a number of drills that can be developed at home on when they are practicing."

Other guest appearances by Pfeiffer players David Batson, Mitchell Hargett, Josh Humphrey, Anthonie Clarke, and All American Chris Woods capped off a tremendous week of basketball in Misenheimer.

Three members of the Pfeiffer University men’s basketball team have been named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Honors Court Award list. Davon Gilliard (Charleston, SC), Yuki Yamaguchi (Tokyo, JAPAN) and Chris Woods (Greensboro, NC) represent the Falcons with the most selections in Conference Carolinas.
The NABC Honors Court recognizes the talents and gifts that these men represent off the court by working just as hard in the classroom. To be named to the NABC Honors Court, each student athlete must meet a high standard of academic criteria that includes being a junior or senior, a varsity athlete, cumulative grade point average of 3.2 or higher, at-least one year at their current institution and a member of a NCAA division one, two, three or NAIA school.
“We are extremely proud of these young men that are representing us in the academic community” replied head coach Jeremy Currier. “They should be commended for their hard work on and off the court as ambassadors for our program.”

Falcons Add Assistant Coaches

Head men’s basketball coach Jeremy Currier announced the hiring of a pair of newcomers joining the Pfeiffer University family as assistant coaches. Oderra Jones and Chris Cline have both agreed to become assistants under Coach Currier in the Falcon basketball program.
Jones comes to Pfeiffer after serving on the staff at Sam Houston State University for the past two seasons. During that time, Jones helped the Bearkats compile a 43-20 record, 26-6 in Southland Conference play, while becoming regular season champs in both campaigns. Jones helped lead the Bearkats to a berth in the NCAA Tournament field of 65 this past season as SHSU came up nine points short against Baylor in the first round.
Prior to his time with the Bearkats, Jones served as the Director of Basketball Operations at Florida International. Jones is a 2003 graduate of Eastern Connecticut State earning a Bachelor’s degree in communication with a minor in sport management.
Cline comes east from Sonora, CA where he spent last season as an assistant at Columbia College just southeast of Sacramento. Cline helped Columbia compiled its best win total in six years.
Before heading to the west coast for a second time, Cline was an assistant at Rockingham Community College in front of a stint with California State University, Stanislaus. The Salisbury, NC native has also gained knowledge as an assistant at Ferrum College in Virginia.
Cline graduated in 2004 from Greensboro College where he started his coaching career under Rusty LaRue. LaRue was a standout while at Wake Forest before his 1998 championship season with the NBA’s Chicago Bulls. Cline graduated with a Bachelor of Science in ports and exercise studies, concentrating on coaching.

Falcons Sign Daniel Kuhl

Pfeiffer University Men’s Basketball coach Jeremy Currier has announced the signing of Daniel Kuhl (Winter Springs, FL) as an addition to the 2010 class. Kuhl comes to Pfeiffer as a four year starter under coach Travis Jones and Winter Springs High School, where they posted a 90-26 record. A three year captain, the 6’4’’ 215lb Kuhl averaged 12.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 4.4 assists while leading the Bears to 3 Conference Championships, 3 District Championships, 1 Regional Championship and a trip to the 6A Final Four.




“There is no better compliment that a coach can have for a player than trust. I have trusted Daniel to start every game over the past four years and gave him the green light to shoot and make plays at will. Through his leadership over those four years the team went 90-26 with 3 conference championships, 3 district championships, I regional championship and a trip to the 6A Final Four. None of these accomplishments are possible without Daniel Kuhl. He will be missed at Winter Springs and an asset to Pfeiffer University on the court, on campus and in the community” said Winter Springs High School Head Coach Travis Jones.



Kuhl was a Seminole Athletic Conference selection as a sophomore, junior and senior, and selected as a Winter Park Rotary Tournament First team selection in 2008 and again in 2009. Daniel was rated in the Top 100 Players in the Country by National Underclassmen Basketball Report, and ranked by Eddie Oliver and Hoops USA, a national player ranking throughout the United States as a senior. Kuhl was rated as the 9th best player in Florida by BreakDown Magazine, was an Orlando Sentinel Top 25 Player to Watch in the state of Florida, rated by Hoop Scoop Online as one of the best players in Florida, and rated as the 32nd best player in Florida by the Miami Tropics Report.

“Daniel has great size for a freshman guard, and a dynamic skill set that will help us immediately”, stated Falcon head coach Jeremy Currier. “To get a smart, multi-faceted player that can make everyone around him better is a special thing, and he is someone that can come in and help us right away. Daniel’s Dad played in the ACC, and uncles played major Division I basketball- he comes from great basketball pedigree- and he has been winning for the last four years in the highly competitive Florida 6A high school league. We are thrilled to have Daniel join us at Pfeiffer University.”

Pfeiffer University Basketball

Pfeiffer University is one of the top basketball programs in the country for the Division II level. We are located outside of Charlotte, North Carolina and compete in the Conference Carolinas. Pfeiffer has been on of the winningest basketball programs in the NCAA- ranked in the top five in wins and winning percentage since 1990. We have had over 40 professional players leave our program, and produced more than 15 All Americans in the last 20 years.