Coggins to play basketball at Quinnipiac

Quinnipiac University wasn't the first college to show interest in Eric Coggins. But when the Bobcats finally did, they put on a full-court press.

<p class="MsoNormal">Coggins, a 6-foot-8 Central Catholic High School senior, has verbally committed to Quinnipiac -- a Division I college in Hamden, Conn.

<p class="MsoNormal">Coggins becomes the fourth Crusader to play Division I men's college basketball, joining Dan O'Bravack (Dayton), his current head coach Kevin Finefrock (Rider) and Mike Bajornas (Mount St. Mary's).

<p class="MsoNormal">Finefrock and Coggins sent out highlight tapes this spring. Quinnipiac, which plays in the Northeast Conference, didn't show interest until September.

<p class="MsoNormal">Assistant coach Scott Burrell, a former NBA player and UConn alum, came to Central's gym wearing his championship ring earned with the Bulls and telling stories about Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman.

<p class="MsoNormal">Then first-year Head Coach Tom Moore visited, using Emeka Okafor in analogies. Moore spent the last 13 seasons as Jim Calhoun's assistant at UConn. Moore came for a second time Wednesday and offered a full-ride scholarship.

<p class="MsoNormal">Coggins visited the Quinnipiac campus over the weekend and was taken by the mountain setting and brand new 3,500-seat arena. He gave a verbal commitment Monday after school, choosing the Bobcats over Mount St. Mary's (Md.), the only other school to offer him.

<p class="MsoNormal">"They really liked my athleticism -- the quick jumps and the shot blocking," Coggins said. "Once I get a little stronger, they think I will reallydevelop and get a lot better."

<p class="MsoNormal">Princeton, Columbia and Colgate also showed interest in the 195-pound Coggins.

<p class="MsoNormal">"He runs the floor, has great hands, is athletic, dunks everything and challenges shots in the paint," Finefrock said. "And I think his best basketball is ahead of him. He works extremely hard. He's humble and he's coachable."

<p class="MsoNormal">Coggins averaged 12 points and 5.5 rebounds as a junior, shooting 63 percent from the field and 71 percent from the foul line. He already holds school records for career blocks (71) and single-season blocks (69), helping the Crusaders hold opponents to 48.2 points a game last year -- their best defensive average since the 1949-50 season.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Eric is a kid who represents everything that is right about high school basketball," Finefrock said.

<p class="MsoNormal">Reach Repository sports writer Josh Weir at (330) 580-8426 or e-mail josh.weir@cantonrep.com