Mark Cubit had his worst season in his five-year tenure at Mercersburg Academy (Pa.) a year ago.
He’s expecting far different results this season.
Mercersburg has size up front and solid backcourt play. It’s a combination that should provide positive results for Cubit & Co.
James Craft, a thin 6-11, 200-pound senior who has split time between Ohio and Virginia during his high school years, is attracting interest from the likes of Wright State, Tennessee-Chattanooga, Rider, Fordham and South Florida.
``He has a really strong mid-range shot, but he’s not terrible gifted with his back to the basket,” Cubit said. “He’s getting stronger, though. He’s an extremely good shooter who runs the floor well and can also alter shots on the defensive end.”
He’ll be joined up front by Panama native Eduardo Archibald Brown, a 6-8 power forward who will be a junior this season and has already piqued the interest of Penn State and a few WAC schools.
``He’s just new to the work ethic and the amount of time we spend in the gym over here,” Cubit said. “He’s a big, wide kid who has a great pair of hands. He’s not afraid of being physical.”
Alex Tyler, a 6-7 junior power forward from Clear Spring, Md., is getting Ivy League interest.
There will be three players who rotate in the backcourt. Eric Rahauser is a 6-foot wing guard from Mercersburg, Andre Smith is a 5-11 senior point guard from Danbury, Conn., and Colin Cubit, the coach’s son, is a 6-3 junior shooter. Josh Davis is a 5-10 junior guard and 6-5 junior wing Casey Oliver who will also figure into the rotation.
``This is as strong a group of inside players I’ve had since I’ve been here,” Cubit said. “We have a nice compliment of guards and it’s a group that lends itself to good chemistry.”
``I think this is a group that will lend itself to more consistent play,” added Cubit. “We had some pretty nice upsets last year, but we couldn’t sustain that level over time. We’re a better rebounding team this year, should have fewer turnovers and have better shot selection.”