Pat Flannery Announces Bucknell Men's Basketball Recruits

First Scholarship Class to Enter Program in 2003-04

Pat Flannery and the Bison will welcome four new members in 2003-04.

June 9, 2003

LEWISBURG, Pa. - When the Bucknell University Board of Trustees announced the implementation of a merit aid program in November, head men's basketball coach Pat Flannery quickly went to work on a recruiting strategy to make use of the three scholarships awarded to his program. Six months later, the fruits of that labor have been realized, with the announcement of the Bison's 2003-04 recruiting class that this fall will hit the recently completed hardwood of 4,000-seat Gary A. Sojka Pavilion.

The first merit-aid recipients in Bucknell men's basketball history are John Clark, a 6'7" forward from Tulsa, Okla. (Cascia Hall Prep); Donald Brown, a 6'6" forward from Long Island who played at St. John Baptist H.S. and St. Thomas More Prep; and Chris McNaughton, a 6'11" forward/center from Leuterhausen, Germany. In addition, Flannery has announced the addition of 6'0" point guard Ibrahim "Abe" Badmus of Chicago, who attended Notre Dame High School for Boys in Niles, Ill.

Clark was a first-team all-state performer at Cascia Hall Prep in Tulsa, averaging 23 points, 10 rebounds and four assists during his senior campaign. Clark, who led his squad to a regional championship in 2002-03, was one of 39 high school players selected to the 2002 USA Basketball Youth Development Festival. Off the court, he was class vice-president and a National Merit Finalist.

"John is a versatile forward who is going to bring skill and toughness to our program," said Flannery. "His tenacity and ability to make basketball plays will enable us to move him around in our system."

Brown averaged 10 points, seven rebounds and two assists per game at St. Thomas More under head coach Jere Quinn, whose son Matt will be a senior on the Bison squad next season. Brown helped lead the prep powerhouse to a 24-6 record last season. A Central Islip, N.Y., native, Brown also averaged 19 points, nine rebounds and four assists per game at St. John Baptist High in 2001-02. He was an All-Long Island selection that season and was selected to play in the New York Wheel Chair Classic.

"We are very excited about Donald's skill and athleticism," Flannery said. "He's capable of presenting matchup problems for an opponent. Donald can play on the perimeter, and also has a presence in the low post. His time spent with Jere Quinn and the highly regarded St. Thomas More program has put him in position to be a successful college student-athlete."

McNaughton comes to Bucknell from the TSV Breitengussbach club in Germany. A towering presence in the post, McNaughton last season averaged 10.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game while shooting 59 percent from the field and 74 percent from the free-throw line. He was selected to play with the German U-20 all-star team in 2001 and the U-22 team in 2002.

"We feel that Chris will be a great addition to our program and immediately contribute to our front-line needs," said Flannery, whose squad must replace senior forwards Boakai Lalugba and Brian Werner. "Chris is a mobile big man who is a true back-to-basket player. His experience with the German Under-20 national team should help in his adjustment to the physical play of Division I basketball."

Badmus was a four-year starter at Notre Dame High School, averaging 15 points, five assists, five rebounds and three steals per game as a senior, while shooting 56 percent from the field. After helping his team to a conference title as a junior, Badmus led the team to a 19-6 record (12-2 league) and a runner-up finish this past season, despite the loss of three other starters. Badmus was named MVP of the East Suburban Catholic Conference and was a fourth-team all-state selection. He played in the Chicagoland Jamboree high school all-star game. Also a fine student, Badmus was a National Honor Society member.

"We look for Ibrahim to continue the fine mold of Bucknell point guards," said Flannery, himself a point-guard for the Bison in the late-1970s. "We are excited about his ability to accelerate the ball from foul line to foul line, and he plays excellent pressure defense."