Ex-leesburg Stars Shine, April 9, 2004

Francis Cuyler And Brandon Kelley Were Standouts On Their Junior-college Team.

April 09, 2004|By Joe Williams, Sentinel Staff Writer

 

Francis Cuyler

In Francis Cuyler's estimation, this season for Cowley County (Kan.) Community College wasn't a success.

Forget that the team on which he starred along with another former Leesburg High School teammate, Brandon Kelley, went 23-9. Forget that he was named first-team All-Jayhawk Eastern Conference, leading the conference in steals (79) and his team in scoring (18.3 points a game). Forget that he has several NCAA Division I colleges in hot pursuit.

For Cuyler, it all comes down to the bottom line: The Tigers, who made it to the National Junior College Athletic Association's regional final a year ago for the first time in 50 years and had a 22-12 record, were eliminated in the second round of the regionals this year.

Cuyler and Kelley, who were teammates on the 2002 Leesburg basketball team that advanced to the high school state tournament for the first time in 25 years, wanted so badly to reach the nationals this year that anything short of that goal marred the season.

"This year was a disappointment,'' Cuyler said. "After making it to the regional finals last year, we wanted to go to the national tournament.''

Brandon Kelley

Added Kelley: "The season went good, but we had some little setbacks here and there. We were disappointed we didn't make it any further than we did. We should have made it to nationals. That was a big disappointment, but other than that, everything was OK.''

Not that Cuyler and Kelley, who was redshirted last year and has one more season of community college eligibility remaining, didn't do their best to lead the Tigers to nationals. Along with leading the team in scoring and steals, Cuyler also led the team in assists. Kelley, who averaged 6.9 points a game, was second on the team to Cuyler in steals (54) and assists (80).

Kelley, a 5-foot-10 point guard, allowed Cuyler, 6-0, to highlight his skills more as a shooting guard. Cuyler's best game of his career was a 37-point effort in a 75-73 victory against Independence (Kan.) Community College on Feb. 11. Cuyler had 27 points in the first half.

Cuyler led the team in scoring in 10 games this season, and Kelley was the team leader twice.

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Ex-leesburg Stars Shine

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Joe Williams

Sentinel Staff Writer

Orlando Sentinel

www.orlandosentinel.com

April 09, 2004

Article provided by:
Gerald Lacey
Staff Writer
Carver Heights Quarterback Club
1986 Varsity Jackets Football Lettermen #82
Class of 1988 Leesburg High School
leesburgyellowjacketsfootball@yahoo.com
www.leesburgyellowjacketsbasketball.com   

 

 

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