Great South Athletic Conference

For Immediate Release
Oct. 19, 2006

Maryville men's basketball team ranked #7 in pre-season publication;
Fighting Scots' Golden pre-season All-American
The Maryville College Scots will look to improve on their 21-8 record from a year ago. MC has been to the NCAA Division III National Tournament on 13 occasions and has recorded eight consecutive appearances in the last eight years. The Scots have won at least one game in the national tournament in each of those eight seasons.

Due to the past success and the level of potential in the 2006-2007 squad, Maryville College has been ranked #7 nationally by Street and Smith’s College Basketball in their pre-season edition.

MC will return five potential starters for a season ago. Maryville’s perimeter attack is supported by key returnees Bo Mason and Quinn Bradley. Bo Mason (Kennesaw, GA/ Marietta), a 6’0” junior, will be counted on as a primary scorer as the Scots’ point guard. Mason averaged 13.3 points per game last season and earned All-Great South Athletic Conference 2nd team accolades. He was 80-204 (39%) from beyond the arc. The strong shooting guard hit on 40% of all his shots and hit over 79% of his free throws. He was the key distributor for the Scots last season averaging 4.7 assists per game. He also led MC in steals with 1.4 per contest. Quinn Bradley (Clarksville, TN/Clarksville) played valuable minutes as a part-time starter last season during his sophomore campaign. The 6’2” wing is the best defender on the team.

The Scots post game will be led by three key returnees. Bobby Golden (Louisville, TN/ William Blount), a 6’7 senior, looks to return with his power presence in the paint. Golden earned 1st team All-Great South Athletic Conference honors after averaging 14.7 points per game. He led the Scots in total rebounds (162) and averaged 6.2 boards a contest. Assisting Golden in the paint will be last season “super-sub” Bradley Blair (Greeneville, TN/Greeneville). Blair played in all 29 games last season and averaged 11.5 points per game. The 6’7” senior forward averaged 3.9 rebounds per game and shot 46% from the field. MC’s third presence under the board is junior Jeremy Holliday (Knoxville, TN/Bearden). Holliday, a 6’7” post tossed in 6.5 points a game after shooting 50% from the field. All three players have been starters over the last two seasons and have rotated in the post positions depending on the opponents.

MC will feature the talents of some key incoming talent. Eleven newcomers will join a cast of ten core returnees to maintain the quality of excellence expected with the Scots program.

Head Coach Randy Lambert stated, “Hopefully, our perimeter game will be as strong or will compliment our inside attack. Our post players will be able to play with anybody in Division III. If some of our newcomers provide some production at the wing, we could have a great year.”

Bobby Golden, a senior post player from Louisville, Tennessee has been named an Honorable Mention Pre-Season All-American by Street and Smith’s annual basketball publication.

Golden averaged 14.7 points per game as he helped lead the Scots to the NCAA Division III National Tournament for the eighth consecutive season. The bid was the 13th trip to the big dance in MC’s history.

The 6'7" man in the paint shot 52% from the field during the season and hauled in a team leading 6.2 rebounds per game.
Golden and his teammates have posted a 66-21 record in three seasons and have dominated Great South competition by going 25-3. The Scots have claimed three regular season GSAC titles and two Great South Tournament crowns during Bobby’s tenure.

His efforts earned him Great South Athletic Conference All-Conference honors each of the last three seasons.
The son of Jimmy Wayne and Patricia Golden posted 8 twenty-point games and tallied 20 double digit scoring efforts in 26 games.

Bobby’s accolade is the third All-American during the 27 year tenure of Maryville's Head Coach Randy Lambert. Sydney Ellis (Class of 2005) garnered two All-American selections as a Scot under Lambert.

Maryville has started workouts in preparation for their November 21st opener against the Colonels of Centre College. The Scots will tip-off the 2006-2007 at 8:00 p.m. in MC’s Cooper Athletic Center.

Courtesy of Maryville College Sports Information Department