Despite the frustration of not getting cleared to play for the 2009/2010 season, Hofstra men's basketball shooting guard Brad Kelleher has been handling the news with class, Pride head coach Tom Pecora stated during Monday morning’s weekly Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Teleconference.
The NCAA declared Kelleher ineligible for the remainder of the season last week citing an application he signed with a professional team in his native Australia five years ago being equal to a contract. However despite the bad news that came down last week, the transfer from Midland College in Texas has been doing his best to keep a positive attitude in the midst of his frustration and confusion over the NCAA’s decision.
“He’s been tremendous,” said Coach Pecora during the weekly CAA Teleconference of Kelleher’s attitude in the wake of not getting cleared to play by the NCAA. “He is a class young guy.”
Prior to the start of the 2009/2010 season the 6’0 Kelleher was slated to start at shooting guard for the Pride and be a key offensive weapon on the perimeter. During his freshman season at Midland the 6’0 Kelleher was sixth in the nation in three-point shooting percentage, connecting on 44 percent from beyond the arc.
After Thursday’s decision declaring Kelleher ineligible was issued, Pecora lashed out at the NCAA in a Newsday article calling the organization “corrupt” and one that will “do anything to take care of their BCS members who have a tremendous amount of power and juice.”
Pecora emphasized in the CAA Teleconference that Kelleher never took any compensation for his appearances with the Australia National Basketball League team he signed with after graduating high school. “He knows he didn’t do anything wrong,” said Pecora.
Later this week Kelleher’s parents are scheduled to travel to Long Island from Australia to determine more about on their son’s prospects for playing college basketball at Hofstra.
“I am going to have to sit down and explain things to them and it’s very difficult to do when your child has been wronged,” said Pecora. “The NCAA said my comments were inappropriate and my reaction to that is any coach that is worth his salt is going to stand up for one of his student athletes when they have been wronged and that is what took place here, so it is far from inappropriate in my opinion.”
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