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Last Updated: Sep 21st, 2008 - 20:28:12 |
TORTOLA—British Virgin Islands hoopster Kleon Penn, a 6-11 center at McNeese State, has been ruled eligible to play this coming basketball season for the Cowboys.
Penn, of Old Plantation, Tortola, petitioned the NCAA earlier this year after the end of the 2007-08 season. There had been some question about his eligibility for the 2008-09 season, because he played a year for the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College Stingrays, but Bridget Martin, the university’s associate athletic director and director of compliance, said, in a media release, “McNeese State University has determined that men’s basketball student-athlete Kleon Penn meets the NCAA’s eligibility requirements for intercollegiate competition for the 2008-2009 academic year.”
The Cowboy standout has played the past two seasons and last year led the conference, ranked fourth in the nation and set a single season school record for blocked shots.
“This is certainly a boost for our program,” McNeese head coach Dave Simmons told the McNeese State sports information department. “I look for him to continue to improve and be a force for us this season. I want to thank our administration for following through on this situation and coming to a positive conclusion.”
The 6-11 Penn narrowly missed only the second triple double in Cowboy history, scoring 12 points, pulling 15 rebounds and blocking nine shots, during their 74-71, victory over Lamar on March 1. Penn totaled 108 rebounds at the end the game during his short career, breaking Edmond Lawrence’s 35-year old block shots record of 106 during the 1972-73 season. He ended the season with 117 blocks for a 4.0 average, as the Cowboys had 180 blocks on the season and were the top team in blocks in the Southland Conference.
“I wasn’t sure if I was going to get it or not because it took a long time and school had already started. I just found out that I got it, but I’m really excited about having another year to show off my skills,” said Penn who averaged 6.7 points, 6.3 rebounds per game.
“I’m going to try and improve on the things I need to improve on this year, like scoring, being in better condition and being consistent. I spent the summer conditioning with the football team and had a three day camp in Houston with John Lucas—that was the toughest three day workout I’ve ever had in my life.”
Penn who earned a Bachelors degree in general science over the summer will work on a Bachelors degree in accounting, following up on the Associates he got at HLSCC in the same discipline.
© Copyright 2008-9 BVI Olympic Committee
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