ST. JOHN’S MESCHARAKOU ACCEPTS BASKETBALL SCHOLARSHIP FROM GEORGETOWN

Viking teammates Houston and Mency also accept basketball scholarships

Nikita Mescharakou, a 6′-7-1/2″ small forward who graduated from St. John’s Catholic Prep this spring, has received a full athletic scholarship to continue his education and play basketball at Georgetown University.

Mescharakou is native of Belarus and transfered to St. John’s prior to his senior year. He helped the Vikings get off to a fast start in the MIAA A Conference. He is part of a talented freshman class joining the Hoya roster next season, one year after the team won the Big East championship and went all the way to the NCAA Final Four. He is also part of growing MIAA contingent recruited to our nation’s capital by Georgetown head coach John Thompson, III.

Last year, former McDonogh star DuJuan Summers blossomed into one of the nation’s top freshmen as he played a key role in the Hoyas best season in more than two decades. In addition, Henry Sims, a prized rising senior at Mount St. Joseph, committed to Georgetown earlier this year and will join the Hoyas for the 2008-2009 season.

This year Mescharakou averaged 14.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.0 blocks per game. He also shot better than 50% from the field and 78% from the free throw line, while earning multiple honors including All-Tournament Team at the Gonzaga DC Classic, MVP of the Sleepy Thompson Invitational, Honorable Mention All-Met with the Washington Post and an invitation to the Charm City Challenge.

St. John’s athletic director and head basketball coach Silas Cheung said, â??Nikita is an absolute pleasure to have around. Heâ??s a tremendous competitor. He understands the level of competition in the Big East and is already working hard to improve his game and his academics. Coach Thompson and the rest of the Georgetown community have got themselves not just a quality basketball player, but an even better

iNikita Mescharakou, on his way to Georgetown University, finishes off a breakaway slam dunk at the Gonzaga DC Classic last season.

young man.â?

Two other Viking stars also announced their college basketball plans this week, as J.J. Houston and Dee Mency also accepted scholarships.

Houston, who was limited to just six games this year because of a broken wrist and a sever ankle injury, is headed to Marymount University (VA), following a very strong junior year. The 6′-5-1/2 forward, however, did return in time to average 11.6 points and 12.1 rebound during the Vikings’ season-ending championship at the Sleepy Thompson Tournament in Alexandria, Virginia. Houston also received interest from Randolph-Macon University, a host of Division III schools, and a scholarship offer from Division II Davis and Elkins College.

Mency, one of the top scoring guards in the A Conference last winer, accepted a full scholarship offer from Merrimack College (MA), after averaging 21.2 points, 2.1 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game in his only season with the Frederick school.

Mency, 6′-2″, was named All-MIAA, Frederick News Post First-Team, Honorable Mention All-Met with the Washington Post and All-Gazette First-Team. He also earned Most Outstanding Player honors at the prestigious Benedictine Capital City Classic in Richmond, Virginia, considered one of the nationâ??s best high school basketball tournaments. Mency also received scholarship offers from the University of New Hampshire, Quinnipiac University and Fairmont State University.