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FRANKLIN'S STAYING HOME
Mount Carmel basketball guard Troy Franklin is headed to Towson University
Published: 10/15/2007
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Cat Lover: Mount Carmel standout Troy Franklin announced Monday afternoon he's signing with the Tigers of Towson University.
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TIGER TALE
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Mount Carmel hoops star Troy Franklin verbals to Towson University
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by Derek Toney
During his press conference Monday afternoon, Mount Carmel High School boys' basketball player Troy Franklin got an interesting question.
"How does it feel to be best?" someone asked Franklin, who responded, "I don't think I'm the best, I might be the best in our eyes because I'm your older brother."
Franklin's younger brother will get to continue seeing his sibling play basketball next winter as Franklin announced his intention to sign a national letter of intent with Towson University. The 5-foot, 10-inch senior point guard chose the Tigers over Central Florida, George Mason, St. Bonaventure and Toledo.
"It just came down to it being the best academic and overall basketball fit for me," said Franklin. "I fit in with the players, the coach [Towson coach Pat Kennedy] is a cool person. He spoke to me straight-up, he never tried to talk sly to me."
Franklin, who also had scholarship offers from Boston University, Niagara, Quinnipiac, Radford, Robert Morris, Tulane and Wagner, said he took his official visit to the York Road school a couple of weeks ago after several unofficial visits.
"A few days later, I was driving in the car with my dad and I just said 'Towson,'" Franklin said, "I'm ready to commit to Towson."
"I think Towson being his last official visit and after that experience, he came to the conclusion Towson was the best fit for him," said Mount Carmel coach Tom Rose. "He'll be a very good fit for their basketball program and a very good student."
The national early signing period for basketball runs from Nov. 14 to Nov. 21.
A two-time MIAA B Conference first-team selection, Franklin averaged 14.9 points, four assists and 2.6 steals a game for Mount Carmel, which has reached the league championship game the past two seasons including the title in 2005-06. Franklin averaged 14.9 points, 4.4 assists and two steals as a sophomore after transferring from Boys' Latin.
"It was a different atmosphere," said Franklin. "The fans love you, they sit on the stage and bang water jugs together to get the other team rattled. They just took me in like I was part of the family."
With father Troy Sr., mother Patricia Franklin-Street and Rose next to him, Franklin made his announcement in front of hundreds of students, family and friends in the school's gymnasium.
Among those he thanked was his coaches with the Baltimore Stars Amateur Athletic Union squad where he solidified his standing as one of area's top guards. Franklin is ranked among the top 160 seniors from in the Northeast region by Tom Konchalski's High School Basketball Insider Report, which rates him as the top senior point guard in Maryland/D.C. area.
"I'm not sure there are many players in the area or on the East Coast that is fast as him," said Rose. "He shoots the ball very well, extremely competitive. I think all those things come together makes him very successful on the court."
Franklin said the biggest improvement he's made on the court from last season is decision-making. He isn't concerned about distractions with staying home for college.
"I don't feel any pressure at all," said Franklin. "I've been playing under pressure since I was seven years old."
Though he's dealt with obstacles on the playing court, Franklin said
he's relieved the recruiting process is over, and can focus on school
and the coming basketball season. The Cougars are likely to be again in
championship contention in the MIAA B.
"I'm really excited, ecstatic," said Franklin, whose team lost to
St. Mary's in the league finals last winter. "I'm shaking right now
just to go shoot."
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Troy Franklin Press Conference
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| Troy Franklin (above) announced that he will play basketball for Towson University |
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