Fingleton Gone, League Gets Much Shorter

The only McDonald's HS All-American to ever play in the PL, I believe...

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Telegram and Gazette
Fingleton to end stay at Holy Cross

Will return home to tend to sick family member Fingleton announces decision to leave HC

By Jennifer Toland
T&G STAFF
jtolland@telegram.com


WORCESTER - Neil Fingleton will leave the Holy Cross men's basketball team at the end of this semester and return to his home in Durham, England, for an unspecified amount of time to be with a sick family member.

"I pretty much really need to go home," Fingleton said last night. ""I'd love to be back, but I'm not sure what's going on."

Fingleton will leave following first-semester exams which begin Saturday. The Crusaders play their last game of the semester tonight against Fordham.

"Everyone supports Neil, everybody cares about him," Holy Cross coach Ralph Willard said. ""We hope and pray things work out."

Fingleton said Willard was completely understanding and supportive of his decision.

"He's been great with the whole thing," Fingleton said. ""He understands some things are more important than basketball."

Fingleton, who played at Holy Name High, transferred to Holy Cross from the University of North Carolina in January 2002. He sat out for a year and made his much-anticipated HC debut against UNC-Asheville last Dec. 22. At 7-6, he is the tallest player in Holy Cross history.

Fingleton played in 21 games last year, averaging 2.9 points and 1.6 rebounds. He made a career-high four blocks in a game against Navy.

Willard said before this season that Fingleton had made progress during the offseason and preseason, but injuries have limited his playing time. A shoulder injury sidelined the junior center for a couple of weeks before the season started. He eventually returned to practice, only to suffer an ankle injury. He also had a case of the flu.

He averaged 2.7 points and 2.7 rebounds in three games.

When asked if he thought he would eventually return to Holy Cross, Fingleton said, ""We'll see how things go. I'll speak to my folks."

Fingleton came to the United States, by himself, when he was 16 years old and played for J.P. Ricciardi for three years at Holy Name. A friend of Ricciardi's, Phil Giarusso of Worcester, served as Fingleton's guardian. Fingleton took on almost icon status while at Holy Name and he was a McDonald's All-American.

Holy Cross was one of Fingleton's original suitors when he was coming out of Holy Name, but the legend of Carolina Blue lured him south. Following back surgery in the summer of 2000, he red-shirted his freshman year at UNC. He played in one game for the Tar Heels the following year. It was clear from the beginning that Fingleton, who was recruited by former North Carolina coach Bill Guthridge, did not have a place in the plans of Matt Doherty, who succeeded Guthridge.

Coming back to Worcester, which has really become his adopted hometown, seemed the natural option when Fingleton decided to leave UNC. He developed many close friendships here while in high school, as well as the support of a large group of fans. That backing has continued while he's been at Holy Cross.

"It's a great place," Fingleton said. ""Since I left North Carolina, I've been happy to be around here. Holy Cross has been great to me. Unfortunately, this happened.

"When someone in your family is sick, basketball is the last thing on your mind," Fingleton said. ""So it wasn't a tough decision (to leave), but it was a hard one."  @ 2:28 PM