Men’s Hoops Trio Honored by NABC
7/27/2021 5:18:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Victor Bafutto, Mitch Prendergast and Patrick Urey received recognition
KANSAS CITY, Kan. – A trio of Mercer basketball players – Victor Bafutto, Mitch Prendergast and Patrick Urey – were honored by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) with a spot on the NABC Honors Court on Tuesday afternoon.
In order to be named to the Honor Court, the student-athlete must be a junior or senior academically. The athlete must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.2 and completed at least one year at their institution.
Bafutto, a civil engineering major, earned honors from the NABC for the second consecutive year. The Brasila, Brazil, native boasts an impressive 3.532 grade-point average and is a four-time SoCon Academic Honor Roll member. Bafutto played in five contests in 2020-21, all off the bench, and totaled 10 points. He put together a solid all-around outing in a blowout win over The Citadel (Feb. 22), going 2-for-3 from the floor and grabbing five rebounds in just seven minutes. In the regular season finale at Western Carolina, made both of his shot attempts and pulled down a defensive rebound in seven minutes. He averaged 2.0 points and 1.2 rebounds per game as a redshirt junior.
Prendergast, a native of Dallas, Texas, is also a two-time NABC honoree. The 6-foot guard was a four-time SoCon Academic Honor Roll selection and received his degree in entrepreneurship, graduating with a 3.552 GPA. Prendergast appeared in six games in 2020-21, scoring nine points and shooting 3-of-8 from the floor. He received playing time in 18 contests throughout his four years with the Bears. His best performance came in a December 2020 rout of Milligan when he scored 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting with three three-pointers in 20 minutes.
Urey, a redshirt sophomore on the court and junior in the classroom, is pursuing a degree in finance and has an impressive 3.451 GPA. He played in 13 contests and provided a much-needed toughness in the post in his appearances. In a December contest at Georgia State, he scored four points and kept the Bears in the game, grabbing seven rebounds, with three providing a second chance on the offensive end of the floor. In the Ingles SoCon Game of the Week against Western Carolina, Urey sent the home crowd into a frenzy, securing a late rebound and knocking down two free throws in the waning seconds to help the Bears secure a pivotal conference victory. Â
About the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC)
Located in Kansas City, Missouri, the NABC was founded in 1927 by Phog Allen, the legendary basketball coach at the University of Kansas. Allen, a student of James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, organized coaches into this collective group to serve as Guardians of the Game. The NABC currently has nearly 5,000 members consisting primarily of university and college men's basketball coaches. All members of the NABC are expected to uphold the core values of being a Guardian of the Game by bringing attention to the positive aspects of the sport of basketball and the role coaches play in the academic and athletic lives of today's student-athletes. The four core values of being a Guardian of the Game are advocacy, leadership, service and education. For additional information about the NABC, its programs and membership, go to www.nabc.com.
How to Follow the Bears:Â
For complete coverage of Mercer Basketball, please follow the Bears on social media at @MercerMBB (Twitter), /MercerBasketball (Facebook) and @Mercer_MBB (Instagram) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.
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In order to be named to the Honor Court, the student-athlete must be a junior or senior academically. The athlete must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.2 and completed at least one year at their institution.
Bafutto, a civil engineering major, earned honors from the NABC for the second consecutive year. The Brasila, Brazil, native boasts an impressive 3.532 grade-point average and is a four-time SoCon Academic Honor Roll member. Bafutto played in five contests in 2020-21, all off the bench, and totaled 10 points. He put together a solid all-around outing in a blowout win over The Citadel (Feb. 22), going 2-for-3 from the floor and grabbing five rebounds in just seven minutes. In the regular season finale at Western Carolina, made both of his shot attempts and pulled down a defensive rebound in seven minutes. He averaged 2.0 points and 1.2 rebounds per game as a redshirt junior.
Prendergast, a native of Dallas, Texas, is also a two-time NABC honoree. The 6-foot guard was a four-time SoCon Academic Honor Roll selection and received his degree in entrepreneurship, graduating with a 3.552 GPA. Prendergast appeared in six games in 2020-21, scoring nine points and shooting 3-of-8 from the floor. He received playing time in 18 contests throughout his four years with the Bears. His best performance came in a December 2020 rout of Milligan when he scored 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting with three three-pointers in 20 minutes.
Urey, a redshirt sophomore on the court and junior in the classroom, is pursuing a degree in finance and has an impressive 3.451 GPA. He played in 13 contests and provided a much-needed toughness in the post in his appearances. In a December contest at Georgia State, he scored four points and kept the Bears in the game, grabbing seven rebounds, with three providing a second chance on the offensive end of the floor. In the Ingles SoCon Game of the Week against Western Carolina, Urey sent the home crowd into a frenzy, securing a late rebound and knocking down two free throws in the waning seconds to help the Bears secure a pivotal conference victory. Â
About the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC)
Located in Kansas City, Missouri, the NABC was founded in 1927 by Phog Allen, the legendary basketball coach at the University of Kansas. Allen, a student of James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, organized coaches into this collective group to serve as Guardians of the Game. The NABC currently has nearly 5,000 members consisting primarily of university and college men's basketball coaches. All members of the NABC are expected to uphold the core values of being a Guardian of the Game by bringing attention to the positive aspects of the sport of basketball and the role coaches play in the academic and athletic lives of today's student-athletes. The four core values of being a Guardian of the Game are advocacy, leadership, service and education. For additional information about the NABC, its programs and membership, go to www.nabc.com.
How to Follow the Bears:Â
For complete coverage of Mercer Basketball, please follow the Bears on social media at @MercerMBB (Twitter), /MercerBasketball (Facebook) and @Mercer_MBB (Instagram) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.
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Players Mentioned
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