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After qualifying for the AUS tournament for the first time in four seasons, coach John Campbell and the Dalhousie Tigers are optimistic that the program is on the upswing and can begin to annually challenge for the AUS title. By virtue of their latest recruiting class which includes several high quality names, the Tigers are gathering a solid array of talent to add to their core of returning veterans. Dal officially announced their class this morning and at least 7 new faces will arrive at the Halifax campus in time for next season including a guard who projects as one of the top newcomers in the CIS in 6'1" Simon Farine (pictured), who sat out last season after transfering from Wisconsin-Green Bay, an NCAA Division 1 program in the U.S. midwest where he averaged 1.4 ppg in 27 games in 2005-06. Originally from Toronto's Northern Secondary School, Farine is a solid combination guard who was generally regarded as one of the top players in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) in his final year of high school. After garnering limited playing time down south, Farine has transfered back to Canada and should add the star-quality, go-to player that the Tigers will need as they plan their ascent up the AUS ladder. Campbell was able to find another gem in Toronto at Farine's alma mater (Northern S.S.) as 6'4" Yannick Walcott will also join the Tigers for next season. A solid wing who can score and defend, Walcott should also be an impact player from the beginning given his solid experience playing in the Toronto public school league and a recent appearance at the "Rumble in the T-Dot" all star game. Campbell wasn't finished in Toronto however as the Tigers welcome 6'6" Robert Nortman, a tremendous athlete who spent this past season at Eastern Commerce Prep after a solid high school career at Malvern S.S. in Toronto, also winning slam dunk competition at the Sam Ashaolu Charity game in Toronto. Expect Nortman to be at his best in up-and-down, transition type games where he can flash his great leaping ability. Nortman projects to be a contributor off the bench early in his career with the potential to play significant minutes down the road. Dal is also very happy to be bringing in 6'6" Jason Wang from Ottawa's Sir Robert Borden H.S. Wang, an excellent student who aspires to attend medical school one day, should provide depth up front at the four spot. The Tigers also got some assistance on the recruiting trail from one of the greatest players in Dal history as Dean Thibodeau, who was an All-Canadian with the Tigers in the mid-90's and is still playing in Europe, uncovered a potential gem across the Atlantic in young wing 6'3" Juppe Knudsen from Copenhagen, Denmark. Knudsen, only 19 years old but already with three seasons playing experience in the Danish First Division for Sjaelland, should allow him to compete immediately at the CIS level and projects as a solid wing player. The Tigers weren't finished yet as they attracted 6'4" Josh Beatty, a local product from Bedford, N.S. (C.T. Allen H.S.). Beatty is described as a mentally-tough, skilled perimeter player with solid fundamentals and a high basketball IQ. The Head Coach went out west to the basketball hotbed of B.C. to snare his first namesake in his tenure at Dal as 6'0" Charlie Campbell from Vancouver College High School in Vancouver, BC (no relation to the coach) will attend in the fall, adding depth to the backcourt. Charlie Campbell played a key role on his team’s third-place finish at the recent B.C. provincial championships and averaged 17.4 points, seven rebounds and eight assists in his final season of high school basketball. With key returnees Andrew Sullivan and Germaine Bendegue among others, expect the Tigers to have enough depth and quality to compete for a top four finish this season in the AUS.

MORE ON DAL'S RECRUITING CLASS: Article by Philip Croucher from Halifax Daily News Basketball Tigers flush with new recruits for upcoming season and from Chad Lucas of the Halifax Chronicle-Herald Tigers land seven new faces for 2007-08

Montreal's Maurice Joseph who just finished his sophomore season with the Michigan State Spartans of the Big 10 but, according to this report, is expected to transfer to a lower Division 1 school, probably closer to home in Montreal. MoJo to transfer