The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

JARON Cornish left an indelible mark on Stony Brook men’s basketball during his tenure and the programme looks to give back to the Abaco native.

The Seawolves established several initiatives to target the recovery efforts for Cornish and his family after Hurricane Dorian wreaked havoc on the northern Bahamas.

“Jaron and his family are native to the Abaco islands and were significantly impacted by Hurricane Dorian, losing their home and nearly all of their belongings to the storm. During his time at Stony Brook, Jaron was known for his infectious energy and positive mindset.

“He was always willing to help out his friends and teammates, and now he needs our help,” Seawolves Athletics said in a statement.

“Stony Brook Athletics is launching fundraising efforts for Jaron and his family, and we ask that you donate any amount that you can to help the Cornish family in their rebuilding efforts in one of the following two ways.”

Stony Brook established an Island Federal account entitled “Jaron Cornish and Family Support Fund” for alum and supporters of the programme.

“Island Federal has established an account in which 100 per cent of the money raised will go to Jaron and his family. Simply visit any Island Federal location and donate with cash or a cheque in support of the “Jaron Cornish and Family Support Fund.”

They also created a GoFundMe account entitled “Jaron Cornish and Family Fund.”

Cornish’s storied collegiate career came to an end when his Seawolves were eliminated from Roman College Basketball Invitational in a heartbreaking 82-79 overtime loss to the South Florida Bulls.

Cornish finished with the third double double and one of the best all around games of his career - 21 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. He finished his senior season with averages of 9.4 points, 4.3 rebounds 3.6 assists and 1.1 steals per game through 33 contests. He led the team in both assists and steals and also finished fourth in scoring and rebounding.

As a junior , Cornish played in 27 games, making 14 starts. He led the Seawolves in assists (77) and finished second on the team in scoring (8.6) despite missing the first four games of the season following knee surgery. He was named the America East Player of the Week for his play in the overtime win at Rutgers and had two double doubles.

Prior to his senior season, he made his senior national team debut as the Bahamas earned their only win of the FIBA 2019 World Cup Qualifiers - an 83-82 win over the Dominican Republic.

Cornish made a three-pointer to give the team a 77-64 lead with 3:57 left to play for their biggest lead of the game.

Cornish transferred to Stony Brook after completing two NJCAA seasons with the Broward College Seahawks in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

As a sophomore, he averaged 18.7 points and 4.5 assists per game on 42 per cent from three-point range. While leading his team in nearly every offensive category, Cornish was also one of the top players in the NJCAA and ranked in the top 50 Division I JUCO players in the nation in free throws made, made free throws per game, total points, steals and points per game. Cornish tallied 11 20-plus point games in his final season at Broward.

An Abaco native, he played locally at Agape Christian before transferring to Champagnat Catholic in Hialeah, Florida.