Tony Bobbitt

04/24/04: Bobbitt is no longer listed on NBADraft.net's listing as possible Draft picks. He had previously been listed as the last pick in the over all draft. - Mike Ryan

04/14/04: Bobbitt was drafted by the USBL Brevard Blue Ducks. He was the 7th overall pick in their draft. This means that the Brevard franchise has the rights to Bobbitt if he plays for a USBL team. - Mike Ryan

04/12/04: "Tony Bobbitt of Cincinnati was named the Portsmouth Invitational MVP after averaging 17.0 points and making a tournament-high 13 three-pointers in leading Norfolk Naval Shipyard to the P.I.T. championship." - College Basketball News.com

04/10/04: Bobbitt scored 19 pts, had 6 rebs and 4 assists in the championship game of the Portsmouth Invitational, pre-NBA Draft camp. He won the game MVP as his team won by 15. He was 5-9 from the 3pt line and played a game high 37 mins. In previous games he totalled 8-18 from the 3pt line. - Mike Ryan

04/05/04: "It was fun; we've been enjoying this whole trip," said Bobbitt, who scored 22 points to lead the NABC all-stars in an 88-72 defeat. "Anyone would want to be playing (in the Final Four) but we're glad to be here. You only get one life, so you have to take advantage of whatever opportunities you get." - Tony Bobbitt, regarding the Harlem Globetrotters vs. NABC All-Stars game.

04/02/04: Bobbitt has been listed on the roster of a Portsmouth Invitational team for an NBA tryout. He is on 'Norfolk' team with players like Sean Finn of Dayton, Antonio Burks of Memphis and Erok Daniels of Kentucky. The games are next weekend in eastern Virginia. - Mike Ryan

03/22/04: "There is nothing fun about the last game, unless you win it. There is only regret, disappointment and a final few minutes to wear the uniform. And, perhaps, a handshake. With about a minute to play Sunday, Tony Bobbitt left UC's second-round NCAA Tournament game with Illinois. He acknowledged a few teammates. As he walked past Bob Huggins, the coach extended his hand. Bobbitt slapped it and started to find his seat. Huggins wouldn't let go.

There are moments that define a team, a coach and a program. The Bearcats had a few Sunday, during their 68-92 thumping at the hands of the Illini. For better or worse, UC is known as a bicep-wielding team that has underachieved in the NCAA Tournament. Few schools have squandered high seeds like Cincinnati. That defines them.

So does this: Huggins wouldn't let go of Bobbitt's hand. In the midst of an embarrassing, lopsided loss - UC never got closer than 12 points during the last 30 minutes of the game - the combustible coach had the presence of mind to show some much-appreciated humanity. He pulled Bobbitt back to him and spoke in his ear. "You don't have one father," Huggins said to Bobbitt. "You have two."

Bobbitt might remember this game for awhile. UC came in rolling and - if you believe the Illinois players and coach - talking like champions. Bobbitt had won the Bearcats' last two games with last-second shots. On Thursday, his 3-pointer sunk East Tennessee State. It was also, he said, the seventh anniversary of his mother's death.

Bobbitt had risen from a big-talking, overly excitable second or third option off the bench last year, to the team leader this winter. He had grown as much as a person as a player. More, maybe. And now it was done.

He'll remember the handshake, though. And those words. Who'd ever forget those words? Huggins' former players come back when they're done. That, too, defines UC basketball." - Enquirer.com


03/20/04: "On the surface, Tony Bobbitt’s basketball family seems a little dysfunctional. There’s lots of yelling and plenty of door slamming. Sometimes he must feel like he’s trapped in an episode of Roseanne. There’s ample love in the Cincinnati basketball program, you just have to scratch around a little to find it. If you get too close, the heat will singe your eyebrows, but you might be surprised at what you find.

The Bearcats’ brand of affection compares favorably with the traditional love most of us are used to. Amidst all that noise and the friction, there’s a definite closeness and even a tone of forgiveness.

Last season, Bobbitt was the team’s unofficial knucklehead. He thought his status as a junior-college All-American guaranteed him an unlimited supply of minutes. As the target of coach Bob Huggins’ verbal windstorms, he practiced like a man with cotton in his ears.

Bobbitt finally quit the team in a huff over a lack of playing time, only to return, contrite, three days later. Today, he is practically the unofficial spokesman of a team that won both the Conference USA regular-season and tournament titles. He is even acting as a surrogate big brother to Robert Whaley, a UC player who quit and returned this year.

Only in America? Only at UC.

"Since Rob got back, I’ve been the big brother for him," Bobbitt said. "I’ve told him, ‘Big Daddy, coach Huggs has been coaching 25 years. I mean, he’s been yelling 25 years. That’s not gonna change.’ And Rob understands that now. Coach Huggs jumped on him another day and Rob didn’t say nothing, and it’s surprising. When coach Huggs jumped him, he left him alone and Rob just played. People always say coach Huggs says this and that, but if you just go out and handle your business, he’s not going to mess with you no more. And I’ve got to tell you, he hasn’t messed with me none this season."

A lot of coaches wouldn’t have messed with them after the first time. "Maybe those guys have never made mistakes, but I have," Huggins said. "I’ve (done) some things that I wish I hadn’t done and certainly would like an opportunity to do over again, and I don’t see Tony or Rob as anything different. They didn’t do anything bad, they just decided to take some time off, you know. They shouldn’t have. We wish they wouldn’t have, but they did. There’s a lot of people talking about (how it’s been) disruptive. It wasn’t disruptive at all."

Critics would say it’s hard to disrupt what’s already been disrupted, but that would ignore the success Huggins has had. His teams have won at least a share of the Conference USA title eight of the last nine years.

There’s a method to this madness. Tough love means never having to say you’re sorry. It also means giving players who don’t have direction, who don’t necessarily want direction, the kind of direction they wouldn’t take from somebody unwilling to do whatever is necessary to get their attention. For that reason, Bobbitt may be the perfect poster boy for the Bearcats program, the reclamation project who became the team’s second-leading scorer (13.3) and Conference USA’s sixth man of the year.

Huggins hasn’t let up. After the Bearcats lost at DePaul 68-65 on March 4, he told reporters he wished he had left Bobbitt at home. When the comment was relayed to him, the 6-foot-4 senior thought about it, then admitted his coach was right. He subsequently apologized to his team for his bad attitude in practice leading up to the game. "I told them face to face in the dorm," he told The Cincinnati Enquirer later. "I told all of them it was my fault and I’m sorry for what happened and it will never happen again. They said, ‘All right, T. Let’s see it.’ In this program, it’s not all about talk. It’s about action."

It is. Two days after that game in Chicago, Bobbitt scored 20 points, including the last five, in an 83-79 win over Memphis that clinched a share of the league title. He hit a key three-pointer and a breakaway layup to clinch the Conference USA Tournament title in a rematch with DePaul.

Before the game against Memphis, Huggins jokingly referred to Bobbitt as an idiot. "I keep hearing that, but I don’t think he meant it," Bobbitt said. "I think he was just joking about it. Besides, words don’t hurt you. I’m more confident than that."

A TV reporter asked him whether Whaley had learned to deal with Huggins calling him an idiot. Bobbitt smiled. "I think Rob’s in the right place," Bobbitt said. "He’ll be fine." - Columbus Dispatch



11/22/03: "Last season, they ended up eating their words every time.
One day, Tony Bobbitt makes almost every shot he throws up and does what his University of Cincinnati coaches tell him, indicating that he is living up to his junior-college All-American billing. Looks like he's turning things around, his coaches and teammates would say.

Then the next day, Bobbitt disappoints them, failing to execute anything. And the inconsistent cycle goes on and on, making Bobbitt one of the biggest disappointments in a disappointing season.

But there is reason to believe that Bobbitt will be different this season, which begins tonight against the University of Akron. At least that is what the senior shooting guard's coaches and teammates say. They insist that Bobbitt has turned away from his inconsistent ways, that he has come to every practice with a fresh focus and a determination to improve. "It's a whole new T-Bobbitt," he said. "It's strange."

Yeah, it is. "He's definitely more mature," associate head coach Dan Peters said. "He's definitely more consistent. And he's definitely going to have a better year."

Said teammate James White: "He's doing everything right the first time. He's listening more. He's trying to help everybody out, just being a leader. Yeah, he's definitely changed."

Last season, when he arrived as one of the nation's top junior-college recruits out of the College of Southern Idaho, Bobbitt did pretty much the opposite of everything he has done so far this year. The transformation, those around Bobbitt say, started with how he handles criticism from head coach Bob Huggins. "He listens every day," Huggins said as being the No. 1 reason why Bobbitt is a new man.

Bobbitt says it was difficult to be a good listener when he had this type of attitude: "I thought being a juco All-American, I could just come in and play. And I wasn't working hard in practice."

But humility is averaging eight points a game, starting none and being kept on the bench in some crucial situations. It's also scoring zero points one game and 29 the next, as was the case in consecutive mid-December games against La Salle and Oregon.

The coaches say it was strictly Bobbitt's mental approach that made him seesaw between good and bad games. And lack of focus, they say, is prevalent in your ability to listen. "I think he deals with Coach Huggins in a super way this year," Peters said. "I think he realizes that Huggs is trying to help him. If Coach corrects him or says something to him, he handles it much better. (Last season) he'd just act goofy, be a flake (if Huggins yelled at Bobbitt). But now, the correction is made, and he says, 'OK, I've got it.' "

Part of learning how to deal with Huggins is being able to handle him sending a player in and out of a game. Sometimes, he does it after a player makes a mistake. Sometimes, he does it for personnel reasons. Bobbitt, who is backing up senior Field Williams, is the type of player that might go in and out of a game more so than most others because he is a streak shooter and he is prone to occasionally breaking down on defense.

"I used to look at him and think he's picking on me, that he doesn't want me around," Bobbitt said. But he showed in the Nov. 11 exhibition game against EA Sports, when Bobbitt scored 10 points and shot 50 percent from the field, that he might be more comfortable in that role.

"Tony was in and out of the game -- as he was a lot last year -- and usually once Tony's been taken out two or three times, he starts talking to himself and he (mentally) takes himself right out of the game," assistant coach Andy Kennedy said. "He was put back in the game, and he scored eight quick points (in a span of 1:09 late in the second half) and really kind of helped us turn the game around. The old Tony, I don't think, would've been capable of doing that mentally."

Bobbitt says he really began to understand Huggins' style when he met with him early in the summer. "Coach Huggs just said, 'Look, this is your last chance. How do you want it to end? The only thing he promised me is if I worked hard, it'd pay off in the end,' " Bobbitt said. "I also remember he told me, 'Tony, I can't trust you.' "

Trust became a big issue with Bobbitt when he abruptly quit the team Feb. 3. He was unhappy about his playing time. Some of teammates privately expressed how they felt betrayed by Bobbitt, who walked out during a time when the Bearcats were struggling.

Bobbitt admitted this week that he wasn't a team player, that he made little effort to get to know his teammates. He said he often stayed off campus with friends, and stayed in the dorm where his teammates lived only part of the time.

Asked this week if he would walk out on his team again, regardless of how tough things might get for him this season, Bobbitt promised he will stick around.

Bobbitt, 24, who is the oldest player on the team, has made a concerted effort to build a relationship with his teammates. He says he hangs out with them a lot more, and he tries to help them on the court. "They actually listen to me," he said, indicating that he is quite surprised. Now, Bobbitt knows how Huggins must have felt." - CincyPost


07/02/03: "Dr. Colosimo said he hopes to remove the cast off of shooting guard Tony Bobbitt's left hand within the next week. Bobbitt, who had the cast put on June 23, broke his non-shooting hand while playing in the Deveroes Summer League." - CincyPost.com

10/18/02: "The University of Cincinnati basketball players are running wind sprints. Twenty-two times, they have to race up and down the court. They have just finished No. 20. Some players are on the ground and some are bent over. One is draped across the back of the basketball goal.

Junior guard Tony Bobbitt starts dancing around. He's hootin' and hollerin' and calling out Eugene Land's name, trying to motivate his teammate for the final sprints. Though exhausted, the Bearcats players look up and, one by one, either crack a smile or start to laugh. That's a typical reaction at the mere mention of Bobbitt's name.

Senior Leonard Stokes: "That dude's got an Energizer battery in his back. Freshman Chadd Moore: "He's a live wire from the time he wakes up until the time he goes to sleep. He can't sit still." Senior Taron Barker: "You could be having a bad day and he'll just come in and light up the room for you."

Barker should know. He and Bobbitt shared an apartment over the summer. Barker said some mornings, at 7 o'clock, Bobbitt would turn on music and start jumping around. "He is non-stop," Barker said.

Why not? Bobbitt says he's living a dream, playing Division I basketball for UC coach Bob Huggins.Bobbitt said he prays each night for another day. He wakes up in a good mood and stays that way throughout the Bearcats' three- and four-hour practices.

Bobbitt views his coaches, teammates and support staff as family. "I can't come out here and mope and groan and complain," he said. "If they tell me to jump off a bridge - it must be for a purpose. It can't be a bad thing. If I jump off a bridge, I know somebody's going to catch me."

Bobbitt brings personality to this Bearcats team. He brings a love for the game and a burning desire to succeed as a team and individually. Bobbitt comes in with the reputation as a great shooter. But when first asked about him over the summer, the first thing Stokes said was: "He can pass the ball. He's got a knowledge of the game. He'll take the shot that's open, but if somebody else is open, he's not going to force it. He's the type of person who isn't going to worry about if he's got 10 or 15 points at the end of the game, as long as we've got a victory. Those are the types of guys you want to play with."

The 6-foot-4 Bobbitt averaged 17.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists last season at the College of Southern Idaho. He led his conference in average 3-pointers per game (3.4) and was third in free-throw shooting percentage (.818).

Bobbitt is competing with junior Field Williams to start at shooting guard. "Every day, he comes out and gives you an honest effort," UC assistant coach Andy Kennedy said. "I don't think you can ever have enough guys who have a passion for the game of basketball."

Bobbitt, who turns 23 Tuesday, sees it as a sign that he has the locker previously used by national player of the year Kenyon Martin.He looks at the wall in Shoemaker Center that lists Bearcats who have been selected All-America. "I want my name up there," Bobbitt said. "Got to have it up there. I have never been anywhere and not been All-American." And if he keeps his teammates smiling in the process, well, then all the better. "You could be having a bad day, and you see Tony 'Baloney' and you already know it's over because he's going to say something stupid or do something to make you laugh," Moore said. "Just him in the locker room cracking on everybody. You about laugh so hard, it'll make your stomach hurt. You need that kind of guy around. He keeps us going." - Enquirer.com


10/10/02: "To understand Tony Bobbitt, you have to try to understand what he saw on April 13, 1997. He stopped by his mom's little house that crisp, spring morning in Daytona Beach, Fla. Knocked on the door. No answer. Knocked again. No answer. He went around to the backdoor. Knocked. Nothing. He turned the doorknob and, to his surprise, it was unlocked.

"Momma!" the 17-year-old kid yelled as he stepped inside. No response. He walked in — His mom was dead. Murdered. Sprawled out on the floor. Naked. In a pool of blood. Stabbed to death.

Can you imagine what it would be like to see that? Can you imagine what your life would be like thereafter? The pain. The tears. The anger. The questions.

Now consider this: Erlene Albright's murder remains unsolved.

Understand, then, that it's even difficult for Tony Bobbitt to understand Tony Bobbitt, although he will tell you differently. He has met up with the demons of April 13, 1997, several times, although he refuses to acknowledge that he's ticked at them. At times, they have gotten the best of him. But there are signs that indicate that this charming, 22-year-old is going to conquer every one of them. He already has slain some. That's how Bobbitt made it onto a big-time college basketball team and into a school that offers bachelor's degrees — the University of Cincinnati.

The mega-talented junior-college transfer — who was a top-50 recruit nationally as a high school senior in 1999 — is poised to be the Bearcats' next star. To be that, many of those close to him say, it's just a matter of Bobbitt continuing to learn how to cope with the anger that stems from his mother's murder. "(People) can say they understand, they can say they sympathize, but there's no way they understand what's inside him," said Charlie Brinkerhoff, who was Bobbitt's coach at Daytona Beach Mainland High.

It doesn't seem that Bobbitt even does. He said he "overturned" the horror of his 39-year-old mother's murder "in one night," yet some of his actions since suggest otherwise. He says things like, "You know, it's just something that everybody goes through in life."

His stepfather, John Albright, the soft-spoken man whom Bobbitt calls dad, knows his son still aches. A few years ago, they were driving around in the low-income Derbyshire neighborhood of Daytona Beach where Bobbitt grew up. Tony looked over at Albright in the car and voiced his feelings. "He said, `Dad, they killed my momma, and (the police) didn't do nothing about it,'" recalled Albright, his voice starting to crack. "He thinks if they really wanted to find out who did it, they would. But he thinks they don't care enough. "He always says, `It might be 10 years, 20 years, but I'm going to find out who killed my momma. That's my goal.'"

Brinkerhoff, who talks to Bobbitt at least once a week, said, "I don't think (his mother's murder) consumes him, but I think, at times, it's the prime motivating factor in his life."

Sgt. Al Tolley, spokesman for the Daytona Beach Police Department, said there are no clues to the murder investigation, but "we continue to look into it." Police records show four homicides occurred in Daytona Beach that year. Erlene Albright's is the only one still unsolved, Tolley said.

Bobbitt almost gets angry when asked if he is angry about his mother's murder. But he refuses to say he is angry. "Frustration," said Bobbitt, staring down a sidewalk while sitting on a stoop outside Shoemaker Center last week.

Almost as soon as he said that, a university police officer walked by, about 50 feet away. Unprompted, Bobbitt said, "I'm not a bad guy. If that cop said anything smart to me, I'll beat his (butt). I'm not worried about the consequences of going to jail. I'm going to beat your (butt). That's the way I think."

Anger? "It ain't anger," he said. "It's called respect."

Which isn't how John Albright, who pours concrete from dusk 'til dawn each day and is a deacon in his church, has defined "respect" for his son. "If you don't respect nobody, then people aren't going to respect you," Albright has told Bobbitt. "I'm proud of him," Albright continued. "Because the way he is now is much better than the way he used to be. He had a temper and an attitude out of this world."

Indeed, the cop comment aside, Bobbitt has matured a lot, Brinkerhoff said. He has come a long way since he punched a teammate during practice and got kicked out of Hargrave Military Academy in Virginia in fall 1999. (Brinkerhoff said Bobbitt hated it so much there that he did it on purpose, because he was too prideful to quit.)

Bobbitt has come a long way since a series of disciplinary problems led Tallahassee (Fla.) Community College coaches to give him the boot in spring 2000. (He never actually played there.)

Bobbitt has come a long way since the days when he used to hang out on the streets of Derbyshire, doing the unproductive things that so many young men do in low-income neighborhoods. "I think if we keep him away from Florida, he does really well," said Kalyn Hamblin, who along with her husband, Mike, helped mentor Bobbitt at the College of Southern Idaho, which is where he played the past two seasons.

Brinkerhoff and Albright agree that there should be "no trespassing" signs around the Sunshine State border. "Tony has grown up a lot," Brinkerhoff said. "But for much of his life, he's been a follower. He never was the thug-type person, but he was the person who found acceptance from those types of groups."

Bobbitt makes no apologies for his past. He'll tell anyone about his wrongdoings, some he asked not be published. He's even told UC athletic director Bob Goin that he regrets some of his past, Goin said. "I made some bad mistakes," said Bobbitt, who originally signed with Florida State out of high school. "But so what?

"You can't get me to stay out to 2, 3, 4 (a.m.) like I used to, being dumb. You can't get me to hang with the wrong crowd. You've heard (stuff) about me. `Bobbitt's a crazy-(butt) kid.' I don't give a (bleep). Excuse my language."

Bobbitt said he stopped being a crazy, uh, kid when he went off to the College of Southern Idaho in 2000. He was reluctant at first. His homeboys definitely didn't want him to go. But Albright made him.

Bobbitt certainly had a lot to prove before he could be the star of the team. First, he had to graduate from high school. Brinkerhoff said Bobbitt intentionally didn't get his diploma at Mainland, because the plan was to do that — and learn discipline — at Hargrave.

Instead of staying in Florida until school started in the fall, Bobbitt went to Idaho in spring 2000 to begin studying. He got his diploma that fall, said Southern Idaho assistant coach Jay Cyriac.

Bobbitt knew Southern Idaho, a national power known for giving second, third, etc., chances to talented players, was perhaps his last chance to prove he could make it in basketball. Things kept falling into place after he received the results of his diploma test.

Bobbitt met the Hamblins at a charity golf outing in summer 2000. Soon, Bobbitt had what seemed to him to be a perfect family. Mike and Kalyn Hamblin have a son and a daughter in elementary school. Bobbitt frequently would go over to their house for dinner. Kalyn would tutor Bobbitt in English. Mike, a former golfer at UNLV, would talk to Bobbitt about the responsibilities of a student-athlete. Mike Hamblin, his wife said, is a reformed drug abuser, so he knows the dangers of a fast lifestyle.

The folks Bobbitt said have become like a mom and dad to him have helped "change my life."

The Hamblins helped Bobbitt understand that he had to go to class to play basketball. That wasn't always easy. "Tony needs to be monitored," Cyriac said. "Monitoring could mean walking him to class, giving him a hug or scolding him."

Bobbitt was spending time in another classroom, too. He would go down to the Hamblin kids' school to play basketball with them and their classmates at recess. He sometimes would read to the children. No one asked him to do it. That gentleness is a side of Bobbitt that — despite the fact that sometimes he can be "Jekyll and Hyde," Brinkerhoff said — always has been present.

Bobbitt has worked at NBA superstar Vince Carter's youth camps the past few summers at Mainland, where Carter was a star in the mid-1990s. Bobbitt gave up playing football out of a selfless act, Albright said. Bobbitt and his best friend were competing for the starting quarterback job once, and Bobbitt knew if he got the position, his buddy would have to sit on the bench. So he quit.

Bobbitt is a "hero" to the children of Derbyshire, Brinkerhoff said. Bobbitt played basketball with them every day throughout high school. He'd show them the correct form of how to shoot a jump shot. (It's a sweet stroke.)

Every time Bobbitt is home, about five little boys come banging on the door at 7 a.m. — even on the weekends, Albright said — wanting their hero to come play hoops. The kids call him Tony Baloney, a nickname he was given in the recreation leagues as a kid. "He's a big kid himself," Brinkerhoff said of Bobbitt.

Bobbitt treats his adult friends with equal respect. A week hasn't gone by that Cyriac hasn't gotten a call from Bobbitt, whose primary reason for calling is to say thanks. Bobbitt calls Albright every day. Bobbitt ends every conversation the same way: Daddy, I love you. "It makes me feel so good," Albright said.

Bobbitt has a strong relationship with Carter, too. Carter has taken an interest in Bobbitt, Brinkerhoff said. The Toronto Raptors All-Star harps on Bobbitt to do what the coaches tell him. If so, Carter tells him, they'll be in the same league together someday. Bobbitt will wear No. 15 at UC for the first time in his career as a tribute to Carter.

So far, they love Bobbitt at UC. His teammates like his leadership skills. One player said Bobbitt is the verbal leader that former All-America Steve Logan never was. Bobbitt, a 6-foot-4 shooting guard who averaged 17.8 points last season, often dishes out compliments on the court. But he doesn't hesitate to tell a player if he does something wrong, either.

And the energetic Bobbitt loves to share a laugh with his teammates. Last week, after guard Field Williams drained a three-pointer to win a pickup game, Bobbitt shouted, "Yes, sir!" Then, he went over and hugged Williams — and they did a Deion Sanders-esque dance. "Tony," UC associate head coach Dan Peters said, "has been unbelievable." - CincyPost.com


7/14: Saw Bobbitt on NBADraft.net's 2004 list as the 52nd pick in the 2004 NBA draft. Interesting. - Mike Ryan

7/10/02: Moved to inactive - Mike Ryan

7/7/02: "Tony Bobbitt is the No. 6 rated junior college prospect according the PrepStars. Bobbitt (Daytona Beach, Fla./College of Southern Idaho) was named to the junior college All-America first team by FutureStars." - UCBearcats.com

Verballed on Jan 3, 2002, Signed on 4/11/02.

6/11: there is a full page photo of Tony Bobbitt on page 97 of the current issue of SLAM Magazine (cover: LeBron) The accompanying article discusses former Juco players who should make a difference for their respective teams this fall. - Mike Ryan

5/19/02: Listed as the 6th best player in his Juco class. - PrepStars

4/12: "When the University of Cincinnati looks to replace Steve Logan's scoring next season, one of the players expected to help right away is Tony Bobbitt. The 6-foot-3 shooting guard from the College of Southern Idaho has signed his national letter of intent to attend UC. Van Coleman of FutureStars calls Bobbitt one of the three best junior-college offensive players in the country. "I think he is an impact talent," Coleman said. "We look for Tony to come in and make an immediate contribution," Bearcats coach Bob Huggins said. “He is a great shooter, and he brings good size and athletic ability to the guard spot." Bobbitt averaged 17.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 3.9 steals a game, and shot .394 from 3-point range (110-of-279) this season. He was selected first-team All-Scenic West. He was fourth in the conference in scoring and assists and third in free throw percentage (.818). He led the league and was second in the nation in steals. Southern Idaho finished 26-6. Bobbitt's signing puts UC at least among the country's top 20 classes, Coleman said, adding that if UC signs Johnson, its class could end up in his top 15." - Enquirer.com

4/11/02: "Tony Bobbitt, a 3-point shooting ace at the College of Southern Idaho, has signed a national letter-of-intent to continue his basketball career at the University of Cincinnati. Bobbitt, averaged 17.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 3.9 steals last season while earning first team All-Scenic West and Region 18 honors. The a 6-3, 185-pound guard shot .394 from 3-point range, converting on 110-of-279 attempts from behind the arc.

He was fourth in the conference in scoring and assists, third in free throw percentage (.818) and led the league and was second in the nation in steals. "We look for Tony to come in and make an immediate contribution," stated Cincinnati head coach Bob Huggins. "He is a great shooter and he brings good size and athletic ability to the guard spot."

Bobbitt scored 903 points during his two seasons in junior college and shot .404 (174-of-431) from 3-point range. Bobbitt, who helped lead Southern Idaho to a 26-6 record last year and a 55-10 mark during his two seasons there, was rated as the No. 3 junior college shooting guard by FutureStars.

Bobbitt joins three high school seniors in Cincinnati's recruiting class. Signed during the early period were Eric Hicks, a 6-6 small forward who averaged 30.7 points at Greensboro, N.C. Dudley High while finishing runner-up in the state player of the year voting; Armein Kirkland, a 6-8 guard who averaged 20.6 points while earning all-Texas honors at Tyler, Texas Lee High; and Chadd Moore, a 6-2 guard who averaged 8.0 points and 5.5 assists at Oak Hill Academy." - UCBearcats.com

4/9/02: "Tony Bobbitt, a fourth recruit who verbally orally committed in January, is expected to sign his letter of intent this week. The shooting guard from the College of Southern Idaho is also expected to take his official recruiting visit this weekend." - Enquirer.com

3/21: "I talked to (Bobbitt's coach) this morning and asked him if the rumors are affecting Tony Bobbitt. "No...not at all....let me make it simple. Tony will play for Bob no matter where he is...UC or WVU. We called Andy Kennedy when the rumors started, he said there was nothing he could tell us right now. I said, tell Bob, rest assured, he has Tony's commitment, wherever and whenever he goes." Also...I asked him about Tony: "He may be the best jump shooter in JUCO ball, arguably the best JUCO player in the country. Handles ball well, plays hard, will have to be more consistent on D." - Lance McAlister, from Jax' board

3/9/02: Season Complete.
"Southern Idaho can only watch the championship game now after shooting a season-low 31.9 percent in a 78-62 semifinal loss to third-seed Snow College Friday at Burns Arena in St. George, Utah. Tony Bobbitt scored 19 points, Tim Ellis had 14 and Ricky Clemons put in 10 to lead CSI (26-6)." - Twin Falls Times

3/4/02: "Bobbitt dumped in 18 points and five 3-pointers against the Vikings last Thursday. He came back on Saturday with 17 points against North Idaho College to lead all scorers." - Twin Falls Times

1/27/02: Tony Bobbitt and Ricky Clemons chipped in 12 points each in a win for CSI over Northwestern Comm Coll. The CSI Golden Eagles are now 18-3 on the year.

1/20/02: "Tony Bobbitt's technical foul for throwing an inadvertent elbow with 9:18 to go sparked a lethargic College of Southern Idaho on a 9-1 run en route to a 95-76 victory over Scenic West Athletic Conference travel partner Treasure Valley Community College Saturday night in the CSI gymnasium. Bobbitt finished with 16 points. he was 3-6 from the 3pt line." - Twin Falls Times

1/13/02: "The 13th-ranked College of Southern Idaho men's basketball team ran its winning streak to 10 games, beating No. 2 Dixie 100-91 in another classic Saturday in front of a packed-to-the-rafters CSI gymnasium. Ricky Clemons scored a game-high 30 points to lead five Golden Eagles in double figures as CSI remained undefeated in the Scenic West Athletic Conference at 6-0 and improved to 16-2 overall. Tony Bobbitt chipped in 18. Bobbitt had to come out (of the game)with a cramped calf muscle after sinking two pressure free throws on one foot for the 10-point lead at 78-68." - Twin Falls Times


1/12/02: "The College of Southern Idaho men's basketball team rolled to its ninth straight victory Friday, mauling Snow College 112-75 in the CSI gymnasium. Tony Bobbitt led all scorers with 24 points, including seven 3-pointers, as the Golden Eagles blew out to a 10-0 lead to open the game and never looked back. Ricky Clemons followed up his school-record 51 points last Saturday with a double-double of 21 points and 12 assists. CSI is 5-0 in the Scenic West Athletic Conference, 15-2 overall." - Twin Falls Times

1/9/02: Bobbitt...said he wanted to go to Florida State all his life, but with the Bearcat tradition and fans he couldn't pass it up because he wants to play at the next level. He said Huggs "is always on you making you better, and who wouldn't want a coach like that?". He said he hopes to play the 2, but he has to prove it to the coaches and Cincy fans. He will visit campus in the future. He went on to say that he and his dad were talking and said that with the incoming class next year, he feels they have a chance to compete at the highest level nationally and he wants to help Cincy win a National Championship. Nothing was said about the rumor-he seems solid for the 'Cats! All in all, he seems to have his head on straight and understands the need for hard work to achieve goals." - BearcatCarl / Greg Swaim / off Jax' Board.

1/6: "Ricky Clemons scored a single-game, school-record 51 points and Tony Bobbitt added 18 points - including three critical free throws to tie the game with 3.5 seconds left in regulation - to lead the No. 17 College of Southern Idaho men's basketball team to a thrilling 116-105 overtime victory over Utah Valley State College Saturday night at the David O. McKay Events Center. It was CSI's eighth consecutive victory to remain perfect in the Scenic West Athletic Conference at 4-0 and 14-2 overall. As good as Clemons was, it was Bobbitt's ice-water nerves that might have been the biggest points of the game. Tied at 95-all, Utah Valley took the ball with 14 seconds in regulation and after running it down, John Hille rifled a cross-court pass to Nick DeWitz, who drained the long 3-pointer from the corner.
The shot brought a roar from the crowd and the Wolverines off the bench.
But Bobbitt, who's verbally committed to the University of Cincinnati next season, took the inbounds and dribbled to the top of the arc with Hille all over him. Bobbitt faked Hille up in the air, then leaned into him as Hille bit and drew the foul. With the crowd roaring, Bobbitt calmly sank the first of three foul shots. After a UVSC timeout to ice Bobbitt, the sophomore pointed skyward before toeing the line and swishing both attempts. "Big-time," Clemons said of Bobbitt's free throws. "That's why he's committed to Cincinnati. He's the best shooting guard I've ever seen in my life." - Twin Falls Times


1/6: "In his first game after orally committing to UC, Tony Bobbitt tied his own school record of eight 3-pointers and scored 26 points to lead the College of Southern Idaho to victory Friday night." - Enquirer.com

1/5: "Sharpshooter Tony Bobbitt scored 26 points and tied his school-record eight 3-pointers for the second time in his career to lead CSI (3-0 SWAC, 12-2) to the victory. CSI spotted Salt Lake an 8-0 lead to start the game before rallying for its first lead at 26-24 on a Bobbitt 3-pointer with eight minutes to go in the half. CSI looked to May inside and Bobbitt, who hit three NBA-length 3-pointers in a 2-minute stretch." - Twin Falls Times News

1/4: "College of Southern Idaho sophomore shooting guard Tony Bobbitt has verbally committed to play next season at the University of Cincinnati, said CSI assistant coach Jay Cyriac on Thursday. Bobbitt's commitment came on Wednesday, when Bearcats head coach Bob Huggins made a rare appearance in Twin Falls to watch the Florida native score 14 points and make 11 assists in a runaway 129-68 win over the Northwest All-Stars. Cyriac said it's a good fit for both Bobbitt and Cincinnati, which has made six Final Four appearances and is 301-96 under Huggins in 12 seasons. (huh ?) "We're excited that Tony made a good decision," Cyriac said. "Cinci is a big-time program and Bob is a great coach. They're going to take care of Tony academically and we trust them." Bobbitt, who's averaging 17.5 points per game and is third in the nation in steals with a 4.54 per game average, can't sign a letter of intent until the NCAA's late signing period for basketball begins April 10." - Twin Falls Times News

1/4: " Tony Bobbitt has not visited the University of Cincinnati campus nor watched a Bearcats practice. But he has seen enough this season — as UC climbed from an unranked team in the preseason to No.13 in the country — to know where he wants to play basketball next fall. “That shows Coach (Bob) Huggins' work ethic,” Bobbitt said. “Look at what's happened to the program. Just think about it.” The 6-foot-4 shooting guard from the College of Southern Idaho told the Enquirer on Thursday that he orally committed to Huggins on Wednesday night. He is expected be an immediate impact player for the Bearcats and challenge for a starting spot. Bobbitt said it was an easy decision even though Florida State and Iowa State also were recruiting him hard. “Physically he's as talented as anybody in the country in junior college,” said Jerry Mullen of Mullen's Roundball Review, a junior-college scouting service. “He's athletic. He can shoot the lights out with big-time range off the pass or the bounce. He can play anywhere in the country. If he keeps his head into the game, Tony has a chance to play at the NBA level.” Bobbitt is averaging 17.5 points, close to six rebounds and more than four assists and four steals, his coach, Guy Beach, said. He is the No.3-ranked junior-college shooting guard in the nation by FutureStars. Southern Idaho is 12-2 and ranked No.17 in the country. “He's probably the best pure shooter in (junior college),” Beach said. “Very unselfish. Can probably play both guard spots, but you're better off playing him at the (off guard) because he can score so well. “He can do anything he wants offensively. Offensively he has no weaknesses. He passes the ball well. He's got good quickness. He plays with a lot of emotion. And he has the prettiest jump shot in JUCO basketball. He can flat out shoot the basketball. He shoots the same shot from 5 feet or 25 feet.” Huggins was in Twin Falls, Idaho, Wednesday and ended up stranded there early Thursday when his flight was canceled because of bad weather. He did not get back to Cincinnati for the Bearcats' afternoon practice but was scheduled to arrive Thursday night. Bobbitt is a Daytona Beach, Fla., native who signed with Florida State out of high school but did not qualify academically. He joins Chadd Moore, Armein Kirkland and Eric Hicks in UC's recruiting class. The Bearcats have one more available scholarship." - Enquirer.com

1/3: Elite Hoops Audio interview with Bobbitt:
http://www.broadcastmonsters.com/ASX/bobbit010302.asx

1/3/02: "Cincinnati added to its recruiting class on Wednesday night. This time, the Bearcats plucked one of the best junior college prospects and added him to their 2002 recruiting haul. Add Tony Bobbitt, a 6-foot-4, 190 pound guard, to a list that includes Eric Hicks, Armein Kirkland and Chadd Moore. On Wednesday night, Bob Huggins flew to Twin Falls, Idaho, to watch College of Southern Idaho shooting guard Tony Bobbitt. He didn't leave empty handed. Bobbitt committed to Huggins, making the four inches of snow the area received seem like a small obstacle on the return trip to Cincinnati. "That's what I wanted to do," Bobbitt said of his commitment. "The basketball level of competition is all good." Bobbitt also looked at Florida State, Iowa State and Minnesota. He signed with the Seminoles two years ago and is a Tallahassee-area native. He's a big-time pickup for the Bearcats. "Tony Bobbitt is the best shooter in junior college basketball," CSI assistant Jay Cyriac said. "He's a legitimate NBA prospect because of his size and ability to play both guard positions." As a high schooler, Bobbitt was terrific. He has a quick trigger, deep range on his jumper and an absolute scorer's mentality." - CNN SI

1/3: "Cyriac also said that Cincinnati solidified the commitment by coming out to Idaho to watch Tony play against a team they beat by 60 points. "To take a day off with a game on Saturday to come out here meant a lot to Tony," Cyriac said." - Rivals Hoops
http://rivalshoops.rivals.com/default.asp

1/3: "University of Cincinnati head coach Bob Huggins spent the day in Twin Falls recruiting Bobbitt, who said he's leaning toward playing for the Bearcats next season." Bobbitt had 14pts, 11 rebs in a win. - Twin Falls Times-News

1/2/02: "I have confirmed that Bob Huggins is visiting Tony Bobbit today. He's a 6'4 185 lb combo guard "scorer" from Southern Idaho Junior College. He's currently averaging 17.5 points, 6 rb, 4ast, 4st for the winningest JUCO program of all-time. Bobbit could decide on this trip to verbally commit, but can't sign til April." - Lance McAlister on Jax' Board

12/23: On the Greg Swaim show tonight, Swaim said Bobbitt is "leaning heavily" towards UC and could commit any day. Bobbitt would be a huge get. Bobbitt's numbers through Southern Idaho's first 13 games are:
Pts-17.5
Rbs-5.7
Ast-4.1
Stl-4.5
FG%-49.7% (88-177)
3PT%-38.2 (39-102)
FT%-72.2% (13-18)

Thanks Rob !
http://pub54.ezboard.com/fcincinnatibearcatsbasketballfrm2


12/22: "Cincinnati may be the favorite to land the 6-foot-4 shooting guard from the College of Southern Idaho. Bobbitt is from Dayton Beach, Fla., and had originally signed with Florida State out of high school, but he did not qualify academically. Recruiting services say he could make a decision before the end of the year." - Enquirer.com

12/20/01: "EliteHoopRecruits.com is reporting that Cincinnati is the new leader for the services of 6’4’’ shooting guard Tony Bobbitt. Bobbitt, currently attending the College of Southern Idaho, is expected to make his choice after the Christmas break. Originally from Daytona Beach, Florida, Bobbitt is a great shooter who can create his own shot off the dribble. On the season Tony is averaging 18 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists to go along with 60 steals. This would be a great get for the ‘Nati, as Bobbitt has NBA written all over him." - Elite Hoops and BroadcasMonsters.com
http://www.broadcastmonsters.com/Bobbitt122001.asp

12/13/01: "They are (recruiting) both (Bobbitt and Lamptey). Lamptey is having an incredible season. He's coming around offensively. Right now, his only scheduled visit is with Georgia, but others like the Bearcats will get trips later in the year." - Dave Telep, Insiders Hoops

12/9: "CSI's Tony Bobbitt led all scorers with 23 points on 8-of-18 shooting including six 3-pointers." - Twin Falls Times

12/8/01: "UC is looking at Tony Bobbit, a shooting guard from Florida who is attending the College of Southern Idaho; Omari Westley, a Cleveland native who is at Barton County (Kan.) College, where Jamaal Davis played; and Roy Smiley, a 6-4 guard from Southeastern Community College in Burlington, Iowa." - Enquirer.com

12/7: "Twin Falls is where Southern Idaho Junior College is located. It’s the home of the Golden Eagles, which is one of the better junior college hoops programs. And the Eagles’ backcourt could be playing in the ACC next season. Not on the same team as point guard Ricky Clemons is a prime target of NC State, while 6-4 shooting guard Tony Bobbitt is one of the names at the top of the Florida State recruiting list. Bobbitt has actually been on the Seminoles’ roster before. Well, almost. He signed with Florida State out of Daytona Beach (FL) Mainland High School two years ago, but did not qualify academically. He also attended Chatham (VA) Hargrave Military Academy, where he was dismissed from school as a disciplinary measure. But now, he appears to have his life in order, according to Southern Idaho assistant coach Jay Ciriac. In fact, he says that’s the case with both Bobbitt and Clemons. "I think Tony is ready for the NBA," Ciriac said, "as far as his basketball ability goes. He still needs to mature some more because I don’t think he’s ready to handle being a millionaire. He also needs to put on some weight. He’s listed at 185 pounds, but is more like 170. Ability-wise, though, he is right up there with the best Division I shooting guards right now. "Tony has matured a lot. Last year, he did not start for us, but he accepted that real well and played very well. He averaged 10.4 points per game off the bench and once scored 11 in seven minutes. "Basketball just comes naturally for him," Ciriac said. "He gets the ball on the baseline, takes two dribbles, does a little hesitation and turns his body away from the goal, then does this little half-spin move, goes by his man and dunks. You can’t teach that. He just feels it. "Tony scores with ease. And you know what? He could be scoring a lot more than he is, but he is very unselfish." Bobbitt leads Southern Idaho Junior College with an average of 18.1 points per game and is second in assists with 4.5 per contest. He also hits the boards hard and plays solid defense as he averages 5.8 rebounds and a team-leading 4.6 steals. He is shooting 51.3 percent from the floor and 75 percent from the foul line. He’s hitting 39.3 percent of his three-point attempts. "It may be a reach to be saying this," Ciriac said, "but Tony could be drafted next June. He’s that good. But I don’t think that will happen because he needs to play some college ball." Most people think Bobbitt will again land in Tallahassee, but Ciriac warns not to be surprised if he goes elsewhere. "People assume he’s going to Florida State because he signed with them before and because he’s from Florida. "But that’s not necessarily the case. Cincinnati is heavily involved and so is Iowa State and Oklahoma State. And now that the fall signing period is over, there will be a lot more schools coming after him." - ACC Today

12/6: Listed as the 3rd best SG in Juco. (Barbour #1, JHarper #2) - Van Coleman, Future Stars

12/1: "Tony Bobbitt netted a game-high 24 points, hauled down 10 rebounds, made five assists and grabbed seven steals to lead the high-flying Eagles, who powered down eight dunks in the rout. Cincinnati, Florida State and Minnesota all had scouts over the weekend. Tony Bobbitt's father and stepmother were in the audience Friday night." - Twin Falls Times News

11/30: Bobbitt played a game team high 35 mins, scored a team high 24 pts had 10 reb's, 5 assists and 7 steals in a win over New Mexico JC. He was 11-19 from the field. All while Andy Kennedy was in the stands. - Mike Ryan (4 to 5)

11/26: In seven games so far this year, Bobbitt is scoring 15.9 ppg, 5 rpg, 3.5 steals pg, averaging 28 mins and shooting trey's at a 38% clip. - Mike Ryan

11/23: "Cincy's spring targets are Lamptey, Westley, and Bobbit in that order." - Bullseye, All Star Report

11/18: "Bobbit is close to the top of Coach Huggins' JC wish list from what we've heard and Cincy could be getting a commitment from him soon, but others close to Bobbit want him to take a couple more visits. Will be interesting. We have stated that Huggs will most likely seek to round out his recruiting class by going the JC route, as almost all of the top prep talent has now signed." - Bullseye, All Star Report

11/15: "UC is not expected to sign anyone else, but is expected to make a push for a big man and also try to lure Tony Bobbitt, a top junior-college shooting guard. Bobbitt, a 6-4 Daytona Beach, Fla., native, originally signed with Florida State and was ranked among the top 50 in the 2000 class. But he didn't qualify academically and is playing at the College of Southern Idaho." - CincyPost.com

11/9: "CINCINNATI is taking a serious look at Tony Bobbitt, an ultra talented 6-4 shooting guard from the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls, Id. JUCO Junction/Rivalshoops.com recently caught up with CSI Asst. Coach Jay Cyriac, and he informed us that Bearcats Head Coach Bob Huggins has personally called the office to express his interest in Bobbitt. A tremendously gifted offensive player, Bobbitt had committed to Florida State out of high school in Daytona Beach, Fla. He attended the same high school as current Toronto Raptor Vince Carter, which is Mainland H.S. in Daytona Beach. Bobbitt failed to qualify out of Mainland, and headed off to prep school in Virginia for the 1999-2000 school year. However, he did not last more than a month in prep school, and transferred to Tallahassee C.C. in Florida, where he was unable to earn his GED. Bobbitt resurfaced last fall at CSI, where he was able to earn his GED. He played last season for the Golden Eagles, and averaged 10.4 points and 3.2 rebounds per game on a deep and sophomore laden team. According to Cyriac, Florida State and CINCINNATI are the most serious suitors for Bobbitt. He added that Missouri and Louisiana State have also expressed some interest in the talented two guard, while Iowa State and Minnesota are the two newest schools in the mix.
What makes Bobbitt so difficult to defend is his unlimited range from beyond the three point arc, excellent size and ball handling skills plus athleticism. He truly has the total offensive package and is very dangerous in CSI's up tempo style of play. Bobbitt is not expected to sign until the spring, so JUCO Junction will keep you posted on his recruitment throughout the winter months." - Juco Junction (3 TO 4)

http://floridastate.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?pr_key=4038&sport=2

11/9/01: "Former Florida State signee Tony Bobbitt is off to a good start for College of Southern Idaho. The sophomore shooting guard averaged 21 points making 64% of his field goal attempts (11-20 3-pointers) over the three games of the 28th annual Quarterback Classic. For his efforts, Bobbitt was named the tournament's MVP.
College of Southern Idaho assistant coach Jay Cyriac told Warchant.com that Bobbitt currently favors FSU, Cincinnati, Minnesota and Oklahoma." - Warchant.com

11/8/01: "the guy (Cincinnati) might be the highest on right now is Southern Idaho's Tony Bobbitt." - Russ Blake, Juco Junction

11/8: after three games this season, Bobbitt is averaging 21 ppg, 3 rpg and 4 spg. He is hitting 55% from 3pt and 64% from the floor overall.


http://www.csi.edu/stuact/athletics/mbasketball.htm

11/4: "College of Southern Idaho guards Ricky Clemons and Tony Bobbitt are as good as advertised. The Hutchinson Community College Blue Dragons saw that for themselves Saturday night in the championship game of the 28th annual Quarterback Classic at the Sports Arena. Bobbitt and Clemons scored 28 points each as the Eagles from Twin Falls, Idaho, defeated the Dragons 90-84. Southern Idaho's guard tandem of Clemons and Bobbitt - ranked as the top backcourt duo in junior college basketball by Street & Smith - took over at key points throughout. Bobbitt was named the tournament's MVP and Clemons was named to the all-tournament team. Bobbitt, who was 7 of 9 from long range, hit three treys during Southern Idaho's initial run. Clemons made some key defensive plays with three steals and then shot 11 of 12 from the free-throw line." - Hutchinson News

10/24/01:
http://unlv.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=55776
"Florida State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Southern Mississippi are recruiting me but Florida State is the early leader. I was raised in the Daytona Beach area and I would like to go home, and I know I can get playing time there and put up some points." - Unlv.rivals

10/1/01: "Kansas and MU are also both involved with 6-9 junior-college recruit Jeff Graves, a former Lee Summit resident. Among others MU is known to be recruiting are 6-9 Seth Scott of Utah Valley State and guards Tony Bobbitt and Ricky Clemons from the College of Southern Idaho.

7/26/01: "A familiar to name to Seminole hoop fans is Junior College prospect Tony Bobbitt. The 6-4, sophomore from Daytona Beach, Florida, spent last year attending The College of Southern Idaho after an unsuccessful stop at Tallahassee Community College. During his Freshman year Bobbitt was the Golden Eagles 3rd leading scorer averaging 10.4 points per game while shooting 51.2% from the field, 42.1% from 3-point land and 75.9% from the foul line. All this was achieved while only averaging only 15 minutes of floor time per game, which put him at 9th on the team in minutes played. Bobbitt will undoubtedly be one of, if not the top shooting guard prospect coming out of the Junior College ranks this year. Reports are that Florida State is still on solid ground with Bobbitt due to Head Coach Steve Robinson, who has not wavered in is support of this often troubled but extremely talented young man." - Warchant.rivals.com



8/11/2000: "Bobbitt, who committed to Florida State in high school, was one of the top shooting guards in high school (Mainland HS/Daytona Beach, FL). He has been considered a major talent for quite a while. He'll play two seasons at CSI, but there were still plenty of interested onlookers at the Tulsa camp. Jerry Mullen: "A talent ... he can really shoot it ... Bobbitt can play all three perimeter spots ... skilled, athletic ... has a nice stroke with a good handle." - ESPN, Recruiting USA

2/7/00: "Bobbitt, who committed to Florida State in high school, was one of the top shooting guards in high school (Mainland HS/Daytona Beach, Fla.). He has been considered a major talent for quite a while. He'll play two seasons at CSI, but there were still plenty of interested onlookers at the Tulsa camp. Jerry Mullen: "A talent ... he can really shoot it ... Bobbitt can play all three perimeter spots ... skilled, athletic ... has a nice stroke with a good handle." - ESPN.com

11/1/99: "Top 20 caliber 6'5 combo guard Tony Bobbitt, who attended Mainland HS in Daytona Beach, Florida, was to attend a year of post-graduate prep school, qualify academically, and then head to Florida State to aid their rebuilding efforts. That's the plan, it didn't work out that way. Bobbitt, a member of the Class of '99, had committed to FSU over a year ago. When he didn't qualify, he was headed to Fork Union Military Academy (FUMA) (Fork Union, VA) for a post-graduate year with an emphasis on raising his test score. He never got the opportunity. With his entrance to Fork Union blocked, Bobbitt was able to enroll at FUMA's rival, Hargrave Military Academy (Chatham, VA). Bobbitt, who reiterated his commitment to FSU this year, left Hargrave in the past two weeks. With his options limited, the nation's junior colleges have been working overtime, trying to offer their help. Jay Cyriac, the ace recruiter/assistant at powerhouse College of Southern Idaho (CSI), even spent two days in Daytona Beach about 10 days ago talking with Bobbitt and his father." - Recruiting USA

9/23/99: "Florida State and Michigan are the latest recruiting winners. The Seminoles have received verbal commitments from wing guard Tony Bobbitt (6-4, 190 pounds from Chatham, Va., Hargrave Military Academy, 23rd) and forward Michael Joiner (6-7 1/2, 215 pounds from Fayetteville, N.C., Seventy-First, 54th). Bobbitt averaged over 28 points last season as a senior at Daytona Beach, Fla., Mainland and was MVP of the Fila USA Hoops Challenge. He signed in November with Florida State but failed to qualify academically for admission. Many thought he wouldn't re-sign with Florida State, but those reports turned out to be incorrect. Bobbitt is an excellent athlete and 3-point shooter and should be a major factor immediately for the Seminoles." - Brick O., Sporting News

11/11/1998: "Tony Bobbitt of Daytona Beach, Fla., considered one of the top high school basketball players in the nation, has signed a national letter of intent to play at Florida State University. Bobbitt, a 6-4 guard, was a first team, Class 5A all-state selection last season after averaging 24.3 points per game at Mainland High School. He led Mainland to the state Class 5A championship as a junior and has been hailed as one of the country's top 50 prospects by many publications. "Tony is an explosive athlete who we are glad to have in our program," said Florida State head coach Steve Robinson. "He has a very good feel for the game and has been well schooled in the game of basketball. He comes from a tremendous high school program and is one of the state's best players. All of us at Florida State are very excited about his commitment to FSU." He hit on 54.5 percent of his field goal attempts last year, including 46.5 percent from three-point range, while also averaging 8.3 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game. Bobbitt will be a candidate for Mr. Basketball in the state of Florida this season. Bobbitt hails from the same high school program that produced former Seminoles George McCloud and Michael Polite. Mainland also produced former North Carolina standout Vince Carter." - Internole