Auburn, ME – Central Maine Community College Men's Basketball Coach Dave Gonyea is pleased to announce James Toohey, a 6'4" 2019 graduate from The Essington International College in Darwin, Australia, has committed to the Mustangs for the 2020-21 season.

"Toohey is probably the best player in the city of Darwin," Coach Gonyea responds, "and Darwin is a city of 140,000 people." "I was in Darwin two years ago running basketball camps and could not but notice James.  I picked him out immediately and targeted him for recruitment ever since.  It doesn't hurt that his best mate is former CM star Freddy Webb, who was also key in the recruiting process. We had seven of our aussies in Darwin running camps during that time, speaking to schools, coaches, parents, and kids for about three weeks.  James stayed with us the entire time and felt very comfortable like he was one of the guys.  I knew at the time he was going to be a good player, but his work ethic is what separates him from the pack.  His dad was a stellar athlete and has been supportive, pushing him to improve all these years.  James did not disappoint."

Gonyea continues, "if you told me we had one pick this year, one position to fill, I would have told you, James is the man I want."  "He can get to the rim, has a high BB IQ, but most importantly for us, he can really shoot it."   On top of that, he is a great kid who has his priorities in order and wants to get better to move on to the next level.   We will do all we can to find him a scholarship at the next level to advance his career.  I have recruited many kids over the years…. this one I am very thrilled to have landed."

Kerri Savage, executive director or the Darwin Basketball Association and longtime fan of James commented, "James is very deserving and fitting of this opportunity.  He deserves to be on a pathway as recognition for his work, and his had work will fit this particular program well.  DBA is very excited to have another player join the CM family."

James' dad, Stephen Toohey comments, "We, as parents, are extremely proud of James. It has been a dream of James for many years to play basketball at college in the states.  There have been many hurdles to jump often stumbling and plenty of brick walls to get over, and to his credit, he is come up trumps, when at times, these thins seemed career ending moments.  Speaking from a coach's point of view, I think James will be a huge asset to the team—his shooting ability is extremely good and can dribble penetrate with either hand- will make him very difficult to stop.  His defenses equally as good, and has the ability to keep the ball in front of him.  James ability is boundless and can play at whatever level he wants, (but if it's to be up to me) should be firmly planted in his mind, he knows this and knows has been told by many good coaches that he must have an incredible amount of self-belief to play at any level he wishes

Former CM player and Darwin legend himself, Freddy Webb offered, "James is a rare athlete in which talent has met hard work and he's drive to get better goes beyond the basketball court. He'll make CM his new home and have a positive influence outside of athletics as well. Everyone in the NT is looking forward to watching James display his natural ability and lead Central Maine to a national championship."

James answered the questions below: 

Why did you choose CM?
Two years ago, Coach Gonyea came out to my home down in Darwin, Australia where I got first hand exposure to a great program that has developed into something special over the years. With a great number of Aussies going to CM, I knew I'd feel at home whilst having the right people around me to ensure that I have the best experience at CMCC. 

What did you like most about the campus?
I haven't yet visited campus 

How do you think playing college basketball will differ from your previous experience?
From my previous experience in Australia, I believe that playing at the college level is going to be a challenge that I look forward to. The biggest difference will definitely be the physicality, and have been told that I need to put at least another 20lbs of muscle on if I want to be competitive.

What are you most looking forward to about attending and playing basketball at CM?
Coming into a new place so far from home can sometimes be difficult, but I see it as a challenge and an area of growth. Being away from home, the experience I gain will hopefully turn me into a great young adult and help transition myself into adulthood. 

What do you think you can bring to the team next year?
 I think my strongest attribute is the ability and will to score. Whether it be going to the rim or stepping back into a jumper, I think that I'm an elite scorer and can bring this to the team next year. I take strong pride in playing defense and believe that I can guard 1-3 comfortably.

Describe your basketball experience.
From a young age I always had a ball in my hands. And by the age of 10, I was already representing my state at the 12U Nationals, where I was lucky enough to contribute to a dirty gold 3rd place finish. Through to 12U where I found myself at an NBA Global Academy and Basketball Australia prospects camp at the Australian Institute of Sport. I have worked hard for opportuneness to grow my game, and continue to reach the next level.

What is your biggest strength in basketball?
The biggest strength to my game is definitely my ability to shoot the ball from the beyond the arc. I think that I can bring this attribute to help benefit the team. Usually when the game is on the line, I'd be the "go to" for the game winner.

James offered his favorite quote:

''Only the strong survive'' - Unsure of who wrote this or "I've Failed over and over and over again in my life…. And that is why I succeed" - Michael Jordan

James has an impressive resume:

basketball Achievements (all conference, all state, stats, etc.) - NBA Global Academy and Australian Prospects camp selection (Top 50 in AUS) - Men's Premier League Australian All Star 5 recipient - Men's Premier League top 5 MVP voting - 12U Bronze medal (12U School Sport Australia) - 14U - 16U- 18U- 23U (Club MVP) - 18U (Top 5 scoring at National Junior Championships) - 23U League MVP

James added, "When I grew up, I always wanted to play college basketball but never really thought that this dream would become reality. Over the years I've had many opportunities to hear about some of the college experiences from American's who have played in my hometown of Darwin, Australia. This fueled me to work relentlessly until I could make it happen, and Central Maine Community College have given me an amazing opportunity to play at an elite level against bigger, stronger bodies to help develop my game.  With hard work and determination, I know that I'll continue to reach my goals.

Toohey is interested in studying Architecture at CM.