Nikita Mescheriakov

Thanks to super fan Josh for passing along this article about Nikita Mescheriakov from the Frederick News-Post this past February. It seems that the Belarusian Bear (as I decided to dub Nikita earlier this morning) has a good stroke for a big man.

Shooting Czar
By John Cannon
News-Post Staff
Feb. 2, 2007

FREDERICK -- St. John's Catholic Prep boys basketball player Nikita Mescheriakov pops outside and catches a pass.

A 6-foot-7 forward, he's agile, skilled and strong enough to maneuver inside for a layup. But he has something else in mind: He pulls up behind the 3-point arc and unleashes a shot.

Two sounds follow.

The first one is made by the net, which emits a faint yet powerful "swish." That lets everyone know this big guy can nail long jumpers.

The second sound is made by the St. John's student section, which chants "Belarus." That let's everyone know where Mescheriakov comes from.

Click HERE for the full article.