Cornell adds two (one coach, one commit)

It's a big day for Big Red Basketball. By noon today Cornell announced the hire of new assistant coach Mike Blaine, and recruit Dave LaMore announced his commitment to the team.

Blaine joins Cornell from Maryland Eastern Shore, where he was an assistant coach largely responsible for developing perimeter players, opponent scouting and recruitment. He will replace Jay Larranaga, who left Ithaca, N.Y. to take a coaching position in the NBA's developmental league.

LaMore, a 6-foot-10, 220 pound center, will move to Cornell next year from his home in Whitmore Lake, Mich. His considerable size should help fill the void left by graduated Big Red star Jeff Foote, who is now playing in Israel. LaMore gained some notoriety in the Detroit area for literally breaking a backboard while dunking during a high school game.

The Cornell Basketball Blog reported that LaMore took recruiting calls from the Penn coaching staff, among other Ivies, though his profile on Rivals.com neither lists him as interested in Penn nor having an offer from the Quakers.