America's oldest college hoopster Ken Mink hits the hardwood - at 73!

BY CHRISTIAN RED, NY DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER Ken Mink did not star in the movie "Cocoon" or its sequel, although Hollywood has already come calling. The Farragut, Tenn., resident did not stumble upon a Fountain of Youth in his backyard, either. A long-time itch pushed the 73-year-old Mink back to the basketball court last summer. Forced him to do his own workout regimen of suicide sprints, free-throw attempts and drills at his Knoxville church gym, all in the name of getting in playing shape for a comeback. When Roane State Community College in Harriman, Tenn., kicks off its 2008-09 basketball season Nov. 3 against King College, head coach Randy Nesbit will have one roster member who last played college-level ball when Dwight Eisenhower was President. While most men his age my have long since retired to the rocker on the front porch, Mink is giving reason to believe that 73 is the new 23. Despite having a vertically-challenged vertical leap. "Everybody on the team can dunk except me. I find myself under the basket sometimes and these guys are like the World Trade Center towers," said Mink. "But I practice the alley-oop as part of our drills