possible transfer?
Dec 14, 2007 18:58:59 GMT -5
Post by Retired Coach on Dec 14, 2007 18:58:59 GMT -5
BU basketball freshman Creekmore granted release
By Nick Cammarota, The Daily Free Press
December 11, 2007
(CSTV U-WIRE) BOSTON -- Freshman forward Will Creekmore's request for his release from the Boston University men's basketball team was granted Friday, coach Dennis Wolff said Monday afternoon.
"He wanted to pursue opportunities closer to his home," Wolff said in an interview.
"I'm from Oklahoma and it's completely different," Creekmore said. "[BU] hadn't been what I thought it was. I like a lot of things about BU and Boston, but I think I'd be more comfortable playing closer to home where my family and friends can come see me."
The Tulsa, Okla. native played in four of BU's eight games before transferring, averaging 12.5 minutes per contest. He scored 11 points (3-of-11 from the floor, 5-of-6 from the free-throw line) in his brief career as a Terrier and pulled down 10 rebounds.
The 6-foot-9 rookie does not know what school he will attend in the spring, but he said his father, Tom, was contacted by several Missouri Valley and Western Athletic Conference schools. Creekmore, who maintained a 4.0 GPA in high school, will finish this semester and can then transfer to any non-America East school. As NCAA rules mandate, he must sit out two semesters before regaining eligibility.
"I'm never happy to have someone leave," Wolff said. "There's really no predicting the future with any of these kids.
"I'm not naive to the fact that we're dealing with 18-year-old kids and the distance from home and all the factors that go into being a college athlete, that there is going to be some attrition," he added.
Creekmore is the seventh player to part ways with the men's basketball team prematurely in just more than three seasons. And similar to every player who has left, his situation is unique.
"Unfortunately, the nature of it in basketball is, 'I'm not getting what I want and it's not working, so I'm going to go somewhere else.' Even if there is nowhere else," Wolff said.
The string of BU players packing their bags is troublesome. It's become a black eye for Terrier basketball that's struggling to heal. The biggest problem is there's no trend or common thread to link the former Terriers -- each left under completely different circumstances, Creekmore being no exception.
"I didn't want to read much into it," Creekmore said of the previous transfers. "Things happen sometimes that are just flukes. Seven is a large number, but there's nothing that stuck out in my experience as to why they would have left."
Unlike the others, however, Creekmore is the only player not to have played at least one full season with BU. He didn't even make it halfway through the campaign.
"Playing college basketball is difficult, so in order to do that, you've got to be happy with where you are," he said.
Wolff's granting of his release happened three days after BU's second win of the season, Dec. 4 against Harvard University.
"We've been having discussions throughout the semester in terms of where he fit in and how comfortable he was with the situation," Wolff said. "After the end of last week, the decision was we were going to part ways."
Expectations were high for Creekmore entering the season's start. Billed as a strong, athletic low-post player with superb skills around the basket, Creekmore averaged 23 points and 17 rebounds as a senior at Thomas Edison Prep. The all-state selection by the Oklahoma Coaches Association looked as though he could help BU's ailing frontcourt, especially given the graduation of its foremost presence -- Omari Peterkin.
"I thought I could help the team a lot, and it just didn't work out that way," Creekmore said.
It took a while for Creekmore to adapt to the intricacies of the college game. During BU's first few weeks of practice, he exhibited classic freshman struggles -- not grasping certain basketball concepts and not playing at a game tempo during drills.
"I had some adjustments I didn't think I'd have to make as far as the college game," he said. "There are some ins and outs that I thought would be a little easier."
Creekmore saw his first action Nov. 14 at George Washington University. He played 12 minutes, scored four points, grabbed two rebounds and recorded a steal. He only attempted two shots, but performed well enough to garner minutes in BU's next game against Saint Joseph's University.
In the second half of the Terriers' loss to the Hawks at Agganis Arena, Creekmore missed a relatively easy layup and committed an avoidable foul immediately afterward. He then slapped his head with both hands, signifying his frustration with the play, and perhaps showing the kind of passion Wolff was searching for during the recruiting process.
"I got recruited mainly for my offensive abilities. I hate missing shots like that and expect to make those shots," Creekmore said. "I'm kind of a perfectionist."
Things declined from there. After going scoreless in a career-high 16 minutes against Northeastern University on Nov. 19, Creekmore did not play against Marshall University or the University of Pittsburgh, and struggled during his 11 minutes against Manhattan College on Dec. 1. Scoring three points and recording three rebounds against the Jaspers would be Creekmore's last on-court actions as a Terrier.
With a highly touted recruit leaving the team after only eight games, one might think a lack of playing time factors in to the equation.
"I feel you play college basketball to play," Creekmore said. "I didn't like sitting on the bench, but I don't think it was [the coaching staff's] fault."
"Any time there's adversity and struggling, the guys that aren't playing think they can help," Wolff said. "And I'm not saying him, but that's usually the case."
Despite his limited minutes, Creekmore denied any allegations that his request had to do with the coaching staff.
"Coach Wolff is a tough coach, but that's how a college coach is supposed to be," Creekmore said. "He was hard on me and ... taught me what it takes to be a college basketball player."
Creekmore's transfer leaves BU with five big men on the roster -- juniors Max Gotzler and Ibrahim Konate (injured), sophomores Scott Brittain and Valdas Sirutis and freshman Matt Killen.
Until Konate recovers from leg problems that have bothered him since the summer, the Terriers' frontcourt appears very unassuming. Brittain has been BU's lone consistent forward, averaging 11 points and six rebounds per contest.
Killen, a 6-foot-10 athletic jumper whom the team considered redshirting, will likely see increased playing time while thrust into a role for which he may not be ready.
"I regret not living up to the expectations that some people thought I could, and I'm sorry I had to leave this team behind," Creekmore said.
"You don't want someone in your program that's not happy, and I wasn't really," he added. "It wasn't the best fit."
sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/news?slug=uwire-bubasketballfreshmancreekm&prov=uwire&type=lgns
By Nick Cammarota, The Daily Free Press
December 11, 2007
(CSTV U-WIRE) BOSTON -- Freshman forward Will Creekmore's request for his release from the Boston University men's basketball team was granted Friday, coach Dennis Wolff said Monday afternoon.
"He wanted to pursue opportunities closer to his home," Wolff said in an interview.
"I'm from Oklahoma and it's completely different," Creekmore said. "[BU] hadn't been what I thought it was. I like a lot of things about BU and Boston, but I think I'd be more comfortable playing closer to home where my family and friends can come see me."
The Tulsa, Okla. native played in four of BU's eight games before transferring, averaging 12.5 minutes per contest. He scored 11 points (3-of-11 from the floor, 5-of-6 from the free-throw line) in his brief career as a Terrier and pulled down 10 rebounds.
The 6-foot-9 rookie does not know what school he will attend in the spring, but he said his father, Tom, was contacted by several Missouri Valley and Western Athletic Conference schools. Creekmore, who maintained a 4.0 GPA in high school, will finish this semester and can then transfer to any non-America East school. As NCAA rules mandate, he must sit out two semesters before regaining eligibility.
"I'm never happy to have someone leave," Wolff said. "There's really no predicting the future with any of these kids.
"I'm not naive to the fact that we're dealing with 18-year-old kids and the distance from home and all the factors that go into being a college athlete, that there is going to be some attrition," he added.
Creekmore is the seventh player to part ways with the men's basketball team prematurely in just more than three seasons. And similar to every player who has left, his situation is unique.
"Unfortunately, the nature of it in basketball is, 'I'm not getting what I want and it's not working, so I'm going to go somewhere else.' Even if there is nowhere else," Wolff said.
The string of BU players packing their bags is troublesome. It's become a black eye for Terrier basketball that's struggling to heal. The biggest problem is there's no trend or common thread to link the former Terriers -- each left under completely different circumstances, Creekmore being no exception.
"I didn't want to read much into it," Creekmore said of the previous transfers. "Things happen sometimes that are just flukes. Seven is a large number, but there's nothing that stuck out in my experience as to why they would have left."
Unlike the others, however, Creekmore is the only player not to have played at least one full season with BU. He didn't even make it halfway through the campaign.
"Playing college basketball is difficult, so in order to do that, you've got to be happy with where you are," he said.
Wolff's granting of his release happened three days after BU's second win of the season, Dec. 4 against Harvard University.
"We've been having discussions throughout the semester in terms of where he fit in and how comfortable he was with the situation," Wolff said. "After the end of last week, the decision was we were going to part ways."
Expectations were high for Creekmore entering the season's start. Billed as a strong, athletic low-post player with superb skills around the basket, Creekmore averaged 23 points and 17 rebounds as a senior at Thomas Edison Prep. The all-state selection by the Oklahoma Coaches Association looked as though he could help BU's ailing frontcourt, especially given the graduation of its foremost presence -- Omari Peterkin.
"I thought I could help the team a lot, and it just didn't work out that way," Creekmore said.
It took a while for Creekmore to adapt to the intricacies of the college game. During BU's first few weeks of practice, he exhibited classic freshman struggles -- not grasping certain basketball concepts and not playing at a game tempo during drills.
"I had some adjustments I didn't think I'd have to make as far as the college game," he said. "There are some ins and outs that I thought would be a little easier."
Creekmore saw his first action Nov. 14 at George Washington University. He played 12 minutes, scored four points, grabbed two rebounds and recorded a steal. He only attempted two shots, but performed well enough to garner minutes in BU's next game against Saint Joseph's University.
In the second half of the Terriers' loss to the Hawks at Agganis Arena, Creekmore missed a relatively easy layup and committed an avoidable foul immediately afterward. He then slapped his head with both hands, signifying his frustration with the play, and perhaps showing the kind of passion Wolff was searching for during the recruiting process.
"I got recruited mainly for my offensive abilities. I hate missing shots like that and expect to make those shots," Creekmore said. "I'm kind of a perfectionist."
Things declined from there. After going scoreless in a career-high 16 minutes against Northeastern University on Nov. 19, Creekmore did not play against Marshall University or the University of Pittsburgh, and struggled during his 11 minutes against Manhattan College on Dec. 1. Scoring three points and recording three rebounds against the Jaspers would be Creekmore's last on-court actions as a Terrier.
With a highly touted recruit leaving the team after only eight games, one might think a lack of playing time factors in to the equation.
"I feel you play college basketball to play," Creekmore said. "I didn't like sitting on the bench, but I don't think it was [the coaching staff's] fault."
"Any time there's adversity and struggling, the guys that aren't playing think they can help," Wolff said. "And I'm not saying him, but that's usually the case."
Despite his limited minutes, Creekmore denied any allegations that his request had to do with the coaching staff.
"Coach Wolff is a tough coach, but that's how a college coach is supposed to be," Creekmore said. "He was hard on me and ... taught me what it takes to be a college basketball player."
Creekmore's transfer leaves BU with five big men on the roster -- juniors Max Gotzler and Ibrahim Konate (injured), sophomores Scott Brittain and Valdas Sirutis and freshman Matt Killen.
Until Konate recovers from leg problems that have bothered him since the summer, the Terriers' frontcourt appears very unassuming. Brittain has been BU's lone consistent forward, averaging 11 points and six rebounds per contest.
Killen, a 6-foot-10 athletic jumper whom the team considered redshirting, will likely see increased playing time while thrust into a role for which he may not be ready.
"I regret not living up to the expectations that some people thought I could, and I'm sorry I had to leave this team behind," Creekmore said.
"You don't want someone in your program that's not happy, and I wasn't really," he added. "It wasn't the best fit."
sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/news?slug=uwire-bubasketballfreshmancreekm&prov=uwire&type=lgns
