[olldflame]

Unless I missed something the most notable name from the BSC on that list is Chase Holmes from Presby, who was a good looking freshman and their second leading scorer at over 13 ppg. They also are losing another player who apparently didn't play much. One bench warmer from Chuck South and one from UNCA as well.

[WinthropEagleFan]

Yeah, I expected Holmes to be a key piece to their master-plan of trying to win the conference in 2011-12.

Singleton from HPU has been a solid player for the Panthers...doesn't do anything amazing, but a decent player.

[Chris Lang]

Holmes spent half of the year in Nibert's doghouse. I'm not surprised at all he's leaving.

[olldflame]

From Chris' blog:

"The spring signing period for basketball begins today, and it’s possible that a couple of letters could make their way to coach Dale Layer’s office at some point during the day. I’ll let you know if I hear anything."

Please do Chris!!

[Chris Lang]

Probably won't be until tomorrow, from what I'm hearing. I'll definitely update if I hear something.

[Sly Fox]

you could have added in your post that it was Stephene

Good, some other school can let him waste their floor time and possesions dribbling the ball of his foot. As for me, I'm glad to see him go.

Easy, dude. Let's just wish Johnny the best wherever he is headed.

[olldflame]

I agree Sly. That was a little harsh on Johnny. He is a kid who wanted to play ball at LU badly enought to come as a non-qualifier and attend a year on his own dime before he could play. He had a couple of games early in the 08-09 season when he looked as good as any of our freshmen. There were posts on FF saying that he should start ahead of Jesse. At some point in time he got into Richie's doghouse and ended up buried on the bench behind walkon James Spencer, and I think at that point his confidence went in the crapper, and although I believe Layer came in with an open mind about him he never recovered. I will always remember him for being the owner of one of SCAR's classic nicknames................................ JOHNNY BLAZE!

[Rooster Cogburn]

No doubt he DID work hard, but he just was never what some thought he had the potential to be. Thanks for th time and effort Johnny! We'll cheer for you down the road.

[EastRA]

well this is what im hearing but im pretty sure bill's gonna be gone too

[LUconn]

I always figured based on his PT he would, but nobody ever mentioned him.

[Th3rd]

if he goes anywhere i could see him going back to the hampton roads area and being back around his family and all that... either way i will pull for him wherever he goes... hes a great guy

[olldflame]

Bill played even less than Stephene, but I always thought of him as a guy who played his role well and injected defensive energy when he got in the game. Great personality and good student too. I wouldn't blame him for wanting to go somewhere he could play more, or be closer to home, but if we recruited over him, all I can say is I hope the new kid can really play, because Bill adds a lot of things to the team that don't show up in the stats.

[SuperJon]

If he does leave, that'll leave only two people from Ritchie's Top 50 recruiting class after two years.

[olldflame]

If he does leave, that'll leave only two people from Ritchie's Top 50 recruiting class after two years.

In chronological order and why they left:

Brolin Floyd................. personal reasons
Seth Curry.................. professional reasons
Austin Smith................ geographic reasons
Johnny Stephene/Bill Weaver?...............basketball reasons

Out of the whole group, I think the only one where the coaching change was a factor is Austin.

[SuperJon]

I'd have to disagree. Austin was gone no matter what. He was gone back in January.

The one that left because of coaching is Seth.

[LUconn]

I always forget about him. Man, we would have been considerably better if we still had him this year and he had kept progressing.

[olldflame]

I'd have to disagree. Austin was gone no matter what. He was gone back in January.

The one that left because of coaching is Seth.

I assume you are saying that Austin had DECIDED to leave in January, since he clearly did not leave then. Maybe he had, but kids change their minds, and I do know that he came all the way from Arizona specifically to play for McKay. Maybe he would have left anyway, but once Richie was gone, he lost his last connection to home and it was a no brainer.

Seth may have left because of coaching, but obviously not because of the coaching change, since he had already announced he was transferring before Richie resigned.

[SuperJon]

Austin was going home regardless of who the coach of Liberty was. He was homesick and Liberty didn't have the major that he wanted to do. There was no changing his mind.

[pbow]

Austin was going home regardless of who the coach of Liberty was. He was homesick and Liberty didn't have the major that he wanted to do. There was no changing his mind.

Yea there was no way Austin was staying here another year, no matter what.

[olldflame]

That's interesting. What that means is, apart from some possible differences in coaching decisions of playing time for Stephene and Weaver, it's very possible all of these guys would have been gone even if Richie had stayed. I don't think Carter and Jesse are going anywhere. 2 out of 7 doesn't sound like a good %, and it isn't, but the fact is 7 players were signed becaused the cupboard was so bare. If 2-3 freshmen from every class stay 4 or 5 years and graduate and we can bring in a JUCO transfer every couple of years we will be fine. Obviously, if the guys who leave do not follow through and graduate from another school it can hurt our NCAA standing. Of the players who have left so far, only Brolin appears to be a concern there.

[jcmanson]

If you could have all the guys who have transferred out of here that would still be eligible in 2010-11, we'd win the conference hands down:

BJ Jenkins
Seth Curry
Brolin Floyd
Austin Smith
Patrick Konan
Chris Perez

[Rooster Cogburn]

Haven't we learned to avoid the "ifs" around here? I wish most of those guys would have stayed too but there was obviously an issue of some sort in each case. Under coach Layer, we are still building, and will soon be VERY good!

[LUconn]

If you could have all the guys who have transferred out of here that would still be eligible in 2010-11, we'd win the conference hands down:

BJ Jenkins
Seth Curry
Brolin Floyd
Austin Smith
Patrick Konan
Chris Perez

If BJ hadn't transferred, I think he would have just used up his last year. Plus I think Konan and Perez were using Curry and Floyd's scholarships.

[jcmanson]

Don’t you know that we don’t use reason around these parts

[Rooster Cogburn]

If you could have all the guys who have transferred out of here that would still be eligible in 2010-11, we'd win the conference hands down:

BJ Jenkins
Seth Curry
Brolin Floyd
Austin Smith
Patrick Konan
Chris Perez

If BJ hadn't transferred, I think he would have just used up his last year. Plus I think Konan and Perez were using Curry and Floyd's scholarships.

Making the IFs even less relevant.