Men's BKB adds transfer, loses Stores

[Greg Auman]

hey. USF should have a release out soon, but the Bulls have added a 6-foot-9 transfer from Valparaiso, a forward named Aris Williams. Will have three years of eligibility after sitting out the 2005-06 season.

At same time, McCullum said today that Brandon Stores, the power forward from Cincinnati, would not be academically eligible to join USF for the upcoming season. could maybe bring him next year.

greg

[Papa_Bull]

Here is the release:

Men's Basketball Adds Valparaiso Transfer to Roster  

 

(May 27, 2005) TAMPA, FLA. -- Aris Williams, a 6-9, 235-pound forward, has transferred to the University of South Florida after playing one season at Valparaiso University, USF head coach Robert McCullum said today. Williams must sit out the NCAA-mandated transfer season and becomes eligible in 2006-07.

“Aris did not play a great deal this past year because he played behind Valparaiso’s best player, an all-conference player,†said McCullum. “He’s an extremely skilled player. He shoots the ball well. We want guys that can shoot the basketball and guys that are skilled, and in talking with Valpo’s coach Homer Drew earlier in the week, he said that Aris was Valpo’s most athletic player on their team. So we knew we were getting a very skilled player, but to get a skilled player who is also extremely athletic at the four position is something we’re extremely excited about.â€Â

At Valpo, Williams played in 22 games as a freshman, averaging 7.3 minutes, 2.6 points and 1.8 rebounds. A talented shooter, he was four for six on three point attempts.

Williams graduated from Georgetown Preparatory School in North Bethesda, Md., where he averaged 15.5 points, seven rebounds and 3.2 assists. He shot 46% from three point range and 49% from the field overall. He was coached by Dewayne Bryant.

A pre-law major at Valpo, Williams is the son of Norman and Myra Williams, who reside in Columbia, Md.

McCullum also announced that signee Brandon Stores will not enroll at USF this fall due to academic, and his status beyond that will be determined at a later time.

http://gobulls.usf.edu/Sports/News.asp?i=1644&s=Basketball

[Brad]

At same time, McCullum said today that Brandon Stores, the power forward from Cincinnati, would not be academically eligible to join USF for the upcoming season. could maybe bring him next year.

greg

Thanks for the tip Greg.

Well this sucks.  McCullum may be able to wrap up recruiting by Midnight Mania.  I was intrigued by what I had read about Stores, it's too bad we'll not get to see what he could do here as we enter the Big East.

[Brad]

Greg,

Did Coach say at his conference today why Williams is transferring?  How did it come about?  Why South Florida?  Family is in MD., ususally geography snares some of xfers.  Not this time.  Did McCullum recruit him while at WMU?  Any info?

[Jim Johnson]

And while you're at it... could Stores be brought to school in January?? There have to be options to take remedial courses or to re-take the ACT/SAT ... then be admitted in the Spring semester...

Or am I that far off-base on this?

[Greg Auman]

hey. mccullum really didn't explain why aris is transferring. said homer drew didn't have a single bad thing to say about him, said drew called him the most athletic player on the team. said williams is a better player than stores, so aside from losing frontcourt depth for this coming season, it's an upgrade for that scholarship. i'm trying to get in touch with aris this afternoon to find out more about why he's transferring.

on stores, mccullum said it's too early to know anything on his future and whether usf is a part of it. i get the sense that with the new priorities toward continuing eligibility -- the importance of a good APR and the threat of scholarship loss with a bad APR -- they want to be all the more careful about bringing in kids they feel confident can do well academically at usf. that said, mccullum said he's very confident that the other six members of the class (seven, with aris) will have no problems academically.

greg

[Guest Harvey Jones]

This is just what we need heading inot  the Big East.  Someone who played 7 minutes a game at Valpo.  Have we beaten another school that is in one of the six major conferences on any of the kids that have been signed.  I thought us entering the Big East was supposed to help recruiting not kill it.  I don't wanna hear about Caan he is overweight, undersized and has lost all his athletcisim.  He is actually our lowest rated recruit from the early signing period.  

[smazza]

hope coach mac is here when transfer can play

[TripleB]

Right now, what does this give us as far as dressed out schollie players for THIS year?

[Greg Auman]

USF will have 11 scholarship players for 05-06, with Aris Williams sitting out and one scholarship still unused.

seniors: Holmes, Jones

juniors: Prekevicius, Mattis, Sills, Richardson, Buckley

sophomores: Dennis

freshmen: Howard, Cann, Markusovic