Associated Press
The college hoops roundup…
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. ó Suspended Penn State guard Taran Buie will transfer following a tumultuous freshman year.
Coach Ed DeChellis announced Monday he had granted Buie a release from his scholarship after a post-season meeting with the player. The Nittany Lions were eliminated from the NCAA tournament after one game, a 66-64 loss to Temple.
DeChellis in a statement said ěwe agreed it was in his best interest and in the interest of our program for him to pursue the remainder of his career at another school.î
Buie was one the most highly rated basketball recruits in DeChellisí eight-year tenure. He is the half brother of senior Talor Battle, the schoolís all-time leading scorer.
STILLWATER, Okla. ó Oklahoma State has added 6-foot-11 center Philip Jurick to its recruiting class for next season.
Coach Travis Ford announced Monday that Jurick had signed a letter of intent to play for the Cowboys.
Jurick initially signed with Tennessee out of high school and redshirted one season for the Volunteers before playing the past two seasons at Chattanooga State junior college.
Ford says he expects Jurick ó who averaged 10.5 points, 12.6 rebounds and 9.5 blocks for Chattanooga State last season ó to help the Cowboys on both ends of the court.
Jurick joins McDonaldís All-American LeBryan Nash and point guard Cezar Guerrero in Oklahoma Stateís signing class.
Washington State guard Klay Thompson announced Monday he will forgo his senior season and enter the NBA draft, and the only likely scenario in which heíd return to school is if Thompson doesnít believe heíll be a first-round pick.
Thompson said he believes heíll be a first-round pick and therefore have a guaranteed contract. But that uncertainty is why the leading scorer in the Pac-10 Conference last season is holding off on hiring an agent until he gets more feedback from NBA personnel.
ěWeíll see when we go to these workouts,î Thompson said. ěFirst round, that would be hard to turn down. … If I feel right and my game is ready Iíll make the jump.î
Thompson has until May 8 to withdraw from the draft if he changes his mind, but much of what Thompson needs to hear will likely be known before the end of April.
Thompson was a first-team all-Pac-10 selection after averaging nearly 22 points per game in his junior season in Pullman. He was in consideration for conference player of the year before Arizonaís Derrick Williams pulled away late in the regular season.
But Thompson also had off-court troubles following his arrest in early March after a game on investigation of marijuana possession. Thompson was suspended for a game and made a public apology before the regular season finale against UCLA. He returned for the Pac-10 tournament and scored a tournament-record 43 points in a loss to Washington.
Washington State eventually reached the semifinals of the NIT before losing to Wichita State.
Thompson said those off-court issues had no influence on his decision to declare for the draft.
ěIím leaning toward leaving if I can get a feel for where Iím at with these workouts. There is part of me that is ready to make that next step,î Thompson said. ěIím really excited to test the waters, but Iíll be fine coming back.î
Thompson is the third major Pac-10 star to declare early for the draft, joining Washingtonís Isaiah Thomas and Williams. UCLA is also losing swingman Tyler Honeycutt and Malcolm Lee as early entrants.
Late last week, Washington State announced that forward DeAngelo Casto was also declaring for the draft.
The Associated Press
04/18/11 19:13