Sophomore forward Saaka granted release
USF sophomore forward Amu Saaka, who saw his points and minutes drop off this past season under coach Stan Heath, has been granted a release to transfer, his mother Janet said Friday.
Saaka, who averaged 2.6 points, is the second Bulls sophomore granted a release this week, following guard Solomon Bozeman. Saaka averaged 17.0 minutes as a freshman under Robert McCullum, but saw that role drop to 10.5 minutes this past season.
Saaka showed a spark late in the nonconference season, scoring 13 points against St. Francis (N.Y.) and 17 against Winston-Salem State. He broke his nose in USF's Big East opener against Rutgers, however, and wasn't the same player after that, totaling just 30 points in 18 conference games.
Saaka's departure gives Heath four scholarships to use during the spring signing period, which starts April 16. One player who apparently isn't leaving the Bulls is freshman forward Orane Chin, who went from starter to barely-used reserve in an up-and-down first season. Chin's coach at Miramar High School, Ken Kelly, said Friday that Chin had told him he was staying at USF after meeting with Heath this week.
In all, four scholarship players who signed with USF under McCullum have been granted their release since Heath was hired in April. Forward Zaronn Cann transferred to Division II Eckerd College last summer and guard Dante Curry transferred to Georgia State in December.
Times sportswriter Greg Auman, who covers USF, will post news and thoughts on the Bulletin and we invite your participation in the comments area.
Well this is great and it was expected, because now the Coaching staff can bring in another player that WILL be a better fit and contributor for USF in the next two seasons.
YES,YES,YES Jackson's jumper just beat UCONN! Now get the hell out of Tampa Jim Calhoun!
Posted by: The Champ | March 21, 2008 at 06:09 PM
Couldn't have put it better myself "The Champ." Saaka sucked and I was simply loving life when I saw that UCONN lost...most overrated four seed I've seen in quite some time
Posted by: Josh | March 21, 2008 at 06:39 PM
Yeah, it is great that UCONN got beat at the buzzer b/c their win or stay would have resulted in possible recruiting opportunites in Tampa with a couple of prospects that USF is courting. Now, I hope that Coach Heath talks Aris Williams or Aaron Holmes into transferring. If not, he can always find some reason to dismiss them from the team for some rule violation. Anything to cut the fat and add to the scholarship pool this year. We need a quick turnaround and it wont happen with Atlantic Sun talent in the BEAST.
Posted by: BullsFan | March 21, 2008 at 06:40 PM
Good luck to Amu Saaka, i always like him.
UCONN wins that game by 10 if AJ PRice doesnt go down with 10 mins left in the 1st half. Shows how important a point guard is to a team.
Posted by: Herman Momart | March 21, 2008 at 08:57 PM
Out with the old and in with the new.
Mac did the same thing when he came in. I personally think its a very very very risky strategy. Good coaches can "coach um up."
I guess Stan thinks the raw talent out there better fits what he is trying to do.
If you need the open scholarships then make it happen I guess. I must have saw Doug Woolard on TV at the NCAA tourny about 50 times. Guy has nice seats.
Time will tell.
Posted by: Ari Hinkelberger | March 21, 2008 at 08:59 PM
Can Arron Holmes transfer since he has already done that once?
I agaree that Williams needs to go and I expect that will happen sooner then later.Coach Heath has 4 scholarships and probably needs 5, so there needs to be at least one more to go.
Posted by: The Champ | March 21, 2008 at 09:06 PM
Coach Bob Knight let go I believe 9 players when he took over the Texas Tech job.I guess he didn't want to coach them up.
Posted by: The Champ | March 21, 2008 at 09:10 PM
Williams is a transfer from Valpo and had to sit out a season when coming to USF, so he is a 4-yr. junior this year. Thus, he should graduate very soon. He should just hang up his nikes and graduate. That would allow for another scholarship to open up. If he wants he can stay with the team as a walk-on.
Posted by: BullsFan | March 21, 2008 at 09:20 PM
With 5 scholarships we can get an athletic, battle tested 3 like Brumbaugh or Patillo. A long athletic 4 like Sutton or Akol. Big centers like Goins and Teague. Also, a point guard like Simmons or McMillan. These players along with Mercer and Espinosa make a pretty good class. The class also varies in Freshman and JUCO players. Add that to Jones, Verdejo and Howard and the team should be competitve by 09'.
Posted by: BullsFan | March 21, 2008 at 09:25 PM
As unimpressed I have been with Aaron holmes... he has a pretty stout resume out of high school. He is still very young, so I don't see Heath putting the heat on him.
He will probably be around. Seems like a hard worker
Posted by: Ari Hinkelberger | March 21, 2008 at 09:26 PM
I dont like Aris at all, but with him being a junior, I cant see him transfering. I like Holmes. He is still young and can stroke the 3. Give him a chance.
Posted by: Jordan | March 21, 2008 at 10:42 PM
Aris won't transfer. He could move to a medical scholarship because of the knee problems that have limited him since last season. Best I can tell, a decision hasn't been made on what he'll do next season.
Posted by: G.A. | March 21, 2008 at 10:54 PM
Stan needs to get the players that fit his system that way there are no excuses if he can't succeed. Best of luck to the other guys, I'm not convinced they were big east talent anyway.
Posted by: Tom | March 21, 2008 at 11:50 PM
i saw Tonelli at the Times Forum. he was surprisingly forthcoming. i asked about Saaka, then about Holmes and Aris.
He indicated Holmes would not be around, probably transferring. about Aris, he just shook his head, reminicent of when Coach Heath told G.A. "Aris can't play." It's clear the coaching staff has no interest in these guys- they're gone.
Tonelli seemed VERY confident we will replace these guys with much better players.
Posted by: Bull Hooper | March 22, 2008 at 12:17 AM
oh, and Brumbaugh aint coming, so it's been nice knowing you Ari.
Posted by: Bull Hooper | March 22, 2008 at 12:18 AM
What is a medical scholarship? How does it apply to the 13 allotted by the NCAA, G.A.? How do you qualify?
Posted by: AGW | March 22, 2008 at 12:50 AM
Bull Hooper's getting good information. I've got another post up now that includes Aaron Holmes getting his release.
A medical scholarship basically keeps an athlete in school and receiving financial aid; they don't count against the 13 athletic scholarships. The player is conceding he can't play again because of an injury or condition. This was an option for Zaronn Cann, who instead transferred to Division II Eckerd College.
And just to clarify, when Heath said "Aris can't play," his intention was that he wasn't healthy enough to play.
Posted by: G.A. | March 22, 2008 at 02:19 AM
The only time Holmes could hit the 3 pointer was in garbage time.When the game was still being decided Holmes had the stoke of Shaquille O'Neal from deep.
I can't remember a more nervous player comeing off the bench in the games I watched this season.
Posted by: The Champ | March 22, 2008 at 08:00 AM
How do they not get Brumbaugh..?
How? How?
Where is the revolver
Posted by: Ari Hinkelberger | March 22, 2008 at 12:45 PM