Friday, June 12, 2009
One-time Tech recruit gets release from USC
DeMatha DB could be a ‘Hoo by Sunday
Doug Doughty
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Not long after the Roanoke Times’ final deadline passed Thursday, a story about one-time Virginia Tech basketball recruit Lamont “Mo Mo” Jones came across the wire.
It seems that Jones wants out of the letter-of-intent that he signed this spring with Southern Cal.
I’m not sure what Jones’ reasons were, but I’m sure they had something to do with the resignation of Southern Cal coach Tim Floyd.
So, what about the Hokies and Jones now?
“We don’t have a scholarship,” Tech coach Seth Greenberg said Friday.
That didn’t stop Greenberg from continuing to pursue players for the Class of 2009 when he seemingly was at the Division I scholarship limit, but it’s getting late and Greenberg doesn’t anticipate any defections.
Besides, Jones could be a handful.
Jones, a point guard from Oak Hill Academy, committed to Tech in the fall but didn’t sign because his mother could not be on hand for the ceremony.
Then, when it came time to sign in the spring, Jones’ mother said she wanted to see the school first. However, Jones already had taken his official visit during the fall and Tech couldn’t pay for his mother’s visit anyway.
At that point, Tech backed off, Jones took an official visit to Southern Cal and signed with the Trojans. Six weeks later, coach Tim Floyd resigned this week amid allegations that he paid $1,000 to an advisor for former USC star O.J. Mayo.
I’m hearing either Marquette or Memphis as a possible destination for Mo Mo.
JONES ISN’T A TRANSFER, technically, but his situation reminds me of developments with former Southern Cal wide receiver Vidal Hazelton.
Hazelton, who played at Hargrave Military Academy and was the object of some early advances by Virginia, reportedly will transfer to Cincinnati.
However, Hazelton was unsuccessful in obtaining instant eligibility for the Bearcats. He had petitioned under the grounds that he needed to be closer to his ailing grandfather, who lives in Georgia.
Hazelton will have one year of eligibility for the Bearcats, in 2010.
SWITCHING BACK to basketball, it appears that TCU or Southern Methodist will be the next stop for Hank Thorns, a 5-foot-8 point guard who announced following the 2008-2009 season that he would be leaving Virginia Tech.
I SEE WHERE 6-foot-8 University of Miami forward Dwayne Collins has decided to take his name out of consideration for the NBA Draft but that’s hardly going to upset the balance of power in the ACC.
Collins averaged 10.6 points and 7.3 rebounds for the Hurricanes last season but was ineffective down the stretch, when Miami let a possible NCAA bid slip from its grasp.
Until he finished the season with 17 points and eight rebounds in an NIT loss to Florida, Collins had not scored more than 10 points in 10 straight games dating back to January.
UNLESS SOMEBODY beats him to the punch, DeMatha High School defensive back Kyrrel Latimer will be the next football player to commit to Virginia.
“Kyrrel is going down there Sunday [and] meeting with Al Groh,” DeMatha coach Bill McGregor said. “If it goes well, he wants to commit to them, I think. They’re meeting Sunday at 11.
“My gut is he’s committing [to Virginia]. That’s the plan right now. Other schools have wanted to offer and I’ve told them to back off the offer [and that] there’s no sense doing it. He wants to go to Virginia.”
Latimer plays safety for DeMatha and the Cavaliers originally wanted to know if he also could play cornerback. McGregor compares Latimer favorably to another DeMatha product, Rodney McLeod, and reports that Latimer’s mother is the track coach at Bowie State.
As many as five DeMatha players could be at Virginia this weekend. Aside from Latimer, the Cavaliers might be in the best shape with 6-5, 300-pound offensive lineman Shane Johnson.
“I don’t think he’ll commit yet,” McGregor said, “but I know Virginia is high on his list.”
