HoopDirt.com’s Daily News from the college basketball coaching world…
- Back on 11/28, HoopDirt.com reported that Cal assistant coach Theo Robinson was on leave from the program (full story HERE). According to a recent report by the Daily Californian, Robertson remains on leave, with some close to the team saying he will not return. There has still been no reason given for the leave. Director of Operations Keith Brown will continue to serve as an assistant in the interim.
- Pay for Play investigation update: According to the Los Angeles Times, Federal prosecutors have turned over more than 145,000 pages of documents and 300 hours of recordings to defense attorneys, according to a letter filed last week in U.S. District Court in Manhattan. The letter, written on behalf of attorneys for would-be agent Christian Dawkins and Adidas employees Jim Gatto and Merl Code, notes prosecutors will continue to produce discovery to defense attorneys on a rolling basis into 2018. The full Times story can be found HERE.
- Boise State is off to a hot 11-2 start this season, and head coach Leon Rice might have to swim across the Boise River because of it. According to the Idaho Statesman, Rice agreed to take the plunge if the Broncos sell out their home arena this season. Hopefully Coach Rice is smart enough to wait for spring to come to pay up on his bet. More on the story HERE.
- Great article HERE from the Toledo Blade on the difficulties of scheduling, especially at the mid-major level. Bowling Green head coach Michael Huger, and Toledo head coach Todd Kowalczyk give some pretty good insight on why MAC coaches have the unenviable task of filling a non-conference schedule with balance. That includes a balance of games at home and on the road, as well as games against top-flight teams that should result in confidence-building wins, and games that don’t break the bank financially with some that cost a little more.
- A lot of college coaches have been to Fork Union Military Academy to recruit, and have had the pleasure to work with former head coach Fletcher Arritt. From 1970 to 2012, Arritt taught biology, directed FUMA’s post-graduate team to an 890-283 record, and sent more than 200 players to Division I programs, some of them to the NBA. Now according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, FUMA will name it’s court after the coaching legend as part of a renovation of Thomas Gym (which opened in 1949). For more on Arritt, and his legacy, the full article can be found HERE.
- We don’t cover a lot of Canadian college basketball, but Lakehead University (Thunder Bay, Ontario), has released head coach Manny Furtado. “Lakehead University has decided to move in a new direction with its men’s basketball program,” said Tom Warden, Lakehead University’s athletics director, in a news release. “We’d like to thank Manny for his work and dedication to the program.” An interim head coach will be appointed for the rest of the season.
- The HoopDirt.com Coach of the Week presented by Just Play Solutions winners were announced earlier this week. The full list of winners from the DI, DII, DIII, NAIA, and JUCO levels can be found HERE. Nominations for next week’s award can be sent to: [email protected]
