GUHOYAS: Causey Transfers

[kghoya]

only good thing to come out of his is the speed at which information leaves the hoya hoop club and lands in members email inbox...nice work guys...wish the news was worth celebrating

[1803]

Our biggest problem with transfers is that we have lost guys like Hunter, Bethel, Hall, and Thomas who logged major minutes. Thomas was not a loss because of his delusional vagabond ways, unrealistic opinion about his abilities, and whatever it was he did that had the staff not inviting him back. But the other guys were all contributors. Causey doesn't really fall into this category. He scored 62 points the entire year, and there are two guys at his position who played more minutes, includint the Junior incumbent starter. I am sad to see him go, but this is not a blow to the program the way many of the others have been.

[Hordac]

I look for Cook to improve under the new regime. They will hopefully be able to teach him the finer points of point guard play. I also think that Ramell Ross has an opportunity to make a contribution at the point guard position.

[BuffaloHoya]

FYI - Ramell has been playing some point in the Kenner this summer for Slam.

GO HOYAS!!!

[kchoya]

BuffaloHoya said:

FYI - Ramell has been playing some point in the Kenner this summer for Slam.

GO HOYAS!!!

Ramell plays point every summer and then gets hurt and doesn't play when it counts.

[SaxaCD85]

I actually think this is a bigger blows in some ways, as he was the only guy who was a natural at his position. It will make it one more year in a strangely long stretch of time without a real PG. The only good thing is that a Princeton-like system is more about sharing the ball than having one guy carry that burden, but that means that EVERYBODY is going to have to really improve their dribbling and passing for it to work, and that's why this year will really be a work in progress.

[hoyarooter]

This sounds like homesickness run amok, as it is a very strange move from both a basketball standpoint AND an educational standpoint (assuming the rumor is true). He's leaving one of the premier universities in the country to attend NorthSouth Georgia Institute of Mines?

It does seem likely that this has nothing to do with JTIII, but nevertheless, I had been hoping that Craig's departure would mark the end of these transfers. I know! Let's blame this on Craig!

[tboy]

as a georgia boy i am pretty sure north georgia is either naia or div 111. that sure is a drop in level of play. he must have really been unhappy.

[angus]

tboy said:

as a georgia boy i am pretty sure north georgia is either naia or div 111. that sure is a drop in level of play. he must have really been unhappy.

_____________________

Maybe, but I offer a different possibility. Perhaps III and his regime evaluated HS and game tape of all the players. Perhaps III suggested to Causey that he is welcome to remain on the team, but that he might not be the best fit. Perhaps III told Causey that he might see more playing time elsewhere.

So, Causey looks around, realizing that he is homesick also and would prefer to play in the South. Georgia Tech, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Georgia State, etc . . . all not interested because they have an assessment similar to III. So, he lands at North Georgia, an NAIA school, and will play with a family member.

Causey seemed like a good kid, tough and court-saavy. But was he really that good? Was he good, quick and big enough to be a BE point guard?

[SaxaCD85]

I think he would have been an OK Big East PG, either starting or backing up. That said, he also would have been a good mid-major DI PG. So i really think that there must have been other reasons. Who knows - he's gone now, so best to concentrate on the guys who want to lead the Hoya resurgence. But plenty of guys don't have great frosh seasons and turn out to be good, contributing players.

[TrueHoyaBlue]

tboy said:

as a georgia boy i am pretty sure north georgia is either naia or div 111. that sure is a drop in level of play. he must have really been unhappy.

Someone posted earlier that it is NAIA.

[the_way]

I don't think it was homesickness, where that came from I have no idea. I think he was evaluated by the coaching staff and they realized what I have been saying all year, Causey at best would have been a backup point guard. If he was really that good, he would have transferred to another major D1 school. He was scrappy and tough, but in this league competing at the highest level of college basketball, you have to have some skills as well. I don't think Causey did. He seemed like a good kid with a lot of heart, but I don't think he had what it takes to compete at this level. Plus keep in mind, Causey was a Ronnie Thompson recruit. I remember in a Washington Times article, Causey stated how his mother loves Ronnie Thompson. If this was decision pre-JTIII, maybe that had something to do with it as well. Causey transferring is not G'Town's loss. Its another scholarship for someone who can come in and contribute at the big east level.

[DFW HOYA]

the_way said:

Causey transferring is not G'Town's loss. Its another scholarship for someone who can come in and contribute at the big east level.

It's a significant loss, because there is no good replacement at the point. Does anyone really expect any strength at the point?

Transfers drove this program right off the road in the 1990's, and to suggest that some new prospect is going to make a difference is unlikely at this point. This program needs four year players, not a new starting guard every season.

[SaxaCD85]

the_way, your "evaluation by new staff" would convince me more if i had not heard rumors of MC both (1) not even coming for freshman year because of concerns and the (2) persistent rumors throughout the season and then afterwards, before a new coach was even named.

Something was going on well before JT3 and his staff even arrived, from the looks of it. I think it was just personal stuff with Matt, because he certainly could have gone to and done well at another division 1 school, had he chosen to.

[SaxaCD85]

Agreed, D F W -- if JT3 can recruit a point and get him to stay for 4 years, he'll be a relative coaching success no matter what else happens! : )

[Hordac]

I think that the Josh Thornton committment says a lot about what JTIII felt about the point guard situation upon his arrival. He aggressively pursued talent at that position with Josh as well as Jonathan Wallace. A year from now with Ashanti being a senior & having a year under his belt in the new system, Jonathan Wallace & Josh Thornton in the fold, our point guard situation will be just fine.

[hoyaboy1]

What makes you think that Wallace can contribute?

[Hordac]

JTIII has identified Wallace as someone that he feels can contribute within his system. Wallace was headed to Princeton with JTIII before our coaching change. The sooner that the roster is turned over to reflect the new staff's recruits, the better off we'll be.

[Fan Of The Game]

Are clean cut Matt and flop mop Causey both transferring?

Too bad...he really did show a lot of promise at the end of last year. Ah, Hoya off-seasons.

[ShimmyJr]

i would take causey over ray reed 10 times out of 10