Hoops Housekeeping: Olu Ashaolu headlines a list of notable transfers

Its been a while since we have done one of these, but it has also been awhile since there was this big of a flurry in player movement. Throw in the fact that the lazy half of BIAH was cut off from the outside world for the past five days -- major props to Troy for holding the site down -- and we need this recap just as badly as you do.

(UPDATE: So maybe we know the real reason that Ashaolu transferred to Oregon. From Duck Territory:

When asked about his trip to Oregon and what stood out the most to him Ashaolu gave an interesting and un-expected pick.

"I actually really liked the breakfast we had one time there," said Ashaolu. "I think we went to this place called The Original House of Pancakes and it was the best food I've had in a long time."

I gotta try those pancakes.)

Oregon has made as much noise on the transfer market as anyone in college basketball over the past year.

After Dana Altman was anointed Ernie Kent's replacement last summer, Matt Humphrey, Josh Crittle, Drew Wiley, and Jamil Wilson all transferred out of the program. Malcolm Armstead nearly transferred out of Eugene last summer, getting convinced by Altman to return to school before finally opting to leave the school this summer. And who can forget about the Michael Dunigan mess from a season ago.


It hasn't just been players leaving Oregon. The Ducks added the journeyman Jay-R Strowbridge for last season. This year, they do the same with for Minnesota Golden Gopher Devoe Joseph, as well as adding a big time JuCo recruit in Carlos Emory. Perhaps the most significant addition was made this afternoon, as Altman secured the services of Louisiana Tech transfer Olu Ashaolu.

"We have pieces there and I feel like I’m the missing piece,” Ashaolu told Justin Young of the National Hoops Report (a blog that, if you aren't currently reading, you should be). "[Dana Altman] expressed that he likes my versatility and he that he likes the fact he can move me around and be a mismatch problem. He said he will run a four out and one in. He said he wants to move me all around the court."

Ashaolu is a supremely athletic, 6'7" forward that averaged 14.2 ppg and 9.4 rpg last season as a junior. Since he graduated from school, Ashaolu tested the NBA Draft waters before withdrawing his name. He'll be eligible to play immediately at Oregon next season, which is a huge boost to the Duck's front court. EJ Singler (Kyle's brother) returns for his sophomore campaign after averaging 11.7 ppg as a freshman, and the athletic Tyrone Nored is back for his senior season. But Ashaolu's addition will help to off set the loss of Joevan Catron to graduation.

While Strowbridge and Armstead are gone in the back court, rising sophomore Johnathon Loyd was impressive in his minutes last season. Garrett Sim is back as well, and the addition of Joseph and top-25 guard Jabari Brown will give Altman a number of weapons at his disposal. Oregon, coming off of a surprising (in a good way) seventh place finish in the Pac-10 a year ago, looks to be headed to a top five or six finish in the expanded Pac-12 this season.

Its also a great sign for the Ducks' recruiting efforts.

Everyone in the country wanted Brown. Ashaolu's decision -- which was affected by Joseph's addition, as the two were teammates on travel teams growing up in Canada -- came down to Texas and Oregon. Even Emory was pursued by the likes of Baylor and West Virginia.


Polee to leave St. John's: Dwayne Polee will be transferring out of St. John's to return to California to "get through a health issue" with his family. Polee started 27 games for the Red Storm, averaging 4.4 ppg and 2.5 rpg in 14.9 mpg. His departure will leave the Johnnies with just one returner next season in Malik Stith. Steve Lavin's team graduated nine rotation players.


Luke Hancock decides to leave George Mason, Anali Okoloji decides to join: We talked about what Hancock's decision means for Louisville right here this morning -- although we failed to mention the move may have been affected by Pitino's decision to hire Kerry Keatts, Hancock's former prep school coach at Hargrave Military Academy, as an assistant. For the Patriots, the transfer puts them in a hole. They have no real point guard. Andre Cornelius brings the ball up, but he's not a playmaker, he's a spot-up shooter. Vertrail Vaughns had 11 assists in 32 games last season. In fact, with Cam Long graduating and Hancock leaving, George Mason's returning leader in assists was Mike Morrison, their starting center, at 1.7 apg. Replacing that playmaking will be a key for the Patriots. Corey Edwards, an incoming freshman from Christ the King High School, may be thrown into the role.

In other Mason news, Paul Hewitt did land Anali Ojokoli, a Seton Hall transfer that averaged 1.9 ppg last season. He'll be eligible in 2012-2013.


UNLV lands another talented recruit from SoCal: Over the weekend, Ryan Greene scooped the news that Bryce Jones, who transferred out of USC this January, would be joining the UNLV basketball program. Jones, a 6'5" shooting guard that was a top 100 recruit in 2010, averaged 11.2 ppg over the Trojans from 10 games, but left after a couple of altercations. Jones, who will be eligible for the 2012-2013 season as a sophomore, joins Mike Moser and Chace Stanback, who transferred from UCLA, as SoCal sendoffs in the program. Oscar Bellfield and Justin Hawkins are also from the same area.


Ryan Harrow, Alex Johnson, and NC State: Ryan Harrow made headlines when he announced his decision to transfer out of the NC State program back in April. It now appears as if he will make his decision on where he will continue his college career this week, with Kentucky, Texas, Georgia, and Louisville as the final contenders. Harrow's transfer left the Wolfpack with a hole at the point. In his place, Mark Gottfried has brought in point guard Alex Johnson. Johnson is a 5'10" point guard that averaged 13.3 ppg at Cal St.-Bakersfield last year. Johnson has already graduated, which means that he will be eligible immediately as a senior for the Wolfpack. He will likely fill the void at the point guard position.


Momo Jones likely won't be headed to St. John's: When Jones announced his decision to transfer out of Arizona last week, the general consensus seemed to be that he would be headed back to St. John's in his native New York. But thanks to a rule that the NCAA instituted last summer, the Johnnies won't be an option for Jones. His high school coach, Moe Hicks, is on the St. John's staff and since he was hired last summer, the two-year period banning recruits from following coaches they had at the amateur level is still in effect.


Jordan Latham lands at Loyola MD: Xavier transfer Jordan Latham, who averaged just 4.8 mpg as a freshman, has decided to join the Greyhounds. He'll be eligible in 2012-2013.


Another hit for Utah: New Utah head coach Larry Krystowiak has granted Josh Sharp a conditional release from his scholarship. Sharp has spent the past two seasons on an LDS mission, and wants to be recruited again after Jim Boylen's firing. That's now seven layers who the other Coach K has released from their scholarship.