More bad news for SJU

[Halldan1]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Felix Balamou Sidelined Indefinitely Due To NCAA Violation

University Seeking Reinstatement for Senior Guard

Web release: http://www.redstormsports.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/111315aad.html



QUEENS, N.Y. (Nov. 13, 2015) – St. John’s guard Felix Balamou (Conakry, Guinea) has been deemed ineligible for game competition due to an NCAA violation. The University is seeking reinstatement and Balamou is permitted to practice with the team during this process.

“We understand Felix’s disappointment and we are here to support him,” said St. John’s general counsel and interim athletic director Joseph Oliva, Esq. “St. John’s will work in concert with the NCAA through the reinstatement process.”

Balamou has appeared in 54 games in his three seasons with the Red Storm. The Conakry, Guinea, native has career averages of 1.6 points and 1.1 rebounds playing 9.1 minutes per game. In 2014-15, Balamou played in 22 games, including 12 BIG EAST appearances, and made three starts. He averaged 1.7 points and 1.5 rebounds in conference play last season.

 

[Save Continental]

The NCAA does not like the smell coming out of Our Savior, though that might have nothing to do with Balamou, who also went there years ago. Kassoum Yakwe is still waiting, as is Check Diallo (Kansas). The NCAA is doling out a lot of judgments today.

 

[Halldan1]

Why Fran Fraschilla’s calling St. John’s an ‘expansion team’

By Justin Terranova

November 13, 2015 | 10:22am

St. John's plays against St. Thomas Aquinas during an exhibition loss on Nov. 4. Photo: Anthony J. Causi

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ESPN analyst and former St. John’s coach Fran Fraschilla breaks down the significant challenge Chris Mullin faces and the rest of college hoops with The Post’s Justin Terranova.

Q: Can St. John’s compete in Big East this season?

A: Essentially what Chris [Mullin] has inherited is an NBA expansion team. There are some good young players on the roster. I think Chris has to take a mindset that this season is about gaining experience with the quality of opponents they’ll see in the Big East. Patience has to be the watchword for Chris and his coaching staff, and St. John’s fans. I can’t remember a time in the school’s history when there has been so few returnees.

Q: Will St. John’s fans be patient with Mullin?

A: They’ll be a lot more tolerant of Chris because of his pedigree. This isn’t Chris’ fault that he is starting from zero. There was concern about Steve Lavin’s contract that made recruiting difficult. They whiffed on a couple of key guys last year that probably would have kept Steve on the job. When you replace him with a new coach and it happens to be the school’s best player ever, St. John’s fans and administration should have a lot of patience. It’s like asking an NBA expansion team to make the playoffs. It’d be unheard of.

Fran FraschillaPhoto: ESPN

Q: How does Kentucky’s freshman talent this season compare to last?

A: They are certainly not as deep, but I think they are going to be sneaky good, if you can say that about Kentucky. Their guard play is going to be stellar with Tyler Ulis, Jamal Murray and Isaiah Briscoe and then you add Skal Labissiere to go with upperclassmen Alex Poythress and Marcus Lee. I think Kentucky has as good a chance of any to getting back to the Final Four.

Q: Does North Carolina deserve to be preseason No. 1?

A: Ironically it’s a different North Carolina team than in the past. There’s not a guy on the roster who you can absolutely say is a sure-fire NBA player. By virtue of having all these players back after underachieving last year, now they are juniors and seniors and I think that bodes well for them. But Marcus Paige has to stay healthy when he comes back if North Carolina is going to go deep.

Q: What are you most looking forward to this season?

A: It seems to me to be the year of the senior. When you look at the landscape of college basketball for every stud freshman like Ben Simmons (LSU) and Labissiere, you have guys like Ron Baker and Fred Van Vleet (Wichita State), Buddy Hield (Oklahoma), Denzel Valentine (Michigan State) and Georges Niang (Iowa State). This is a great group of seniors.

 

[lokiSHU]

Interesting to see what the NCAA does about the fake academic classes at UNC.

 

[Seton75]

The NCAA does not like the smell coming out of Our Savior, though that might have nothing to do with Balamou, who also went there years ago. Kassoum Yakwe is still waiting, as is Check Diallo (Kansas). The NCAA is doling out a lot of judgments today.

Nzei went there too, right?

 

[Save Continental]

Nzei went there too, right?

Yes, forgot about that...a bunch of players from there have had elibility issues

 

[Vegas pj]

Fortunately, for SJUball's sake it's tantamount to not having a walkon eligible. Otherwise his head might have exploded. Why couldn't it have been one of the better players. lol