St. John’s Kassoum Yakwe Cleared by NCAA

[Halldan1]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



St. John’s Kassoum Yakwe Cleared by NCAA

Freshman Forward Available For Game Competition Immediately

Web release: http://www.redstormsports.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/112515aaa.html



LAHAINA, HAWAII (Nov. 25, 2015) – St. John’s freshman forward Kassoum Yakwe (Bamako, Mali) has been cleared by the NCAA for immediate game competition. Yakwe, a 6-foot-7 forward, will be available for the Red Storm’s Dec. 2 game versus Fordham.

Yakwe was a four-star, top-100 prospect who attended Our Savior New American in Centereach, N.Y. He was named the 2015 Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) Regular Season Defensive Player of the Year in 2015 after averaging 3.1 blocks and 6.3 rebounds over 15 games. Yakwe also received All-Tournament Second Team Honors at the EYBL Peach Jam after averaging 9.2 points on 67.9 percent shooting to go with 11.4 rebounds and 5.0 blocks in five games at the Peach Jam. Yakwe was selected to the five-member 2015 SLAM Summer All-American Team.

 

[SJUBall]

This is big for SJU as decimated as we have been roster-wise. It won't help overall in our record probably but getting him minutes is huge for us. Now all we need is Lovett and SJU might be relatively competitive.

 

[Seton75]

Lots of heat on ncaa from alot of top schools. Kansas is all over them too.

 

[hall_fan]

Halldan
how can a kid who re-classed up a year from Our Savior be eligible as well as Diallo, yet Nzei was a partial qualifier who has outstanding grades?

 

[dmwisc&illinois]

Does anyone think that the public castigation of the NCAA by relatively prominent crybabies like Bill Self and Chris Mullin produces more favorable decisions for their players than less aggressive schools can achieve?

 

[Halldan1]

Halldan
how can a kid who re-classed up a year from Our Savior be eligible as well as Diallo, yet Nzei was a partial qualifier who has outstanding grades?

I believe some of the courses Nzei took in HS were not accepted by the NCAA. Without being privy to the exact details it's hard for me to comment factually.

Turns out he could not have practiced or played last year anyway due to his injury although clearly that isn't the point.

 

[Save Continental]

good article here by the NYT on Diallo and Yakwe, and the NCAA.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/26/s...orts&_r=4&mc_cid=ddc0a643e6&mc_eid=b15777272b

 

[SJUBall]

In addition to Yakwe, NCAA still pulling same shenanigans with Lovett. He has all the required coursework and scores. They're just saying they don't believe he made up the coursework he was missing in night school, yet his coursework from legitimate schools. They're basically saying he can't play just because they want to.