Re: USD Notes

by Stonehouse Thu Mar 21, 2019 10:44 am

Wow. Lamont Smith (USD's head coach from 2015-2018 and who resigned near the end of last season after being arrested on domestic violence charges) has been named as being implicated in the college admissions bribery scandal. Oh, and today, he resigned his position as assistant coach at UTEP.

According to ABC10 in San Diego, real estate developer Robert Flaxman paid about $100,000 “to get his son in the side door” at San Diego “with the help of a USD coach.” Smith allegedly helped Flaxman’s son earn admission to the university as a basketball recruit, though he didn’t play basketball.

https://sports.yahoo.com/utep-assistant-lamont-smith-resigns-after-implicated-in-college-admissions-scandal-032345884.html

Here's a response from USD's president: https://www.sandiego.edu/president/documents/emails/2019/admissions-investigation-update.html?fbclid=IwAR2TpXGqD7qPybbndwwXMruOidsNNBLehSE-wdN9I4WNnTWazJmL03uBVEQ

Excerpt below:

USD has been subject to a confidentiality order that restricted our ability to identify the former coach referred to by the government. Earlier today, the government informed us that the order has been modified and that USD will not be viewed as interfering with the investigation if we choose to identify him. Now that we are permitted to do so, Lamont Smith, our former men’s head basketball coach, who left USD in March 2018, is the unnamed coach involved in the government’s investigation.

What I shared with you last week about the scope of the USD-related involvement in this matter has not changed. Based on our review of the information available to us to date and on what the government has told us as recently as this morning, the only USD employees, students or applicants involved in the alleged wrongdoing are the three people identified by the government: Lamont Smith and two applicants. Of the two applicants, one is a current student and one declined admission. We continue to have no reason to believe that any other employees, students or applicants were involved in or aware of any wrongdoing. Certainly, if different or new information comes to our attention, either through the results of the investigation or otherwise, we will take appropriate action to respond.

by Guest Thu Mar 21, 2019 12:13 pm

I wondered why USD was involved. Didn't imagine it was with basketball. I suppose it involved a preferred walk-on status? I can't imagine using up a basketball scholarship, even for that money.

by Sound Voltex Sun Mar 06, 2022 3:40 pm

Sam Scholl not returning as head coach.

https://twitter.com/jeffborzello/status/1500589677824327686

by up7587 Sun Mar 06, 2022 3:52 pm

Sound Voltex wrote:Sam Scholl not returning as head coach.

https://twitter.com/jeffborzello/status/1500589677824327686

Of his seven main players, five are seniors and one is a junior. Guess they figured if he can't win with that experience it is time to look elsewhere. They were 15-16, 7-9 in conference, won their opening round game as the 7 seed, lost to Pilots as the lower seed.

by Sound Voltex Mon Mar 21, 2022 9:20 pm

@sdutzeigler wrote:Some interesting names have emerged in USD basketball job search: Yale's James Jones, former Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak and former Indiana State coach (and one of the great guys in the business) Greg Lansing. Others could emerge as well. Expect a decision by the Final Four.

https://twitter.com/sdutzeigler/status/1506040576675704835

by DoubleDipper Tue Mar 22, 2022 8:47 am

Sharp-shooting Joey Calcaterra is in the portal.

A grad-transfer, he is leaving a team in some disarray, but could be a good addition off the bench at a high major.

by DoubleDipper Fri Mar 25, 2022 8:53 pm

All-WCC Freshman Team point guard Wayne McKinney III is in the portal while leaving his options open to return to USD while waiting for the new head coach to be hired. (I am hearing Montana St. coach Danny Sprinkle is now the leading contender).

It has been mentioned that players having roots in Portland area basketball may begin thinking of UP as their destination on their second time around now that Legs is the head coach. McKinney is a former Lake Oswego HS player for one-time UP DOBO Marshall Cho, although McKinney eventually graduated from Coronado (CA) High School and remained in the area to attend USD.

by Sound Voltex Wed Apr 06, 2022 4:06 pm

Jon Rothstein wrote:Sources: San Diego is closing in on hiring Steve Lavin as its next head basketball coach.

The two sides could reach an official agreement soon.

Former head coach at both UCLA and St. John's.

https://twitter.com/JonRothstein/status/1511824252827226113

by up7587 Wed Apr 06, 2022 4:41 pm

Sound Voltex wrote:
Jon Rothstein wrote:Sources: San Diego is closing in on hiring Steve Lavin as its next head basketball coach.

The two sides could reach an official agreement soon.

Former head coach at both UCLA and St. John's.

https://twitter.com/JonRothstein/status/1511824252827226113

Wikipedia already shows it as his position.

by up7587 Wed Apr 06, 2022 4:57 pm

Lavin started as an assistant right out of college, at Purdue, then UCLA. Was elevated to head coach at UCLA when Jim Herrick got in trouble for a recruiting violation (at UCLA? Shocking!). Lavin coached UCLA 7 seasons. He won 20 or more games his first six seasons, and made 5 Sweet 16's. His 5th year he went 10-19, and they canned him. Must be more to that story, awfully short leash.

He was out of coaching for 7 years, then coached at St. John's for five years, winning 60% overall and 57% in the Big East. Apparently, that wasn't good enough, because they fired him after going 21-12, finishing 5th in conference, and losing in the first round of the NCAA tourney his final year. More to that story?

Anyway, another seven years out of coaching, and he's back in at USD.

p.s. the three coaches at St. John's after Lavin are a combined 31-77 in the Big East. He went 40-30.

by DoubleDipper Wed Apr 06, 2022 5:33 pm

I never allow my students to use Wikipedia as a source, they need to learn to do research on their own and provide their research sources, but I guess Wikipedia is okay on PN. Razz

Lavin had prostate cancer while at St. John's and then his father, who had close ties with USF, died and Lavin left coaching until today.

Lavin wanted back into coaching when Kyle Smith left USF, but he was asking for $1mil per year for 5 years, and USF hired Todd Golden, now at Florida.

Lavin has plenty of money, and other coaches have apparently turned down USD, in part, because of a lack of pay. (Danny Sprinkle not only turned down USD, but he also got a raise and contract extension at Montana St.), so I doubt Lavin is making more than some WCC coaches, but probably more than Coach Legans, for now! Cool

by DoubleDipper Thu Apr 07, 2022 11:52 pm

DoubleDipper wrote:All-WCC Freshman Team point guard Wayne McKinney III is in the portal while leaving his options open to return to USD while waiting for the new head coach to be hired.

McKinney will reportedly remain at USD and play for Coach Lavin...

by up7587 Fri Apr 29, 2022 11:15 am

Coach Lavin will not have USD's leading scorer returning. Marcellus Earlington, a 6'6" 240# player, listed as a guard but plays more like a short power forward to me, will be transferring. He has one year remaining, having played 3 years at St. John's and one at USD.

He went off in the Pilot's OT loss to USD early in conf. play, but the Pilots did a good job defending him in the blow-out win at Chiles and the tournament win in Las Vegas.

by up7587 Tue May 10, 2022 8:50 am

Coach Lavin picks up a transfer from Stanford, Jaiden Delaire, a 6'9" 215# 4* SF who played in 32 games last year averaging 10 ppg. He has one year left to play.

by up7587 Tue May 17, 2022 9:09 pm

up7587 wrote:Coach Lavin will not have USD's leading scorer returning. Marcellus Earlington, a 6'6" 240# player, listed as a guard but plays more like a short power forward to me, will be transferring. He has one year remaining, having played 3 years at St. John's and one at USD.

He went off in the Pilot's OT loss to USD early in conf. play, but the Pilots did a good job defending him in the blow-out win at Chiles and the tournament win in Las Vegas.

Update: Earlington is withdrawing from the portal and returning to USD. Per @portal_updates.

by DoubleDipper Tue May 17, 2022 11:07 pm

up7587 wrote:Update: Earlington is withdrawing from the portal and returning to USD. Per @portal_updates.

Coach Lavin has done an impressive job of recruiting since he took over, and on paper, USD should move into the top 5 in the WCC if the coaching is as good.

by up7587 Tue May 24, 2022 10:54 pm

up7587 wrote:Coach Lavin picks up a transfer from Stanford, Jaiden Delaire, a 6'9" 215# 4* SF who played in 32 games last year averaging 10 ppg. He has one year left to play.

@jon_rothstein - May 23 wrote:San Diego's Jaiden Delaire tells me that he has withdrawn from the 2022 NBA Draft. Transfer from Stanford.

by up7587 Tue Jun 14, 2022 7:16 am

DoubleDipper wrote:Sharp-shooting Joey Calcaterra is in the portal.

A grad-transfer, he is leaving a team in some disarray, but could be a good addition off the bench at a high major.

Calcaterra has committed to UConn, per Verbal Commits.

by DoubleDipper Mon Jun 20, 2022 10:21 am

Coach Lavin continues to fill his roster with top quality players, this time picking up 2-time All-Big Sky guard, Seikou Sisoho Jasara, from Weber St.

Originally from Spain, you might remember him playing for LMU during the 2019-20 season.

Not sure if he'll have to sit a year because it seems everyone gets waivers now, but he has already gone from D1 to D1 once, and will now do it again. Regardless, he has two years of eligibility remaining.

by up7587 Wed Jun 29, 2022 3:12 pm

DoubleDipper wrote:
up7587 wrote:Update: Earlington is withdrawing from the portal and returning to USD. Per @portal_updates.
Coach Lavin has done an impressive job of recruiting since he took over, and on paper, USD should move into the top 5 in the WCC if the coaching is as good.

Coach Lavin is also beefing up his coaching staff.

@RoccoMiller8 wrote:Steve Lavin has hired former UCLA great Tyus Edney to his San Diego Torero staff.

More details: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/sports-columnists/story/2022-06-28/ucla-basketball-tyus-edney-missouri-ncaa-shot-assistant-usd-toreros-steve-lavin?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

by DoubleDipper Thu Nov 02, 2023 11:42 am

USD's athletic director leaves amid hazing lawsuit, investigation...

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/motorsports/university-of-san-diegos-athletic-director-leaves-amid-hazing-lawsuit-investigation/ar-AA1jh2bK

by up7587 Thu Mar 21, 2024 5:03 pm

Wayne McKinney III has entered the portal. Second leading scorer, played the most minutes/game for the Toreros. Played three years at USD.

by up7587 Sun Mar 24, 2024 6:11 pm

Keives Turner has entered the portal. Pretty sure he is aka Deuce Turner, the leading scorer for the ~~Waves~~ Toreros.

by DoubleDipper Sun Mar 24, 2024 8:32 pm

Keives is Deuce, and now that he’s in the portal he could, as you suggested, play for the Waves

…but probably not.

by DoubleDipper Fri Apr 12, 2024 11:26 pm

Former UCLA star and current USD #2 assistant coach, Tyus Edney, is reportedly heading up the road to be an assistant coach for the Pepperdine Waves and new head coach, Ed Schilling.