Re: USD Notes

by DoubleDipper Sun May 03, 2015 2:38 pm

Coach Lamont Smith has gotten commitments from some very talented freshman in his short time at USD, including the highest nationally ranked freshman to come into the WCC so far this year, the 34th ranked SG, Tyler Williams from Texas.

by DoubleDipper Tue May 05, 2015 9:35 am

DoubleDipper wrote:Disappointed to see that former GU walk-on and former North Idaho College student-athlete Chris Sarbaugh is transferring from USD with one year yet to play.

Sarbaugh has landed at Idaho for his graduate year and can play this coming season.

Let's see, I think this is Sarbaugh's fourth school after graduating from Gonzaga Prep at about the same time Rhino did.....Gonzaga, North Idaho, USD, and Idaho.

by Guest Mon Mar 14, 2016 6:45 pm

Per a Will Maupin retweet of @VerbalCommits,

San Diego G Vasilije Pusica is leaving the program.

2nd leading scorer, highest average minutes played. With Kok and Sanadze graduating, Toreros lose their top 3 scorers.

by Sound Voltex Sun Feb 25, 2018 11:29 pm

Coach Lamont Smith arrested Sunday afternoon at Oakland International Airport flying home from the USF game on 3 domestic violence charges.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2761511-san-diego-basketball-coach-lamont-smith-arrested-on-domestic-violence-charges

University of San Diego head men's basketball coach Lamont Smith was arrested Sunday on domestic violence charges.

Ben Higgins of 10 News in San Diego reported the news, citing public records released by the San Francisco Sheriff's Department.

According to the report, Smith is facing charges for "domestic violence, assault with force likely to commit great bodily injury and false imprisonment." He was arrested at Oakland International Airport before his team flew back to San Diego after a 64-61 win over the University of San Francisco on Saturday.

The victim was treated for non-life-threatening injuries at the hospital.

"Officers were dispatched to the team hotel near Union Square late last night on reports of a domestic violence disturbance," Higgins wrote.

Higgins noted the coach was released on $115,000 bail.

San Diego has an 18-12 record, including a 9-9 mark in West Coast Conference games. This is Smith's third season as the program's head coach after he played for the Toreros from 1995-99.

San Diego's next game is Saturday in the WCC tournament against the BYU Cougars.

by Guest Tue Feb 27, 2018 11:27 am

USD has suspended Coach Smith.
https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/USD-Basketball-Coach-Arrested-475106953.html?amp=y&__twitter_impression=true

by Sound Voltex Tue Mar 06, 2018 8:19 pm

Charges dropped.

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/22671430/university-san-diego-coach-lamont-smith-face-charges-domestic-violence-arrest

by Sound Voltex Thu Mar 08, 2018 12:17 am

Lamont Smith has resigned.

https://twitter.com/MattNorlander/status/971614981706997760

by DoubleDipper Thu Mar 08, 2018 9:16 am

Sound Voltex wrote:Lamont Smith has resigned.

America/Congress may be able to put up with an alleged philandering adulterer, but there's just no way a small Catholic university can.

Lamont's still a good man and deserves some time to heal the wounds within his family, but he had to go!

by Guest Mon Apr 02, 2018 6:47 pm

New coach announced: http://www.usdtoreros.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/040218aaa.html. Promoted their acting head coach Sam Scholl.

by DoubleDipper Mon Jun 18, 2018 8:08 pm

Not really a surprise that USD 6th man, Juwan Gray, with two years of eligibility remaining, is transferring to Towson U. in Maryland, closer to his hometown, Dover Delaware (he's an Air Force brat).

Gray, a 6-8/210 durable hybrid-type forward, much like UP fans hope Ty Glover will be, proved to be quite an asset on both sides of the ball for the Toreros the past two seasons.

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.