Forget the possibility of Kelvin Amayo helping Marshall with its problems at point guard, for he is departing.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Forget the possibility of Kelvin Amayo helping Marshall with its problems at point guard, for he is departing.
Amayo, who became eligible Dec. 20, has decided to leave the basketball program, he announced first on his Twitter account on Monday.
"I want to thank Marshall University for helping me this past year while I was a prop but I will be transferring to another University!!"
The 6-foot-4 native of Newark, N.J., originally signed with Towson for the 2011-12 season, but was declared ineligible by the NCAA out of Newark NIA Prep because of a lack of core classes. His appeal for a waiver was denied in September 2011, and he sat out and enrolled at Marshall in January as an unusual midyear nonqualifier.
Since becoming eligible, he averaged 2.7 points and 9.3 minutes per game, but those numbers could have gone up.
"We were surprised and caught off guard by Kelvin's timing in deciding to transfer after a little over a week of practice and three games since becoming eligible," said coach Tom Herrion. "We wish him the best in the future."
Considered a "combo guard,'' he was being worked into the rotation with an eye toward easing the Thundering Herd's problems at point guard - problems plain to see in a 94-57 beating suffered last weekend at Ohio.
In a statement released by MU, Amayo said, "I just wanted to be closer to home." But Amayo told SNY.tv he was under the impression that he would receive a scholarship by now.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Forget the possibility of Kelvin Amayo helping Marshall with its problems at point guard, for he is departing.
Amayo, who became eligible Dec. 20, has decided to leave the basketball program, he announced first on his Twitter account on Monday.
"I want to thank Marshall University for helping me this past year while I was a prop but I will be transferring to another University!!"
The 6-foot-4 native of Newark, N.J., originally signed with Towson for the 2011-12 season, but was declared ineligible by the NCAA out of Newark NIA Prep because of a lack of core classes. His appeal for a waiver was denied in September 2011, and he sat out and enrolled at Marshall in January as an unusual midyear nonqualifier.
Since becoming eligible, he averaged 2.7 points and 9.3 minutes per game, but those numbers could have gone up.
"We were surprised and caught off guard by Kelvin's timing in deciding to transfer after a little over a week of practice and three games since becoming eligible," said coach Tom Herrion. "We wish him the best in the future."
Considered a "combo guard,'' he was being worked into the rotation with an eye toward easing the Thundering Herd's problems at point guard - problems plain to see in a 94-57 beating suffered last weekend at Ohio.
In a statement released by MU, Amayo said, "I just wanted to be closer to home." But Amayo told SNY.tv he was under the impression that he would receive a scholarship by now.
With Marshall at 13 scholarship players already (including Kareem Canty, ineligible but allowed to remain on scholarship), Amayo would have had to pay his own way for the upcoming semester, which begins next week. Herrion said he would have received a scholarship next season.
"There was never any promise he would get an academic scholarship this year, period," Herrion said. "He would have gotten one next year. You can't give something you don't have."
As Marshall prepares for its Conference USA opener Wednesday against Tulsa, Herrion is back to three options at point guard: DeAndre Kane, whose strong hand is still on the mend from a broken bone suffered four weeks ago, freshman Tamron Manning and sophomore Chris Martin.
Martin, with 24 turnovers but just 16 assists, has been so ineffective that Manning has started the last three games; Manning is 1 of 10 shooting.
Tipoff time Wednesday is 7 p.m. at Cam Henderson Center.
Reach Doug Smock at dougsm...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-5130.
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