Times Union: Former Bishop Maginn starTaran Buie has informed Siena of his intent to transfer there, but hasn’t been admitted yet, according to a source.
Buie, a 6-foot-2 shooting guard, would have two years of eligibility left. It’s unclear whether he would have to sit out a season or might receive an NCAA hardship waiver for family reasons.
Siena would be Buie’s third school after sometimes troubled stints at Penn State and Hofstra. He served suspensions at both schools.
Big Apple Buckets: After spending several weeks out on the open market, former St. Francis (PA) guard Umar Shannonhas committed to play for Tom Moore at Quinnipiac, reports Bill Paxton of the Connecticut Post. The 5’11″ combo guard had also seriously considered Fairfield and other MAAC/CAA teams.
In his junior season, Shannon had a somewhat underwhelming campaign coming off surgery to repair a torn ACL in November of 2011. The guard scored double-digit points in nine out of ten games early in the 2012-13 season, but only averaged 7.1 points per game in his final ten contests.
The inconsistency was partially attributed to Shannon’s recovery – according to head coach Rob Krimmel, Shannon struggled at times getting over the mental hurdle of fully trusting his knee in games. Despite the “down” season, Shannon still led the Red Flash in points (11.2), minutes (32.0), and assists (3.3) per game. An extra offseason may work wonders for his surgically repaired knee.
Because Shannon earned his undergraduate degree at St. Francis this May, NCAA transfer rules allow the guard to play right away. He has one year of eligibility remaining.
Times Union: Coppin State transfer Patrick Cole, a 6-foot-5 guard from Newark, N.J., committed to Siena during his visit to the campus on Tuesday.
Cole will sit out next season in accordance with NCAA rules and will have three years of eligibility starting with the 2014-15 season.
Cole’s commitment comes even though Siena appeared to already have all of its 13 scholarships taken for next season. It suggests that redshirt sophomore forward Trenity Burdine won’t return after being suspended twice last season and having academic problems.
Jason Rich, Siena’s assistant athletic director for communications, said he couldn’t confirm whether any current players are departing.
Main Line Media News: Friends’ Central combination guard Karonn Davis described his recruiting experience as “unique”. When the dust finally settled after leading his team to a 20-8 record, Davis signed his National Letter of Intent May 7 to attend the University of Niagara.
“Everything happens for a reason,” Davis said in a recent interview. “Niagara wanted me and it feels great to be going somewhere where I am wanted. I have a feeling good things are going to happen.”
This season Davis led the Phoenix to a 20-8 record, that included going 7-0 during the Friends' Schools League regular season and an appearance in the FSL championship game. Davis averaged 19.2 points per game and 6.2 rebounds per contest.
The Dagger: Having determined his team's most glaring weakness next season was likely to be outside shooting, newly hired Marist coach Jeff Bower began asking around last month to see if any of his friends knew of a perimeter marksman still on the market.
One name he got in response left him especially intrigued.
A prep school coach told Bower about a 6-foot-5 shooting guard from Southern California once viewed as a high-major prospect before a back injury sidelined him for most of his junior and senior seasons. Bower watched film of Nick Colletta from his sophomore year at Glendora High School and scouted him in person at a Las Vegas AAU tournament a couple weeks ago, both of which left him surprised no other Division I schools were showing any interest.
4 Guys in Blazers: It appears new Siena head coach Jimmy Patsos has filled his final roster spot after receiving a verbal commitment from Mike Wolfe, a 6-9, 210 lb. forward from North Bethesda, Maryland. Wolfe, who recently withdrew his verbal commitment to Loyola, becomes the fourth player to follow Patsos to Loudonville after committing to play for the Greyhounds.
Wolfe who visited Siena last week, reportedly gave his verbal commitment and is waiting to receive his letter of intent on Thursday as reported by Mark Singelais of the Times Union.
Former Loyola recruits, guards Maurice White and Marquis Wright along with forward Lavon Long have already confirmed their plans to play for the Saints. The incoming quartet from Maryland will be joined by local standout, Javion Ogunyemi to form the freshmen class at Siena.
Wolfe averaged 20 points and 9 rebounds for Georgetown Prep this past season. He was also an AAU teammate with Long with Mid Atlantic Select.
NBC Sports: With Rakeem Brookins no longer with the program in the aftermath of his arrest on charges of burglary, Siena first-year head coach Jimmy Patsos could not afford to lose point guard Evan Hymes.
Hymes was expected to transfer according to multiple reports in early April, with the goal being to attend a school closer to his North Carolina with his mother not in the best of health.
But after a trip home to talk things over with his family, Hymes reportedly will return to Siena for his junior season according to Mark Singelais of the Times-Union.
Siena coach Jimmy Patsos said Hymes notified him of the decision [Saturday] morning.
Buffalo News: When coach Joe Mihalich left Niagara for Hofstra last month Purple Eagle fans could take comfort in the wealth of talent he was leaving behind.
It’s time to get uncomfortable.
All-conference guard Juan’ya Green and rebounding leader Ameen Tanksley have been granted transfer requests and are leaving the university, athletic department spokesman Derick Thornton confirmed today. The two sophomores are Philadelphia natives and lifelong friends.
The departures are a major blow to a program that won the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular-season championship last year, earning a berth in the NIT. Green was the MAAC’s Freshman of the Year two years ago and last season emerged as a top contender for conference Player of the Year. He averaged 16.5 points and 5 assists while leading the Purple Eagles to a 19-14 record.
4 Guys In Blazers: According to multiple sources, Siena has reportedly received a verbal commitment from 6-1 point guard Marquis Wright to play for the Saints beginning in the fall of 2013. Wright who originally agreed to play for Loyola, opted to follow coach Jimmy Patsos to Loudonville. He will not be joined by long time friend and Maryland Ruff Riders AAU teammate Stephan Jiggetts who had previously signed with Siena but has reportedly now de-committed.
The news came soon after Lavon Long, another former Loyola recruit, announced he had also committed to Siena. Wright and Long were both in town for an on campus visit to Siena when news of the decisions was announced.
A four-year varsity player for North Point H.S (Waldorf, Md.), Wright averaged 16.6 points, 6.1 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 3.9 steals this past season, leading the Eagles (24-3) to the Class 4A semifinals for the third straight year. He is a two-time Southern Maryland Athletic Conference MVP and finished his high school career with 1,084 points, 560 assists, 325 rebounds and 290 steals.
Zags Blog: At about the same time that Eddie Jordan officially became the new head coach at Rutgers, another former Scarlet Knight moved on.
Mike Poole, a 6-foot-5 junior wing, pledged to Iona after visiting the campus Wednesday.
“Mike felt it was time to move on and get a fresh start after his experience at Rutgers,” his mentor, Nate Blue, told SNY.tv.
“It had been a long, trying three years and he is very excited about moving on to a successful winning program at Iona. The Iona staff has known Mike since high school and he is very comfortable with them on and off the court.”
MAAC 
