Transfers playing key roles in City Six

Transfers can be program-changing players, and it's become the norm - not the exception - in college basketball.

When La Salle made its surprising run to the Sweet 16 in 2013, the catalyst was Ramon Galloway, who began his career at South Carolina but helped turned the Explorers around in two seasons. Tyrone Garland, inventor of the Southwest Philly Floater that got so much attention when he won an NCAA game against Kansas State, was another transfer who keyed La Salle's run.

Last season, St. Joseph's earned an NCAA tournament berth by winning the Atlantic 10 Conference tournament. The tourney MVP was then-senior Halil Kanacevic, who began his college career at Hofstra.

This season, Temple's improvement from 9-22 to 19-9 has been due in part to the play of two transfers: junior forward Jaylen Bond, who spent his first two seasons at Texas, and Jesse Morgan, who came from Massachusetts. A third transfer, Devin Coleman - who began his career at Clemson - adds depth off the bench.

Penn is the only school among this year's City Six that does not have at least one transfer on the roster.

In addition to the Temple players, La Salle sophomore Jordan Price, who transferred from Auburn, has been one of the top players in the Atlantic 10. Villanova's Dylan Ennis, who began his career at Rice, has been a season-long starter. St. Joseph's Aaron Brown is the Hawks' third-leading scorer after beginning his career at West Virginia.

According to the NCAA, about 40 percent of all men's basketball players who enter Division I directly out of high school leave their initial school by the end of their sophomore year.

"It is no different than freshman recruiting," La Salle coach John Giannini said. "You want to bring somebody in to make the team better, and if you take a transfer, he should be an impact player based on his experience."

Players these days aren't always patient about waiting for their turn, which explains why there is so much movement in college basketball.

"People want instant gratification and instant satisfaction," Temple coach Fran Dunphy said. "There is not the idea of paying dues like there used to be, but it is the way of the world and you have to adjust to it."

The NCAA, through studying the situation, says 90 percent of men's basketball transfers say they leave for athletic reasons.

Drexel coach Bruiser Flint said youngsters are committing earlier and earlier to colleges, and that isn't necessarily a good thing.

"With many recruits, everything is done in the summer when they come in for an unofficial visit and everything looks nice," Flint said. "You have to bring them in the summer, but all they are dealing with is the coaches and not the people, not with the other students, so you don't really get a good feel for the school."

And Flint, who admittedly can be tough on his players, wants the recruits to watch him in practice to see whether they can play under his demanding style.

"I ask them if they have seen me coach, and if they can't take it, then maybe you shouldn't come here," Flint said.

Laughing, he added, "They might say, 'This guy is crazy,' but at least they were told that was the case."

Taylor King, a highly touted transfer from Duke, lasted just one season at Villanova in 2009-2010, plagued by personal problems.

But for the most part, City Six schools have had successful experiences with transfers, and Villanova coach Jay Wright said there is a simple reason.

"One of the reasons most transfers are successful is No. 1, if they take accountability for their reason they are leaving," Wright said.

In most cases, a player who transfers from one Division I basketball school to another must sit out a year because of NCAA rules, although waivers sometimes are granted.

"They have a whole year to learn your system," Wright said. "They are smart and realize, 'I have to learn this system because I don't have another chance.' "

Many who transfer to Philadelphia schools are players coming home.

Temple's Bond, for example, was a star at Plymouth Whitemarsh High before attending Texas.

"Being around family has been one of the great things about coming here," said Bond, who leads the American Athletic Conference with 8.5 rebounds per game. "Plus, my teammates have been great and it's really been a positive experience."

Coaches often deliberate at length on whether to take certain transfers.

"I think taking transfers of any ilk is pressure on a coach because, whether it is the player or his family, they look at you as you can save this kid's career," St. Joseph's coach Phil Martelli said.

Penn coach Jerome Allen hasn't had a transfer since he took over during the 2009-2010 season. At Penn, he played with three transfers - Matt Maloney (Vanderbilt), Ira Bowman (Providence), and Andy Baratta (Clarion).

"I really enjoyed playing with those guys," said Allen, who played on Ivy League championship teams his final three years (1993-1995). "If you have the right culture and the right group of selfless guys who buy into the coach and the system, it can work out."

Taking in transfers has become a necessary task in this transient college basketball world.

It is why a coach doesn't burn bridges when a high school recruit decides not to attend his school. That's because, statistically speaking, there is a reasonable chance that player can come into play on the rebound.

Name    Ht.   Yr.    School   Former School

Aaron Brown   6-5   Jr.   St. Joseph's    West Virginia

Hawks' third-leading scorer (9.7 ppg.).

Jaylen Bond   6-8    Jr.    Temple    Texas

Major defensive presence, leads AAC in rebounding (8.5 rpg.).

Devin Coleman    6-2    Jr.    Temple    Clemson

A rotation player, Coleman is averaging 11.2 minutes.

Jesse Morgan    6-5    Sr.    Temple    UMass

Averaging 12 ppg., shooting 35.3 percent on three-pointers.

Dylan Ennis    6-2    Jr.    Villanova    Rice   A starter in all 27 games, Ennis averages 9.3 ppg. and 3.37 apg.

Jordan Price    6-5    Soph.    La Salle    Auburn   Averaging 17.7 ppg. and will vie for all-A-10 honors.

Khalid Lewis    6-3    Jr.    La Salle    Delaware

Defensive specialist averaging 27.1 minutes per game.

Cleon Roberts    6-5    Soph.    La Salle    Ga. Southern

Averaging 9.7 ppg., shooting 38.3 percent on three-pointers.

Sooren Derboghosian   6-10    Jr.    Drexel    UCLA

Has seen limited action in eight games.

Freddie Wilson    6-3    Sr.    Drexel    Seton Hall

Has started three of 27 games and is averaging 4.0 ppg.

- Marc Narducci

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40

Percent of all men's basketball players who enter Division I directly out of high school who depart their initial school by the end of their sophomore year.

90

Percent of men's basketball transfers who say they leave their initial school for athletic reasons.

39

Percent of Division I men's basketball transfers who go to another Division I school. EndText