Rohith Nandagiri
Staff Writer
Even with the excitement regarding UH Cougar basketball, one player has decided not to become part of it.
Early signee Donald Emanuel of Houston Jones High School has told UH assistant coach George Walker he intends to pick another school.
"He told me last Friday he was going to try and pick another school. Our last word from him was that he was going to go."
With Emanuel gone, that leaves the Cougars with one remaining scholarship which they intend to give to an inside presence.
"We are looking at some inside guys, 6-8 and up, and we are looking at some JC transfers.
"We are trying to plug the holes, but we would like to have high school players to commit so we can build a program," Walker said. "We have some guys we are looking at and we would like to get on their list to visit us."
Since Walker was the head coach and assistant athletic director at South Florida Community College and is familiar with its players, he is using his connections to hopefully bring in a top notch big man.
"I know most of the high school coaches and the junior college coaches so that is helpful," he said.
It also is doubtful that Waltrip High School's Cedric Taylor will be able to play Division I college basketball due to his academic troubles.
Sources say his SAT scores and his GPA are not where they need to be to meet the NCAA standards.
Taylor has included UH as one of his three choices.
Taylor is widely regarded as the second-best player in the state behind NBA prospect Rashard Lewis of Elsik.
Heading into next season, Walker believes the roster will be similar to this past season's except for the addition of Moses Malone Jr., Gee Gervin, and one player which has yet to be signed and the subtraction of seniors Shamahn McBride and Galen Robinson.
"As far as I know, all of them will be back," Walker said. "I haven't gotten word from Clyde (Drexler) on anyone not being here. We are all going to get together to look at the walk-ons.
We have so many kids who want to walk-on or transfer, but we have to decide on what we are going to do. We don't want to break any rules with this." Also, former University of Texas guard Luke Axtell has chosen Kansas as his destination. As per NCAA regulations, he will have to sit out next season.
Axtell told reporters he was interested in UH after Clyde Drexler was hired.
Axtell said he was excited about the chance to play for the national championship.
"Kansas is the right place for me. Every year they are right there for the championship and they have a great coach (Roy Williams) and a great tradition."
DePaul University announced last week that their leading scorer Jermaine Watts would not be returning next season for academic reasons. However, with the incoming potentialbrought in by head coach Pat Kennedy, the Blue Demons will not be hurting for talent.