Men’s Basketball: Several of Cajun’s leading men’s hoops players will not return next season

Advertiser, Lafayette, July 13, 2012, Tim Buckley

But coach Bob Marlin’s Ragin’ Cajuns will play on, no matter what the losses.

They have no other choice.

"We’re gonna field a basketball team with Kadeem Coleby or without Kadeem Coleby," Marlin said, "so nothing changes there."

Marlin on Wednesday revealed how he flew late last month to Coleby’s home country of the Bahamas to meet with the would-be senior and his father for the sole purpose of trying to get Coleby to remain a Cajun.

He figured the mission had been accomplished when Coleby returned to campus for a practice early this month, only to learn three days later that the big Bahamian was requesting a release from his scholarship so he could play for another NCAA Division I program.

The request was denied by the UL athletic department, leaving Coleby — pending appeal — limited transfer options.

The upshot for UL is that it will be missing yet another key piece for 2012-2013, as Coleby joins a long list of those not returning for the third season of Marlin’s run as head coach of the Cajuns.

Coleby averaged 9.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.26 blocks over 31 games — including 30 starts, and one coming off the bench so fellow Bahamian Scottie Farrington could be in the opening lineup on Senior Night — in his only season as a Cajun.

He was to have been a returning mainstay in the middle for UL next season, half of a one-two punch along with sophomore-to-be point guard Elfrid Payton.

Instead, as the Cajuns sort where they’ll go from here, it seems Payton must now lead a Cajun club returning just three of its top 12 scorers from a season ago — Bryant Mbamalu (7.3 points per game), Payton (7.2) and lone senior-to-be Alan-Michael Thompson (3.9).

The Cajuns lost four seniors: leading scorer and rebounder Josh Brown, starting power forward Darshawn McClellan, and reserves Farrington and David Perez.

They’re among nine Cajuns from 2011-12 who won’t be back.

Point guard Raymone Andrews, who started most of the last two seasons, and power forward J.J. Thomas, who starred late in his 2010-11 freshman season and probably would have started again next season had he returned, both were suspended for the end of last season and subsequently asked to be released.

Thomas is transferring to Cal State Northridge.

Forward Kentwan Smith, a highly regarded freshman last season, plans to play instead for Otero Junior College in Colorado, and reserve point guard Darnell Jackson is expected to play next season at NCAA Division II West Texas A&M.

Payton, swingman Mbamalu, shooting guard Thompson and walk-on point Donovan Williams all still are expected to return, as are Tulane transfer guard Kevin Brown and Mississippi State transfer forward Sean Long of Morgan City.

Because of NCAA transfer rules, neither Brown nor Long were eligible to play for UL last season.

The Cajuns also have six new incoming faces who will be on scholarship in 2012-13: Anacoco High/Charis (N.C.) Prep big man Matt Moss, Houston-Dekaney High point guard Kasey Shepherd, Hammond-St. Thomas Aquinas shooting guard Steven Wronkoski, Florida Air Academy power forward Josh Soto, New Orleans-McDonogh 35 forward Cornell Barnett and Nicholls State transfer forward Eldrige Moore.

Marlin said he’s currently recruiting, perhaps to plug the hole left vacant by Coleby.

Whether the Cajuns are able to land a suitable replacement or not, though, they’ll head into the coming season with only three players (Payton, and wings Mbamalu and Thompson) who saw significant game time for UL last season.

It’s now a thin group that may have to play more small-ball than big, and one that may take its lumps while needing time to come together.

Still, Marlin suggests the Cajuns can overcome.

"We may not be as deep as we’d like to be," he said, "but we have maybe the best point guard in the (Sun Belt Conference), and our guard play overall is going to be the best we’ve had since we’ve been here.

"It helps to have a big guy inside," Marlin said, "but we’ll play regardless."

LAGNIAPPE: According to his Twitter account, ex-Cajun Travis Bureau signed earlier this week to play for a pro team in Romania. The swingman is scheduled to report in August. "» Former Cajun Tyren Johnson has been playing this week for Indiana’s entry in the Orlando (NBA) Pro Summer League. The 6-7 forward played last season for Rio Grande of the NBA Development League. The Pacers’ final summer game is this afternoon vs. Brooklyn. "» According to the National Junior College Athletic Association’s website, Tallahassee-Godby High product Alex Andrews signed a National Letter of Intent with Tallahassee Community College back in May. Andrews was a UL basketball early signee last fall, but he’ll go the junior-college route for academic reasons. Andrews will be free to sign with any NCAA program after graduating from the juco