Mike Gerrity is transferring to Biola University in Los Angeles.
Who is Mike Gerrity?
Gerrity was a tremendous high school point guard for Gary McKnight at Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) before becoming the 2006 WCC Freshman of the Year at Pepperdine under coach Paul Westphal.
Westphal was fired, Vance Walberg (who invented the AASAA offense Memphis runs) was brought in, and Gerrity quit after one game and transferred to Charlotte.
At Charlotte last season, he became eligible and played about 19 minutes a game. Once star guard Leemire Goldwire graduated, Gerrity had an excellent chance to get more playing time, and returning point guard DiJuan Harris and incoming freshman Shamarr Bowden became his top competition. Gerrity led the Niners in assists last year (3.5 per game) and played well on their Labor Day trip, averaging 15 points per game. However, he told Charlotte that he intended to leave at semester's end, which caught coach Bobby Lutz totally off guard.
I got a chance to know Gerrity almost 15 years ago in Orange County. Frankly, I am disappointed at the decisions he has made recently, which include leaving Pepperdine, transferring to Charlotte and now leaving again before practice has even begun.
He never should have left the "Dine" until Christmas break. That's when he would have had a much better feel for Walberg's offense, which is actually tailor-made for his penetrating game.
Gerrity's decision to attend Charlotte was a curious one because it is so far from home. The 49ers play in the A-10, which does not allow for a ton of national TV exposure. Also, Charlotte doesn't really have a true campus "feel," and so basketball players are a bit more isolated than they do at Pepperdine.
Charlotte had really talented guards that Gerrity would have had to beat out, and when you sit the first two months of the season, those guys have a head start in the competition.
Gerrity also had a foot injury and a complication from surgery early on at Charlotte from which he never really recovered. Now he is transferring to an NAIA school so he can play right away.
The lesson is clear to you disgruntled hoopers: Let some of the season, if not all of it, play out. Midyear transfers are difficult. Sometimes staying an extra couple of games, or through conference play, can afford additional opportunities to prove your value.
• While Coach K was away, the resident Dukies took heart with what they saw from Team USA. In fact, one source told me that this team seems incredibly motivated by both of the early exits from the Big Dance the past two years and the fact that Team USA's superstars totally bought into the idea of playing all-out on defense. That, more than anything, was the reason they brought home the Gold.
Because of the defensive intensity, especially on the ball, some of the players believe that Nolan Smith will demand more playing time, either with -- or maybe even instead of -- Greg Paulus. That does not mean that Paulus will have his role diminished, just that he will be challenged to improve defensively against the type of guards whom Duke wants to pressure. In fact, some at Duke believe that Smith is the most improved player on the team based on summer pickup games.
Also keep an eye on the addition of Miles Plumlee, who can block shots and give Duke an inside presence it has badly needed on the defensive end. Plumlee, super athletic Olek Czyz (a freaky dunker for his size) and Elliott Williams are players who are not the finished products like the Jon Scheyers and Kyle Singlers of the world, but they are springy and make up for mistakes with raw athleticism.
• USC is smartly using football to lure the best hoops recruits to campus. On Sept. 13 (during the Ohio State game), it was a "Who's Who" of national high school talent. Class of 2009 All-Americans such as Noel Johnson, Tyler Honeycutt, Kenny Boynton, Shaunessy Smith and Derrick Williams were on official visits, while Jeremy Tyler, Josh Smith, Renardo Sidney, Jordan Hamilton, and 2010ers Terrence Boyd, Gary Franklin and Anthony Brown all made unofficial visits at the same time.
USC is very strong right now with two straight first-round NBA picks, two straight NCAA appearances and Demar DeRozan looking to mirror O.J. Mayo in his one-and-done campaign. Although USC lost out to rival UCLA on Honeycutt, the depth of talent flocking to USC should end up landing coach Tim Floyd yet another spectacular class.
In talking to many a recruit this summer, kids are intrigued by USC. With Taj Gibson also a potential first-rounder, the best arena in the western United States and Floyd's NBA credentials, only a deep NCAA run stands in the way of USC's recruiting prowess.
• The Bruins' landing Honeycutt is another big get for coach Ben Howland, who previously had trouble finding a big-time small forward. Honeycutt clearly has his best basketball ahead of him, considering he broke onto the scene with my father's BWBA team this past spring and exploded to the point where he has much potential as any wing in high school hoops. Honeycutt will team with 6-foot-9 Brendan Lane (Rocklin, Calif.) and 6-foot-7 Reeves Nelson from Modesto Christian to give the Bruins some front-court help. UCLA should still be loaded even if Jrue Holiday is a one-and-done guy. Remember, the Bruins still have Malcolm Lee and Jerime Anderson, to go along with Drew Gordon, set to return on the perimeter next year.
• Speaking of recruiting ...
Oklahoma State coach Travis Ford has landed two verbal commitment gems in Texas product Roger Franklin (Duncanville) and junior college product Brad Reese (Gulf Coast of Florida). So far, Ford has acclimated himself well to recruiting at OSU by landing kids from Texas and Arkansas (Fred Gulley, 2009), and Reese from the juco ranks. Ford needs only to land a transfer or two, and his class would mirror the best Eddie Sutton classes of the first couple of years.
Lastly, to those of you who have e-mailed about my point guard list ...
Yes, Kalin Lucas is very solid, but I gave a list of 15 and had a hard time taking anyone off for Kalin just yet.
Other notable omissions:
Chris Lowe at UMass: A very solid point guard whose role should expand this year.
Dominic James is among the nicest college players I have spent time with. I hope he works his way back onto this list. He is a competitor who must use his speed and athleticism to change the game at both ends of the floor.
Greg Paulus, a three, soon-to-be four-year starter at Duke. Hate Duke and Paulus all you want, but he carried the Devils with his shot-making at times last year.
Nick Calathes was tough, because he can play all three guard positions, and I am not sure who will emerge as UF's point guard.
Scottie Reynolds is as explosive as any guard in the country when he has it going, but is he better than others on the list? It is very subjective.
I struggled with Sherron Collins. He is a talented, tough scoring machine who dramatically changed how KU was able to attack last year. However, I have not seen his ability to attack consistently for 35 minutes -- yet.