Freshman guard B.J. Bailey has been released from the Boston University men’s basketball team and will transfer to another program, coach Patrick Chambers confirmed Tuesday.
The touted rookie, recruited by former BU coach Dennis Wolff, withdrew from the university after completing his first-semester coursework and plans to enroll at a school closer to his hometown of Mays Landing, N.J.
Chambers acknowledged that the 18-year-old Bailey battled homesickness since arriving at BU in late June, with the Terriers’ lone freshman making his decision following what Chambers called an ongoing ‘process.’
‘We tried,’ Chambers said after BU’s 86-77 victory against Mount St. Mary’s University Tuesday at Case Gymnasium. ‘I told him I’d do everything I possibly could to help him. We’re sad to see him go, but it’s for the best.’ ‘
Bailey stressed that he enjoyed playing for Chambers.
‘I loved that coaching staff. They did a lot for me,’ Bailey told The Press of Atlantic City in a telephone interview Wednesday. ‘They tried to keep me there, but they knew it was hard for me. They knew I really wanted to be closer to home.
‘It had nothing to do with basketball.’
Though somber about Bailey’s departure, Chambers said the player’s peace of mind trumps any personal disappointment over losing such a talented prospect.’
‘If he’s not happy,’ Chambers said, ‘then it’s not fair for him to stay.’
A 2009 McDonald’s All-American nominee and The Press of Atlantic City Player of the Year last season as a senior at Holy Spirit High School, Bailey logged six appearances (1 start) for the Terriers, averaging 3.8 points and 2.2 rebounds in 16 minutes per contest. He scored a career-high 10 points off the bench in BU’s road loss to the then-No. 14/13 University of Connecticut Dec. 2.
Minus Bailey, the Terriers move forward with nine active scholarship players this season, one of whom, senior forward Scott Brittain, has yet to play in 2009-10 because of a preseason concussion. BU welcomes a trio of transfers next season in guard Matt Griffin (Rider University), forward Patrick Hazel (Marquette University) and guard Darryl Partin (La Salle University).
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