🏀 Nick Jacobs Released From Scholarship at Alabama

[BAMANEWSBOT]

Men's basketball player Nick Jacobs has been released from his scholarship and will not return to Alabama next season, head coach Anthony Grant announced.

"We want to thank Nick for his contributions to our program the past three seasons," Grant said. "We wish him success with the next chapter of his career."

Last season, Jacobs played in 25 contests and averaged 8.4 points per game before he requested a leave of absence from the team on Feb. 19. He did not play in the Tide's final seven contests.

Jacobs played in 93 games in his three seasons at UA and averaged 7.3 points and 3.4 rebounds per contest.

 

[alabama mike]

I can't say that I am surprised that he is leaving.

 

[bamaraider]

Wow, guess that leaves it up to Jimmie Taylor and the new transfer, Michael Kessens. PG's better be solid this year or its going to be another repeat of last year. Still have no one that can dominate the backboards.

 

[doemasters]

i wonder if we will have 5 players left come basketball season

 

[psychojoe]

Actually we the team, twelve on scholarship now, all eligible to play this year. With Jacobs, and before him Engstrom, leaving thebasically 3-4 team, we will be much smaller next year. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Hale, and Bessent are basically 3/4 types. Taylor is the only five we have. This means that Rodney Cooper, who is really a 2/3 type, will continue to be used as a 4.

My guess at our starting five is PG Ricky Tarrant, SG Levi Randolph, SF Rodney Cooper, PF Shannon Hale, C Rodney Taylor.

 

[bamaraider]

Actually we the team, twelve on scholarship now, all eligible to play this year. With Jacobs, and before him Engstrom, leaving thebasically 3-4 team, we will be much smaller next year. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Hale, and Bessent are basically 3/4 types. Taylor is the only five we have. This means that Rodney Cooper, who is really a 2/3 type, will continue to be used as a 4.

My guess at our starting five is PG Ricky Tarrant, SG Levi Randolph, SF Rodney Cooper, PF Shannon Hale, C Rodney Taylor.

You mean Jimmie Taylor? Who's Rodney Taylor? Why not Michael Kessens?

 

[psychojoe]

You are right, it is Jimmie. Kessens is not really a center, though he will have to play there some I am sure. That is just my guess as to who starts. Hale over Kessens because Hale is a scorer. Taylor over Kessens because he is bigger. I expect the three of them to play big minutes. We will undoubtedly press more, since our smaller team isn't suited as well to defending big guys in the post in a half court style. If we don't run more and shoot from the perimeter better, we will IMO look back on last season as the good old days.

 

[bamaraider]

I don't think its all that bad though honestly. Minus the final game vs LSU in the SEC Tourn., the team had much better guard play the 2nd half of the season. Levi Randolph played fairly well, and Hale is just a monster in general. Ricky Tarant was a great PG at Tulane and the new incoming transfer that played at Florida Gulf Coast will be a good player off the bench to help compliment him and be a contributor from outside the arc.

 

[psychojoe]

IMO Levi is absolutely the key. He is the best athlete on the team. In the last part of the season he actually got some confidence in his shot and was a second scorer to go along with Trevor. He needs to be looking for his shot a lot more, though.

I am with you all the way on Tarrant. His last year in HS Trevor Lacey was the MVP of the 5A tournament. Many who saw it said it should have been Ricky. I have a friend whose son was a close friend of Ricky's throughout school. She tells me that Ricky is a great kid, from a strong family. I hope he is one of those who makes everyone on the floor with him a better player.