CU recruit Damiene Cain quits team to focus on classwork - The Denver Post Page 1 of 3

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CU MEN'S BASKETBALL PRINT EMAIL CU basketball recruit Damiene 0 COMMENTS Cain quits team to focus on STORY STATS classwork

POSTED: 09/12/2011 01:00:00 AM MDT Recommend Be the first of your friends to recommend this.

One of Colorado's most highly rated freshmen, 6-foot-7, 240-pound power forward Damiene Cain of Los Angeles, has quit the men's basketball team to concentrate on academics.

Cain, ranked on Rivals.com's prestigious national top-150 list (No. 134 regardless of position) for the 2011- 12 recruiting class, graduated in the spring from Harvard Westlake High School in North Hollywood, Calif., which academically is rated among the top prep schools in the West.

"I feel it's best for me to pursue a college degree without the restrictions and demands that come with being a student-athlete," Cain said in a CU news release.

CU coach had high hopes for Cain as an immediate contributor on the frontcourt as a rebounder but said he supported Cain's decision. "Damiene and I have had numerous conversations over the past two weeks in regard to whether basketball fits in his life," Boyle said.

Cain signed with CU last November after also visiting Boston College and San Diego State . His departure leaves CU with three newcomers, all guards: freshmen and Askia Booker and sophomore Jeremy Adams.

Tom Kensler, The Denver Post

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http://www.denverpost.com/colleges/ci_18875136 9/12/2011 The Field House » CU hoops team loses frosh power forward » Print Page 1 of 1

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SEPTEMBER 11, 2011, 3:32 PM CU hoops team loses frosh power forward By TOM KENSLER | 1 Comment

Colorado announced Sunday that freshman basketball player Damiene Cain has decided to not play so he can concentrate on academics.

CU coach Tad Boyle had high hopes for the 6-foot-7, 240-pound power forward from Los Angeles but said he supported the decision.

“Damiene and I have had numerous conversations over the past two weeks in regard to whether basketball fits in his life,” Boyle said through the CU sports information department.

“The health, happiness and well-being of our players is always a paramount concern. Damiene Cain is a terrific young man and we support him in his decision.”

Cain picked CU last November after also taking official visits to Boston College and San Diego State. Rivals.com included Cain on its prestigious national top 150, ranking Cain ranked as the nation’s 134th best prospect overall for the 2011-12 recruiting cycle.

Cain graduated from Harvard Westlake High School in North Hollywood, Calif., ranked academically as one of the top prep schools in the West.

“I feel it’s best for me to pursue a college degree without the restrictions and demands that come with being a student-athlete,” Cain said in the CU news release.

My take: I have never met Cain. But I’ll never argue against anybody that elects to concentrate on academics. He could have helped CU on the frontcourt, where the Buffs lack depth and only have sophomore Andre Roberson as a proven rebounder. But on the plus side, Boyle and his staff have already shown to be good recruiters, and this opens up a roster spot for them to sign another player, perhaps during the early signing period in November.

Cain’s departure leaves the current CU roster with three newcomers, all guards: freshmen guards Spencer Dinwiddie and Askia Booker from Los Angeles, and sophomore junior-college transfer Jeremy Adams, a native of Mississippi who originally signed with Texas A&M.

In addition, two transfers who sat out last season are eligible for 2011-12: swingman Carlon Brown (Utah) and guard Sabatino Chen (University of Denver).

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CU Buffs, Tad Boyle lose freshman forward

Cain decides not to play for Buffs

By Ryan ThorburnCamera Sports Writer Boulder Daily Camera

Posted:09/11/2011 03:18:28 PM MDT

Alec Burks returned to Boulder for more cheers.

The former Buffs scoring machine and current Utah Jazz rookie was recognized on Saturday during Colorado's football game at Folsom Field for his achievements on the hardwood the past two seasons.

It turns out Burks -- who left school for the NBA with two years of eligibility remaining -- isn't the only talented young player Tad Boyle will be without during CU's inaugural season in the Pac-12.

Damiene Cain, a 6-7 freshman forward who was expected to bolster CU's post play, has decided not to play for the Buffs after all.

"The more you see kids play, sometimes the less you like them. Their deficiencies show and the warts kind of come to the surface. Whereas with Damiene, the more we watched him play the more we liked him," Boyle said earlier this summer when asked about Cain's potential impact. "He can pass the ball and he can shoot the ball. I saw him step out and hit a couple threes, and that was kind of the icing on the cake for me, because I knew what he could do on the . He's going to give us something in terms of low post scoring that we need."

The Buffs return 6-7 sophomore Andre Roberson, who averaged 6.7 points and a team-high 7.8 rebounds per game. Shane Harris-Tunks, a 6-11 center, is healthy and ready to resume his career after missing the 2010-11 season with a knee injury.

Austin Dufault, a 6-9 senior, has started 95 games and averaged 6.6 points and 4.2 rebounds last season. Senior Trey Eckloff (6-10) and sophomore Ben Mills (7-0) add some size off the bench.

But losing Cain -- who is enrolled at CU this semester and wants to focus on academics -- will make Boyle's job more difficult as he prepares for life without Burks (20.5 ppg) and graduated seniors Cory Higgins (16.1 ppg), Levi Knutson (11.7 ppg) and Marcus Relphorde (11.2 ppg).

"Damiene and I have had numerous conversations over the past two weeks in regards to where basketball fits in his life," Boyle said in a release. "The health, happiness and well-being of our players is always a paramount concern. Damiene Cain is a terrific young man, and we support him in his decision."

Cain averaged 14.4 points and 10.9 rebounds as a senior at Harvard Westlake (Calif.) High School.

"After careful consideration, I have decided not to play basketball on the collegiate level," Cain said. "On a personal note, I feel it's best for me to pursue a college degree without the restrictions and demands that come with being a student- athlete. I wish to thank all the people at University of Colorado and my family for their support in this decision."

Boyle's other two true freshmen from the Los Angeles area -- Spencer Dinwiddie and Askia Booker -- are both on campus working out and preparing to contribute in 2011-12.

Dinwiddie, 6-5, is a true guard who averaged 11.2 points and 7.7 assists at Taft High School and was named the Los Angeles City Section Player of the Year.

"I told Spencer when I was recruiting him that the only negative I can say about him is that he's not aggressive enough. I want him to score more," Boyle said. "Because he's a pass-first guy, but he's got all the skills necessary to be a terrific player in the Pac-12. He's got the length and the size and athleticism and will be a great defensive player. And he can play multiple positions."

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Booker is a 6-1 guard who has been taking advantage of CU's new practice facility.

"Askia Booker is the consummate gym rat. Every time we've made a recruiting call to Askia to try to talk to him his mom would always say, 'He's at the gym, call back in an hour or two,'" Boyle said. "Sometimes you call back in an hour or two and he still wasn't home. He's one of those guys where you just know he has the work ethic."

The Buffs return point guards Nate Tomlinson and Shannon Sharpe. There are also three transfers -- Jeremy Adams (Texas A&M), Carlon Brown (Utah) and Sabatino Chen (Denver) -- who are eligible to play and eager to help fill the void at the wing positions.

Former Fairview High School guard Beau Gamble has also been welcomed to the program as a walk-on.

The Buffs hosted several promising recruits for 2012 over the weekend, and the coaching staff is on the road looking to add to the class, which is already ranked in the top 20 by ESPN.

CU opens the season on Nov. 11 against Fort Lewis at the Coors Events Center.

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ESPN.com: College Basketball Nation [Print without images]

Monday, September 12, 2011 Colorado recruit puts books before hoops

By Diamond Leung

Colorado freshman Damiene Cain, one of the top players in the Buffaloes' first recruiting class in the Pac-12 era, has decided to forgo a college basketball career in order to concentrate on academics at the school.

"After careful consideration, I have decided not to play basketball on the collegiate level," Cain said in a statement released by the school on Sunday. "On a personal note, I feel it's best for me to pursue a college degree without the restrictions and demands that come with being a student-athlete. I wish to thank all the people at University of Colorado and my family for their support in this decision."

Cain, a 6-foot-7 forward from North Hollywood, Calif., who reflected the school's new emphasis on recruiting in Southern California, was ESPNU's No. 37-ranked recruit in the state and signed a national letter of intent last November.

He chose Colorado over the 16 other schools that offered him scholarships after taking official visits to Boston College and San Diego State. It was a fit in part because his parents played basketball at Colorado Christian, and he had spent part of his early childhood living in the state.

But according to Cain's high school coach, the question of whether a college basketball career was the correct path for the promising player was something he wrestled with for years.

"Even in high school, he was considering whether or not that was the right usage of so much time," Harvard-Westlake School coach Greg Hilliard told ESPN.com on Monday. "We've had discussions with him for a couple years on whether it was worth it, the inordinate amount of time spent on basketball. Even if you take it to its limit and take it to the NBA, you’re done by 30."

A prestigious private school, Harvard-Westlake has produced plenty of college talent over the years. Its most recent Division I players include USC's Alex Stepheson, Tennessee's Renaldo Woolridge and Miami's Erik Swoope.

Cain was expected to be next after committing to Colorado, pausing for dramatic effect before choosing a Buffaloes cap over five others with his parents by his side at the announcement. CU coach Tad Boyle liked the 230-pounder's versatility as an "inside-out-type guy" and signed him early along with Spencer Dinwiddie and Askia Booker, two other top Southern California recruits. In his senior season, Cain averaged a double-double and helped Harvard-Westlake win a section championship.

Still, Hilliard said Cain questioned whether spending so much time on basketball was the balance he wanted in life. After enrolling at Boulder, Cain and Boyle spoke more about the player's desire to focus on academics and ultimately chose a path rarely taken by the average college basketball prospect.

"Damiene and I have had numerous conversations over the past two weeks in regards to where basketball fits in his life," Boyle said in a statement. "The health, happiness and well-being of our players is always a paramount concern. Damiene Cain is a terrific young man and we support him in his decision."

Boyle will have to look elsewhere for production after losing his top four scorers -- lottery pick Alec Burks among them -- off a team that won a school-record 24 games and reached the semifinal round of the NIT.

Hilliard, who said Cain would need to take out a student loan in order to attend Colorado, described his former player as focused and mature and one who set high standards and was a role model for teammates.

"Knowing that so many of our kids coming out of our school have devoted their six years (grades 7-12) here to a heavy academic schedule, the idea of deserting that and going to six hours a day playing hoops enters into the decision," Hilliard said. "I support the decision and understand it.

"It certainly wasn't spur of the moment. Making the decision at the time before it hurt the team any more than it already might, he had that weighing heavily on him."

http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/print?id=35187 9/13/2011