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University of Miami Men’s Basketball Clips 2014-15 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14 highlights on last 35 pages UM preview: Transfer players should provide spark Miami Herald Eckerd College last week, McClellan was Thomas, who is 6-7 and 245 pounds, is Michelle Kaufman 7 of 10 for 24 points. Rodriguez had 11 the strongest player on the team with Nov. 11, 2014 points, six assists and five steals. a 370-pound bench press. With 6-10 forward Ivan Cruz Uceda suspended Much of the talk among University of But there is a lesser-known newcomer, until January for an eligibility violation, Miami men’s basketball fans this preseason a guy with a plain name and an unflashy Thomas, freshman Omar Sherman and 7-0 centered on transfers Angel Rodriguez and résumé, whom coach Jim Larrañaga center Tonye Jekiri will get the bulk of the Sheldon McClellan. The duo is eligible to predicts could be the Hurricanes’ “secret work inside. play after a year on the bench, and that weapon.” His name is Joe Thomas. He is a is certainly the most obvious storyline Miami native. And he is a 23-year-old grad “Maybe people who don’t know about the heading into Friday’s home season opener student. game won’t appreciate what he does, but against Howard. I do because he comes in, doesn’t ask for Thomas was Rodriguez’s teammate at any plays or touches, is just happy to be Rodriguez, a native of Puerto Rico and Krop, where he averaged 12 points, 10 on the court,” Rodriguez said of Thomas. a Miami Krop High grad, is thrilled to be rebounds and four assists as a senior. He “He’s going to play hard, hit guys, and home from Kansas State and couldn’t wait was not highly-recruited, so he wound up rebound. He’s not as offensively skilled as to get back on the court. He made second- at Niagara University in New York. He others, but others don’t bring the energy team All-Big 12 as a sophomore point redshirted as a freshman, played three and hustle plays he does.” guard at K-State, but was homesick for seasons, and he had an additional year of Miami weather and Latin culture. eligibility remaining when he graduated Said Thomas: “I had no intentions of last May with a Criminal Justice degree. coming to The U, had no idea the U needed McClellan, a high-octane 6-5 guard, was people. I was never on their radar because unhappy at the University of Texas, and He averaged 3.1 points and 2.9 rebounds I wasn’t that level player yet. It’s weird fell in love with the Canes after watching during his Niagara career, and wasn’t how it turned out. I got lucky.” them play in Austin during their Sweet 16 sure whether he should pursue another run in 2013. He contacted former UM star season. He knew he didn’t want to stay Shane Larkin on Twitter, got the transfer at Niagara, so he came home and began ball rolling, and is so happy with Miami exploring options. He called Rodriguez he says, “I should have come here as a and asked if UM had open gym sessions freshman.” because he wanted to stay in shape. Not only did UM have open gym, it had one The two players bonded on the bench last open scholarship left. Rodriguez urged season. Thomas to try out. He showed up, and coaches were so impressed they gave him “We’ve both been two years in college, so the scholarship. we know what it takes to win,” McClellan said. “Just sitting there in suits, watching “My assistants are great recruiters, but the losses, and the almost-wins, when we not a single one of them had ever heard felt we could have made a difference, that of Joe Thomas,” Larrañaga said. “It was was really tough. We talked about what Angel Rodriguez who brought him to our we could do next year. We know every guy attention. It was almost a decision based on the other teams. I don’t know if they on convenience for both of us. It’s great know us, but we know them and what for us to have a local kid on our team and they do.” great opportunity for him to play in the ACC for a year, in Miami, his home town. There is no question McClellan and He will play a big role, maybe be our secret Rodriguez will share a huge load of weapon.” responsibility. In an exhibition win against Bleacher Report State and Texas, respectively, now they’ll Scott Henry lead Miami’s young group of guards. Nov. 11, 2014 Freshman Ja’Quan Newton was one of the nation’s top point guard recruits and Every November, we think we see what’s redshirt DeAndre Burnett averaged 37 coming. Analysts confidently make their PPG before missing his first college season predictions. Readers confidently call those with a wrist injury. analysts delusional idiots if the predictions aren’t sufficiently rosy for the fans’ The U’s weak spot will be in the frontcourt, favorite teams or tip the proverbial cap where depth is in short supply, but there if the writer gives their team some rare is some bulk on hand. Junior Tonye Jekiri respect. (7’0”, 235), grad transfer Joe Thomas (6’7”, 235), freshman Omar Sherman Every April, we look back at the season (6’8”, 220) and junior college import that’s transpired and find several events Ivan Cruz Uceda (6’10”, 240) will all see that none of us saw coming. Teams that minutes out of necessity. Uceda, however, rise up in defiance of all conventional won’t be eligible until late December. wisdom and crash the NCAA tournament are always fun, and there are several The ACC’s middle tier—teams like Florida expected also-rans that might pull the feat State, NC State, Syracuse, Pitt and Notre this year. Dame—all have their own questions, meaning none can really be considered While these nine teams aren’t likely to win several steps ahead of the Canes. Miami their leagues, all have the potential to earn has plenty of opportunities for signature an at-large bid from a major conference. wins both in and out of conference, and Most will need great production from it has Larranaga. That might add up to an newcomers to accomplish the mission, NCAA tournament bid. but there’s also either tremendous talent returning or masterful coaching on the sideline. All will make their conference races that much more interesting. ACC: Miami Hurricanes The Miami Hurricanes don’t have a ton of returning talent from last year’s team, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Coach Jim Larranaga pulling a 17-16 record out of his 2013-14 roster is testament to his coaching abilities, and he’s fast becoming a coach who’s difficult to bet against. This season’s Hurricanes don’t have a great deal of size or experience, but there’s talent for days, especially in the backcourt. Veterans Angel Rodriguez and Sheldon McClellan were Big 12 rivals at Kansas Hurricanes primer: Roster gets another overhaul FOX Sports Florida -- will be crucial to Miami’s success. In order to states are represented: Florida, Texas, New York, explain the importance, Larranaga provided visual Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New Hampshire, Christina De Nicola examples. To represent the defense, he brought plus Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico. Since Nov. 10, 2014 out a colander to show how holes in a defense Larranaga took over, Miami has the fourth-most allow breakdowns and easy points. On offense, the wins (31) of all schools in ACC play and the most Rodgers and Hammerstein’s seminal Broadway players are still getting used to finding outlets once combined wins (6) of any ACC school against the classic tune “Getting to Know You” has been penetrating and drawing in defenders. two winningest programs -- North Carolina and referenced multiple times over the past seven In last Thursday’s 74-58 victory over Eckerd in Duke. decades. an exhibition, the Hurricanes recorded 16 assists BURNING QUESTIONS Strange as it may seem, it best embodies the and just nine turnovers. Three players -- Rodriguez, Can Angel Rodriguez stay healthy? major theme of the 2014-15 University of Miami Lecomte and McClellan -- tallied multiple assists. Rodriguez has been hampered by an ankle injury, men’s basketball team. “I think we are progressing,” Larranaga said. but he played 30 minutes (second most on the When Miami opens the regular season by hosting “There has been some improvement in each team) in the exhibition win over Eckerd. According Howard on Friday night, nine players will suit up category with still a lot more improvement to McClellan, Rodriguez comes in and out for plays as a Hurricane for the first time. This marks the expected. We’re working on some very specific during practice in order to limit the strain on it. A second straight year the program will feature eight things. Some of the improvement has to be mental. similar situation arose last year with Adams. The or more new players. Only one member of the Most people think it’s all about the physical effort, trainer told Larranaga the guard wouldn’t be able Atlantic Coast Conference championship team of which nothing works without a great physical to compete in half of the practices. But he did, and 2012-13 remains: senior center Tonye Jekiri.

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