LSC Roundup 7-19

McCasland moving on up, will be D-I coach someday - Nick Gholson, Times Record News
Four months ago, Grant McCasland told us that God had led him to Abilene Christian. That was the only reason he was leaving Midwestern State. I believed him.

As I told you back then, this creation isn't going to argue with his creator. But McCasland never coached one basketball game at ACU. He turned in his resignation on Sunday to take another job. He's headed to Waco to be an assistant coach at Baylor.

This guy is changing ZIP codes like most of us change air filters. He'll never break Josh Castles' record — six coaching jobs in three years. But he's trying.

So why has McCasland gone from being Lone Star Conference coach of the year to U-Haul Man of the Year? Did God change His mind? Has the Good Lord converted from Church of Christ to Baptist? Will we some day read that McCasland has left Baylor to become Robert Jefress' right-hand man at the First Baptist cathedral in downtown Dallas?

Sorry, but I'm having a problem believing that God is moving this coach all over Texas. From Midland to Wichita Falls to Abilene to Waco in just a little more than two years.

McCasland, as far as I know, has not publicly said that God is sending him to Baylor.

He called it a "totally unexpected opportunity for me and my family" to go back to a place where he played college basketball and has "always dreamed of coaching." (more)

Golding named ACU basketball coach after McCasland leaves for Baylor - Joey Richards, Abilene Reporter News
Talking in his office Monday evening, Jared Mosley, Abilene Christian University's director of athletics, admitted it had been a bittersweet 24 hours.

In less than a day, Grant McCasland — a stunning hire as ACU's men's basketball coach just four months ago — stepped down to take an assistant job at Baylor, while Joe Golding, Mosley's friend and former ACU teammate, agreed to replace McCasland as the Wildcats' head coach.

It was a whirlwind turn of events. It appeared ACU had pulled off a coup in luring McCasland away from Lone Star Conference rival Midwestern State on March 30, just seven days after leading the Mustangs to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight for the second consecutive season.

Yet McCasland, who played four seasons at Baylor, the last in 1998-99, couldn't resist the chance to return to his alma mater when Bears' coach Scott Drew offered him the job. McCasland, the son of a Baptist minister, broke the news to Mosley late Sunday evening, and he was announced as Baylor's new assistant Monday morning.

Mosley said he understood McCasland's decision.

"Obviously, we are extremely excited for him," Mosley said. "This is an opportunity that he and I even talked about on the front end of our hiring him in March. That was ultimately the place he one day desired to be, and things just happened to fall in place. He couldn't control the timing and when the opportunity presented itself. I certainly understand that on his behalf.

"I'm disappointed in a sense, because I was looking forward to working with him and seeing how quickly he could get things turned around. On the flip side of that, he's done a good job on the recruiting front. We've got a lot of pieces in place I think we can hold on to that will help us make the turn we need to make."



West Texas A&M Inks Bables - WT Sports
CANYON, Texas – West Texas A&M head basketball coach Rick Cooper has announced that Mike Bables, a 6-1, 180 pound guard from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi will transfer to WTAMU and play for the Buffs during the upcoming 2011-12 season.

“Mike is going to be a great fit in our program. He’s a leader on the floor and is a guy that will make his teammates better. He does a great job of setting up his teammates and putting them in positions to be successful on the floor.”

Bables, from Garland, Texas, saw action in 10 games as a freshman during the 2009-10 campaign and totaled 20 minutes of game time. He scored a total of five points, including a season high three points vs. Texas-Pan American. He had two points and one steal against Texas A&M-International and canned his only three point attempt of the year. Bables played briefly during the 2010-11 season.

As a high school senior, Bables played for coach Phil Bailey at Mesquite Poteet. He averaged 14.7 points, six assist and one steal per game while being named the team’s offensive player of the year and the team MVP. He was named to the all-district and all-area teams, as well as receiving all-region consideration. He played three seasons at Garland's Lakeview Centennial HS.

“Mike is a very strong on the ball defender and should come in and immediately fit what we do offensively and defensively. We are very excited to add Mike to our program next season.”

Bables, originally from Shreveport, La., is the son of Don Bables and Cheryl Powell.

Bables is the sixth player signed by Cooper’s staff this year, joining transfers Kerry Jones, a 6-6 forward from Tyler, Texas (Hill College), Donald Sims, a 6-5 Forward from Chester, S.C. (USC-Salkehatchie), 6-4 guard Kennon Washington from Mobile, Ala. (Faulkner State CC) and incoming freshmen Kevin Waller, a 6-9, post from Groesbeck, Texas (HS), Jamarlas ‘Tez’ Dumars, a 6-2 guard from Garland, Texas (Lakeview Centennial HS).

Men's Basketball Adds D1 Transfer - TAMK Sports
KINGSVILLE, TEXAS – Texas A&M-Kingsville head men’s basketball coach Pete Peterson added an NCAA Division I transfer to his squad on Monday with the addition of New Jersey Institute of Technology forward Drew Onyebuchi.

Onyebuchi is from Sugar Land, TX where he starred at Fort Bend Travis High School and measures 6-6 and 190 pounds. At NJIT, he appeared in 16 games as a true freshman averaging 7.8 minutes, 1.9 points and 1.6 rebounds per game while shooting 57.1 percent from the field.

Despite being injured during his senior year in high school, Onyeguchi was regarded as one of the top players in the Greater Houston area. He was ranked 30th in the Houston area Class of 2010 by houstonpreps.net and 32nd by rcssports.com. He was rated 83rd in the state of Texas by Hoop Scoop Online and 95th in the state by Texas Roundball.com. As a junior, he helped lead Travis to a 25-10 record and second round appearance in the state playoffs after averaging eight points, eight rebounds and two blocks per game. During his senior year, he led his team to a 22-10 mark and a Region III-5A semifinal appearance. He averaged a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds per game en route to earning Fort Bend Herald all-area honors and played in the Houston Area Basketball Coaches All-Star Game.

Onyebuchi is the son of Okeke and Anita Onyebuchi and is studying business.



Tivao to Featured on Magazine Cover - Tyler Garrett, KZTV10.com

KINGSVILLE - Javelina big man Johnny Tivao is making hoggie history as the first Javelina football player to grace the cover of these years D2 Football Magazine. He will joined by five other Division II standouts.

The Pre-Season All-American spearheaded a defense that was the best in the nation in rush defense. He is also listed as one of the top 100 NFL Defensive Lineman Prospects in the country.