daley

SoCalHoops Recruiting & College News

OC Register Reports Daley Out At UCLA;
Will Transfer To Azusa Pacific--(Sept. 5, 1998)

In today's Orange County Register, Frank Burlison has reported that Kevin Daley (6'-5" Jr. SG/SF) will be leaving UCLA to play for Azusa Pacific. The transfer will reportedly take place immediately. According to the Register, "'Pending verification of his transcripts, he is scheduled to enroll and begin classes Wednesday," Azusa Pacific coach Bill Odell said Friday."

The rumors of someone transferring out at UCLA were rampant in the last few weeks, and Daley was the current likely subject of the rumors, although it has also been suggested by many supposedly informed sources that Billy Knight will also transfer out at the end of the season, and possibly sooner, especially with the enrollment of Gadzuric, Moiso, Young, Rush and Barnes this season, and the impending recruitment of Kareem Rush and possibly either Carlos Boozer or Justin Davis. There's no question that every one of these guys will command more floor time than Daley or Knight would likely see. It's also been rumored that Rico Hines might leave as well.

Daley was an All-CIF selection as a senior at Artesia. Prior to coming to UCLA, he spent his freshman season at the University of Nevada, Reno. Last season, according to Burlison's story, Daley "played just 42 minutes and scored 17 points during the 11 games he played in 1997-98." In high school at Artesia, he was a standout player. In his senior season, 1994-95, Daley averaged 17.0 ppg, 8.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game while earning all CIF and Surburban League Player of the Year. He was named to the All-State team. In 1995, Daley helped lead Wayne Merino's Artesia team to the State Finals, where they lost to Northgate.

And here are some additional Daley facts: He was born in Panama City, Panama, and lived there for 13 years. He speaks fluent Spanish. When Daley played for the Nevada Reno Wolfpack, he was a true freshman. He played in 29 games, averaging about 6 minutes a game. He only averaged 1.2 ppg and 0.9 rebounds.

The decision to transfer to Azusa Pacific, in our view, is probably a good one, and this is a great school, known for producing great teams. Azusa Pacific is an NAIA school. The school plays in the Pacific Far West Region, in the Golden State Athletic Conference, Division I, with schools like Biola University (La Mirada, CA), California Baptist College (Riverside, CA), Concordia University (Irvine, CA), Fresno Pacific University (Fresno, CA), Point Loma Nazarene (San Diego, CA), Southern California College (Costa Mesa, CA--where Cameron Dollar is now the head coach), and Westmont College (Santa Barbara, CA).

Last season, the Cougars posted a sixth straight GSAC regular season title and a second consecutive GSAC Postseason Tournament Championship. On the national level, the Cougars were ranked No. 3 in the final NAIA Coaches Poll, earned the No. 1 seed of the NAIA National Tournament, and advanced to the NAIA semifinals.

The team returns the following players:

Andy Newman (5'-10" Sr. G) from Mission San Jose HS
Jon Dean (6'-3" Jr. G) from Tuolumne Mother Lode Christian HS
Brian Gianello (6'-4" Jr. F) from Moraga Campolindo HS
Ty Clark (6'-4" Sr. SG/SF) from Placer HS in Auburn
Corey Smith (6'-3" Fr. G) from San Dimas High
Brad Alley (6'-2" Sr. G) from San Dimas High
Jeremy DeVries (6'-5" Sr. SG/SF) from Mt. Vernon HS in Washington
Bryan Lucas (6'-7" So. C) from Manteca High, in Manteca, CA
Nate Getz (6'-8" Sr. C) from Wooster High in Reno, Nevada
Jason Boswell (6'-3" Jr. G) from Turlock High in Turlock, CA
Justin Leslie (6'-7" So. F) from Perris High School
Matt Reed (6'-8" Jr. C) from Maranatha High in Pasadena, CA
Micah Sullivan (6'-5" Sr. F) from Ellensburg High in Ellensburg, Washington
T.J. Walker (6'-0" Jr. G) from Modesto High in Modesto, CA.

Azusa Pacific is coming off a great year, and the addition of Daley will certainly help. The Cougars won a school record 34 games, set a new mark for consecutive wins (17), and advanced to the semifinals of the NAIA National Tournament, where they lost to eventual national champ Georgetown College (Ky.). They captured a conference-record sixth straight GSAC title. In the opening round of the NAIA tourney, they posted a 60-point victory over Huston-Tillotson (Tex.), the second largest victory ever in NAIA Tournament history.

The Cougars face one of the most challenging schedules in the NAIA. And after a difficult 1998 schedule (3 defending national champions, 1 eventual national champion, and eventual NCAA Division I runner-up), the Cougars will face an equally tough season. Azusa Pacific opens on November 12 against rising NAIA power Christian Heritage. Two nights later, the Cougars travel to Salt Lake City to take on 4-time defending WAC Champ and 1998 NCAA Runner-Up Utah. This game will be the season opener for the Utes and it will be the third season in a row that AP has faced Rick Majerus' Utes.

Also on the schedule is 3-time NCAA Division II Champ Cal State Bakersfield, former NAIA power and NCAA Div. II member Hawaii Pacific and 5-time NAIA Far West region champ The Masters'. With this schedule, together with some very tough regular season games against national power Biola, Westmont and Southern California College, AP can probably claim to have one of the toughest small college schedules in the country. Now if they could only work on that TV contract.

Hey, FSW, are you listening???