Kanacevic receives release

After Hofstra beat Towson 77-61 on Jan. 5, Tom Pecora walked into the media room and sat in between freshmen Chaz Williams and Halil Kanacevic. "I think this is the first press conference we've had with both of the freshmen here," Pecora said. "I know it won't be the last."

Actually, it was.

Pecora was introduced as Fordham's new head coach 29 days ago and the rumors last night about Kanacevic requesting and receiving his release from his Hofstra scholarship are true. If he transfers to a Division I school--and it is worth pointing out that VCU's Joey Rodriguez requested and received his release last spring but ended up returning to the school and making the CAA's second team this year--he must sit out a season before competing in 2012-13. He would have to sit out two seasons if he transfers to a fellow CAA school.

The departure of the 6-foot-8 Kanacevic, who made the CAA All-Rookie team after averaging 8.6 ppg and a team-high 7.6 rpg and collecting five double-doubles--including one in his collegiate debut against top-ranked Kansas--would leave quite a hole in the middle for the Flying Dutchmen, who also lose 6-foot-9 forward Miklos Szabo to graduation. Rising 6-foot-10 senior Greg Washington broke the school record for blocked shots and made the CAA's all-defensive team last year and displayed a more aggressive inside game near the end of the season, but the only other player on the roster taller than 6-foot-5 is David Imes, who was limited to 21 games during an injury-filled freshman season.

Email Jerry at defiantlydutch@yahoo.com or follow Defiantly Dutch at http://twitter.com/defiantlydutch.