Mount St. Mary’s rising senior guard Jean Cajou says he never formally asked for a release from his National Letter of Intent at Mount St. Mary’s.
“The way I went about it I was like ‘if I had to leave, what would happen?’ I don’t know if I was like ‘I’m gonna leave,’ I just wanted to see,” Cajou said.
A 2009 – 2010 collegeinsider.com Mid-Major All-American Defensive team selection, Cajou confirmed Monday that he did speak to director of compliance Jen Wivell about his options if he got a release. Cajou, however, says he stopped short of asking her for paperwork that would grant him leave from the school once he met new Mount coach Robert Burke.
“I wanted to keep the family aspect and I felt that if I had left that I’d be letting my team down – letting my family down,” Cajou said. “I figured that wasn’t the right thing to do for myself, for my family, for my team and honestly for coach [Milan] Brown.”
Cajou, whose loyalties to his former coach run deep, was disappointed that first assistant Brion Dunlap was not named head coach, but says his animosity over that decision was quelled once he heard about and met coach Burke.
Said Cajou: “[I will] try to do whatever [Burke] asks us to do because I’m definitely trying to go out with a bang. I’m trying to get another championship."
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ATUPEM MAY BE PART OF BURKE'S STAFF
Class of 2009 Mount graduate and a four-year member of the men's basketball team Sam Atupem may be in line to get a spot on coach Burke's staff. Atupem was seen at the press conference as well as speaking to Burke afterwards, which could mean that he is being considered to be part of Burke's staff.
Although there is a chance that Atupem could be named third assistant, he would likely find himself in a director of basketball operations or video coordinator position that covers his graduate classes and provides a modest stipend if he is hired. Atupem was unavailable for comment after the press conference.
A four-year starter for the men's basketball team, Atupem, alongside classmate Markus Mitchell, was a frontline stalwart of the Mount's most recent NEC championship team in 2008. In Atupem's first year away from playing for the Mount, he worked under former second assistant basketball coach Tyrone Perry as a graduate assistant in the Mount's Third Century Scholars program for minority students and was a volunteer assistant for the men's team.
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COMMITMENT UPDATE
Justin Burrell is still undecided as to whether he will come to the Mount next year. According to players who have spoken to Burrell, coach Burke talked to Burrell and remains optimistic that he will be able to retain the 5-foot-8 point guard who garnered Washington Post All-Metro second-team honors this season.
Jeff James from Bowie High School will honor his commitment to play at the Mount next season, while the third member of the original class of 2014 recruiting class, Donte Morales, has since signed with UNC-Wilmington.
Save for walk-on Mike Harvey, all of last year's eligible returning players will be back including David Golladay and Ja'Colby Wells. Wells was the last of this year's freshmen class who was up in the air after Raven Barber and Kristijan Krajina announced they were staying. Golladay redshirted this season and would have been free to transfer without having to sit out for a year. Harvey plans to play at Mary Washington, an NCAA Division III school in Fredericksburg, Va.
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ROBERT MORRIS TO HIRE TOOLE
The Colonials are expected to announce the promotion of assistant coach Andrew Toole to head coach tomorrow, filling the void left by departing coach Mike Rice. According to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, this paves the way for NEC Rookie of the Year Karon Abraham to stay with the team.
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Check back tomorrow for details on the men's lacrosse's MAAC championship as well as more information on coach Burke.
4 comments:
Keeping Burrell needs to become a priority!!!!!!!!!
Cajou needs to cut out his attitude and grow up. A big reason he played bad last year is because he was jealous of Jeremy at times. I really like Jean but that's what I heard from what could be considered the most reliable source.
Your source, Jeremy's mom, is probably the LEAST reliable one to ask about Jean.
Although that could be a previous source, however I actually was not referring to that person this time. Oh I know that would not be all that reliable, believe me. You'd be surprised who else said it, but I am not going to go into it anymore because no one has to say that about him, it it is somewhat detected just watching. Anyways, it would probably be feasible to have Jean at PG a little bit until the kids are ready. Would you say that may be a good possibility? Are you going to work for Burke like you did for Brown? Anyways I was the guy with that blonde woman at the games. I'm sure you seen us at some away games. I had been either on crutches or walking with a cane most of the past 2 years. See, I am not afraid to say who I am, lol. I love all that you have done Gerick, I'm a big fan of yours and your rival Raff.
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