Eric the Red Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 Maric says he'll return to NU BY THE LINCOLN JOURNAL STAR Tuesday, Jun 20, 2006 - 12:11:11 am CDT Aleks Marics (left) became a force in the middle for the Nebraska men's basketball team last team. He decided to return to NU this fall instead of making himself eligible for the NBA Draft. (LJS) As long as Aleks Maric put the correct postage on the envelope, the big Aussie will be returning to Nebraska for his junior basketball season. The 6-foot-11 Maric said the paperwork to withdraw his name from the NBA Draft has been mailed and he’s “excited to return to Nebraska.” He had until Sunday to pull his name from the draft. He tiptoed right up to the deadline before making an announcement. This is the last time Maric can do this dance. A player is allowed to pull his name from the draft after entering it just once. That drama over, Maric is in the process of trying to make the Australian national team. “This has always been a dream and is something I’ve worked to achieve for a long time,” said Maric, who averaged 10.9 points and 8.1 rebounds a game for the Huskers last year. The first of two tryout sessions started Monday. If he makes the team, he’ll play in the World Championships in Japan from Aug. 19 to Sept. 3. Who went where? Because of transfers or, in one case, bad behavior, four players from last season’s Husker team have been looking for a new college jersey to wear. Tim Waller, NU director of basketball operations, said Monday that three of those players have, or are close, to finding a new home. According to Waller, point guard Marcus Walker is going to Indian Hills Community College in Iowa. His AAU coach was hired as an assistant there. Walker, highly touted coming out of his Kansas City O’Hara High School, asked for a release in late May after just one season at NU. Also leaving after just one year in Lincoln, a redshirt year, is freshman point guard Mike Smith. He’s going to play ball at Independence Community College in Kansas. “It’s cool. I’m going to run the show,” the Bronx native said. Waller said power forward B.J. Walker has narrowed his choices to two NAIA schools: Georgetown College (Ky.) and Oklahoma City University. B.J. Walker had to go to an NAIA school. He played at the University of Buffalo before he averaged 4.7 points a game last year at Nebraska. A player can only transfer once to another NCAA school. As for shooting guard Joe McCray — booted from the team midway through his sophomore year for various misdeeds — things are still cloudy. Waller said he talked to McCray about a week ago. The player who averaged more points a game than any Nebraska freshman is history currently has no college prospects. Schedule update The Husker schedule is getting closer to finalization. Waller said these games are already on the docket: -- At Rutgers on Dec. 2 and Oregon on Dec. 9. The game at Oregon is tentatively set to be televised by ESPN. -- At the Orange Bowl Classic (a neutral site game) against Miami on Dec. 30. The Huskers are negotiating to set up a neutral site game against the Hurricanes in Nebraska for the 2008-09 season, possibly at Qwest Center Omaha. -- Home games against Creighton (Nov. 18), Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Nov. 27), Savannah State (Jan. 2 or 3) and Western Kentucky (Jan. 6). The game against Western Kentucky will mark the return of Paul Sanderford, the former Husker women’s coach. He’s now an assistant for the Hilltopper men’s team. -- At the Rainbow Classic in Hawaii on Dec. 20-23. NU’s opening game in that tournament will be against Wyoming. Creighton is also in the eight-team field, on the other side of the bracket. Quote Link to comment
KansasHusker Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 News that Maric is returning is the best thing that has happened for the mens team since they won their 2nd game in the big 12 tournament. We need his leadership so much for next season. Quote Link to comment
DJR313 Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 Glad to see he realized what everybody else already knew. Quote Link to comment
gamecocks Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 I wonder who he was talking to, that it took so long for him to withdraw from the NBA Draft. These agents are only looking out for one thing, and that is their own money. Quote Link to comment
KansasHusker Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 I wonder who he was talking to, that it took so long for him to withdraw from the NBA Draft. These agents are only looking out for one thing, and that is their own money. Luckily he never signed with an agent otherwise Maric would be going bye-bye. Quote Link to comment
kc_husker Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 Good news so along with White and Richardson who will be the other two starters? Quote Link to comment
KansasHusker Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 Good news so along with White and Richardson whowill be the other two starters? I really think you can bank on recruit Roburt Sallie to be starting for us next season. Then to team up in the post with Maric, we may see Jim Ledsome being a starter. Quote Link to comment
dbetz23 Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 He must of got some info somewhere that his draft stock dropped a bit. IF he produces big next year, it will be a great bonbus for both parties. Quote Link to comment
cubhusker23 Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 Surprising since everyone else on the team seems to be jumping ship. If I were him I'd leave this year, even if he doesn't get drafted he could play overseas because I don't see him getting drafted next year either. Quote Link to comment
KansasHusker Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 Surprising since everyone else on the team seems to be jumping ship. If I were him I'd leave this year, even if he doesn't get drafted he could play overseas because I don't see him getting drafted next year either. Now if you're a husker b-ball fan or a Maric fan...come on man, you got to have a lot more hope than that. The bright side to it all is Collier being around for more than this year is almost 100% impossible. We won't be all that bad of a team this year either, IMO. Quote Link to comment
TrueHuskerFan20 Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 without maric in the paint this upcoming year, it would have been a REALLY long season. i think he has the potential for some post season awards next year, especially with white providing an outside threat. call me optimistic, but i just cant give up on husker hoops!!! Quote Link to comment
cubhusker23 Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 Surprising since everyone else on the team seems to be jumping ship. If I were him I'd leave this year, even if he doesn't get drafted he could play overseas because I don't see him getting drafted next year either. Now if you're a husker b-ball fan or a Maric fan...come on man, you got to have a lot more hope than that. The bright side to it all is Collier being around for more than this year is almost 100% impossible. We won't be all that bad of a team this year either, IMO. I don't have high hopes for this team, I'm sure we're going to finish last in the North and 11th overall in the Big XII. Sure we may have gotten some better recruits for next year but the problem isn't the players, it's the tempo they play with and the non-existent half-court offense. If Collier wants to recruit athletes then at least let them play like they've always played instead of trying to implement a non-effective, slow, clock-draining, offensive set. Quote Link to comment
T-BONE Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 HE is coming back again ! Quote Link to comment
KansasHusker Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 What a relief! Good to see you're coming back, big guy! http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=38&u_sid=2224189 Sadler persuades Maric to stay at NU BY LEE BARFKNECHT WORLD-HERALD BUREAU RELATED STORIES -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- » Maric leaving NU basketball » Sadler wants face-to-face meeting with Maric LINCOLN - New Nebraska basketball coach Doc Sadler has landed his first recruit. Junior center Aleks Maric, who said last week that he wanted a release from his Husker scholarship, said late Monday that he will return to NU for the coming season. Sadler visited Maric and his parents in Sydney, Australia, over the weekend and sold the 6-foot-11, 265-pounder on coming back. "Coach is a great guy," Maric said by phone from Australia. "I look forward to working with him. He has a lot of upside he can bring to the basketball program. "He's going to make us work. But after all the hard work, we'll have results. And our team deserves that." What kind of shape did Sadler show up in after what essentially is a 24-hour travel day? "I thought he would be a bit tired," Maric said. "But after a few coffees, he was OK. "It was tough for all of us. None of us knew what to expect from each other. He spoke the truth, and that's what I like about him. He went right down the line with me, which I appreciated." Maric is Nebraska's top returning scorer (10.9) and rebounder (8.1). He was an honorable mention All-Big 12 pick last season. Had he left, Nebraska would have had no players taller than 6-9. Calls and e-mails from teammates and other university students also helped Maric think about returning. "It's only fair I come back," he said. "There are such wonderful people there - most importantly, my teammates and the whole university. "Nebraska is my second home, and I can't leave my second home." Maric said he plans to be in Lincoln on Friday. He didn't make the final cut for the Australian national team after suffering a slightly separated shoulder. He said no surgery will be required. Quote Link to comment
kc_husker Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 Good news need that big man in the middle Quote Link to comment
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