Chace To Transfer

by Nestor on Apr 30, 2008 5:06 PM PDT in Basketball

Quickhands already diaried the breaking news. The following official release that went out this afternoon from UCLA: Stanback to transfer:

"Chace [Stanback] is an outstanding young man and we appreciate what he did for this program this past year," Howland said. "He helped us win a Pac-10 championship and get to the Final Four and we will always be appreciative of his efforts. We are supportive of him and his future in whatever direction he decides to go."

Stanback averaged 1.0 points and 0.7 rebounds per game while appearing in 25 of the 39 games without making a start during the 2007-08 season. He played in 144 minutes (5.8 minutes per game) while shooting 40.4 percent (19-for-47) from the field and 33.3 percent (7-for-21) from three-point range on the year.

"After speaking with my family and thinking about it for a long time, I feel that it is in my best interest to explore other opportunities," Stanback said. "I want to thank my coaches and teammates because they have helped me improve as a player and grow as a man and I am thankful to them for that. I have a lot of great memories and really enjoyed my time here at UCLA."

Well I certainly didn't see this coming. May be DC's return prompted this decision thinking he was still going to have to battle for playing time.

Anyway, I wish Chace luck. Hopefully he transfers to a program that will be a good fit for the skill sets he brings to the court. He seems like a great kid.

As for us, the beat goes on. We were in good position to take this kind of hit in the wing position next year with the arrival of 2 Micky Ders like Holiday and Lee. Here is the current worst case scenario:

	1	2	3	4	5
	Collison	Holiday	Roll	Gordon	Keefe
	Anderson	Lee

And if Shipp and Dragovic returns to the program we are going to be in even better shape. Stanback's transfer means Coach Howland will have one more player to recruit who will commit to playing Ben Ball and competing for championships in Westwood.

GO BRUINS.

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might be...

might be westbrook. i've seen chace on campus with westbrook before, maybe they were good friends. seeing as how westbrook is likely going pro and with the lack of playing time, that might have caused chace to look to transfer. DAMN i wish he would stay, i think he has the potential to be a really good starting pf. we need to convince him to stay.

by eflyer on Apr 30, 2008 5:58 PM PDT reply actions

well

If you are a student it always if you see a kid like Chace on campus to wish him luck and convey how it would be great for him to stay.

by Nestor on Apr 30, 2008 6:16 PM PDT up reply actions

I wish him luck

I saw Chace on campus today, headed in the direction of LaKretz/Life Sciences.

I echo Nestor's sentiments regarding Chace finding a good fit for his skills. It's too bad, really. I'm no scout, but I saw some potential in him during the few minutes that we saw him play this year.

Proud to be a lifelong Bruin

by omnigeno on Apr 30, 2008 6:05 PM PDT reply actions

bad bad bad

makes me sad

by jjreicher on Apr 30, 2008 7:19 PM PDT reply actions

silver lining?

i echo everyone sentiments. it's sad to see him leave, he's got the goods of an nba prospect and it will show where ever he ends up going.
but maybe the fact that he's leaving reveals ucla's strong hand for next year. guys coming back and recruits that will be ready faster than uncle ben's?
i wonder how coach katani at fairfax feels about the situation.
does anyone have any ideas on what will come next? are we pursuing any transfers ourselves/available scholarships?

Across The Face

by rb bruin on Apr 30, 2008 9:31 PM PDT reply actions

VERY DISAPPOINTING.

With Drago still up in the air, too?

Shoot, we're running out of forward-sized guys. Don't forget, folks -- how tall are our freshmen coming in?

6-9, 6-4, 6-3, and 6-1.

Yeesh.

"In this program your passion bucket must be full to play SC." -- CRN, to Dan Patrick, 1/2008

by Meriones on Apr 30, 2008 9:44 PM PDT reply actions

not surprised

as a matter of fact my dad of all people predicted this months ago. He thought he should be playing more than the garbage time ball and it appears Chace felt the same way. I think he clearly would be in line for bigger minutes even with this class. I would bet he wasn't the right type of fit for Howland more than he was afraid of the incoming class.

by Penny2i on Apr 30, 2008 9:55 PM PDT reply actions

I am extremely disappointed....

in Chace's decision. I thought that he would "contribute" next year and be a very solid 3rd and 4th year guy, if not a star. I wish him luck in the future, but next year is all about the frosh again. Thank you DC for steadying the ship. Hopefully, JS and MR can add stability and AA2, w/ DG, and JK can get boards on the inside.

Maybe there's another BH recruit out there to help the outstanding frosh class. Regardless, I'm confident in BH to get it done and I'll be penciling in UCLA in my final four bracket, no matter what next year (I can't help it).

Go Bruins.

And as for football; CRN has done everything right so far; I just hope we find a healthy QB to lead us through the season. I personnaly don't expect too much from UCLA this coming year; but given 3 years; I expect UCLA to challenge the SUCSTERS for the Rose Bowl every year; IT IS GOOD TO BE A BRUIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Class of '97!!!!!!!!!

"Let's Go!!!" - RW

by BruinManDan97 on Apr 30, 2008 10:03 PM PDT reply actions

very dissapointed

He's really athletic, long, and showed flashes of brilliance. I really wish he didn't play so much garbage time this year. Hopefully that wasn't the only reason because if it was, and I know this opinion isn't the most popular around here, I would certainly hope BH gives kids a few more opportunities even if they are making mistakes. After all, experience is the best way to get better.

by blinkshot on Apr 30, 2008 10:33 PM PDT reply actions

he played garbage time

Because he still had ways to go to play Ben Ball caliber D at 3. He should have been patient and work harder in practice. Patiene and hard work has paid off for Keefe.Stanback could have followed the same track. Oh well. This only means we get to bring in someone who will work hard and play D to fight for mins. A win-win as far as I am concerned for our program.

by Nestor on May 1, 2008 4:18 AM PDT up reply actions

I'm disappointed too though

I felt like he wasn't far off. It seems like the guys in the program all recognize that it's hard to adjust to Howland's defense first mentality, but once it clicks, you're good to go, and I thought Stanback was on the verge of making it happen. I don't expect that to be much of a problem for any of the Fantastic Four though, since by all accounts they are all very ready to play some in your face defense. When was the last time you saw defense in an all-star game? The last time you invited Howland recruits to one. That's when.

by Tydides on May 1, 2008 9:02 AM PDT up reply actions

HE WAS

right there. the last three sentiments are not far off. I slid (sneaked) into more than one Session at PP last season and I can give you an unqualifed stamp of agreement on the fact that Chace was almost there and N/T's assessment that his grasp of the Howland D (positioning, helps, angles of attack, vision and overall footspeed) were at 85% with a 90% being req'd for non-garbage time minutes.

Even given the incomings and the prospect of retuns (AA2/LUC/JS), the logic behind the jump still falls short.

GO BRUIN BLUE.

by theREAL_LOGAN5 on May 1, 2008 10:16 AM PDT up reply actions

I don't really understand it either

but we will just have to accept that the situation wasn't right for him. It could be more than just playing time, who knows?

by Tydides on May 1, 2008 10:48 AM PDT up reply actions

I am with you

in the sense of being disappointed that Chace didn't stick it out. I wish Ryan Wright had stuck around and red shirted last season. He would have been a huge help next season. Oh well. These things happens. Kids will sometimes be kids and they want things immediately.

by Nestor on May 2, 2008 4:40 AM PDT up reply actions

too bad

Chace had the physical attributes and what seemed like the determination to succeed at ucla. With him being 6'7" and as quick and agile as he was, I expected him to step up and put in some major minutes in year 2.

Oh well, good luck to Chace. Too bad it doesn't seem like we have much in terms of unsigned prospects for 2008 to potentially take his scholarship.(a la westbrook when farmar went pro) http://ucla.scout.com/a.z?s=12&p=9&cfg=bb&c=4&yr=2008

I guess that just means that 2009 is probably going to be another loaded class.

by sfatoo on May 1, 2008 12:34 AM PDT reply actions

Well

He never struck me as particularly quick and/or agile.

I think people assumed he was, because they wanted him to be that lightning quick 3 man that we could have really used. But watching him play simply does not back that up.

He wasn't terribly athletic or quick.

by Quickhands on May 1, 2008 12:55 PM PDT up reply actions

When it rains...

it pours. :(

by Karakand on May 1, 2008 3:21 AM PDT reply actions

Shocked

I saw this in the LA TIMES this AM and to the credit of BN you guys had it up long before it made it into my morning paper!

I thought Chace had all the goods to be a great PF. He is long, athletic and shoots well. I suspect it was his failure to commit to the defensive schemes required by CBH. Only those close to him will ever know the real reason for this decision. But it came out of nowhere for me.

Lets just hope he goes outside the Pac-10 because I'd hate to give him 2 or 3 chances a year beat us.

I wish him well and hope this proves to be a good choice.

by Bald Eagle on May 1, 2008 9:46 AM PDT reply actions

Me too re Stanback

I even thought he had a good shot at starting at the 3, if Shipp left.

Regarding your starters for the worst case, I would flip Keefe and Gordon. Gordon looks like a very strong shot blocker and has good leaping ability.

I think the Keefe would be better off at the 4 than the 5 given his outside shot and his position versus shot blocking defensive skills.

Plus Keefe spent all of last year defending the 4 whereas Gordon played the post in high school and I think it would make for an easier transition for him to continue to play the 5 in college.

by Free the 16 on May 1, 2008 9:46 AM PDT reply actions

It might be Howland

Been busy and just heard about this at lunchtime today, and for some reason it immediately occurred to be that after DC decided to come back, Howland looked at the rotation and his future recruiting and might have given Stanback the hard news that it was going to be a long wait, and maybe never. I have no reason to know that this is true, but like others here I try to read deeply into CBH and his program and approach. He seems to call 'em like he sees 'em, is completely direct, and his priorities are always clear.

And the thing is, it looks like Stanback might have been just a bit substandard, which is only clear at this point, based on developments which were unforeseen at this time last year, including and perhaps especially his performance.

I have no doubt that CS would have gotten there and been a solid Bruin. But the bar has been raised.

Here are some of the unforeseens:

1)Westbrook, spotted as exciting and full of potential by some last year, fulfilled every hope and then some, and although he still has a ways to go, he's nationally recognized and valued and will presumably be gone. Westbrook's departure should be a positive for Stanback, but one thing it did was raise the level of play and athleticism for the Bruins. Stanback simply wasn't a "somewhat quiet freshman surprise" the way that DC was in 05-06 behind Farmar, and RW was in 06-07 behind AA.

2)Roll was injured and picked up another year. Shipp may even return. Roll might get hurt again, but he has some critical skills and experience and is way ahead of where Stanback was.

3)The recruiting class of Holiday, Anderson, Lee and Gordon didn't exist. Holiday is the new HS POY/KLove to come to UCLA. He could be one-and-done, but he's any way you look at it he's going to chew up a lot of 08-09 minutes, and so is Collison. The question is, are Anderson and Lee better players than Stanback? Anderson may not matter so much, as a pure PG, but if Lee were to claim more minutes than CS, CS could be hard-pressed to find any minutes now or in the future.

4) And don't forget Reeves Nelson and 09-10, which would have been CS' junior year. Nelson seems like a beast, and he and Gordon should be very comfortable on the floor together. Again, unforeseen.

Lastly, the fact is that CS just didn't look so great. He's probably a great kid and a really good player, and he might have wanted to just enjoy going to UCLA and being part of the system, and who knows when his time might come, and there are always injuries like the one this year to Roll. In fact, Roll's injury gave him a chance to show something and make a little impact, but he really wasn't ready, and it wasn't clear that he was going to get there any time soon.

My suspicion, then, is that CBH laid all this out to him. And if CS is a baller, why shouldn't he go somewhere that he can get big minutes and be a #1 or #2 option, get numbers like he put up in high school, in a looser, freer (less successful) system. It's probably the best thing for him.

And lookee here: even with Collison coming back, CBH just picked up 3 scholarship years where he can plug in the next Ben Ball gem on his chart.

Good for Stanback, but perhaps even better for CBH and the Bruins. Everybody wins. It's a tough program, and stern but fair, but that's what greatness is all about.

by zhivooden on May 1, 2008 7:12 PM PDT reply actions

I have no doubt

that CBH told Stanback exactly where he stands and where he needs to improve to earn more time in the rotation. A quick glance at the committed players does show that he was being "recruited over" a bit as you mention. Lee coming in is probably the kicker, as he is projected to be a 2-3 swingman type, which would cut into Stanback's time if he showed he was ready to go as a freshman. Reeves ATM seems to project as a 3-4 tweener in college based on the videos I've seen of him, which would also cut into Stanback's role on the court.

by Tydides on May 2, 2008 3:05 AM PDT up reply actions

Consider what others have done

Over the past 3 years there have been rumors that Collison, Westbrook, and Keefe all were mulling the possibility of transferring because of the lack of playing time they saw their freshman years. Look what happened to them after they stayed. Collison and Westbrook both blew up their sophomore years and Keefe came on strong at the end of the season and basically singlehandedly kept us from losing in the Sweet 16. Compare that to the guy who did transfer, Ryan Wright, and weight what happens. Wright had to sit out all last year and now will be playing behind Blake Griffin when he would have had a great opportunity to be a starter for us next year and at the very least get a lot of minutes off the bench with our very thin front line. Stanback could have been that long, athletic, small-forward we have lacked the last four seasons and, if he had put on enough weight, even could have competed for some playing time at the four next season considering our lack of depth there. But oh well, we move on.

by turs12 on May 1, 2008 8:23 PM PDT reply actions

Transferring After One Year

Just pointing out: LMR stayed for four years--even though he lost his starting position to KL, and DC is staying for four.

Best of luck to Chace, and maybe it really is better for both him and the team.

Love My Bruins

by Bruingirl83 on May 2, 2008 9:07 AM PDT reply actions

didn't see this one coming

leave a three-peat final four team going into a year when you have a good chance to battle for minutes at both forward positions with so many leaving. hope he finds what he wants. good luck chace.

by bruin95 on May 2, 2008 1:46 PM PDT reply actions