legans gone

socalogo.gif (8739 bytes)
SoCalHoops Recruiting News

One In, One Out: Legans Leaves Cal,
Headed To Fresno State--(Aug. 21, 2002)

Gabriel Hughes is gone. No, wait, wait.... he's back. But now Shantay Legans is gone.....

Sheesh.....Only in Berserkeley.

We kinda, sorta, had heard some rumblings about Shantay being unhappy at Cal last season, and the rumblings continued through last spring, but we frankly had expected to see something one way or the other in print about his decision, with confirmation from Shantay or his mom a little sooner than the first day of classes at UC Berkeley (which actually start next Monday).

But now that classes are about to start in three days at Cal without Legans, it looks like a done deal in all respects other than for the official release papers which Cal will have to give Goleta native Shantay Legans before he can play at Fresno State. The story below confirming the impending transfer is from the Fresno Bee's Eric Prisbell, a very reliable guy when it comes to all things FSU. And he does his usually thorough job of getting right to the source, and in this case, there's not much better source than Shantay's mom. The story contains some interesting quotes from Shantay's mom, who describes the relationship between Shantay and current Fresno State head coach Ray Lopes, which developed years ago in Santa Barbara while Lopes was an assistant at UCSB through a Big-Brother's program in which the two participated.

The transfer of Legans, a three year starter, will now mean that Cal loses its starting point guard, immediately elevating incoming freshman Richard Midgely and junior scholarship player and former Long Beach Poly guard A.J. Diggs in the depth chart. And it might also mean increased playing time for walkons like Ronnie West and Tayshaun-Forehan Kelley and whatever new walkon guards are on the official roster for 2002-03 (which has not yet been released by the Golden Bears). .

Here's the story from Eric Prisbell, which confirms that Legans will be leaving Cal and heading to Fresno State:

Cal guard on the way
Shantay Legans, who has long-standing ties with Ray Lopes, will transfer.
By Eric Prisbell
The Fresno Bee
(Published Wednesday, August 21, 2002, 8:23 AM)

Cal senior Shantay Legans says he will finish his career at Fresno State, giving the team a player with three years of Pac-10 experience and coach Ray Lopes a student-athlete he cherishes almost as much as a son.

Legans, a 21-year-old who became "too unhappy" at the Bay Area school, could arrive on campus as early as this weekend to look for an apartment.

"I'm very excited," Legans told The Bee on Tuesday. "I want to start a new chapter in my life. I can't wait for school to start."

As a transfer, Legans will sit this season and pay his own way via student loans and a federal Pell Grant. The player who has started 79 games in his career will be eligible and on scholarship for the 2003-04 season.

Legans' mother, Susan Legans, said her son has requested his release, but has yet to receive it from Cal. The decision, however, appears final.

"It's already [official]," Susan Legans said. "He wants to play for Ray Lopes."

Legans and Lopes met through a Big Brothers/Big Sisters program in 1992, while Lopes served as a UC-Santa Barbara assistant. Legans' mother said her son initially hoped to be paired with a college basketball player. At first she said Legans was a little down that "he got this 29-year-old coach." But the two have been tight ever since, forming almost a father-son-type bond. So much so, Legans said he speaks with Lopes almost weekly.

Now Legans caps his college career with Lopes -- a dream fulfilled for both parties -- and gives the coach a veteran point guard with which to open the $100 million Save Mart Center.

A source within the program said if Chris Sandy is not granted another year of eligibility, Travis DeManby likely will play point guard this season rather than Rolando Todd.

In any event, Sandy and DeManby are gone following this season, which leaves promising, yet inexperienced point guards Ja'Vance Coleman -- the former Washington standout sitting this season as an academic nonqualifier -- and Terry Pettis.

Legans played 27 minutes per game last season, while scoring 8.1 points per game and making 89.5% of his free-throw attempts. He averaged 9.0 points per game in both his freshman and sophomore seasons.

The 5-foot-10 Legans said he plans to room with his cousin, who might enroll at Fresno City College. Susan Legans added her son already has moved out of his Berkeley apartment, withdrawn from school and requested his
transcript.

Cal is giving the Legans difficulty in gaining the release, the mother said. She said Golden Bears coach Ben Braun called her Tuesday, telling her Legans needed to meet with the athletic director.

"Coach Braun keeps putting him off," Susan Legans said.

Braun did not return a phone message left Tuesday afternoon at his office.

Susan Legans said her son first became disenchanted with Cal last summer and that the feeling turned to "not even wanting to play basketball" this February. Choosing to finish the season, Legans got a glimmer of hope when Lopes was hired at Fresno State in April.

Fresno State has played Cal each of the past two seasons and is contracted to play the Bears at home next year.

Legans' addition in 2003-04 means Lopes is left with two scholarships to dangle before recruits this fall. He already has Coleman and Reggie Butler sitting this coming season and prepared to absorb scholarships in 2003-04.

Junior college forward Nick Dewitz is another target, making an official visit Aug. 29.

The reporter can be reached at eprisbell@fresnobee.com or 441-6625.