Memphis basketball player transfers to Duquesne
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Almamy Thiero never lived up to the promise of his outstanding high school career during an injury-filled career at Memphis. He hopes to do so during his final college season after transferring to Duquesne. Thiero, still listed on the University of Memphis’ roster as of last weekend, is taking advantage of a new NCAA rule that allows graduate students to transfer schools and become eligible immediately. Undergraduate students must sit out one season after switching schools.
Thiero, a 6-foot-10, 255-pound forward who graduated from Memphis in May, played in 28 games over three seasons from 2002-05 but sat out the 2005-06 season with a knee ligament injury.
Thiero was considered one of the nation’s top high school players while at Mount Zion Christian Academy in Durham, N.C., where he averaged 18 points and nearly 14 rebounds for two seasons.
He was injured during most of his time at Memphis, including a broken leg that required two operations while he was a freshman. He also missed most of the 2003-04 season after being diagnosed with blood clots near his lungs. During his only healthy season, 2004-05, he averaged 0.5 points and 1.7 rebounds in 23 games.
Now that Thiero is healthy, Duquesne coach Ron Everhart thinks a player with four years of experience in an upper-level program can be a valuable asset to what might be the youngest team in Division I.
“He didn’t play a lot at Memphis, but he can be an impact guy for us,” Everhart said Monday. “He’s had some tough luck with injuries, but this gives him a new start and he’s going to be a player we’re counting on.”
Only two players from last season’s 3-24 team returned to Duquesne after Everhart was hired away from Northeastern to replace Danny Nee. Everhart has recruited eight new players plus Shawn James, who will follow him from Northeastern but will be ineligible this season.
Having Thiero will help Duquesne make the transition before James, the nation’s top shot blocker, becomes eligible.
“A player like Almamy who was at the highest level brings us a lot of experience and leadership,” Everhart said. “He’s a player with ability, and our younger guys can learn from him what it takes to compete in college basketball on a daily basis and to win at this level.”
Duquesne has only one returning inside player with experience, 6-9 Kieron Achara, who missed all but a few minutes of last season with a shoulder injury.
The NCAA has had rules that allowed graduate students with eligibility remaining to change schools and be eligible immediately, but they did not apply to Division I basketball until this year.
Thiero is a native of Mali in West Africa.
Everhart’s recruiting class is one of the biggest in major college basketball history – he has replaced nearly an entire team – but it will not include Destin Damachoua, a 6-1 shooting guard from The Master’s School in West Simsbury, Conn.
Damachoua, one of Everhart’s first four recruits and considered possibly the second best signee to 6-7 forward Stuard Baldonando, did not meet eligibility requirements. He is enrolled in Polk Community College in Florida.