Even if he wanted to, Harvard basketball coach Tommy Amaker had little to say about Kyle Casey and Brandyn Curry, two player who transferred in the fallout of a cheating scandal involving 125 students.
“I’m not allowed to comment,” Amaker said.
Casey and Curry were set to be the co-captains of the 2012-13 squad, but withdrew before the start of season after being accused of a cheating on a take-home exam along with 123 other non-athletes on campus.
Coming into the Ivy League season Harvard was the favorite to repeat as league champion after making their first NCAA tournament appearance since 1946. That has change now since their two best stars are no longer with the team.
Casey and Curry were the stars seniors of the 20-mann roster for the Crimson, which now down to 18. Remaining are three seniors, four juniors, five sophomores and six freshmen. Despite losing the two key players, Amaker said: “We’re excited about this season. We have who we have and we are who we are.”
That said, the former Duke point guard realizes his team has much to overcome.
“It’s not always 75 degrees and sunny out,” Amaker said. “There are cloudy days, rainy days. There might be a storm. That’s the real world we live in. But as long as we continue to teach, lead and serve, we feel good about where we are.”
Senior Christian Webster and junior Laurent Rivard will replace Casey and Curry as the co-captains and team leaders. As a sophomore Webster averaged 13 points per game, but saw his point production drop to 4.5 points last season. Rivard average 10 points per game last season.
Casey, who averaged 11 points per game last season, was thought to be the likely favorite for Preseason Player of the Year in the Ivy League. The Crimson will miss the defense and the floor generalship of Curry. Curry averaged almost eight points per game last season.
Both players are expected to return for the 2013-14 season.
For now, Amaker is using this situation as a learning tool for his team, allowing them to grow and gain the necessary experience to better them later in the season.
“We will get a chance to learn and see who we are and who we can become,” Amaker said.
