|
CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- Miami relented Wednesday and released
basketball recruit C.J. Giles from his national letter of intent. The 6-foot-11 center from Washington, considered one the
nation's best big men, will now be eligible to play in 2005-06. Had the Hurricanes not released Giles, he would have had to sit
out two seasons and would not have been eligible for financial aid
from another school during the 2004-05 season. Giles, who averaged 17 points, 12 rebounds and six blocks as a
senior at Rainier Beach High in Seattle, signed with the Hurricanes
in November. He asked for his release after Miami fired coach Perry
Clark in March. Athletic director Paul Dee waited until new coach Frank Haith
met with Giles on April 19 before deciding on the recruit's future.
Haith lost whatever chance he had of convincing Giles to come to
Miami when he decided not to retain assistant coach Kurtis
Townsend, who recruited Giles. Giles had indicated he would sit out two seasons instead of
playing for Haith. He was looking to enroll at several other
schools, most notably Washington and Kansas. "After reviewing the circumstances and speaking with Coach
Haith and the Giles family, we have concluded that it is in our
mutual best interests to release C.J. Giles from his national
letter of intent," Dee said in a statement.
|
