Trey Lewis asks for and given release from scholarship at CSU

vufan75 · March 30, 2015, 06:58:49 PM

Apparently Trey Lewis will be looking to transfer to a high major program for his final year of eligibility.

http://www.news-herald.com/sports/20150330/cleveland-state-confirms-top-scorer-trey-lewis-released-from-scholarship-can-seek-transfer

Cleveland State confirms top scorer Trey Lewis released from scholarship, can seek transfer

By David Glasier, The News-Herald
Posted: 03/30/15, 6:52 PM EDT|Updated: 52 secs ago

Cleveland State University redshirt senior guard Trey Lewis appears to be headed elsewhere to complete his final season of eligibility.

The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Lewis, a former Garfield Heights High School standout, averaged 16.3 points per game last season as the Vikings finished 19-15.

Lewis was a Horizon League first-team honoree as he established a program record with 96 3-pointers.

CSU coach Gary Waters on March 30 confirmed that Lewis has asked for and been granted a release from his CSU athletic scholarship.

Lewis is free to seek scholarship offers from other Division I schools. Because he'll be a fifth-year senior, Lewis will not have to sit out one season as he did after transferring to CSU from Penn State in 2012.

When or if he decides to transfer to another Division I school, Lewis will have to obtain a signed waiver from Waters and CSU.

Waters said he hasn't been approached by Lewis to sign a waiver.

On his Twitter account (@Treylew3), Lewis posted on March 29: "Everything's going to be alright."

Lewis' coach at Garfield Heights High School, Sonny Johnson, on his Twitter account (@sonnyjohnson32), has made several references to Lewis in recent days.

In one tweet, he wrote: "Nothing wrong with HIGH MAJORS calling about TREY LEWIS. Also staying at Cleveland State and getting 20 shots a game is not bad either."

Johnson, in another tweet, wrote: "School that have already contacted me about Trey Lewis - Purdue-Iowa State-Florida State-Dayton-Clemson-Illinois-Louisville-so many more."

"Georgia Tech and Ole Miss also just called for Trey Lewis," Johnson also tweeted on March 30.

This is the second straight year that CSU faces the loss of its leading scorer from the previous season.

After the 2013-14 season, sophomore shooting guard Bryn Forbes was released from his CSU scholarship and transferred to Michigan State.

Forbes average 15.6 points per game during his final season at Cleveland State. He applied for a medical waiver from the NCAA when he transferred to MSU, claiming the need to assist in the care of his ailing sister at the family home in Lansing, Mich.

At MSU this season, Forbes has started 24 of 38 games. He has averaged 8.7 points and will join the Spartans in playing in the trip to the Final Four.

Waters, on a recruiting trip to Maryland, declined comment when asked if he felt there was any linkage between Forbes' transferring and Lewis' apparent intention to pursue the same course of action,

"This program will be OK," Waters said.

vufan75 · March 30, 2015, 07:05:38 PM

Sorry. Did not check the Valpo basketball posts first. I see the Trey Lewis transfer being discussed a bit there. Maybe the article I posted includes some additional details....

classof2014 · April 01, 2015, 09:48:59 AM

To me this says something about Gary Waters and the Cleveland State program. Especially if Grady opts out. Last year they lost Forbes, this year Lewis and possibly Grady. The amount of talent that goes through Cleveland may be the best in the league. They have produced a very productive NBAer in Norris Cole and have had numerous players on the first, second, defensive, and freshmen teams over the past years. Yet, they have never made it to the championship game in the HL. I believe that reflects on Waters style of coaching, he keeps games low scoring which naturally keeps them close and you can't win every close game.

They're consistently one of the most talented teams in the HL and always finish in the top third of the league, yet they have nothing really to show for it.

zvillehaze · April 01, 2015, 10:38:56 AM

Quote from: classof2014 on April 01, 2015, 09:48:59 AM
They're consistently one of the most talented teams in the HL and always finish in the top third of the league, yet they have nothing really to show for it.

To be fair, CSU has been to the post-season in 6 of the last 8 seasons. Once to the NCAA (won a game in '09), 3 times to the NIT (won a game in '11) and twice to the CIT (won a game in '15). You may think they have underachieved, but 3 post-season wins in the last 8 years is pretty good compared to the rest of the HL.

classof2014 · April 01, 2015, 02:00:25 PM

Quote from: zvillehaze on April 01, 2015, 10:38:56 AM
Quote from: classof2014 on April 01, 2015, 09:48:59 AM
They're consistently one of the most talented teams in the HL and always finish in the top third of the league, yet they have nothing really to show for it.

To be fair, CSU has been to the post-season in 6 of the last 8 seasons. Once to the NCAA (won a game in '09), 3 times to the NIT (won a game in '11) and twice to the CIT (won a game in '15). You may think they have underachieved, but 3 post-season wins in the last 8 years is pretty good compared to the rest of the HL.

If you ask any CSU player if the season was truly a success they'd say no. The goal is the NCAA tournament not the NIT, CBI, or CIT. They had strong seasons when they were a good team but the team hasn't truly been successful since 09.

webbvufan · April 07, 2015, 12:46:51 PM

Trey Lewis announced today that he will be transferring to Louisville.

http://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/college/louisville/2015/04/07/ex-cleveland-state-guard-trey-lewis-announces-plan-transfer-louisville/25403987/

valpo84 · April 07, 2015, 03:14:26 PM

The Ville needs some experienced guards with Rozier opting for NBA and other issues they had. Chance to play for Pitino and in the ACC. Student-athletes have lots of choices these days and have the right to capitalize on them. With Forbes, Wood and now Lewis, it's clear HL guards can play in any league!

agibson · April 23, 2015, 01:05:42 PM

Not sure if it's been covered elsewhere, but Grady's also gone on the graduating senior rule
http://www.cleveland.com/sports/college/index.ssf/2015/04/cleveland_state_basketball_los.html

Maybe no surprise, but got to be tough for Waters. Not sure if there's a reason to see anything against the CSU program here (would we blame Valpo for Wood's transfer?). But, a tough business.

historyman · April 24, 2015, 10:57:44 AM

Quote from: agibson on April 23, 2015, 01:05:42 PMNot sure if it's been covered elsewhere, but Grady's also gone on the graduating senior rule http://www.cleveland.com/sports/college/index.ssf/2015/04/cleveland_state_basketball_los.html Maybe no surprise, but got to be tough for Waters. Not sure if there's a reason to see anything against the CSU program here (would we blame Valpo for Wood's transfer?). But, a tough business.

CSU took a double hit this year but there are going to be a lot more of these graduate transfers in the future. It makes sense for some players in the inbetween zone. If they are offered a scholarship at a Big Six school but know they won't play a lot when they get there they can transfer down to a mid-major. Then when they graduate early due to red-shirting they can fulfill their ultimate dream of starting for the major in their 4th year of eligibility. I believe at sometime Valpo will take a double hit in the graduate transfer situation in the future.