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Dials leaves Buckeyes, cites scholarship concern
Thursday, May 20, 2004
Bob Baptist
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
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Nick Dials did not want to spend another year on scholarship at Ohio State wondering whether he would have to pay his own way the next. Coach Jim O’Brien was not willing to commit to Dials for more than one year at a time. So Dials will look for another place to play college basketball.
Dials’ father, Olen, said last night that his son has asked O’Brien to release him from his scholarship so he can transfer to another school that will agree to have him on scholarship for his remaining three years of eligibility.
"(O’Brien) offered him a oneyear scholarship like he did last year," Olen Dials said. "Nick told him he didn’t want to go through this every year, not knowing what’s going to happen to him."
Dials, a hustling, hard-nosed 6-foot-1 guard from Willard, Ohio, agreed last spring to walk on because he was dissatisfied with the offers he received from mid- and low-major NCAA Division I schools. He received a scholarship when one became available before the season, but for only one year.
Dials said in March that he could not afford to pay for school and would transfer if no scholarships were available for the 2004-05 season. When Malik Hairston of Detroit turned down the Buckeyes last week, O’Brien offered the grant to Dials rather than pursue other players who had called Ohio State this spring about the possibility of transferring.
For that reason, O’Brien was not pleased when Dials opted not to take the scholarship offer. But he said he will not refuse to release him.
"I’m never going to prevent a kid from going someplace else if he doesn’t want to be here," O’Brien said. "What we do now with the scholarship, I really don’t know."
The monthlong spring signing period ended yesterday.
Dials played in 19 games and started nine for Ohio State as a freshman. He became a crowd favorite by bringing needed hustle to the backcourt and finished with the best assists-toturnovers differential (40-14) on the team.
He made 47.6 percent of his three-point shots during the nonconference schedule but only 21.1 percent during Big Ten play. That was due in part to a stress fracture in his right wrist he suffered against Indiana on Jan. 20. He played three more games before it was diagnosed.
"We’re really grateful to Ohio State for giving Nick the chance to prove himself on scholarship," Olen Dials said. "He liked playing for the fans. There are a lot of good memories there for him."
[email protected]
Dials leaves Buckeyes, cites scholarship concern
Thursday, May 20, 2004
Bob Baptist
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Nick Dials did not want to spend another year on scholarship at Ohio State wondering whether he would have to pay his own way the next. Coach Jim O’Brien was not willing to commit to Dials for more than one year at a time. So Dials will look for another place to play college basketball.
Dials’ father, Olen, said last night that his son has asked O’Brien to release him from his scholarship so he can transfer to another school that will agree to have him on scholarship for his remaining three years of eligibility.
"(O’Brien) offered him a oneyear scholarship like he did last year," Olen Dials said. "Nick told him he didn’t want to go through this every year, not knowing what’s going to happen to him."
Dials, a hustling, hard-nosed 6-foot-1 guard from Willard, Ohio, agreed last spring to walk on because he was dissatisfied with the offers he received from mid- and low-major NCAA Division I schools. He received a scholarship when one became available before the season, but for only one year.
Dials said in March that he could not afford to pay for school and would transfer if no scholarships were available for the 2004-05 season. When Malik Hairston of Detroit turned down the Buckeyes last week, O’Brien offered the grant to Dials rather than pursue other players who had called Ohio State this spring about the possibility of transferring.
For that reason, O’Brien was not pleased when Dials opted not to take the scholarship offer. But he said he will not refuse to release him.
"I’m never going to prevent a kid from going someplace else if he doesn’t want to be here," O’Brien said. "What we do now with the scholarship, I really don’t know."
The monthlong spring signing period ended yesterday.
Dials played in 19 games and started nine for Ohio State as a freshman. He became a crowd favorite by bringing needed hustle to the backcourt and finished with the best assists-toturnovers differential (40-14) on the team.
He made 47.6 percent of his three-point shots during the nonconference schedule but only 21.1 percent during Big Ten play. That was due in part to a stress fracture in his right wrist he suffered against Indiana on Jan. 20. He played three more games before it was diagnosed.
"We’re really grateful to Ohio State for giving Nick the chance to prove himself on scholarship," Olen Dials said. "He liked playing for the fans. There are a lot of good memories there for him."
[email protected]