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Pat Dye Field => Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum => Topic started by: djsimp on December 12, 2014, 03:48:32 PM
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http://auburn.247sports.com/Bolt/Pearl-My-decision-taking-Trayvon-Reed-33808512?utm_source=247Sports+Newsletter&utm_campaign=83d33c7d90-141212_Auburn+Tigers&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_b5300ae947-83d33c7d90-221629909 (http://auburn.247sports.com/Bolt/Pearl-My-decision-taking-Trayvon-Reed-33808512?utm_source=247Sports+Newsletter&utm_campaign=83d33c7d90-141212_Auburn+Tigers&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_b5300ae947-83d33c7d90-221629909)
Justin Hokanson
Auburn Insider - AuburnUndercover
Pearl: 'My decision' taking Trayvon Reed
Bruce Pearl sought input regarding the decision to add Trayvon Reed to the Auburn basketball team, but said on Friday that ultimately it was his decision.
“This was my decision, but I did want input from other people on campus," Pearl said. "If things don’t work out, it’s on me. I don’t want to put it on anyone else. At the same time, I do trust and wanted the input from other people on campus. I’m not going to talk about his visits and who he visited with, but just that I did get input. The decision to bring me here was probably a decision that was made by a number of people, so it’s important that I got that input and trust from others, and it’s what we do. Whether or not Trayvon takes advantage of this it’s what we do."
Reed was cleared by the NCAA Clearinghouse on Friday morning and is eligible immediately for Auburn. Reed will travel with the team at Clemson on Sunday. Reed was denied entrance to Maryland in July after being arrested on second-degree misdemeanor assault charges and pled guilty last week. Reed committed to Auburn in August.
Pearl also announced that Alex Thompson has returned to the basketball team after being suspended earlier this year.
"I will be disappointed if these guys don’t take full advantage of this opportunity, but nothing surprised you when you’re dealing with young people," said Pearl.
Pearl on expectations for Reed: “If he plays, he’ll clearly have to come off the bench. There’s no chance he would start. If he plays, we’ll have to give him a limited play call, but the other thing that does is it puts Brad Brownell is an interesting chess match. He knows there’s only certain things he can do, so does he change things up to try and confuse him? You don’t want to put those players in position to fail. He would have to understand how to handle pressure. He would have to understand how to handle zone, under-basket out of bounds. It would be a lot to ask, so I would not expect him to play a major role in the game on Sunday.â€
Pearl on the mindset with Reed off-the-court: “He came for several unofficial visits and visited with a lot of different people on campus. This was not a decision that I could make by myself. It was a decision we involved a lot of people in as it relates to visiting with him, interviewing him, talking to him and trying to make a determination whether or not he could be successful at Auburn and whether he was truly accountable. It was determined he was. Trayvon grew up in Alabama. He played high school ball in Alabama. He was on a travel team with KT (Harrell) and played for KT’s dad growing up. KT is a little bit of a role model for Trayvon. There probably was a time in Trayvon’s career where he wouldn’t have given Auburn a serious look as obviously he has given us now. He had options, but he moved pretty quickly to look at Auburn. We had an interest and a need and the opportunity presented itself, so it has a chance to work out.â€
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http://auburn.247sports.com/Bolt/Pearl-My-decision-taking-Trayvon-Reed-33808512?utm_source=247Sports+Newsletter&utm_campaign=83d33c7d90-141212_Auburn+Tigers&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_b5300ae947-83d33c7d90-221629909 (http://auburn.247sports.com/Bolt/Pearl-My-decision-taking-Trayvon-Reed-33808512?utm_source=247Sports+Newsletter&utm_campaign=83d33c7d90-141212_Auburn+Tigers&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_b5300ae947-83d33c7d90-221629909)
Nice decision by Peal. Is he on Pearl's staff?
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Will he still practice for the bowl game? We need all the DBs we can get!
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Who is Peal?
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Who is Peal?
He's the guy that took Reed!
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He's the guy that took Reed!
Oh yeah. Forgot.
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Oh yeah. Forgot.
Can't wait for Peal to get Reed incolved in the rotation.
And was Mason abducted by aliens? Nothing on him since the "high ankle sprain" 6 game disappearance.
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Charles Goldberg @ Auburntigers.com on Reed, Thompson, Mason and Peal
Help is on the way for the Auburn basketball team in the form of a 7-foot-2 center who is now eligible, a player returning from last year's team and the likelihood the nation's leading returning scorer is healthy enough to play again.
Coach Bruce Pearl will try to mix and match the new with the old at Clemson on Sunday. The impact…is all to be determined," Pearl said.
No matter, the addition of 7-foot-2, 230-pound center Trayvon Reed, the return of Alex Thompson from last year's team and the prospect that Antoine Mason is returning from an ankle injury increases Pearl's available scholarship players from a razor-thin eight to 11.
"Because of the injuries and being down to eight scholarship players, it made practices tough," Pearl said. "We did not have a lot to go up against. I was limited in how much contact we could have for fear of losing guys in practice. "
The addition of Reed and 6-foot-8 Thompson gives the Tigers more of an inside game, and more options for the 3-4 Tigers who have trouble finding a consistent scorer to play with KT Harrell.
"We have a couple of guys with a little bit of size and a little bit of length, so I think it’s going to be good from a practice standpoint. Now will 11 scholarship players, we’re not as far behind the 8 ball," Pearl said.
Reed, is from Montgomery, played his senior season in New Jersey where he averaged 12.5 points, 9.5 and 6.5 blocks a game. He spent last season at the Elev8 Academy in Delray Beach, Fla. He originally signed with Maryland.
Thompson earned a scholarship last season, but didn't start this season with the team because of "personal reasons," Pearl said.
"He is back and we’re glad that he’s back and looking forward to getting him going."
Pearl said Reed will start his Auburn career on the bench.
"If he played, what we’d do is we’d have to give him a limited play call. You don’t want to put those players in position to fail. He would have to understand how to handle pressure, he’d have to understand how to handle man, how to handle zone, under basket out of bounds, side out – it would be a lot to ask. I would not expect him to play a major role in the game Sunday," Pearl said.
Reed's first practice is Saturday. Pearl said he'll be happy to see him in person.
"I have watched tape, and that's it," Pearl said. "I've only seen him on tape. I don't know what all he can do. I do know he runs the floor, I know he can block shots and he'll be a bit of a rim protector, which is something we don't have. Clearly, he fills the need. It's a lot to ask after he's been out for quite some time. But you talk about having to go play on the road at Clemson, if that's going to be the first time he gets any time at all."
Mason may provide more an instant impact.
"As soon as he is back and healthy and in a position where his performance warrants starting, he'll be out there," Pearl said.
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Maybe having Thompson and Reed will allow Bowers to actually bounce the ball a time or two which seems to be the secret to his success.
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Sounds Luke a good plan. Hang on enough to get to the SEC tourney and peak at the right time.
Could be a fun ride, or just what we see now. At least we have some giddy moments.
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What position does Luke play?
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What position does Luke play?
Luke's a walkon finesse forward with some serious hops.
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Luke's a walkon finesse forward with some serious hops.
I hope he has a cool hand. Wait, no a hot one.
You know I have to hand it to DJ re: Peal. Even as a guy more inside of AU athletics than anyone on the x, I had not heard of Peal.
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What position does Luke play?
He plays off guard for Peal
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Peal is the shiznit. Peal will make it real. Peal is the real deal. Peal likes Luke.