College Basketball

College Basketball: Jasper considers transfer out west

Paso Robles grad may leave Wildcats to be closer to home so family can attend more games

By Brian Milne

For the second straight year, Derrick Jasper is considering a transfer from the University of Kentucky to a men’s basketball program located on the West Coast.

Only this time the Paso Robles High graduate sounds serious about making the move.

“I want to get closer to my family,” he told The Tribune on Thursday in a phone interview from Lexington, Ky. “I’m kind of homesick, playing here in Kentucky, and I have been thinking about transferring to a West Coast school so that my family can attend more of my games.”

Jasper would have to sit out the 2008-09 season if he transfers to another Division I university, which might not be a bad thing for a surgically repaired knee that kept him out of the lineup for the first three months of this past season.

Jasper is considering at least three programs, although he wouldn’t name the schools.

The 6-foot-6 sophomore averaged 4.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists in his second season with the Wildcats and has been receiving letters from fans urging him to remain in Lexington.

“I like Kentucky, and I think we’re definitely heading in the right direction,” Jasper said. “It’s just that I want to be closer to home. Sitting out a year would also be good for my knee.”

Kentucky head coach Billy Gillispie acknowledged Jasper was considering a transfer at his season-ending news conference April 17.

“He hasn’t made any kind of decision, but we definitely need him over here,” the first-year coach said. “He is a leader for our team. I think he is going to be an All-Southeastern Conference type player next year, if he can maintain his health.”

Jasper considered transferring a year ago when then- Wildcats head coach Tubby Smith, who recruited Jasper, left to take over the program at Minnesota.

Neither Minnesota nor Cal Poly are believed to be on the list of programs Jasper is considering, while the Lexington Herald-Leader newspaper has suggested Jasper could end up at UNLV.

Jasper, a point guard in high school, played the point under Smith but was moved off the ball and used largely as a wing under Gillispie. On Thursday, Jasper admitted he’d like to move back to his natural position again.

“Yeah, I miss playing the point, definitely,” he said.

Jasper said his decision would not be influenced by the players Gillispie is bringing into the program, although the Wildcats recently signed 6-foot-6 guard Kevin Galloway out of the College of Southern Idaho, where he ranked fourth in the nation in assists.

Even with the addition of Galloway, Gillispie has stressed publicly that he wants to keep Jasper onboard.

“He has battled homesickness since I got here,” Gillispie said. “He decided he wanted to be here. I think he saw the difference in our team when he was somewhat healthy. I think he is a very, very good player. It is all about Derrick, we want all of the players back.”

Blair signs with San Jose State

Cuesta College forward Kelly Blair, a Morro Bay High graduate, has signed to play for the San Jose State women’s basketball team next season.

Blair, who played one season at Cal State Bakersfield before transferring to Cuesta last year, averaged a school-record 23.8 points and 10.4 rebounds a game en route to Western State Conference Player of the Year as a sophomore.

The 6-foot wing from San Luis Obispo has two years of college eligibility remaining.

Blair, a two-time County Player of the Year at Morro Bay, earned All-State honors this past season, wrapping up her sophomore campaign with a 27-point, 13-rebound performance in a first-round loss to Santa Ana in the Southern California Regional Playoffs.

San Jose State struggled to a 3-28 record last season under first-year coach Pam DeCosta.