By Max Sass, Sports Editor
Freshman forward Halil Kanacevic has decided he is transferring to St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, PA. Kanacevic was the leading rebounder for the Pride in the 2009-10 season.
Kanacevic averaged 8.6 points per game, third on the Pride and averaged 7.6 rebounds per game. Kanacevic played in all 34 games for the Pride and started seven of them.
In the first game of his college career, against no. 1 Kansas, Kanacevic recorded a double-double, scoring 12 points and grabbing 12 rebounds.
The 6′ 8″ freshman forward was not highly recruited coming out of Curtis High School in Staten Island. He averaged 18 points per game and 12 rebounds per game as a senior at Curtis.
Kanacevic was recruited by Tom Pecora who left for Fordham after the season. Kanacevic wanted to play for a coach he chose not one chosen for him by someone else. “You want to leave in the same situation you came in with and I didn’t like that,” he said.
Kanacevic understood why Pecora made the decision he did though. “I understand everybody has a family and he has a family to take care of,” Kanacevic said.
St. Joseph’s is coached by Phil Martelli and Kanacevic loved everything about the school. “The basketball is great, the school is great and Philadelphia is a great place to go to school,” said Kanacevic.
Jameer Nelson and Delonte West are the most famous recent alumni of St. Joseph’s and Kanacevic wants to join that group. He must sit out a year but said, “when I am able to play, they said I’ll be able to play a lot.”
St. Joseph’s finished last season 11-20.
Kanacevic left willingly but will miss Hofstra. “I’m going to miss the guys the most,” he said. “It’s the toughest saying goodbye to your teammates. It’s tough.”
Rumors recently surfaced that fellow freshman, guard Chaz Williams, requested his release from Hofstra as well. The news, orginially reported by Adam Zagoria on his blog, has since been removed. Jeremy Kniffin, sports information director for men’s basketball at Hofstra said that Williams had not requested his release. Kanacevic said he did not know anything about Williams’ situation.