When Maryland basketball coach Gary Williams returned to the Terps 17 years ago, he relied on Walt Williams to give the program credibility as it dealt with a lack of television exposure, being barred from postseason play and other NCAA sanctions while on probation.
Williams? decision not to transfer is often credited by many Maryland fans as helping lay the groundwork for resurrecting a program that went on to win the national title in 2002.
Jimmy Patsos knew he needed a similar player when he took over as head coach at Loyola in 2004. Patsos left his post as Williams? assistant at Maryland to join a Greyhounds program that went 1-27 the previous year. Ironically, that player turned out to be a Terp transfer: Andre Collins.
Collins impact in his one season at Loyola was immeasurable as he finished fourth in the nation in scoring at 26.1 points per game in leading the Greyhounds to a 15-13 record. The Charlotte Bobcats and Orlando Magic selected two of the players ahead of him in the scoring race ? Adam Morrison and J.J. Reddick ? in the first round of this year?s NBA draft.
“Andre was a mini-version of Walt Williams for us at Loyola,” Patsos said last month. “He came here because of myself and Loyola and brought us instant respectability.”
Patsos hoped Collins could be apart of the Greyhounds next step toward winning the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and returning to the NCAA tournament for the first time since their Cinderella season in 1994. He wanted Collins to reap the benefits of his hard work and experience the team success that eluded Walt Williams during his career at Maryland.
Unfortunately for Patsos, Collins and all of the Loyola fans that packed the Reitz Arena to see the explosive scoring guard from Crisfield play last year, that will never come tofruition. The NCAA made that official last week when it rejected Collins? request for a sixth year of eligibility.
“Last year was very rewarding, especially getting my first real chance to play again since high school,” said Collins last week. “We have a lot of good guys on this team, and I?d like the chance to play with them again.”
Collins held out hope of getting that sixth year and was dejected last week upon receiving word on the NCAA?s decision.
While waiting for a decision, he opted not to work out for professional teams, a decision he knows puts him behind others looking to catch on with an NBA team or one overseas.
“I don?t regret my decision,” he said.
Patsos now must rely on a young corps of players such as Marquis Sullivan, Gerald Brown and Tony Lewis to help pick up the scoring void left by Collins. However, while Loyola may suffer from Collins? departure in the short-term, he left a mark on a program that will be felt way beyond the single season he wore a Greyhound uniform.
“I owe him a great deal and I don?t know where we would be without him,” Patsos said.
Ron Snyder is a staff writer for The Examiner.
