Tuesday, July 6, 2010 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Lucas-Perry dismissed from basketball team Flint native was expected to take on larger role with inexperienced team By TIM ROHAN Daily Sports Writer After the recent . departures of Manny Harris and DeShawn Sims - the Wolverines two leading scorers last season - the Michigan basketball team was already in question for next season. But as Michigan coach John Beilein announced on June 30, the Wolver- ines are going to be missing another regular starter next year as well. Redshirt-junior guard Laval Lucas- Perry was dismissed from the basket- ball program for a violation of team rules. "The University of Michigan and our men's basketball program has established expectations essential to the success of all students and ath- letes," Beilein said in a press release. "These university and team standards have been clearly communicated to the team and Laval on numerous occasions through meetings, confer- ences and mentorship. "Unfortunately, Laval has violated our team standards. Therefore, I have decided that he will no longer be a part of our basketball program. Given the fact that Laval is near the comple- tion of his degree, he has been extend- ed the offer to remain on scholarship for the 2010-11 academic year and graduate in May with our 2011 class." Lucas-Perry started all but 10 games last season, but struggled to shoot well from behind the arc. He shot 29 percent from 3-point range, despite his reputation as a sharp- shooter. In his first full season playing for Beilein after transferring from Ari- zona, he averaged 4.8 points and 2.3 rebounds in 21 minutes per game. His career numbers at Michigan weren't overly impressive - in his 58 "Unfortunately, Laval has violated our team standards." career games at Michigan, he aver- aged 5.6 points per game - but Lucas- Perry was a veteran player on what is expected to be a young and inexperi- enced team next year. The 6-foot-3 guard from Flint start- ed his collegiate career at Arizona. He decided to transfer to Michigan after his first semester at the school, and due to NCAA regulations, had to sit out the rest of the season at Arizona 5AMANTHA TRAUBEN/Day Former Michigan men's basketball guard Laval Lucas-Perry averaged 5.6 painls yer game under couch John teilein. and the fall 2008 semester with Mich- His career as a Wolverine couldn't Perry told the Daily after the Oakland igan - Lucas-Perry played just five have started much better, though. In game. "I just went out there and just games for the Wildcats, his debut on Dec. 20, 2008 against got my shot going. Three hundred "It wasn't anything in particular Oakland, he scored 14 points and shot and sixty five days is a long time, and about Arizona," Lucas-Perry told the 4-of-6 from behind the arc. Lucas- I think I was ready for this moment." Michigan Daily. "It was just me not Perry scored in double digits in his After being released from the feeling comfortable there. I was just first six games at Michigan. Michigan program, Lucas-Perry's trying to find somewhere comfort- "I'm a shooter, and shooters shoot basketball future is still uncertain as able, where I can be nmyself." the ball well and they create," Lucas- of now. New assistants hope to foster winning environment Bacari Alexander and LaVall Jordan bring extensive basketball knowledge to 'M' By CHANTEL JENNINGS Daily Sports Writer After the Michigan men's basket- ball team's mediocre 15-17 record this past season, coach John Beilein recently added two new assistant coaches to assist second-year assistant coach, Jeff Meyer. With the recent appointment of Bacari Alexander and LaVall Jordan, the team hopes to have a fresh, new direction as it looks to bounce back from a lackluster season, a year fol- lowing the Wolverines' first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1998. In Jordan's first year as assistant coach with Butler in 2004, the Bull- dogs were 13-15 overall and 7-9 in the Horizon League. But by the time Jor- dan left the Bulldogs in 2007, Butler finished the season 29-7 and made it to the second round of the NCAA Tour- nament. Originally from Albion, Jordan played basketball at Butler where he was a standout guard, helping the Bulldogs to four post-season appear- ances, three NCAA Tournaments and one NIT Tournament. After college, Jordan played over- seas and in the National Basketball Developmental League but saw signif- icant differences between the college game and the professional playing field. "Something I loved as a player was just the details of the game and I wanted to go on and play as long as I Jordan returned to Butler to work as Coordinator of Basketball Opera- tions in 2003. After just one season, he was promoted to assistant coach where he stayed for three seasons before moving to Iowa with Butler head coach Todd Licklite. For three seasons he worked as an assistant coach with the Hawkeyes before trad- ing in his old gold for maize. "This thing isn't about us," Jordan said. "We have our part and our job is to put our signature on our little chapter of the entire Michigan story, so that's how I look at it. Because of the tradition, because of the history, because of the standard that's been set before us, for us to recapture it and carry on what others have done." Along with Jordan, Alexander will also hope to bring his past playing and coaching experience to Ann Arbor, See COACHES, Page 12 ARIELBOND/Daly Michigan men's basketball coach John Beilein added two assistants to his coaching staff. could," Jordan said. "Once you get into enjoying the team and the teammates that, it's a little more individualized, and coming together and winning at it's a little more about you. a high level, so that was something I "For me, that wasn't as much fun as enjoyed and wanted to get back to."