Wolff releases two players for off-court troubles
By Nick Williams, The Daily Free Press, 3/21/2006

A season filled with injuries, suspensions and disappointments left the Boston University men's basketball team losing games. Now they're also losing some players.

Off-court turmoil has left two players released and one more release pending. Sophomore Tony Gaffney and freshman Brendan Sullivan were each granted their releases and sophomore Bryan Geffen confirmed that he'll be released sometime today or tomorrow.

Geffen declined to comment further until his release becomes official.

Gaffney and Sullivan had both been suspended at different points during the season, and Geffen's time fluctuated throughout the season while fellow point guard Brian Macon developed into the permanent starter.

Coach Dennis Wolff remained tight-lipped on the subject yesterday, only saying, "I'm not gonna go into that. I think it's the best thing for both [parties]."

Wolff did say, however, that the reason had nothing to do with playing time.

"They're leaving for reasons separate from basketball," the coach said.

Gaffney said the decision to grant a player's release is ideally a joint decision between player and coach, but he indicated that there wasn't much of a choice.

"I just didn't have a great relationship with Coach Wolff, for plenty of reasons," Gaffney said. "I have my own beliefs, some I'd rather not get into because they're more personal."

Gaffney said he wasn't happy this season and revealed that he and Wolff clashed throughout the season.

"We weren't on the same page," Gaffney said. "I tried and tried [to make it work], but it just wasn't working out."

The Terriers have been marred by off-court troubles all season. Gaffney was suspended for "violating team rules" in late November and missed six games, before returning in a Dec. 22 game against Canisius College. Sullivan was suspended for the same reason in mid-February and missed the last four games of the season, including the America East Tournament quarterfinal tilt against the University of Vermont.

And while Gaffney returned, his minutes fluctuated all year, culminating in February when he registered four straight "Did Not Plays" during the stretch run of the season. Gaffney couldn't explain the DNPs.

"[They're] for one reason another," he said. "I wish [Wolff] came up with a reason for that, but I never got one."

According to Wolff, Gaffney's release was "the best thing for him and it's the best thing for us."

Gaffney was reluctant to agree.

"I don't want to say I agree," he said. "I believe a lot of things that have gone on this year weren't right with me and his situation, and [Wolff] might feel differently.

"I'd rather not say I agree with it. There's so much to love about this place. Basketball is just a small part of this school, it doesn't make up the whole university. I have a lot of friends here, good relationships with professors. It's too bad. It came to the point where it's best for me to go somewhere else."

As for Geffen, the only one of the trio to not be suspended during the year, his minutes remained inconsistent throughout the season.

The point guard who was set to compete with Macon for the starting job this season saw less than 10 minutes in five games this year, including a season-low four minutes in a Jan. 2 loss to Holy Cross and back-to-back eight minute games during the first week of February against the University of New Hampshire and the University of Maryland-Baltimore County.

All three will be free to sign on with other teams next season, and Gaffney said he has already begun his search for a new program.

"Probably within a week or so I'll have a better grasp of where I'm looking," he said. "A lot of teams are still playing. I'm still waiting to see. I have a pretty good connection putting [my name] out there for me, letting coaches know I'm getting my release."

Gaffney averaged 4.5 points per game and 3.2 rebounds per game. Geffen averaged 4.5 points and 2.1 boards per game to go along with 36 assists. Sullivan appeared in just 14 games, averaging 1.2 points per contest.

Sullivan could not be reached for comment.


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