Clemson's Mathis to transfer

CLEMSON, S.C. - Backup guard Troy Mathis is leaving Clemson&#39;s basketball team, Tigers coach Oliver Purnell said Friday.<br> <br> Mathis wants to go somewhere he can get more playing time than he saw at Clemson. Mathis averaged less than six minutes a game this season.<br> <br> Purnell said he had recently talked with Mathis several times and felt it was ``in his best interest to transfer to another school in order for him to reach his goals on and off the court,&#39;&#39; Purnell said.<br> <br> Mathis was academically eligible to return to the Tigers, the athletic department said.<br> <br> Mathis said he hoped to attend a junior college so he would not have to sit out next year and where ``I can maximize my playing opportunities.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Mathis is from Raleigh, N.C. The 6-foot guard was part of Purnell&#39;s first true recruiting class and entered along with Cliff Hammonds, James Mays, Sam Perry and Cheyenne Moore.<br> <br> Mathis becomes the second player from that recruiting class to leave. Moore departed the program in 2005 and sat out this past season at George Washington.<br> <br> Mays was ruled academically ineligible this past December and missed the second half of his sophomore season. However, Mays is expected to be back for this year.<br> <br> Mathis picked Clemson over Virginia Tech, Memphis and Southern Cal and was expected to give the Tigers an explosive leader at the point.<br> <br> But not everything went smoothly during Mathis&#39; time at Clemson.<br> <br> Mathis was arrested and charged with assault and battery for his role in a fight near two campus residence halls in September 2004. He was suspended by the school for half a year but redshirted the season. Mathis was accepted into pretrial intervention.<br> <br> Then Mathis needed knee surgery before the 2005-06 season that severely limited his mobility and playing time. Mathis got in 20 games last year, averaging less than 3 points a game. His best game came in a win over Puerto Rico-Mayaguez in the San Juan Shootout when Mathis scored 15 points in 15 minutes, making 5-of-6 from behind the three-point line.<br> <br> ``I wish him the best and will do whatever I can to help him find his new school,&#39;&#39; said Purnell, who&#39;ll enter his fourth season as Clemson coach.<br> <br> (Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

http://accesswdun.com/article/2006/7/107499