More International Help - Sasa Ciani

[JTG]

Look for an announcement later this week. Inside help on the way. A 6-9, 6-10 big, to be named later.

[muskiefan82]

That would be great, but someone please explain where we are getting all these scholarships from? As of today, Hunter and Freemantle are still on the team as scholarship players unless something changed

[94GRAD]

That would be great, but someone please explain where we are getting all these scholarships from? As of today, Hunter and Freemantle are still on the team as scholarship players unless something changed

The 2%NIL fund will pay for their schooling instead of a scholarship.

[muskiefan82]

So, it really is pay to play now. Interesting. I wonder if the courts will litigate that issue sometime in the future. Oh well. If it gets us good replacements this year, i will live with it! LOL

[HomerCecil]

Kind of nuts that there are already 18 players on the roster and more might be on the way. I don't think I've ever seen that before (and yes, I realize we have walk-ons in that 18). They might need to add seats to the bench.

[D-West & PO-Z]

I'm not sure we will see the NIL thing paying for school really take off. This seems to be a unique year given we have 2 scholarship players who may not play at all this year due to injury/medical issues.

Most guys good enough to demand any significant NIL money won't want it all or any of it going to fund their tuition. They will want the scholarship with the NIL money going into their pockets.

I think we are dealing with a unique situation this year on this X team.

[JTG]

The 2%NIL fund will pay for their schooling instead of a scholarship.

Off topic, but I just read where a Bears player is suing his NIL benefactor, because the agreement he signed had a clause that the NIL source gets 15% of the players NFL earnings.

[D-West & PO-Z]

Off topic, but I just read where a Bears player is suing his NIL benefactor, because the agreement he signed had a clause that the NIL source gets 15% of the players NFL earnings.

15%?! Wow, if true that player really f'ed up lol.

Agents get between 4-10% from what I have seen before.

[muskiefan82]

Welcome to Xavier Sasa Ciani!!

[GoMuskies]

Good news and all....but today is September 12th. Do the basketball players not have to abide by the semester system "normal" students do? I get that the student athlete concept has become a farce in revenue generating sports, so I don't really care, but this seems particularly weird. How will it work with school? We'll make up some online classes for him to catch up in?

[D-West & PO-Z]

Welcome to Xavier Sasa Ciani!!

https://www.espn.co.uk/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/38385366/international-basketball-prospect-sasa-ciani-commits-xavier

Seems like another good get this late in the game.

[xavierj]

Good news and all....but today is September 12th. Do the basketball players not have to abide by the semester system "normal" students do? I get that the student athlete concept has become a farce in revenue generating sports, so I don't really care, but this seems particularly weird. How will it work with school? We'll make up some online classes for him to catch up in?

Yes I am sure they will have no problem getting him caught up. He is a 20 year old freshman who I am sure will be taking the basic of the basic classes the first year. They have only been in classes for a 14 actual days and my guess is he is here now but they needed to get everything approved before they announced it. This guy sounds like a good add. He was the one of 15 players invited to practice with the Serbian national team ahead of the Fiba World Cup. He didn’t get to play but he was the youngest player invited by far. Sounds like a solid pick up. A guy that will mix it up, rebound and score around the basket. Sounds physical, looks like he can run the floor and also passes the ball well.

[drudy23]

Sounds like the typical Euro player. Those guys have great IQ as well.

Only downsides is the 45% from the line.

Broering says to stay tuned for roster updates as they are over their allotted scholarships by 2 - does this mean a couple will red-shirt, or do 2 have to give up their schollies?

Not sure if red-shirts count against the scholly limit. Will someone like Duncomb lose their scholly?

[XUGRAD80]

Check out this article from Cincinnati.com:

Xavier basketball adds to 2023-24 roster again with Slovenian center Sasa Ciani

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/college/xavier/2023/09/12/xavier-musketeers-basketball-adds-sasa-ciani-from-slovenia-big-east-schedule-roster/70831277007/

I’d say that these last 2 adds are confirmation that we shouldn’t expect Hunter or Free to suit up this year. I do expect them to remain on the roster, but to be inactive. Not sure exactly how that all plays out but I believe that if they are not listed on the active roster that they don’t count against the limit. Might mean that there are no real “walk-on” players on the roster too. 13 regular scholarship players and then a couple of international players on “NILscholarship”. Question…do red shirts count against the roster limit? If not, I can see a couple of freshman possibly taking a red shirt year.

I agree with others that have stated that this is probably kind of of a one-off year. I don’t expect to see this play out year after year. There’s no way that anyone could foresee Hunter having his problem or that Free would have a major setback. Miller is scrambling to replace them and going the foreign route appears to be the answer.

[D-West & PO-Z]

I don't think Miller hitting up the foreign pipeline is a one off but this late and with the NIL schollys (if that is even how they are doing it) is a one off.

I believe redshirt players count against the scholarship limit. I am also not sure how you get around Hunter or Freemantle counting against the limit. I think they count still. I am not sure there is an "inactive" list.

But if they are going NIL scholarship route there is no worry to being over the limit.

[Xville]

Is free even in school? Anyone know? If he isn’t playing, I doubt he is going to school. He’s graduated, probably moving on. Just my assumption

[XUGRAD80]

Xavier has been in this position before……where they needed to add players late in the off-season to fill roster holes……and they ended up with some real “suspects and projects”, who had no college or international experience. Getting players that can possibly contribute right away is a refreshing change.

[XUGRAD80]

I don't think Miller hitting up the foreign pipeline is a one off but this late and with the NIL schollys (if that is even how they are doing it) is a one off.

I believe redshirt players count against the scholarship limit. I am also not sure how you get around Hunter or Freemantle counting against the limit. I think they count still. I am not sure there is an "inactive" list.

But if they are going NIL scholarship route there is no worry to being over the limit.

The NCAA limits the roster size to 15 players…13 scholarship players and 2 walk on players. Red shirts do NOT count against that limit on roster size.

[D-West & PO-Z]

The NCAA limits the roster size to 15 players…13 scholarship players and 2 walk on players. Red shirts do NOT count against that limit on roster size.

Ok, thanks, good to know. But they do count against the scholarship limit?

[XUGRAD80]

Ok, thanks, good to know. But they do count against the scholarship limit?

Yes….IF they are on scholarship they count against the scholarship limit. So if X uses NIL for a couple of the international players AND a couple of the freshman are redshirted, OR Free and Hunter are no longer on the roster…..they will be OK.

I’m sure that Miller and the rest of the staff have it all figured out…..so we don’t have to. LOL

[D-West & PO-Z]

Yes….IF they are on scholarship they count against the scholarship limit. So if X uses NIL for a couple of the international players AND a couple of the freshman are redshirted, OR Free and Hunter are no longer on the roster…..they will be OK.

I’m sure that Miller and the rest of the staff have it all figured out…..so we don’t have to. LOL

Yeah, no doubt they do. Interested to see what they did/how it all shakes out.

[XUGRAD80]

Yeah, no doubt they do. Interested to see what they did/how it all shakes out.

In Sean I trust……not sure I could say the same thing about the prior administration.

[paulxu]

Why am I paying for the Athletic, when they have nothing on this, and haven't had a Xavier article in 112 days?

I'm an idiot.

[D-West & PO-Z]

I like the Athletic, but if my only reason for having it was Xavier coverage, I wouldn't have it.

[94GRAD]

Why am I paying for the Athletic, when they have nothing on this, and haven't had a Xavier article in 112 days?

I'm an idiot.


I like the Athletic, but if my only reason for having it was Xavier coverage, I wouldn't have it.

I LOVE the Pulse email I get from them every morning!

[GoMuskies]

I got it for free for using BetMGM. The Pulse email is the only thing I read, and it's fine, but too much focus on soccer. And the politics of the place are annoyingly evident in just their emails.

[paulxu]

I went to cancel and they offered me a year for $9.99 plus access to the NYTimes games site...which means I can print the Sunday crossword.
So I took it.
Now, maybe, just maybe, somebody will write something about Xavier.

[Masterofreality]

Thank Goodness we have Sean back to handle this offseason well with the superb International connections!
The Former Guy would have been totally lost.
This is what a Big Time Program does. Finds a way to Reload.
And the Cleveland Slovenian community has a new favorite team!!

[drudy23]

The Former Guy expressed interest in every portal entry. At least it seemed that way.

Didn't matter if he fit or not.

[X-band '01]

Thank Goodness we have Sean back to handle this offseason well with the superb International connections!
The Former Guy would have been totally lost.
This is what a Big Time Program does. Finds a way to Reload.
And the Cleveland Slovenian community has a new favorite team!!

"We just gotta do better, man"

Will I see you in the crowd when Mother Miami hosts Wilberforce in December?

[xukeith]

I like the Athletic, but if my only reason for having it was Xavier coverage, I wouldn't have it.

I remember the Shannon Russell days at Athletic. Those were good articles.

[zippin']

Same. She was really good and her articles were always super informative and interesting.