Nwankwo and Scissum to transfer after one year
Nwanko (left) and Scissum (right) are no longer part of the program. Photos courtesy of VCU Athletics.
Men’s basketball freshmen forwards Gerron Scissum and Jonathan Nwankwo, will transfer out of the program after just one season with the Rams, the team announced Thursday in a press release.
Scissum, a 6-foot-7 forward from Huntsville, Ala, got 29 minutes of basketball under his belt in his first year with the Rams and scored six points while registering eight rebounds. Nwankwo, a 6-foot-9 New York native, opted to redshirt his freshman year after getting NCAA clearance to play in the 2015-16 season.
“Jon and Gerron were terrific representatives of the program while they were here, and we want to thank them for their contributions to our program,” said head coach Will Wade in the press release. “We wish them the best in the future.”
Toward the tail-end of the season, Wade gravitated toward a four-guard starting lineup. This limited playing time for forwards who succeeded the the 6-foot-7-inch junior Mo Alie-Cox in the depth chart. Sophomore forward Justin Tillman amassed 13 minutes in VCU’s NCAA tournament matchups against Oregon State University and the University of Oklahoma.
Sophomore forward Michael Gilmore did not play against Oregon State, but recorded 20 minutes against Oklahoma. Against the Sooners, he shot 100 percent from off the bench, which included two 3-pointers. It was one of five games where the Jacksonville, Fla. native played 20 minutes or more.
The outgoing transfers leave Wade with four forwards at his disposal for the upcoming season. The graduation of senior guards Korey Billbury and Melvin Johnson will leave the Rams with four scholarship positions available for next season, with three guards expected to sign in the offseason.
Wade signed 6-6 guard De’Riante Jenkins from South Carolina and 6-4 guard Marquell Fraser from Texas. Malik Crowfield, a 6-4 guard from Louisiana, also signed his letter of intent with the Rams last week, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
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