New players add confusion to old problem

IU men’s basketball coach Tom Crean nabbed his second guard for 2008 in as many days Monday when Alabama native Nick Williams agreed to join the Hoosiers next season.\nWilliams joins Indianapolis native and junior college transfer Devan Dumes as the future of IU’s backcourt. The question is, when will that future begin?\nWith the ongoing saga surrounding the dismissal of Armon Bassett and Jamarcus Ellis, what do the additions of Williams and Dumes mean for the Hoosiers next season? Will the new duo replace Bassett and Ellis, or supplement them?\nRegardless of who is on the roster next season, Williams should see a lot of playing time. Recruiting services have Williams ranked as high as No. 35 overall in the class of 2008, according to an IU press release. If his talent lives up to his ranking, Williams will earn his time on the court next season. The 6-foot-5 guard should add a physical presence to the Hoosiers’ backcourt and is comfortable playing in the post.\nHow Dumes fits in with the team next season is more of a question. Dumes, a combo guard, is in the Bassett mold. He shot nearly 40 percent from beyond the arc at Vincennes University (Ind.) last season, but IU desperately needs a pass-first point guard. If he cannot run point for IU, he most likely won’t steal much playing time from Bassett or freshman guard Jordan Crawford.\nSo this brings us back to the question on every Hoosier fan’s mind: Will Bassett and Ellis return? Right now, I would bet on Bassett returning and Ellis remaining off the team. Here’s why:\nCrean has a pre-existing relationship with Bassett, from when the former Marquette coach recruited the Terre Haute native. Bassett wants to be back on the team, and in an interview with the Indiana Daily Student earlier this month, Crean said he had been talking to Bassett.\nAnother favorable sign for Bassett’s return is the fact that Dumes told Mike Pegram, from Peegs.com, that he talked briefly with Bassett while pondering his decision.\nIt seems to me that if Bassett finishes the semester with good grades, he will be on the team next season.\nEllis’ situation is a little murkier. Cream told the IDS he briefly talked with Ellis and was still trying to start a relationship with the incoming senior. Other than that, there has been no update from Crean or Ellis.\nMy biggest concern in the Bassett-Ellis dilemma is that Crean might not treat the two players fairly. Just because Bassett has a good relationship with Crean doesn’t mean he should be back on the team. Putting the two players on a zero-tolerance policy would improve the team next season, but more importantly, it would give the two players a chance to continue their education and earn a college degree. In the end, college athletics should be about learning how to be an adult and getting an education.\nHoosier fans should be happy for the additions, but if Bassett and Ellis are not in IU uniforms next season, it could spell trouble in the win-loss column. Hopefully, Crean does not think about winning and losing when making this decision. If so, he will set a bad precedent in his first summer as head coach.