Chris Babb, starting shooting guard and one of the few bright spots for Penn State's beleaguered men's basketball team this season, has decided to transfer from PSU, his father Mike Babb confirmed a few moments ago by phone from the family's home in Arlington, Texas.
The sophomore's departure is a crushing blow to an already reeling program. Babb was not just a cornerstone for the team's future plans, he was one of the two most effective players on this year's squad. His scoring average (9.3) and minutes played (29.7) each ranked third on the team.
Babb unquestionably was the Lions' most dependable long-range shooter. He shot .373 from the arc this season and hit 69 treys in all, two fewer than team-leader Talor Battle. He also hit .816 from the foul line, best on the team.
More important, Babb's production improved as the season progressed. He scored in double figures in 10 of the Lions' 18 Big Ten games including the last four. He had 5 or more assists in three of the last seven games.
Mike Babb said his son met with PSU coach Ed DeChellis on both Thursday and today (Friday) to talk about the situation. Mr. Babb wished not to speak for his son about his reasons for the transfer. But it's easy to speculate the Nittany Lions' 11-20 season that included a 3-16 record against Big Ten competition certainly didn't help. Texts and calls to Chris Babb's phone went unanswered. His father said he didn't want to talk about his transfer yet.
"Overall, Penn State's a great place," Mike Babb said. "We don't have anything bad to say about it. But it is what it is. If Chris is going to do this, he has to do it at this point. He'll have two years left.
"It's nothing personal. But you don't want to wait until it's too late."
Per NCAA transfer bylaws, Babb must sit out the 2010-11 season before playing for another Division I school. Mike Babb said he and his son are still in an exploratory phase and refused to name any possible transfer locales. But he did remind that the family is originally from Topeka, Kans., area and that his son is still "a Midwestern kid" at heart.
"He can use that redshirt year and that'll benefit him," said Mr. Babb. "He can improve and get strong and get over some little injuries."
DeChellis had his contract extended last summer after an NIT championship run. He is being paid approximately $650,000 annually through 2014. Penn State athletics director Tim Curley gave DeChellis a vote of confidence last week and said the coach would be back for the 2010-11 season.
DAVID JONES: djones8681@verizon.net.