Balbay to miss opener

[davert]

According to the San Antonio Express News Dogus Balbay will only miss the first game of the season as penalty for playing on a Turkish team that violated NCAA rules.

 

[dahorns]

albay to miss just one game

By Mark Rosner | Tuesday, September 9, 2008, 01:34 PM

Longhorn point guard Dogus Balbay will miss only one game this season as an NCAA penalty for playing on a professional team in his native Turkey.

He will sit out the season-opener on Nov. 14 against Stetson for a violation of NCAA amateurism rules.

Balbay played in 11 games over two seasons for Fenerbahce, a club team in Turkey during the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons.

Balbay missed his freshman season at Texas, 2007-08, after undergoing surgery to repair the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee on Oct. 30. Team officials say Balbay healed quickly enough to be cleared for competition by an orthopedic surgeon at the end of February.

He remained on the sideline, though, as school officials angled to have the Longhorns’ remaining games — 10, as it turned out — count toward the suspension.

The NCAA approved that request, penalizing Balbay one game for every game he played professionally in Turkey. He served 10 games of the 11-game suspension last season.

That approach makes Balbay a sophomore instead of a freshman, which hardly matters. Balbay was not expected to stick around for five seasons, anyway.

Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment Categories: Men's basketball

 

[UTeric32]

hmmm, interesting. I guess that works

 

[bierce]

Great news. We've seen in recent years how poorly things work out for players who are forced to sit the first 1/3 to 1/2 of the season. When you're talking a point guard, the effect would be that much worse.

 

[Bob in Houston]

Good news because they need him playing, not sitting. I'm glad the NCAA saw it UT's way.

 

[4realhorn]

Looks like they went with a 1 for 1 penalty. Balbay dressed out in 11 professional games. This is great news.

 

[Bob in Houston]

4real, that is the standard penalty for players in Balbay's situation, one for one. If he had gotten paid, he would be ineligible.

 

[l00p]

I call your bluff.