It is being reported on Lansing radio today that arguably the state’s top prospect in the 2013 class is transferring to Lansing Eastern. Steve Haney Jr., the 6-6 forward who was East Lansing’s top player as a freshman on varsity, will be a Quaker. After the season, Haney’s head coach was fired for undisclosed reasons. The speculation was that parents of players in Doug Fleming’s program were jealous of the attention and playing time Haney received in his first season.
East Lansing’s program goes from being among the best in the state for 2010-11 to very average overnight.
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I do not understand this whole transfer thing anymore. Here is something to think about – IF YOU ARE GOOD, IT DOES NOT MATTER WHERE YOU PLAY. And please for the record by no means am I trying to say / imply that this young kid is not good.
IMO – the transfer thing is just getting crazy. Example – this was reported on Lansing radio. Lansing is the capital of our state – surely they have more important matters to talk about on the radio in Lansing!
Yeah. Perhaps they should be reporting about all the jobs that are “transferring” out of state.
I agree with your point. Haney would have been fine at East Lansing, but I think it serves that program and AD right. It’s back to irrelevance for EL.
Maybe you dont know the whole story either. I know people close to family who say family was receiving anonymous threats and racial slurs on voice mails (Haney is mixed)…good job EL, way to represent. But I guess he should have stayed anyway, huh?
BTW…Haney Jr played so well at Kentucky Hoopfest got a write up on Scout.com and was watched closely by Tom Craan from IU and Purdue was at every game he played….now being recruited by just about every D1 in Midwest….
Last season East Lansing won a total of 6 games !! how would anyone consider them a top program in the State, they lost a game to Everett (1-19)EL will win more than 6 games this upcoming season.
For this upcoming season, EL would have been among the top teams in its class.
The best part, his dad claiming it was for academic opportunities!
Yeah. Now that’s a laugh.
The dad was forced into that. I just can’t believe these egotistical parents and teammates.
He clearly was the best player on that team (if you saw them play) – - freshman or not!! Of course, the offense needed to run through him to give them the best chance of winning.
This whole parent committee was all about holding him back so some of the other kids could get more shots. East Lansing deserves this.
(If the racial accusations are true; East Lansing deserves this 20 times over. I’m not sure about this part; East Lansing has had plenty of African-Americans on their teams, though.)
Jared,maybe I am missing something. Even if Haney were to have stayed at EL,what would have made them one of the top teams in the state. I believe they should have won more than six games last season,if they doubled the win total from last year you are still looking at a team 2 games over .500. My question is what would have been so drastically different this season ?
Haney’s increase in skill level, and probably his body maturing would have made him a much more formidable player.
There was also a pretty strong sophomore and two good juniors who played and got better last year.
Haney is truly a guard and he was already 6’4″ or 6’5″ as a freshman. (He seems willing to stay inside and help rebound and play defense, too.)
Haney alone would make a team really strong, especially if he keeps improving.
In just a couple months, a program brimming with young talent lost the top prospect in the 2013 class AND one of the best basketball coaches in Mid-Michigan.
on paper with this transfer it have to put Eastern as a favorite for the state title,with haney,cha cha tucker-the best 2013 in the state,ladonte henton-the best 2011 in the state and is favorite for Mr.basketball ,brian morton top 10 2013 in the state,so it should be an exicting season
I understand the fact that Haney is a very good player,but to say as a fact that EL was going to be a top team in the state,based on Haney and Fleming staying put is a stretch,no offense to Fleming but during his time at EL his overall record 70-88 sub 500,record last season with Haney 6-15 record, the season before without Haney 8-13 or14.
Muthguy stated Haney’improvement in skill level and maturing body,I would think those things would apply to most High School athletes.I wish Haney the very best,I just believe the hype puts extra pressure on the young man.I also think it is a slap in the face of the players at EL that are now back to being “very average” and ” irrelavant”.I guess we are living in the King James era.
EL’s junior point guard, Tracy Edmonds, is really good.
lansing eastern guards cha cha tucker or brian morton would give tracy the works,and they only sophs
Exactly Steve! Edmonds would have been a sick point guard for EL next season. Haney, McAdoo, Tucker, Bell and Efe would have made for a very tough rotation for Coach Fleming to use, but so much for that.
The point is this: They went from being a program with elite potential to one with good potential. It’s a simple equation. EL would have been among the favorites to win a state title in Haney’s junior season.
Let’s face it, Fleming has made it to Breslin with less.
The thing is, in real grownup basketball, a point guard leads a team, he doesn’t “give the works.”
I don’t know Steve, when I think of great point guards like John Stockton and Magic Johnson, I think about giving “the works.” Ha.
Tracy may not have ideal size, but one would be hard-pressed to get the best of him. As good as Tucker is, he would not walk over Edmonds.
I don’t think he’d walk over him, but I’m still undecided about whether he’d give him the works.
Is it me or is highschool basketball at a all-time high in Lansing?
Maybe not all-time, but it’s high. Great ball being played there these days.
It’s certainly been a lot of fun to watch basketball in Lansing the last few years!
Having seen Brian Morton, Cha Tucker and Tracy Edmunds, Tracy can not even come close to Morton and Tucker, not a conversation. He is way too small. Morton will lock him up. I have seen Brian Morton lock up guards on the circuit that were easily twice the player Edmunds is who last season physically at time looked like he still should have been playing on the JV team. In saying that, yes, basketball has returned to Lansing and next year should be a good one.
I just noticed Steve Haney,Brian Morton,Charles Tucker,Tracy Edmunds are all “jr’s” (named after thier fathers)
You might want to check out Edmonds on the circuit.
Tracy did fine against Tucker last season.
IMO, The best all around player in Lansing is Harrison Docks. He gave Edmunds the most trouble last year.
I’ll say Harrison Docks is certainly in the picture if you are only talking about guards. LaDontae will be the best player next year.
All these guards seem too small to handle valentine
brian morton locked up denzel during summer league,had denzel dad going crazy,and which eastern beat sexton (which had its full roster)twice once without haney,and ladonte and the 2nd time without morton.haney,tucker,ladonte