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AG's Wildcat Report - Dispatches on the Wildcats, from Anthony Gimino

Sidiki Johnson leaves the Wildcats, will transfer

by on Dec. 04, 2011, under Arizona basketball

Sidiki Johnson

Arizona Wildcats freshman center Sidiki Johnson, whose suspension from the team was announced Nov. 21, has left the program and will transfer, the UA announced Sunday afternoon.

Johnson, from the Bronx, N.Y., appeared in only three games, totaling seven minutes. He had one point and two rebounds.

Coach Sean Miller, who has said in the past couple of weeks that he was not optimistic that Johnson would return to the team, was not quoted in UA’s press released Sunday.

Johnson did not return with the team after it played Mississippi State in the championship game of the 2K Sports Classic in New York City on Nov. 18. Miller said it was the coaches’ decision to let Johnson stay at home as he was suspended for violations of team policy.

Johnson (6-8, 235) returned to Tucson last weekend but did not rejoin practices. The press release did not mention Johnson’s academic status.

He was part of a touted four-man class that included point guard Josiah Turner, shooting guard Nick Johnson and big man Angelo Chol.

“Sidiki Johnson is someone from a physical perspective — rebounding, giving us quality minutes, developing as our season grows — who we were really counting on to complement the big guys that we already have,” Miller said last weekend. “Him not being with us is not a positive.”

Miller has increasingly been playing with a small three-guard lineup, with 6-6 Solomon Hill at power forward and 6-7 Jesse Perry at center.

Arizona (6-2) will play at No. 10 Florida on Wednesday. The game will be televised by ESPN at 5 p.m. Tucson time.

This entry was posted on Sunday, December 4th, 2011 at 3:25 pm and is filed under Arizona basketball. Tags for this post: . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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  • jim

    too bad.  wonder what happened.  He stayed committed after committing two years ago, so there must be something really behind the scenes either in his work ethic, attitude or playing time expectation. 

  • macjones

    Johnson was that NASTY, east coast type of baller that Arizona really, really needed down low in the paint. Oh well, C’est La Vie.  I guess the kid figures he can be the man back east. Eh.

    I just hope he finds his hardcourt groove thing back in the NASTY, BEST of the REST Big East conference. Because SJ is going to have to WAKE UP and get with the program at his next school.

    Speaking of nasty, best of the rest Big East conference. The Gators hanged tough with the ‘Cuse the other night and Billy ‘The Kidd’  Donovan’s squad will be a bery, bery, bery difficult game for Arizona. Say it ain’t so, bozo.

    Nonetheless, I don’t expect the Wildcats to be bloody SHAMED on national telly and Coach Miller’s squad will abso-LUTE-ly come ready to ball! That I can guaratee, Zona rUffians.

    In other words, Miller and his staff will game plan to make this away game in Johnny Rebel REDNECK country a N.C.A.A.-esque type of game. If you know what I mean.  And Miller’s teams have thrived positively in N.C.A.A. situational games.

  • Carlos J. M.

    You’ve got your easterners, New Yorkers like Parrom, who can tough it out and survive, or thrive, outside of their comfort zone.  These guys can live and do well just about anywhere.  For them it’s truly mind over matter.

    And then you’ve got those for whom there’s no place like home, or close to home, like (Jarred) Famous, the so-called JC “prize” 6-10 center out of NY back in ’09-’10.  Remember him?  He decided at the last minute to go to Southern Florida, instead, to be close to family and friends and all things familiar to him. 

    This might be the double-edged sword of recruiting the east so heavily for Miller & Co..  It’s hit or miss.  Here’s hoping there are more, much more, KP’s out there.  And why do I get the overwhelming feeling that Kevin, and not Jarred, will have the more productive NBA career?   

  • usmctrucker

    This sounds like something bad.  They didn’t waste any time in dropping him like a hot rock.  There is more to this story than they are talking about.

  • Santo Domingo

    AG..what happened with Sidiki? From where I’m sitting it appears to be playing time and the lack of effort to get that time on the court. I’m not in the locker room so I wouldn’t know and my feelers don’t know either. But someone close to the source who is closer to the other source would know.

  • http://none JimBodkins

    I have a question.

    Is it possible for Miller to recruit a JC big man to start second semester now? Is that even something he might do?
     

  • http://none JimBodkins

    This from Pascoe – 

    – Johnson’s departure opens a scholarship for the class of 2012. Among other possibilities, UA is pursuing Italian guard Amedeo Della Valle, and Miller is looking at Cochise College forward Matt Korcheck.

    – who is Matt Korcheck?

  • http://none JimBodkins

    Sorry for the multiple posts - 

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N09z-qbcdy8

    not much elevation. Good position and fair one dribble move to the rim.
     

    • http://none JimBodkins

      why is this link awaiting moderation – now that it is no longer timely?

  • victor

    i know its an outside shot but that leaves an available scholarship for next year..shabazz muhammed anyone?

  • macjones

    Shabazz is abso-LUTE-ly a possibility to don a Arizona Wildcat uni in ‘ 12-’13. Eh.

    Because S.M. has already gone on record and said he plans to visit ARIZONA and Dukie Vitale and Kansas.  Say it ain’t so.

  • http://none Jim Bodkins

    AG, do you read anything?
     
    The link was a link of one of the players that Miller is apparently looking at as a replacement for Johnson.
     
    1) Why was something so inoccuous waiting moderation and
     
    2) Why did you delete it?
     
     

    • Anthony Gimino

      Jim,

      Sometimes posts with links get held up by our spam filter. I didn’t see it was in moderation; otherwise I would have approved it ASAP. Nothing was deleted.

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