Denver basketball coach Joe Scott continues to look for players in the aftermath of a disappointing 12-18 season.
Scott came out of a first-round loss in the Summit League Tournament with the task of finding one more freshman player.
But Scott’s plans were changed recently when senior-to-be Jalen Love notified Scott that he wasn’t returning. Love, a 6-foot-2 guard from Wichita, had been moved to the point guard position midway through last season.
“He said he just wanted to go in a different direction,” Scott said.
Love played in 25 games, starting 24, and averaged 7.0 points per game.
Scott said he believes Love’s loss brings into focus the challenges the Pioneers face.
“You can count on the fact that we’re going to harp on the value of commitment and the discipline required that will lift our program back to what it was,” Scott said. “We’re looking forward to next season and our players being committed to our program.”
Scott had started the job of retooling DU’s roster before Love’s departure with early signings of Jake Holtzmann (6-6) from Chaparral High School in Parker, Thomas Neff (6-5) from Arvada West High School and Abiola Akintola (6-6) from Australia. Scott said he’s confident he’ll have two more freshmen signed by the May 14 signing deadline.
“We feel really good about the players we’re recruiting,” Scott said.
Irv Moss: 303-954-1296, imoss@denverpost.com or
