Arizona State Loses Second Assistant In Two Days

The Arizona Republic

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/sports/articles/2012/08/23/20120823asu-basketball-loses-assistant-coaches-scott-pera-lamont-smith.html

A day after losing assistant Scott Pera to the University of Pennsylvania, Arizona State men’s basketball coach Herb Sendek lost another member of his staff Thursday morning.

Lamont Smith informed the coach he is headed to Washington to join Lorenzo Romar’s staff.

Pera, who will be Jerome Allen’s top assistant at Penn, couldn’t pass up an opportunity to return to his native Pennsylvania.

Smith is leaving to work for one of his mentors. He started his coaching career under Romar at Saint Louis, where Romar coached from 1999-2002. In fact, Romar has tried to lure Smith to Seattle in the past.

Sendek has had to replace assistants several times during his career, but he couldn’t think of a time when he’s had to replace two at this late date. ASU starts practice in October. Associate head coach Dedrique Taylor is the only assistant on staff.

“Honestly, the timing isn’t ideal, but I think it creates a great opportunity for us, Sendek said Thursday. … It provides us with an opportunity to bring in two very talented members for our staff, so at the end of the day, I suspect it will be a win-win for everybody involved.”

Sendek said he started putting together a list of replacement candidates Wednesday night.

Pera was ASU’s recruiting coordinator.

“We have to communicate the changes to our recruits, but I expect us to transition rather seamlessly, Sendek said That’s the first step. Letting them know, and (telling them) here’s our plan moving forward.”

Arizona State Loses Second Assistant In Two Days

The Arizona Republic

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/sports/articles/2012/08/23/20120823asu-basketball-loses-assistant-coaches-scott-pera-lamont-smith.html

A day after losing assistant Scott Pera to the University of Pennsylvania, Arizona State men’s basketball coach Herb Sendek lost another member of his staff Thursday morning.

Lamont Smith informed the coach he is headed to Washington to join Lorenzo Romar’s staff.

Pera, who will be Jerome Allen’s top assistant at Penn, couldn’t pass up an opportunity to return to his native Pennsylvania.

Smith is leaving to work for one of his mentors. He started his coaching career under Romar at Saint Louis, where Romar coached from 1999-2002. In fact, Romar has tried to lure Smith to Seattle in the past.

Sendek has had to replace assistants several times during his career, but he couldn’t think of a time when he’s had to replace two at this late date. ASU starts practice in October. Associate head coach Dedrique Taylor is the only assistant on staff.

“Honestly, the timing isn’t ideal, but I think it creates a great opportunity for us, Sendek said Thursday. … It provides us with an opportunity to bring in two very talented members for our staff, so at the end of the day, I suspect it will be a win-win for everybody involved.”

Sendek said he started putting together a list of replacement candidates Wednesday night.

Pera was ASU’s recruiting coordinator.

“We have to communicate the changes to our recruits, but I expect us to transition rather seamlessly, Sendek said That’s the first step. Letting them know, and (telling them) here’s our plan moving forward.”