Wake AD sits ‘tight’ as coach goes through legal process
https://www.sunherald.com/sports/article216682800.html
BY JOEDY MCCREARY
AP Sports Writer
August 14, 2018 03:26 PM
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.
Wake Forest athletic director Ron Wellman says the school is "sitting tight" while the legal process continues for an assistant basketball coach who police say punched a New York City tourist who later died.
Wellman spoke to The Associated Press on Tuesday, four days after the school placed assistant coach Jamill Jones on leave, and says there have been no further updates.
Police say Jones attacked digital marketing guru Sandor Szabo early on Aug. 5, causing him to fall and smash his head on a Queens sidewalk.
Jones has pleaded not guilty a charge of misdemeanor assault and has an Oct. 2 court date. Wellman said "what transpires between now and then, we have no idea. We're not in control of that, so we're just sitting tight at this point."
Wellman declined to discuss the situation further.
In the less serious realm on the basketball court, the AD has some other issues to sort out that aren't nearly as grave...
...Wellman isn't concerned about the roster churn, called the season "a disappointment on the surface" but expressed confidence in Manning and his assistants, pointing to an incoming recruiting class ranked in the top 25 nationally by Scout.com.
"This staff can recruit. This staff can coach," Wellman said. "This staff can do all of the things that need to be done to build a championship-caliber program."
But it's obvious the progress in basketball has lagged behind the school's other high-profile sport, with Dave Clawson leading the football team to consecutive bowl victories after going 3-9 in each of his first two seasons...