After an impressive early-season victory over cross-town rival Providence College, it seemed the men's basketball season was off to a promising start. That victory, however, has been one of the lone bright spots in what has been a challenging season both on and off the court for first-year Head Coach Craig Robinson.
"The season has been even tougher than our record indicates," Robinson said.
The Bears, who stand at 6-13 overall and 1-3 in the Ivy League, have had to contend with the departure of guard and key contributor Keenan Jeppesen '08, who left the team in early December, citing personal reasons.
Jeppesen had a breakout season in 2006, averaging 16.6 points per game and 6.1 rebounds per game. Both were team highs.
The team was also without forward Mark MacDonald '08 for a three-week stretch in January. MacDonald said he took a leave of absence from the team to focus on a personal matter back home. He has since rejoined the team and collected one point and three rebounds in 16 minutes of action in last Friday's loss at Dartmouth.
Most recently, forward Nathan Eads '07 was declared academically ineligible for the second semester. Eads said last semester was a difficult time for him personally and that he was only able to pass one of the four classes that he was taking. Robinson said he could not comment on the Eads situation other than to say that he remains with the team but was not playing in any games.
"It did catch me a little bit by surprise," Eads said of the news that he was academically ineligible. Eads said he is applying to the NCAA for reinstatement and will know in a few weeks whether he will be allowed to rejoin the team. Eads was averaging 5.6 points and 2.2 rebounds per game.
Robinson acknowledged that Jeppesen's departure, as well as the situations of MacDonald and Eads, have had an effect on his team's performance, but he said that overall, the "team is still right there."
"I think it is a great testament to the guys that are here that we have been able to put together some solid performances while being shorthanded," he said. "Any time you lose a player it's difficult, but I have been pleased with how the guys have bounced back."
Jeppesen played in seven games this season and was averaging 10.4 points per game at the time of his departure. Jeppesen had tried to follow former Brown Head Coach Glen Miller to the University of Pennsylvania last spring, but Penn's admission office refused to consider his application.
Penn Dean of Admission Lee Stetson told the Daily Pennsylvanian July 8 that Penn would not entertain Jeppesen's application because "we feel badly about taking students from Brown, a member of our league. Also, it was late in the process - we just didn't feel it was appropriate."
Jeppesen said, to his knowledge, many transfer applications from athletes are considered past the regular transfer admission deadline and are submitted through coaching staffs. Jeppesen also said he did not fully understand why his application was not considered and that he could only speculate as to what behind-the-scenes issues may have influenced his application status.
"I think it was handled a little irresponsibly and a little unprofessionally just in the fact that so much of it came out through the media," Jeppensen said. "But it's not something I am focused on right now and it's water under the bridge at this point."
Robinson said there was no residual animosity between himself and Jeppesen over Jeppesen's pursuit of a transfer to Penn.
"I didn't want anyone to be here who didn't want to be here, but I approached the season with the attitude that I was going to give everyone a blank slate," Robinson said.
Jeppesen said his decision to leave the team was not based on any issues with Robinson, who he said has been "very supportive" throughout this difficult time. Jeppesen said he was initially nervous about the changes that a new coach might make, but he said that he adjusted well in the Princeton offense that Robinson installed.
"Coach Robinson has been great. That wasn't at all a factor in my decision to leave," he said. "It was just a situation where I needed to take some time to sort some things out."
Jeppesen admits being away from the team has been challenging.
"I miss basketball and I miss being around the guys on the team, but it was a decision I felt like had to be made, and I stand by the decision I made," he said.
An economics concentrator, Jeppesen said he has been focusing on his academic work in his absence from Brown basketball. He said he is still working out, with an eye on trying out for the Canadian National University Team in the summer.
A native of Hamilton, Ontario, Jeppesen has been involved in Canada Basketball since high school.
A Jan. 6 article in the Hamilton Spectator said Jeppesen was considering transferring to a Canadian university so he could play basketball closer to home, but Jeppesen told The Herald he feels "blessed" to be at Brown right now and does not intend to leave.
Robinson said he remains in touch with Jeppesen. He said he spoke at length with Jeppesen's father in California when Brown played the University of California-Davis on Jan. 2.
A former student-athlete himself - Robinson was two-time Ivy League Player of the Year at Princeton - Robinson said he understands that it is difficult for athletes to balance their commitment to both sports and academics.
"Even without playing a sport, Brown can be a demanding place, so in that sense I can relate to some of the difficulties players can encounter," Robinson said.
