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Gonzaga Basketball

North Dakota transfer Geno Crandall not enrolled at Gonzaga

North Dakota’s Geno Crandall drives to the hoop against a couple of Zags in Gonzaga’s 89-83 overtime win last December. (Tyler Tjomsland / The Spokesman-Review)
By Jim Meehan jimm@spokesman.com(509) 459-5585

Fall semester classes started Tuesday at Gonzaga without Geno Crandall, a transfer from North Dakota who was expected to solidify the Zags’ backcourt.

Crandall isn’t enrolled at Gonzaga, according to the school’s Office of the Registrar.

Crandall said in July when he picked Gonzaga over Minnesota and Xavier that he needed to complete a couple of summer classes to finish his degree, which would have made him eligible immediately as a graduate transfer for his senior season. He indicated that he had hoped to arrive on campus in August.

“Geno is continuing to work on his NCAA transfer requirements and we are excited for him to become a Zag,” Gonzaga sports information director Barrett Henderson said. He declined further comment.

In the past, Gonzaga has had several international players miss a week or more of classes while competing for their home countries in tournaments overseas. Crandall’s situation is a bit different in that he would be entering GU as a graduate student.

Crandall had been listed on the roster on Gonzaga’s men’s basketball website, but his name wasn’t on the roster Wednesday.

Crandall and Gonzaga head coach Mark Few didn’t return phone messages.

The 6-foot-4, 180-pound Crandall is projected to fill an important role in Gonzaga’s backcourt. Senior Josh Perkins is the team’s only true point guard and primary ball-handler. He’s on schedule in his recovery from off-season shoulder surgery, but the Zags were counting on Crandall to provide another experienced ball-handler and playmaker.

If Crandall isn’t in the picture, the Zags’ options include redshirt freshman Joel Ayayi, incoming freshman Greg Foster Jr. and possibly wing Zach Norvell Jr. when Perkins needs a break.

The 6-5 Ayayi averaged 15.7 points while making 50 percent of his shots, including 35 percent of his 3-pointers, to help France take third place at the FIBA U18 European Championships this summer. The 6-5 Foster is enrolled at GU after completing is prep career at Clark High in Las Vegas.

Crandall, a two-time All-Big Sky second-team selection at UND, averaged 16.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists last season. He scored 41 points against Troy in the season opener and had 28 points in the Fighting Hawks’ near upset of Gonzaga last December in Spokane. He led the Big Sky with 67 steals and made a career-high 41.7 percent of his 3-pointers.