History has a funny way of repeating itself. For the second time in as many years, the Tufts men's basketball team will be without its previous season's star sophomore rebounder.
In 2003 it was center Craig Coupe who left the Jumbos to play for NESCAC rival Trinity College. This year, center Blaine Lay said goodbye to his days in the brown and blue to attend James Madison University in St. Harrisonburg, Virginia.
"It was a very tough decision, one of the toughest I've made," Lay, a junior, said. "There were times my sophomore year when I really regretted not leaving earlier, and times now that I regret leaving. It was never a black and white decision for me."
"[Blaine] never really found his niche at Tufts," senior teammate Jesse Belodoff said. "His decision to leave was based on a lot of things. He missed home and never really felt comfortable."
Lay ranked second on the team as a sophomore during the 2003-2004 campaign with 6.2 rebounds per game and 23 blocked shots. He averaged 28 minutes per game and was the third-ranked Jumbo in both field goal percentage (.477) and points per game (9.0). Basketball played a major role in both of Lay's decisions to stay for his sophomore year, and to transfer over this past summer.
"I spent my freshman year spring break looking at schools," Lay said. "Basketball was a reason to stay at Tufts then. It wasn't the be-all-end-all reason why I left [this year], but it did have a lot to do with it."
"Blaine had talked to me about transferring after his freshman year," coach Bob Sheldon said. "The only thing he liked about Tufts was basketball. He gave it two years and wanted to move closer to home."
As a freshman coming out of Mercersburg Academy in Rockville, Maryland, Lay saw time off the bench in all of the team's 25 games. He averaged 5.3 ppg and 4.3 rpg. On the defensive side of the court, Lay made an impact with 14 blocked shots and 86 defensive rebounds, a total that placed him third on the team.
Despite success in his two seasons, Lay was not content with the way the Tufts basketball program was run. The team's subpar 8-17 overall record, and abysmal 0-10 road mark in 2003-2004, accurately reflected a frustrating season.
"The basketball program at Tufts has the potential to be a perennial powerhouse," Lay said. "I am disappointed that it didn't live up to that."
Rumors flew last semester that the team was trying to gain enough support to have Sheldon ousted from the head coaching position. Though no changes have been made to the coaching staff for the upcoming season, losing both Coupe and Lay in consecutive years indicates Tufts' difficulty in retaining young talent.
"[Lay's absence] is going to hurt," Belodoff said. "He was a big part of the team both on and off the court; a leader. Everyone was understandably upset when we found out [he was leaving]."
"We're going to miss him," Sheldon said. "He was a big part of our program. We had some good depth up front. If we get injuries, we don't have that same depth without him."
Though Lay will not be easy to replace beneath the boards or in the locker room, Belodoff and Sheldon believe the team is headed in the right direction for 2004-2005.
"I'm excited; I think everyone is," Belodoff said. "Last year was a tough year for everybody, but the guys who are still here are really committed and on the same page. Our record is 0-0 and the possibilities are out there."
"We have a great freshman class with at least two guys who will probably play right away," Sheldon said. "The guys coming back are excited and working hard. We'll be back to winning a lot of games this year."
Senior Reggie Stovell, junior Dan Martin, and sophomore Brian Kumf will most likely bring down many of the team's rebounds this coming season.
As for Lay, the towering junior's basketball future is uncertain at Div. I James Madison thanks in part to a foot injury he suffered in late August.
"I haven't decided if I'm going to play or not," Lay said. "I'll talk to the coaches and then just wait and see."
Though Tufts turned out not to be the shoe that fit for Lay, he still holds many fond memories of his time on the Hill.
"I'll miss the atmosphere of the games, like when we beat ranked Amherst by 17 at home and the place was packed, and when we beat Bates last year," Lay said. "But, I'll miss my teammates and friends the most."
Belodoff echoed Lay's sentiments on the personal level.
"He's one of my best friends and I'll miss him terribly, both in basketball and in general," Belodoff said. "But he did what he had to do and I give him credit for making a hard decision. I just want him to be happy.
