Old Dominion University’s men’s basketball program announced on Sunday that Vasean Allette, who was the top scorer for the team and the Sun Belt Conference’s second-leading scorer has been dismissed from the team due to conduct that the university deemed “unbecoming of a Monarch.”
Allette, a freshman student from Toronto, Ontario, made his most recent appearance during the game against James Madison last Wednesday. However, he was suspended in the conference loss against Georgia Southern on Saturday for Alumni Night. Acting Head Coach Kieran Donohue confirmed that his absence was for the same reason.
It should be noted that Allette was the top-ranked recruit from Canada in the previous year. The university’s decision to dismiss him will have significant implications for the team’s performance and the player’s future career prospects.
Allette had an average of 17.4 points in 19 games this season, placing him second in the Sun Belt Conference, with only Louisiana’s Kobe Julien scoring more with an average of 18.2 points per game.
Adding to the team’s woes, forward Dericko Williams, who stands at 6-foot-7, was also dismissed from the team on Dec. 9 for disciplinary reasons. Donohue, who has helmed the team since former head coach Jeff Jones suffered a heart attack on Dec. 20, expressed satisfaction with the remaining players’ performance during the last game.
Despite trailing by as many as 16 points, ODU managed to pull within 2 before the Eagles sealed the win with late free throws. Donohue was pleased with how the remaining players shared the ball and helped each other on defense throughout the game.
“I feel like we fought for the entire 40 minutes. They went on runs and that’s how basketball is played. But I think that ultimately, we did have a better competitive spirit today,” Donohue stated. “While we didn’t get the result we wanted, I think that’s something we can build on.”
The Monarchs were handed their second regular-season losing record in 3 years with Saturday’s loss.
Two days following the dismissal of Allette, the Monarchs resumed practice. The team is preparing for their upcoming game against Marshall on Thursday. Donohue declined to provide further information beyond his previous statement released on Sunday. He did, however, offer some insights into the decision-making process.
He mentioned that head coach Jeff Jones, athletic director Wood Selig, and other school administrators were kept informed throughout the process leading up to the final decision. However, Donohue emphasized that the ultimate judgment was his own.
“It’s unfortunate,” Donohue said. “We wish Vasean all the best in his future. He’s a very talented basketball player, but at this point in time, the decision has been made for us to go in a different direction.”
With only 10 games remaining in the regular season, followed by the Sun Belt Conference tournament, Donohue hopes the team can build on their performance and play better going forward.
Old Dominion (5-16, 1-8 Sun Belt) starts a three-game road trip with their first destination at Marshall in Huntington, WV. Tip-off is slated for Thursday at 7 p.m. from Henderson Center.
