Hank Thorns leaving Tech basketball

By: From staff and wire reports | The News & Advance
Published: May 12, 2009

Hank Thorns is out. Allan Chaney is in. That was the news coming out of Virginia Tech’s basketball offices Monday.

Thorns, a diminutive guard who started 15 games in two seasons with the Hokies, was released from his scholarship and intends to transfer, according to a written statement by the school’s athletics media relations department.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch also reported Monday that Chaney, a 6-foot-8, 230-pound forward who played sparingly as a freshman at Florida last season, committed to transfer to Tech.

Thorns, generously listed as 5-9 in the Hokies media guide, appeared in 65 games at Tech and averaged 3.7 points, 1.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists for his career. Last season, the Las Vegas native started three games and averaged 2.7 points and 2.4 assists.

Thorns averaged 18.9 minutes last season and 20.1 minutes in his career. He expressed a desire for more playing time in the school’s written release.

“I want to find a situation that will allow me to have a greater role,” said Thorns.

Countering the loss of Thorns was the addition of Chaney, who was widely considered one of the top 100 recruits in the country coming out of New London (Conn.) High last year.

Chaney, a Baltimore native, will be on scholarship next season while sitting out under NCAA transfer rules. He will be eligible to play in 2010-11.

He played in 23 of Florida’s 36 games last season, averaging 9.8 minutes, three points and 2.1 rebounds. His playing time was limited during the second half of the season because of a sprained arch in his left heel.

Gators coach Billy Donovan said March 20 that he was suspending Chaney for the rest of the season, which amounted to one more game, a loss to Penn State in the National Invitation Tournament quarterfinals. Donovan did not give a reason for the suspension. “First of all he's injured, so he couldn’t play anyway,” Donovan told reporters at the time. “It’s just other things that I dealt with.”

Florida announced April 10 that Chaney was transferring. “Allan, his family and I have spoken and we have mutually de-cided that he will be transferring from the University of Florida,” Donovan said in a statement.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch contributed to this story.