Chris Braley’s profile on his Twitter account reads, “Basketball player from Maine. Trying to make a dream into a reality.”
Two years into his college career, the former Nokomis High School star from Newport will pursue that dream somewhere other than Stony Brook University in New York.
Braley has asked for and received a release from his National Letter of Intent and plans to transfer at the end of the spring semester.
The rugged, 6-foot-5 wing player will have two seasons of college eligibility remaining wherever he goes. However, transferring to another Division I program means he will have to sit out a calendar year because of NCAA rules.
Braley could not be reached for comment Thursday morning, but the pending moves by Braley and teammate Scott King were confirmed by The Stony Brook Statesman, the school newspaper, which received a statement from Stony Brook athletics.
“Chris and Scott are great kids who come from terrific families,” Seawolves head coach Steve Pikiell said in the statement. “They’re in good academic standing and we wish them the best of luck.”
This season, Braley appeared in 23 of 35 games for Stony Brook, which posted a 23-12 record (12-4 in America East) and advanced to the conference championship game, where it lost to Albany on Peter Hooley’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer. The Seawolves’ season ended with a loss to Mercer in the College Basketball Invitational.
Braley, a health sciences major, averaged 1.5 points and two rebounds in 9.2 minutes per game. He shot 37 percent from the field (14-for-38), including 4-for-19 (21 percent) from the 3-point arc.
Playing time was at a premium on a Stony Brook roster that went 10 or 11 deep and included AE Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year Jameel Warney and all-league first-team pick Carson Puriefoy and third-team choice Rayshaun McGrew.
“Really, I’m just trying to find my role, whether it’s a ‘glue’ guy swinging the ball or getting a basket when needed,” Braley said of his role on Stony Brook’s visit to play the University of Maine in Bangor back in January. “I think one of my strengths is rebounding, so I’ve been good at that when I’ve been in the game.”
As a freshman during 2013-14, Braley averaged 1.1 points and 1.2 rebounds in 25 contests.
Braley attended Nokomis for three years, posting 1,000-plus career points en route to Bangor Daily News All-Maine first-team honors in 2011. He transferred to Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire, where he was a two-time All-New England Prep School Athletic Conference first-team selection.
According to a 2013 story in the BDN, Braley chose Stony Brook from among 20 Division I scholarship offers. He had narrowed his choices to Stony Brook, Maine, Quinnipiac and Duquesne.
Fauntroy to transfer
Janessa Fauntroy has not been with the UMaine women’s basketball team since December, but head coach Richard Barron has confirmed what many had believed.
The 6-foot freshman forward from Gaithersburg, Maryland, will be leaving UMaine to pursue other opportunities.
“Janessa has requested a release (from her National Letter of Intent) in order to transfer closer to home,” Barron said in a statement provided through the university. “We wish her the best in her future endeavors.”
Fauntroy appeared in three games for the Black Bears and played a total of five minutes. She scored one basket.