Drexel moves on from arrest

Sep 3, 2010 - 12:33 AM By DAN GELSTON AP Basketball Writer

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Bruiser Flint wants to focus on basketball, not a possible trial.

He loved the sights, sounds and competitive basketball Drexel experienced on last week's tour of Turkey that let Flint, the Dragons' 10th-year coach, get an early look at an unexpected new lineup.

Drexel's summer vacation in Cesme and Istanbul came at a perfect time for the troubled program. The trip let the Dragons start to rebound from the shattering news that two players were arrested in July. Starting point guard Jamie Harris and backup forward Kevin Phillip face robbery, theft and weapons charges. They are indefinitely suspended.

"Everybody was in shock," Flint said Thursday. "We still are in shock a little bit."

Harris, a 5-foot-10 point guard out of New York City, started all 32 games for the Dragons last season and averaged 14.5 points. Phillip, a 6-6 forward from Brooklyn, averaged 2.9 points and 3.1 rebounds as a reserve in 31 games.

Flint insisted the legal woes won't affect the Dragons this season.

"We tried not to harp on it. Everyone understands what happened," Flint said. "We just hope the best for those guys. We discussed it a little bit. I wouldn't say we spent a whole lot of time on it. We discussed it as much as we needed to. Guys sat around talked about what we needed to do. We're ready to move on to the next chapter."

Authorities allege that the two 21-year-old players and a third student planned to take money believed to be in an off-campus apartment in West Philadelphia, but ended up with only two cell phones. Harris' attorney had previously called the charges "unfounded."

Flint said the lingering legal issues make it tough for to open up about his thoughts on the pending case.

"I just get some texts from their parents and stuff like that saying they're OK," Flint said.

So it was off to Turkey to work with the players they do have on the roster. The Dragons played the Egyptian under-20 squad, and Turkish pro teams in the week they were there, bonding over what Flint called "an amazing experience." The Dragons did everything from visit the Grand Theater of Ephesus, traditional Turkish baths and feast on lamb kabobs.

Flint returned Monday night and was back in his office Wednesday ready to hit the recruiting trail.

"One of the tough things about being a coach is that you never know what they're going to do," Flint said. "Any coach worth his weight is going to preach about staying out of trouble and doing the right things. But you're dealing with 17- to 22-year-old kids and sometimes they make mistakes."