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Florida guard Francis-Ramirez to transfer

 
Brandone Francis-Ramirez, driving against Michigan State last season, is leaving Florida as he looks for a program that fits his style.
Brandone Francis-Ramirez, driving against Michigan State last season, is leaving Florida as he looks for a program that fits his style.
Published May 5, 2016

GAINESVILLE — Florida guard Brandone Francis-Ramirez will transfer, the school said Wednesday.

Francis-Ramirez posted on his Twitter page that "it was best for me to transfer from UF." Francis-Ramirez added that he will remain on campus this summer while taking a class and figuring out what program is the "best fit for my style."

The Dominican from Jacksonville averaged nearly 11 minutes in 29 games (two starts) as a redshirt freshman last season, finishing with 59 points and 29 rebounds. He shot 20 percent (17 percent on 3-pointers). He sat out his freshman year while working to become academically eligible.

Francis-Ramirez is the second Gator to leave since the end of the season, joining guard DeVon Walker.

"I want it to work out for him," coach Mike White told the school website. "We really appreciate what Brandone did here."

One player who could potentially fill an open scholarship spot is former College of Charleston standout swingman Canyon Barry, the youngest son of Hall of Famer and former Miami Hurricanes star Rick Barry. As a graduate transfer, Barry could play immediately. He is one of several transfers who have visited UF.

BULLS ADD TRANSFER: USF confirmed the signing of 6-foot-11 USC transfer Malik Martin. A Miami native who played his senior year at Brandon's Faith Baptist, Martin must sit out the 2016-17 season and will have two years' eligibility left. As a senior at Faith Baptist, Martin was ranked the state's fourth-best prospect by 247Sports. He started 15 games for the Trojans as a freshman, averaging 5.2 points and 3.6 rebounds, but his playing time diminished greatly last season (6.6 minutes per game) as a youth infusion created a roster logjam.

Michigan: Billy Donlon and Saddi Washington were hired as assistants. Donlon was 109-94 and was the 2013 Horizon League coach of the year in a six-season run with Wright State, which fired him after a 22-win season. Washington was an assistant at Oakland University for 10 seasons.

North Carolina: Forward Kennedy Meeks will withdraw from the NBA draft and return for his senior season. The Tar Heels are awaiting word on starting wing Justin Jackson's plans for his junior season.

APPLING CHARGED: Former Michigan State standout Keith Appling was charged with carrying a concealed weapon and other crimes after being found in possession of guns and marijuana in suburban Detroit, according to authorities. Prosecutors said Appling, 24, who played for the Magic this season on two 10-day contracts, was arrested Sunday outside a Dearborn strip club.

Football

SATELLITE CAMPS: SEC coaches are ready to start participating in satellite camps their league had wanted to eliminate nationwide. When the NCAA Division I Board of Directors decided Thursday to rescind a ban on satellite camps, it cleared the way for the SEC to end its prohibition of the practice. On Wednesday, most SEC East coaches said their schools would be taking part in satellite camps. "We're in the process of putting our traveling show together," UF coach Jim McElwain said. "It should be fun." He said there has been no decision on where to hold the camps.

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RUSSELL ATHLETIC BOWL: The bowl, matching ACC and Big 12 teams, will be played Dec. 28 at Camping World Stadium (formerly the Citrus Bowl) in Orlando. ESPN will televise the 5:30 p.m. game.

BOWLING GREEN: The school agreed to pay $712,000 to former offensive lineman Cody Silk, who said he had concussions that led to a permanent brain injury. Silk said coaches and medical staff didn't pull him from practice right after he suffered concussions in 2010. The school said it didn't do anything to injure Silk.

Softball

UF 7 FSU 1: Delanie Gorley pitched a two-hitter and the visiting Gators (49-4) beat the Seminoles (42-7) to end the regular season.

Times staff writer Joey Knight contributed to this report.