Wednesday, October 23, 2013

All-Observer basketball star Giavonni Mack transfers from Providence High to Butler

All-Mecklenburg basketball star Giavonni Mack is transferring from Providence to Butler.

Mack’s father, Patrick, said the paperwork was completed Wednesday. Giavonni Mack is moving in his father. He previously lived with his mother. His parents are divorced.

Patrick Mack, who lives in the Butler zone, said his son’s mother may be moving out of town by December. Mack, a Division I recruit who the Observer picked as the Southwestern 4A conference player of the year last season, averaged 24 points per game last season at Providence. The Panthers finished 1-24.

At Butler, Mack will join another D1 recruit. Matthew Fisher-Davis, a top 100 national recruit, who committed to Vanderbilt earlier this fall. Fisher-Davis transferred to Butler from Charlotte Christian last month.

“He’s a little nervous about it, because he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to play, but once we found out what he had to do to be eligible, he was fine with it,” Patrick Mack said. “He’s mad about leaving his new coach at Providence (Scott Taylor), who he had built a relationship with, but I think he’s happy about it. He’s got friends at Butler, so he won’t be by himself.”

Sue Doran, director of  athletics for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, said she had not gotten any documents concerning Mack yet, but said under current guidelines, if a player simply transfers, he or she has to sit out for 365 days. She said if there was a legitimate move into a new school zone, the players’ eligibility would not be affected.

Patrick Mack, whose son is being recruited by schools like Santa Clara, Mount Saint Mary’s and S.C. State, said Butler officials told the family his son would be fine to play.

“I’m happy about it,” Patrick Mack said, “because he’s under my supervision every night. He can do his homework properly. I’m more concerned about academics than anything.”

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