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USF Freshman Belardo To Transfer

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By BRETT McMURPHY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 25, 2009

TAMPA - University of South Florida freshman guard Gaby Belardo will transfer to another school, his AAU coach Art Alvarez said Wednesday.

The 6-foot-2 Belardo played only 46 minutes in 18 games. He was 3-for-14 from the field and averaged 0.7 points per game.

"We're going to move on," Alvarez said. "It's nothing against Coach Stan [Heath]. Just a matter of moving on. Gaby feels he needs to look at other opportunities. We've decided this would be in the best interest of the kid."

Alvarez said the decision to transfer was made Tuesday after a meeting between Belardo, his parents and Alvarez. However, last Friday, the Tampa Tribune received an e-mail from "a close friend" stating that Belardo would notify Heath of his intention to transfer upon returning from spring break this week. The individual, who wouldn't reveal their identity, wrote in the e-mail that the decision had been reached in consultation with the Puerto Rico Basketball Federation, Alvarez and Belardo's father.

However, Belardo, his father Jose and Alvarez all claimed last week the e-mail was inaccurate.

"I didn't send anything out," Belardo said last week about the e-mail. "That didn't come from me or anybody I know. I haven't made a decision about transferring at this time."

Said Alvarez: "There's nothing to it [the e-mail]. It's just somebody trying to start [trouble]."

Alvarez said schools Belardo is considering include Florida International, Hofstra, Duquesne, Canisius and Florida Atlantic, all of which recruited him out of high school and prep school.

Reporter Brett McMurphy can be reached at (813) 259-7928

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