7 candidates interviewed for USF assistant basketball posts

Nearly two months ago, University of South Florida men's basketball assistant Dan Hipsher left for Alabama and Byron Samuels was fired. But now USF coach Stan Heath appears to be close to filling both positions.

Heath has interviewed seven individuals for two openings: former Kentucky assistant Jeremy Cox, Central Florida assistant Steve Demeo, former Norfolk State coach Dwight Freeman, former Georgia Southern coach Jeff Price, Towson assistant Eric Skeeters, Bowling Green assistant LaMonta Stone and USF's director of basketball operations Tommy Tonelli.

Here's a brief thumbnail on each of the candidates:

Cox: He was most recently an assistant for Billy Gillispie's at both UK and Texas A&M (2006-09). He also was head coach at University of Arkansas-Fort Smith junior college (2003-06), an assistant at Arkansas-Fort Smith (2002-03), head coach at Garden City (Kan.) Community College and North Dakota State (1997-2002) and an assistant at Texas-San Antonio (1993-97) and Paris (Texas) Junior College (1992-93).

Demeo: He came to UCF last season after spending 10 seasons as an assistant at Providence (1998-2008). He also was at Iona (1995-98).

Freeman: He has been out of college coaching since 2007, when he was fired after five seasons at Norfolk State. He was 63-83 at NSU. Freeman also was an assistant at Miami (1995-2002) and head coach at Marshall from 1990-94, going 46-65. He also was an assistant at James Madison (1994-95), Marshall (1989-90), Colgate (1988-89), Delaware State (1985-88), Hutchinson (Kan.) Junior College (1984-85) and Moberly (Mo.) Junior College (1983-84).

Price: A day after Price resigned as head coach at Georgia Southern in March, GSU announced its basketball program was under investigation by the NCAA. GSU played the final 10 games of last season without three players, who were subjects of unspecified institutional and departmental issues. A St. Petersburg native, Price was 165-133 at GSU. He also was head coach at Lynn University, going 136-42. Price also signed incoming USF freshman Toarlyn Fitzpatrick at GSU.

Skeeters: He has been an assistant at Towson since 2004. Before that, Skeeters, who has ties to the Baltimore area, was an assistant at Virginia Tech (2003-04), Youngstown State (1999-2003), Coppin State (1992-96) and St. Frances Academy.

Stone: He has been an assistant at Bowling Green the last five seasons. A native of Detroit, Stone also was an assistant at Ohio State (2002-04) and Eastern Michigan (2000-02).

Tonelli: A USF graduate, Tonelli returned to his alma mater two years ago as director of basketball operations. Before that, he was Wharton High School's coach for 10 seasons, going 213-75. He started three years as a player at USF for Lee Rose and was an assistant at USF under Bobby Paschal. Tonelli played or coached on six USF postseason teams (two NCAAs, four NITs).

USF's women's basketball program also has one opening to fill. Cayll Smith, USF's director of basketball operations last season, will not return, USF coach Jose Fernandez said. Smith is moving to Pittsburgh, where his fiancée lives.