Auburn basketball senior Chad Baker-Mazara could return for third year
This Saturday, the Auburn basketball team is set to play their final game of the regular season in Neville Arena against the Alabama Crimson Tide. Ahead of the game, the Tigers will honor their seniors, and there are a lot of players fans will have to say good-bye to after this season.
However, fifth-year senior Chad Baker-Mazara might not be one of those on their way out. Earlier this year, Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia sued the NCAA for additional eligibility, citing that his junior college years should not count against him. The NCAA issued a blanket ruling stating that all players who played at the JUCO level and would run out of eligibility at the end of this academic year would receive an additional year of eligibility.
On Friday, Auburn basketball head coach Bruce Pearl confirmed that Baker-Mazara, who played at Northwest Florida State College before transferring to Auburn, meets the requirements and that he could potentially run it back for a third season with the Tigers.
“Without any kind of appeal, Chad Baker has another year of eligibility,” Pearl said, per Auburn Undercover. “Because he fits all the criteria. Some of the other guys that have been talked about, I’m not going to specifically reference. But Chad is the one that, right now, qualifies.”
Denver Jones and Chaney Johnson are two other players that the Tigers are looking into bringing back, but Pearl would not comment on the pair. Jones previously played at the JUCO level but has also played four seasons at the DI level. Johnson played at the DII level before transferring to Auburn.
“I mean, we’re certainly going to go through the process about seeing whether or not Chaney would be eligible for another year,” Pearl said after the Ole Miss win. “We’re definitely going to go through the process.”
The Auburn basketball team will finish its regular season this Saturday against Alabama in Neville Arena.
