Here's Snow (in the yellow shirt) at one of Erie's open tryouts in Philadelphia before the 2008-09 season.
The Erie BayHawks picked up a familiar face to help fill their void at point guard for tonight’s 7:30 p.m. game at Maine: Tychicus “Tic” Snow.
Most people in Erie don’t know him, but Snow has tried out for the BayHawks all six times they’ve had open tryouts since becoming an D-League franchise.
Erie coach John Treloar got him out of the D-League player pool. The Manassas, Va., native was one of the 200 prospects available in this season’s draft, but went undrafted.
He averaged 6.5 points and 2.3 assists in his last seasonat at Mississippi Valley State in 2006-07, but I remember him when he participated in the open tryouts in Erie at Family First last November. Snow is listed at 5-foot-7, 165 pounds but he’s very muscular.
“He’s like Spud Webb,” Virginia Fastbreak coach Chris Brown said. “He’s very, very physical.”
Snow last played for the Fastbreak in the Eastern Basketball Alliance (EBA). Brown, who according to www.eur0basket.com is on the Fastbreak roster, said Snow played for him last season and this season.
“He’s amazing,” said Brown, who is an assistant for the girls varsity basketball team at Williamsburg Christian Academy. The team is 15-1. “Can get to the basket. Shoot the 3. Very electrifying. Plays great defense. Erie’s getting a great player and great person because he’s a class act.”
All that sounds good, but the reality of this situation is this:
The BayHawks are down two points guards now with Cedric Jackson still with Cleveland on his 10-day contract with the Cavaliers and current starting point guard Cliff Clinkscales is out with a right ankle injury.
It appears Clinkscales won’t play tonight or in Saturday’s 1 p.m. game at Springfield. If he can’t go, Erie will not only struggle, but Snow will have to play.
Jackie Manuel, Mike Gansey and Frank Tolbert can’t handle the duty all game. Maybe they can share the responsibility, but it’ll be tough.
The process of getting Maureece Rice is either taking longer than expected or the team he’s with in the Ukraine won’t release him.
The BayHawks have his rights if Rice returns to the D-League and according to Rice’s agent, Rice wants to play here after he averaged 19 points for Erie a season ago as a rookie.
As for Snow, it’s a great opportunity for him, but I got to think this is a temporary move for Erie until Clinkscales gets back healthy and it either gets Rice or Jackson returns to the team, which may not happen soon if Cleveland signs him to another 10-day contract.
With all that being said, I’m still sitting here wondering why the BayHawks won’t go after Erie’s Joe Jones. I understand he’s not a true point guard, is young, lacks strength, but the guy can play and was good enough to be in Erie’s training camp after playing well in the open tryout in Cleveland.
Snow wasn’t because he never made it Erie’s training camp even though he tried out for the team three times before this season and three times before last season.
Now the BayHawks are more familiar with Snow, but again, he didn’t show them enough to invite him to training camp yet they pick him up during the season?
All of this is rather puzzling, but after what’s happened this season, nothing surprises me.
