The roster movement for Arizona continued Monday as yet another member of the team has decided to look for a new opportunity at another school. Freshman forward Tibet Gorener became the latest UA player to enter the transfer portal this offseason. He is the third player to do so since Tommy Lloyd was hired as the program's new head coach, but one of them, Kerr Kriisa, already made the decision to withdraw from the portal and return to UA.
Gorener was a late addition for the Wildcats last offseason as he joined the program after finishing up his high school career in California. Another one of the Wildcats' international newcomers, Gorener is from Turkey and only played a couple seasons in the US before arriving in Tucson.
The 6-foot-9 wing played sparingly during his first season with the Wildcats having managed to see the floor in only eight games this year. He hit two 3-pointers early in the season against Northern Arizona before hitting another 3-pointer in a win over Oregon State on the road back in January.
That would be all the scoring Gorener would do in his first season as he ultimately ended up playing just 30 minutes total.
Gorener came to UA because of his potential and former head coach Sean Miller mentioned how much the Turkish wing would have an opportunity to increase his role in the coming years. His ability to stretch the floor at 6-foot-9 made him a unique piece for the UA roster, but now he will explore his options after the coaching change.
"He could play either the 3 or the 4, but no doubt what he brings to the table day one is his ability to play the game the right way, pass, move without the ball and shoot from the 3-point line," Miller previously said.
Gorener is now one of two UA freshmen in the transfer portal after big man Daniel Batcho made the same decision shortly after Miller was fired by the program. James Akinjo (Baylor), Jemarl Baker Jr. (Fresno State), Terrell Brown Jr. (Washington) and Ira Lee (George Washington) are the other UA players that have entered the portal this offseason and have selected their new homes.
Kriisa entered the transfer portal shortly after Lloyd was hired before ultimately backing away from that decision and returning to the team. Gorener was part of the recent workouts the team has conducted under Lloyd but will now look to another program to play for as his career moves ahead.
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