TAMPA, Fla. (March 4, 2024) – It seems like senior guard
Jose Placer just arrived with USF men's basketball. Now it's time to say goodbye.
Welcome to the modern Senior Night, where the transfer portal and the bonus COVID season have added twists to the normally cut-and-dried ceremonies.
When the Bulls (21-5, 15-1 American Athletic Conference) take on the Tulane Green Wave (13-15, 4-12) on Tuesday night at the Yuengling Center, Placer will be the only USF senior who has exhausted his eligibility.
Placer, a 6-foot-1 guard from Orlando, played his first college season (2018-19) for Maryland-Baltimore County. He sat out a transfer season, then competed for three years at North Florida. Last spring, he transferred to USF.
"This being my last go-around, it couldn't have been more special than this,'' said Placer, who averages 6.0 points and 1.5 assists per game. "I wanted something different. It's pretty close to home. I felt like this could be a really special team and it certainly has been all of that.
"Everyone in this community has embraced me. It feels pretty good. It feels right. It feels like I was supposed to be here.''
Placer (pronounced: Pla-sair), who missed five games with a hamstring injury, will be joined on Senior Night by
Selton Miguel and
Sam Hines Jr., who both have another season of eligibility and are expected back at USF next year. They will receive similar salutes.
For Placer, though, it's an official farewell.
"Jose has meant the world to us, even when he was injured, because his voice is so prominent and his energy is infectious,'' Bulls coach
Amir Abdur-Rahim said. "With his experience, he brings a calming influence. The last few games, he has gotten his groove back. And we need that. He's getting it back at the right time.''
Placer has played 132 college games with 1,421 career points (10.8 average). In three seasons at North Florida, he started 74 games and had 56 double-digit scoring games with the Ospreys.
"At North Florida, Jose usually had the ball in his hands, and he always delivered for them,'' USF guard
Kasen Jennings said. "He was absolutely 'The Man' for that program.''
Jennings should know.
Last season in the Atlantic Sun Conference, Jennings played at Kennesaw State and faced Placer's UNF Ospreys. With two seconds remaining in an 86-86 game, Placer buried a game-winning 3-pointer. Overall, Placer was 10-for-15 from 3-point range and finished with 32 points.
"He shot it around the logo and it hit nothing but net,'' Jennings said. "I didn't like Jose much back then. I love him now. Getting to know him, I really appreciate his game and what he's like as a person. He's a warrior. He's always smiling and he sets a great example. He was used to getting his (points) at North Florida, but he has embraced his role here and he's a huge leader for us.''
"Jose is obviously part of USF history now (as the AAC regular-season champion), along with the rest of us,'' Bulls forward
Kasean Pryor said. "He has been a great teammate all season, even when he was injured. He embodies our culture. I hope people remember him as a great teammate and a great winner.''
Placer's best USF game was on Nov. 19 against Northern Iowa, when he contributed 21 points on 8-for-11 shooting (3-for-5 from 3-point range). In AAC play, he had 17 points against Wichita State and 16 against UTSA.
He has made four consecutive starts at point guard and is a reliable ball-handler against pressure. On a team filled with effective 3-point shooters, he's also a dangerous scorer from long-range.
"I didn't really like the winters in Baltimore (at UMBC), so that's why I came back to the home state at UNF,'' Placer said. "But after being there for so long, I really wanted to test myself.
"I didn't know where I was going to go but being familiar with Coach (Abdur-Rahim) and what they did at Kennesaw, I just knew USF was going to be special. There was such a level of connection at Kennesaw. They trusted each other. We have the same thing now at USF.''
Placer has moved even closer to home. His father Carlos (a physician) and his mother Yasmine are at every USF home game.
Just when Placer's season was rolling, he was injured Dec. 9 against Florida State. After returning to the lineup, it has been a slow road back.
But Placer said he has been patient because he's "a man of God'' and he believes "everything happens for a reason.''
"This role is obviously different than where I was (at UNF),'' Placer said. "On any given night, I believe I can still get you 20 (points), but I have learned another way to play. I'm picking my spots. I'm capable of big moments, but it's all about what I can do to help this team.
"I have never been to the (NCAA) tournament. I've been around teams that have won. I know what it takes. So I try to lend my experience to the younger players and lead them. We don't want to just make it to March Madness. We want to make a run. We're having a nice season, but we want to be more than just a great story. We want to show everyone that we can do this. Right now, though, it's one game at a time.''
That one game is Tuesday night.
Accompanied by his parents and grandparents, Placer said he will probably get emotional. When reflecting on his sole season at USF, he's more grateful than anything.
"I've had a basketball in my hands since I was a very little kid,'' Placer said. "It has been truly special to be part of this team. I can't wait to see what God has in store for all of us.''
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About USF Men's Basketball
The South Florida men's basketball team is led by Amir Abdur-Rahim, who was named the 11th head coach in program history on March 29, 2023. Abdur-Rahim was named the 2023 Mid-Major Coach of the Year (Hugh Durham Award) after leading Kennesaw State to its first-ever Division I NCAA Tournament berth in 2022-23. Abdur-Rahim's Kennesaw State team set an NCAA record as the fastest team to ever reach the NCAA Tournament after a one-win campaign, accomplishing the feat in a span of just three seasons. He was also named the 2022-23 NABC District 3 and ASUN Coach of the Year after leading Kennesaw State to both the regular season and tournament titles, and a school-record 26 wins.
USF has retired three numbers in its history: Chucky Atkins (12), Charlie Bradley (30), and Radenko Dobras (31). The Bulls have earned three NCAA tournament bids, appeared in the NIT eight times, and won the 2019 College Basketball Invitational.
For tickets, contact the USF Ticket Office at 1-800-Go-Bulls or by going online to USFBullsTix.com. Season tickets for the 2023-24 USF men's basketball slate are on sale now. To purchase season tickets, click here.
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