Dai Dai Ames will enter transfer portal

By Jerry Ratcliffe

Count Dai Dai as gone gone.

Sophomore guard Dai Dai Ames, who transferred from Kansas State to Virginia to play for Tony Bennett, became the second player from the Cavaliers’ roster this week to announce intentions to enter the NCAA transfer portal next Monday.

Ames’ agent told On3sports that the Chicago native plans on transferring when the portal opens. He joins sophomore forward Blake Buchanan, who signalled he intends to transfer as well.

Virginia presently is in limbo after not renewing interim coach Ron Sanchez’ contract following a 15-17 season. Most of the reported candidates to replace Bennett are engaged to postseason play.

It was widely speculated that Ames would be leaving the program. The 6-foot-1 guard seemed a better fit for a faster-paced offense than Virginia has employed over the years.

Still, Ames averaged 8.7 points per game, getting off to a slow start, but hitting his stride down the home stretch of the season. He shot nearly 40 percent from the 3-point arc and scored a career-high 27 points at Pitt in a UVA upset win.

The Pitt game kick-started Ames’ game, as he then rattled off 10 consecutive double-figures scoring contests, all against ACC opponents, including a 15-point performance against ACC champion Duke.

Ames, perhaps the most aggressive player on Virginia’s roster, was able to create his own shot with his quickness and ability to drive into the lane, had a nice mid-range jumper and was a threat from the arc. He started 26 games for the Cavaliers this past season and was the team’s fourth-leading scorer.