Alabama are preparing to play without Aden Holloway in the NCAA tournament. This follows the star guard’s arrest on Monday morning on a felony drug charge.
Holloway was “removed from campus” and is not with the team four days before their tournament opener against Hofstra, according to a team spokesperson. Hours earlier, authorities found more than a pound of marijuana at a home, leading to Holloway’s arrest.
Oats Addresses Holloway’s Suspension
Alabama coach Nate Oats addressed the situation, stating the programme has standards and ways to hold players accountable. He said they try to keep everything in-house but some situations, like this, cannot be. Oats added that he found out about the situation on Monday morning and the team suspended Holloway pending the investigation.
“We’re certainly disappointed in his behavior,” Oats said. “But that being said, we still love him, he’s still our guy. We’re helping him get the help that he needs and we’re going to continue to help him whatever way we can. But as far as our team goes, I thought we had a great practice, we’re preparing to play without him this weekend.”
Details of the Arrest
According to Tuscaloosa County police spokesperson Stephanie Taylor, Holloway was arrested on Monday morning. He was transported to the Tuscaloosa County Jail after agents with the West Alabama Narcotics Task Force searched a local residence and “recovered more than a pound of marijuana, paraphernalia and cash.”
Holloway posted a $5,000 bond and was released from jail on Monday morning. He is facing a first-degree drug possession charge and a failure to affix a tax stamp charge, both felonies. In the state of Alabama, a first-degree drug possession charge can carry a penalty of up to 10 years in jail or a $15,000 fine.
Holloway’s Impact on the Team
Holloway, a 6-foot-1 guard, is averaging 16.8 points. He is second on an Alabama team ranked third nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency. The Crimson Tide are also leading the nation in scoring at 91.7 points per game.
- With Holloway on the court this season, Alabama has been 9.7 points per 100 possessions better on offense.
- Holloway has been the leading scorer in four of the team’s past 11 games.
- He’s an elite 3-point shooter (44%) and possesses the highest offensive rating on the team.
His absence would put more pressure on Labaron Philon Jr. Alabama shoot more 3-pointers, per possession, than any team in the country, and Holloway is the team’s top 3-point shooter.
He scored 18 points on Friday in his team’s loss to Ole Miss in the opening round of the SEC tournament.
Moving Forward Without Holloway
With an NCAA tournament opener looming against Hofstra, Oats said his team had to move forward.