Former Xenia star Samari Curtis transferring to Bowling Green

The search for a college home has been a challenging one for Curtis, a guard who led the GWOC in scoring three times and averaged 33.8 points per game as a senior.

He initially committed to Xavier but reconsidered after coach Chris Mack left for Louisville.

Curtis then signed with Cincinnati, but he was released from his letter of intent after coach Mick Cronin left for UCLA.

Nebraska was the next choice for Curtis, who was impressed in a whirlwind recruitment by newly hired coach Fred Hoiberg.

Curtis only played eight games for the Cornhuskers before opting to leave Lincoln, though, and ended up at Evansville.

In another twist of fate, the Aces coach Walter McCarty was fired shortly after Curtis arrived at the school in southwest Indiana.

After sitting out a year to satisfy NCAA transfer rules, Curtis played 17 games for the Purple Aces last season. He averaged 10.1 points and shot 38 percent from 3-point range playing for new coach Todd Lickliter.

Bowling Green went 14-11 last season in its sixth year under head coach Michael Huger, a BG alum.

Curtis’ nomadic college career is ironic in light of his decision to stay at Xenia for four years in a day and age when many top high school basketball players opt to leave for bigger stages, often out of state.

“I never judge anybody off leaving their town to go get a better opportunity, but to stay home and do it in front of my friends and family, they get to watch me every day, it feels so great to do it in my hometown,” he said after being named Mr. Basketball.

“I’m always going to represent Xenia no matter where I go.”