Campbell won’t redshirt after all

After watching him endure a physical pounding from much bigger, heavier, and more physical players manning the low post last season, some may have expected University of Maine guard-forward Joe Campbell to be redshirted his junior year.

After evaluating his team’s personnel, skills, strengths and weaknesses at a four-day trip to Canada over the Columbus Day weekend, UMaine men’s basketball coach John Giannini has decided against the redshirt option.

“Coming out of Canada, we realized we’re better off with four shooters on the court and we need a lot of depth at those positions,” Giannini said. “I just think it’s a good combination numbers-wise. We think we’re a better team with him playing.”

Campbell started six of the 25 games he played last year while averaging 18 minutes per game.

The 6-foot-6, 185-pound swingman from Bangor was more effective offensively as a shooter near the perimeter, where he was tougher to guard for bigger players. Campbell shot 36.8 percent from 3-point range – sixth best on the team – and 52.5 percent from the floor overall as he averaged 6.6 points per game. He also averaged 3.6 rebounds per game.

“When we looked at our team in Canada, we were the best possible team with a lot of shooters out there at one time and Joe is one of our better shooters,” said Giannini, who had been leaning toward red-shirting Campbell before the Black Bears went 4-0 on the Canadian trip. Campbell did not play during that trip.

The fact that Maine has had to revamp its lineup in the wake of the graduation losses of center Justin Rowe and forward Clayton Brown, plus the recent departure of all-conference forward Rickey White, has also likely played a part in Giannini’s decision, although the eighth-year coach wouldn’t specifically address other possible factors.