The NCAA has been granting student-athletes an extra year of eligibility due to the ongoing COVID1-9 pandemic. Spring and fall sports from the 2020 season have had an extra season awarded, and the NCAA has also granted that ability towards the winter sports for the 2020-21 season.

We have already seen the Liberty football team welcome back 16 super seniors for the 2021 season, and now attention turns to the men’s basketball team and what will happen to the Flames’ senior class. Liberty has two seniors on its roster this season – Elijah Cuffee and Chris Parker.

Liberty head coach Ritchie McKay was a special guest on the ASOR Podcast this week, and for the first time publicly he addressed the question about the extra year of eligibility for Cuffee and Parker.

“We’ve told Chris and Elijah that we will cross that bridge when we come to it,” McKay began his response.

Cuffee is a senior who has played in 125 games in a Liberty uniform. Every season he has been on the Liberty roster the Flames have advanced to the conference championship game, winning the conference championship each of the past two seasons. This year, Cuffee is 3rd on the team in scoring at 9.5 points per game. He has been very consistent oer his career, averaging 7.0 points per game and shooting 38.4% from three-point range. Cuffee has also been Liberty’s top perimeter defender for much of his career.

“Elijah, you know what he has meant for our program,” McKay continued. “We wouldnt’ be where we are without Elijah Cuffee, I’ll just put it that way. If he wanted to have an extra year, obviously we would afford him that opportunity. I think he’s going to have options. I want what’s best for Elijah.”

Parker is in his first year with the Flames after transferring into the program this season from Henderson State. He immediately became the team’s starter at point guard and has been one of the best players on the team this season. Parker is currently second on the team in scoring at 10.7 points per game and leads the team with 4.0 assists per game.

“Chris, he has been a great blessing to us,” McKay said of Parker. “I think he will have some opportunities after this season, as well.”

Both Cuffee and Parker have started every game this season for the Flames and are a big part of why Liberty is currently sitting in first place in the ASUN standings.

“If we had a player that could be a one and done and declare for the draft and have a chance to create a way of living for he and his family, I would fully support it,” said McKay. “I think God is in control of your program as long as you honor the people that you have been entrusted to steward or shepherd. We want to do that, but either one or both, if that was something they had a heart to do, then certainly we would acquiesce.”