• Roman Penn leads Siena's current players at 9.3 points per game. (Jenn March/Special to the Times Union)
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Roman Penn leads Siena's current players at 9.3 points per game. (Jenn March/Special to the Times Union)
Roman Penn leads Siena's current players at 9.3 points per game. (Jenn March/Special to the Times Union)
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Siena's guard Roman Penn watches from the bench with an injury as teammates play Iona during the first half of an NCAA men's college basketball game Monday, Feb. 12, 2018, in Albany, N.Y. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union) less
Siena's guard Roman Penn watches from the bench with an injury as teammates play Iona during the first half of an NCAA men's college basketball game Monday, Feb. 12, 2018, in Albany, N.Y. (Hans Pennink / ... more
Photo: Hans Pennink
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Siena's Roman Penn goes up for a basketball game against Saint Peter's at the Times Union Center on Monday, Jan. 29, 2018 in Albany, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)
Siena's Roman Penn goes up for a basketball game against Saint Peter's at the Times Union Center on Monday, Jan. 29, 2018 in Albany, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)
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Siena freshman point guard Roman Penn isn’t coming back next season.

Penn, who received his release to transfer after Jimmy Patsos resigned in April, texted today he has decided to play elsewhere. He has yet to commit to another program.

New Saints coach Jamion Christian was trying to keep Penn.

“Just feel like it’s time to move on,’’ Penn said. “Coach Christian has been great throughout the whole process and very supportive, can’t thank him enough and the whole Siena administration for understanding my decision.”

Penn, from Calumet, City, Ill., averaged 9.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3 assists per game last season for the Saints, who went 8-24. He missed the final nine games with a heel injury that required surgery. Siena lost eight of them.

After Christian was hired on May 2, he met with Penn. Christian joked he was texting with Penn more than his own wife to persuade him to stay.

“He fits how I want to play,’’ Christian said last week. “The way he can shoot the ball, I’ve had a lot of success with guys with his kind of skill set. I’ve just got to convince him on it.”

He wasn’t able to do that, which leaves Christian with two scholarships to offer for next season. He has nine returning scholarship players plus incoming recruits Jalen Pickett, a 6-foot-4 guard from Rochester, and 6-9 forward Sloan Seymour of Shaker High School.

Three Siena freshmen have departed since Patsos left. Freshman forward Prince Oduro said he won’t return and has visited Mississippi State and South Florida. Freshman guard Jordan Horn has already committed to North Dakota State.

Penn, who is 5-foot-10 and 170 pounds, toured Kent State and has a visit set up to Wright State at the end of the month.

“I think he waited as long as he could with Siena and during that coachless period he just had to start looking at other options,’’ his mother, Luana Turner, said.

msingelais@timesunion.com ■ 518-454-5509 ■ @MarkSingelais