wednesday, august 27, 2003
sports
the university daily kansan 5B
Experts doubt Missouri troubles will scare off basketball recruits
The Associated Press
Reports of investigations into the Missouri men's basketball program haven't hurt recruitment, but that could change quickly if the basketball program faces major punishment, recruiting experts said yesterday.
coach Quin Singer The Tigers have received oral commitments from four highly-regarded high school seniors for the 2004-05 season — forwards Kalen Grimes of Hazelwood Central in suburban St. Louis, Glen Dandridge of Mt. Zion Christian Academy in Durham, N.C., and Marshall Brown of Lyndon Baines Johnson High
experts and many The past several weeks have featured good and bad news for coach Quin Snyder and Missouri.
Some prep sports rankings list all four players among the top 100 high school players in the nation.
School in Austin, Texas; and point guard Jason Horton of Cedar Hill High School in Dallas.
nation.
"I'd say it's definitely a top-10 class and probably a little better than that," said Rob Harrington, recruiting analyst for prepstars.com. "It's a marvel. It's a taxon to how they recruit."
The oral commitments are nonbinding - recruits can still walk away and play at another school next year.
school next year.
Missouri's recruiting success comes as the program is under investigation by the NCAA and by an internal panel now led by electrical engineering professor
Michael Devaney, who said he wants to assure high-caliber academics as well as athletic success. Meanwhile, the FBI sought and received tapes of former Missouri guard Ricky Clemons' phone conversations while he was recently serving a jail sentence for an incident involving his ex-girlfriend.
The NCAA and FBI won't comment. Snyder also has declined comment, and his staff said yesterday he wasn't available for interviews.
for interviews Harrington said the investigations are cause for concern.
"They've got good coaching. They've got great recruiting. But there's that enormous black cloud," he said.
oud, he said.
Clemons was released Sunday.
from the Boone County Jail, where he completed a 60-day sentence for misdemeanor abuse and false imprisonment charges stemming from an altercation with his then-girlfriend earlier this year.
their grinned faces. Phone calls to the recruits through their high schools were not returned, but Hazelwood Central athletics director Ken Green said Grimes, the St. Louis-area recruit, was unaffected by the negative news.
"The family hopes everything works out and they have confidence it will get cleared up," Green said. "He's not wavering a bit."
Green said the family was impressed with Snyder. "He's remarkably intelligent and prepared and organized. He certainly has the qualities that attract you."
Professor leads Mizzou investigation
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — The professor named to lead an investigation of the University of Missouri men's basketball program was described yesterday as fair, tough, thorough — a "straight shooter" Eagle Scout.
The Associated Press
He is neither hostile to Tiger athletics nor particularly a sports fan, friends and family said of Michael Devaney, professor of electrical engineering who has taught at the Columbia campus since 1969.
Devaney, 60, waded yesterday into the controversial assignment handed to him by Elson Floyd, the university system president. He was meeting with university lawyers to get a better sense of his authority while pledging to do his own investigating and analysis of allegations of academic cheating in the basketball program.
Floyd said Monday night he wanted Devaney to lead a "continuation, extension and amplification" of an investigation started in late July by the athletic
department, after the ex-girlfriend of former Tigers point guard Ricky Clemons said he received improper academic help.
help. Floyd also directed the Devaney investigation look at "the entire men's basketball program."
gram. The NCAA is also investigating, and Floyd and other university officials pledged to continue cooperating with that probe.
yesterday saying he welcomed the expansion of the investigation "and view it as a vehicle to expedite and further validate the process we are going through right now as an athletic department."
Coach Quin Snyder, who had repeatedly declined comment for weeks, issued a statement
Colleagues on the Faculty Council said they trust Devaney to run a thorough and fair investigation, and that his findings, whatever they are, would be respected.
"Mike's just a real straight shooter," said Rex Campbell, professor of rural sociology
Baylor basketball loses top three scorers
The Associated Press
That's how junior guard John Lucas III describes his decision to transfer from beleguered Baylor to Oklahoma State.
WACO, Texas (AP) - Strictly business.
Lucas visited Oklahoma State over the weekend and said he liked the atmosphere in the college town of Stillwater, as well as the fans and the school.
"It was the first time it ever felt like it was the right thing to do," Lucas told The Associated Press on Monday night from the Stillwater, Okla., campus. "This was a business move."
All three of the Bears' top scorers from last season have decided to transfer in the wake of the university's self-imposed probation following revelations of major NCAA violations in the Big 12 Conference program.
Junior post player Lawrence Roberts transferred to Mississippi State, while Lucas and
Kenny Taylor are staying in the Big 12, Lucas at Oklahoma State and Taylor at Texas.
and Taylor at Texas.
The Big 12 announced Monday that Baylor players transferring to other league schools wouldn't lose a season of eligibility. That means Lucas and Taylor could play against their old team this season.
"The council was careful to clarify in its vote that the action was based upon the unique circumstances presented in the Bayor situation," Big 12 commissioner Kevin Weiberg said of the decision by the league's Council of Faculty Athletics Representatives.
tives.
Baylor President Robert Sloan Jr. offered all players a release from their scholarships Aug. 8 when he announced major violations had been found in the basketball program. Coach Dave Bliss and athletic director Tom Stanton resigned.
The school placed itself on a two-year probation and won't
participate in any postseason tournaments next season, including the Big 12 tournament. CAA 10
Sloan asked the NCAA to waive its rule that players transferring within Division I schools sit out one year before being eligible. The NCAA granted that waiver last week, but said conference rules would still apply.
Baylor launched an internal inquiry into possible NCAA violations in July, after allegations surfaced of improper payments to players following the disappearance of junior Patrick Dennehy.
once they wusd Lucas, who said he would start classes at Oklahoma State on Tuesday,said he liked Baylor as a school. But he wanted the opportunity to play in the NCAA tournament.
Roberts signed a letter of intent last week with Mississippi State and started classes at the SEC school.
nament. Taylor said last week that he was transferring to Texas, which has a scholarship available.
Dennehy's body was found July 25, and former Baylor player Carlton Dotson is charged with murder.
murder. Baylor has seven scholarship players committed to remaining on the basketball team for the upcoming season.
Junior forward Harvey Thomas, sophomore forward Tommy Swanson and freshman guard Carl Marshall all started classes Monday at Baylor. They join four other players who had already committed to staying.
already committed "We have seven scholarship players on campus right now," Baylor sports information director Heath Nielsen confirmed Monday night. "That includes Harvey, Marshall and Swanson."
Seniors R.T. Guinn, Matt Sayman and Terrance Thomas were all present Friday when the school introduced new coach Scott Drew. Junior Ellis Kidd Jr. also committed to staying after Drew's hiring.
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