Sunday, September 9, 2001
[ UH MEN'S BASKETBALL ]
HAWAII MEN'S basketball players remain in limbo while the NCAA shows no signs of softening its stance regarding the eligibility of foreign players. 3 Hawaii hoop players
still waiting on eligibilityBy Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.comAll-Western Athletic Conference guard Predrag Savovic, sophomore forward Bosko Radovic and junior forward Luc-Arthur Vebobe could lose eligibility if it is determined they have played with or against professionals in their native countries.
Savovic and Radovic are from Yugoslavia and Vebobe is from France.
Bill Saum, the NCAA's director of eligibility issues, told ESPN yesterday that the NCAA intends to enforce a rule that does not allow players to participate in unsanctioned tournaments and leagues among professionals.
"If coaches want this changed then change the rules," Saum said. "There isn't even a conversation on the subject. This rule has been enforced for years."
But Hawaii coach Riley Wallace said there is an organized effort by coaches to change the rule which they see as unfair.
"I've got a memo that there has been a meeting between the NABC (National Association of Basketball Coaches) and the NCAA," Wallace said. "Coaches are in agreement that the rule is unfair because the kids in Europe don't have anywhere else to play. If they're getting money or they have an agent, that's another thing."
Wallace said no one at UH has received information back from the NCAA since the school submitted information on the playing backgrounds of the players in question more than a month ago.
"There's been nothing," he said.
A source close to the NCAA has said Savovic could lose his entire year of eligibility.
UH submitted information that would cost him nine or 10 games. Radovic and Vebobe could lose fewer than 10 games each based on information submitted, but Wallace said he's discovered other information later that could clear them of any loss of eligibility.
Savovic, Radovic and Vebobe are all enrolled at UH this fall.
Savovic led the Rainbows in scoring last season with a 17.6 points per game average. He hit 61 3-pointers and was second on the team with 107 assists.
Radovic started three games and appeared in five overall, averaging 5.8 points.
Vebobe played at Foothill College last season and averaged just under 12 points a game.
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