Cougs Let Transfer Go
Washington State men’s basketball coach Kevin Eastman announced Monday that Richard “TuTu” Brown, a 6-foot-3 swing guard at South Plains College in Texas, has been released from the national letter of intent he signed last November.
“We signed Richard with the understanding that he had to fulfill certain academic requirements during the school year in order to meet the NCAA transfer rules, but unfortunately, it appears he will not fulfill these requirements,” said Eastman. “Richard is a very good basketball player, but there is more to the total equation in our program than just the ability to play the game.”
Eastman added, “While there is no question that we lose a quality player, I feel very comfortable knowing we made the right decision, both for Richard and for WSU.”
This past season Brown ranked eighth in scoring in the Western Junior College Athletic Conference with a 16.4 average. He paced the team with 90 3-point baskets, including a school-record 10 in one game against New Mexico Junior College. Brown led South Plains to the quarterfinals of the NJCAA Region 5 Tournament. It finished 20-10.
Eastman did sign two junior col lege perimeter players during the late period to absorb the loss of Brown.
Hockey
The Tacoma Rockets of the Western Hockey League may be headed for Kelowna, British Columbia, The Tacoma News Tribune reported.
A proposal by Edmonton developer Gordon Oxley to buy the team and move it to Kelowna was scheduled to be considered today by the league’s executive committee, paper said, citing an unidentified source.
The executive committee’s recommendation would have to be approved by the WHL’s Board of Governors. If approved, play could begin in Kelowna this fall.
Under the proposed deal, Oxley would buy the club for $2 million in U.S. funds. Rockets president Bruce Hamilton would retain an option to buy back part of the team.
The Rockets entered the league as an expansion franchise in 1991 and has made the WHL playoffs in all four of its seasons, however the team has lost $900,000 over four years playing at the Tacoma Dome. Rockets owners paid a $500,000 expansion fee to the league four years ago.
Kelowna has been without a WHL team since its franchise became the Spokane Chiefs in 1985.
Golf
Haven Burton and Jesse Henderson led the way in the Idaho state qualifier for the Insurance Youth Classic during the weekend at Hidden Lakes Country Club in Sandpoint.
Burton put together rounds of 71 and 69 for a 140 and 16-stroke margin over runner-up Jeremy Wallis in the boys division.
Henderson led the girls with a 96-98-194. Jennifer Phelps was second at 232.
, DataTimes MEMO: Changed in the Spokane edition