Three Rebels to defect

Steve Carp

Tuesday, March 16, 1999 | 10:58 a.m.

Daniels, Richardson, Herod intend to transfer and play basketball elsewhere

It didn't take long for the anticipated shakeup in the UNLV basketball program to begin.

Monday's postseason meeting between coach Bill Bayno and his team resulted in three players -- sophomore Greedy Daniels and freshmen Desmond Herod and Chris Richardson -- indicating they would not return for next year and would likely transfer.

However, none of the three has officially asked to be released from his scholarship, and that is not likely to happen until the end of the spring semester.

Nobody else is expected to leave the program, according to Bayno.

Bayno confirmed that the trio of reserves would look to continue their basketball careers elsewhere.

"Each of them told me 'I'm thinking of leaving,' " Bayno said. "I said, 'If you're not happy, you need to move on.'

"The best way to put it is they have to do what's best for themselves and the program has to do what's best for it. We'll do all we can to help them."

It was no surprise to hear about the defections. The three have not hidden their dissatisfaction with the way things were going.

Daniels struggled through two difficult years in his attempt to be the team's starting point guard. There were rumors after last season that he was going to transfer. But he decided to stick it out.

But when he found himself backing up junior Mark Dickel for a second consecutive season, it was apparent to Daniels that he didn't have a future at UNLV, at least not as a starter. And while he put up a brave front publicly, privately he was angry, confused and hurt with the way his career was going.

He and Bayno had clashed at times over philosophy and how he had to accept his role.

But even after the season finale last week, a 68-53 loss to Nebraska in the first round of the NIT, Daniels said he intended to remain a Rebel.

"We have a nice foundation here," Daniels said after the loss at the Devaney Center. "I plan on staying. Games like this make you more eager to do well."

But between last Wednesday and Monday, Daniels decided it was best for he and Bayno to part ways. He did not return phone calls Monday regarding his future plans.

It appeared Herod, who was disgruntled in December over his limited role, was happier as his playing time increased. He started the last four games and wound up playing an average of 15 minutes while scoring 5.5 points per game.

But Herod was at times a discipline problem, which had been the case when he was a senior at Adelphi Academy in New York. He also may have been homesick for Brooklyn, where his family and friends are.

As for Richardson, his was a struggle from the outset. The freshman from Corpus Christi, Texas, was frustrated over his minimal role, even though he was battling JC standout Shawn Marion and senior co-captain Kevin Simmons for playing time, as well as sophomore Donovan Stewart.

At one point, Richardson, who played in 21 games and averaged 6.8 minutes and 1.6 points, went public with his complaints about how he was being handled, and that wound up getting him suspended for a game. As the season continued, the former Carroll High School star grew increasingly frustrated. He was suspended a second time for violation of team policy.

On Monday, he told Bayno he'd prefer to play elsewhere and Bayno said he won't stand in Richardson's way.

Richardson told KTNV on Monday that the program has problems and that Bayno is essentially the root of those problems.

"If you're not in their top three, I don't think you should stick around here," he said.

While the three reserves are expected to look for greener pastures, Bayno's core group -- Marion, Kaspars Kambala and Mark Dickel, along with reserves Donovan Stewart and Issiah Epps plus redshirt freshman Matt Siebrandt, are all planning to return to the team.

"We don't want anyone who's not happy to stay," Bayno said. "I sat down with each of them and told them what they needed to do to get better and what to do to be happy.

"They decided they weren't. The core group of guys will be back and we're working on bringing in some new faces to join them."