Kelly cleared to play

Victoria Sun

Thursday, Jan. 13, 2000 | 10:09 a.m.

Lou Kelly was freed from college basketball limbo on Wednesday when he learned he was cleared to compete for UNLV.

School officials received official notification the same morning that Kelly completed the necessary requirements to obtain his associate in arts degree from Los Angeles City College, rendering him eligible to compete.

Kelly has now met all NCAA academic and eligibility requirements for intercollegiate competition. The 6-foot-5 swingman was cleared to practice with the team last Thursday.

It was initially thought that he would be eligible to play in UNLV's 77-75 loss to BYU last Monday night in the team's Mountain West opener, but he was informed before the game that he wasn't eligible to play or allowed to sit on the bench in uniform with the team.

Kelly may get some playing time when the Rebels (9-4, 0-1 in the MWC) take on Air Force (4-8, 0-0) at Colorado Springs, Colo., Saturday.

"It's a relief," Kelly said after UNLV's practice on Wednesday. "Things happen for a reason. If I got negative, it would hurt myself and the team in the long run.

"I'm excited. When I play in my first game, though, that's when I'll really feel it."

Kelly has felt it -- the shock and pain your body goes through when you go from not practicing hard for many months to going hard every day to get back in shape -- since he started practicing.

The work will pay off for him and the Rebels if Kelly lives up to his potential.

UNLV head coach Bill Bayno has said all along that he doesn't want to rush Kelly onto the floor until he is physically fit and ready.

When he is, it should give the Rebels' inside-outside game a big lift. As teams continue to double- or triple-team UNLV big man Kaspars Kambala, Kambala will then have the chance to kick the ball back out to Kelly, who is supposed to be an excellent shooter.

If Kelly's shots start to fall, that should take some pressure off UNLV's other guards.

"I really want to help out and show coach (Max) Good I can play," Kelly said. "He's always joking that California guys don't play as good."