Panamanian prospect trying to enroll at UNLV

Steve Addy

Friday, Sept. 1, 2000 | 10:11 a.m.

It sounds like a long shot, but a top-notch basketball recruit from Panama is attempting to enroll at UNLV after the NCAA ruled him ineligible at the University of Colorado.

Jaime Lloreda, a 6-foot-9, 220-pound center, signed a letter of intent with Colorado last November and averaged 17 points for the Berkshire School, a 130-student boarding school in Homestead, Fla. He was regarded as Colorado's top recruit.

But Lloreda was ruled ineligible on July 31 when the NCAA determined that some of his courses in Panama didn't meet the core requirements of the Initial Eligibility Clearinghouse.

Colorado coach Ricardo Patton believed then that Lloreda would return to Florida to attend junior college or bolster his academic record with more classes at Berkshire. He also does not speak fluent English, having arrived from Colon, Panama, only last year.

However, Lloreda hopes to enroll at UNLV to improve his academic qualifications and become eligible for 2001-02. He would not be eligible this season.

Rebels coach Bill Bayno could not be reached Thursday night, but confirmed Lloreda's interest in UNLV to the Boulder (Colo.) Daily Camera.

"(Lloreda) is trying to find a school he can get admitted to and come in and sit out (a year)," Bayno was quoted. "So far that has not happened. ... We're trying to do it, and we're in the process, but I don't know if it's going to happen."

Bayno said Lloreda will likely wind up at a junior college. Even so, UNLV's efforts on his behalf could pay recruiting dividends when/if he becomes eligible for Division I ball.

According to recruiting watchdogs, there is little question that Lloreda has Division I skills. While leading Berkshire in scoring, he was rated the 38th-best prep center by Bob Gibbons' All-Star Report, the highly regarded recruiting service.

Though Lloreda's college recruitment has turned into a saga, his odyssey from Panama to South Florida is also interesting.

Despite a 32-2 record and No. 1 state Class 1A ranking, Berkshire was suspended from participating in the Florida state tournament last season. Most of the team, including Lloreda, was found to have been recruited with "undue influence" from foreign countries. There were 13 players on the team from countries such as Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Cameroon and Panama.

This summer, the Florida High School Activities Association handed down its harshest punishment, suspending Berkshire's athletic program from all FHSAA events for five years, amounting to a "death penalty."

The finalists are Charles Cunningham, formerly from Murray State and Minnesota; Mark Wade, the ex-UNLV guard; Eric Skeeters, Youngstown State assistant; and Chris Crutchfield, Tyler (Tex.) Junior College coach. ...

Noel Bloom, a 6-7, 235 forward, has joined the team as a walk-on. He played last season at Moorpark (Calif.) College. ...

JC center Chris Jackson (6-10, 260) is making an official visit this weekend. He plays for Garden City (Kan.) Community College.