Good hopeful infighting, drama over between Kambala, Diggs

Steve Addy

Thursday, Jan. 18, 2001 | 10:26 a.m.

Kaspars Kambala and Trevor Diggs have forged an uneasy truce.

A sincere reconciliation would have been best for the Rebels after two straight losses, but they had to settle for a cease-fire two days after Monday's flare-up at Brigham Young.

UNLV coach Max Good said both players will be disciplined for their mini-feud -- Kambala for sulking on the bench for the final nine minutes of a 91-63 loss at Provo, and Diggs for telling the Sun that Kambala "quit" on the team.

Good spoke with the two individually before Wednesday's practice, but wouldn't immediately specify how they will be disciplined. The players did not meet with each other, however.

"Kas was frustrated and Trevor was frustrated," Good said. "As young people, they didn't use the best judgment in how they displayed it. Neither of them had malice in their hearts."

Kambala, the Rebels' senior center, was pulled from the game with 9:20 left after compiling only two points and three rebounds in 20 minutes. Angry at Good, he didn't take part in the last few timeouts, and ESPN showed him sitting alone while his teammates huddled.

Afterward, an angry Diggs said, "No question, Kas quit on us. That's crazy. All you can ask is for somebody to compete."

Both players said Wednesday they mishandled the situation, though neither seemed eager to have a face-to-face talk.

"It was the first time anyone has seen me lose my cool. Let's look at it as a one-time thing," Kambala said. "I was frustrated. I should have handled it better."

"Will I try to talk to (Diggs) about it? No. As far as us on the court, I don't have any problem with him. But as athletes, we don't have to necessarily like each other to play together. When we're on the court, it's about the team and winning the rest of our games."

Diggs didn't attempt to deny or soften his criticism of Kambala, but said he used the wrong forum.

"I said what I said, I can't take it back. But I should've kept it within the team," he said. "I hope that Kas will take (the comments) the right way. If we're going to be as good as we can be, we need him with us.

"It's all right for him to get frustrated, but don't get frustrated at your own team. We were all mad about that game. None of us wanted to go on national TV and get beat by 28 points. But that doesn't mean you don't huddle up with your team."

Diggs said he wouldn't approach Kambala about a reconciliation. Good did not order them to talk, either.

"I told both of them it has to be sincere," Good said. "Don't do it because of anyone else."

Good decided that disciplinary action was necessary after seeing film of Kambala's behavior when the team returned to Las Vegas on Tuesday.

"I didn't know he did that until the next morning when I got to the (Salt Lake City) airport. I got a phone call about it," Good said. "Then I saw it on TV. Kas was on national TV when he did it, and he's got to be aware of that."