Rebels to appeal on behalf of recruit

Steve Addy

Thursday, July 19, 2001 | 10:56 a.m.

UNLV has a long, unsuccessful history of appealing to the NCAA's charitable side, but the Rebels are preparing to give it one more try on behalf of basketball recruit Ernest Turner.

The athletic department plans to request an initial-eligibility waiver for Turner, a 2001 UNLV signee who narrowly failed to meet NCAA academic guidelines for incoming freshmen.

Turner, a 6-foot-2 guard from Sterling High in Somerdale, N.J., was declared a partial qualifier this month after his SAT score fell 10 points short (two correct answers) of the minimum 820 required by the NCAA Initial Eligibility Clearinghouse.

Turner would have to sit out the 2001-02 season, though he'd be allowed to practice with the team, receive a scholarship and accept university financial aid.

UNLV will appeal next week to have Turner declared a full qualifier, making him eligible this season and restoring him to four years of eligibility.

"If the NCAA goes on precedent, as they say they do, we feel there are two or three that should work in our favor," said Rebels coach Charlie Spoonhour, who persuaded Turner to honor his letter of intent signed under previous coach Bill Bayno.

"The whole thing should boil down to the young man," Spoonhour said. "Everybody likes this kid. He's a deserving person. We hope the NCAA sees it the same way."

According to the NCAA Division I manual, an initial-eligibility waiver can be granted "based on objective evidence that demonstrates circumstances in which a student's overall academic record warrants (it)."

In 1999, 49 percent of such requests were approved, with 561 waivers out of 1,145 appeals.

Last year, Michigan State successfully gained a waiver for blue-chip recruit Zach Randolph and Florida got one on behalf of guard recruit Orien Greene after both failed to score high enough on the SAT. Randolph was 20 points short; Greene's score was not made public.

Randolph's case gained extra publicity because he had a criminal record, including two 2000 convictions for receiving stolen property (two handguns), resulting in a 30-day jail sentence. He had previous convictions for shoplifting (1995) and battery (1997).

The NCAA didn't explain its decision to grant Randolph's waiver, citing student-athlete privacy guidelines, but the ruling has provided legitimate ammunition to subsequent appeals by other players and schools.

"After (the NCAA) let Randolph play, how can they deny Ernest?" said Rick Barrett, Turner's legal guardian and AAU coach. "Ernest's academics are just as good, and he isn't a thug or a bad kid. They can run a background check on him. He's a great kid.

"They've already set the precedent. What does my kid have to do to be eligible, rob a bank? I'm hoping the NCAA does the right thing."

UNLV is gathering the many documents needed for the appeal and hopes to submit them next week, senior associate AD Jerry Koloskie said.

"The NCAA uses precedents to determine what's fair and equitable," he said. "But it isn't up to us to cite precedents in our appeal. We just provide all of the information they require. Obviously, to predict how they'll rule is very difficult."

If the NCAA eligibility staff determines that sufficient precedent exists, it can grant the waiver without referring the case to its subcommittee.

But because Turner has been diagnosed with a learning disability, disclosed by Barrett, his case is almost certain to go to the subcommittee, which includes individuals with expertise in disabilities. That could delay the decision until September.

Because of his disability, Turner was allowed to take the SAT orally, without the three-hour time limit. But he waited until May to attempt the test and his next opportunity wouldn't occur until October.

Barrett hopes that won't be necessary, if the NCAA grants the waiver in the meantime.

"If they make Ernest take it again, I don't think he'll do as well, because of all the pressure," Barrett said.

Turner, who averaged 27 points as a senior, was expected to be an immediate contributor for the Rebels, especially with incumbent shooting guard Jermaine Lewis coming off May knee surgery that could sideline him into January.

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