UNLV suspends Edwards, Peters in phone case

Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2003 | 9:27 a.m.

Senior center J.K. Edwards and senior forward James Peters will indeed miss the start of the UNLV basketball season, each serving a suspension for his role in the unauthorized use of a telephone calling card.

UNLV made an official announcement Monday, through athletic director Mike Hamrick's office, but neither it nor Rebels basketball coach Charlie Spoonhour directly named the two players.

The Buckley Amendment, a federal privacy act, restricts school employees from revealing those names.

"Obviously, the two young men in question made a mistake," Spoonhour said. "They didn't execute good judgment, and it impacts not only them but our whole team. They've accepted the situation, and they're both, obviously, remorseful that this happened.

"That said, we'll go about our business and we'll make the best of it. It gives other people an opportunity to participate."

Monday's announcement, and early reports of its release, were not surprising, since the investigation has been going on for months, and Peters and Edwards were the only two UNLV basketball players who lived in the dormitories during the past academic year.

The vast majority of those 500 students who were involved in the scam reportedly lived in the on-campus dorms. Fifty of those who were implicated were UNLV athletes.

When questioned by the Sun before Sunday's practice at the Thomas & Mack Center, neither basketball player flatly denied his involvement in the phone scam or a possible suspension.

"Something like that," said Peters, when asked about being linked to, and punished for, the telephone card caper.

Edwards said, "Yeah, maybe," when asked about the likelihood of a suspension.

Both players did not say much more, citing instructions by UNLV officials not to comment.

Spoonhour said he declined to harbor any ill will toward either player.

"People made a mistake," he said. "We've seen people make mistakes every day. Obviously, I'm disappointed. It happened. Not only does it affect them, but it affects us. You wish it hadn't happened.

"I'm sure there are 499 other (sets of) parents ... who wish their people hadn't been involved, also. It's unfortunate that people make mistakes. It's embarrassing. You wish everyone would listen."

It has been reported that Edwards will miss six games and Peters will sit out three, but those figures will become clear once the season begins.

UNLV plays an intrasquad game Nov. 1, exhibition contests Nov. 10 and 15, then plays host to its season opener, against Delaware State, on Nov. 21 at the Mack.

Home games against Nevada-Reno, Western Illinois and California follow, then the Rebels play two in Los Angeles, against Southern California and Loyola Marymount, before going to the Bay Area for a game at Stanford on Dec. 13.

"It's over now," Spoonhour said. "It's finally reconciled. We'll go about our business and play with the people who are available."

At best, the Rebels will survive with a frontline of Marquette transfer Odartey Blankson (6-feet-7, 220 pounds), Louis Amundson (6-9, 215) and Andy Hannan (6-6, 210).

At worst, Golden Bears center Amit Tamir, Trojans center Rory O'Neil and the typically dominant Cardinal post players pound a UNLV team that will lack chemistry and cohesive interior play, which plagues the Rebels all season.

Edwards and Peters combined to average 15.5 points and 9.7 rebounds last season.