Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies
© St. Petersburg Times, published September 10, 2002
TAMPA -- The South Florida men's team gained its first commitment for the 2003-04 season, Ricardo Freeman of Seward County (Kansas) Community College.
Freeman, a 6-foot-3, 180-pound point guard, averaged 10.7 points, 7.0 assists and 2.6 rebounds as a freshman at SCCC. He visited USF last weekend and orally committed before leaving campus.
"I can always tell when they've made a commitment, and he came in (to my office) and had a big smile on his face," SCCC coach Dave Brown said Monday. "He really liked the campus, the coaches and the players. He said he really felt comfortable. They've been on him really, really hard.
"He doesn't even want to take his other visits. (USF coach) Seth (Greenberg) is coming out here (today)."
Freeman, from Hartford, Conn., had planned to visit Nebraska and Oklahoma. He was a third-team all-conference selection last season in one of the nation's top junior college leagues, the Jayhawk Conference.
"He's got big-time handles and can really pass," Brown said. "He's an extraordinary player."
Freeman shot 50.5 percent from the floor and 25 percent (13-of-52) on 3-pointers last season.
USF point guard Reggie Kohn is a senior and his backup, Brian Swift is a sophomore. Swift and Freeman will be juniors for the 2003-04 season.
LUBBOCK, Texas -- Texas Tech coach Bob Knight was recovering from surgery to clear an intestinal obstruction.
The obstruction was related to scar tissue within the abdomen, doctors said.
NOTRE DAME: Omari Isreal, a 6-foot-8 forward from Rockville, Md., gave an oral commitment to the Irish. Isreal, also recruited by Miami and Tennessee, averaged 18 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3 blocks last season as a junior.
RUTGERS: Junior guard Mike Sherrod was charged with disorderly conduct after he and several men brawled at a football game, police said. Witnesses said Sherrod, 19, and at least one other teammate were arguing with several men during Saturday's game against Buffalo in Piscataway, N.J.
-- Staff writer Pete Young and information from Times wires contributed to this report.