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Knight, Texas Tech silent after three are kicked off team

Compiled from Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 1, 2001

LUBBOCK, Texas -- Texas Tech officials had little to say about Bob Knight's decision to kick three players off the team.

"We're not going to say anything beyond what's been said," athletic director Gerald Myers said Saturday. "They're not going to be on the team next year."

Tech president David Schmidly said the dismissals were based on "some violation of team rules."

Starting guard Jamal Brown, who averaged 10.6 points last season, and freshman reserves Brannon Hayes and Rodney Bass were cut Friday. A fourth player was granted his release.

Brown said he was baffled but wouldn't bother asking for an explanation when he requests his release Monday.

"The way it came out it seems like they had their minds made up," said Brown, who learned of his dismissal on TV Friday night. "I just want to sit down and get my release and go from there."

The first and last word about the dismissals came in the form of a three-paragraph news release that also noted that Ronald Hobbs' release request had been granted.

Hobbs, a backup guard who averaged 5.5 points last season, said he sought the release for personal reasons weeks before former Tech coach James Dickey was fired March 9.

According to Hayes, Knight called him, Bass and Brown for a meeting. A misunderstanding resulted, although Hayes would not elaborate.

"Anything that can come up like this, so fast and so swift, it's unbelievable," Brown said. "I still haven't reacted. I just live by faith. No matter what, I have a year left. So, that's what I'm going to look forward to."

Myers said the three have the right to retain their scholarships for another year, but they likely will transfer.

If all four players' scholarships are released, Tech's roster shrinks to four scholarship players entering next season. The cuts put the team in jeopardy because NCAA rules permit Knight to recruit only five more scholarship players for next season, leaving him four short of the regularly allotted 13.

Myers said depth might become a problem, but he is confident the team can fill out its roster with walk-ons.

Attempts to reach Knight were unsuccessful. His son, Pat, said he couldn't comment and didn't know if his father would be willing to elaborate on his reasoning.

SETON HALL: Xavier's Skip Prosser remains the likely candidate to replace Tommy Amaker as coach, but Prosser refused to say whether the Pirates had contacted him, the New York Times reported. Prosser was hired at Xavier by the current Pirates athletic director, Jeff Fogelson. If Fogelson cannot lure Prosser, he may pursue Iona coach Jeff Ruland, the Times reported.

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