Eastman Takes Return Of Cal Star In Stride

Washington State’s Kevin Eastman took the news about the early reinstatement of California’s Tremaine Fowlkes quite well, considering he will be the first coach forced to deal with the considerable talents of the Golden Bears’ super sophomore this season.

The NCAA’s eligibility committee announced late last week that it was reducing Fowlkes’ season-long suspension for illegal dealings with a former agent to just 14 games.

That means the 6-foot-7, 210-pound forward, who was the Pacific-10 Conference freshman of the year last year, will regain his eligibility just in time for Cal’s Jan. 25 matchup against WSU in Pullman.

Fowlkes, who averaged 13.4 points and 6.7 rebounds as a freshman, will undoubtedly help a Golden Bears team that is already among the best in the Pac-10.

He scored 31 points in two games against WSU last year, but Eastman insists he is not worried about Fowlkes’ early return - especially at this point in the young season.

“To be honest with you, I haven’t even thought about it,” Eastman said prior to Wednesday night’s non-conference game against Montana. “We’ve got a couple of other games between now and then. I’m sure that getting a good player like him back will help, but I haven’t got any control over the situation, so I’m not worrying about it.”

The NCAA originally suspended Fowlkes for the season after admitting he had received $1,800 from former sports agent James Casey to help him buy a used sports utility vehicle that reportedly sold for $10,800.

Casey and Fowlkes contend, however, that they are longtime friends and should fall under the NCAA’s existing family and friend rule, which would legalize their financial dealings.

Therefore, Cal officials, feeling the original penalty was too severe, appealed to the NCAA.

Athletic director John Kasser said he felt good about the NCAA’s decision to shorten Fowlkes’ suspension. But coach Todd Bozeman apparently isn’t satisfied.

“I’m definitely happy for Tremaine that he will be able to play and compete,” Bozeman said. “I’m glad to get him back, but I’m not particularly satisfied with the amount of games.”

Beavers blues

With only one starter and four lettermen returning from last year’s 9-18 team that finished seventh, Oregon State coach Eddie Payne wasn’t expecting much from his Beavers.

So far, he’s gotten about as much as he expected.

OSU, which has not won a non-conference road game since 1989, is 1-3 on the young season, with its only win coming at home against University of California-Irvine. The Beavers have lost to Santa Clara, Portland and Long Beach State.

They have made only 40 of 84 free throws to date, and they have two football players - junior quarterback Rahim Muhammad and senior tight end Justin Moore - pulling additional duty on the basketball court.

But the defining moment of Payne’s first season might have come earlier this fall when Jeff Riggs, a 5-8 guard from Klamath Falls, Ore., called and asked if he might join the Beavers’ program as a walk-on.

Riggs had apparently called several other non-Division-I schools about the possibility of doing a walk-on gig, but was informed, in each instance, to walk on elsewhere.

Payne, however, was a bit more hospitable. Not only did he welcome Riggs to try out, he promised him a spot on the roster.

Bruins big draw

Rick Dickson’s gamble to move Washington State’s Jan. 4 home game against defending national champion UCLA to Spokane is paying off big.

WSU’s athletic director announced Wednesday that only about 800 tickets remain for the Cougars’ Pac-10 opener against the Bruins, which will be played at 7 p.m. in the 12,000-seat Spokane Arena.

“It’s been great,” Dickson said of Spokane’s response to the site change.

Dickson said 400 tickets that have been allotted to WSU students have not been sold. If they are not claimed by Friday, Dickson said they will be offered to the general public, along with the 300 or so other tickets still available.

Dickson’s decision to move the game off campus was prompted by the fact that WSU students will still be on Christmas break.

3-pointers

California freshman sensation Shareef Abdur-Rahim, a 6-10 forward from Marietta, Ga., leads the country in scoring with an average of 31.3 points per game. … Through four games, WSU’s starting five players have accounted for a league-leading 86.5 percent of the Cougars’ scoring. … Oregon, which set a school record by averaging 85.2 points per game last season, is averaging 101.2 through five games this year. … Arizona State is 13-1 at home when senior forward Ron Riley has scored 20 or more points.

Pac-10 teams are 4-2 in games against Top 25 teams. … When asked recently by a media rep what it meant to have his contract extended through 2000, ASU coach Bill Frieder said, “I guess it means we are stuck with each other for the next five years.” … WSU’s Mark Hendrickson leads all active Pac-10 players with 33 double-doubles, 26 of which have come on the road. … The Cougars’ Isaac Fontaine ranks No. 2 in the nation in 3-point shooting accuracy, having connected on 11 of 15 attempts.

, DataTimes