Cougars Give Ellison The Boot Troubled Point Guard Ends His WSU Career

Washington State University men’s basketball player Donminic Ellison, troubled by academic and legal problems during his three years in Pullman, will not return for his senior season.

Ellison’s departure, announced Monday by coach Kevin Eastman, had been expected since April, when Ellison was arrested for possession of marijuana and driving with a suspended license.

The 5-foot-10 point guard had been suspended in each of his three seasons at WSU, twice for academic reasons and once for being a minor in possession of alcohol.

Eastman made the announcement through a university news release. Ellison, who resides in Inglewood, Calif., did not return phone calls. His Pullman attorney, John Snyder, could not be reached.

“The parting of the ways is definitely best for all parties,” Eastman said in the release. “Donminic gave three good years of basketball to WSU, but this decision reaches well beyond basketball, as will all decisions I’ll make with regard to our total program.”

Ellison, who averaged 10.8 points and 5.6 assists as a junior, started 53 of the 55 games he played during the last two seasons. In 84 career games at WSU, the former Morningside (Calif.) High School player dished out 441 assists, third in school history. Only Bennie Seltzer (473) and Keith Morrison (456) had more assists as Cougars. As a sophomore, Ellison set the school record for assists in a season, with 192.

In Ellison’s absence, senior Kareem Jackson becomes WSU’s only point guard with college experience. There was little playing time for Jackson last season, however, as Ellison averaged a team-high 35 minutes per game.

Blake Pengelley, a 5-10 recruit from Eugene, Ore., is also on the roster.

“Undoubtedly, this decision will hurt next year’s team in that we’ll not have the services of one of the Pac-10’s finest point guards,” Eastman said, “coupled with the fact that we’ll probably be the youngest team in the league next season.”

Ellison has one year of eligibility left. To finish his playing career on the NCAA Division I level, Ellison would have to sit out one season. He would be immediately eligible at a non-Division I school.

According to the WSU release, Eastman is “working to try and help Ellison at another institution, so he can finish his eligibility and degree.”

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