Watson Ponders Whether To Allow Hines To Return

At noon Monday, North Idaho College men’s basketball coach Hugh Watson was iron-clad in his dismissal of talented point guard Rashaad Hines.

“I’m probably one of the easiest coaches in America to play for. If a man can’t get along with me, something’s wrong,” Watson said. “I’ll take into consideration what the players say, but I’m my own boss when it comes to this stuff.”

By late afternoon, several Cardinals, including Hines, had visited Watson, trying to talk the coach into reinstating Hines. Watson’s defenses were weakening.

“I haven’t made up my mind,” Watson said. “I have to give it more thought.”

Watson booted Hines for an accumulation of problems, many centering on academics and some Watson wouldn’t divulge. Hines missed class early last week with an illness, but Watson wasn’t completely sold on the fact Hines wasn’t feeling well.

Hines didn’t start in Thursday’s loss to Utah Valley.

When Hines missed another class Friday, he was booted. Hines watched Saturday’s game against Salt Lake from the bleachers. At that time, he said he intended to transfer to Kansas State. Hines, who acknowledged he is failing one course at NIC, said he was leaving town Wednesday.

By Monday, he was in Watson’s office, asking for a second chance.

Now the ball is in Watson’s court. He said he’ll rule on Hines in the next few days.

Panhandling

For the first time since Feb. 5, 1980, Treasure Valley’s men’s basketball team defeated College of Southern Idaho, 62-54 Friday. No confirmation on whether pigs flew that night in Ontario, Ore.

“It’s not a misprint,” said a happy Chukars coach Jason Ficca, a Moscow native. “We got some players in here and we put a team together.”

Treasure’s 1980 team had a guard named Ken Owens, who would transfer to Idaho and help Don Monson’s clubs win back-to-back Big Sky titles.

Ficca was a manager at Idaho under then-coach Larry Eustachy, but he didn’t exactly learn at Eustachy’s knee.

“He never said my name for two months,” Ficca said. “The first time he did was just before practice on New Year’s Day. He said, ‘Jason, run out to my car and get my chew.”’

Ficca’s assistant is Bus Connor, an avid outdoorsman, who assisted on Joe Cravens’ staff at Idaho. “He’s been a great influence; what every young coach needs,” Ficca said. “He hunts Chukar in the morning and coaches ‘em in the evening!”

The Big West Conference may be a little lost on the information superhighway. The conference website lists the Humanitarian Bowl pairing as Idaho vs. Conference USA representative. That was right three weeks ago, about the time Southern Mississippi accepted an invitation.

Southern Miss coach Jeff Bower is expected to interview at Baylor today or Wednesday. The frontrunner is former NFL and Alabama coach Gene Stallings. Bower might be second on the pecking order if Stallings snubs Baylor.

Bower makes about $250,000 annually. Baylor is believed to be offering close to $500,000.

Have to credit a cohort in the office for this scenario. If Dennis Erickson gets canned by the Seahawks, what about San Diego? He’s developed an armload of young quarterbacks and Ryan Leaf certainly needs a tutor. Leaf might be more inclined to listen to a former Cougar.

Grad school

Former NIC guard Nick Irvin, brother of ex-Idaho Vandal Lance Irvin, is sitting out at Fresno State. Irvin, an academic casualty at NIC, is working on his grades and could be eligible next season, a Fresno spokesperson said.

Melvin Ely, a talented recruit Watson nearly landed at NIC, starts at center for Fresno, averaging 14 points and eight rebounds.

Front row

Idaho and Washington State will square off for the 254th time Sunday at 5:05 p.m. in the Kibbie Dome. The series, which WSU leads 148-105, began in 1906.

On the prep scene, Sandpoint’s boys visit Lake City at 7:45 Saturday. The coaches - Sandpoint’s Kurt Lundblad and Lake City’s Jim Winger - were teammates on the Coeur d’Alene High team that placed second at state in 1984.

Rumor du jour

NIC’s Watson appears close to adding another player to his roster for the second half of the season. Demertris Hunter, a guard from Albany, Ga., must pass his GED to become eligible. He took the test last week.