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USC declares recruit DeRozan eligible to play basketball

Joe Zedalis — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 06:52:54 PDT

Top USC basketball recruit DeMar DeRozan said today that university officials have academically cleared him to immediately begin basketball activities with the Trojans.

DeRozan, a 6-foot-6 forward from Compton High, was prepared to enroll in summer classes, most likely at Compton College, he said, to ensure he'd be eligible to play at USC. He said he took an ACT college entrance exam in June, and the score, combined with his grade-point average, clinched his eligibility. He said USC compliance officials informed him of the positive ACT outcome on Friday.

Last week, USC Coach Tim Floyd said he was prepared to wait until the end of August for DeRozan to be deemed eligible. DeRozan was set to start summer classes Monday to beef up his GPA if necessary but said he has instead withdrawn.

The joy was missing from Billy Packer's game

Joe Zedalis — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 06:41:36 PDT

Billy Packer had become old-school — and not in the good way of paying attention to detail or studying hard before he would go on the air, but in the way of a crotchety old guy who chases neighborhood kids out of the yard.

"Get off my grass, younguns," became "How dare the NCAA tournament committee let in all those Bradleys and Wichita States and George Masons instead of . . . (insert any bottom-feeder from the Atlantic Coast Conference).

Packer will no longer be part of the CBS college basketball broadcast team, it was announced Monday. In a statement, Packer, 68, said he was leaving to "pursue other basketball projects." He will be replaced by Clark Kellogg, 47. Kellogg is knowledgeable, fair-minded and, most of all, seems excited to be doing college basketball.

Packer, who played college basketball at Wake Forest, has been part of every Final Four television broadcast since 1975. His best years were when he was teamed with Dick Enberg and Al McGuire. His dyspeptic rant during the 2006 CBS NCAA tournament selection show, when he unapologetically savaged the choice of four Missouri Valley Conference teams, offered a couple of good points missed because of his red-faced anger. Oh, and no apology from Billy when Bradley and Wichita State went to the Sweet 16.

UCLA, Howland agree to contract extension

Joe Zedalis — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 04:21:07 PDT

Saying that he feels "very blessed" to be the UCLA men's basketball coach, Ben Howland signed a new contract that will keep him with the Bruins through the 2014-15 season. The contract guarantees Howland $1.97 million next season and will rise to $2.3 million in the final year. There are also incentives that could top out at $235,000 per year.

Howland's teams have gone to three consecutive Final Fours. Last season's 35-4 finish set a school record for victories. Howland also is only one of three NCAA coaches in history to win at least 30 games in three consecutive seasons.

Having three underclassmen taken in the most recent NBA draft — sophomore Russell Westbrook was picked fourth, freshman Kevin Love fifth and junior Luc Richard Mbah a Moute 37th — Howland said he expects a different kind of pressure next season.

"If you told me right now I'd get back to the Final Four," Howland said, "I'd be elated."