BRIEFLY : CSUN Basketball Team Lands Barnes

North Hollywood High’s Cliff Barnes, the East Valley League’s most valuable basketball player, signed a letter of intent Wednesday night with Cal State Northridge.

Barnes, a 6-5 center who averaged 16 points and 11 rebounds during his senior season, said he would play small forward for the Matadors.

“I might have to sit the bench and learn as a freshman, but I would like to go right in and help out,” Barnes said.

Said North Hollywood Coach Steve Miller: “He’s really improved this year, and he’ll get better and better. I think he could play Division I. He can step in and help Northridge right away.”

Illinois’ Markland Faces Hearing

Jeff Markland’s career as a University of Illinois football player will be decided today when a faculty and student disciplinary committee reviews the former Pierce College All-American’s involvement in a fraternity-house brawl.

Markland was charged with two counts of aggravated battery and one count of battery after police broke up a March 8 disturbance at the Phi Kappa Psi house on the Illinois campus. Markland was scheduled to appear at a preliminary hearing Tuesday at the Champaign County Circuit Court in Champaign, Ill. The hearing has been postponed.

Today, a four-student, three-faculty committee at the university will decide whether Markland, who received a full athletic scholarship when he left Pierce in 1984, will remain on the Illini football team.

Markland, who attended Burroughs High in Burbank, was an All-American tight end at Pierce when the Brahmas won the Southern California Conference championship in 1984.

Markland redshirted last season at Illinois. In December of 1984, Markland signed a national letter of intent with Illinois after being recruited by more than 50 universities.

Pierce Seeks 18th Straight Win

The Pierce College men’s volleyball team, the first-place team in the South Coast Conference, will play host to Long Beach City on Friday at 7 p.m. The Brahmas (18-1) have won 17 straight matches and are 10-0 in conference.

Sophomore outside hitter Bob Samuelson leads the Brahmas, averaging 20 kills per match. Erik Peters, a 6-4 freshman from Taft High, handles the middle blocking duties for Pierce. Sophomore setter Tony Rusen runs the offense for the Brahmas.