SportsScope : El Camino Cagers, Coach Make Peace

The El Camino College women’s basketball team, which forfeited a game last weekend after a dispute between players and Coach Jackie Lott, has settled its problems and will finish its schedule, James Schwartz, dean of physical education and athletics, said this week.

The Warriors, 5-13 overall and 0-4 in the South Coast Conference, are competing with only six players because of injuries and academic ineligibility.

After a distressing loss to Mt. San Antonio College last week, Lott apparently indicated to players that she wanted to cancel the season. The team forfeited Friday’s game to Fullerton. Players told the South Bay Daily Breeze over the weekend that Lott, a third-year coach who works part-time at El Camino, was not liked and intended to resign.

But this week Schwartz said in an interview that the “lack of communication between the players and coach” had been resolved in a meeting and that the team would continue its schedule as long as five players could be suited up. “We went into the season with high hopes, then we had some problems with eligibility and injuries, so they’ve had their problems,” Schwartz said. “After Mt. SAC she (Lott) was upset. It was really no big deal.”

Cal State Dominguez Hills plays its first conference road game Friday against Cal State Los Angeles, then returns home to play Cal State Northridge on Saturday as the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. basketball race continues. Both games begin at 8:05 p.m. after women’s games between the same schools. The Toros, 12-4, are a game behind UC Riverside in the CCAA at 2-1, tied with four other teams including Northridge, which is 6-10 overall. Cal State L.A. is 5-9 for the season and 0-3 in the conference.