Clark Plans to Add Clerical Duties to Job Description as Saugus Coach

In the wake of this week’s forfeiture of seven victories, Saugus basketball Coach John Clark has decided to amend his job description.

Saugus, the defending Southern Section 3-A Division champion, was forced to forfeit all of its wins for use of an ineligible player. Jason Harrison, a 6-2 forward, transferred from Hamilton, where he had been enrolled for eight semesters. Southern Section rules state that a student’s athletic eligibility expires after eight consecutive semesters.

“If a transfer walks in the door, I’ve got to see the transcript before he plays a game,” Clark said. “I didn’t think that was my job, but obviously, it is.”

Clark learned of Harrison’s ineligibility after Hamilton officials notified Saugus on Monday. After verifying the information on Harrison’s transcripts, Saugus officials contacted the Southern Section office, which ordered the forfeits.

The school’s unfamiliarity with athletic transfers was responsible for the forfeits, Clark said.

“You could count the number of athletic transfers we’ve had since the school opened on one hand,” he said. “We’re not tuned in to the technique of transfers. There was a breakdown in communication and alertness at four or five different levels, myself included.

“Ten years from now, if I’m doing this insanity, I won’t make that mistake again.”

Add Saugus: Clark and Harrison’s father, Raynard, had a heated exchange Wednesday night over the question of blame. Harrison wanted to ensure that his son would avoid the role of fall guy.

“I don’t want my son to carry the blame,” Harrison said. “I don’t want everyone saying, ‘Jason, it’s your fault because your parents told you to play.’ He’s been devastated by this. It’s been hard to live in this house.”

Clark said he was just as upset as the Harrisons.

“The dad is upset and I understand, but he doesn’t understand how upset I am,” he said. “I’m furious. I’ve got senior kids who have worked their butts off. We put a lot of spirit into it and we’ve got nothing except the cliches that I can pull out for the kids.”

Before the forfeiture, Saugus had an overall record of 7-11, but the Centurions were 3-2 in Golden League play and in contention for a playoff spot. Although postseason play is all but impossible, his players have not quit, Clark said.

“There were some tears and disbelief, but the players weren’t devastated,” he said. “After we talked about it, they said, ‘Let’s go to practice.’ They want to win five in a row and get in the playoffs.”

Evidence for the defense: Bob Braswell swears it’s true.

The Cleveland coach told his team Wednesday that he once had held Stuart Gray of Kennedy--who later attended UCLA and now plays for the Indiana Pacers--to eight points in 1979.

Braswell just cannot seem to prove it.

“I tried to find the score book from that game,” Braswell said with a laugh. “I found just about every other score, but I can’t find that one.”

Braswell was a senior at Cleveland at the time and Gray was a sophomore. Braswell came off the bench--he says--and helped shut Gray down, even though Kennedy won the game. This time, Cleveland shut down another big man, Fairfax All-American Chris Mills, and won, 54-50.

“I’m pretty sure it was eight,” he said. “Or maybe it was 18.”

Add Cleveland-Fairfax: The Cavaliers nearly gave the game away in the fourth quarter when they made only 3 of 7 free throws.

Braswell put on an act from the sideline as Fairfax cut into Cleveland’s lead by fouling and converting missed Cavalier free throws.

“I tried to have that calm look on my face, I tried to look positive,” Braswell said. “I didn’t need them looking over to the bench and seeing some look of fear on my face.”

Cleveland made only 8 of 18 free throws in the game. At Thursday’s practice, Cleveland spent 15 minutes shooting free throws at six different baskets.

Last add Cleveland: Forward Richard Branham played extremely well, scoring a team-high 19 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. A personal highlight came with 4:05 in the game and Cleveland leading, 45-40.

With Mills trying to front him, Branham took a lob pass, turned and slammed the ball in, bringing the crowd to its feet.

“That was for the last game,” Braswell said of the December loss, when Mills held Branham to eight points. “Mills jammed one over him in that game and the team has been on Rich about that.

“It’s been on his mind ever since. These guys don’t let anybody forget those things.”

You bring the chips: Senior center Brian Jacobs, an All-State offensive lineman, has left the Hart basketball team after seeing limited playing time, Coach Greg Herrick said.

Jacobs (6-5, 270) joined the team after football season and was starting but not playing many minutes. Jacobs, who is considering playing football at either UCLA or USC, was used sparingly because Hart uses a smaller, quicker lineup.

Jacobs, who also was named to the All-State academic team, said he discussed the move with Herrick and they agreed that leaving was in Jacobs’ best interest.

“There are no hard feelings at all,” Jacobs said.

“I still go over to his house all the time and watch basketball games and eat his food.”

Jacobs said the pressures of choosing a school was the main reason he left.

“I’m under a lot of recruiting pressure, we have tests coming up here and I have to start my weightlifting soon,” Jacobs said. “I have to start getting my priorities in order.”

Sandbagging: Although L. A. Baptist is 13-3 and leads the Alpha League with a 5-0 record, the Knights should be heavy underdogs in tonight’s league showdown against Montclair Prep (10-6, 4-1 in league play), according to Coach Maury Neville.

The coach’s fears center on Craig Handschu, Montclair Prep’s 6-2 junior guard who is averaging 26.2 points a game, and David Sanger, a 6-7 center who is averaging 11.9 rebounds and 14.2 points.

“They’re bigger, quicker and stronger than we are,” Neville said. “I don’t think Handschu is stoppable.

“If we hold him to 30, we might have a chance. If he scores 40, we’re in trouble. And we don’t have anyone who can match up against Sanger, either.”

How did the Knights defeat Montclair Prep, 67-64, in their first meeting? By staying within their structured offense, Neville said.

“If we stay within our limitations, we’ve got a chance. If we can control the tempo of the game, we’ve got a chance,” he said.

Neville has no intention of getting involved in a track meet with Montclair Prep, which defeated Marshall Fundamental, 102-97, last week.

“That was like an NBA game,” Neville marveled. “If we play at that pace, we’ll get embarrassed.”

Steven Fleischman and Staff writers Steve Elling and John Ortega contributed to this notebook.