Forward to Transfer From Arizona State to USD, Will Be Eligible in ’89

Junior forward John Jerome has obtained his release from the Arizona State University basketball team and will transfer to the University of San Diego next fall.

“We can’t make it official until the paperwork goes through,” Hank Egan, USD basketball coach, said Friday. “I have talked with (Arizona State basketball coach) Steve Patterson about it, and he confirmed John has obtained his release. We are interested in John.

“When we get the release in writing, then we’ll make arrangements for John to transfer to the University of San Diego.”

USD recruited the 6-foot 7-inch Jerome when he was at Mesa (Ariz.) Community College, but he picked ASU instead.

In his one year at ASU, Johnson averaged 18 minutes in 27 of the team’s 29 games, with 10 starts. He averaged 8.1 points and 4.2 rebounds.

“He indicated he was unhappy about his playing time and opportunities to play in the future,” Patterson said Thursday. “And he was not happy with the role he was presented with at Arizona State. We mutually agreed that, given that fact, it would be in our best interests if he pursued other options.”

Jerome, who must sit out next season because of the transfer, said that USD is “a place that wants me to play and do some things for them. I don’t know about ASU.

“I just got the feeling they really didn’t need me. At the beginning of the year, they wanted me to play. But as the season progressed, I felt they didn’t want me anymore, that I was a nonfactor.”

ASU was 13-16 last season with nine consecutive losses and had its fourth losing season in the past five years.

Dana Jackson, a forward from Crystal Lake (Ill.) South High School, has signed a letter of intent to attend San Diego State, said Gary Collins, Crystal Lake South coach.

Jackson, who is 6-feet 7-inches tall and weighs 208 pounds, averaged 19.1 points and 10.9 rebounds as a senior. Collins said Jackson selected SDSU over Tennessee and UC Santa Barbara. He also visited Colorado State and Pittsburgh.

Jackson played center for Crystal Lake South, but Collins said he would play forward at SDSU.

BASEBALL

Jeff Barry hit a three-run home run in San Diego State’s eight-run eighth inning as the Aztecs beat visiting Oral Roberts, 13-2, for their 10th consecutive victory.

John Marshall (6-1) gained the victory, striking out seven in seven innings. Brian Dunn had three hits, including a double, and Brian Lutes had two hits and three runs batted in.

San Diego State is 29-13-1, Oral Roberts 20-22. The teams meet again today at 7 p.m. at Smith Field.

Troy Percival had three hits, including his first career home run, as UC Riverside beat visiting U.S. International University, 9-2, for its fifth consecutive victory.

Riverside scored five times in the second. Mike Whisonant took the loss for USIU (15-22-1).

BOWLING

George Branham III of San Diego finished 15th in the $500,000 U.S. Open bowling tournament in Atlantic City, N.J.

Branham, who led in some of the early rounds, finished with a 56-game pinfall of 12,849 and a 12-12 match play record to earn $6,000. His pinfall was 40 behind 14th-place Ron Williams of Cahokia, Ill.

Mike Taylor of Carlsbad finished with a pinfall of 12,689 and a match-play record of 13-11 for 18th place and $5,000.

Marshall Holman of Medford, Ore., is the top seed going into today’s television finals with an 18-6 match-play record and a pinfall of 13,641.