Amituanai Transferring to Palomar

Tamasi Amituanai, a 6-foot-3, 305-pound defensive tackle from Vista High who was rated the top prospect in Colorado’s 1989 football recruiting class, is transferring to Palomar College without playing a down for the Buffaloes.

Amituanai, a Times All-County and consensus high school All-American selection, sat out his freshman season last fall as a Prop 48 academic casualty. He was suspended for the upcoming season by Coach Bill McCartney in February after a dormitory incident led to his second brush with the law.

Amituanai contacted Palomar Coach Tom Craft a week ago during a trip home to Oceanside.

“I think he feels a lot has been lifted off his shoulders,” Craft said. “He gave the situation there a year, and it just wasn’t right. He’s looking forward to getting a chance to play.”

Clark said Amituanai showed no inclination to return to Colorado in the future if he becomes eligible.

BASKETBALL

Former University of San Diego basketball player Eric Musselman has been hired by his father, Bill, as a Minnesota Timberwolves assistant coach.

Bill Musselman is the Timberwolves’ coach.

Eric Musselman replaces Bob Zuffelato, who left the team earlier this month to take an assistant coaching position with Dallas. Musselman joins Tom Thibodeau as Minnesota’s assistant coaches.

Musselman, 25, played four seasons for USD from 1984-1987.

During the 1987-88 season, he worked as an assistant director of scouting for the Los Angeles Clippers. Last season, he was general manager and head coach of the Rapid City Thrillers of the Continental Basketball League, the youngest coach ever in the CBA.

TENNIS

Zina Garrison, ranked fifth in the world, has agreed to compete in the Great American Bank Tennis Tournament on Aug. 6-12 at the San Diego Racquet Club. Garrison lost to Steffi Graf in the finals of last year’s event.

No. 6 Julie Willette of Irvine was the only seeded player to lose in the open divisions at the 74th La Jolla Tennis Tournament. Top-seeded Lisa Seeman and second-seeded Julie Tullberg of Ojai were straight-set winners in the women’s open division. In the men’s open, second- and third-seeded Brian Turner and Steve Dawson of San Diego were also easy winners. No. 1-seeded Chris Isaak of USC did not play.