CSUN Loses Services of 2 More Players : College basketball: Roster down to 11 athletes less than three weeks before the Matadors’ Division I debut.

Cal State Northridge lost two more basketball players Tuesday, reducing its roster to 11 going into its opener and NCAA Division I debut Nov. 23 at Colorado.

Starting point guard Eugene Humphrey left the team to concentrate on his studies and reserve swingman Erik Cooper was declared academically ineligible for the fall semester. Both are seniors.

As a result, Kirk Scott is the only player back from last year’s team. The latest departures bring to eight the number of players who have either left the team or become ineligible since last season.

“I feel that I am unable to give 100% to both school and basketball,” said Humphrey, a transfer from Cerritos College who averaged 6.9 points and 3.5 assists a game last season.

Humphrey was more interested in another number--his grade-point average, which recently dropped below 3.0, a level unacceptable according to Humphrey’s standards. That, combined with a tough academic load, led to his decision to concentrate on school.

“I have four 400-level classes,” said Humphrey, a political science major. “They all require a lot of attention.”

CSUN Coach Pete Cassidy was saddened, if not surprised, by Humphrey’s decision.

“It hurts,” Cassidy said. “But at the same time I honor his feelings about his schoolwork. He is an ultra-conscientious kid. He feels like when he is on the court he should be in the library.”

According to Cassidy, Humphrey set a fine example for a team of newcomers who are trying to learn to play together.

“He had a great work ethic,” Cassidy said. “He never loafed, ever, and he was an excellent listener.”

Although Humphrey’s role was to push the pace in the Matadors’ new run-and-gun offense, he also was asked to provide a scoring touch.

“He was shooting the lights out (in practice),” Cassidy said. “He took to that one (point) position very well.”

In the meantime, Cassidy will move Keith Gibbs, a West Valley College transfer, to the point to replace Humphrey.

A gifted outside shooter, Gibbs will have to run the offense until either freshman Andre Chevalier, of Cleveland High, or freshman Martin Smith, a former St. Bernard High standout, emerges to take control.

Cooper’s loss will be felt primarily at the offensive end. Although he was not expected to start, he scored 25 points in the first intrasquad game and gave the Matadors depth at shooting guard.

Although Cooper’s grade-point average is above the minimum 2.0, he unwittingly repeated a course. As a result, he did not receive credit for it and fell one unit shy of the number needed for athletic eligibility.

Earlier this season, forward Percy Fisher was deemed academically ineligible, and Jemarl Baker quit the team to take care of family responsibilities.

In the off-season, several players transferred, including Kendell McDaniels (Cal State Bakersfield), Bill Mazurie (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo), Sandy Brown (Occidental), and Shanan Rosenberg (UC Davis).