LOCAL NOTES : Georgetown to Join Freedom Bowl Field

The Disneyland Freedom Bowl Classic has secured a commitment from Georgetown to play in the four-team basketball tournament at the Bren Center in December, the Orange County Sports Assn. announced Thursday.

Don Andersen, executive director of the OCSA, said Georgetown’s participation is set, although a Georgetown spokesman said the school would not confirm that until it releases its full schedule.

UC Irvine Coach Rod Baker, a former Seton Hall assistant, used his connections to Georgetown Coach John Thompson to help arrange the agreement. But in order for Georgetown to fit the Disneyland Freedom Bowl Classic into its schedule, the tournament had to be moved back more than three weeks to Dec. 28 and 30, the day before and after the Freedom Bowl football game.

That change set off a flurry of schedule adjustments--Irvine was to play at the Indiana tournament Dec. 27-28 in Indianapolis--but the major stumbling blocks apparently have been removed.

“Having someone with Georgetown’s national reputation is another step forward,” said Andersen, who is seeking to improve the tournament’s field and plans to stage future Freedom Bowl tournaments at the Anaheim Arena after its completion in 1993.

There are still some details to be worked out for the 1992 tournament--such as who the other two teams will be. San Diego State, which had agreed to participate before the date of the event was changed from Dec. 4-5, has yet to confirm it will still play.

“I’m a little nervous, but I think we can fill it,” Andersen said. Baker has undertaken the task of securing the two teams.

Irvine is still juggling its schedule. After moving the Freedom Bowl Classic and seeking a release from its commitment to the Indiana tournament, Irvine is left with a tentative opener that is not until Dec. 22, against Loyola of Chicago in the Bren Center.

However, Irvine’s release from the Indiana tournament might require the Anteaters to play road games at Hofstra and Yale, replacing St. Francis, Irvine’s likely stand-in at Indianapolis, Andersen said.

Because the Freedom Bowl Classic will be a tournament this year instead of two sets of doubleheaders as it was last year, there is no assurance Irvine and Georgetown will meet.

Georgetown finished with a 22-10 record last season and was one of three teams that tied for the regular-season Big East Conference title. The Hoyas advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament, where they lost to Florida State.

Andersen said plans already are under way for the 1993 tournament, and that UC Irvine and Cal State Fullerton have been invited, as well as Indiana. That invitation was extended by former Chapman Coach Bob Boyd. Andersen said Indiana Coach Bob Knight “is interested” and the two plan to meet this weekend when Knight visits Southern California.