UC Irvine Players Suspended by Conference : Basketball: Obiekea, Smith penalized for roles in postgame brawl with Cal State Fullerton.

Uzoma Obiekea, the UC Irvine player who repeatedly kicked Cal State Fullerton’s Bruce Bowen while Bowen was kneeling on the court during a postgame fight between the teams Saturday, was suspended for four games by the Big West Conference on Tuesday.

Big West Commissioner Dennis Farrell, citing the flagrancy of Obiekea’s actions, termed the punishment the most severe in recent conference history and stipulated that one of the four games will be the Fullerton-Irvine rematch Feb. 13 at Titan Gym.

The conference also suspended Irvine’s LaDay Smith for that game. Smith, who was dressed in street clothes because of a foot injury, is visible on a Dimension Cable videotape tossing aside a crutch and entering the fray to throw a punch.

Fullerton Coach Brad Holland and Bowen both said they accept the conference’s decision and that they are no longer considering legal action. But it was clear both would have preferred harsher penalties.

Both also had accused Irvine’s Dee Boyer of striking the blow that left Bowen’s nose swollen. But Farrell rejected that claim, saying videotape appeared to show Bowen staggering backward into Boyer’s arm, and Boyer reacting defensively.

“I (can’t) see how they didn’t do anything to Boyer,” Bowen said. “And suspending Obiekea for only (four) games. . . . I can’t dwell on that because all it will give me is a headache.

“I really don’t care too much for the decision, but they ruled and they’re the head of it and it’s their decision.”

Holland was more restrained.

“All I want to say is that we accept the penalties. Whether they are severe enough or not, I really don’t have any comment,” Holland said.

“I feel it is in the best interest for both programs to accept the penalties and move on and try to put it behind us.”

Irvine Coach Rod Baker, who announced Sunday that Obiekea was suspended indefinitely pending a Big West ruling, said Obiekea will not be allowed to practice with the team during the Big West suspension and will undergo counseling at the university.

“What he did is not some type of behavior we condone,” Baker said. “He understands I’m very angry with him about what he did. . . . He’s also going to receive some counseling to develop alternative ways of dealing with frustration or dealing with these types of encounters.”

Obiekea could not be reached for comment, but Baker said he spoke with him Tuesday.

“He’s not a very happy individual right now,” Baker said. “He’s not happy about what he did. And he’s just as unhappy about what he’s done to his teammates. He’s not going to be around them for a while.”

Obiekea, a walk-on player who is Irvine’s backup center, will miss upcoming games against New Mexico State, Pacific and San Jose State as well as the Fullerton game next month.

Farrell, who reviewed three videotapes of the incident, said the conference is taking “a strong stance” against fighting and noted that Obiekea’s punishment is more severe than those issued in 1990 after a highly publicized fight between Nevada Las Vegas and Utah State players. UNLV’s Chris Jeter received a three-game suspension after he started a melee by punching Utah State’s Kendall Youngblood after a game in the Thomas & Mack Center. UNLV’s Moses Scurry, who struck a glancing blow to the cheek of Utah State Coach Kohn Smith during the fracas, was suspended for one game.

Obiekea drew what the Big West considered a stiff penalty because of the “flagrancy” of his actions, Farrell said.

“It’s one thing to take a swing, but when he was down, to actually kick him and try to stomp (Bowen’s) face into the court with his foot. Then, he was pulled away trying to come back a second time. To me, that was the flagrancy of the whole situation.”

LaDay Smith was suspended for the next Fullerton game because of actions visible on one of the three videotapes.

“You could almost say he got his hand caught in the cookie jar. He was caught on videotape and we could only take action on those caught on videotape,” Farrell said. “Obviously, there appeared there was a lot of body-shuffling, people chasing each other, grabbing each other and pulling each other away. (But) Smith was in street clothes. He was not suited up for the game. He was on crutches and he clearly comes out to throw a punch. Clearly, his action was unwarranted, and he needed to be penalized also.”

Baker, choosing his words carefully, said he was “surprised” Smith was penalized.

“My perception of what LaDay was doing was that he thought one of his teammates was in trouble,” Baker said. “Now obviously, his reaction to that was out of line.”

Holland and Bowen claimed that a videotape made by a Titan fan incriminated Boyer, but the Big West declined to take action against him.

Farrell viewed that videotape, but relied on another provided by the Orange County News Channel.

“We looked specifically for that accusation,” Farrell said. “We broke (the OCN) videotape down and went slow-motion, forward and back, stopped the action. In regard to Boyer, it appeared to us he was walking toward the fracas along with two other Cal State Fullerton players. That’s when Obiekea took a swing at Bowen and Bowen staggered backward and collided with (Boyer), knocking him off balance. Imagine someone walking (backward) into you. Your immediate reaction is to throw up your arms. In the process it appeared (Bowen’s) face hit Boyer’s elbow. In our estimation it was not an offensive move.”

Said Baker: “(Boyer) didn’t deserve anything, obviously. There was nothing. Had there been something, obviously, it would have been dealt with.”

The Big West considered a wide range of punishment for Obiekea, and rejected a permanent suspension after discussing what type of offenses would call for such a move.

Bowen, unsatisfied with the four-game suspension, hedged when asked what he thought would be appropriate.

“To be honest with you, I don’t know,” Bowen said. “Something. It was in (the Big West’s) hands and they handled it to the best of their ability, but I feel there should be a stiffer punishment when there are fights like this.

“People look at this (suspension) and it’s just four games. . . . Others who may have thought about getting involved, they would think seriously if there was a threat of taking away scholarships (of players who fight.) Basketball games would be much, much cleaner. People wouldn’t be fighting. They’d be thinking, ‘Why would I throw my whole career away over something this person said to me?’

“We reflect basketball to younger people. If we continue to go through things like this, there’s no telling what will happen.”