CS Long Beach Gives Greenberg 5-Year Contract

Financially plagued Cal State Long Beach rewarded basketball Coach Seth Greenberg with a five-year contract Friday for guiding the 49ers into the NCAA tournament for the first time in 16 years.

Greenberg will make $95,000 next season. With incentives tied to ticket sales and another appearance in the NCAA tournament, he could reach $113,000. About $71,000 will be paid by the state, the remainder by boosters.

Greenberg could earn as much as $163,000 during the contract’s final year if the 49ers meet performance clauses.

“I’m really excited that the university has the confidence in me to bring our basketball program back to . . . national prominence,” said Greenberg, who can buy his way out of the deal at any time. “This season’s success only begins to scratch the surface of Long Beach’s basketball potential.”

Illinois defeated the 49ers, 75-72, in the opening round of the West Regional. Long Beach was 22-10, its best record since the 1989-90 season.

The announcement ended speculation, which started last fall, that Greenberg wanted out. The third-year coach said the rumors hampered recruiting.

Terms of the agreement call for Greenberg to take a major role in raising $7.5 million for the construction of an on-campus arena, which is supposed to open in late 1994.