Freedom Bowl Classic Shelved : Basketball: Scheduling conflicts and inability to make deal with Division I teams prompt Orange County Sports Assn. to cancel this year’s event.

The Freedom Bowl Basketball Classic, a Division I staple in Orange County the past six years, will take a sabbatical this winter.

Bowl officials, told late that UC Irvine would not be involved this season because of scheduling conflicts, could not put together a marketable field.

They then tried a variety of alternatives, including a one-day, non-tournament format, but after negotiations between Cal State Fullerton and Alabama Birmingham broke off late last week, Orange County Sports Assn. Executive Director Don Andersen said it is getting too late to put an event together.

“There were two or three snags,” Andersen said of the tournament, which was to be played the weekend of Dec. 4 at Anaheim Arena. “(Alabama Birmingham Coach Gene) Bartow wanted Fullerton to play a return game there next year, and Fullerton didn’t want to. And Bartow was trying to get Mississippi State to move a game this winter (so Alabama Birmingham could play in the tournament) and they didn’t want to do that.

“There’s no sense forcing the issue in something this late that’s not coming together anyway.”

The tournament has been at the Bren Center the past six seasons.

“(Irvine) told us very late that they were not going to do the event,” Andersen said. “They want to come back next year. They think they can bring Georgetown.”

After Irvine backed out, Andersen talked with Fullerton about playing host to the tournament and the Titans had conversations with officials from Utah and Wisconsin, as well as Alabama Birmingham, but were unable to make a deal.

Andersen said that without a television contract, it is difficult to woo prominent Division I teams. He said he spoke with Indiana Coach Bobby Knight a couple of months ago but couldn’t make a significant financial guarantee.

“Bobby Knight can play one home game and net $250,000,” Andersen said. “Why would he come here for $20,000?”

Alabama Birmingham would have been guaranteed about $15,000, Andersen said.

As for the tournament’s future, Andersen said he will sit down with officials from Fullerton and Irvine this summer and discuss plans.

“Will they both be in it (every year)?” Andersen said. “Will we rotate it? Our main interest is to promote Division I basketball. I’ve always been a major devotee of college basketball. I’d like to see us continue with it and figure in with marquee teams.”

In other Orange County Division I basketball news, Fullerton learned that Chris Dade, a 6-foot-2 point guard who averaged 16.5 points for San Diego El Camino High last season, has satisfied his Scholastic Aptitude Test eligibility requirements.

Meanwhile, Titan Coach Brad Holland confirmed that Davy Fortson, a guard from Dorsey High School who had orally committed to the Titans, did not qualify for eligibility under SAT guidelines.

Fortson, who averaged 22 points, five rebounds and two assists per game at Dorsey, will attend Santa Monica Community College.