Coaches Punished for Recruiting : Prep basketball: Two Fremont assistants cut off from the school, which is also put on probation.

Two Fremont High boys’ basketball assistant coaches must disassociate themselves from the team for allegedly recruiting players, the City Section Rules Committee said Tuesday.

After 3 1/2 hours of testimony by Fremont administrators and members of the coaching staff, the nine-member committee deliberated for an hour before handing down one of its toughest punishments in recent years.

In addition, the program was put on a year’s probation. Fremont has one of the top teams in the City Section, having reached the semifinals of the Division 4-A playoffs last season.

The committee ruled that assistant Keith Young made illegal contact with Kenny Washington last summer while Washington was enrolled at Wilmington Banning High. Washington, a 6-foot-3 forward, transferred to Fremont last September but was declared ineligible by the City Section for an insufficient change in residency. He sat out his senior season.

Irv Robertson, another Fremont assistant, was cited for recruiting Johnny Williams. Williams, a 6-7 center, was dismissed from Woodland Hills Taft last November for disciplinary reasons. The district reassigned him to North Hollywood, but Robertson told Williams if he came to Fremont he would gain immediate eligibility.

Williams, who is now attending North Hollywood High, also sat out his senior season.

Young and Robertson denied any wrongdoing at Tuesday’s meeting. Sam Sullivan, Fremont’s coach the last 17 years, said he runs a clean program.

“Nobody at this school is doing any recruiting,” Sullivan said. “I have never done any recruiting, and I make sure my assistants follow the rules.”

Coaches are not allowed outside contact with athletes not enrolled in their schools, according to CIF rules.

Barbara Fiege, City Section commissioner, said she will inform Fremont Principal John Haydel to make sure Young and Robertson are no longer connected with the program. They are eligible to return July 1, 1996.

This is the second disciplinary action against Fremont’s basketball program in the last three years. It was also put on probation for the 1991-92 season after a series of fights on the court the previous season.