UCLA Denies Givens; He Will Appeal

UCLA center omm’A Givens is appealing a decision by school officials denying his request to be released from his basketball scholarship so he can transfer to Pepperdine, Bruin Athletic Director Peter Dalis said Monday.

Dalis said Givens’ request was denied because he believes Lorenzo Romar, a former UCLA assistant, reneged on an agreement not to recruit Bruin players after he was named Pepperdine coach Feb. 20. Dalis said UCLA would release Givens to any other NCAA Division I school.

“I think the circumstances were awkward because Coach Romar was kept on [UCLA’s] staff for seven games after he was named coach at Pepperdine,” Dalis said. “I advised Coach Romar against taking any of our players because of that.

“I’m disappointed and disturbed by the whole sequence of events.”

Dalis said the decision to deny Givens’ request was supported by UCLA Coach Jim Harrick. Dalis added that it was the first time in his 13 years as athletic director that the school has denied an athlete’s request to be released from a scholarship.

Givens, a 6-foot-10 sophomore who was the subject of transfer rumors for much of the 1995-96 season, could not be reached for comment.

Dalis said the appeal will be conducted before a panel of non-athletic department personnel.