Beating at Practice Led 49ers to Suspend Johnson

Marcus Johnson, a Long Beach State junior forward suspended indefinitely Monday for an unspecified reason, is off the basketball team for injuring a teammate in an unprovoked attack, school officials acknowledged Tuesday.

Corey Saffold, a junior swingman, received facial cuts and bruises after Johnson hit him at least three times during practice Sunday night, according to Long Beach officials. Saffold was rushed to St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach, where he received five stitches to close a gash on his nose.

Long Beach officials declined to specify the reason for the suspension until reporters questioned the athletic administrators about the incident Tuesday. A Long Beach spokesman cited privacy laws for the decision, although neither player involved is a minor.

The incident occurred as Long Beach players participated in full-court drills at the Pyramid. Johnson, 6 feet 9 and 210 pounds, and Saffold (6-7, 200) briefly exchanged words after running a play and then Johnson hit Saffold in the face, knocking him down, an eyewitness said. Saffold lay bleeding as Johnson hit him at least twice more before being restrained.

Saffold, whose face still appeared swollen and bruised, attended practice Tuesday dressed in street clothes. Acting on behalf of first-year Coach Wayne Morgan, Long Beach State media relations director Randy Franz denied reporters’ requests to interview Saffold.

Although Johnson has been suspended indefinitely, Otis Saffold, Corey’s father, is not pleased with Long Beach’s handling of the situation. Morgan has left the door ajar, albeit with conditions, for Johnson to return.

“That there’s a chance [Johnson] might come back is not acceptable to me,” Saffold said. “And I never even received a call from one official from that school to say they were sorry for what happened to my son.”

This is not the first incident involving Johnson, probably the 49ers’ best post player. Johnson also was suspended indefinitely last season after slamming then-Coach Seth Greenberg against a wall in the 49er locker room after a game, several eyewitnesses said. Johnson returned after sitting out two Big West Conference games.

In August, 1995, Johnson was arrested in Long Beach and held in custody for two days on charges of assault with a deadly weapon. The Long Beach city prosecutor, citing insufficient evidence, declined to press charges.