Benjamin Awaits Eligibility at Oregon State

Corey Benjamin, The Times’ boys’ basketball player of the year last season, thought about joining the growing ranks of high school players making themselves available for the NBA draft.

The 6-foot-6 guard/forward from Fontana decided instead to sign a letter of intent with Oregon State in April even though he had not met NCAA academic entrance requirements. His older brother, Sonny Jr., is a forward for the Beavers.

After failing to get the needed score on either the Scholastic Assessment Test or American College Test for athletic eligibility, Benjamin recently took the ACT again and received an acceptable score. But because the date was outside the NCAA-required testing period, the case was appealed to the NCAA. No decision has been reached.

“It’s been very frustrating,” said Benjamin, who averaged 28 points and 11 rebounds last season. “It’s like a year of my basketball life depends on a test, and you have to put your game on hold.”

If the appeal is denied, Oregon State Athletic Director Dutch Baughman said Benjamin would be eligible to receive aid, practice and travel with the team. He is currently practicing with the team.

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This will probably be the last boys’ basketball season in California without a shot clock.

The CIF Council is expected to adopt a 30-second shot clock for all games beginning with the 1997-98 season at its next meeting in February. It was to vote on a proposal for a 35-second shot clock last week but amended the item to include either a 35-second or 30-second shot clock.

Section leaders complained a 35-second shot clock would provide a financial hardship to many schools since they all have 30-second shot clocks already used for the girls.

“Basically, all of the schools would have to buy new timing devices to accommodate 35 seconds, and many can’t afford it,” said Jim Duel, CIF spokesman. “Apparently, most of the 30-second clocks don’t go up to 35.”

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The Fremont and Westchester boys’ basketball programs have been punished by the City Section for rules violations.

Fremont Coach Sam Sullivan has been suspended for the opening game and the school has been put on probation for one year for allowing Flint Smith to participate in the L.A. Watts Summers Games last June.

Smith was enrolled at Jordan during the tournament and not allowed to play for another school. He has since transferred to Fremont through open enrollment.

At Westchester, Coach Ed Azzam will be without the services of volunteer assistant Dewitt Cotton, who was found to have falsified addresses for two junior varsity players last season.

Westchester had to forfeit all junior varsity games, Cotton was suspended from coaching in the district for one year, and the basketball staff was required to review the rule book.

The two players, Rufus Tucker and Earl Crawford, were also ruled ineligible for a year and have since transferred out of the school.

Fremont and Westchester traditionally are two of the top teams in the section.

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Torrance Bishop Montgomery is sponsoring a donor drive to find a bone marrow match for athlete Val Manalansan.

Manalansan, 17, has been battling a rare form of leukemia and had a relapse last month. He is undergoing chemotherapy treatments.

On Nov. 16, the American Red Cross will station a mobile screening unit at Ruby’s Diner in Redondo Beach. The school hopes to raise $45,000 to help cover the $45 screening cost for each person. Anyone between the ages of 18 and 60 can get tested.

Manalansan is a four-handicap golfer who last spring was one of the promising players in the Southern Section Del Rey League. He was found to have leukemia two years ago and has had recurring health problems since.

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The Oxnard football team is having one of its finest seasons in years with a 6-0-2 record, and it’s doing it with offense.

In the Yellowjackets’ 50-41 victory over cross-town rival Rio Mesa on Friday, the teams combined for 1,059 yards.

Junior tailback Desmond Davis rushed for 276 yards and a touchdown, accounting for more than half of Oxnard’s 481 yards.

Rio Mesa finished with 578 yards.

“We just wanted to make sure that if they scored, we could come back and we could score on them,” Oxnard Coach Wes Morimune said.

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Hacienda Heights Wilson and Hacienda Heights Los Altos will meet Friday night at 7:30 at Los Altos in one of the area’s most heated football rivalries.

Los Altos won, 24-13, last year and has a 21-6-1 lead in the “Havoc in the Heights” series.

The winner receives a symbolic wheel that it will keep until next year’s game. The winner will also have the inside track for the Southern Section’s Miramonte League title since both are 3-0 in the league.

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Newport Harbor, the most successful water polo program in Southern Section history, will miss the playoffs for the first time in 30 years.

With a 10-13 record and only two games left, the Sailors cannot finish high enough in the Sea View League or with a good enough record to be considered for the playoffs.

Newport Harbor has won a section-high 10 Division I titles and reached the final seven other times under Coach Bill Barnett.