Kansas State Coach Hopes Charges Against Vasiljevic Will Be Dropped

A Kansas State assistant basketball coach said Wednesday he is hopeful misdemeanor charges against former Simi Valley High standout Pero Vasiljevic and another Wildcat player will be dropped before the case comes to trial in November.

Vasiljevic faces charges of assault and criminal trespass in a May 5 incident in which he and teammate Manny Dies allegedly broke into the apartment of Todd Stewart, a columnist for the school newspaper who wrote that Dies was the worst player in the history of college basketball.

Dies is charged with criminal damage to property, assault and criminal trespass.

Wildcat assistant David Campbell said he expects both players, who have pleaded not guilty, to be with the team for the start of next season. Vasiljevic could not be reached for comment.

“I’m confident nothing is going to happen,” said Campbell, a former Pepperdine assistant. “Pero was just with Manny [during the alleged incident] and there was no assault. They never even saw [Stewart]. Hopefully it will all be resolved before the trial date.”

Campbell said neither player has been suspended by Kansas State and they have continued to work out with the team.

Vasiljevic, a 6-foot-9 forward, will be a freshman after sitting out most of last season because of a broken foot.

“It’s the best thing that could have happened to him,” Campbell said of Vasiljevic’s year off from basketball. “He’s gotten a lot bigger and he got to practice every day in a college environment. We’re hoping he can come in and make a contribution.”

Recruits ineligible: Pepperdine basketball recruits Kevin Bradley and Jeremy Vague have failed to meet NCAA academic requirements, leaving the Waves with only nine scholarship players for the coming season.

Bradley, a 6-foot-1 point guard from Crenshaw High, and Vague, a 6-10 forward from San Marcos High in San Diego County, both failed to achieve qualifying scores on college entrance tests.

The loss of Bradley, who helped Crenshaw win the state Division I title last season, leaves Pepperdine short-handed in the backcourt with only three guards--Gerald Brown, Jelani Gardner and Tezale Archie.

Wave Coach Lorenzo Romar said he hopes to shore up the problem by signing a junior college guard and having forward Tommie Prince help out with ballhandling duties.

Pepperdine has committed scholarships to 11 players but transfers Nick Sheppard, a 6-11 center from Louisiana State, and David Lalazarian, a 6-8 forward from Notre Dame, must sit out next season in accordance with NCAA rules.