Ventura Players Ruled Ineligible

The Ventura College men’s basketball program, seeking relief from sanctions levied by the Western State Conference, instead received another devastating blow Friday, when six players--including standouts Eddie Miller and James Lee--were declared ineligible by the WSC for receiving illegal meal subsidies during the 1996-97 season.

A conference hearing board on Wednesday voted unanimously to uphold sanctions imposed Oct. 8 against Ventura for a litany of violations of state rules--including coaches and boosters providing players with money and free meals.

Sanctions include a two-year probation that prohibits perennially powerful Ventura--state champion in 1995 and 1996--from participating in postseason play.

In addition, the board voted, 9-1, to penalize players who allegedly were provided free meals by former Coach Virgil Watson, numerous coaches, faculty, mentors and boosters.

Also declared ineligible were guards Lukman Dotson and Sean Van Gundy, and forwards Donte Lincoln and Arthur Karuletwa. The players may regain eligibility for the 1998-99 season, the conference said, if they repay money for meals to donors. None of the players, all sophomores, could be reached for comment.

Miller, a 6-foot-8 former All-City guard for Chatsworth High, averaged 12.8 points a game last season. Lee, a 6-5 forward from Locke High, averaged a team-high 15.4 points and 9.1 rebounds.

Ventura Coach Glen Hefferman also could not be reached. Hefferman, who was hired in August, addressed the conference panel Wednesday at Santa Monica College, pleading for the probation to be overturned.

Hefferman, 31, former coach at Columbia College in Sonora, previously stated he would consider leaving Ventura if the program is placed on probation. Last month, Hefferman moved his wife, Linda, and the couple’s three children to their native Chicago.

Eight players attended Wednesday’s meeting, none of whom were among those suspended. Some players, after addressing officials, said they are uncertain about their future at Ventura.

“Some guys are thinking about leaving school,” freshman guard Jonathan Cooper said. “Some just don’t want to be here.”

Sanctions also require Ventura to form an athletic oversight committee responsible for reporting regularly to the WSC. Ventura also was stripped of its 1996 and ’97 conference titles, won under Watson. Ventura (26-7) was defeated by Mt. San Antonio, 76-73, in a Southern California regional last season.

Watson, who coached Ventura for two years, was dismissed shortly after the season for a variety of stated reasons, including poor teaching ability and allegations of illegal recruiting.

The findings of a five-month investigation in August charged Watson and other representatives of the school with arranging for players to receive free or reduced-rate meals, free rent, loans and access to school facilities and vehicles.