Cross Apologizes, Returns to Team

A contrite Trenton Cross resumed practicing with the Cal State Northridge basketball team Tuesday, more than a week after he left a Matador recruit at a party in Hollywood.

Cross, a senior point guard and preseason All-Big Sky Conference selection, was suspended Oct. 13 along with sophomore forward Jeffrey Parris for a week of practice by Coach Bobby Braswell. Parris also returned to practice Tuesday.

A third player suspended last week, senior forward Mike O’Quinn, might be back in two weeks if he “meets certain obligations,” Braswell said. O’Quinn is suspended for academic reasons.

Cross was assigned as the host for guard Senque Carey, a recruit from Mountain View St. Francis High, during Carey’s official recruiting visit Oct. 10. Carey is one of the top shooting guards in the nation and also has visited Washington and San Francisco.

Cross and Carey went to a Friday night party with another recruit making his official visit, guard Bradley Jackson of Inglewood. Jackson was accompanied by his host, Matador senior guard Lucky Grundy.

Without warning, Cross left the party before the others, and Grundy had to drive both recruits back to their hotel later in the evening, Jackson said.

“I’d like to apologize to my teammates,” Cross said. “I let everyone down by doing what I did.”

Neither Cross nor Braswell would comment on the incident and Braswell will not comment on the reason Parris was suspended.

However, both recruits, who are listed as high honorable mention high school All-Americans by Street and Smith magazine, had something to say.

“Maybe (Cross) wasn’t thinking at the time,” Carey said. “It bothered me, but I didn’t really take it as disrespect.”

Carey is keeping a journal of his visits and will choose among four schools after he makes his last visit to George Washington. What does the journal say under the heading of Northridge?

“It’s a place where they want to win, a place they need the type of player I am,” Carey said. “Are they still in the running? I couldn’t say they are not.”

Jackson, a point guard who has known Carey since eighth grade, made a commitment to Northridge two weeks before his visit.

“[The incident] wasn’t a big shock to me,” Jackson said. “I still want to go to Northridge. Senque said he wouldn’t let it affect his decision. We want to play together.”

Cross, most valuable player of the Big Sky tournament last season and a player central to the Matadors’ up-tempo attack, felt the suspension most Monday night when the Matadors scrimmaged for 15 minutes before a packed crowd in the Matador gym as part of a “Midnight Madness” rally.

Cross watched from the stands wearing a pained expression.

“I was disappointed because I really looked forward to playing in that,” he said. “I made a mistake and I’m glad to be back. Now I can move on and learn from it.”

The punishment is not completely over. Cross also is suspended for the Matadors’ two exhibition games early in November and Parris is suspended for one exhibition game.

“Part of the reason I extended the suspension through the scrimmage Monday was so they could see what they were missing,” Braswell said. “It’s been hard for [Cross and Parris].

“No laws were broken, no university rules were broken. But it was necessary for me to put my foot down and demand certain things.

“These may not be the only suspensions we have. I’m determined to develop good people and develop integrity and character.”