Did Northridge Recruit Intentionally Fail Class?

Prize Cal State Northridge basketball recruit Bradley Jackson has failed a class he needed to graduate from Inglewood High, and Northridge Coach Bobby Braswell believes he did so intentionally in an attempt to void his national letter of intent.

Jackson, a point guard with a 3.0 grade-point average, failed a world geography class taught by Inglewood assistant basketball coach Harvey Pezner and did not take part in graduation ceremonies Thursday.

“It has come to our attention that his failing the class may be intentional, and it is being investigated,” Braswell said.

Inglewood Athletic Director Jim Ellis met with Coach Pat Roy and Pezner on Monday and expressed his concerns. Jackson, who did not return phone calls, will be given an opportunity this week to take the world geography final exam.

“I did talk with Bradley and he indicated that he was just wasn’t doing the work,” Ellis said. “But I am thoroughly concerned with these allegations and the underlying implications, especially with a student of Bradley’s capabilities. We will allow Bradley to take the final that he allegedly did not take.”

Under NCAA rules, a letter of intent is void if the player does not graduate high school. He could attend a prep school for one year and transfer to a Division I school, or attend a Division I school as a partial qualifier and sit out one season.

If a player who graduates high school simply walks away from his letter of intent, he suffers a double penalty, losing a year of eligibility and his redshirt season.

Roy said he was flabbergasted to learn that Jackson failed the class.

“I was very surprised and I felt sorry that his parents couldn’t see him walk through graduation,” Roy said. “I’ve always told all my players to put forth their best effort in the classroom.”

In March, Jackson acknowledged that friends were telling him he short-changed himself by signing with Northridge. Braswell said Jackson never asked him to be released from the letter of intent he signed last October.