Young Loses Starting Spot to Hines

Ray Young expressed surprise at being removed Friday as the Bruins’ starting shooting guard, but also conceded the switch might help his game and his mind-set.

“Tense,” is how Young describes his recent game. “I haven’t been playing like myself. Maybe coming off the bench and getting limited minutes for a little while will be a good thing for me. Now I know I’ll have limited minutes, so I’ll have to come out and just ball.

“A lot of it may be where I am. I want to stay in the starting lineup and I don’t want to make mistakes. You can’t play worried about that.”

Said Coach Steve Lavin, “My sense was that he was trying to protect and keep his starting position, as opposed to just playing good basketball. I’m hoping this [change] will help him get his comfort level back.”

Young had started 10 consecutive games, but shot only 40% in the last five. Equally troubling for the Bruins, he had slipped defensively, an important consideration since that was a strength when the season began.

His replacement, Rico Hines, was the original starter, spending the first four games in that role.

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Los Angeles sports agent Jerome Stanley on Friday confirmed reports that a subpoena had been issued for him to appear before a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo.

The investigation involves Kansas City summer youth basketball coach Myron Piggie. In connection with the grand jury proceeding, federal prosecutors, FBI agents and other law enforcement officials have been traveling around the country, interviewing college basketball players, school officials and shoe industry executives.

“They have been very clear and very specific that I am not a target, I am a witness, just like Nike,” Stanley said.

A Nike official appeared before the grand jury Wednesday.

Stanley would not say when--or if--he would testify in Kansas City. The panel, according to the Kansas City Star, is investigating whether any improper payments threatened the eligibility of college players, thereby economically harming federally funded schools.

UCLA’s JaRon Rush, who has been suspended indefinitely by the school since Dec. 10, appeared before the grand jury in November and said he had accepted $200 from Stanley. Stanley has denied giving money to Rush.

In a related development, UCLA completed its report on the Rush case and sent it Thursday by overnight mail to NCAA officials in Indianapolis. School officials looked at Rush’s relationship with Stanley as well as with Piggie.

Kareem Rush, JaRon’s younger brother at Missouri, is serving a nine-game suspension for his relationship with Piggie and must eventually repay $1,800 to a charity.

JaRon Rush has missed 10 games, and earlier this week, in his first public comments since the suspension, said he had accepted money from Stanley and that he had “a slight fear” he would have to sit out the rest of this season.

TODAY

at North Carolina, 1 PST, Channel 2

* Site--Smith Center, Chapel Hill, N.C.

* Radio--KXTA (1150).

* Records--Bruins 9-4, Tar Heels 11-5.

* Update--The Tar Heels, like UCLA, are coming off a loss on Wednesday night, at Wake Forest. That will probably mean another drop in the polls, from the current spot at No. 13. North Carolina was ranked second in late November.