Three suspended at Long Beach

Long Beach State basketball players Kejuan Johnson and Mark Dawson have been suspended indefinitely pending an NCAA investigation into their eligibility, Athletic Director Vic Cegles announced Thursday.

Also suspended was associate head coach Reggie Howard, the recruiting coordinator.

Cegles called the investigation “serious” and said that it began in “late October or early November,” but said school policy prohibited him from providing further details -- including the length of each suspension -- until the NCAA investigation is complete.

“Any time the NCAA comes and does an investigation, it’s serious,” Cegles said. “In time, we hope to be able to resolve this, but we must give the NCAA investigation due diligence.”

In a statement issued by the school, Cegles said the suspensions are a “proactive” move and that the school is “working closely with the NCAA as they continue to inquire about these issues.”

Johnson, a 6-foot-4 senior guard from Artesia High, is the 49ers’ second-leading scorer at 15.4 points a game. He played a season at Division II Humboldt State and one season at Long Beach City College before transferring to Long Beach State last season, when he was a second-team All-Big West Conference selection.

Dawson, a 6-9 senior center from New Jersey, is the top reserve, averaging 5.7 points and 4.1 rebounds in 16.9 minutes. He played two seasons at Pasadena City College, then sat out a year before transferring to Long Beach last season.

Cegles declined to state whether the players’ suspensions were related to Howard’s, saying only that they were related to “eligibility issues prior to their attendance at Long Beach State.”

Johnson and Dawson sat on the bench in street clothes during the 49ers’ 79-72 Big West victory Thursday night over Cal State Northridge (10-11, 3-5) at the Pyramid. It moved Long Beach (14-6, 5-2) to within half a game of conference leader Cal State Fullerton.

Afterward, Coach Larry Reynolds referred questions about the suspensions to Cegles, but praised his team for overcoming the distraction.

“We have a senior group,” Reynolds said. “I think they know what’s at stake and they know what needs to be done.”

Dominique Ricks had 13 points and 12 rebounds, playing a career-high 29 minutes -- nine more than his season average.

“I knew that we were missing part of our team and I understand that it was my job to step up,” Ricks said. “I’m a senior too. I feel like it was my job to do all that I can.”