cal

SoCalHoops Prep & High School News Report

Cal Guard Sean Jackson Released From Scholarship;
Nowitzki, Gates and Boyd Looming On Horizon--(April 13,1998)

The Daily Cal reported today that Bear's basketball player Sean Jackson was granted a release from his scholarship by the athletic department late last week, thereby opening up further recruiting possibilities for the Bears during the current spring signing period.

The sophomore shooting guard is currently considering five prospective schools to which he could transfer and he could make a decision on his future within the next week. "Last week, I asked for my release so that I could pursue any options that I might have," Jackson told the Daily Cal. "My transfer is not definite. I just want to see if I can find a better scenario for me. This is just something I want to explore. I'm not going to look too long."

This past season, Jackson started seven games for the Bears and played in 17 of Cal's 27 contests, shooting just 29.5 percent for the field while scoring 2.1 points per game. "There are some places that have shown interest in me," Jackson told the Daily Cal, but he declined to specify which schools he is considering. "If it works out, then it works out. If not, that's fine also."

Jackson said Cal head coach Ben Braun, while not surprised by the decision, was supportive. "Coach Braun was understanding, it wasn't something that surprised him or the coaching staff," he said. "There wasn't a whole lot of talk between us. He just said that he would support me in whatever decision I made. He wanted to make sure I was happy."

With the signing of Dennis Gates looming (he has to return back to Chicago after his visit this last weekend so that he can mail his National Letter of Intent), the Bears still have two remaining scholarships to offer this signing period, which ends May 15. If in fact Jackson departs, it will open up a third scholarship.

Cal is expected to fill a second scholarship sometime this week with the anticipated signing of junior college shooting guard Carl Boyd, a 6-4 prospect from Porterville Junior College in Porterville, Calif. The 215-pound Boyd has narrowed his list of prospective schools to Cal and Minnesota -- and the Bears are frontrunners. Boyd, rated as one of the top junior college players in the state, averaged 16.5 points and 8.5 rebounds with Porterville as a sophomore.

And the Daily Cal also reported that the other available scholarship the Bears are trying to place is with German star Dirk Nowitzki (6'-11" Sr. C) from Wurzburg, German. Head coach Ben Braun and assistant coach Scott Beeten are expected to make a final pitch this week to Nowitzki, regarded as the best player ever to emerge from that country. Braun and Beeten are scheduled to visit the 235-pound forward in his hometown this week and were reported to be flying there Monday or Tuesday.