5 of 6 recruits meet Proposition 48 rules

By Jim Wozniak

With only little over a month until full academic life resumes, the NIU men’s basketball team’s roster is molding into its final shape.

Final results have come in from the most recent ACT exam, and the incoming Huskies will trudge into DeKalb. Everyone in the pack will end up on the basketball court except Antwon Harmon, who did not fulfill the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Proposition 48 requirements.

NIU Coach Jim Rosborough said Harmon would attend NIU but not be on scholarship. Andrew Wells, who fell prey to Proposition 48 last year, has to pass four hours this summer to be eligible for the fall. Other incoming freshmen Donnell Thomas, Donald Whiteside, Brian Banks, Jo Jo Jackson and Stacy Arrington come in free of bonds.

“Everybody is coming,” said Rosborough. “Everybody will be playing except Antwon Harmon. I don’t see that as a negative. Unfortunately he came out a little short. I think he busted his butt this year.”

armon said he was short on the ACT, achieving a high score of 11, after taking the test four times but had good enough grades in the 11 required core courses. He said he received a letter Tuesday which said he had been admitted to NIU as part of the CHANCE program.

“It’s my own fault,” said Harmon. “I’m going to have to get my act together. I’ll just have to work really hard. That won’t isolate me from the team.”

armon said he does not believe the ACT is the right basis to judge eligibility.

“That’s not a good determinant, but who am I to determine the rules,” he said.

The other Huskie who apparently will not join the pack is center Scott Sullivan. Sullivan said he had an incomplete from last fall that was not made up until final’s week in May. Because that situation was not rectified until then, Sullivan said he was on probation for the spring semester. He said he was dismissed academically in May because he had not raised his grade point average above 2.0.

Sullivan said when he was dismissed, he lost his scholarship. But he said when he made up the exam and the incomplete was taken care of, that meant the Clinton, Iowa, native was not on probation this spring.

Sullivan said he has not talked to Rosborough this summer but said he feels Rosborough does not want him back.

osborough said, “He made some conscious decisions to be in this spot in the first place.”