| | NEW YORK -- For the second time this season, St. John's
sophomore guard Erick Barkley was reinstated by the NCAA, meaning
he will be available for the Red Storm's (No. 21 ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll, No. 18 AP) regular season finale at Miami on Sunday.
Barkley, who missed two games earlier this season over a
separate rules violation, had his eligibility restored Friday after
missing one game over partial payment of his tuition at Maine
Central Institute in the 1997-98 academic year.
St. John's coach Mike Jarvis described the mood in the locker
room last Tuesday, when the team learned Barkley had been declared
ineligible for a second time, as awful.
He said after Friday's practice in Miami that it was considerably different.
"No one was doing cartwheels, but everyone was happy," he
said. "I would say they were temporarily relieved. It's like
playing a game. It's not over until the fat lady sings and I
haven't heard her sing yet. The clock still has time on it. We'll
keep playing and take it one day at time."
St. John's was forced to declare its leading scorer ineligible
last Tuesday and he missed the victory over Seton Hall, the Red
Storm's eighth in a row. The NCAA requested further information
regarding the payment of part of Barkley's tuition at Maine Central
Institute.
He was reinstated Friday and was also ordered to make restitution of $3,500, roughly the amount St. John's said he had received from Riverside Church, a New York AAU program for which he played, toward the tuition of approximately $22,000. Barkley can
pay the money to a charity of his choice and has until his eligibility expires to do it.
The Red Storm (21-6) play at Miami on Sunday, then have a
first-round bye for next week's Big East tournament at Madison
Square Garden.
Barkley, averaging 16.7 points, was suspended for three games by
the NCAA in early February over an exchange of vehicles with a
family friend. That punishment was reduced to two games on appeal.
The first two games he missed -- Boston College and Providence -- were the first of the current eight-game winning streak. He was a
key part of the Red Storm's impressive eight-day run that saw them
beat three ranked teams -- Syracuse, Connecticut and Duke.
Jarvis credited the players for the way they have handled the
emotional ups and downs off the court.
"They have been fantastic. They've basically made it as
enjoyable as it's ever been as far as coaching goes," he said.
"I've found myself being a fan of theirs more than I normally
would be because of the maturity level and how they take care of
business. They seem really focused and workmanlike, yet they are
still having fun."
St. John's was rebuked by the NCAA last week over the second
Barkley case. NCAA president Cedric Dempsey issued a statement
saying the school had incorrectly portrayed that it had been
treated unfairly during the second investigation.
Jarvis still feels there can be a positive result from the situation.
"Every day we've been spending time dealing with things you
shouldn't have to deal with," he said. "What can make this
enjoyable is even the possibility of being involved in what has to
happen inevitably, change, positive change. If that's the end
result, it will all be worth it."
Cincinnati freshman DerMarr Johnson was suspended one game last
month and also ordered to make restitution for money he was given
to help with his tuition at Maine Central Institute.
| |
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