Bayno, Rebels lose a recruit

One recruit has been lost and UNLV basketball coach Bill Bayno may be on the verge of losing another.

Guard Mike Garrett did not complete the necessary requirements to graduate from Fresno City College and he will not be playing for UNLV.

Forward Lou Kelly is awaiting results from his summer school classes. Kelly is trying to earn his associate in arts degree from San Bernardino Valley College. Without it, he cannot play for the Rebels, either.

The good news is that everyone else is eligible and ready to go.

"All the returning guys are fine," Bayno said of the status of Mark Dickel, Kaspars Kambala, Issiah Epps, Donovan Stewart and Chris Richardson. "We're still waiting to hear on Lou. But the others (Trevor Diggs, Kenny Dye, Sylvester Dotson, Chris Popoola, Dalron Johnson and Danny Brotherson) are fine."

Bayno said Monday he was optimistic Kelly will wear a UNLV uniform this season.

"The worst-case scenario is we'll have him at mid-semester," Bayno said of the 6-foot-5 Kelly, who was penciled in to replace Shawn Marion as UNLV's go-to guy after averaging 26 points last season for the Indians. "But I don't think it's smart for me to comment further until the grades come in."

Bayno said he should know something by the end of the week. Fall semester classes at UNLV begin Monday.

If Kelly comes up short by one class, he could enroll at UNLV and take that class along with nine additional units. Assuming he passed, he would then be eligible for the spring semester and be able to join the team Dec. 21, when the Rebels host Cal Poly at the Thomas & Mack Center.

He could also stay in California and complete his work either at San Bernardino Valley or at Los Angeles City College, where he spent the majority of the summer trying to finish his classwork.

A third option would be for Kelly to stay in junior college, then play two years at UNLV. Kelly has three years of eligibility remaining as last year at San Bernardino Valley was his first season of college ball. He attended school but did not play in 1997-98.

There was talk that Kelly was going to play another year of JC ball. But Bayno said he didn't see that scenario unfolding.

"Lou has indicated to me that he wants to play here (at UNLV)," Bayno said.

Kelly could not be reached for comment.

As for Garrett, Bayno knew it was a long shot that the former Brigham Young player would be eligible. Garrett had a lot of work to make up. When he signed in April he said he would become eligible, but apparently the task was too daunting.

"We knew it was going to be hard for Mike," Bayno said. "It was definitely a long shot with him."

Bayno said Garrett's options are to finish up this fall and transfer to another Division I school for the spring semester or go to a Division II program.

"He obviously has to finish up his degree," Bayno said of Garrett, who would have backed up at both backcourt spots.

Garrett joins former Cimarron-Memorial star Marcus Banks as members of this recruiting class who will not play for UNLV. Banks failed to qualify academically after he was deficient in his number of NCAA-mandated core courses.

Banks, an incoming freshman, is redshirting this year and will be eligible for the 2000-2001 season.

* GREEDY A FROG: Former UNLV guard Greedy Daniels has enrolled at Texas Christian after all, ending months of speculation as to what the 6-foot junior from New Orleans would do.

Daniels, who announced in April he was leaving UNLV, initially was looking to transfer to Mississippi State. But he backed off only to later reconsider playing for the Bulldogs. He also flirted with the idea of going pro, submitting his name for consideration for the NBA Draft, only to remove it 10 days before the selection process.

In July, Daniels contacted TCU coach Billy Tubbs about the possibility of playing there. The two talked and last week, Daniels made it official and will attend his first classes Wednesday. He'll have two years of eligibility remaining.

Tubbs can't comment until Daniels officially is in class. But Daniels attended orientation last week and he is now a Horned Frog.

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