August 3, 2007

Oh, yeah, Big West did have point-shaving scandal

By Jason Anderson
Record Staff Writer

STOCKTON - Big West Conference commissioner Dennis Farrell insists he didn't mean to mislead when he said details of an almost 10-year-old point-shaving investigation never were made public.

He said he simply forgot.

A Cal State Fullerton student approached a member of the school's men's basketball team in an attempt to fix a Big West game against Pacific in 1998. Farrell declined to identify the player, school and other parties involved in an interview with The Record last week. He cited a number of reasons, saying the information never became public, opposing schools were not notified, he didn't remember many details and most or all pertinent people at the school had since departed.

Contrary to Farrell's claim, however, the facts of the case were reported by a number of campus, community and national news agencies.

"I do recall that there were probably some stories now that you mention it," Farrell, who is entering his 27th year with the conference and 16th as commissioner, said Wednesday. "I sincerely and honestly didn't remember it had come out."

The story was reported by The Associated Press, Los Angeles Times, Orange County Register and others, including Cal State Fullerton's Daily Titan and San Diego State's Daily Aztec. A document outlining the point-shaving scheme and other sports wagering cases is available on the NCAA Web site.

The Record printed a story on Feb. 25, 1998, with the headline, "Fullerton student tried to fix UOP game," but Pacific coach Bob Thomason said he has no recollection of the incident.

"I don't really remember," Thomason said. "I don't ever remember what school or who it was or what it was."

According to accounts, Jack Oh, 21, planned to fix Titans basketball games. Oh, a student, offered Corey Sanders, a reserve freshman center, $1,000 to ensure the Titans would not cover a 10-point spread against Pacific on Feb. 19, 1998. The Tigers won 71-57, but Oh's plan was dashed days before the game when Sanders reported the offer to school officials.

Sanders agreed to cooperate with a police sting, and Oh was recorded telling Sanders he might as well get paid to lose.

Oh pleaded guilty to bribery in April 1998. He was sentenced to nine months in jail and ordered to receive treatment for gambling addiction.