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Clark Atlanta University Panther
April 1, 1991
CoachPritchett Reveals Why He Resigned
By ANTHONY GEORGE III
Sports Editor
The computer in the
comer is gone. The plaques on
the wall and the paintings, gone.
Even the name plate on the door,
gone. Only a few papers on the
desk, and five trophies in the
comer are in former Panther's
men basketball coach Robert
Pritchett's office. Well, there is
still Pritchett.
Pritchett resigned from
his head coaching duties for
Clark Atlanta University on
March 2, after his team was
banned from participating in the
NCAA Division II playoffs, and
the SIAC tournament. Both
infractions resulted from playing
30 games, two more than the
NCAA Division II allows.
Pritchett's resignation
ended a 13-year relationship with
CAU. He compiled a 219-127
record, and produced four SIAC
championships, three
tournament championship
finals, and a player of lead the
nation in scoring three
consecutive years (Ernest Lee
1984-85, 85-86 and 86-87), and
a player who lead the nation in
rebounding (Anthony Ikeobi
1988-89). Pritchett had only
two losing seasons, both
seasons prior to this season.
Last season the Panthers finished
13-14, and the probation year
the Panthers were 6-19.
Going into this
season's tournament, the
Panthers were 18-12, and tied for
a share of first place in the
Eastern Conference with Morris
Brown. The Panthers had won 14
of their last 17 games, making
them one of the hottest teams
come tournament time. Pritchett
said this was a team that never
played a bad game this season,
and was one of his best teams he
had ever coached. The Panthers
will lose only one player this
season, James Martin to
graduation.
Pritchett visited the
Congo after last season to
conduct a basketball camp. The
underlining motive of the visit
was to persuade two 7-foot-2 17-
year old to come to Clark next
season. He also disclosed that he
recruited heavily a 7-2 280-
pound transfer student who has
played for a Division I school.
He also stated that he was on the
verge of getting a female
assistant coach who participated
in the 1988 Olympics.
Pritchett said under his
new five year plan was to help
CAU gain national exposure by
producing a championship team.
This year, he scheduled a trip to
Alaska to help expose the team.
Ironically, this is the trip that
ended Pritchett's career at CAU.
With all the accolades
that Pritchett has accomplished
at CAU, why did he leave this all
behind? A coach who had a
potential championship team
that loses only one player, Why?
Even after a potential strong
recruiting class. Why? even
University of Nevada Los Vegas
head coach Jerry Tarkanian
persuaded NCAA officials to
delay probation of this seasons
team to give him another
opportunity at a national
championship. Why?
"People think I was
crazy to resign, " Pritchett said.
"But you should never be in a
situation where you lose
enjoyment. I enjoy working with
young people, but it has become
a time where I was losing the
edge."
The edge Pritchett
speaks about are the two NCAA
violations in the last four years
that have denied the Panthers
from participating in post
season play- This season
because of over-scheduling, and
in 1987-88 because of playing
an ineligible player.
That season, Pritchett's
team started 18-1, and finished at
25-3. But most of the victories
were stripped because CAU
played with Tracy Murray, a
transfer student. Murray had
enrolled in Murray State the
previous year, but he only stayed
two weeks. He had never
attended any classes or played
any games. Nevertheless, CAU
was penalized, and denied an
opportunity to participate in
post-season play, and placed on
a one-year probation.
"It is time to go when
small things turn into big
things," Pritchett said.
UPCOMING HOME MATCHES
IN APRIL
April 2 , Morris Brown College 2p.m.
April 9, Alabama A&M (Men) 1p.m.
April 10 ,Fort Valley College 1p.m.
April 13, Savannah State College 2p.m.
April 15, Morehouse College 2 p.m.
"Eventually, small things do turn
into big things, but when minor
things turn out to be big things -
- thing that could have been
different, it is time to step down.
Pritchett said his
underlying motive for coaching
is not weighted by wins and
loses, but to insure the success
and help develop the plight of
the black male.
"In our society, you
hear mostly of the downfalls of
the black male," Pritchett said.
"It is important for them to
experience success.
Championships aren't
necessarily the measurement of
success, but to win more than
you lose. If you win 11 and lose
10, you are still a winner.
"It is all about imagery.
Molding young men to be role
models and to be successful. You
have to teach success, thus
display it. If you can't teach
success, there is no reason to
continue. Being denied an
opportunity to win the
championship, twice, has put a
dark cloud over the institution."
Even though Pritchett
speaks of the dark cloud around
CAU, he defended his position
for scheduling 30 games this
season.
"Head coaches only
make out the schedule, not
validate it," Pritchett said. "I
made that schedule prior to going
to Africa, and the athletic
director had to verify it. Then
the schedule is sent to the
conference to get approved.
"I don't want to put the
blame on anyone because there is
no NCAA rule that states you
cannot play over 28 games .
The NCAA Division II rule states
that you cannot participate in
the tournament if you play in
more than 28 games. So CAU is
not in jeopardy of being
penalized any further."
Pritchett said he was
familiar with the Division II rule
about over-scheduling, but the
infraction occurred because the
additional games played in
Alaska were not exempt as he
thought. He said when teams
Pritchett (left) resigns after 13 years of coaching at
CAU, 11 of those years produced winning seasons.
play in Alaska or Hawaii, the
games are exempt. What he
didn't realize is that exemption
rule only applies to Division I
schools. Division II schools
must include those games.
"Syracuse, Pittsburgh
and Alabama all participated in
tournaments in Hawaii and
Alaska, and still played in the
NCAA tournament because those
games were exempt from their
schedule," Pritchett said. "I was
not aware of the Division II rule.
Ironically, that rule changed this
January to be consistent with the
Division I rule."
According to Pritchett,
CAU would still be eligible to
participate in the SIAC
tournament had he not resigned.
He said because of the timing of
his resignation, it voided the
opportunity for the Panthers to
participate in the SIAC
tournament.
"The day I resigned was
the day before the SIAC made its
tournament selection," Pritchett
said. "I guess the commissioner
saw we didn't have a coach, so he
had to make a decision."
When asked why didn't
he resign until after the SIAC
tournament, Pritchett again cited
timing.
"I was recruiting in
Florida when I was contacted
about the violation," Pritchett
said. "Upon my arrival in
Atlanta, I met with the president
(Dr. Thomas Cole) and the team.
After the discussion, I decided
that the best thing to do is step
down immediately."
Despite conceding his
coaching position, Pritchett will
remain at CAU as an instructor
until the end of the semester.
Once his contractual agreement
is fulfilled, he said he plans to
move elsewhere.
Because of additional
spare time, Pritchett said he
plans to complete his first book,
Up the Down Side. The Mythical
Black Athlete. He said he
intends to write a second book,
Black Colleges, which is
intended to encourage alumni of
African American institutions to
put something back into the
schools. Pritchett said he wanted
to publish some of his poetry he
has written in America, poems
that are already published in
Africa in French. Ultimately,
Pritchett said he wants to
continue to work with young
people, and said he wants to
coach again. He said he has
some 'feelers' out.
Overall, Pritchett said
he was happy with his
Tennis Motto: Game, Set, Match
By ANTHONY GEORGE III
Sports Editor
Clark Atlanta University's tennis team have
a combined record of 9-1, women 5-0 and the men are
4-1. The only loss for the team this season was
against Morehouse.
Coach Oliver McClendon, in his twenty-first
year of coaching the tennis team at Clark, said this is
the best team he has ever coached, men and women.
"This is the strongest team I have ever
coached since coming to Clark in 1969," McClendon
said. "Every year we have consistently improved, but
I am still concerned because we don't have the
facilities at Clark to do even better. If we did have the
facilities here all along, I would have always had the
best team in the conference."
McClendon said since there is not a facility
on campus, that he must schedule his practices when
classes aren't scheduled, and that conflicts with the
hours of the dining facility at CAU. Currently, the
team plays and practices all of their home games at
McGee tennis center, off of Beecher Street in
southwest Atlanta.
"You can't expect much student support
unless you have a campus facility," McClendon said.
"The school needs to support the tennis team more
financially."
Despite not having campus facilities, both
teams are doing well. Ronica Harris, the fifth flight
player, has not lost a match (6-0). Keeva Bryant,
Kathy Simon, and Portia Hamilton have a combined
record of 17-4. In doubles matches, the lady Panthers
are 14-1.
The men are also doing well, as Parrish
Preston, Chris Robinson and Dannon Henderson are
14-7 in the matches they have played.
Teams are scored according to six single
matches and three doubles matches. One point is
awarded for each victories match. All matches are
played outside.