The four LIU players arrested and charged with assault last month were reinstated, placed on probation and suspended two games apiece on Monday.
C.J. Garner, 22, Julian Boyd, 22, Troy Joseph, 21, and Jamal Olasawere, 21, were all charged with third-degree assault for their involvement in the Sept. 15 altercation. Boyd was the Northeast Conference Player of the Year, and Olaswere was a first-team all-conference selection.
LIU Brooklyn Director of Athletics John Suarez said the quartet will be suspended two games each.
“The University has concluded its investigation and has heard the appeals of the four members of the LIU Brooklyn men’s basketball team,” he said. “After a thorough review, the University has lifted the suspensions of the student-athletes and has placed them on probation. In addition to sanctions implemented by the University, the Athletic Department has suspended the four players for the first two Northeast Conference games of the 2012-13 season.”
Head coach Jack Perri told SNY.tv: “We’re fortunate and they’re certainly fortunate that they’re being given a second chance. They deserve it. They’re really good kids. They haven’t been in trouble before. They come from good families and they made a poor decision to get involved in something like that.
“Hopefully they learned from that. I think they have. I really felt the remorse over the past couple of weeks dealing with this whole thing”
LIU Brooklyn Provost Gale Stevens-Haynes said the players must attend counseling.
“After careful consideration of the appeals of four members of our men’s basketball team who were suspended for their involvement in a Sept. 15 altercation on campus, the University has lifted the suspensions and placed the student-athletes on probation, requiring that they continue to participate in an anger management program and undergo counseling, as well as perform community service,” she said. “Additional sanctions will be imposed by the athletic department, including game suspensions.”
