Rahon retains scholarship for spring

By Kurt Wagner

James Rahon is staying at Santa Clara.

For spring quarter, that is.

Rahon, who announced his intent to transfer from Santa Clara to another basketball program last month, has retained his scholarship for the spring quarter despite the Athletic Department's initial attempt to withhold it from him, Rahon said.

'»¿"We didn't have to go through an appeal or anything," said Rahon, who heard the news a few days after his intent to transfer was published in The Santa Clara on April 2. "Basically I just got a call on the phone from the athletic director (Dan Coonan), and he said that my scholarship was going to be taken care of for the spring."

Communication between Rahon and the Athletic Department has been nonexistent ever since. Rahon is not sure what changed the Athletic Department's mind, but regardless, he is happy to have the issue behind him.

"'»¿It was big for me and my family just to get it off our shoulders," he said. "We've been doing whatever we can to fight it, and it was taking a long time, but it was nice to get it out of the way."

The Athletic Department could not be reached for comment.

Meanwhile, the freshman guard is continuing his search for a future school. Among his top choices are Georgetown, San Diego State and UC Berkeley, all of which he plans on visiting in the near future.

"Those are the three that are the most interested," said Rahon. "It's still up in the air. I'm going to take three or four visits at least, maybe five.'»¿"

UNLV, Texas and Notre Dame have also all been in contact with Rahon.

As part of an NCAA rule, Rahon will have to sit out next season because of his decision to transfer, but he is looking forward to using the year as a growing period.

"I actually like the fact that I'm doing that," he said. "It's going to help a lot just getting a year older, a year stronger and faster. I think it's really going to help my game a lot."

Rahon hopes to come to a decision by June regarding his new school, but there is no official deadline that he must answer to.

Contact Kurt Wagner at (408) 551-1918 or jwagner@scu.edu.