Brandon Jessie

School: Edison High Sport: Basketball Position: Forward Class: Senior After three quarters Friday night, Edison had a 32-point lead against Westminster, Jessie had 34 points and Edison Coach Jon Borchert had a minor dilemma: Should he leave Jessie in the game to go after the school's single-game scoring record of 41? Jessie stayed in, and supported by the Chargers' reserves, scored the nine points that gave him 43, surpassing Bob Vogelsang, who scored 41 in a game in 1976.

Getting between a football and 11 angry men wasn't his first career choice. And the last thing Brandon Jessie planned on was hitting people for a living. But an opportunity with the NBA wasn't knocking for the former University of Utah swingman and Orange County prep standout, so Jessie tried another door. Football is now Jessie's field and the NFL is his workplace.

Former Edison High standout Brandon Jessie, the State community college basketball player of the year at Ventura College, has signed a letter of intent to play at Utah, Ventura Coach Philip Mathews said Monday. Jessie, a 6-foot-5 1/2 forward, took trips to Utah, Georgetown, Arizona State and Nevada Las Vegas. Jessie, who averaged 22 points and 11 rebounds last year for Ventura, is a two-time All-Western State Conference selection.

Brandon Jessie, a former all-conference basketball player at Utah and two-sport Orange County prep standout, said Tuesday the New York Giants have offered him a free-agent football contract. "I feel real good about this," Jessie said. "I'm trying to get my foot back in the door [in athletics] and I think this is the chance I need. I need to talk to my dad before doing anything, but I think I will [sign]."

Brandon Jessie's status is "very iffy" for Edison's Sunset League basketball game tonight against Huntington Beach, Charger Coach Jon Borchert said Thursday. Jessie, a Times' all-county player who is averaging 21 points and 11 rebounds, has been sidelined since severely spraining his left ankle in the first 30 seconds of the Chargers' 62-48 victory over Santa Ana Saturday night.

Brandon Jessie, a former all-conference basketball player at Utah and two-sport Orange County prep standout, said Tuesday the New York Giants have offered him a free-agent football contract. "I feel real good about this," Jessie said. "I'm trying to get my foot back in the door [in athletics] and I think this is the chance I need. I need to talk to my dad before doing anything, but I think I will [sign]."

If it wasn't already, the word is definitely out on how to defend Cal State Fullerton center Winston Peterson. Utah's strategy of double teaming the Titans' leading scorer worked perfectly, as Utah's basketball team cruised to an 84-63 non-conference victory Tuesday night. In the last three games, the 6-foot-6 center has not scored more than 17 points after scoring at least 23 points in the previous four contests.

Brandon Jessie, perhaps the premier prep athlete in Orange County, did not report on Monday to opening day of football practice at Edison High School and will not play this season, according to Charger Coach Dave White. "He wanted to concentrate on basketball, and I respect his decision," White said. "He's a great kid. We talk all the time, so there's no hard feelings.

The NCAA eligibility committee Tuesday upheld a seven-game suspension of basketball player Brandon Jessie, ending the University of Utah's effort to reduce the penalty for his involvement with a sports agent. "I'm disappointed, but that's their decision, so I guess I just have to deal with it," said Jessie, who will be eligible Dec. 21 when Utah plays at Wake Forest. "I think it is unfair, but I guess the NCAA looks at things differently than student-athletes do."

Getting between a football and 11 angry men wasn't his first career choice. And the last thing Brandon Jessie planned on was hitting people for a living. But an opportunity with the NBA wasn't knocking for the former University of Utah swingman and Orange County prep standout, so Jessie tried another door. Football is now Jessie's field and the NFL is his workplace.

The NCAA eligibility committee Tuesday upheld a seven-game suspension of basketball player Brandon Jessie, ending the University of Utah's effort to reduce the penalty for his involvement with a sports agent. "I'm disappointed, but that's their decision, so I guess I just have to deal with it," said Jessie, who will be eligible Dec. 21 when Utah plays at Wake Forest. "I think it is unfair, but I guess the NCAA looks at things differently than student-athletes do."

His newborn daughter was dying. She lay motionless, attached to machines and tubes 600 miles away, and Brandon Jessie yearned to be with her. But he couldn't. Not until a judge said so. Jessie, a star senior guard at the University of Utah, awaited sentencing here in July on shoplifting charges as his child struggled to survive in an Orange County hospital. How he had reached that point, Jessie still isn't sure. He never experienced anything as traumatic.

His newborn daughter was near death. She lay motionless, attached to machines and tubes 600 miles away, and Brandon Jessie yearned to be with her. But he couldn't. Not until a judge said so. Jessie, 21, a star senior guard at the University of Utah, awaited sentencing here in July on shoplifting charges as his child struggled to survive in an Orange County hospital. How he reached that point, Jessie still isn't sure. He never experienced anything as traumatic.

Utah standout basketball guard Brandon Jessie, one of many college athletes with ties to Oxnard sports agent Robert Troy Caron, was suspended Tuesday for seven games by the NCAA, a ruling school officials decried as unjust. "I'm shocked and upset with the NCAA ruling," Athletic Director Chris Hill said. "We don't feel this is at all fair to Brandon."

If it wasn't already, the word is definitely out on how to defend Cal State Fullerton center Winston Peterson. Utah's strategy of double teaming the Titans' leading scorer worked perfectly, as Utah's basketball team cruised to an 84-63 non-conference victory Tuesday night. In the last three games, the 6-foot-6 center has not scored more than 17 points after scoring at least 23 points in the previous four contests.

Former Edison High standout Brandon Jessie, the State community college basketball player of the year at Ventura College, has signed a letter of intent to play at Utah, Ventura Coach Philip Mathews said Monday. Jessie, a 6-foot-5 1/2 forward, took trips to Utah, Georgetown, Arizona State and Nevada Las Vegas. Jessie, who averaged 22 points and 11 rebounds last year for Ventura, is a two-time All-Western State Conference selection.

Edison High School sent a message to the would-be tacticians remaining in the Southern Section 4-AA playoffs--bring on those gimmick defenses. The Chargers, a team that has pounded the ball inside throughout the season, demonstrated that their outside game is just fine, thank you. They dismantled Woodbridge's triangle-and-two defense for a 70-53 victory in a first-round game at Edison Friday night.

Stretched face down on the hardwood floor, perspiration pouring from his body and his hands covering his eyes, Brandon Jessie heard the celebration nearby but couldn't bear to watch. It wasn't supposed to end like that. All the laughter and hugs and yelling in that torrent of humanity at the other end of the court was supposed to be done by Jessie and his Ventura College teammates. But the script didn't work out. Again. "I just couldn't believe what had happened," Jessie said. "We were the No.

Stretched face down on the hardwood floor, perspiration pouring from his body and his hands covering his eyes, Brandon Jessie heard the celebration nearby but couldn't bear to watch. It wasn't supposed to end like that. All the laughter and hugs and yelling in that torrent of humanity at the other end of the court was supposed to be done by Jessie and his Ventura College teammates. But the script didn't work out. Again. "I just couldn't believe what had happened," Jessie said. "We were the No.