Cedric Ceballos

Cedric Ceballos' four-minute benching at the start of a Cal State Fullerton basketball game Wednesday came five days after campus police were called to a dispute involving Ceballos and his girlfriend on campus, a Cal State University Police Department spokesperson said. Campus police were called to Fullerton's student housing at about 8 p.m. March 2 where Ceballos and his girlfriend were involved in a loud argument, Sgt. Sam Summerlin said. There were no criminal complaints filed, he said.

Former Laker Cedric Ceballos said he would prefer Andrew Bynum over Dwight Howard as the team's center. "Right now, Andrew Bynum," Ceballos told The Times at the ESPY Awards on Wednesday evening. "Andrew Bynum has won championships. Andrew Bynum has the ability to get better. Andrew Bynum has the ability to score more than Dwight. " The Lakers are currently talking with Orlando about potentially acquiring the Magic's disgruntled center. Howard averaged 20.6 points and 14.5 rebounds last season with the Magic.

The ultimate experience for Cedric Ceballos would be to play professional basketball in California, the state where he grew up. "If the Lakers picked me, that would be unbelievable," said Ceballos, the former Cal State Fullerton star who played at Ventura College and Dominguez High School. "Playing for any California team would be great."

The announcement of Jerry West's long-awaited semi-departure is still scheduled for today, though a Laker spokesman refused this weekend to indicate if a news conference is being planned and would not confirm if there would be news about West released. But only the timing of the announcement, whenever it comes, is in question. West, 62, will resign as executive vice president and take a consulting role, with General Manager Mitch Kupchak assuming No.

Cedric Ceballos scored 24 points Tuesday night to lead the Lakers to a 101-94 exhibition victory over the Charlotte Hornets at Las Vegas. Sedale Threatt added 14 points for the Lakers, who erased a 28-21 deficit after one quarter. Larry Johnson scored 23 points and Kendall Gill 20 for the Hornets.

The emergence of Elden Campbell at forward for the Lakers this season might have caused confusion as to whether the team should seek a center or forward through free agency after the season. Thank you, Cedric Ceballos, for solving this problem. RICHARD RAFFALOW Van Nuys

To liven up the exhibition season, the NBA has been playing in such non-NBA cities as Missoula, Mont.; University Park, Pa., and Youngstown, Ohio. For the Lakers, it's Fresno, where they will play the Dallas Mavericks Wednesday night. "That's the fun part," forward Cedric Ceballos said. "You do get in a habit of going to play in the same gyms," forward Cedric Ceballos said. "It's great to go to someplace different. "It really gives people in those places a chance to see NBA basketball.

You can give someone a title of captain, but you can't make someone a leader. Cedric Ceballos, if you can't lead, follow. If you can't follow, stay missing. Too many other Lakers want to play every day. P.J. GENDELL Beverly Hills Cedric Ceballos said there are a lot of things he places before basketball. I believe, based upon his absence and the reasons, the primary thing he is talking about is his self-interest. On what he earns, he may figure that he can afford the $100,000 it cost him to be absent.

Two broken wrists will sideline Dallas Maverick small forward Cedric Ceballos for the remainder of the season rather than the six to eight weeks anticipated. Screws were inserted Monday evening to repair the fractures. The 6-foot-8 Ceballos was hurt Thursday in a victory over the Denver Nuggets. Loren Meyer tossed Ceballos to the floor with both hands as the Maverick tried a layup in the final minute of the first quarter.

And then there was the return of Cedric Ceballos. Hidden somewhere behind the comeback of Shaquille O'Neal was Ceballos coming back, practically sneaking into the Forum unnoticed Friday night in his first game against the Lakers since being traded to Phoenix in the Robert Horry deal of Jan. 10. Actually, he sort of did sneak in, going into the home locker room, and then cutting through a back hallway to get to the Suns' side. Beyond that, he said, this was simply another game.

Cedric Ceballos looks as good in the Phoenix Suns' purple, orange and black road uniforms as he did in the Lakers' purple and gold. Ceballos, playing in Los Angeles for the first time since he was traded back to the Suns on Jan. 10, had 26 points and 11 rebounds as the Suns handed the Clippers their sixth loss in seven games, 112-96, Thursday night before 7,018 at the Sports Arena. "For some reason, somehow I always stay in purple," said Ceballos, who has averaged 25 points and 10.

Cedric Ceballos wore a small bandage above his right eye after getting cut during a pickup basketball game Wednesday. "I went to watch my nephew practice and heard the smell of hardwood and rubber," Ceballos said. "I started with some shooting games to one on one to band-aids." Ceballos, traded from the Lakers to the Suns on Jan. 10, was happy to return to Los Angeles. "It was funny going through the same ritual I did when I used to play for Lakers," he said.

The Phoenix Suns got the scoring forward they desperately needed, courtesy of the Lakers. In his fourth game since returning to Phoenix, Cedric Ceballos scored 31 points and the Suns overcame a 13-point halftime deficit to beat the New York Knicks, 105-98, Saturday. Ceballos scored 12 points in the third quarter for the Suns, who beat the Knicks for the seventh consecutive time at home. On Jan.

Ahoy, Commodore, permission to leave the ship? Cedric Ceballos didn't turn out to be a superstar after all, merely an extended rental. He averaged 22 points his first season, nicknamed himself "Chise"--short for franchise--helped reestablish the Lakers' credibility, then went for a houseboat trip and sailed off the end of his Laker career. Friday he was returned to Phoenix, whence he came. Jerry West taketh, Jerry West returneth for a refund.

Cal State Fullerton forward Cedric Ceballos, a second-round draft pick of the NBA's Phoenix Suns, has a warrant for his arrest in California, according to North Orange County Criminal Court records. Dan Byrnes, chief of campus police at Cal State Fullerton, said Ceballos is wanted by California authorities on charges of misdemeanor assault and battery. Ceballos is alleged to have assaulted his former girlfriend in her campus apartment on March 2. Charges were filed March 18.

Robert Horry, recently suspended for throwing a towel in the face of Phoenix Coach Danny Ainge, was traded to the Lakers in a four-player deal Friday that sent Cedric Ceballos back to the Suns. Rumeal Robinson also went to Phoenix and Joe Kleine went to the Lakers. It was the second major trade in 16 days for the Suns, who acquired all-star guard Jason Kidd from Dallas in a multi-player deal Dec. 26.