Joey Ramirez

A day after Tom Asbury resigned as the men's basketball coach at Pepperdine, one of the Waves' top recruits reneged on a commitment. Joey Ramirez, a 5-foot-10 point guard from Ventura College, recently visited the Malibu campus and told Asbury last week he would play for the Waves next season. But when Asbury announced Tuesday he was leaving for Kansas State, Ramirez decided not to sign a letter of intent.

A day after Tom Asbury resigned as the men's basketball coach at Pepperdine, one of the Waves' top recruits reneged on a commitment. Joey Ramirez, a 5-foot-10 point guard from Ventura College, recently visited the Malibu campus and told Asbury last week he would play for the Waves next season. But when Asbury announced Tuesday he was leaving for Kansas State, Ramirez decided not to sign a letter of intent.

Brandon Jessie had 16 points and 12 rebounds and Joey Ramirez added 15 points as Ventura College defeated Malaspina (Canada), 81-50, in a semifinal game of the Hancock tournament Tuesday. Ventura (18-1), the top-ranked team in the state, shot a horrendous 31.0% (13 of 42) from the field in the first half, but the Pirates sank 18 of 37 shots in the second half to pull away.

Brandon Jessie had 16 points and 12 rebounds and Joey Ramirez added 15 points as Ventura College defeated Malaspina (Canada), 81-50, in a semifinal game of the Hancock tournament Tuesday. Ventura (18-1), the top-ranked team in the state, shot a horrendous 31.0% (13 of 42) from the field in the first half, but the Pirates sank 18 of 37 shots in the second half to pull away.

The city of Santa Paula is offering a weeklong workshop for youngsters who want to sharpen their basketball techniques. Sponsored by the city's recreation department, the workshop is scheduled to begin Monday and is open to youngsters from third through ninth grades. The workshop, which will emphasize dribbling, passing, defense and shooting, will cost $35 per participant.

Guard Tyrone Latimer scored a game-high 37 points to help Columbia upset Ventura, 97-88, in the junior college basketball state championship game Saturday night at the University of San Francisco. Columbia, which was ranked second in the state, finished 32-2. Ventura, which was ranked No. 1, finished 37-2. It is the first state title for Columbia. The Claim Jumpers were the state runners-up to El Camino in 1988.

K.J. Roberts, who started 46 basketball games for California in three seasons there, has decided to transfer to UC Riverside for his final season, it was announced Monday. Roberts, a 5-foot-11 guard who set a Cal record with 127 assists as a freshman point guard in 1991-92, moved to the off-guard position with the arrival of All-American Jason Kidd. Roberts started 12 games last season and averaged 8.8 points. He joins former Pepperdine guard Joey Ramirez and Stephen F.

Joey Ramirez made two free throws with 11.1 seconds left to secure Pepperdine's 61-55 victory over Eastern Kentucky on Thursday night in the consolation game of the Hoosier Classic. After Ramirez made both shots, teammate Monte Marcaccini made one of two free throws with 3.8 seconds left for the final score. Marcaccini scored a game-high 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds as the Waves improved to 3-8. Gerald Brown scored 11 points and Ramirez scored eight and had six assists.

Santa Paula 75, Rancho Alamitos 62--Rancho Alamitos forward Ed Taylor scored 20 points--including four three-pointers--and grabbed nine rebounds, but Santa Paula eliminated the Vaqueros at Bolsa Grande High School. Rancho Alamitos led, 22-14, after one quarter, but was outscored, 20-7, in the second quarter and trailed the rest of the game. The Vaqueros trailed by as many as 14 points, but cut the lead to five, 64-59, with 2 minutes 13 seconds to play but could get no closer.

Three Ventura College players scored 20 or more points to lead the Pirates to a 104-99 victory over Riverside City in the semifinals of the junior college state championships at the University of San Francisco on Friday night. Guard Stephane Brown scored 26 points, and forwards Calvin Curry and Brandon Jessie each had 24 to lead the Pirates (37-1), ranked No. 1 in California. The Pirates will play Columbia in the final tonight at 7:30. Columbia beat King's River, 62-57, in the other semifinal.

A reputed Oxnard gang member denied he killed a 17-year-old clerk after exchanging dirty looks with a passenger in the victim's car in a gang-related incident of "mad-dogging." Jessie Casares, 20, pleaded not guilty in Ventura County Municipal Court Wednesday to charges of murder and possession of a firearm in the Oct. 22 shooting death of William F. Leadbetter of Oxnard.

If this was supposed to be a rebuilding season for Pepperdine, as many thought, the Waves sent a contradictory message Saturday to the rest of the West Coast Conference. It came in the form of a 79-55 victory over the University of San Francisco before 2,217 at Firestone Fieldhouse. Pepperdine (6-10), picked to finish near the bottom of the conference, moved into the middle of the pack in the WCC at 2-2 by completing a weekend sweep that began with Friday's victory over San Diego.