UH’s NCAA hearing moved to Sept. 10

The NCAA has rescheduled for September a hearing into allegations of rules violations against the University of Hawaii men’s basketball program and former coach Gib Arnold after amending three of the charges, parties said.

The new date, Sept. 10, is eight weeks after the previously announced July 16-17 date. It is not certain whether Scottdale, Ariz., will remain the site of the hearing before the NCAA Committee on Infractions.

The change in the dates makes it possible that the process could go on into the Rainbow Warriors’ basketball season, especially if either party appeals the committee’s findings.

"The NCAA has informed us that the Committee on Infractions hearing will be moved to Sept. 10 because the changes the NCAA is now making to the allegations in response to the comments that we’ve made have been deemed material changes," said James Bickerton, Arnold’s Honolulu attorney. "When material changes are made it starts a new clock. We were actually ready to go (and) Gib wanted to get this over with," Bickerton said.

UH and Arnold filed supplemental replies to the initial NCAA allegations on June 15.

Bickerton said the amended charges involve three of the five directly alleged to his client.

"They (NCAA officials) alleged a rule was violated and we showed it wasn’t violated, so they amended that and alleged a different violation, which we don’t think was violated either," Bickerton said.

A UH spokesman confirmed the date change but was not immediately able to offer further comment.

Bickerton said, "Perhaps, with this additional time, UH will decide that it is worthwhile to interview a key witness like Benjy Taylor, who repeatedly offered to be interviewed because he can rebut the charges. It was incomprehensible to me why (UH) would not interview a key witness who was the No. 2 man in the program. That’s one of the reasons why I have concluded that they had an agenda here."

With the new hearing date, UH is expected to lose its lead counsel, William H. King, of the Alabama law firm Lightfoot, Franklin & White. King is scheduled to join the Southeastern Conference on Sept. 1 as associate commissioner. King did not immediately respond to questions. William H. Brooks of the same firm has also been listed on documents as a UH attorney.

"I just hope that they will find somebody who will actually (speak) up for the truth," Bickerton said.