Gambling charges hit M. Hoops

Penn men's basketball stars Geoff Owens and Ugonna Onyekwe were arrested on Sunday in a pre-dawn raid, charged with racketeering and 14 other related crimes. In warrants unsealed at the time of their arrests, the Quakers second team All-Ivy selections are accused of systematic point-shaving over the course of the 2000-01 campaign. It is alleged that the duo intentionally missed free throws to swing the score of a number of games, earning upward of $40,000 from professional gamblers in the process. While the Penn community -- still reeling from the academic scandal precipitated by Mitch Marrow in 1997 -- tries to come to terms with this development, the accusations may explain the circumstances surrounding the topsy-turvy season the Quakers (12-17, 0-2 against Princeton) endured. "The accusations are totally and uncategorically without merit," said Penn coach Fran Dunphy, as he edged closer to the Olney stop on the Orange Line. "Though I still wonder why we lost to some of those God-awful Division III teams like Columbia and Delaware...." For the season, Owens was a 50 percent free-throw shooter, and Onyekwe found the hole with 59 percent of his shots from the charity stripe. But this amounts to only circumstantial evidence to the team's biggest supporter. "This just absolutely cannot be true," said Penn Athletic Director Steve Bilsky, relaxing in his new plush leather chair. "I've known Geoff for five years, and he has more respect for himself, for the school and for the Ivy League than to do this. "If anything, I'd bet that 'U' kid is behind it. First came that 360 at Princeton, and now he's concentrating in Legal Studies." According to the FBI, though, the evidence is overwhelming. Against then-No. 9 Seton Hall in December, the criminally minded duo combined to hit 5-of-13 (38%) at the line, but 16-of-27 (59%) from the field. Onyekwe even blatantly bricked a free throw with 1:04 remaining and a chance to put Penn in front. The Quakers went on to lose, 80-78. "There is just no way these two characters can do so well with Eddie Griffin in their faces, and so poorly with nothing between them and the basket," FBI spokesman Shaun W. May said. "While we know the public won't initially believe us, we have them conspiring on tape." Indeed, recordings produced by the FBI seem to slam-dunk a guilty verdict, as the pair can be heard discussing point spreads and game scenarios in detail. One clip, allegedly recorded the day before Penn took on Big 5 rival Temple, goes as follows: Owens: "Yo man, we six point dogs to dat ol' fool Chaney! Ain't no way I'm gonna let us cover that shit! That's prime-time!" Ugonna: "Very true, my dear Owens. This is a bloody marvelous opportunity to pick up a few shillings. That Sagarin chap sure makes life easy for us. We may even procure 1, 000 dollars for this work." Owens: "Yeah, a whole 'G', yo. Dat's phatty! Mo-money!" As it turns out, Owens went 0-for-2 from the line against the Owls, but a mediocre Penn squad did not need his help, falling well short of covering the spread in a 74-60 drubbing. Reaction across the Ivies ran the gambit between shock and disbelief at news of the arrests. "It's another Penn-Princeton conspiracy keeping my team down," sputtered delightfully pocket-sized Dartmouth coach Dave Faucher, as he took a deep swig from an unmarked bottle. "I don't know what to say," said Cornell coach and former Penn assistant coach Steve Donahue. "But guilty or not, that airball Geoff threw up in Hanover was still pretty sweet. Heh-heh." Those closest to the pair in West Philadelphia are as surprised as anyone by these middle-of-the-night developments. "I still don't want to believe it's true," said Diana Caramanico, Owens' girlfriend, and the best damn ballplayer to ever play at Penn. "But I guess I suspected something was up when Geoffy-poo stayed on that stationary bike all day in practice, talking on his Motorola two-way-pager." While Owens and Onyekwe are learning the rigors of prison life and could not be reached for comment, teammates were quick to come to their defense. "I can't believe the FBI is even considering this might be true," said David Klatsky, Penn's anti-shooting guard. "Sure, I always wondered what they were doing when they talked amongst themselves in the corner during timeouts. But I'm just 5'7", so I can't get up there to listen." Owens and Onyekwe will be arraigned on April 15 and face six-to-nine years in prison. But by the grace of incomprehensible NCAA rules, they will retain their eligibility if convicted. Upon hearing this news, Dunphy immediately hit the bottle, and also began applying for a fifth year of eligibility for "U". "I've got to cover all my bases, if you know what I mean," said Dunphy, stroking his long, thin, handlebar mustache. "If U ends up plea bargaining, he'll be free in time for Temple in 2003!"

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