Woods and Major suspended indefinitely

Seniors Renaldo Major and Jonathan Woods suspended Tuesday for violating team rules

By Nathan Hathway

Fresno State men’s basketball players Renaldo Major and Jonathan Woods were suspended indefinitely from the team Tuesday for violating unspecified team rules.

Coach Ray Lopes declined to elaborate.

The suspension is Woods’ third this year and Major’s second. Woods has missed six games so far, and Major has been suspended for four games. But Lopes said these suspensions were not related to the players’ previous suspensions.

“ This suspension is this suspension,” Lopes said.

Major and Woods, both senior carryovers from last year’s conference championship team, were unavailable for comment, and Lopes instructed his team not to discuss the matter.

Lopes said there is no time frame for the players’ return to the team.

But Lopes said he and his team can’t afford to focus on the suspensions with a big two-game road trip coming up.

“ I’ve got a team I’ve got to coach,” Lopes said. “We’re focused on Louisiana Tech.”

Lopes said the infractions were particularly frustrating in that Major and Woods—both seniors—should know better.

“ My disappointment in those two guys is they know the rules,” Lopes said.

But the coach pointed out that there is no need for alarm. The last time he suspended Major and Woods, the team went out and won at Hawaii and at San Jose State.

While it may look on the surface that Lopes’ team is spiraling out of control—players have been suspended a total of 17 games this season—he said he is still captaining a tight ship.

“ I do have control of my basketball program,” Lopes said. “And I like the direction this program’s going.”

Major is averaging 10.7 points and 3.5 rebounds per game this season. Woods is averaging 10 points and 5.9 rebounds. He logged just five minutes in the team’s 61-40 win over Louisiana Tech earlier this season.

Junior Chris Adams will likely take Woods’ spot in the starting lineup. Adams, who is averaging 3.6 points and 3.4 rebounds per game, has started nine of the 16 games in which he has played this season.