Eugene Land, who dropped out of the University of Cincinnati and almost dropped out of sight about two years ago, has resurfaced on campus and has been playing pickup basketball games with the Bearcats for roughly three weeks.

        Land is taking one summer school course at UC and is paying his own way, said Bruce Ivory, associate athletic director for academics and compliance.

        Land could end up back on the basketball team for at least part of the 2002-03 season. And if he does, he could compete for a starting spot.

        The 6-foot-7 Land, who has told people he once weighed more than 300 pounds, is at 253, assistant strength coach Scott Greenawalt said.

        “If Eugene has worked things through in his personal life and the University of Cincinnati has surfaced as one of his top priorities for a degree and for basketball, our arms are open to assist him,” UC athletic director Bob Goin said.

        “If a kid wants a second chance, he ought to be able to have the chance and do this, especially if he's taking the initiative. He doesn't have any handcuffs on him as far as our program is concerned.”

        The former Roger Bacon High School star, Ohio's Division II Player of the Year in 1998, played the 1998-99 season at UC, averaging 3.2 points and 1.7 rebounds in 27 games.

        He was dismissed from the team for fall quarter his sophomore year following an arrest on shoplifting charges. Land rejoined the Bearcats for practices when winter quarter started and could have played, but he redshirted because UC had Jermaine Tate, Kenyon Martin, Pete Mickeal and Ryan Fletcher.

        In the summer of 2000, Land suffered a potentially career-ending knee injury. He had a dislocation of his right knee and underwent surgery Aug.18, 2000, for reconstruction of the anterior cruciate and posterior cruciate ligaments.

        Land was enrolled in classes in the fall quarter 2000 but left school. UC officials and players and Roger Bacon coach Bill Brewer say they don't know what Land has been doing the past two years.

        Land declined to discuss it, saying he wasn't ready to talk to the media. UC coach Bob Huggins could not be reached Friday.

        “Eugene is trying to put the pieces of the puzzle back together,” Ivory said. “By September 22nd, the first day of (fall quarter) classes, all the pieces need to fit.”

        It probably won't be known until then whether he will be eligible to play basketball. Ivory and others who have encountered Land over recent weeks say he's different from when they saw him last.

        “He's changed his whole lifestyle,” Ivory said. “He's not the kid who left here with whatever issues he had, whatever demons were in his head. He's night and day, just in appearance. He's "yes sir, no sir.' (If I say) Eugene, I need to see you at 9 o'clock in the morning, at a quarter 'til nine my man's there waiting on me. His whole attitude's changed.”

        Ivory said Land was almost halfway finished toward a degree when he left school. Land mostly has to take care of some incomplete grades from 2000.

        “That's the challenge,” Ivory said. “If that's what he wants to do and he wants it bad enough, he'll get it done.”

        Land, 22, could help the basketball team. The Bearcats are looking at going into the season with big men B.J. Grove, a 6-11 senior who continues to battle weight problems; 6-10 Derek Hollman, who missed last season after having shoulder surgery; and Kareem Johnson, a 6-8 newcomer from Chipola College.

        Sophomore Jason Maxiell will be the starting power forward.

        Land could provide experience, strength and toughness inside. He would have one year of eligibility remaining, barring an appeal to the NCAA for a sixth year (athletes usually have five years to complete four years of eligibility).

        The first time Land showed up to play at Shoemaker Center, several weeks ago, senior Leonard Stokes was on his team. He said Land scored the first three baskets.

        “He's looking good,” Stokes said. “He plays hard. He's rebounding and playing defense — and it's open gym. He's diving for loose balls... If he comes back, it'll definitely be a positive.”

        Dr. Angelo Colosimo, UC's team orthopedic surgeon who operated on Land two years ago, said he hasn't been asked to examine the player's knee. If Land is to return to the Bearcats, Colosimo would have to clear him.

        “The kid had as bad an injury as you can have,” Colosimo said. “It's a difficult injury to come back from. It's a devastating injury. He had a good operation. He's done well.

        “Could he play if he had to? I'd have to reserve my judgment until I see what the knee looks like, and I see what he can do. Is it possible? Yeah. We wrote a paper two years ago on 18 athletes who had dislocated knees that we put back together, and four of them got back to playing at the level they were before.”

Injured Guidugli to miss today's UC scrimmage Land drops back in at UC

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