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PRINT THIS PAGE | E-MAIL THIS PAGE Saturday, August 22, 1998 Former UT players can't wait to get to UH, Drexler CONROE (AP) -- Bernard Smith says he had no real complaint with former University of Texas basketball coach Tom Penders, even though he was one of four players responsible for forcing Penders' resignation earlier this year. But where Smith really wanted to play college basketball was at the University of Houston, only 50 miles south of his hometown of Conroe. Penders resigned on April 2, about 31/2 weeks after Smith and three other UT players went to the home of Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds at season's end and complained about playing for Penders and his program. Two weeks before, on March 17, former UH great Clyde Drexler announced he was retiring from the Houston Rockets after the 1997-98 season to become the new head basketball coach at UH. "It's where I've always wanted to go," Smith told the (Conroe) Courier. He would have signed with the Cougars in 1997, directly out of high school, except he said that the UH situation was shaky with the head coach Alvin Brooks under fire at the time. "With Clyde coming in and being one of the top 50 players of all time, my game can only improve if I work at it," Smith said. Smith averaged 5.9 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game for the Longhorns last season as a true freshman. The guard still has three years of eligibility left at Houston, but must sit out the 1998-99 season. Dodds approved the transfer on Wednesday after a telephone conference with UH athletic director Clint Gladchuk. Dodds said he's sure no NCAA rules were broken by the Cougars. "I knew (he would get the transfer OK'd) from the start," Smith said. "DeLoss told me back in the spring when the thing with coach Penders went down, that if I wanted my release, he would give it." Smith and three other UT players -- freshmen Luke Axtell and Chris Mihm and sophomore Gabe Muoneke -- complained to Dodds after the season that Penders verbally abused the players, and they didn't want to play for him any more. Penders denied the claims but later resigned. He is now coach at George Washington University. Like Smith, Axtell also is transferring, to Kansas. Mihm and Muoneke have said they'll stay at Texas. Smith said he looks forward to working with Drexler. "I haven't reached my full potential yet. He can show me what to work on to get to the next level," Smith said. "Whatever he says, you'll listen to and take heart."   Send a Letter to the Editor about This Story | Start or Join A Discussion about This Story Send the URL (Address) of This Story to A Friend: Enter their email address below: texnews.com Reporter OnLine Local Sports Texas Sports Copyright ©1998, Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications Send the URL (Address) of This Story to A Friend: Enter their email address below:

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