Evans won't attend UM

Terps accept controversial recruit's request to be released from commitment

Men's basketball

Maryland basketball recruit Tyree Evans has asked to be released from his letter of intent, ending a campus debate over whether the talented guard should be permitted to play for the Terrapins despite a string of criminal offenses.

Maryland released a statement yesterday saying that it had accepted the 23-year-old's decision to be released from his commitment. The withdrawal comes less than three weeks after Evans told The Sun, "I'm proud to be a Terp," and less than six weeks after he was offered a scholarship by the school's basketball staff. Athletic director Debbie Yow said she didn't know at the time that Maryland was recruiting Evans or much, if anything, about his criminal past.

Evans' abrupt decision came after media reports about his past. In 2005, he was charged with felony possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. He ended up pleading to a misdemeanor and was sentenced to 12 months in jail with all but one month suspended. In 2006, he pleaded guilty to a reduced assault-related misdemeanor after being accused with others of statutory rape of a 15-year-old female classmate at a Massachusetts prep school in 2004. There was also a 2006 trespassing arrest in his hometown of Richmond, Va.

The previous media reports didn't mention a fourth case - marijuana possession and handgun charges lodged in Cecil County Circuit Court in November 2005. He received probation on the drug charge, and the handgun count wasn't pursued by prosecutors, county officials said. "That was a positive result for him because not everyone gets probation," said Lawrence Derx, his attorney.

Asked whether all the charges were too much for Maryland, athletic officials insisted it was Evans' decision - not the university's - for him to withdraw.

Evans, who has bounced from high school to prep school to two junior colleges, was offered a scholarship in April but hadn't been accepted by the admissions office. His withdrawal came while the university was studying his credentials and history.

Maryland coach Gary Williams had initially emerged as Evans' champion. The coach had said his instinct and years of experience told him Evans could succeed.

Williams said recently that Evans had been excited to come to the school - a sentiment the recruit echoed this month when he talked about his plans to room with guard Greivis Vasquez and to play big road games in the Atlantic Coast Conference.