WSU coach search goes wide

Washington State athletic director Jim Sterk has taken his search for a basketball coach to the Final Four, indicating his net is likely wider than the list of possible candidates reported to date.

Sterk is seeking a replacement for Tony Bennett, who took the Virginia job. Portland State coach Ken Bone is a serious candidate to succeed Bennett, while Sterk indicated he would try to talk to San Diego coach Bill Grier.

Mike Davis, Alabama-Birmingham head coach and former head man at Indiana, is to be interviewed today, according to the Spokane Spokesman-Review.

At least two others have been linked to the job. Utah State coach Stew Morrill's interest is unconfirmed, while Terry Porter, Phoenix Suns coach who was fired Feb. 16, told an Arizona Republic reporter he wasn't pursuing the job. Porter played for former WSU coach Dick Bennett at Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

"If he's involved, it's really news to me," said Bennett from his home in Wisconsin. "I'm not saying he shouldn't be or anything like that, but if he were involved, I think he would have [called] me."

Grier isn't in Detroit and Morrill told a reporter early this week he would skip the Final Four to visit family in Colorado. Indications are that Grier would listen, despite a newspaper report that he wasn't interested.

Bone was due for an interview sometime this weekend.

Meanwhile, the father of Sacramento point guard Xavier Thames, one of four WSU November signees, said he is in accord with Sterk's statement that no prospects would be released from their letters of intent until a new coach is in place and has a chance to meet with them.

But Ray Thames added, "I told [Sterk] I understand that and we'd be patient. [But] my son personally, he's waiting to see whether Ron Sanchez is retained. That's going to play heavily on my son's decision.

"If they keep a couple of assistants, it makes the decision easier. If they don't keep anybody, it makes his decision easier also."

Virginia hasn't announced Sanchez as a part of Bennett's new staff, but he accompanied Bennett there, helped him with details during his first days and is expected to be named an aide.

Ray Thames quoted the organizer of his son's AAU summer team, Etop Emu of the Compton Magic, as saying that several schools are interested in accepting Thames on the rebound, among them Marquette, Iowa, UCLA, Florida and Iowa State.

Meanwhile, Utah State athletic director Scott Barnes didn't respond to a call regarding Morrill's potential candidacy. Morrill has been at USU 11 years and taken the Aggies to 10 postseason tournaments, including six in the NCAA.

Bud Withers: 206-464-8281 or bwithers@seattletimes.com