'Nova freshman Spellman not yet ruled eligible by NCAA

OMARI SPELLMAN, Villanova's highly recruited freshman power forward, will accompany the Wildcats when they leave for an exhibition tour in Spain on Tuesday. But he won't be playing in any of their three games.

While he is on athletic scholarship and has been cleared to practice, the NCAA hasn't declared him eligible to compete in games.

"It's really unique situation," said coach Jay Wright after Monday night's annual Summer Jam practice/scrimmage at the Pavilion. "We hope (it's nothing more than a formality)."

Wright, whose team won the national title four months ago, said what is being questioned is when Spellman's four-year clock started in high school.

"It's a chronological issue," Wright said. "We gave them all the information and they're looking into it."

In a "worst-case scenario," Spellman could be ruled ineligible for this season but would have four seasons of eligibility remaining.

"It's (about) when his ninth-grade year started," Wright said. "That's all I can say right now. Everything academically is good."

Spellman was being counted on to fill the big-man void left by the graduation of senior center Daniel Ochefu.

Spellman played last season at St. Thomas More School in Oakdale, Conn. He spent his junior year at the MacDuffie School in Granby, Mass., where he transferred to from North Royalton High in suburban Cleveland.

@mikekerndn