AFA men's basketball coach Reynolds reprimanded

Air Force men’s basketball coach Jeff Reynolds was issued a public reprimand by the Mountain West Conference on Wednesday for comments he made to The Gazette regarding the officiating in the Falcons’ loss to Montana last Saturday.

Reynolds questioned why an official on the opposite side of the court from a key play overruled a call by an official just steps from the play in the game’s waning moments. He also said “the carry call was just as bad on Andrew (Henke).”

The public criticism, according to a release from the conference, was in violation of conference sportsmanship rules.

Reynolds said Wednesday he had no comment on the reprimand.

Back in the fold

Freshmen Phillip Brown, Tyler Burke and Fred Coleman have returned to practice full time.

The freshmen had sat out selected practices earlier in the season to receive extra academic instruction. None were on academy probation, Reynolds said, but the coaching staff, after reviewing progress reports, decided they needed extra time to concentrate on academics.

“They’re making progress academically and basketball-wise,” Reynolds said.

Whether the players can make a push to join the 15-man roster will depend on their performance in practice “the next week, 10 days,” Reynolds said.

Time off

Reynolds said Air Force has to make “a concerted effort” to find “two- and three-minute spots in each half” to rest senior guard Tim Anderson, who is averaging a team-high 34.6 minutes per game.