Jarred Shaw back in play for Utah State
Utah State men’s basketball senior center Jarred Shaw pleaded guilty to third-degree felony marijuana possession charges and was reinstated to the team Friday.
Shaw was initially charged for two other misdemeanors, one of possession and the other of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Both charges were dismissed.
Shaw was temporarily suspended from the team for “violating team rules” on Dec. 16. At the time, Shaw was leading the team in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots.
The suspension ended up lasting five games. Shaw missed the entire Gossner Classic, which was won by Utah State, and the Mountain West Conference opener, a loss at Air Force. The Aggies went 4-1 in Shaw’s stead. However, the one-point loss to in-conference opponent Air Force was enough for Aggie fans to miss Shaw. It was the final game of his suspension.
“There has been lots of speculation and untrue rumors regarding Jarred,” said head coach Stew Morril in his statement re-instating Shaw. “Jarred Shaw is a student-athlete who graduates this spring and who made a mistake. This was his first offense, and he has served his penalty by missing five games. We will go forward from here, and our team is certainly excited to have Jarred back.”
In his first game back, the Aggies faced San Jose State and won 86-67. Shaw played 26 minutes in the game. However, he struggled from the field, going 2-for-10. Shaw had six points in the game along with nine rebounds and two blocks. Before the suspension, Shaw averaged 16.1 points per game, 7.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks. Shaw will look to regain his scoring prowess against the University of Nevada, Reno on Saturday.
According to the university, Shaw received the same treatment as any student or athlete would have given the circumstances.
“The university followed the same process as it would with any USU student to determine the outcome,” said USU Vice President and Director of Athletics Scott Barnes in a press release.
Shaw will deal with the legal ramifications of the charges, such as community service or counseling, and he will be sentenced in March.
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