IDAHO ST. TAKES TOUGH STAND : FIVE BASKETBALL PLAYERS OUT FOR SEASON FOR PETTY THEFT.

Byline: Hal Bock Associated Press

The charge was misdemeanor petty theft - shoplifting. The plea was guilty. The sentence was six months probation, $300 in fines and between two and four days time on a county labor detail.

And the result is five Idaho State basketball players are through for the season, suspended by the school in a get-tough stance by athletic director Irv Cross.

``They will neither represent the university in competition nor practice with the team,'' said Cross, adding that the five would be allowed to keep their scholarships. ``I can tell you it's very important to us that we can have a good, solid program that can be respected not only in this community but also all over the country.''

Coach Herb Williams endorses tough. He kicked three players off the team for various indiscretions a year ago.

``I came here tough seven years ago and I remained tough,'' he said. ``My policy is: `Don't put yourself in a position to be accused. Walk the white line with no dust.' ''

That said, Williams thinks his kids are paying the price for past problems at Idaho State, problems with other athletes.

``What happened was the culmination of some things,'' he said. ``You have to look beyond these guys. Last year, four or five kids, football players, were charged with rape. These kids are being crucified for the misdeeds of others.''

The current episode started with senior David Hickman, who went into a mall and came out with a VCR without paying for it. Williams was livid over the affair and addressed his team, asking if others had done anything wrong. Four - Dedric Bell, Stephen Brown, Cedric Robinson and Rapheal Fondren - said they had passed through lines at the mall and were not charged for everything they wanted to purchase.

``Everybody thinks they were caught shoplifting,'' Williams said. ``These kids were not caught. They came forward voluntarily. They had money to pay for the items. They had credit cards. We told them, it was a problem but we'd get through it. It's happened to everybody.''

It should be pointed out that this was not a one-time occurrence for Williams' players. They were charged with not paying for an estimated $1,600 worth of electronic equipment and other items from Nov. 13 through Dec. 14.

Still, the coach felt the kids were being treated like criminals and outcasts.

``I'm distraught,'' he said. ``We're not dealing with bad kids. One is the son of a church elder. Another is the son of a company vice president. These kids were portrayed as thieves. They're not thieves. I've got a daughter. I'm very protective of her, but I wouldn't have a problem with her going out with them.

``I'm sitting here with five guys who were honest and got nailed. When they were on the labor detail, their pictures were on the front page of the newspaper, like some kind of chain gang. What can I do? They're being punished for being honest. They're being raked over the coals. They're good kids, great kids.''

Williams also wonders about players who get in trouble at other schools.

At Iowa State, Kenny Pratt, a high-profile player for the No. 4 team in the country, was arrested and charged with a variety of misdeeds including drunken driving and serious assault on an officer.

Coach Tim Floyd suspended Pratt, who responded by appealing. An athletic department committee overturned the suspension and restored Pratt to the roster pending the outcome of charges against him.

So Pratt plays while the Idaho State five sit.

At Providence, God Shammgod, charged with driving to endanger after his car struck three parked vehicles in a shopping mall, missed a court date. Coach Pete Gillen called it an inadvertent oversight and said no disciplinary action was planned.

It's not like Gillen has never punished his star guard. Last year, Shammgod used a stolen telephone credit card number and was grounded for one exhibition game.

So Shammgod plays while the Idaho State five sit.

Is Herb Williams bitter?

``What do you think?'' he said. ``I think I have a right to be bitter.''