Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (11/10)

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Commits

Andy Brown, a 6-foot-8 senior forward at Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, became the first player to give an oral commitment to Stanford since Johnny Dawkins became head coach. Mater Dei coach Gary McKnight confirmed Brown chose Stanford over Arizona and is expected to sign with the Cardinal in the fall signing period next week. All five starters on the Mater Dei team have now committed to major programs - twins Davis and Travis Wear to North Carolina, Tyler Lamb to UCLA and Gary Franklin to USC. SF Chronicle 11/6

Six-foot-three Abdul Gaddy of Bellarmine Prep in Tacoma, Wash., edged Renardo Sidney of L.A. Fairfax and Avery Bradley (a former prep teammate of Gaddy's) of Findlay Prep in Henderson, Nev., to be the top vote-getter in the 2008-09 version of the Press-Telegram's annual survey used to determine the top senior high school players in the western portion of the country....The 6-9 Sidney, who became a nationally known prospect as an eighth-grader in Mississippi, received 313 points to the 6-3 Bradley's 311. Michael Snaer (Rancho Verde High in Moreno Valley, Calif.) was just a point (with 299) ahead of Tyler Honeycutt (Sylmar High in Southern California). Press Telegram 11/8

Recruits

Arizona has refused to grant freshman Jeff Withey's request to transfer, leaving his status -- and the Wildcats' frontcourt -- unsettled. Withey, a 6-foot-10 center, asked for his release last week. In a meeting Monday night with Withey and his parents, Arizona athletic director Jim Livengood denied the request. "My very simple reason is I firmly believe, as the letter of intent states, that he needs to stay a full academic year," Livengood said to the Arizona Daily Star. "At the end of [the year] -- as I told him last night -- I would gladly release him if he wanted." The Wildcats have been in a state of flux ever since Lute Olson announced his retirement as the men's basketball coach Oct. 23. Three players who had committed to Arizona for 2009 -- Abdul Gaddy, Mike Moser, and Solomon Hill -- withdrew their commitments within days. ESPN 11/5

The Southern Section has denied a hardship waiver to Compton Dominguez basketball standout Jordan Hamilton, ending his high school career unless he wins an appeal to the state CIF. Hamilton, who has committed to Texas, was seeking a fifth year of athletic eligibility. "He didn't meet criteria for a hardship," Southern Section commissioner Jim Staunton said. LA Times 11/5

There’s a good chance that South Atlanta’s Derrick Favors, who is ranked as the nation’s No. 1 basketball prospect by Scout, will not sign next Wednesday. The 6-foot-9 Favors is deciding between Georgia Tech, Georgia and North Carolina State. “Right now, I don’t see Derrick signing on [the first day of the signing period],” South Atlanta coach Michael Reddick said. “But he could commit to a school sometime next week and sign before the end of the early period [Nov. 19], or he could wait.” AJC 11/6

It is going to be fun watching Duke and North Carolina fans spar over this elite recruit. The 2010 small forward takes an unofficial visit to Duke and days later receives North Carolina's lone 2010 offer. There is no doubt that Harrison Barnes is going to break a lot of hearts with his college decision because he will play it close to the vest and draw it out in a similar way that Brandan Wright (North Carolina) and Ryan Kelly (Duke) handled their recruitment. But this is not just a Duke-North Carolina battle for Barnes, and no one can predict with any type of certainty where he will end up. Here is what we know. Practically every school in the country has offered Barnes, from Florida to Texas to UCLA. He has unofficially visited Kansas and Duke. Barnes said he will likely visit North Carolina, among other schools, in the spring. He lives in Ames, Iowa, and his mother works in the Iowa State music department. Rivals 11/6

Xavier Henry, a 6-foot-6 senior guard from Putnam City (Okla.) High, who had surgery Thursday to repair a broken cheekbone, told ESPN.com he will not choose a school until the spring signing period. Henry’s dad, Carl, on Thursday said his son — who ultimately will choose between Kansas and Memphis — will be on medication and not be able to practice basketball the next four to six weeks. It’s possible he will announce his decision on ESPNU shortly after returning to action. “He likes both schools. He wasn’t ready to pick a school yet,” Carl Henry told Zagsblog.net. Lawrence Journal World 11/7

Mike Moser visited UCLA over this weekend but may wait until the spring before signing, as could the 6-5 Solomon Hill. Both players would be among the most heavily recruited prospects remaining in the spring if they go unsigned before the fall period expires. Press Telegram 11/7

Blue-chip basketball recruit Michael Snaer, who last week said he’d wait until the spring to pick a college, has had a change of heart. Rivals.com’s No. 11-rated prospect said Sunday he’ll choose between Kansas University, Florida State and Marquette at a yet-to-be-determined time Wednesday at Rancho Verde High in Moreno Valley, Calif. “I want to get it out of the way. I think it’s that time,” Snaer said of finalizing his college choice. The 6-foot-4, 185-pound shooting guard said he eliminated two schools Sunday — UCLA and Missouri.“It was tough cutting Missouri. I know a lot of the players there,” Snaer said. LJ World 11/9

(photo credit: LA Times)

Comments

[Justin]

Bummer about Snaer. Thanks for the update BBR.

[DW]

If JH bails after 1 season: for 2009-2010 our back court will be JA & ML. Hopefully for 2010-2011 as well. We'll be just fine without Gaddy or Snaer! They ain't any better than ML or JA. Farmar and Afflalo were ranked about the same as Lee and Anderson. Need I say more?

[Brew In]

Hey what about Withey? Any chance we can snag him? I know he had interest in the Bruins at one time and Howland was interested in his length, and I believe even made an offer. He's a true center (7'0"), something we haven't had since the departure of Hollins.

Once Aboya moves on, imagine Withey and Bobo sharing time, or even playing together! Keefe will be a senior next year and is more of a PF, so we really will be relying only on Morgan and Stover in the middle. Withey would be a nice compliment to the two.

What do you think fellow Bruins?

[jojoenglish]

[Deleted]

Please don't post entire articles. Post link to article instead.

[BelAirBruin]

The success that BH has had with non-five-star talent is well documented, RW, LRMAM, LMR, etc. However, I cannot help but think that the coaches and fans would prefer to have 5 star talent were the five star talent to desire to attend UCLA. Everyone touted KLove's national ranking and the additional publicity that it brought to the program. BH can make great talent even better, which is what is going to be needed to not just get to the Dance but win it against the top athletic talent like that which ended up at Florida or Memphis. Of course, that is definitely an all-things-being-equal comment, which they are not. So I would say that it is a bummer that we are not going to have another five-star-heavy recruiting class like the 2008 recruiting class (unless a rabbit appears from the proverbial hat). I just hope that the 2008 recruits, especially JH and JM, stay for more than one year.

[DW]

I'll still take ML and JA any day. You can't expect to pull 5 star classes every year. It scares recruits who want PT away (eg. Snaer and Gaddy)

[DB]

Other than the top player of each spot, there usually isnt a real difference between 2 through 5 or 6 players.

While 5 star players overall are nice to have regardless, you need players who arent attention heavy and are willing to do what it takes to help the team win.

IMO it is good to have 2-3 5 stars at a any given time and the rest role players. I dont mean 2-3 5 star recruits at a time, but I really think you need 2-3 5 star guys to have a real good shot at winning it all on your roster.

Now this does not mean a 4 star player wont ever get better and become a 5 star quality. Rather you just need 2-3 5 star quality players on your roster be it they came in with that quality, or develope into it. The best scenereo imo is that have 4 star guys that develop into 5 star quality since they stay multiple years and tend to end up knowing the system better.

In any case, BH will no doubt keep the good recruits coming in. We just need a few good players to last multiple years to do it.

If Gordon can develope to a smaller Marcus Camby player and Morgan like a Bynum type of guy, we are in a real good shape.

Ucla does not need these players to score bunches but rather be a presence inside and be able to be a sort of threat offensively and defensively.

Importantly is to get a solid 3 that can do multiple things. This is a position that has been a weak spot in last couple of years which I hope Shipp gets back to form.

[DC]

I thinhk you need to have 1-2 all american level players on a team in order to win it all.