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2011-11-11T12:00:00.000-08:00

It Was Time To Call Coach

2011-11-01T12:00:00.000-07:00

Andy Hill played for the UCLA Bruins from 1968-72.

It Was Time Call Coach

By Ken Wong

He never thought he would ever talk to him again.

For decades, a painful chapter in his life had been left buried beneath long forgotten newspaper clippings and uneasy memories of once playing for the greatest college basketball program and its legendary coach.

The shame and hurt Andy Hill had harbored from that time of his life stayed with him for most of his adulthood, and kept him away from the game he adored as a young boy growing up in West Los Angeles.

Naturally, growing up in the early 1960’s literally in the backyard of the Westwood campus, Hill became an avid UCLA fan at a time when the basketball team did not even have a home court.

Prior to Pauley Pavilion being built, the basketball team would play their games in any venue available to them.

"I started attending Bruin games as a youngster when the team played in places like the Beverly Hills High Swim Gym, Santa Monica College, and Los Angeles Sports Arena." Hill reminisced. "You paid a buck as a kid in those days and never had a problem getting into a game."

Hill later enrolled at nearby University High School where he spent countless hours in the gym honing his basketball skills. He averaged 27 points per game as a senior and was named to the first ever sanctioned All-City All-Star game in 1968.

Not surprisingly, Hill was ecstatic when he learned UCLA coaches were scouting him.

"As a kid growing up in the area I was blown away when UCLA assistant coaches Jerry Norman and Gary Cunningham started coming to my games and showed interest in me," he recalled.

Hill’s high school coach, Courtney Borio, had played under Wooden in the early 1950’s where he played sparingly - a role Hill would later become very familiar with during his own career at UCLA.

Yet at the time, Hill was a talented young prep star and had been recruited by numerous other schools, and to even be considered by UCLA - a team which was in the midst of sport’s most incredible string of title runs, was unfathomable to him.

Hill remarked, "I was probably the easiest recruit ever for UCLA because all they really had to do was convince me that they weren't kidding about offering me a scholarship."

“I remember during a recruiting trip to UCLA sitting on a training table and talking to Coach Wooden while Lew Alcindor (now Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) was sitting on the other side of me - and all I could think to myself was this couldn’t really be happening.”

Hill’s playing career at UCLA started off remarkably enough.

Playing alongside Henry Bibby on the UCLA Freshman team, Hill had a phenomenal season averaging 19 points and 8 assists and shared the team’s award for most valuable freshman with Bibby.

The varsity had just won its sixth national title in seven years, and Hill was well on his way to becoming a major part of the UCLA winning tradition.

Although he had excelled on the Freshman team, Hill realized early on playing for the Varsity team was going to be a far greater challenge.

"I found out rather quickly the quality of play was different at this level. Everyone was bigger, stronger, faster, and better prepared.” Hill said. “It was a game played at a different pace."

Yet, Hill still believed he could compete at this level and longed for an opportunity to prove it.

After one intrasquad game before a paying crowd at Pauley Pavilion, local newspapers wrote Wooden had said Hill might be helpful to the team against certain pressing defenses. The Herald-Examiner even went as far as writing that the young sophomore might become a ‘right-handed Gail Goodrich’.

But opponents rarely ever pressed Wooden teams, and subsequently over the next three seasons, significant playing opportunities never materialized for Hill.

Moreover, for varying reasons, Hill had a tumultuous relationship with Wooden during his years at UCLA.

In one particular incident, Hill and his teammates drafted and signed a petition to protest the war in Vietnam and had sent it to the White House on behalf of the entire UCLA basketball team. When Wooden learned of their actions, he singled out Hill as the ring leader and called him into his office to express his deep displeasure over his actions.

"It was chaotic times, the Vietnam War was going on,” Hill explained. “Coach hadn't changed much since 1948, the year he came to UCLA, and I wasn't capable of putting myself in his shoes - it was really about my own immaturity at the time."

In three seasons with the Varsity team, Hill averaged 1.8 points in 79 games, and usually entered contests when the crowds were already heading for the exits at Pauley Pavilion after another Bruin blowout victory.

Despite playing on three consecutive national championship teams, it was not the type of basketball career Hill had anticipated when he signed to play at UCLA four years earlier.

“We were playing against teams in those days which I could have started on, but instead I was sitting on the bench unable to even get into the game.” Hill exclaimed. “It was embarrassing to me.”

For many years afterwards, it wasn’t a period of time he was very fond of sharing with others he met in his life.

“Not many people I worked with ever knew I played basketball at UCLA,” Hill said. ”I never talked about it at work because I had been ashamed of my own basketball career."

Upon graduating from UCLA, Hill began a long and successful career in television production. As President of CBS Productions, he supervised the development of numerous family-oriented programs such as Touched by an Angel and Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.

As a top television executive, Hill demonstrated the ability to assemble teams of creative talent and to motivate them to reach for competitive greatness.

Hill didn’t realize where he had learned this talent to manage and lead teams of people.

Then during a fateful day on the golf course with Hill struggling with his golf swing, his playing partner suggested to him, “You’re hurrying; slow down and get your balance.”

The advice rung eerily familiar to Hill and he soon realized he had heard such advice before. It turns out it was the same instruction he had received from Wooden while as a player at UCLA.

“At practices, Coach would repeatedly tell us to be quick - but don’t hurry,” Hill recalled.

Like an epiphany, Hill came to the realization that all he had learned to succeed in business, family, and life had been taught to him by Coach Wooden.

Hill knew what he needed to do next. He needed to call Coach.

"Never in my life did I think I'd be calling Coach again." Hill reflected.

Working up the courage to call Wooden, the uneasy feelings he had as a player at UCLA all returned. All those years of sitting on the bench until the game result was well in hand had been unbearable for him - especially after joining the team with higher aspirations.

He was about to call the man he blamed for turning a boyhood dream into a life experience he was ashamed to discuss with others.

But something inside Hill was urging him to reach out to Coach Wooden.

“Fortunately, Coach still had the same old telephone number," Hill said. "If he wasn't sitting by the phone when I called him, I'm not sure if we would have ever got together again - I consider it one of the luckiest breaks in my life.”

Most of all, it was a cathartic experience for Hill - all the pent up angst he had kept inside for Coach Wooden quickly dissipated after the two finally met and talked.

Hill no longer holds Wooden responsible for his troubles on the basketball hardwood, but instead credits his former coach for teaching him the essentials of how to be successful in life.

"I look back at my days at UCLA and now realize it was the greatest experience any young person could have had.” Hill recalls.

“I discovered learning can’t always be pleasant. Sometimes the people who help you the most when you're young aren't necessarily the ones telling you everything is great all the time.”

In 2001 Hill co-wrote a book with Wooden titled: Be Quick -- But Don’t Hurry! It chronicles Hill’s experiences as a basketball player and television executive, and provides a model for businesses to follow based upon the teaching principles of Wooden's Pyramid of Success.

Currently, Hill visits with his former coach often, and maintains a special and close relationship with Wooden, often accompanying him to special events.

He recalls a recent conversation he had with Wooden at the coach’s Encino home.

Hill mentioned that he had difficulty remembering details of the games he actually played at UCLA. Wooden offered to help refresh his former player’s memory.

“Coach said he still had the scorebooks from all those games and went to pull them out to look them over with me. As Coach read through the first scorebook, you could hear him say, ‘Oh my, that’s not a good one’. I looked at the scorebook and said to Coach, you mean you didn’t even play me at the end of that game?”

“We were laughing so hard that we were both beside ourselves."

When talking to Hill, one gets the sense how much he has become like his old mentor.

"In some ways I don't feel as if I’ve adopted his way of life, but instead, it is what I have become.” Hill explains. “The real power of his teaching is how it becomes integrated into your soul and it’s just who you are."

Ten yours ago while attending a student event at UCLA for television production, a reporter from an alumni magazine approached Hill and asked which class during his time at UCLA had he learned the most. He responded, “Well, from Coach Wooden’s classroom of course.” The puzzled reporter replied she hadn’t known Wooden taught a course at the school. “He sure did,” Hill confirmed. “Coach taught a 2 ½ hour class each day at Pauley Pavilion.”

In those classrooms on the basketball court, Wooden not only taught the fundamental art of playing basketball - he also imparted to players his wisdom on the importance of family, life balance, and spiritual belief.

"You talk to any of Coach’s ex-players or assistant coaches like Gary Cunnigham and Denny Crum, Hill said. “You’ll find they all possess certain elements of Coach within them."

Hill is currently a motivational speaker for large corporate firms and much of his work is based upon Wooden’s coaching principles. (http://AndyHillSpeaks.com)

“What I hope people will take from my experience is that things in life are only impossible if you think they are - and it’s amazing what can happen if you pick up the telephone and reconnect with people.” Hill said.

When asked what he would select as his greatest accomplishment in life, Hill answered without a moment of hesitation, “My marriage and my children.”

Evidently, Hill was attentive in Coach Wooden’s classroom.

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (1/24)

2011-01-23T16:00:00.000-08:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Commits

The Hornets punctuated the Eastern League win with dunks from Norman Powell and Tyree Robinson in the final seconds. “They hit tough shots and they came to play today. Luckily we gutted it out at the end,” Bryant said. Powell led Lincoln with 18 points as one of three starters in double figures. San Diego Reader 1/18

Recruits

Bishop O'Dowd-Oakland (12-3), The Chronicle's top-ranked team, blew a 44-31 halftime lead, losing 86-85 in double-overtime to Sacramento (12-4). The game was a rematch of last year's Division III Northern California final, won by O'Dowd. Anders Haas led O'Dowd (12-3) with 21 points, but Brandon Ashley, one of the nation's top-ranked juniors, fouled out at the 3:05 mark in regulation with 10 points and six rebounds. SF Gate 1/17

The adjustment was too much for the visiting Cougars to handle. Sophomore wing, Michael Loomis harassed the Gervais guards into turning the ball over and dished the ball ahead to Junior Jordan Tebbutt who finished uncontested at the other end on successive trips down the floor to put the Hawks up 6-2. That ignited a 16-0 run for Horizon Christian the rest of the opening quarter, with the Hawks up 18-2....Tebbutt paced a balanced Hawks scoring effort with 14 points. Portland Examiner 1/18

I know you remember him...DeAndre Daniels?? The kid that was undecided the last time we left him...worse than Brett Favre undecided... He was down to Texas, Kentucky, Kansas, and Oregon. He was first committed to Texas..he then decommitted. Then he went to IMG Academy and played a half a year of Prep School. Next he said he was taking visits. He came to Kentucky, went to eat at Malone's and caught a game at Rupp Arena. He was then rumored to visit North Carolina State, but decided not to go.. He instead revisited Texas.. He has been in limbo ever since. Nation of Blue 1/20

Junior point guard Jordan Tebbutt and Sophomore Calvin Anderson added 13 and 11 points respectively. Tebbutt nearly recorded a triple double in the game collecting nine rebounds and dishing out nine assists to go along with his 13 points, in just over 16 minutes of playing time. Portland Examiner 1/21

In the Trinity League, Santa Ana Mater Dei defeated Santa Margarita, 66-46. Freshman Stanley Johnson had 17 points and junior Xavier Johnson had 14 points. LA Times 1/21

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (1/17)

2011-01-16T16:00:00.000-08:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Commits

Lincoln, the defending Division II state champions who entered the game with a 14-1 record, ranked first in the section, third in the state and 15th in the nation, showed its wares, posting a 61-42 victory over La Jolla High. Senior co-captain Norman Powell scored 20 points, while sophomore guard Javonte Byrd added 16 and sophomore co-caption Tyree Robinson 14 to lead Lincoln, which won its fifth straight and improved to 3-0 in the league. La Jolla Patch 1/11

Recruits

Bishop Gorman’s Shabazz Muhammad flew down the court on a fast break and went over a defender for a forceful dunk. Never one to be outdone, Sierra Vista’s Viko Noma’aea took the ensuing inbounds pass, rocketed down the floor and zigzagged his way through the Gorman defense for a how-did-he-do-that layup. This is what happens when two of the best players on two of the best teams in Las Vegas go up against each other. In what is certain to go down as one of the most entertaining high school basketball games of the year, Bishop Gorman rallied past host Sierra Vista for an 85-71 victory Monday night. Las Vegas Sun 1/11

In the Trinity League, Xavier Johnson scored 25 points and Katin Reinhardt added 17 points in Santa Ana Mater Dei's 79-45 win over Anaheim Servite. LA Times 1/12

High School Hoop diary-keeper Shabazz Muhammad (Las Vegas, Nev.) moved up a couple of spots in the top 10 thanks in part to his impressive early-season exploits, as well as the absence of former No. 2 prospect Quincy Miller (High Point, N.C.), whose season-ending knee injury dropped him out of the rankings. Fellow HSH diary-keeper L.J. Rose (Houston, Texas) checks in at No. 32. Dime 1/13

DeAndre Daniels, the one-time Texas Longhorn recruit, is reportedly looking to finalize paperwork in order to enroll before the start of the second semester... but where he'll attend school is still kind of a mystery. The top rated 2011 recruit not to have committed to a school is reportedly deciding between the Kansas Jayhawks and Kentucky Wildcats - after Texas fell off his radar - and is leaning towards moving to Lawrence, KS. If Daniels does decide where to go before the start of the next round of classes, his intention is to enroll, but not suit up, before joining the team as a full member next fall. Big 12 Hoops 1/13

The dribble-drive offense-- something all top recruits look to be apart of in college. But specifically, junior Shabazz Muhammad (Bishop Gorman HS, Nev.) wants to play in the dribble-drive, as he has continuously expressed his will to play in the offense. Nothing was different when I talked to him. "Coach Calipari has the dribble-drive and that's what I want to play in. My ultimate goal is to play in the NBA, and Cal can do that." This explains the recent "surging" of Kentucky to the top of list. That isn't all of it though. "They (the coaches) are just staying in contact with me and that goes a long way. I talk to the assistants a lot," he explained. "I could really see myself playing there."Muhammad think a lot of the program as well. "The basketball program is one of the most prestigious in the country. Right now, I compare my game to Kentucky's and see how I could fit in. I would love to play there." However, there are other teams that have the interest of Muhammad too, just like other recruits. "Duke, Kentucky, UCLA, Kansas, North Carolina, Memphis, UNLV, and some other teams are on my list right now (in no specific order)," Muhammad said. He also went on to say "I have yet to drop anyone from my list." But right now, he does have favorites. Three in fact. "UCLA, Kentucky, and Duke" sit at the top of Muhammad's list right now. Nation of Blue 1/13

Franklin standout Anrio Adams was scheduled to leave Friday to enroll at South Kent School in Connecticut. South Kent is the school current University of Washington players Isaiah Thomas and Matthew Bryan-Amaning attended. "I'd like to think he's a high-level D-I player," said Darryl Hennings, who coaches Adams' AAU team, Seattle Rotary. "He can score really well. He's a phenomenal athlete, has the prototype two-guard body for higher-level basketball and he's pretty confident in himself. I think he can handle himself against any competition level. "He has his faults like most kids 16 years old, but he's not one of the top 60 in the country for nothing." The 6-foot-3 shooting guard, rated No. 60 on the ESPNU Super 60 list of the nation's top juniors, averaged 23 points in five games with the Quakers this season. Seattle Times 1/14

St. Anthony (N.J.) 75, Dematha Catholic (Md.) 25; Scouts and fans got less from St. Anthony (N.J.) studs Myles Mack and Kyle Anderson than expected Saturday. Not because the pair didn’t perform, but because they spent much of the second half on the bench as the Friars cruised to a 75-25 win against DeMatha Catholic (Md.). Rutgers-bound Mack finished with 28 points (11-14 FGs, 6-7 FTs) in just 21 minutes. Mack is undersized at 5-10, but he's an efficient scorer. Anderson didn't light up the box score, but he has a solid build and handled well for a 6-8 wing while grabbing five boards in 20 minutes. NBADraft.net 1/15

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (1/3)

2011-01-03T01:30:00.000-08:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Commits

With 10 seniors returning from last year’s Division II state champion team, Lincoln has another state title in its sights. The Hornets opened the ESPN iScore Holiday Classic on Monday with a convincing 95-75 win over the Curtis (Wash.) Vikings in the National Division at Torrey Pines High....Norman Powell (19 points), Tyree Robinson (11 points) and Josh Smith (10 points) also finished in double figures for Lincoln. San Diego Reader 12/27

Both teams went scoreless over the next three minutes until Norman Powell drove to the hoop and converted a three-point play to make it 61-56. Powell punctuated Lincoln’s win by finishing an alley oop off the backboard from teammate Tyree Robinson in the game’s closing seconds. “I screamed as loud as I could to throw it off the backboard because I saw No. 24 trying to catch up to Tyree and foul him,” Powell said. “He threw it and I went up and got it.” Powell led all scorers with 19 points, and was one of three Lincoln players in double figures. The UCLA-bound senior shot 7-for-11 from the field and delivered a handful of clutch shots in the second half. “I’ve been going through a shooting slump, but I believed that my shot was going to come and I was going to get buckets and that’s what I did,” Powell said. Lincoln advances to the National Division semifinals Wednesday at 7 p.m. where they will meet Long Beach Poly (10-0). San Diego Reader 12/29

Norman Powell (San Diego, Calif./Lincoln), SG, 6-3, 190 pounds, Powell is a diamond in the rough on the offensive end. He gets most of his points in transition and shooting over the top of his defender in the midrange area. His ballhandling and 3-point touch (fades too much) need to tighten up, but he'll add much-needed athleticism to Ben Howland's lineup. ESPN 12/31

Recruits

Horizon Christian's Jordan Tebbutt produced the best individual performance of the tournament so far after scoring 41 points. The highly recruited junior swingman made 13 of 23 shots while displaying a dazzling variety of shots, sometimes against double- and triple-teams. "Jordan was amazing," Central Catholic coach Mike Petrino said. Oregon Live 12/28

The Gaels from Las Vegas were led by Shabazz Muhammad's 26 points and eight rebounds. The 6-foot-7 Muhammad made 12 of 16 shots and helped the Gaels (6-2) make 37 of 63 shots (58.7 percent). Oregon Live 12/28

Billed as one of the top prospects in the Class of 2012, L J Rose lived up to expectations in controlling every phase of the game, leading his team to a blowout win. Rose finished with a game high 14 points to go along with six assists and three rebounds. He finished as one of three team members in double figures along with Stephen Strachan and Remardo King who each finished with 10. The Tribune 12/28

Anrio Adams, Franklin (Seattle, Wash.) Almost every college in the Pac-10 has offered a scholarship to Adams even though he is still a junior. The 6-foot-3 point guard, who can shoot from three-point land, connected on 5-of-9 from beyond the arc in last week’s game against Cleveland (Seattle, Wash.) and led the Quakers with 40 points in a 76-50 triumph. He was one of the most talked about players in the West last summer. ESPN RISE 12/28

Brandon Ashley, 2012, PF, 6-8, 215, After subpar first half in terms of effort (struggled to finish with contact) and production, Ashley dominated the second half as he led his team to a semifinal battle against an outstanding Long Beach Poly squad. Ashley utilized his length and soft hands to convert numerous baskets in the paint area. Defensively, he had a number of high-level blocks where he was able to keep the ball in play to get spark his team's transition game. Overall, Ashley has an immense upside but his fundamentals (brings the ball down) and skill-set (limited post moves) need to improve immensely for him to maintain his lofty national ranking. ESPN 12/29

Seattle continues to pump out prospects and the next one in line is 6-3 junior Anrio Adams (Franklin). Adams needs to learn how to play (shot selection and overall decision making can be problematic), but he has a terrific body with great length and he's a natural scorer. ESPN 12/29

Another one of Oregon's most heralded basketball prospects is considering leaving the state. Horizon Christian standout Jordan Tebbutt said this week he is considering a move to Virginia's Oak Hill Academy, a renowned high school basketball power. "If I want to go, my parents are 100 percent OK with it," said Tebbutt Wednesday at the Les Schwab Invitational. "But I would say I'm about 80 percent sure I'm going. I'm planning on making a final decision in January." Tebbutt, the 2009-10 Class 3A Player of the Year in Oregon and a highliy-touted basketball prospect, has long drawn interest from the nation's top college programs. As a sophmore, Tebbutt had coaches from all over the country attending his games at Tualatin's Horizon Christian. With over twenty scholarship offers attached to his name already, Tebbutt isn't seeking the exposure Oak Hill Academy would most certainly offer, rather, the experience the school could provide him. "I just have a lot of friends that are going there. It's my senior year and it sounds like it would be fun. I also think it would be good preparation before going to college." Oregon Live 12/30

The Monarchs outscored Foothill by 15 points in the second quarter to take a big lead and cruised to a 69-48 victory in an Orange Holiday Classic semifinal game at Chapman University....Three Monarchs scored in double figures. Junior forward Xavier Johnson had a game-high 17 points on 8-for-12 shooting, and freshmen Shaqquan Aaron and Stanley Johnson scored 11 and 10, respectively. OC Register 12/30

DeAndre Daniels, a 6-9 senior forward from IMG Academies in Bradenton, Fla., is expected to choose a school either Monday or Tuesday. It’s believed either KU, Kentucky or Texas will land Rivals.com’s No. 9-rated player. Oregon also is on Daniels’ list. KU Sports 12/31

Brandon Ashley, 2012, PF, 6-8, 215 pounds, Ashley is still raw in many areas of the game (footwork and bringing the ball down) and his motor runs hot and cold, but his overall talent is undeniable. His length is extraordinary and he has some soft hands as well, while finishing in the paint. ESPN 12/31

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (12/27)

2010-12-26T16:00:00.000-08:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Commits

“We’d like to see (and play against) more of those Top 10 teams before and after Christmas,” said Bryant. “It’s the only way to get better. Defensively, we’ve shown we can play with these teams but offensively we’re still a little rusty. “You know though, kids like (UCLA signee) Norman Powell, they really don’t care about numbers.” Union Tribune 12/23

Recruits

Kyle Anderson’s excellent interior performance yesterday is unlikely to send college coaches scrambling to rework their recruiting pitches. The 6-8 junior already was widely considered one of the top young shooting guards in the nation. But Anderson’s ability to excel in every phase in the low post just may force upcoming opponents into some last-minute tinkering with the scouting report. Anderson, the former standout at now-closed Paterson Catholic, scored 23 points, collected 10 rebounds and added two steals to guide St. Anthony to a 62-50 victory over young, stubborn and very talented Gill St. Bernard’s at the Hoop Group Tip Off Classic at Seton Hall University, South Orange. NJ.com 12/19

Some consider Shabazz Muhammad to be the best high school junior basketball player in the country, yet the Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman guard isn't even sure if he's the best athlete in the family. Muhammad's father, 6-foot-5 Ron Holmes, played basketball at USC. The genetics Muhammad inherited from his mom, Faye Muhammad, have come in handy as well. Faye Muhammad was a an elite high school basketball player and competed in that sport as well as in track and field in college at Long Beach State. Her brother, Stephone Paige, played wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs for 10 seasons in 1983-92. "My mom, she inspires me to play hard," Muhammad said. News Press 12/20

Gorman junior Shabazz Muhammad, the No. 1 shooting guard in the country according to ESPN, poured in a game-best 29 points. "I really wish we could have contained Shabazz a little better," Byrd said. "We tried, but that's just who he is." News Press 12/20

With Mater Dei up just 57-54 with 12.8 seconds, Cook scrapped and clawed to help the Monarchs retain possession. David Brown and Katin Reinhardt made five free throws in the final 1:10 to seal the win. Reinhardt led Mater Dei with 17 points while Brown added 13 and Xavier Johnson 11. News Press 12/21

Three major Division I college basketball coaches lined the first rows of the Berkeley High bleachers Tuesday, presumably to take a look at Bishop O'Dowd junior star Brandon Ashley. But with Ashley limited most of the first three quarters because of foul trouble, fellow junior standout Richard Longrus stole the show with an energetic 11-point, 12-rebound effort as the visiting Dragons cruised past previously unbeaten Berkeley 67-35....Cal's Mike Montgomery, Kansas' Bill Self and Washington's Lorenzo Romar were all in attendance, but Ashley picked up two fouls in the first minute and had just six points at halftime. But a strong night from the free-throw line -- he went 10 of 11 overall and 6 of 6 in the fourth quarter -- allowed Ashley to finish with a solid 14 points, five rebounds and three blocks. Contra Costa Times 12/21

What makes Shabazz Muhammad a player you can't miss? First, just watch the videos here. If that's not enough, know that scouts praise him as a terrific athlete who has the physical gifts to score both inside and outside. This is no undersized shooting guard, in fact, many reports indicate he will play small forward at the college level. Not only can he light up the scoreboard, but according to scouts, he's also a potential lockdown defender and excellent rebounder. Mass Live 12/22

Self has been not only coaching his team, but recruiting on this trip to California. Self on Tuesday attended a game of Brandon Ashley, a 6-8 junior power forward from Bishop O’Dowd High in Oakland. Ashley, the No. 6-prospect in the Class of 2012, had 14 points, five rebounds and three blocks in a win over previously unbeaten Berkeley High. The Contra Costa Times reported that Cal coach Mike Montgomery and Washington’s Lorenzo Romar also attended. KU Sports 12/23

Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei juniors Katin Reinhardt and Xavier Johnson spoiled Winter Park senior guard Austin Rivers' final appearance in the State Farm City of Palms Classic on Wednesday. Reinhardt and Johnson combined for 54 points as Mater Dei blew out Winter Park 84-66 in the third-place game at Bishop Verot. Reinhardt had 28 points and Johnson had 26, including a highlight dunk over Rivers in the third quarter. News Press 12/23

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (12/20)

2010-12-19T16:00:00.000-08:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Recruits

Dinos Trigonis told Scout.com on Sunday that he believes Kentucky, Kansas and Texas are the co-favorites to land Deandre Daniels, a 6-7 forward Trigonis coached last summer. Daniels, arguably the nation's top uncommitted prospect, currently attends IMG Academy in Florida. He's expected to enroll in college somewhere next month, though Trigonis told Scout.com that Daniels will not play college basketball until the 2011-12 season even if he's eligible to play the second semester of this season. CBS Sports 12/14

North Carolina basketball coach Roy Williams was treated to a show. Bishop Gorman High junior shooting guard Shabazz Muhammad poured in 28 points Monday night, leading the Gaels to an 86-56 victory against host Desert Oasis and putting on an offensive explosion with Williams sitting courtside at the southwest Las Vegas school. The 6-foot-5 Muhammad, who Rivals.com lists as the No. 3 overall prospect for the class of 2012, didn't flinch with having someone of Williams' status in the gym. After all, he has caught the eye of several of the nation's top coaches, receiving more than 20 scholarship offers. Gorman has three juniors who are being heavily recruited, with appearances from the likes of Williams becoming a common occurrence. Assistant coaches from Arizona, Kentucky and UCLA also were in attendance. Las Vegas Sun 12/14

It was the second game in three days Horizon Christian faced an opponent at that elite level, after taking care of Mountain View, WA on Saturday night in Vancouver, 59-46. These games have not only helped the Hawks prepare for the elite competition they will face later this month at the Les Schwab Invitational, it also makes them battle tested when West Valley league play begins, as Junior point guard Jordan Tebbutt attests. “I think it will make it easier in league (having) already played strong teams”, says Tebbutt. Tebbutt is settling into his new position as the Hawks floor general quite nicely, getting the Hawks into rhythm against Marist right out of the gate. The junior drove to the basket strong getting the first points with a little harm and knocking in his free throw for the three point play to put the Hawks in front to stay at 3-0. Portland Examiner 12/15

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (12/13)

2010-12-12T16:00:00.000-08:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Commits

In the Santa Monica tournament, UCLA-bound Norman Powell put on a show for San Diego Lincoln, scoring 30 points in an 82-60 victory over previously unbeaten Sherman Oaks Notre Dame. "He's the best I've seen this year," Notre Dame Coach Bill Bedgood said. LA Times 12/8

Recruits

Sitting in the stands across from the student section on Sunday was standout recruit DeAndre Daniels. A 6'8" small forward from IMG Academy in Florida, Daniels earned the coveted five-star rating from Rivals.com. Members of the Pit Crew took notice of his presence, chanting his name and urging him to attend the University of Oregon. In response, Daniels put up the "O" sign with his hands. At halftime, he shook hands with Oregon assistant coaches before returning to his seat. Daniels was on an official visit to the University on Sunday. Daniels is also considering attending Florida, Kansas, Texas and UCLA. Daily Emerald 12/6

DeAndre Daniels, a 6-foot-8 senior forward from IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., apparently had a good time on his official visit to Kansas University last weekend. “I think the coaching staff at Kansas made a very favorable impression on DeAndre during his visit, so I think he is strongly considering them,” Daniels’ AAU coach, Dinos Trigonis, told Rivals.com. Daniels headed to Oregon for an official visit at the conclusion of the Thursday-Saturday KU trip. He also is considering Texas, Florida, UCLA and Kentucky. At one point, he was orally committed to Texas. KU Sports 12/7

Gorman junior wing Shabazz Muhammad, the third overall recruiting prospect in the nation by Rivals.com, had a game-high 24 points to lead the charge. Las Vegas Sun 12/11

DeAndre Daniels, a 6-9, 197-pound senior small forward from IMG Academies in Bradenton, Fla., is considering enrolling at a college in January. Daniels, who is visiting Kentucky this weekend, made recent trips to KU and Oregon. He is also considering Texas, Alabama, North Carolina State, UCLA and Baylor. “He made a commitment to come to us for an entire year because he knew he needed to get bigger, stronger and more competitive to be the type of player he wants to be on the Division 1 level,” IMG Academy’s Andy Borman told Zagsblog.net. “Because of his hard work and success in the last three months, his dad and DeAndre and us are contemplating sending him somewhere at the semester. It’s not set in stone. We have sped up his recruiting process, so that if he does find a home at the semester, that he and his dad are very comfortable with, then he is going to go.” Daniels’ coach said he could opt to play right away in college or red-shirt and wait until the 2011-12 season to compete. KU Sports 12/11

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (12/6)

2010-12-05T16:54:00.000-08:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Recruits

After putting together the most impressive class in the Pac-10 during the early signing period, Arizona coach Sean Miller just received a great boost to his 2012 haul by landing junior PF Grant Jerrett, who is No. 12 in the ESPNU Super 60. Jerrett, from LaVerne (Calif.) Lutheran High School, chose the Wildcats over UCLA, Washington, Duke, North Carolina, USC, Texas and Kansas. Jerrett, 6-foot-8 and 200 poounds, is the West's most promising big man in a loaded 2012 class. ESPN 11/29

DeAndre Daniels, the top available prospect in the class of 2011, is currently tucked away at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., and little recruiting information is coming out concerning the former Texas commitment. Sources close to Daniels' situation, however, have informed Rivals.com that four schools are currently pushing toward the top of his recruitment. Kansas, Florida, UCLA and Texas are emerging as the teams to beat. Cardinal Sports 11/30

Kyle Anderson is one of the players who breaks the static mold of basketball positions. Offensively, he has the skills of a point guard, but defensively he doesn't have the foot speed to defend a quick point guard. Basically Anderson is a player who can play any position offensively. Regardless at what position Anderson is labeled, he is a player who is best at facilitating the offense. Although Anderson is capable of putting up big numbers as a scorer what makes him special is his ability to create plays and distribute the ball. So I like him best playing more in the middle of the floor as either a point guard or a face up four-man. At 6-foot-8, Anderson continues to grow and could end up around 6-foot-10. More than likely, he does end up a four-man and not a point guard like Livingston. Nonetheless, there are strong similarities between the two as tall playmakers with exceptional basketball IQs. Jackets Online 12/2

DeAndre Daniels, a 6-foot-8, 180-pound senior forward from IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., attended the game as part of his official visit to KU. Daniels, who decommitted from Texas in mid-August, also has UCLA on his list of schools that still includes Texas, Florida, Kentucky and Oregon. He’s Rivals.com’s No. 9-rated player nationally. His visit will last until Saturday. KU Sports 12/3

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (11/15)

2010-11-15T11:39:00.000-08:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Commits

Guard Norman Powell (San Diego, Calif./Lincoln) signed his national letter of intent Wednesday and will join the UCLA basketball program next season, the school announced on the first day of the early signing period. ESPNU ranks the 6-foot3 guard at No. 47 overall and No. 15 shooting guard in the class of 2011. Powell averaged 19.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.7 steals in guiding Lincoln to the CIF Division II state title last season. ”I’m really excited about Norman Powell joining our basketball program and family,” coach Ben Howland said in a statement released by the school. “He’s one of the most athletic kids that we will have had in this program in a while and one of the most athletic kids since I’ve been here. ESPN 11/10

Recruits

Why little drama Wednesday? Of the Sporting News top 25 players, 23 have chosen their schools. Unless a player suddenly changes his mind, it should be a quiet, business-as-expected day. The two SN25 players uncommitted are No. 19 DeAndre Daniels, a 6-8 power forward from IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., and No. 25 Cody Zeller, a 6-10 power forward from Washington, Ind. Daniels -- who backed out of a Texas commitment -- might opt to sign in the late period and has Kentucky, NC State, UCLA, UNLV and Southern Cal high on his list. Sporting News 11/9

The highest ranked player who remains uncommitted in the NBE Post-Summer Class of 2011 Top 150 will not be signing this week in the early signing period. DeAndre Daniels, who checks in as the 15th ranked player in the class, is not too worried about the recruiting process at the moment. IMG Director Andy Borman fills in Jeff Borzello about the former Texas verbal commitment and his recruitment. “His decommitment had nothing to do with Texas, it had everything to do with DeAndre,” Borman said. “He’s not worried about schools right now, he’s worried about getting better.” Kansas has been to Florida to watch Daniels, while UCLA plans on coming next week.NBE Basketball 11/10

Steve Lavin's recruiting haul gets bigger by the day. One day after introducing a five-man recruiting class, St. John's received a verbal pledge from 6-foot-10, 200-pound Los Angeles Price center Norvel Pelle, the No. 2 center in the Class of 2011 according to Rivals. "It feels like a home away from home," Pelle told ESPNU Thursday. "Coach Lavin is a very smart guy. He's a very smart coach. I just loved the way he approached the situation. "He was calm and cool. He knew other schools wanted me, and he gave me space and also made sure I knew they wanted me." Pelle was to have visited Washington this weekend, but now that visit won't be necessary. SNY.TV 11/12

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (11/8)

2010-11-07T16:00:00.000-08:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Recruits

The highest-rated newcomer to the ESPNU 100 is DeAndre Daniels (Bradenton, Fla./IMG Academy), who debuts at No. 35. When we last put out the rankings, we didn't have enough information as to Daniels' whereabouts or current class. He was kind of in limbo, so we waited and wanted to learn a little more about where he'd end up and his grade status. Now that it's cleared up, his talents as an athlete, perimeter player and combo forward warrant ranking him among our top 50 talents. ESPN 11/3

Quinn Cook, the No. 12 player in MaxPreps' ranking of the nation's top 100 seniors, has made a commitment to Duke University, according to the Fayetteville Observer. His second choice was UCLA. The 6-foot-1 point guard averaged 20 points, 5.9 assists and 3.3 rebounds last year while leading DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) to a 32-4 record. MaxPreps 11/4

"I have Shabazz Muhammad at the top of my list," Hicks said. "He plays with the kind of aggressiveness that Jrue Holiday did a couple of years ago but he's bigger, stronger and a better shooter than Jrue was at the same time," he added, alluding to the former UCLA player and current starting guard for the Philadelphia 76ers, who finished atop the balloting for the 29th (2007-08) BIW squad. Press Telegram 11/6

Six-foot-8 Brandon Ashley (Oakland Bishop O'Dowd) is their choice as the No. 1 junior in Northern California, 6-9 Grant Jarrett (La Verne Lutheran) is their pick as the best 11th grader in Southern California and 6-4 Shabazz Muhammad (Las Vegas Bishop Gorman) gets their nods as the best non-Californian among West region juniors. "Ashley and Jarrett are each `elite-level' recruits," Francisco said, the inference being that Ashley and Jarrett will, in essence, be able to choose a college from among any of the national powers, regardless of region. Press Telegram 11/6

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (11/1)

2010-10-31T17:00:00.000-07:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Recruits

Norvel Pelle is an impact freshman because he is a phenomenal shot blocker and all-around athlete. Yes, he is limited offensively, but I don't know of a 2011 big man who can run the floor, rebound, block shots and play above the rim as a finisher like Pelle can. St. John's has been a prominent player in Pelle's recruitment if not the outright leader. The string of commitments by forwards and guards can only help Lavin's chances of landing this post player and what would be his first 2011 West Coast recruit. Gator Bait 10/22

The former DeMatha Catholic floor general is Oak Hill's safety net at the point but he's recovering from a knee injury suffered in late August at the Boost Mobile game. Quinn Cook indicated he was 80 percent healthy and didn't have his usual burst or swagger. "It's all mental for me," Cook said. "It's about confidence. My knee is physically fine it's just mental." The knee isn't the only thing on Cook's mind. His college decision weighs heavily on him. Duke and UCLA separated themselves from Villanova and Cook's timetable for a decision, combined with him taking the standardized test this weekend, are factors working against the Wildcats. Not to mention the competition they face to land him. "[UCLA] coach [Ben] Howland is a great coach," Cook said. "His past four point guards have been NBA players and he wins; he had three straight Final Fours." ESPN 10/22

Shabazz Muhammad, 2012, SG, 6-foot-5, 180 pounds, Maybe the most accurate way to describe Muhammad is relentless. He can score in a variety of ways and his full arsenal was on display at this event. Whether it was posting up his defender and scoring over the top of him or slashing his way to the rim and finishing with an array of spectacular dunks, Muhammad was dominant. He plays with a warrior's mentality and he has a tremendous knack to score. He still needs to continue to improve his shot and handle, but he is definitely a menace to deal with each and every possession. ESPN 10/25

But that doesn't mean Cooper will be telling his son, 2013 target Eric Cooper Jr. and another of his players, Grant Jerrett, that they have to become Wildcats. "I try not to because I don't want this to be anything that has to do with me," the elder Cooper said. "I want this to be something they want because they're going to have to live there. I just want them to come see it, know it." Cooper, who transferred to Texas-San Antonio as a sophomore in 1986-87 but has since re-established a good relationship with Olson, said he spoke with Olson briefly at Sunday's games. The recruits also watched Saturday's UA-Washington football game.... They have seen UCLA, USC, UNLV, Cal, Stanford, Duke, North Carolina and others. Arizona Daily Star 10/25

Coach Josh Pastner and Memphis have done it again by keeping elite prospect Adonis Thomas (Memphis, Tenn./Melrose) at home to play his college ball. However, it took a little help from fellow local talent and Memphis alum Penny Hardaway, who put together a video directed at Thomas, during the Tigers' Midnight Madness. "It did impact my decision," said Thomas, who chose Memphis over Tennessee, Florida, Arkansas and UCLA. "It was a privilege to listen to Penny Hardaway talk about what the city of Memphis and the University of Memphis meant to him." Through sheer work ethic Thomas has taken his game from a well-regarded, undersized 4 man with an outstanding motor to the No. 9-ranked player in the country. He is one of the top students at his high school with a 4.0 GPA and embodies the attributes of a true student-athlete. ESPN 10/28

Shabazz Muhammad, SG- A top five prospect nationally in the class of 2012, there aren't many guys more explosive to the rim. He's a relentless competitor and has a polished mid-post game that compliments his transition finishing. There's not a better rebounding wing, he plays smart and the jumper continues to evolve. Muhammad is noticeably stronger and he's a violent slam dunker who attacks the rim whenever he can. Cardinal Sports 10/28

Duke still has a couple scholarships available for the class of 2011 and many believe there is a strong possibility they will try to get point guard Quinn Cook. Cook attended Duke's Countdown to Craziness, and by all accounts, came away impressed. Although there has been no official announcement, many believe he will decide during the early signing period and many believe he is a Duke lean. Of course nothing is set in stone and Duke could end the 2011 recruiting class with just three signees, which considering the talent level, isn't necessarily a bad thing. Bleacher Report 10/29

On Saturday, class of 2011 No. 2 point guard Myck Kabongo made it public that he is no longer committed to the Texas Longhorns. He is considering Texas, Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky, and Syracuse....The Blue Devils have been recruiting 2011 point guard Quinn Cook pretty hard, and a lot of people expected Cook to commit to Duke two weeks ago. There has been talk, however, that Cook has been cooling on Duke lately. Could Kabongo's interest in Duke be part of the reason Cook has decided to wait on his decision? Bleacher Report 10/30

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (10/18)

2010-10-17T17:00:00.000-07:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Recruits

Adonis Thomas is no stranger to Memphis Madness. The Melrose High senior forward was at FedExForum in 2007 when Derrick Rose made his University of Memphis debut. He was there again a year later when Tyreke Evans wowed a crowd of 14,000 in his public introduction as a Tiger. "It's always great," Thomas said. "But I think maybe this is going to be the biggest one because of the Memphis guys that are on the team this year. It's going to be great to see these guys finally at the college level." While fans will finally get their first peek Friday at Memphis' heralded 2010 recruiting class -- one that has the Tigers ranked among the nation's top teams this preseason -- it's Thomas that coach Josh Pastner and his staff are hoping will come away impressed from the Madness festivities at FedExForum. Commercial Appeal 10/11

There's rumors circulating that Quinn Cook, one of the top point guards in the 2011 class, is close to making a decision between UCLA, Villanova, Duke, North Carolina and Kansas. It looks like it's down to Duke and NC, but the Bruins have an outside chance. Seattle Times 10/11

The buzz in recruiting circles right now is that the Blue Devils have emerged as the favorite to land Quinn Cook, a crafty and sharpshooting point guard who's ranked No. 20 by Scout.com. Cook is close friends with Duke senior Nolan Smith and seemed impressed two weeks ago after a visit from Duke coaches Mike Krzyzewski, Steve Wojciechowski and Nate James. Cook has already taken an official visit to UCLA and is scheduled to see Villanova later this month. Kansas is also trying to get him on its campus. But there's a growing vibe that his commitment to Duke could come any day now. Fay Observer 10/14

But do you really want to know why Josh Pastner has gone to all this trouble to make Memphis Madness the city's must-attend event of the year? You'll find the answer sitting somewhere down in front tonight in the form of Melrose senior Adonis Thomas, whose college decision -- perhaps as soon as next week -- will essentially determine whether the Tigers get the recruiting class they want. Commercial Appeal 10/15

The Red Storm are the favorite to sign scoring guard Nurideen Lindsay of Philadelphia and are in the running for California small forward Amir Garrett, center Norvel Pelle of Compton, Calif., and North Carolina small forward Dominique Pointer, who has narrowed his list to Michigan and West Virginia. New York Post 10/15

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (10/11)

2010-10-10T17:00:00.000-07:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Recruits

Arizona isn't alone in the Pac-10 in pushing the limit. UCLA, which is already at the scholarship maximum on paper for 2011-12, is hosting former UA target Quinn Cook of Washington, D.C., this weekend, knowing that underclassmen Tyler Honeycutt and Malcolm Lee could leave for pro basketball. "It's very difficult to compare today's climate in college basketball to anything in the past because every program, even the most elite, experience more unexpected turnover than they ever have before," Miller said. "That can come in the form of young people leaving early to make money, whether it be in Europe or in the NBA, or young people who just want a bigger opportunity and are at a place where they don't have the opportunity they once thought they did." Arizona Daily Star 10/4

Hello world! This is Quinn Cook! Starting point guard for Oak Hill Academy! This is my first entry for my SLAM blog. I just wanted to share with you guys my experiences this summer. The first event I went to was the Pangos All-American Camp! It was in Los Angeles, California. Some of the top players in the country were there like Quincy Miller, Brad Beal, LeBryan Nash, etc. A lot of great players in the NBA went to the same camp, so I was honored to be there. SLAM 10/4

It will be Georgia Tech vs. Georgia for one of the nation’s top 100 college basketball prospects. Milton High’s Julian Royal will announce between the two archrivals on Oct. 14 at his school. We’re going to say a few good things about Julian, and then allow him announce to the world if it’s going to be Georgia or Georgia Tech,” Milton coach David Boyd. The 6-foot-9 power forward has already taken recruiting trips to both Georgia Tech and Georgia. AJC 10/6

The Huskies are also in the running to land a pair of four-star forwards, San Diego's Angelo Chol and Norvel Pelle of Los Angeles. Chol has North Carolina, Arizona, Kansas and Alabama on his list, while Pelle is considering many schools including UCLA, Arizona, Oregon, Kansas, Syracuse, UTEP and St. John's, according to the major recruiting websites. Most recruiting analysts believe Chol and Pelle will wait until the spring before announcing their college choice and signing a national letter of intent. Seattle Times 10/7

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (10/4)

2010-10-03T17:00:00.000-07:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Commits

Norman Powell, the 6-foot-3 All-State guard on Lincoln High’s state championship basketball team, has given a verbal commitment to UCLA. Powell averaged 19 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3 steals a game last year and was recruited as a shooting guard. “I think UCLA will give me a chance to develop my skills to play at the next level,” said Powell, who has a 45-inch vertical leap. “Coach (Ben) Howland said he wants to go back to the running game and that fits my style.” San Diego Tribune 9/27

Running the floor isn't something usually associated with Howland, whose grind-it-out style has gotten him to three Final Fours but also garnered him criticism during times the Bruins have been less successful. Jay Bilas recently discussed how the perception UCLA runs a slowdown offense hasn't helped with recruiting, and also attacked the myth that the style holds back players. After all, Russell Westbrook and Darren Collison were among the first-round NBA draft picks to turn out just fine relying on their defense and letting their offensive talents shine as pros. Already, Howland has going for him his record of sending guards to the NBA. And if that's not enough, it appears he's selling the idea that he'll adjust his offense to complement the skills of his recruits. This worked well with Norman Powell, who chose UCLA over San Diego State and is a player ESPNU describes as "an ultra-athletic scoring guard" who "excels in the open court." ESPN 9/27

Recruits

Milton High’s Julian Royal, one of the nation’s top 100 college basketball prospects, heard a lot of things from Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt during his official visit this past weekend. One thing that really stuck out is that Hewitt considers Royal the “No. 1 recruiting priority” for Georgia Tech this year. The 6-foot-9 power forward is likely to decide between Georgia Tech and UGA, while also considering Wake Forest. AJC 9/27

Quinn Cook, a point guard ranked No. 28, is late to the party — the Jayhawks only jumped on his recruitment when Turner chose the Arizona variety of Wildcat — but is reportedly listening very hard to Self’s sales pitch. Wildeboor said assistant coach Kurtis Townsend visited Cook last week and was there either yesterday or would be again soon. Kansan 9/30

Brandon Ashley, the Number 6 overall player in the Class of 2012, is remaining open in his recruitment despite basically being able to choose what school he wants to go to. Kentucky is going hard after the 2012 forward, considered to be one of the best players in the country. According to Rivals.com, Ashley currently holds scholarship offers from Arizona, California, Oregon, Stanford, UCLA, Washington and Kentucky. Ashley received a scholarship offer from Coach Calipari after the coach watched him on the July AAU circuit. Brandon is a 6-8, 225lb Power Forward out of Bishop O'Dowd in Oakland, California. Ashley said Calipari's dribble-drive offense is similar to the up-tempo, penetrating style used by the Soldiers, a team that included high-major 2011 prospects Josiah Turner, Jabari Brown, Nick Johnson and UK commitment Kyle Wiltjer. Nation of Blue 9/30

Having already made official visits to Tennessee and Arkansas, Melrose senior forward Adonis Thomas (ready) says there still isn't a leader for his services as he heads to UCLA this weekend for his third of five visits. Thomas is also considering Florida and the University of Memphis. "Everybody's still the same," Thomas said. "I've been on two visits so far and I'm familiar with those two schools. I'm looking forward to going out to Florida again. I've only been to Florida's campus once. And UCLA, I've never been to that campus." Commercial Appeal 10/1

Duke is still pursuing Washington D.C. guard Quinn Cook. Cook, who recently had an in-home visit with a majority of the Blue Devils coaching staff, has said he feels Duke is very interested in his services. While the Blue Devils have not offered Cook yet, they still have at least one scholarship to give and may need another point guard if Irving leaves early. Cook is probably not the scorer Irving is, but he is a very good and athletic point guard who could run the offense and push the tempo which is something Krzyzewski likes. Bleacher Report 10/2

Two of the top prospects in the Class of 2011 visited UCLA this weekend when Oak Hill point guard Quinn Cook and Memphis Melrose wing Adonis Thomas hit Los Angeles. “It was a great visit,” the 6-foot-6, 215-pound Adonis Thomas, the No. 6 small forward in the class, said by phone. “I got a chance to just really enjoy L.A., see how people live in L.A. I got a tour of the city and saw the campus. It was a big campus. I got a chance to meet the trainers and academic people so that was great. Just seeing the history of UCLA was great.” Cook, the No. 7 point guard in the class, also said by text the visit “went well.” Thomas said the two of them spoke about potentially playing together and how they might fit in at UCLA. ZagsBlog 10/3

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (9/27)

2010-09-26T17:00:00.000-07:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Commits

Norman Powell, a guard at Lincoln High in San Diego has committed to UCLA. Powell plays for former Van Nuys coach Jason Bryant and helped lead the Hornets to a Div. II state championship last March. Daily News 9/26

Recruits

Quinn Cook isn't involved in quite the same kind of Devils vs. Heels tug-'o-war as Rivers. But with his list narrowed to seven schools, he still has both Duke and Carolina on his radar. A quick and energetic guard, Cook will play his senior season of high school ball at Oak Hill Academy but will first have to regroup after tearing cartilage in his right knee last month. A close friend of current Blue Devils star Nolan Smith, Cook was in Durham last weekend for an unofficial visit, taking in the Duke-Alabama football game. He is due back at Duke for his official visit the first weekend of October and it would seem likely that the Blue Devils would be a major factor in his final decision. At last check, UNC still hadn't offered Cook a scholarship. But part of that could be due to the Heels wanting to know more from Rivers first. As the official visit train keeps chugging, it will be interesting to keep track of Cook's whereabouts. He is also currently considering three Big East schools (St. John's, Rutgers and Georgetown) as well as two Pac-10 programs (UCLA and Arizona). Fay Observer 9/23

Adonis Thomas is a 6-foot-6 wing from Memphis, a consensus top 10 national prospect, and only a couple of months away from signing day remains a recruiting target of five programs: Arkansas, Florida, Memphis, Tennessee and UCLA. I've privately talked with at least one coach from each of those staffs about Thomas at one point or another, and they all agree he's a terrific prospect, an awesome kid and the type of player who helps you win. They also agree on this: He's probably not leaving home. Thomas won't announce anything for another month, of course. He'll visit Fayetteville and Gainesville and Los Angeles, this after visiting Knoxville two weekends ago. He'll consider his options, enjoy himself, be wined and dined and adored. But when pen eventually hits paper, everybody I've spoken with agrees, the smart money has this certain McDonald's All-American signing with Josh Pastner's Tigers, and all other schools are probably wasting their time. In fact, two coaches asked me this exact question recently: Why am I wasting my time? My answer: I have no idea. CBS Sports 9/23

Norvel Pelle, the No. 2 center in the Class of 2011, is close to determining which official visits he will take. In a phone interview Wednesday night, the 6-foot-10, 205-pound Pelle of Los Angeles Price said he was considering St. John’s, UTEP, UConn and “the whole PAC 10 except Arizona.” He specifically mentioned Oregon and Washington from the PAC 10. He said he wasn’t sure where he would take officials. “I don’t know,” he said. “I just finished my home visits. I’m planning my college visits soon.” Pelle compared himself to a “Kevin Garnett/Kevin Durant mix” and said he was a three/four combo. He said he would consider the two Big East schools on his list even though they are far from home. ZagsBlog 9/23

Quinn Cook, a 6-foot-1 senior point guard from Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va., plans to make an official recruiting visit to Kansas University. Cook, the No. 28-rated player in the Class of 2011, told Rivals.com on Wednesday that he may visit for the Oct. 15 Late Night in the Phog. “I know Ben (McLemore, 6-5 senior, Oak Hill) will be going to Kansas that weekend, so coach (Bill) Self would like me to visit,” Cook said. “I told coach Self that Kansas is definitely a great school, he's a great coach and one of my best friends, Josh Selby, goes there. I’m also good friends with Thomas Robinson, so Kansas would be a good fit.” Cook, who is from Washington, D.C., has already visited Duke. He’s also heard from UConn, Georgetown, Indiana, Kansas State, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, St. John's, Tennessee, UCLA, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest and others. KU Sports 9/23

If the Drew Gooden/Oakland Soldiers are any indication, Arizona is starting to re-establish some West Coast recruiting ties under Sean Miller. Not only did the Wildcats pull in Soldiers players Nick Johnson of Gilbert and Josiah Turner of Sacramento, but they appear to have an early lead on 2012 Soldiers forward Brandon Ashley of the East Bay (Dublin, Calif). Soldiers coach Derrick Artis said Thursday that Ashley appears to favor Arizona at this point, though he will not likely make any decision until at least next summer. That leaves programs such as Kentucky, North Carolina plenty of time to gain ground, while Ashley also has some other Pac-10 interest. "He likes Washington, they've been on him, and UCLA," Artis said. "But he said Arizona is his favorite right now." Arizona Daily Star 9/24

Quinn Cook’s recruitment is somewhat up in the air at the moment both because his knee injury limited his travel options — “The doctors don’t want me flying,” Cook said last week — and because there are very few elite point guards left on the board. “It kind of changes a lot because [schools] are missing on guys,” Smith said. “There’s not really many point guards left. Nobody left of his caliber. He’s th
e best point guard that I know of.” Cook appeared very interested in Arizona — and was planning a visit in October — but Oakland Soldiers point guard Josiah Turner shocked a lot of people by verballing last weekend to the Wildcats during a visit. Many observers thought Turner would land at Kansas. “I think he was interested,” Smith said of Cook and Arizona. “Turner visited before he did and pulled the trigger. I don’t know where they stood on his [Cook's] list. I know they were recruiting him hard. He was interested and he was gonna visit. “[Arizona-bound Oak Hill wing] Sidiki Johnson was working him. They had a shot at him.” Now Smith says Duke, Kansas, UCLA, Villanova and North Carolina are showing the most interest. ZagsBlog 9/24

Bruin Basketball Recruiting: Norman Powell

2010-09-26T11:46:00.000-07:00

BBR Home > Bruin Basketball Recruiting: Norman Powell

Norman Powell

SG | 6'3 | 195

Status: Verbal commitment 9/26/10
Class: 2011
Hometown: San Diego, CA
School: Abraham Lincoln HS
Position Rank (aggregate): 20
Schools of Interest: UCLA, Arizona, San Diego State, Arizona State, Oregon

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Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (9/20)

2010-09-19T17:00:00.000-07:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Recruits

Milton High’s Julian Royal, who is ranked among the country’s top 100 players, has narrowed down to Georgia Tech, UGA and Wake Forest. First up was Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt, who met with the 6-foot-9 power forward over the weekend. Royal’s family is fond of Hewitt, and they wanted to know about the coach’s future at Tech. AJC 9/13

Shabazz Muhammad was the breakout high school star of the summer. The 6-6 wing from Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) was already rising through the rankings before he averaged 32 points per game on the AAU circuit and really blew up. Now every school from North Carolina to Kentucky to Duke is in pursuit of Muhammad, a junior who is ranked 8th overall in the High School Hoop national Top 50, and 3rd in his class by Scout. Muhammad has agreed to give HSH and Dime exclusive access by chronicling his thoughts in a regular diary where he’ll keep everyone updated on everything from his personal life to his high school season to his recruiting process. Dime Magazine 9/14

Over the weekend, Arizona head coach Sean Miller was in Las Vegas hoping to win big in a city where most people with the same ambitions walk away empty-handed. Miller’s potential earnings were far from the blackjack tables or slots on the Las Vegas strip — rather, 20 miles west of the bright lights at Bishop Gorman High School gymnasium, two of the nation’s top recruits in the 2012 class worked out as college basketball’s fall evaluation period started on Sept. 9. Shabazz Muhammad, ranked No. 3 in the 2012 class, and Rosco Allen, ranked No. 23, both worked out with their teammates in front of several top coaches in the nation from Thursday to Saturday. Arizona Daily 9/15

The Huskies are also hot on the trails of Norvel Pelle, who is rated the No. 2 center in the class of 2011 by Rivals.com. Coincidentally, he attended the same high school - Frederick K.C. Price High in Los Angeles - as Breshers. Zagsblog is reporting Pelle had in-home visits with UTEP, Washington, Kansas, Oregon, St. John's and Arizona. He has in-home visits scheduled with UConn and UCLA and then will decide on his official visits. Seattle Times 9/16

Josiah Turner, a 6-foot-3-inch point guard rated in the Top 25 nationally, will join Arizona commit Nic Johnson this weekend in time to watch the UA-Iowa football game. Turner visited UCLA last weekend and has hosted Miller and Kansas coach Bill Self recently at his home. After this weekend, Turner may visit Oregon in early October and is scheduled to visit Kansas officially for Late Night in the Phog. But he may also not last that long. "If he finds somewhere he likes, I'm sure he'll commit, as opposed to taking the five visits," said Turner's mother, Doris Ward. Arizona Daily Star 9/16

Quinn Cook, a top-30 guard at Oak Hill Academy, is scheduled to visit Arizona in the near future. He probably will not, however, visit along with Oak Hill teammate Sidiki Johnson, a UA commit. Oak Hill coach Steve Smith said via text message that Johnson would take his UA visit in October. Arizona Daily Star 9/16

"Anything that can hinder him from going on to the post-season and the NCAA Tournament, you know we don't want to make that choice," countered Thomas. Also "being there" on the same day for Adonis Thomas was a late-bloomer in the form of UCLA head hoops coach, Ben Howland, who might be devoid of Pearl's dynamic personality, but who brought the message of his school's rich history with him. "UCLA came in on a late run. But, UCLA is one of the schools that Adonis looked at," said Thomas. "It's like a legacy. You just don't pass over UCLA because of all the history that comes from there." But, in the 5-way "Being There" Adonis Sweepstakes, that also includes Arkansas and Florida, and Memphis Tiger head coach Josh Pastner, who'll play host to Adonis on his last official visit the high energy night of Midnight Madness, continues to make a steady case for an added bonus. Why be there, when you're already right here? Fox Memphis 9/16

ESPNU 100 PG Josiah Turner (Sacramento, Calif./Sacramento) has committed to coach Sean Miller and the Arizona Wildcats. The No. 3-ranked point guard in the 2011 class is the most physically gifted point guard prospect in the West, regardless of class. Turner "I wanted to be part of [Arizona's] outstanding tradition and compete for a national championship," said Turner, who chose the Wildcats over UCLA, Oregon, Louisville and Kansas. Turner is a scoring point guard who knows how to get his own shot as well as be a facilitator for his team, which is a lethal combination. He has a terrific frame for the position with ideal speed and quickness. Turner also understands how to change his speed and direction to blow by his opponent, which will make him a good fit in Arizona. "I really like their style of play," Turner said. "We will push the ball hard on the fast break and play high pick-and-roll in the half court." ESPN 9/19

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (9/13)

2010-09-12T18:49:00.000-07:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Recruits

Quinn Cook, the All-Met Boys' Basketball Player of the Year this past season as a junior point guard at DeMatha High, partially tore ligaments in his right knee during an all-star game in Southern California this past weekend and will be unable to play for at least three months. Cook, who has enrolled at Oak Hill Academy in southwestern Virginia for his senior year of high school, said early Wednesday that he will have surgery on Friday. He was injured when he landed awkwardly in the closing seconds of the Elite 24 game in Venice Beach on Sunday. "I'm frustrated but I have to keep a positive attitude because God won't put you through something he doesn't think you will not overcome," Cook said. "I've been through worse." He said the recovery period is expected to take three to four months. Cook has yet to make his college decision, but it is believed he is strongly considering playing for Duke. Arizona, UCLA and Rutgers are among the other schools Cook is considering. Washington Post 9/1

Quinn Cook, one of the nation's top point guard recruits, got much better news than anticipated after surgery on his right knee Friday. Cook only partially tore the meniscus cartilage in his knee, rather than the ACL as originally feared, and will miss five weeks at the most, a source told FanHouse Friday. Cook was injured in the final minutes of last Sunday's Boost Mobile Elite 24 all-star game at Venice Beach in California. Results of an MRI done Monday, according to reports, indicated torn knee ligaments. Steve Smith, the head coach at Virginia's Oak Hill Academy, tweeted this Friday afternoon: "Good news (from) Quinn Cook. No ACL tear should be back in 4-5 weeks! AOL Fanhouse 9/3

Milton High's Julian Royal, who is ranked as one of the nation's top 100 basketball players, took his recruiting trip to Georgia this past weekend and has an in-home visit with Bulldogs coach Mark Fox on Friday. The 6-foot-9 power forward will welcome Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt into his home on Thursday and travel to the Yellow Jackets' campus on Oct. 1. "It was a great visit to Georgia, as Coach Fox and his staff were very cordial," said his father, Charles Royal. "We went to the football game, and anytime the Bulldogs kill somebody like that, it's a great day in the Bulldog Country." Royal is determined to make all three of his official visits, which will end with Wake Forest on Oct. 8. The family looks forward to face-to-face meetings with Hewitt and Fox later this week. AJC 9/6

Five names from the Class of 2011 appear certain to be visited by Arizona coaches after the contact period starts tomorrow: Nick Johnson and Sidiki Johnson (both of whom have already verbally committed), and Josiah Turner, Quinn Cook and Angelo Chol. Turner, a point guard from Sacramento, is scheduled to have an in-home visit tomorrow with UA coach Sean Miller in what will be a crucial development in Turner’s recruiting process. Nick Johnson, Turner’s summer AAU teammate with the Drew Gooden Soldiers, will also be visited in Henderson, Nev., where he plays for Findlay Prep. Cook and Sidiki Johnson, teammates with Mouth of Wilson (Va.) Oak Hill Academy, should receive a visit from UA coaches, including assistant Book Richardson, by Friday. Tucson Citizen 9/8

How hard is the University of Memphis after Melrose High star forward Adonis Thomas? So hard that Tigers coach Josh Pastner got Thomas' mother, Sandra Anderson, and his father, Eric Thomas, to agree to a 12 a.m. in-home visit from Pastner and assistants Jack Murphy and Willis Wilson on Thursday at Anderson's house. The significance of 12 a.m.? Thursday was the first day of the contact period for NCAA college coaches, and Pastner wanted to be the first one through Thomas' door this morning. "He wanted to be the first one, you know, because Adonis is first priority," Eric Thomas said. ... Eric said Florida will make an in-home visit with Thomas on Monday. Arkansas will visit Tuesday and UCLA on Wednesday. "This won't be midnight stuff," he said. Thomas' other finalist is Tennessee, where he will make his first official visit on Friday. The 6-6, 205-pound standout ranked the No. 1 overall prospect in the Class of 2011 by Sporting News will also make an official visit this month to Arkansas (on Sept. 24). Thomas will also visit UCLA (on Oct. 2), Florida (on Oct. 9) and Memphis (on Oct. 15). Commercial Appeal 9/9

Bishop Gorman basketball star Shabazz Muhammad solidified his spot near the top of various recruiting rankings with a dominant showing at the adidas Nations Global Experience in Chicago in August. Muhammad, who will be a junior swingman this season, led USA 2012 with 18 points in an 82-68 loss to USA 2011 in the title game of the event. The 6-5 Muhammad is considering offers from, in no particular order, Kansas, Kentucky, Memphis, North Carolina, Texas, UCLA, UNLV and others. He has risen to No. 3 overall in Rivals.com's rankings for the class of 2012 and holds the No. 1 spot among shooting guards. Las Vegas Journal 9/9

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (8/30)

2010-08-29T17:00:00.000-07:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Recruits

DeAndre Daniels, a top 20 national prospect, had been mentioned as a possible 11th-hour addition to Kentucky’s basketball team this coming season. But his trainer said Monday afternoon that Daniels will attend prep school in the 2010-11 year and enter college in the fall of 2011. Daniels, a 6-foot-7 wing from Woodland Hills, Calif., committed to Texas in the summer of 2009. However, he changed his mind this year and re-opened the recruiting process. Kentucky was one of several schools wanting Daniels to enter college in the fall semester of 2010 and play this coming season. UK Sports 8/23

Highly recruited basketball star Remi Barry told the Auburn Journal Tuesday he has committed to New Mexico State University. The 6-7, 200 pound forward from France graduated from Del Oro High last spring and was rated the 28th best high school prospect in the country by ESPN while playing at American Heritage high school in Florida in 2008-09. He was unable to play for the Golden Eagles after the California Interscholastic Federation would not grant him eligibility. CIF maintained that Barry transferred to Del Oro from Florida for athletic reasons. Barry’s decision to play for New Mexico State comes as a bit of shock. He was being recruited heavily by basketball powers such as St. John's, UCLA, Washington, Cal, and Colorado to name a few. Barry contends New Mexico State was just a better fit for him. Auburn Journal 8/24

Winter Park basketball standout Austin Rivers has moved to No. 1 in the Rivals.com listing of the nation's top senior prospects and has begun to map out his plan for official campus visits. Rivers, speaking Wednesday before boarding an Orlando flight to Los Angeles for Saturday's Boost Mobile Elite 24 game, said he will take separate weekend trips to Duke and North Carolina in October. He wasn't certain of the dates or the order of those visits. "I think Florida will be my last visit, and Kansas will be my third one," Rivers said. "Those are still my four top schools." Orlando Sentinel 8/25

Top-10 basketball prospect Josiah Turner has reshuffled his list of official campus visits, giving Kansas University a shot to make the all-important final sales pitch. Turner, a 6-foot-3 senior point guard from Sacramento (Calif.) High, who originally was to visit Arizona on Oct. 22-23 — a week after attending KU’s Oct. 15 Late Night in the Phog — will visit U of A on Sept. 17-18. Turner — he improved from No. 12 to 10 in the latest Rivals.com rankings — will visit Louisville on Sept 3-4, UConn Sept 10-11 and Oregon on Oct. 1-2. He still has UCLA and Oklahoma on his list. KU Sports 8/27

In what is probably a positive sign for the Arizona Wildcats, Sacramento guard Josiah Turner is planning to move up his official visit to the weekend of Sept. 17. Details are still being ironed out but Nick Johnson's mother, Michelle, confirmed via text message today that her son will be there with Turner that weekend. Johnson and Turner played together with the Drew Gooden/Oakland Soldiers. Turner was originally scheduled to visit in time for UA's Red-Blue game on Oct. 24, but that would have been a week after he is scheduled to take in Kansas' Late Night in the Phog. Now the Wildcats will get him on campus before he visits Kansas and before Quinn Cook may come to visit Arizona. Since UA probably couldn't take both guards, if they wanted to both play for Arizona, this could put Turner in a squeeze to commit quickly if he likes UA enough. Arizona Star 8/27

John Calipari’s next recruiting class just got a little bit stronger. The Kentucky coach locked up his fourth Top 20 prospect in the Class of 2011 Saturday when Scout.com’s No. 19 recruit Kyle Wiltjer announced that he was committing to the Wildcats during halftime of the Elite 24 All-Star game at Venice Beach. “I felt I was ready, and it was a good basketball fit,” Wiltjer told FOXSports.com after tallying 20 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals to help his East squad hold off the West team for a 127-126 victory. Fox Sports 8/29

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (8/23)

2010-08-22T17:00:00.000-07:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Recruits

Armed with 10 scholarships for the 2011-12 season, Lavin is now reaching out to recruits far and wide, including many on the West Coast, trying to sell them on the appeal of playing at the Garden. "It's still as a strong a selling point for St. John's as any of the other key factors, like tradition and heritage and a great city and a great school," Lavin said. "I think coast-to-coast, Madison Square Garden still represents the grandest stage that there is to play basketball." St. John's is involved with numerous top prospects in the Class of 2011, including Rivals.com's No. 13 Jabari Brown of Oakland, Calif.,; No. 23 Quinn Cook of Prince George's County, Md.; No. 37 JaKarr Sampson of Akron, Ohio; No. 44 Norvel Pelle of Compton, Calif. SNY 8/17

Following a game at the Fab 48 tournament last month in Las Vegas, a local reporter asked Henderson (Nev.) Findlay Prep guard Nick Johnson about where UNLV factors into his recruitment. Johnson did his best impression of a politician dancing the line on a hot topic and went with, “Well, I wouldn’t say I’ve ruled them out. They’re still recruiting me. I still hear from them every now and again. …” Johnson then looked my way knowing that I covered UA athletics — it was only me and the Las Vegas Sun reporter talking to him — and he said, “I mean, I’m not sure right now. If I get one (program) that I feel like it will be best for me, I might commit right there. But who knows?” He then smiled. Turns out he got this urge and committed right there — to Arizona on Wednesday. Tucson Citizen 8/19

Jahii Carson may or may not fit in the same backcourt with Nick Johnson, but Josiah Turner already has. The two paired together on the Drew Gooden (Oakland) Soldiers over the summer, and it remains possible that Turner could join Johnson at Arizona. A 6-foot-3 point guard, Turner is scheduled to visit Louisville and Oregon next month, then go to Kansas for Late Night in the Phog and for the Red/Blue Game at Arizona the following weekend. Turner said Arizona's recruiting picked up considerably over the summer, and multiple UA coaches routinely attended the Soldiers' games. Turner said he has not decided what his last visit will be, though he is also considering Connecticut, Oklahoma and UCLA. He said last month he likes the weather and location of Arizona so the Wildcats could have an advantage there over the others. Arizona Daily Star 8/20

As the No. 1 shooting guard in the Class of 2011, Austin Rivers' elusiveness on the hardwood is one of the skills big-time college coaches marvel at; they admire his quick first step, his confidence and control. But as his recruitment intensifies and heads into a climactic fall, Rivers' talent in dodging all the curiosity about his college plans has heightened the intrigue. Four elite college basketball programs remain in the running: Duke, North Carolina, Florida and Kansas. Which means message boards for all four sets of fans frequently buzz with informed chatter and wild speculation. Fay Observer 8/20

DeAndre Daniels, considered one of the top power forwards in the Class of 2011, recently backed off his commitment from the University of Texas. Now it appears Daniels might reclassify into the Class of 2010 and enroll at a college some time in the next week. Multiple scouting sites reported last week that Daniels is eligible to make the move into the Class of 2010 and play this season. “He qualified, and he's cleared by the NCAA,” Woodland Hills (Calif.) Taft coach Derrick Taylor told Scout.com. “They want him now. The coaches want him in on Monday. He's been getting offers.” Daniels is expected to visit Southern California and UCLA this weekend and is also considering UK. Courier-Journal 8/21

Oak Hill Academy guard Quinn Cook has narrowed his list to seven schools: UCLA, Arizona, Duke, St.John's, Georgetown, Rutgers and North Carolina. Courier-Journal 8/21

Coach Herb Sendek provided more evidence that the Sun Devil basketball program will continue to be perennial conference contenders when he received a commitment from Mesa High School guard Jahii Carson on Saturday. Carson is an explosive 5’11” point guard who will be staying in-state after he de-committed from Oregon State after a junior season in which he set school records with 23.5 points and 7.2 assists per game. He was ranked in the top 12 nationally among all point guard recruits in the class of 2011 by numerous scouting services. He also attracted interest from Arizona, St. John’s, Washington and UCLA. Phoenix Examiner 8/22

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (8/16)

2010-08-15T17:00:00.000-07:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Recruits

Branden Dawson was watching a classic matchup between Purdue and Michigan State on Wednesday on the Big Ten Network when the thought that had been crystallizing in his mind for weeks popped into his head. Shannon Brown and Jason Richardson were playing for the Spartans and Dawson likes their style. He could see himself playing for that team. It was around 3 p.m. on a balmy afternoon and he just made up his mind. He was going to East Lansing to play basketball at Michigan State for Tom Izzo. "It was just a feeling I had," he said. "It was like Michigan State, here I come." Post-Tribune 8/6

Josiah Turner, the No. 12-ranked player in the college basketball recruiting Class of 2011, will attend the Oct. 15 Late Night in the Phog as part of his official recruiting visit to Kansas University. Turner’s mom told Rivals.com on Sunday that her son’s Oakland Soldiers AAU teammate and good friend, No. 13-ranked Jabari Brown, also could visit the same weekend. Turner, a 6-foot-3 senior point guard out of Sacramento (Calif.) High, has a list of KU, Arizona, Connecticut, Louisville, Oklahoma, Oregon and UCLA. Turner — he averaged 27.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game last year — will visit Louisville the weekend of Sept. 4. He also attended KU’s Late Night last year. LJ World 8/9

Potential Class of 2011 recruit Nick Johnson, a 6-2 guard from Henderson (Nev.) Findlay Prep by way of Gilbert, let Rivals.com know this weekend that he will unofficially ASU and Arizona this month and will officially visit Louisville and Kansas in September. Johnson has not decided if he will take his other three official visits. Kentucky, Oklahoma State and St. John’s are among others recruiting him. “I don’t want to play my hand yet,” Johnson told Rivals.com. “I want to see how these [recruiting visits] go first.” Tucson Citizen 8/9

Quinn Cook, 6-0 rising senior point guard, Oak Hill (VA), USA 2011: Transferring out of famed DeMatha (MD) for his final year of high school (following the path of fellow D.C.-area native and “big brother” Nolan Smith, who was also in attendance), Cook’s polish, ability to run the show, shooting range and heady demeanor all look ready for the rigors he’ll encounter in rural VA. SLAM 8/9

Much of the Bruins' improvement will hinge on whether Howland's recruiting class can figure these things out quickly enough to make a positive impact. The most talented of Howland's newcomers is 6-foot-9 power forward Josh Smith, a near-300-pounder with surprisingly soft hands, quick feet, and and intuitive knack for the game. Smith, the No. 20 overall player in ESPNU's class of 2010, is currently working out three times a day with UCLA training staff in an attempt to get him in the best shape of his life. If Smith can improve the Bruins' offensive rebounding even marginally, that'll be contribution enough. Likewise, shooting guard Tyler Lamb, the No. 28-ranked player in 2010 class, will be expected to contribute right away. At 6-foot-4, Lamb adds depth and polish to the Bruins backcourt. ESPN 8/9

Brea Olinda center K.C. Caudill has committed to Boston College, Wildcats coach Bob Terry confirmed on Tuesday. Caudill, who will be a senior in the fall, committed Monday. He had offers from Harvard, Northwestern, Oregon State and Penn. Caudill had committed to Arizona State as a sophomore but decommitted. Caudill averaged 17.5 points and 12 rebounds as a junior. OC Varsity 8/10

Sacramento High's Josiah Turner wound down a hectic summer by playing for the United States West team in last weekend's Nike Global Challenge in Hillsboro, Ore. The 6-foot-3 senior guard made all six of his free throws and finished fifth overall in the tournament in assists with 14 during the three days in which four U.S. regional teams competed in an eight-team field with teams from Asia, France, Canada and Brazil. SacBee 8/11

Josiah Turner, this area's biggest basketball recruit since the days of Elk Grove's Bill Cartwright, has narrowed his list of scholarship offers to seven schools and also has set his five official visits for the fall. Doris Ward, Turner's mother, says the Sacramento High senior guard, rated the No. 3 point guard prospect in the country by Rivals.com, will visit Louisville Sept. 4, UConn Sept. 11, Oregon, Oct. 2, Kansas Oct. 15 and Arizona Oct. 22. Ward also said that her son is still considering UCLA, in which he already has taken several unofficial visits, and Oklahoma, a school that he may visit unofficially the weekend that he attends the Late Night in the Phog ceremonies at Kansas. SacBee 8/12

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (8/2)

2010-08-01T20:03:00.000-07:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Recruits

Josiah Turner (6-foot-3, Sacramento High), Jabari Brown (6-4, Oakland High) and Nick Johnson (6-2, Findlay Prep in Henderson, Nev.) were nothing short of outstanding each time I watched the team play. Turner likely rates as a consensus choice as the top point guard prospect in the west and one of the top five or so at the position, nationally. Brown is the best pure jump shooter in the region and Johnson - a son of Joey Johnson and nephew of the late Dennis Johnson, a recent Hall of Fame inductee - is the most spectacular jumper in this class. Press Telegram 7/26

Despite reports that he’s leaning toward committing to Duke, Austin Rivers said following Tuesday night’s AAU Super Showcase that he’s still open to a number of schools, including Florida. Rivers committed to UF as a ninth-grader before re-opening his recruitment last April. Rivers has listed his top three schools as Duke, Florida and North Carolina in no particular order. Gainesville Sun 7/27

Julian Royal - He didn't get off to a fast start, but Royal really picked it up late. The power forward showed off his complete game. He scored from three off the catch, he hit from the mid-range, and then he played with his back to the basket and finished with spin moves in the paint. Royal put all of his natural talent on display and showed a fire to help his team win the game that doesn't always seem to be there. Jackets Online 7/27

Cezar Guerrero (Belmont Shores, 2011)- Once considered a right hand dominant gunner, Guerrero has significantly improved the weaker areas of his game. He is making plays going left, distributing the basketball to teammates and overall playing a much more mature floor game. Surprisingly only Colorado has offered this talented lead guard. UNLV, Auburn, St. John's, Oklahoma, Oregon, Oregon State, Long Beach State and UCLA are showing interest....Norvel Pelle might have as much upside as any post player in the country. The long, super athletic post player is poised to move up the rankings and will be hearing from a bunch of schools. Section Sports 7/28

In an interview with Andy Katz of ESPN.com, Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers talked a little bit about his son, Austin Rivers, a prized hoops recruit in the Class of 2011. "At this point, Austin pretty much doesn't know where he's going," Rivers said. "There are three or four schools he likes but he wants to see how they play. He's gone the other way and wants to slow it down and wait. That's the new trend and I think it's pretty smart." Rumors have swirled all offseason about where the younger Rivers will end up playing college basketball. Earlier in July, Doc Rivers told Zagsblog.com that Duke, Florida and "probably a couple other schools" are on Austin's list. USA Today 7/28

The highest profile recruits abide by the rules. While waiting for his mother in the lobby of the Las Vegas Bishop Gorman gymnasium last weekend, Nick Johnson came face to face with Oklahoma State coach Travis Ford. It was an obvious awkward moment, but Johnson was as cool as he was on the court. NCAA rules dictate that a coach can not communicate with prospective recruits at evaluation events such as the Fab 48 in which Johnson and the Oakland/Drew Gooden Soldiers competed. Ford walked by and the two exchanged only a smile. Minutes later, after media entered the lobby, Johnson, a high-profile Class of 2011 recruit from Henderson (Nev.) Findlay reportedly favoring Arizona, said in an interview that Oklahoma State was one of his suitors. Say this for Ford: He made himself seen. Did he time his walk-by with Johnson? Maybe so, but does it really matter? Tucson Citizen 7/29

Norvel Pelle (Compton Magic, 2011)- It looks like Pelle is finding his stride as a basketball player. That is a frightening thing for his future opponents. Pelle is a big time talent with top of the line athleticism for a prospect with his size. He effortlessly blocks shots with either hand, finishes with either hand and runs the floor like a gazelle. The primary task for Pelle in order to put together his talents as a productive and winning basketball player is to crystallize his mental focus. A number of schools are poised to make a big push for Pelle after witnessing his abilities in July. According to Pelle, the entire Pac-10 has offered along with St. John's, Texas, UNLV, UConn, Miami, Kansas and North Carolina. Scarlet Nation 7/29

Austin Rivers, 6-3 rising senior combo guard, Winter Park (FL): Rivers’ scoring ability–he has almost unlimited range, the ability to get past multiple defenders with his terrific handle and has excellent court vision, to boot–has been written about ad nauseum on this site and plenty of other places, but with added strength, a better understanding of how to involve his teammates and at least a partial commitment to playing D, he’s in the process of taking his game to another level. SLAM Online 7/30

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (7/12)

2010-07-11T17:00:00.000-07:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Commits

Looking for signs of life in Pac-10 basketball? Good luck. A few months away from its final season as the 10-team entity we've known for years, the conference is dormant... Just one McDonald's All-American was signed by a team in the conference in the last signing period (Josh Smith by UCLA). Sports Illustrated 7/7

New UCLA point guard Lazeric Jones, a junior college transfer from Illinois, is playing in the Say No summer league at The HAX in Hawthorne this summer, and early reviews indicate he's going to be a solid contributor and help the Bruins address a weakness at the position. On Sunday, Jones played in a game with Bruins teammates Tyler Honeycutt and Reeves Nelson. Jones handled the ball well, displayed court leadership and scored several baskets on drives down the key. He has big hands and a nice touch from the free-throw line. LA Times 7/11

Recruits

On a team made up mostly of guys heading into college basketball, Winter Park's younger Austin Rivers was the lights-out shooter for the USA Basketball team that won the FIBA Americas Under-18 Championship. The rising senior guard led unbeaten Team USA in scoring (20.2 points per game) and steals (2.0) while ranking second in minutes played (23.0) and third in field-goal percentage (.583) in San Antonio. That's the city where his dad, Doc Rivers, played the final two seasons of a 13-year NBA career. Orlando Sentinel 7/6

Austin Rivers is the No. 2 recruit in the class of 2011. He spent much of last week engaged in thorough global hoops destruction at the FIBA Americas U18 Championship, including a 9-for-12 shooting night in a 35-point performance against Canada. And now, it's looking more and more like Rivers is going to take that prodigious talent to Duke. Why? Beyond the actual recruiting stuff -- Rivers has long been leaning toward Duke -- the guard walked out of the FIBA locker rooms in San Antonio wearing a particularly telling outfit. ESPN 7/8

Having drunk Germans spill beer on them was not the reception Quinn Cook and Justin Anderson expected at the FIBA Under-17 World Basketball Championship. But those Germans were just ecstatic soccer fans as Cook and Anderson were watching Germany's World Cup quarterfinal victory over Argentina -- a chance to see some local culture during the inaugural world basketball tournament. Washington Post 7/9

Kyle Caudill - Speed and agility aren't the name of his game, but Caudill is an absolutely massive human being. He has good touch around the rim with either hand, and knows how to use his body to create angles on the block. Still his lack of athleticism limits him from being a consistent finisher when going up against long and athletic players. He also needs to get into better shape, but his size, toughness, and reliable hands make him an interesting low block player out on the west coast. Section Sports 7/9

Branden Dawson- Dawson has always been on the cusp of the five-star/four-star borderline as a prospect. He has a college ready body, strong athleticism and is an exceptional defender, rebounder and finisher. At this event, however, Dawson has displayed an expanded skill set. He has shot the ball well from behind the arc and has looked good with the basketball in the open court. MO Sports 7/9

Josiah Turner- Outside of 2013 elite guard prospect Rodney Purvis, Turner has been the best point guard at the event. He has an impressive blend of strength and quickness which he uses to his advantage on both sides of the ball. His decision making has been solid, and he has finished plays in a variety of areas of the court. Steadily he is moving towards the top of the point guard rankings in 2011. MO Sports 7/9

Josiah Turner, having a monster summer on the Amateur Athletic Union travel circuit, has moved up to No. 12 nationally in www.rivals.com's latest top 150 boys basketball player rankings for 2011. The 6-foot-3 Turner, of Sacramento High School, is the No. 3-rated point guard behind Kentucky-bound Marquis Teague of Pike High School in Indianapolis and Myck Kabongo of Findley Prep in Henderson, Nev. Sacramento Bee 7/11

The guard drove downcourt with purpose, then flew toward the rim in a seemingly futile scoring attempt against more than one taller defender. The resounding dunk validated his judgment and made for one of the more memorable plays at the King City Classic. The player was Nick Johnson, a 6-foot-
2 guard for Findlay Prep in the Las Vegas area and the nephew of the late Hall of Famer Dennis Johnson. "I was still young and not serious about basketball when he was around," Johnson said. Kentucky Sports 7/11

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (6/28)

2010-06-27T17:00:00.000-07:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Recruits

Several prospects, including top-30 guard Josiah Turner and top-50 forward LaQuinton Ross, said they are no longer hearing from UK. Turner guessed that's because of "all the commitments they already have. They get all good players." Courier-Journal 6/21

Quinn Cook of Baltimore says Kentucky “definitely” remains on his list even though it has a commitment from Indianapolis point guard Marquis Teague. “I have developed a relationship with the (UK) coaches, and coach Cal (John Calipari) just wins,” Cook said. “He puts guys in the NBA, and he plays guards. He lets guards control the offense. Look at all the good guards he has had — John Wall, Eric Bledsoe, Tyreke Evans, Derrick Rose.” One reason Cook is not worried about Teague’s commitment to UK is because Calipari used Wall and Bledsoe together last season and both are projected as first-round NBA draft picks with Wall slated to go No. 1. AM News 6/23

I finally caught up to Julian Royal today. Royal is a 6′7 forward out of Alpharetta, Ga. who is ranked No. 52 nationally by Rivals.com. He just finished up working out at the NBA Top 100 camp over the weekend. Check out what he had to say....Q: What schools are showing the most interest right now? A: Alabama, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, Northwestern, Ohio State TideSports 6/23

Quinn Cook is the fourth-ranked point guard for the Class of 2011 and is considering many of the nation's top college programs, including Villanova, UConn, North Carolina, St. John's and Kentucky just to name a few. Cook, who is currently taking part in the USA Under-17 training camp in San Antonio, is finding that college recruitment can come in many forms. USA Today 6/24

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (6/21)

2010-06-20T17:00:00.000-07:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Recruits

Branden Dawson, SF/PF, Gary (Ind.) Lew Wallace- There aren't many guys in the class of 2010 who can match up with Dawson physically and he knows it. A rugged wing who can play the four because of his toughness and athleticism, he just gets it done. Most of his damage was done within 12 feet, but he does shoot pretty well from 15 feet. WV Sports 6/17

Norman Powell is one of the more physical and athletic shooting guards in the class. He is on the verge of taking his game to another level if he can develop a more consistent jump shot by getting more arc on the flight of his ball. Jackets Online 6/17

Julian Royal had himself a nice evening. The 6-foot-7 forward from Alpharetta (Ga.) Milton seems to be coming to terms with where he's most effective. He got on the glass, used soft touch on the interior and then stepped out for some jumpers. It's always good to see him working the glass. ? He wasn't spectacular in the way he did things, but Tyler Adams was solid on Thursday. The Duke commit is a space eater who has really worked his body into shape. He can play physical and rebounds pretty well and that's what the Blue Devils were looking for. WV Sports 6/17

Josiah Turner, PG- Bringing a physical presence to the court as a point guard, Turner makes plays on both sides of the ball with his athleticism. Most impressive Thursday afternoon were his numerous difficult finishes at the rim in transition. He had a couple and-ones and finished with both his right and left hand against contact. Cardinal Sports 6/17

Austin Rivers is a high school senior and ranked among the top prospects nationally, and Rivers' youngest son, Spencer, plays in the eighth grade. The Celtics have granted Rivers wide freedoms to travel to see his family, but the strain of being so far removed from his children's lives started to take a noticeable physical toll on Rivers this season. "I'm going to go and watch my kids play AAU basketball," Rivers said. "And I'm going to wait for a little bit." SI 6/18

If Doc Rivers wants to enjoy watching his kids play, this next year would be the time to do it. Especially with Austin, a dazzling point guard whom many experts say is the nation's No. 1 prep prospect. Two years ago, Austin Rivers verbally committed to UF and Billy Donovan. But that was back when Billy and the Gators were hot, just a year removed from winning back-to-back national championships. They're not hot anymore. Duke and North Carolina have edged their way into Austin's decision-making process. In fact, Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski was recently in Central Florida, watching Austin play. And a couple of former Duke players (and current Orlando residents) have also been in Austin's ear. Perhaps you've heard of them -- J.J. Redick and Grant Hill. Florida Today 6/18

Josiah Turner, PG- Along with Kabongo, Turner has established himself as the best point guard in the camp. He has been unstoppable going to the basket and has defended with authority. Friday night, he also was knocking down jumpers. Cardinal Sports 6/19

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (6/14)

2010-06-13T17:00:00.000-07:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Commits

Incoming Washington freshman Desmond Simmons will join sophomore-to-be Abdul Gaddy at the training camp for the USA basketball men's U18 national team.... Gaddy is the only collegiate player on the team and Simmons was one of six late additions. Eight players selected to compete in the camp have withdrawn, including Joshua Smith, the Kentwood High star who is bound for UCLA, and Terrence Jones, the former UW recruit who signed with Kentucky. Seattle Times 6/10

Recruits

It was an offer Norvel Pelle couldn't refuse. The 6-10 blue-chipper, who will be the star big man at Price High in Los Angeles this coming basketball season, got an invitation about two weeks ago to the shooting and skills camp held at St. John's over the weekend. He'd met coach Steve Lavin before and wanted a firsthand look at a program that is creating so much buzz on the East Coast. "I've heard about what they're trying to do here," Pelle said during a break Saturday at Taffner Field House on campus. "I'm getting to know Coach Lav. I wanted to see what it's like here. ... Is St. John's on my list? Yes, it is." NY Daily News 6/7

Price High School’s Norvel Pelle is one of 19 prep players invited to USA Basketball’s men’s developmental national team training camp June 18-24 at the University of Texas at San Antonio. The group will be used to choose the 12-player USA U-17 World Championship team, as well as the four players who will represent the country in the 3-on-3 basketball competition at the first Youth Olympic Games. The FIBA U17 World Championship for Men is July 2-11 in Hamburg, Germany. LA Wave 6/9

The reigning Times Player of the Year said he isn't sure where he will play basketball next season. "I really don't know," Branden Dawson said after scoring six points, grabbing seven rebounds, taking three steals and getting two blocks. "I'm looking for the best situation in everything for me right now. It's either or. It's an in-between situation. "My mom told me she is behind whatever decision I make." Dawson said he would like to stay in the Region, but only time will tell. He plans on visiting Michigan State and Georgetown in July, and he'll also be attending Purdue's team camp."I'd like to stay at home and compete for the Mr. Basketball," Dawson said. "We'll just have to see what happens." NWI Times 6/10

UCLA Coach John R. Wooden 1910-2010

2010-06-04T14:00:00.000-07:00

Update on Coach John Wooden

2010-06-04T10:23:00.000-07:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

from the UCLA Athletic Department

Coach John Wooden is resting comfortably at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and spent a peaceful night. He was admitted to the hospital on Wednesday, May 26 due to dehydration. At the request of the family, no other information regarding Coach Wooden’s condition will be released.

Members of the Wooden Family and UCLA staff are not available for interviews regarding Coach’s condition.

There will be an update this afternoon.

Update at 5:00PM:

Coach John Wooden continues to rest comfortably at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and is surrounded by his family. At their request, no other information regarding his condition will be released.

Coach Wooden’s family and the UCLA Family want to again tell all of Coach’s fans that their thoughts and prayers are truly appreciated.

There will be no further updates today.

Coach John Wooden Hospitalized

2010-06-03T13:24:00.000-07:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Former UCLA basketball coach and Hall of Famer John Wooden was hospitalized on Thursday. He is being treated at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.

The 99 year-old Wooden was briefly hospitalized about a month ago. According to news reports, he hasn’t eaten for the past few days and his condition is described as "grave'.

Our prayers are with Coach and his family.

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (5/31)

2010-06-01T12:19:00.000-07:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Recruits

Milton coach David Boyd said one of his three prized juniors, 6-foot-9 power forward Julian Royal, has UGA, Georgia Tech and Wake Forest as his favorites. ...“Julian Royal’s recruiting has been very intense,” Boyd told the AJC. “I think his three favorites, and I’m not going to put them in any order, are Georgia, Wake Forest, and Georgia Tech.” Royal has around 40 major-college offers. Why those three? “With Georgia, I just think [Mark Fox] has done outstanding work there,” Boyd said. “They got Marcus Thornton, which really turned a lot of heads. That was very impressive. Georgia is an up-and-coming program and a state school. “Georgia Tech is close to home, in the ACC, and they have sent a lot of guys to the NBA. “Wake has always been a school highly interested in Julian, even with the coaching change.” Boyd said that Royal is also taking looks at Alabama, Virginia Tech, Clemson and Virginia. “He has not really made any decision [narrowing down schools yet]. He hasn’t given me a list. But those three — Georgia, Wake and Tech — are the three schools I keep hearing about the most during our conversations.” When will Royal make his college decision? Before his senior season begins? “That’s a good question … I don’t know,” Boyd said. “I think it would take a lot of stress off Julian if he decided during the summer or fall. But that’s up to him.” AJC 5/27

Nick Johnson is constantly overshadowed on the basketball court. At Findlay Prep last season, he played alongside Texas signees Cory Joseph and Tristan Thompson. With the Oakland Soldiers on the AAU circuit, he is teammates with five-star prospects Jabari Brown (see latest on Brown’s white-hot spring and recruitment HERE) and Kyle Wiltjer (more on Wiltjer coming soon). Typical with his easygoing personality, though, Johnson does not mind one bit. “I mean, I know my time will come with Findlay, and with the Soldiers, I’m not really worried about scoring because we have plenty of that,” Johnson said. “So I just try to do everything else.” NBE Basketball 5/27

Starting today in Los Angeles at the Hangar Athletic Xchange (HAX), these UA targets will compete in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL): Sidiki Johnson, Angel Nunez, Anrio Adams, Jamal Branch, Torren Jones, Dominic Artis, Josiah Turner, Nick Johnson, Jabari Brown, Brandon Ashley and Jahii Carson. Since this is not an approved summer evaluation period by the NCAA, college coaches can not attend these events, but they can receive video to watch. Tucson Citizen 5/29

There may not be a more impressive backcourt on the grassroots circuit than the Drew Gooden Soldiers trio of Nick Johnson, Jabari Brown and Josiah Turner. Mix in mighty might point guard Kiwi Gardner and the group from Oakland rolls out a pretty impressive group of perimeter players. On Saturday, Johnson was an absolute terror. As usual he got loose for big dunks in transition. But, more importantly, he was dialed in with his jumper and showed off the ability to create for others when needed....Finally, Turner -- who listed Kansas, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Kentucky and Syracus -- can play a variety of roles. Need him to distribute? No problem, he can get others involved and create off the dribble. Need him to score? He can do that to whether it's off the bounce or via the jumper. Gator Bait 5/30

There might not be a better combo forward rebounder in the class of 2011 than Branden Dawson. He is explosive in traffic and has an insatiable thirst for tracking down the ball. His competitive zeal and physicality are at the top of the charts, and he will be a force in the college game. Whether or not he can take his game to the NBA level is still very much a question. At 6 feet 6 he is undersized for his skill set. He has limited shooting range and doesn't handle the ball like you would expect an NBA small forward to handle it. There is plenty of time for development, however. With his work ethic, Dawson could very well develop the skills he needs to play at that level. Dawson continues to maintain that Indiana and Purdue are his two top schools, so Indiana certainly has a chance to land him. I would give the unofficial edge to Purdue, though. Demon Bulletin 5/30

Nick Johnson, SG, 6-3, Henderson (Nev.) Findlay Prep: “Way more explosive than I remember him to be, and has added some good muscle. Has room to grow, though. Had a chance to dunk on a guy, but backed off and ended up having his shot blocked. He needs to bring it. If he does, he’s elite.” Tucson Citizen 5/30

Malcolm Lee To Have Knee Surgery

2010-05-28T03:45:00.000-07:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

UCLA basketball coach Ben Howland announced starting guard Malcolm Lee will undergo arthroscopic surgery next week to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee.

The sophomore injured his knee while playing basketball over the weekend. An MRI confirmed the injury on Wednesday.

It is anticipated Lee will be away from workouts and basketball action for at least six weeks.

"Malcolm has been performing very well during our off-season workouts," Howland said in a statement. "We expect he will be better than ever following the surgery."

Lee averaged 12.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game for UCLA last season.

Bruin Basketball Recruiting: Travis Wear

2010-05-25T16:03:00.000-07:00

BBR Home > Bruin Basketball Recruiting: Travis Wear

Travis Wear

F | 6'10 | 230

Status: Signed written offers of financial aid 5/25/10
Class: 2011
Hometown: Huntington Beach, CA
School: Mater Dei HS
Position Rank (aggregate): N/A
Schools of Interest: UCLA, North Carolina

Articles

Double Your Pleasure, Wear Twins Sign With UCLA 5/24/10

Videos

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Bruin Basketball Recruiting: David Wear

2010-05-25T16:02:00.000-07:00

BBR Home > Bruin Basketball Recruiting: David Wear

David Wear

F | 6'10 | 230

Articles

Double Your Pleasure, Wear Twins Sign With UCLA 5/24/10

Videos

None

Double Your Pleasure, Wear Twins Sign With UCLA

2010-05-25T15:41:00.000-07:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Sophomore forwards David and Travis Wear have signed written offers of financial aid and will attend UCLA this coming year, Bruin men's basketball head coach Ben Howland announced today.

The Wears (6-10, 230), who both earned McDonald's All-America honors at Mater Dei High School in Orange County, played this past season at North Carolina and received their releases earlier this month. They will redshirt in 2010-11 per NCAA rule and have three years of eligibility beginning in 2011-12.

"I am absolutely ecstatic about Dave and Travis joining our program," said Howland. "Both are outstanding players. They are highly-skilled good athletes who are hard workers and extremely motivated to be at their best. They are constantly working hard on their overall game."

The Wear twins, who reside in Huntington Beach, Calif., and were McDonald's All-Americans in high school, were close to committing to UCLA out of powerhouse Mater Dei High School but chose North Carolina instead.

"I've always thought the world of them, both as players and as young men," said Howland, adding he knows the twins well enough to tell them apart.

"They are a great addition to our program, not only as players but as people. They come from a great family and from one of the best high school programs in the country in Mater Dei, coached by Gary McKnight."

Father Dave Wear notified North Carolina coach Roy Williams of his sons' intentions to transfer May 5. Williams said at the time that the twins' request for their scholarship releases "came as a complete surprise."

Wear said UCLA was one of many high-profile programs that reached out to the family after his sons' decision.

The brothers each averaged 10 or more minutes per game as freshmen at Chapel Hill. Travis averaged 3.5 points and 2.2 rebounds per game, while Davis contributed 2.9 points and 1.7 rebounds a game.

"They're going to get better and better because of their work ethic and drive to be great," Howland said.

The twins have three years of eligibility remaining and should provide a frontcourt presence for the Bruins after redshirting the coming season due to transfer rules. Both are planning to enroll in the first summer school session at UCLA.

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (5/24)

2010-05-24T14:26:00.000-07:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Commits

here haven’t been this many questions surrounding UCLA’s basketball program since Ben Howland arrived seven years ago. Perhaps the 2010 signing class will have some answers. ESPN ranked it the No. 15 class in the nation, largely in part to Washington center Josh Smith and Mater Dei guard Tyler Lamb. OC Register 5/20

Recruits

Top 10 national recruit Terrence Jones decided to sign a financial aid package from Kentucky on Wednesday to play basketball next season. This means Jones is not fully committed to Kentucky, which is no surprise considering the bizarre course his recruitment process has run and his posturing throughout. Jones verbally committed to Washington in April, then signed an aid package with Kentucky on Wednesday. Neither of those moves are official and binding for him. The aid package will be available to him should he decide to sign a letter of intent with Kentucky. Seattle PI 5/19

I'm not buying that Terrence Jones was motivated solely by the idea of a bigger national stage at Kentucky. Or the idea that the Wildcats are a better fit for his style of play. And I certainly wonder about the people who surround Jones today, including his summer coaches, because they feel a lot like a pack of guys sucked into the jet stream of grandeur they found drafting behind the kid. We're being told the chapter on Jones recruitment is closed. Nothing more to say. Nothing more to see. Move along, right? Except, Kentucky coach John Calipari is involved. Oregon Live 5/20

Branden Dawson is many things: affable, charismatic and a nationally known high school basketball prospect, to name a few. He is not a revisionist. “I was a bad kid,” said the 17-year-old from Gary after a tournament game earlier this month in Franklin. “I was a snot-nosed kid when I was 9 or 10, running around doing things I shouldn’t be doing and getting in trouble.” The fighting with classmates and being disrespectful changed, Dawson said, when he realized where basketball could take him. Though there have been some rough spots along the way, “B.J” — as Branden James Dawson is known to friends — is ranked No. 17 in the junior class by Scout.com. Indy Star 5/23

On Easter morning, less than a week after accepting the job as St. John's basketball coach, Steve Lavin's cellphone buzzed. The caller was Ed Gonzalez, the coach at Brooklyn's Bishop Laughlin Memorial High. Mr. Gonzalez had never met Mr. Lavin, but he figured he'd leave the new coach a message of congratulations. To his surprise, Mr. Lavin not only picked up the phone, he asked Mr. Gonzalez if he wanted to meet for lunch. That afternoon. A few days later, when Mr. Lavin's new St. John's business cards came in, the coach wasn't pleased. The issue: His personal cellphone number had been left off. With the help of a student assistant, he wrote it, by hand, on all 300 of the cards. Wall Street Journal 5/24

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (5/17)

2010-05-16T17:00:00.000-07:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Commits

The UCLA basketball program is down. There is no doubt about that. The program, however, isn't out. Present players like Malcolm Lee and Jerime Anderson need to step up and perform at the level that was expected of them coming out of high school. Frontcourt players like Reeves Nelson and Brandon Lane need to get healthy and stay healthy. I expect Tyler Lamb to come in as a freshman and be a valuable, versatile and reliable player. A big part of UCLA's success next year will hinge on center Josh Smith. The five-star prospect will need to come up big as a freshman for the Bruins. For starters, that means Smith needs to lose weight, get in better shape and play with a competitive edge. UCLA can't afford for their prize recruit to go the path of former highly touted center J'Mison Morgan. Jackets Online 5/14

Recruits

The Wildcats are also pursuing Winchendon (Mass.) Prep wing Angel Nunez, Henderson (Nev.) Findlay Prep guard Nick Johnson, and Mesa High School guard Jahii Carson for that class as well. Book Richardson, key to the recruitment of Johnson and Nunez, reportedly will decide by tomorrow between staying at Arizona or becoming an assistant coach at Rutgers, according to Zagslog.com. Tucson Citizen 5/10

Caught up with Gary Wallace junior Branden Dawson for a bit this weekend. Don't expect a commitment from him soon as he said he's most likely going to wait until the spring of his senior season. The schools he's considering: Georgetown, Indiana, Marquette, Michigan State, Purdue and UCLA. Indy Star 5/10

UCLA is expected to be on the short list of schools, as it was among the final schools the Wears considered before signing with North Carolina. Bruins Coach Ben Howland has two scholarships left to give. The Wears, 6-foot-10 forwards from Santa Ana Mater Dei, will have to sit out next season, but they have three years of eligibility remaining. Travis Wear averaged 3.5 points and 2.2 rebounds in 32 games with North Carolina last season. David Wear averaged 2.9 points and 1.7 rebounds, but missed the last five games with a hip injury. He has been undergoing rehab and should be at 100% in about a month, his father indicated. LA Times 5/11

But a deadline approaches, and it is May 19, the final day of the NCAA's regular signing period for basketball. Terrence Jones' mother, Linda Mashia-Jones, said, "I'm pretty sure it's one or the other," meaning Washington or Kentucky. Speaking late Monday night, Mashia-Jones said she was waiting for her son to come home. Efforts to reach Terrence Jones were unsuccessful. "I need to remind him that May 19 is next week," she said. Tick tock. Tick tock. Except here's the thing: Jones doesn't have to sign by May 19 to play college basketball next season. If you think Jones' recruiting story is bizarre now, there are a few possibilities on the horizon that could add stranger chapters to this tale. Once May 19 passes, Jones can no longer sign a letter of intent. But he can sign a financial aid agreement with a school, which can include a basketball scholarship. A financial aid agreement binds the school to the player, but the player is not obligated to the school. Oregon Live 5/11

"I want to address this with the Big Blue Nation one last time, I will be coaching at Kentucky next year," Calipari said on his Twitter feed. "Now let's finish what we started!" Now the speculation can shift from Calipari's future to that of Terrence Jones. A quick recap: Jones, a top-10 recruit from Portland's Jefferson High School, announced at an April 30 news conference that he would attend Washington. He made the announcement along with friend and teammate Terrence Ross, who signed a letter of intent to play for the Huskies. Jones, however, did not sign a letter of intent and since April 30 has said he is "committed to Washington" but not ready to sign anything. Enter Calipari. Jones said he called all the other coaches who recruited him after he made his announcement. But somehow the Calipari call stood out. While Jones denies that Calipari called him – he says it was the other way around – some suspect that Calipari continued to recruit Jones after he announced his decision to attend Washington. Calipari said, in so many words, that he would not recruit a player after he has announced a decision. Seattle PI 5/14

Where do you think the Wear brothers will land? Is UCLA the favorite? If so, what are your thoughts on the state of UCLA....The working assumption in the college basketball world is that David Wear and Travis Wear will end up at UCLA. The Wears chose North Carolina over UCLA coming out of high school. They are from the Los Angeles area, and most folks have them penciled in as future Bruins. http://georgiatech.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1084687Jackets Online 5/14

UCLA Breaks Ground on Transformation of Pauley Pavilion

2010-05-11T10:45:00.000-07:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Signaling the start of the transformation of one of the nation's most famous athletic and student-use facilities, UCLA Chancellor Gene Block and UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero today led the groundbreaking celebration for the renovation of Pauley Pavilion.

Hundreds of excited students, faculty, alumni and Bruin supporters gathered to witness the milestone event, cheering as Block, Guerrero, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Janina Montero, student-athlete Anna Li, and Matt Pauley, grandson of the arena's namesake, Edwin Pauley, picked up blue and gold shovels to turn over a patch of ground on the east side of Pauley Pavilion.

"The next chapter in the illustrious history of Pauley Pavilion begins today," Block said. "This project ensures that the legacy of Pauley Pavilion will live on in the 21st century."

The groundbreaking on the 33-month construction project takes place exactly one year to the day after the official launch of the Campaign of Champions, the $100 million fundraising effort for the Pauley Pavilion project.

"We are extremely grateful for the groundswell of support from more than 600 donors who have rallied around this legendary arena," Guerrero said. "Their gifts and pledges of more than $65 million have enabled us to begin construction and make the dream of a revitalized Pauley Pavilion a reality. But we have not yet reached our goal and invite Bruins everywhere to participate in the Campaign of Champions."

UCLA has partnered with the Los Angeles office of NBBJ, a leading global architecture and design firm, to transform Pauley Pavilion into a state-of-the-art, multi-purpose facility. The project will entail long overdue infrastructure and amenities improvements on the 1965 building, including major seismic and life-safety upgrades, improved seating access by evening out the steps and creating wider pedestrian concourses, modern locker rooms, and training facilities that UCLA's outstanding student-athletes deserve.

Matt Pauley, co-chair of the Campaign of Champions said, "I know that my grandfather would be very happy to see that this project preserves the most beloved and unique elements of Pauley Pavilion while creating new luster for the building with outstanding design and amenities. It also ensures that the fantastic tradition of Pauley Pavilion will be preserved for the next generation of the extended UCLA community."

Through a competitive bid process on construction, the cost of the project has been reduced from an original estimate of $185 million to $136 million. International construction company PCL, which has worked on major arena projects, including the Staples Center, Key Arena and the Air Canada Centre, will serve as the general contractor. PCL also has experience working on the UCLA campus as the general contractor for the Spieker Aquatics Center, the Life Sciences Building and the Northwest Campus Housing Project.

The $136 million project will be funded through a variety of sources: $100 million from private gifts; $21 million in long-term debt backed by the athletic department general operating budget; and $15 million from an existing annual fee paid by UCLA students to help fund earthquake and life-safety upgrades to student facilities.

When the transformed Pauley Pavilion opens its doors, the UCLA community will have a world-class experience that includes:

Better home-court advantage, with an all-new seating bowl with better sightlines and viewing angles, as well as high-comfort, padded seats.

The addition of new, retractable seats that will bring fan seating on the arena level closer to the action for all events.

A digital scoreboard featuring high-definition video and instant replay, an enhanced sound system and a message ribbon board encircling the arena.

A new Nell and John Wooden court.

New subterranean building, with top-notch locker rooms, a much needed film room and a student-athlete lounge.

New and more restrooms, as well as new concessions with expanded eating options.

New aisle ways and handrails to help fans and disabled visitors reach their seats more safely and easily.

Compliance with all current fire and safety codes.

A new glass-enclosed exterior concourse for a grand entrance worthy of our great UCLA tradition.

A new Pavilion Club.

The refurbished facility will be available for programming by the UCLA Department of Cultural and Recreational Affairs, which operates Pauley Pavilion for the benefit of the entire campus. For example, student intramural sports teams utilize Pauley Pavilion.

"It's amazing that we're able to use Pauley Pavilion for so many activities," said Tim Mullins, a student elected by peers to serve on the student government's Facilities Commission and a two-time chair of the John Wooden Center Board of Governors. "There aren't many universities where students can attend a basketball game one night and the next day play intramural sports in the same building, and later graduate during commencement ceremonies in Pauley Pavilion. It needs an upgrade so that future generations of students can benefit from it too."

The first phase of exterior construction began in April 2010. Following the conclusion of the 2010–11 basketball season, the arena will be closed for interior construction. The transformed Pauley Pavilion is scheduled to re-open in fall 2012.

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (5/10)

2010-05-09T17:00:00.000-07:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Commits

Graduating high school early, or "reclassifying," might not yet qualify as a trend, but it's not an underground movement, either. Once the idea came up -- Matt Carlino's father said it was first suggested by UCLA coaches once his son reopened his recruitment by rescinding a commitment to Indiana in March -- research made the family decision easier. "I don't know a lot of people with kids who would turn that down," Mark Carlino said. "You take a trip to UCLA and see what it is academically and athletically. It was an opportunity knocking, and Matt has chosen to go through that door. "You forgo your senior year, and Bloomington South is a phenomenal school and program. They would have had a very good chance to compete for the state championship, but at the same time Matt's dream has always been to play college basketball at the highest level, and there it was sitting in front of him." ESPN 5/4

Recruits

Oregon might not have won the news conference with its hiring of Dana Altman, but the new coach is reportedly victorious in a recruiting battle that resulted in an important commitment from point guard Johnathan Loyd, who is the state of Nevada's player of the year. Signing the 5-foot-9 Loyd would give the Ducks another diminutive point guard after losing senior Tajuan Porter. But really, they're in need of players at this point after Ernie Kent didn't bring in anyone in the early signing period and three of his players received scholarship releases. ESPN 5/3

Branden Dawson, a 6-foot-6 wing from Lew Wallace High School in Gary, Ind., flew somewhat under the radar at the star-studded Jayhawk Invitational. He didn’t make the all-tournament team, but did score 26 in one game. “I’d never been to Kansas. The atmosphere here ... I love it,” Dawson said. “The fans here ... they love to win.” He said he’d love to add KU to a list of schools that consists of Purdue, Indiana, Georgetown, UCLA, Marquette and Michigan State. “I want to say, ‘What’s up? Why haven’t you contacted me?’’’ he said with a big smile. LJ World 5/4

Signs indicate Washington will secure elusive five-star basketball recruit Terrence Jones, but it's taking longer than coach Lorenzo Romar anticipated. "We have not gone this long (pursing recruits) since we've been here, with this many options in the spring," he said Monday. "Usually we've been done in the fall." Jones, a McDonald's and Jordan Classic All-American, is worth the wait. Over the past few days, the Huskies received positive news out of Oregon, suggesting the 6-foot-9 forward from Portland's Jefferson High will play at UW next season. Seattle Times 5/5

Forwards David and Travis Wear’s surprise decision to transfer after only one season in Chapel Hill makes the Tar Heels deep on the outside and thin in the middle. "We are extremely disappointed that David and Travis are leaving the program," UNC coach Roy Williams said in a prepared statement. "I love both kids and they would have been very important parts of our team next season. It is a significant blow to our team as we had four post players and now we are down to two." Williams had met with the brothers during mid-April to discuss their off-season development plans, and the twins apparently gave no indication that they planned to return home to Huntington Beach, Calif., after exams and not return. Williams learned the news via a phone call from the Wears’ father on Wednesday night. Charlotte Observer 5/6

David and Travis Wear, twin forwards who helped Santa Ana Mater Dei High win two state championships, are transferring from North Carolina and are expected to draw significant interest from UCLA. The Wears, who are both 6 feet 10, will have three years of remaining eligibility. Both strongly considered UCLA and Arizona out of high school before signing with the Tar Heels. North Carolina announced Thursday the Wears would transfer. Their father, David Sr., said he could not comment on potential landing places for his sons until North Carolina filed paperwork officially releasing them from their scholarships, but he added, "I would imagine UCLA would be interested." LA Times 5/6

The 6-foot-6, 205-pound Branden Dawson was stellar on Saturday at Franklin High School, leading his SYF Players team into the quarterfinals of the Indiana State AAU Tournament. “I am just out here trying to get better,” said Dawson, who had games of 19 and 18 points. “I have improved a lot since last year, but I know I need to improve more.” Dawson has a solid list of schools: Purdue, Michigan State, Indiana, Marquette, UCLA and Georgetown. He said that they are “all equal” and that he likely won't make a decision on a school until next spring. “The college thing has been cool,” he said. “I am still open right now. I won't make an early decision.” Journal Courier 5/9

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (5/3)

2010-05-02T17:00:00.000-07:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Commits

Former Indiana University basketball recruit Matt Carlino has committed to UCLA for the 2010 class, his father, Mark Carlino said. The 6-2 guard will graduate a year early and not return to Bloomington South next year. He had transferred from Arizona before his junior year. “We’re glad that he feels good about it,” Mark Carlino said. “I think it probably helps that he’ll be close to his family in Phoenix. Everything has been a positive for us in Indiana, though. I know I’ll certainly miss it. Carlino visited UCLA last weekend. Several other schools, including Baylor, California, Florida and UNLV, had also expressed interest in signing him for the 2010 class. Butler had gotten involved, recruiting him for the ’11 class. Indy Star 4/27

Matt Carlino's decision to leave Bloomington South and graduate from high school early so he can attend UCLA in the fall has forced a roster change to the Indiana Junior All-Star basketball team. "After speaking with the Carlino family, Matt felt it would be best if another player could maximize the benefit of being a Junior All-Star,'' All-Star games director Charlie Hall said Thursday night. Carlino had committed to Indiana University during his sophomore year and moved to Bloomington from Arizona last summer. He rescinded his commitment to IU in March and was recruited by several schools, some of whom wanted him for their 2010 recruiting classes after Carlino considered graduating early. The guard will complete his high school requirements online this summer and enroll at UCLA in the fall. Indy Star 4/30

Recruits

Another player that figures to receive a great deal of attention from Kansas fans this weekend is Josiah Turner, the 6-foot-3, 175-pound point guard from Sacramento (CA) High School. Listed as a floor general, the No. 56 ranked player in the 2011 class certainly has the ability to distribute the basketball, but his game doesn't begin and end with getting his teammates involved. As a junior, Turner averaged 27.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.8 steals per game. He connected on 53 percent of his field goals, 35 percent of his shots from behind the arc and 75 percent of his free-throws. Recently, Self traveled to Sacramento (CA) High School to check in on Turner, a four-star prospect. The former Arizona State commit will spend the weekend running with Pump 'N Run Elite. Hickory Husker 4/28

Sacramento High School's Josiah Turner received a bevy of awards this week from Cal-Hi Sports. The 6-foot-3 junior guard, The Bee's Player of the Year, was named Cal-Hi's All-State Junior Player of the Year. Turner, who averaged nearly 28 points and helped the Dragons to the CIF Division III Northern California championship game, also landed a second-team spot on Cal-Hi's 30-man All-State team and was one of 20 players named to the All-State D-III team. Sac Bee 5/1

UCLA missed out on another top recruit, as Terrence Jones announced Friday that he will attend Washington, in what became a big day for the Huskies. Jones, a 6-foot-9 power forward from Portland Jefferson High School, was twice named the Oregon 5A player of the year. He averaged 32 points and 13 rebounds in leading Jefferson to its third consecutive state title last season. Jones will be joined by Jefferson teammate Terrence Ross, who also picked Washington on Friday. UCLA had also recruited Ross. “I wanted to go to a school that was ready for next season,” Jones said. “I also wanted to stay close to home. As I have said all along, I want to play with Terrence Ross.” LA Times 5/1

Every coach preaches the notion of never giving up. Every coach wants his players to believe that no deficit is too deep, no comeback too impossible. Down by 15 with 10 minutes to go, every basketball coach will holler to his team, "We've got to ratchet up the defense. We need some stops. Keep grinding. We can win this thing." But there is a time when a coach should give up. There is a time when the clock has run out and a coach should shake a player's hand and admit defeat. Take Friday, for instance, when Terrence Jones and his best friend Terrence Ross announced at a joint news conference, held at their Portland high school, they were going to play basketball for Washington. It was a day for celebration. It was their day, nobody else's. Then after their announcements, according to reports, Jones showed enough class to call Kentucky coach John Calipari to tell Calipari he was going to Washington. Calipari reacted like a coach who hadn't heard the final buzzer. Jones still hadn't signed his letter of intent. To Calipari, that meant the game was still on, and there's no quit in Coach Cal. Who knows what Calipari told Jones? Who knows what suggestions and promises were made? Who knows what game-changing strategy Calipari was employing? With Calipari, there is always room for suspicion. Temporarily, at least, Jones postponed his decision to go to UW. Seattle Times 5/2

Terrence Jones Commits To.....UW

2010-04-30T09:06:00.000-07:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Surrounded by baseball caps from Kentucky, Washington, UCLA, Oregon, Oklahoma, and Kansas on a table at his press conference, Terrence Jones chose to put on the Washington Huskies black cap on his head to signify his selection to play in Seattle next season.

He follows his childhood friend, Terrence Ross, to Washington.

Jones a 6'8 power forward from Jefferson Highs School in Oregon chose Washington in order to play close to home and a wish to play with Ross in college.

UCLA has three remaining scholarships for next season if they choose to use them, otherwise the Bruins will enter the 2010-11 season with ten scholarship players.

The current 2010 class of Josh Smith, Tyler Lamb, Lazeric Jones, and Matt Carlino is very solid; however, a Terrence Jones signing would have elevated it to one of the tops in the nation.

Bruin Basketball Recruiting: Matt Carlino

2010-04-27T08:25:00.000-07:00

BBR Home > Bruin Basketball Recruiting: Matt Carlino

Matt Carlino

PG/SG | 6'2 | 195

Status: Committed to UCLA 4/27/09. Signed LOI 5/7/10
Class: 2010
Hometown: Bloomington, IN
School: Bloomington South HS
Position Rank (aggregate): 30
Schools of Interest: UCLA, Indiana, USC, Arizona, Baylor, Butler

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Indiana Prep Star Commits to UCLA for 2010

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Indiana Prep Star Commits to UCLA for 2010

2010-04-27T07:56:00.000-07:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Bloomington South high school prep star Matt Carlino has committed to UCLA for the 2010 class, his father, Mark Carlino told The Indy Star today.

The 6'3 guard did well enough on his prep tests to graduate a year early and attend UCLA this upcoming fall.

He plays both the point and shooting guard positions. The lefty combo guard is solid at both positions and possesses a high basketball IQ.

“We’re glad that he feels good about it,” Mark Carlino said, “I think it probably helps that he’ll be close to his family in Phoenix. Everything has been a positive for us in Indiana, though. I know I’ll certainly miss it.”

Carlino had previously committed to Indiana before deciding to de-commit late last year.

He had visited UCLA last weekend, as well as a host of other Division I schools before choosing to play in Westwood next season.

UCLA Hires Assistant Coach Philip Mathews

2010-04-26T06:06:00.000-07:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

From the UCLA Athletic Department

UCLA men’s basketball head coach, Ben Howland, announced today the hiring of Philip Mathews to the post of assistant coach. Mathews replaces Donny Daniels, who left to become Mark Few’s assistant at Gonzaga last month.

Mathews, who spent nine years as the head coach at San Francisco (1995-2004), recently finished a four-year stint as an assistant coach at Nebraska on the Husker bench alongside Head Coach Doc Sadler.

“Philip is a welcome and outstanding addition to our coaching staff,” Howland said. “He has been a successful recruiter at every level. He has great relationships and has built an outstanding network of friends not only throughout southern California but the entire country.”

Mathews holds a wealth of knowledge after serving as a former college head coach at both the Division I and junior college levels. During his career, Mathews recorded nearly 500 wins as a head coach.

Mathews returned to the Division I level in 2006-07 as an assistant coach on Sadler's first staff at Nebraska. It was Mathews' first time at the NCAA's highest level since serving as head coach at San Francisco for nine years from 1995 to 2004.

The experience Mathews provided over the past four years was vital to the Huskers' success. During that stretch with Mathews assisting Sadler, the Huskers posted 70 wins and earned a pair of postseason appearances.

Working primarily with the guards, Mathews helped Sadler turn Nebraska into one of the top ballhandling teams. Nebraska ranked fourth nationally in turnover margin with a +5.8 margin in 2008-09. The Husker guards also helped Nebraska post at least 200 3-pointers three times in the past four years, each time ranking among the top five totals in the Husker record book. Mathews has also helped the Husker point guards become some of the most efficient assistmen in the league. During the past four years, NU's point guard has ranked among the top seven in the Big 12 Conference in assists per game and assist-to-turnover ratio.

In his last stint at the Division I level, Mathews guided the San Francisco Dons program from 1995-96 to 2003-04. His team won at least 16 games in each of his first three seasons and among the early highlights was a 19-11 mark in 1997-98 that led to San Francisco's first NCAA Tournament appearance in 16 years.

Two years later, Mathews again led USF to another 19-win season. Two of his last three squads posted winning overall records and all three finished in the top four in the West Coast Conference standings. He finished his career with a 139-123 record in nine seasons at San Francisco.

Mathews honed his coaching skills in the junior college ranks as he compiled a combined 349-73 record in 12 years as head coach at the junior college level and his squads won a conference title 11 times during his tenure.

Mathews' first stint as head coach at the junior college level came at Ventura College, where he spent 10 seasons (1986-95) compiling a 298-56 record. His teams won 10 straight Western States Conference titles. Before his arrival, Ventura had not won a league championship in 17 seasons.

All but one of his teams earned at least 20 victories and six times - including each of his last five years in charge - his teams won at least 30 contests. During the 1994-95 campaign, Ventura went 37-1 and ranked second nationally while winning the second California state junior college title under Mathews. Eleven players recruited to Ventura for that season earned Division I scholarships.

Following his stint at San Francisco, Mathews spent the next two seasons as the head coach at San Bernardino Valley College, where he helped the Wolverines to an impressive 51-17 record. In his first season in 2004-05, San Bernardino went 27-5 and won the conference title with a 13-1 record. Mathews' first San Bernardino Valley team saw every player on the roster move on to a four-year school with a scholarship.

Mathews entered the coaching ranks as an assistant at UC Irvine for the 1973 season. He spent the next year at the high school level before returning to Irvine for four years (1975-78). Mathews then served as head coach at Santa Ana Valley High School, where he won two league titles in three years.

Following the 1980-81 campaign, Mathews returned to the college level where he was an assistant for four years at Cal State Fullerton (1982-85) before taking over at Ventura College.

A two-year basketball letterwinner at UC Irvine, Mathews earned his bachelor’s degree in comparative cultures in 1972 and added a master’s degree in education in 1975. Mathews is married to the former Margie Holland. He has four children, Sabrina (40), Akilah (31), Jordan (15) and Jonah (11).

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (4/26)

2010-04-25T17:00:00.000-07:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Recruits

Kansas has already signed guard Royce Woolridge of Phoenix, leaving one more scholarship to give. Self has said he might not use it. But Kansas appears to still be in the running for Terrence Jones, a 6-8 power forward from Portland who is rated No. 13 in the country by Rivals.com. Jones and Selby have said they might want to play together. USA Today 4/19

Oregon prospect Terrence Jones ranks as the nation's top unsigned recruit. Jones plans to announce either April 23 or 30. (He will do so in tandem with Terrence Ross.) He currently lists his finalists as Oklahoma, Oregon, Washington, UCLA, Kentucky and Kansas. The belief is that Jones will stay on the West Coast. He says he still is going through the decision process. "I'm not planning on making a decision or even getting down or writing the pros and cons until all my high school games are over." Jones has kept Oregon and Oklahoma on his list, despite some uncertainty at both programs. "It's tough to make a decision like this when a school [Oregon] doesn't have a coach. So I just try to do what I can." ESPN 4/20

Deonte Burton of Compton, Calif., has signed a national letter of intent to study and play basketball at the University of Nevada beginning in 2010-11, Wolf Pack head coach David Carter announced Wednesday. A 6-1, 185-pound guard, Burton comes to Nevada from Compton Centennial High School. He won the John R. Wooden High School Player of the Year Award this season after averaging 21.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists. Burton was also named the CIF Southern California Division III player of the year and scored more than 2,000 points during his high school career. KTVN Reno 4/21

While nothing has been said recently about the remaining 2010 prospects Alabama is looking at, there was good news for Tide fans when 2011 big man Angelo Chol trimmed his list to five schools, and Alabama was among them. According to JayhawkSlant.com, Chol eliminated UCLA and Florida from his list, which leaves Alabama, Connecticut, Georgetown, Kansas and Washington. The 6′8, 205-pound center is considered one of the elite centers in the entire class, averaging 16 points, 13 rebounds and 8 blocks per game last season as a junior. Tide Sports 4/21

Jefferson basketball star Terrence Jones will make a recruiting visit to Kansas University on Sunday, Jones’ mother, Linda Mashia-Jones, confirmed Friday. Rivals.com first reported Jones’ plan to visit Kansas. Jones, The Oregonian Class 5A player of the year in 2009 and 2010, plans to announce his college decision Friday, April 30, during a press conference at the North Portland school, Linda Mashia-Jones said Thursday. Jones, a 6-9 forward and rated by ESPNU as the country's No. 9 recruit for the class of 2010, has long had Washington, Oregon, UCLA, Kentucky and Oklahoma as his final five choices. Jones added Kansas to his finalists Saturday while in New York for the Jordan Brand Classic. After the game, Jones told reporters he was planning to take his fifth and final official visit to Kansas. Oregon Live 4/23

The Wildcats can expect to see a lot of pressing by the Ducks next season with Dana Altman as coach. But then, he may not find it easy to get enough players to do it. But Altman has already landed a recruiting visit from Dwayne Polee. It will be interesting to see if he can get Terrence Jones to take his phone calls. Arizona Daily Star 4/25

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (4/19)

2010-04-18T17:00:00.000-07:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Commits

Joshua Smith shines at All-American game: Kentwood's Joshua Smith, who won a state title and was named state player of the year, scored 10 points and hauled in six rebounds and helped the West to a 107-104 win over the East in the McDonald's All-American Game in Columbus, Ohio. The 6-foot-9 Smith has signed with UCLA. MaxPreps 4/13

UCLA has signed junior college transfer Lazeric Jones to a national basketball letter of intent. The 6-foot-2-inch, 195-pound guard will be a junior next season after transferring from John A. Logan College in Carterville, Ill. He previously attended Simeon High in Chicago. Jones averaged 14.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 5.7 assists last season for his JC team. UCLA coach Ben Howland says Jones is a good playmaker who can also shoot the ball. Jones joins other early signees -- guard Tyler Lamb of Santa Ana, Calif., and center Josh Smith of Kent, Wash. ESPN 4/14

Mater Dei retired the athletic numbers of basketball players Tyler Lamb and Gary Franklin and water polo player Alex Wherry on Friday. Lamb, The Register’s 2009-10 player of the year, had his No. 0 retired during an on-campus rally that included Monarchs boys basketball coach Gary McKnight and water polo coach Chris Segesman. OC Varsity 4/16

Recruits

"He's going to do what's best for him and I'm going to do what's best for me," Terrence Jones said. "Hopefully it's together, but I still want him to do well no matter if he goes with me or not, and I know he wants the same for me." Jones, a 6-foot-8 forward and consensus high-school All-American, lists Washington, Kentucky, Oregon, Oklahoma and UCLA as his top five choices. Seattle Times 4/13

On Wednesday afternoon, Trey Zeigler, the Mt. Pleasant senior guard, confirmed on ESPNU that will play college basketball under the guidance of his father Ernie, at CMU. “I have decided to stay home and play for my dad at Central Michigan,” Zeigler said during his announcement. “With this recruiting class I think I am going to be able to come in and do great things. We have brand new facilities, brand new gym, and I think it is a great situation for me.” Morning Sun 4/14

They were there for each other during the recruiting process and on Wednesday Ray McCallum Jr. and Trey Zeigler were in the same law office in Southfield to make separate announcements live on ESPNU about where they planned to play college basketball. Both players chose to remain in the state to play for their fathers, who coach at mid-major schools. McCallum Jr., a point guard from Birmingham Detroit Country Day, pulled out a Detroit Mercy Titans jersey when he made his announcement shortly after 4 p.m. He chose to play at UDM for his father, Ray McCallum Sr. Detroit Free Press 4/14

Of course, these two players committing to smaller programs certainly could alter the landscape in a couple of mid-major leagues. In Ray McCallum's case, it's hard to see Butler giving up its position atop the Horizon League anytime soon. Of course, that doesn't mean McCallum can't have a major impact from day one. His presence gives the Titans a player who can create his own shot and get his teammates involved. McCallum, who picked Detroit over a list of schools that included Florida and Arizona, probably possesses more athletic ability than any other player in the conference, and that should be an asset for the Titans on both ends of the court. He could stand to improve his jumper, but that will come in time. ESPN 4/14

Point guard Ray McCallum from Detroit Country Day announced he would sign with Detroit, whose coach is Ray McCallum Sr. Shooting guard Trey Zeigler from Mt. Pleasant chose Central Michigan, whose coach is Ernie Zeigler, a former UCLA assistant. Both were prime targets for Howland, who signed center Josh Smith from Kentwood, Wa., and guard Tyler Lamb from Santa Ana Mater Dei last November and is expected to sign this week guard Lazeric Jones from John A. Logan Junior College in Illinois. After losing out on McCallum and Zeigler, UCLA could take another look at unsigned Compton Centennial guard Deonte Burton. LA Times 4/14

There have been some rumblings about KU perhaps having a chance at Terrence Jones, a 6-foot-8 forward and the 13th-ranked overall player according to Rivals.com. So, I asked Jones today if KU was in his mix of schools. "I won’t really know until after this (Jordan Brand Classic) is over," Jones said. "I haven’t really started my recruitment over. It’s been on pause." Rivals.com says Jones is considering Kentucky, Oklahoma, Oregon, UCLA, Washington, Arizona and Kan
sas. Jones said he talked with KU coach Bill Self before the first signing period ended. "He’s a great coach with a great program," Jones said. "That’s a great school." LJ World 4/15

Terrence Jones' college decision remains a choice from among five schools, despite reports that he has narrowed his focus to Kentucky, Oregon and Washington. The Jefferson High School star, a two-time Oregonian Class 5A player of the year, said Friday afternoon in a text message to The Oregonian's Aaron Fentress that those three schools, Oklahoma and UCLA remain under consideration. Oregon Live 4/16

For months, Terrence Jones has repeatedly said he was down to Washington, Oregon, UCLA, Oklahoma and Kentucky. But after Saturday’s Jordan Brand Classic all-star game in New York, Jones told the Lawrence (Kan.) Journal-World and News he planned to visit Kansas soon. The news came shortly after another top recruit from the class of 2010, Josh Selby of Baltimore, said Saturday he was going to sign with the Jayhawks. In the latest ESPNU 100 ratings for the class of 2010, Selby is rated No. 5, and Jones No. 9. Selby “is anxious for me to join him,” Jones told the Journal-World. “He feels it would be best for both of us. Possibly, we could do great things there.” NCAA rules allow recruits to take five school-paid visits. Jones has made visits to Washington, UCLA, Oklahoma and Kentucky, leaving him one. He has unofficially visited Oregon, meaning he paid for the visit. Jones continues to say he will make an announcement about his college future on this Friday, April 23, or the next Friday. Oregon Live 4/18

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (4/12)

2010-04-11T17:00:00.000-07:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Commits

Two John A. Logan College basketball standouts have been awarded All-American status by the National Junior College Athletic Association based on their performances this past season. Jesse Perry, a 6-foot 8 sophomore power forward out of St. Louis, led the Volunteers in scoring and rebounding at 17 points and 10 rebounds per game. He was named First Team. Lazeric Jones, a 6-foot 2 sophomore point guard out of Chicago, was second on the team in scoring at 14.5 points per game, tops in assists at five per game and the best free-throw shooter at 77 percent. Last week, Perry gave a verbal commitment to play on scholarship next fall for the University of Arizona. Jones had previously given a verbal commitment to play at UCLA. JALC News 4/5

Although he's not an accomplished shooter by reputation, Poole used a late flurry to tie UCLA-bound Tyler Lamb in the three-point contest. He made only three threes through the first 40 seconds of the one-minute contest. Then after making eight in the final 20 seconds, Poole pounded his chest as he ran toward halfcourt. The largely U of L-partisan crowd filled Freedom Hall with boos. In the shootout to determine the winner, Lamb made five three-pointers in 30 seconds while Poole made four. Kentucky Sports 4/10

Recruits

Terrence Jones, the McDonald's All-American who plays at Jefferson High School, has narrowed his finalists to a list of five (UCLA, Washington, Oregon, Kentucky and Oklahoma). And, given a reason, he'd like to stay close to home. Said Jones on Tuesday: "I'm waiting to see who the coach at Oregon is going to be."
Jones is the kind of player who can make the job better. Is it enough that he's waiting and watching? Is it enough that Oregon continues to aim high to fill the position? Oregon Live 4/7

If Lucas, Summers and Herzog all return for their final year of eligibility, not only would Thornton and Kebler go off scholarship, but there also would be no scholarship space for the one major uncommitted player MSU has offered: Trey Zeigler. The son of Central Michigan coach Ernie Zeigler and a top-30 recruit nationally, Zeigler has said he will make his decision shortly after the April 14 spring signing period begins, which gives MSU just more than a week to gauge some of its players’ plans, in particular Herzog’s. MLive 4/7

Angelo Chol, a 6-foot-8, 205-pound junior center from San Diego’s Hoover High, has sliced his list of schools to eight, Rivals.com reports. The schools: Kansas, Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Georgetown, North Carolina, UCLA and Washington. He’s eliminated. Arizona State, Wyoming and Virginia. LJ World 4/7

Jefferson's Terrence Jones, the two-time Oregonian Class 5A player of the year, said he will announce his college decision April 23 or April 30 during a news conference. Jones, speaking Thursday after a United States practice leading to Saturday's Nike Hoop Summit at the Rose Garden, has narrowed his college choices to Oregon, Washington, UCLA, Oklahoma and Kentucky. He is one of two unsigned players on the 11-man U.S. roster. The 6-foot-9 Jones, rated No. 9 by ESPNU for the class of 2010, said he wanted to wait until finishing a series of all-star games to make his decision. Jones played in the McDonald's All-American game March 31. After the Nike Hoop Summit is the Jordan Brand Classic on April 17 in New York. Oregon Live 4/8

Golden and McRae had the misfortune of playing eventual 2-on-2 winners Ray McCallum and Trey Zeigler in the first round. The UT signees rallied from a 7-2 deficit in the first-to-12 game; McRae hit a long jumper and back-to-back treys to give the future Vols a 10-9 lead. Zeigler answered with a drive, but McRae's potential game-winning shot beyond the 3-point arc rimmed out, and Zeigler finished them off with a trey. Golden was unable to dive on McCallum, a McDonald's All-American and the Gatorade Player of the Year in Michigan. McRae was giving up size to Zeigler, a former teammate on the adidas nation squad, leading to some easier baskets inside. GoVols 4/9

Signing day for the late period in basketball is coming up in a month and Trey Zeigler has made it pretty well known that he will make his decision some time in May. His finalists are (in no particular order) Michigan, Central Michigan, UCLA, and Arizona State. Some of you reading this might wonder what a MAC school is doing on a list with ASU, UCLA, and Michigan but Central Michigan is located in Mt. Pleasant and his father Ernie Zeigler is the head coach. So Trey has a difficult discussion to make: play for his dad at Central which has 54 wins in the last four seasons, go west, or play for the Wolverines in Ann Arbor. The wild card in this decision is his dad's future at Central Michigan. Right now, Central is trying to re-negotiate Ernie's contract. Bleacher Report 4/8

Central Michigan men's basketball coach Ernie Zeigler and Athletics Director Dave Heeke have reached a verbal agreement on a new 4-year contract sources close to the situation tell me. The new deal will pay Zeigler just under $200,000 guaranteed this season and will begin immediately. The deal includes a $20,000 annual payment for media obligations and have a base salary over $175,000 in the first year of the deal with an undisclosed percentage raise after each season. Morning Sun 4/9

As the monthlong spring signing period begins this week, Kentucky fans are justifiably anxious about their favorite team's reliance on so-called one-and-done players. Sure, UK can restock. The Cats are involved with such highly rated prospects as Brandon Knight, Josh Selby, C.J. Leslie and Terrence Jones. Kentucky Sports 4/10

Jefferson's boys basketball season ended four weeks ago with a third consecutive Class 5A state championship, but the games continue for Democrats' star Terrence Jones. The 6-foot-9 Jones is in the middle of a three-week tour of all-star games. On Saturday night, it was the Nike Hoop Summit in the Rose Garden, where Jones scored 15 points to help USA defeat World 101-97 before a crowd of 7,354. Oregon Live 4/11

Mike Moser To Transfer From UCLA

2010-04-05T13:59:00.000-07:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

From UCLA Athletic Department:

UCLA men's basketball head coach Ben Howland announced today that 6-foot-8-inch freshman forward Mike Moser will not be returning for next season.

Moser, from Portland, Ore., and Grant High School, will transfer to play his final years at another school. Moser will leave UCLA after the spring quarter and hasn't made a decision as to where he will transfer.

"Mike is a good kid, a great student and a very hard worker," Howland said. "I have enjoyed having him in our program. He has a great attitude and I’m supportive of him finding a program where he will have a chance to play more minutes than we envision he will have here.”

Moser averaged 0.6 points and 0.5 rebounds per game while appearing in 15 of the 32 contests without making a start during the 2009-10 season. He played in 70 minutes (4.7 minutes per game) while shooting 20.0 percent (4-for-20) from the field and 9.1 percent (1-for-11) from three-point range on the year. His season high of three points (came on his only three-pointer of the year), was in the 69-67 loss to then No. 12 Butler on Nov. 27, 2009.

"The way the season worked out for me this year, I feel it is necessary for me personally, to make a move somewhere else so I can play," Moser said. "I have enjoyed my time here at UCLA and have built great relationships with my coaches and teammates. I’m going to stay in Division I and haven’t spoken to anyone at all about playing. I won’t rush into a decision. I’ll just wait and see what happens in the next few weeks."

Brendan Lane To Undergo Ankle Surgery, Out 5 Months

2010-04-02T14:34:00.000-07:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

The UCLA Athletic Department announced today freshman Brendan Lane will undergo surgery on his left ankle next week and is expected to miss approximately five months.

Lane is anticipated to be ready for action when the Bruins open the 2010-11 season.

The surgery is to repair damage he sustained from multiple ankle injuries this season. It will be performed by UCLA team physicians.

Lane initially suffered a sprain on during the first week of practice that sidelined him for three weeks. During the season, he had two more sprains, the latter on Feb. 23, 2010, that caused him to miss a total of five games.

The 6'9 freshman averaged 2.4 points and 1.5 rebounds per game while making three starts on the year. He shot 57.4 percent from the floor.

With the graduation of James Keefe and transfers of Drew Gordon, and more recently, J'mison Morgan, Lane is expected to see much action next season as a sophomore.

Assistant Coach Donny Daniels Bids Farewell To UCLA

2010-03-30T16:59:00.000-07:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Long time UCLA assistant coach Donny Daniels has decided to leave UCLA and to accept an assistant coaching position at Gonzaga, UCLA Coach Ben Howland announced at a called press conference today.

Daniels replaces Leon Rice who last week was named the head coach at Boise State University after 11 seasons on Gonzaga coach Mark Few’s staff.

Hired seven seasons ago, Daniels joined the Bruins when Howland was hired in 2003 and helped put together recruiting classes that took the Bruins to three consecutive Final Four appearances.

"Donny did a terrific job for me and this program for seven years," Howland said. "He was a key impetus behind all the success we enjoyed. I wish him the very best. He is going to another outstanding program with good tradition and history."

Howland has not named a replacement and will likely wait until after this month's recruiting period.

Center J'mison Morgan Transfers From UCLA

2010-03-30T16:50:00.000-07:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Sophomore center J'mison Morgan will not return to UCLA next season. The 6'10 post player will be transferring to another school to play basketball.

Morgan will leave UCLA immediately and hasn't made a decision as to where he will transfer.

His departure wasn't completely unexpected.

After averaging just 2.1 points and 1.1 rebounds per game in 40 contests over his short time in Westwood, Morgan was unable to break into the UCLA line-up last season despite the loss of big men James Keefe to injury and Drew Gordon to transfer.

Morgan becomes the third member of the much heralded 2008 recruiting class to leave UCLA early.

Jrue Holiday jumped to the NBA in June and Gordon transferred to New Mexico last December. Only guards Malcolm Lee and Jerime Anderson remain from the class.

"I feel that it is in the best interest of this program and for J’mison Morgan that he no longer be a part of this team," Bruin Coach Ben Howland said. "We are supportive of him and his future in whatever direction he decides to go.”

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (3/29)

2010-03-29T16:06:00.000-07:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Commits

He is surprised by the comparison, but should not be. "Miles Simon?" Tyler Lamb said. "Wow. He was such a great player ... NCAA Tournament MVP." Lamb might be Mater Dei's best all-around player since Simon played for the Monarchs before going on to Arizona, where he helped the Wildcats win a national championship and he was named the NCAA tourney's most outstanding player in 1997. Lamb led his team to a championship this year, as Mater Dei won the CIF-Southern Section Division 1AA championship. Clearly the best player on the county's best team, Lamb is the Orange County boys basketball player of the year for the 2009-10 season. Lamb, a 6-foot-5 senior guard, was consistently spectacular, and spectacularly consistent. He led the Monarchs with 18.5 points a game, was second in rebounding at 6.8 rebounds a game and tied for the team lead in assists at 3.6 a game. OC Varsity 3/23

Recruits

The Gators will now more than likely turn to the spring recruiting period in search of another point guard to take pressure off Walker and Boynton. One player who won't be in their future plans is two-time Gatorade National Player of the Year Brandon Knight. According to Scout.com, the Gators are no longer pursuing Knight, a 6-foot-3 five-star point guard from outside Fort Lauderdale. Florida will likely instead turn its attention to Ray McCallum, a Detroit-area prep standout rated by Rivals.com as the 15th best point guard in the nation. The 6-foot-1 McCallum also is being pursued by Arizona and Detroit Mercy, where his father is the head coach. Gainesville Sun 3/24

Ray McCallum, who finished third in Mr. Basketball voting, scored 24 points to lead the revenge-minded Yellowjackets. He wasn't part of the 2008 team that lost 48-35 to Powers, but the rivalry became more personal for him when he experienced an 85-81 loss to the Chargers last season. "Ever since the clock hit zero last year, a couple of us came together and said we're going to beat them this year," McCallum said. "We're not going to let that happen again. We got back to work the next day. All the hard work paid off tonight." MLive 3/24

Only 6'7 PF Desmond Simmons has been announced but it is rumored that 6'9 PF Terrence Jones, 7'0 JC C Aziz Ndiaye, or 6'5 SG Terrence Ross who plays on the same team as Jones will be joining the program. Some say Jones and Ross are a package deal for Washington. UW Dawg Pound 3/26

Ray McCallum finished with 22 points, eight rebounds and six assists for Country Day (25-2), while Amir Williams added 11 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks. Country Day (25-2) dominated the first half defensively, holding the Tigers to 20 points on 21 percent shooting. MLive 3/26

Rivals.com is reporting that KU coaches will be in San Diego on Monday to check in on Angelo Chol, a 6-8, 195-pound junior forward from Herbert Hoover High School. Chol, who is Rivals.com’s No. 19-rated player in the Class of 2011, is considering KU, North Carolina, UConn, Florida and many others. LJ World 3/27

This was going to be Detroit Country Day's year. Ray McCallum made sure of it. The senior guard scored 16 of the Yellow Jackets' 18 second-quarter points and finished with 32 overall in a 71-47 victory over Lansing Sexton in the Class B boys basketball championship game Saturday at Michigan State University's Breslin Arena. "He was phenomenal,'' County Day coach Kurt Keener said. "There was a stretch he took over the game and showed all the things he was capable of.'' During McCallum's 16-point second quarter, he scored 12 points on four consecutive 3-point plays: two inside with a foul and two outside three-pointers. "The team feeds off me,'' McCallum said. "And I wanted to get out there and get in attack mode. The shots started falling.'' "In the second half, I knew they'd be keying on me, and I tried to give my teammates the ball.'' MLive 3/28

Manny Harris’ impending departure from the Michigan basketball program for the NBA Draft will leave a gaping hole in the lineup. He was U-M’s leading scorer in all three years of his career and usually the go-to player in crunch time. But his spot could be quickly filled by an elite talent. Mt. Pleasant guard Trey Zeigler has that potential — rated as the nation’s No. 26 player in the 2010 class, according to Rivals.com. (Just for perspective, when Harris came to Michigan in 2007, he was the nation’s No. 34-ranked player.) Zeigler, a 6-foot-4, 185-pound guard who finished second in voting for Michigan's Mr. Basketball, has become the state’s most intriguing recruit still remaining and took particular interest in the news that Harris wouldn’t be at U-M if he chose the Wolverines. “I did not hear that,” Zeigler told the Free Press Friday at the Breslin Center when informed of the report that Harris was leaving U-M. “Manny going pro? I’m glad he is. I haven’t talked to him in a couple weeks but he’s a great player. It’s not going to really affect my decision at all. Detroit Free Press 3/28

Terrence Jones is considered a blue-chip big-man prospect, though the Washington native has yet to profess his college choice. It's hard to believe, however, that Jones is as good as Cousins, who may be the toughest of all ofCalipari's whiz kids to replace. Kentucky Sports 3/29

Ray McCallum Jr. threatened Keith Appling's state-final scoring record for one half, then settled for the prize he really came for -- a state championship. McCallum scored 25 points in the first half and Detroit Country Day breezed to its eighth state title by defeating Lansing Sexton 71-47 in the Class B final Saturday at the Breslin Center. Country Day's last title was in 2007. Advertisement Appling scored 49 points to lead Detroit Pershing to the Class A title last year. McCallum finished with 32 points, seven steals and eight rebounds. "My goal this year was to win a state championship," McCallum said. "I was in an attack mode from the start." Detroit News 3/29

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (3/22)

2010-03-21T17:00:00.000-07:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Commits

Players like Tyler Lamb and Josh Smith should be heading to Westwood with thoughts of returning this program back to the NCAA tournament and once again challenge for a Pac-10 and NCAA title. In order for that to happen, they need to commit to challenging themselves and not being complacent or buy into their stellar class ranking in high school because the division 1 level is a different beast. Fox Sports West 3/16

Joshua Smith got the chance to throw his arms up toward the ceiling in celebration one more time. However, instead of commemorating Kentwood's Class 4A state championship, he was cheering the really big ring he had just helped his teammates pick out. "Whoooo," he shouted after the Conquerors picked a design. When it came time to select their 2010 championship rings, Kentwood players wanted something that summed up their season. They wanted something with so much ice they would feel chills every time they put it on. They wanted something larger than life, as big as their 6-foot-9 senior center. It has been more than a week since the Conquerors beat Jackson for the title and, for Smith, The Seattle Times' Male State High School Player of the Year, the accomplishment is just now starting to sink in. Seattle Times 3/17

The Monarchs did too much standing around on offense and shot poorly in a loss to Westchester of Los Angeles, 71-63, in the CIF Southern California Regionals Division 1 championship game at USC's Galen Center....Tyler Lamb was Mater Dei’s most-effective player. Lamb, a senior headed for UCLA, made 13 of his 22 shots for 32 points with 14 rebounds. OC Varsity 3/20

Recruits

Country Day is led by Mr. Basketball candidate Ray McCallum, one of nation's top point guards who is trying to chose between Arizona, UCLA and the University of Florida. He is averaging 22.5 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals per game. MLive 3/17

Mt. Pleasant committed 22 turnovers while the Lumberjacks made few mistakes on their way to a 69-49 win over the Oilers at Bay City Central High School....The win for the Lumberjacks means a loss for the Oilers and the end of the career of senior Trey Zeigler, who led Mt. Pleasant to four district titles in his career. He finished Wednesday's game with 20 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Oilers. "I don't care who wins Mr. Basketball, he is the best player in the state of Michigan," Taylor said of Zeigler. "That kid will go on to have a great career in college and maybe even the NBA. His upside is unbelievable." Morning Sun 3/18

Branden Dawson, the 6-6 do-it-all forward who many feel is a Purdue lean, scored 24 points and had 11 rebounds to lead Gary Wallace past Ft. Wayne Elmhurst 57-47. The win was the 10th straight for the Hornets, setting up a battle with Zeller and Washington for the state title next Saturday. Inside the Hall 3/20

Brandon Ashley had 13 points and 13 rebounds to lead Bishop O'Dowd of Oakland past Sacramento, 57-50, to win the NorCal Division III boys’ championship at Arco Arena Saturday. Sacramento’s Josiah Turner led all scorers with 20 points. Merced Sun Star 3/20

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (3/15)

2010-03-14T17:00:00.000-07:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Commits

Kaela King scored 23 points and Tyler Lamb added 21 to lead Mater Dei to an 80-48 win over Rancho Verde of Moreno Valley on Thursday in a CIF Southern California Division I quarterfinal game at Mater Dei High. The win advances the Monarchs (31-1) to the semifinals, where they will face Taft of Woodland Hills on Saturday at home at 7 p.m. OC Varsity 3/11

Mater Dei beat the state’s No. 3-ranked Taft of Woodland Hills, 75-73, Saturday and now gets ready to play No. 2 Westchester. Mater Dei, No. 1 in calhisports.com’s California rankings, will play Westchester next Saturday at 8 p.m. at USC's Galen Center in the CIF Southern California Regionals Division 1 championship game....The Monarchs regained the lead on two free throws by Gary Franklin, then Mater Dei’s Tyler Lamb made a 3-pointer with 1:21 left to give Mater Dei a 72-68 lead. Lamb’s shot turned out to be the one that was the final momentum maker in a game in which there were 15 lead changes. “I didn’t think about it,” Lamb said about the 3-pointer. “I just let it go.” Lamb scored a team-high 21 points. OC Varsity 3/13

Recruits

Of course, then there is Mt. Pleasant guard/forward Trey Zeigler, son of the CMU head coach. Zeigler has offers from Duke, Michigan, Michigan State, UCLA, Arizona and Pittsburgh, among others, but has been playing his recruitment close to the vest. Despite offers from just about every school in the nation, Zeigler, the No. 26 player in the nation according to Rivals, routinely acknowledges that playing at CMU under his father is a possibility. Detroit Free Press 3/9

Instead, Calipari's main purpose for taking the trip to see Findlay was to get looks in at some of the Pilots' younger talents. Among those he was taking a look at, according to Peck, were junior guard Nick Johnson, sophomore forward Winston Shepard and freshman guard Nigel Williams-Goss. Las Vegas Sun 3/9

For Hoover, a season that began with state title aspirations will end without one. Facing Compton in the second round of the Division II state playoffs on Thursday night, the Cardinals didn’t play a complete game, losing 69-53....Ingram led Hoover with 15 points and center Angelo Chol added 10. Chol faced different defenses nearly every possession and ended up without a point in the fourth quarter. San Diego Reader 3/11

Sacramento boys 87, Miramonte 84 – Not to be completely outdone by his cousin Shine, Josiah Turner keyed a fourth-quarter rally to hold off the Matadors of Orinda in a second-round game. A nationally recruited 6-foot-3 junior guard, Turner scored seven of his 37 points in a fourth-quarter run that put the Dragons (25-6) ahead to stay. He had a steal and layup, a three-pointer and another steal and score to make it 85-78. Sac Bee 3/11

Jefferson senior Terrence Jones, among the highest-ranked uncommitted basketball recruits in the class of 2010, has not made a decision on a college, Jones and coach Pat Strickland told The Oregonian's Aaron Fentress on Friday. The words of Jones and Strickland contradict persistent rumors posted on Internet sites that Jones has decided on Washington or Kentucky. Jones is also considering UCLA, Oregon and Oklahoma. Oregonian 3/12

After a buzzer-beating, one-point loss to Ohio State in the Big Ten Tournament on Friday in Indianapolis, University of Michigan coach John Beilein traveled to Midland Dow and witnessed the latest in a long line of impressive performances by Mount Pleasant's Trey Zeigler in the Class A boys basketball district final against Bay City Western. Zeigler finished with 28 points and lifted Mount Pleasant to its fifth consecutive district championship with a 58-39 win over the Warriors. MLive 3/12

The final bear of 2010 turned out to be a wounded No. 1-ranked Westlake on Friday night. Milton — with no seniors on its roster — won its first state championship in basketball with a 56-46 victory in the Class AAAAA boys final at the Gwinnett Arena. Those year-older sophomores for Milton — juniors Dai-Jon Parker (19 points, six rebounds), Julian Royal (15 points, five blocks) and Shannon Scott (five assists) — did their parts. AJC 3/12

You know what Ray McCallum brings to every single game. First Effort, then Energy, and last if you can imagine this is his unbelievable talent. As skilled a basketball player at the guard position we have seem in Michigan is some time. This youngman handles his leadership role with style and grace of a college coaches son. Oh, he is a college coaches son! At the end of every game you want to say "Ha Ray" thanks for the great performance I know you put your heart into it. Ray Mc Callum scores the usual 21 point
s in a workmenship effort. MLive 3/13

Whatever argument Terrence Jones might want to put forth about why he deserves to be mentioned among the great basketball players out of Oregon, it should always begin with this: Three in a row, baby. Jones talked from the beginning of the season about trying to make history and leading his team to a three-peat. And although Mountain View did not let the coronation come easy Saturday in the OSAA Class 5A boys basketball final at McArthur Court, the Democrats won 57-48. "We made (winning three championships) our goal freshman year," Jones said. "We worked hard since then. This is the best way to end it, to leave this way, especially with my brothers that I came in with." Oregonian 3/13

UCLA Bows To California in Pac-10 Tourney To End Season

2010-03-12T15:30:00.000-08:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Box Score

UCLA's season ended with a whimper after a 85-72 loss to California in the semifinals of the Pac-10 tournament.

The Bruins competed for most of the game but they were clearly beaten by the better team.

Jerome Randle scored 24 points and Theo Robertson had 15 of his 20 in the second half when California dominated UCLA on its way to the finals of the Pac-10 tourney.

UCLA senior Michael Roll fittingly scored a career-high 27 points to end his Bruin career on a solid individual note.

He also added 5 rebounds and 4 assists in 38 minutes.

Roll's play and leadership this season was a highlight in a year that struggled to find many.

The Bruins (14-18, 8-10) finished with its worst record since Ben Howland's first season at UCLA.

Sophomore guard Jerime Anderson played perhaps his best game ever at UCLA, scoring 15 points on 6 of 8 shooting and handing out 4 assists.

Senior Nikola Dragovic continued his ice-cold shooting finishing just 3 of 12 from the field and 1 of 8 from beyond the arc.

With UCLA trailing by just 4 points midway through the second, Dragovic bricked two consecutive three-pointer after which the Bears countered with two threes of their own to push the lead to 10.

The Bears never looked back.

This was a tough and long season for the UCLA team and its fans.

The loss of Darren Collison, Jrue Holiday, Josh Shipp, and Alfred Aboya proved too much for the Bruins to make up.

The in-season transfer of starting center Drew Gordon further highlighted the dearth of talent on this team.

The returning UCLA players and coaching staff have much work to do between now and next season in evaluating both its physical play and psyche.

Freshman Tyler Honeycutt and Reeves Nelson form a solid foundation for the team to build upon.

The arrival of the 2010 class that includes center Josh Smith and guards Tyler Lamb and Lazeric Jones should help to solidify the rotation next year. The addition of one or perhaps two additional players would certainly help.

Ray McCallum and Terrence Jones anyone?

Still the fact remains in Westwood, for the first time in five seasons, UCLA will not be playing in the NCAA tournament.

Nelson Returns, Powers Bruins To Pac-10 Tourney Win

2010-03-11T15:56:00.000-08:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Box Score

Freshman Reeves Nelson returned to the line-up and recorded a double-double with a game-high 19 points and 10 rebounds to power UCLA to a 75-69 win over Arizona in its Pac-10 tournament opener.

Nelson had missed four consecutive games including a loss to the Wildcats in Arizona.

The freshman post player sported goggles all game long to protect his right eye. He had laser surgery weeks earlier to repair a tear in his retina.

While Nelson complained about the ill-fitting protective eye wear, he gave Arizona more to complain about with his punishing play inside as the Wildcats had no answer for the 6'8 Bruin. He finished 8 of 9 from the field and played 32 minutes.

Seniors Michael Roll and Nikola Dragovic helped their own chance to play another collegiate game by each scoring 18 points.

Roll hit on 3 three-pointers while Dragovic was 10 of 12 from the free throw line. The Serbian also had 3 blocks and 2 steals.

However, it was Nelson who gave UCLA (14-17, 8-10) an interior scoring threat, something the team had sorely missed the past two weeks.

In this contest UCLA Coach Ben Howland effectively mixed up the defensive scheme - something he hasn't done often this season - by switching from man-to-man to zone defense which seemed to confuse the Wildcats at times in the halfcourt.

Arizona (16-15. 10-8) shot just 40% from the field.

While the Bruins executed better on offense and got the ball inside to Nelson, the Wildcats did not play well defensively as they gave up a number of easy shots to the Bruins.

UCLA finished the game hitting on 53.2% from the field after starting off 64% in the first half.

With the tournament win, the Bruins will face California tomorrow at the Staples Center in the next round. The Bears beat the Oregon Ducks 90-74 in the other tournament game.

Roll, Nelson, and Honeycutt Garner All-Pac-10 Honors

2010-03-08T11:59:00.000-08:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Senior guard Michael Roll was named to the All-Pac 10 First Team, Commissioner Larry Scott announced today.

Roll led his team in scoring with 13.5 points per game while shooting 46% from the field and 42% on three-pointers.

A fifth-year red-shirt senior, Roll had been primarily a role player at UCLA until this year when he was thrust into a leadership role on a very young Bruin squad.

Two UCLA newcomers were also named to the All- Pac 10 Freshmen Team.

Forwards Reeves Nelson and Tyler Honeycutt were honored as top frosh players in the league.

Nelson, who sat out the last four games of the season due to an eye injury, was a nice surprise for the Bruins by displaying a combination of grit and aggressiveness which was sorely lacking on the team.

Nelson averaged 11.0 points and 5.5 rebounds in 23.2 minutes per game this season.

Fellow frosh Tyler Honeycutt came back from a bevy of summer injuries to average 7.3 points and a team-high 6.7 rebounds a game.

The all-purpose forward also led the team in number of steals and blocked shots this season.

Nelson and Honeycutt are solid building blocks next year for a rebuilding UCLA basketball program.

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (3/8)

2010-03-07T16:00:00.000-08:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Commits

Incoming freshmen Josh Smith and Tyler Lamb (Mater Dei) are expected to enroll early at UCLA and be part of summer workouts. OC Register 3/2

Joshua Smith doesn't want to end his senior season with any regrets. So, in his final trip to the state tournament — his first since freshman year — he's doing everything possible to extend it as long as he can. Kentwood's senior scored the first seven points of the game, leading the Conquerors to the quarterfinals. The Panthers (19-7) didn't bring a double team against Smith in the post early on, so the UCLA-bound big man went to work right away. "It just kind of gave me a green light when they played man," said Smith, who finished with 28 points, 18 rebounds and five assists. "Then I thought, hey, if they're going to play man, I've got to go every time." Once Smith established himself inside, Kentwood (17-10) got hot from outside, with Tre Tyler hitting two first-half three-pointers. It was 20-4 after just one quarter, but the Panthers didn't quit and played a competitive second half. "No team's going to quit," Smith said. "This is state." Seattle Times 3/3

Joshua Smith again made it look so effortless. Smith, the Conquerors' 6-9, 290-pound center, tossed in 23 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and added two dunks as Kentwood moved into the semifinals for the first time since 2005. The Conquerors (18-10) won for the 12th time in 14 games and will try to beat tournament surprise Wilson (20-8) at 8:30 Friday night. Smith, who's headed to UCLA, left the game with 3:06 remaining, shortly after Eastlake fans chanted "USC!" as he shot free throws. Minutes earlier, Smith threw down a thunderous two-handed dunk. Seattle Times 3/4

Joshua Smith is an imposing figure at 6-foot-9, 290 pounds. But he's really just a big teddy bear. After Kentwood beat Wilson, 57-44, Friday night to get back into the Class 4A state championship game for the first time since 2005, the Conquerors' 6-foot-9, 290-pound center showed how soft his heart is. "This is really how every kid wants to end their senior year," said Smith, who had 20 points and 11 rebounds against Wilson. "I told them (Wilson players) to keep their heads up. They had a great season. Even though we won, we kind of felt bad for them." Smith, the nation's No. 1-rated high school center, left the court high-fiving a long line of Wilson fans on the way to the locker room. Seattle Times 3/5

For four days during the Class 4A boys state tournament, teams tried to slow down Joshua Smith. After a 67-58 victory over Jackson Saturday night, no team succeeded. He beat back double teams. He scored with players tugging at his arms and jersey. He set up teammates for open jump shots and they knocked them down. For the first time since his freshman year, the UCLA-bound Smith played in the state tournament. He ended his career a champion. "I told them, 'Hey, I'm going to put us on my back and we're going to go off on a good note,' " said Smith, who had 22 points, 16 rebounds and five assists. Seattle Times 3/6

So there was a little extra oomph in the top-seeded Monarchs' celebration Saturday after they held on for a 68-65 victory over Etiwanda in the Division 1AA championship for their first section title since 2006....The senior guard duo of Gary Franklin Jr. and Tyler Lamb came up big for Mater Dei, with Lamb scoring 22 points and Franklin getting 21. LA Times 3/6

Recruits

Josiah Turner, Sacramento. No one can produce instant offense like the 6-3 junior guard, who scored 37 points and led a 22-4 fourth-quarter run as Sac High pulled away from Lincoln in the D-III quarterfinals. Turner is ninth in the state in scoring at 27.8. SacBee 3/1

In a battle that is of significantly more consequence nationally, Ray McCallum Jr., a four-star player who checks in at No. 60 of the Rivals Top 150 (video here), is picking between a host of college hoops' blue bloods ... and Detroit Mercy. Something doesn't fit, right? Ray McCallum Sr. is the coach at Detroit Mercy, so the choice is simple: be another McDonald's All-American at one of the schools like Kansas, UCLA, etc. or go be the savior for an entire school -- and your dad -- at Detroit Mercy. The latter just doesn't happen. People fantasized about Harrison Barnes staying in Ames and saving Iowa State, but he picked North Carolina. Sporting News 3/2

James Arnold scored 21 points and pulled down 10 rebounds in Mount Pleasant's 75-50 victory over Gaylord on Tuesday night. Trey Zeigler added 18 points for the Oilers MLive 3/2

Although the Rams made a nice final-quarter run, it couldn't overshadow another spectacular performance by Josiah Turner, Sac High's dynamic 6-3 junior guard. He scored 32 points on an assortment of highlight-reel runners, jumpers, putbacks and twisting layups. He also had six assists, six rebounds and two blocks....Despite playing almost the entire game, Turner had 10 fourth-quarter points. Averaging 27.8 points entering the game, he finished 14 of 24 from the field and 3 of 5 from the foul line. "Josiah is just a natural," Swafford said. "If he ever gets serious and plays the kind of defense college coaches look for, he could be one of the top players in the nation next season." Sac Bee 3/4

Our defense let us down a bit in the second half and they beat us on the boards. Those two things hurt us," said Mt. Pleasant coach Sam Taylor. Trey Zeigler registered 24 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, and three blocked shots in the losing effort. Morning Sun 3/5

Starting fast and building a 20-point lead at one point in the first half, the No. 2-seeded Hornets held on in the final quarter for a 58-51 victory over Hoover to claim the CIF San Diego Section Division II championship at the Jenny Craig Pavilion...Hoover's 6-10 junior center Angelo Chol took game-scoring honors with 25 points to go with 16 rebounds. NC Times 3/5

The Democrats mauled South Albany 122-78 to advance to the Oregon School Activities Association Class 5A tournament, which begins Thursday in Eugene. The two-time defending champions are attempting to become the first team to win three consecutive state titles in Oregon's big-school classifications.... "We never experienced a game like that, where we were playing that fast. We got kind of tired," said the 6-foot-9 Terrence Jones, who scored 31 points and blocked seven shots. Oregon Live 3/6

UCLA Loses Regular Season Finale to Arizona State

2010-03-06T12:53:00.000-08:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Box Score

The UCLA basketball team ended the 2009-10 regular season the same way it started.

With a loss.

Arizona State behind center Eric Boateng's 16 points and 14 rebounds defeated UCLA, 56-46, in Tempe to finish the Pac-10 regular season.

The Bruins (13-17, 8-10) competed for parts of the game but were never a threat to the Sun Devils (22-9, 12-6) who never let the Bruins closer than 7 points after the opening moments of the game.

Malcolm Lee and Nikola Dragovic each scored a team-high 15 points but they shot a combined 10-26.

UCLA shot just 32.7% and was a miserable 4 of 20 on three-pointers.

Making matters worse, the Bruins chucked up way too many three-point brick attempts which accounted for 35% of their total field goal tries.

Led by Boateng, the Sun Devils also manhandled the Bruins on the boards 39-30.

Freshman center Reeves Nelson sat out another game with an eye injury, and his replacement Brendan Lane responded with just 2 points and 1 rebound in 17 minutes.

Barring some miracle finish by the Bruins, UCLA is headed for its third losing season since 1947-48, and its second losing season under Head Coach Ben Howland who started coaching at UCLA in 2003.

The Bruins still have the Pac-10 tournament to play. They open on Thursday as the fifth-seed team and will play the fourth-seed Arizona Wildcats.

Bruins Blow Big Lead, Lose to Wildcats

2010-03-04T15:09:00.000-08:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Box Score

In yet another chapter in UCLA's lost season, the Bruins let the Arizona Wildcats rally from 14 points in the second half to lose, 78-73, in Tucson.

UCLA defenders inexplicably were unable to locate hot-shooting Arizona guard Kyle Fogg who hit 5 of 6 three-pointers down the stretch to help the Wildcats overcome its big deficit.

Fogg simply patiently set up on the wing or in the corner and waited for a pass from a teammate against UCLA's soft 2-3 zone and repeatedly hit open shots.

He finished with a career-high 26 points including 19 points in the deciding final half.

This was a game for the Bruins to win. While Michael Roll was torching Arizona for 21 points, freshman Tyler Honeycutt was controlling the boards with 11 rebounds and the defensive paint with 2 blocks.

But UCLA's inconsistent zone defense was slow in reacting and rotating in the second half as Fogg shot his team back into the game.

Freshman center Reeves Nelson did not play again due to his post-op eye surgery.

Brendan Lane played solidly at center for 27 minutes and recorded 7 points and 6 rebounds before fouling out with a few minutes to play in the game.

The loss on Thursday ensured UCLA (13-16, 8-9) will end the regular season sub-500, the first time since Coach Ben Howland's first season in Westwood when the Bruins finished 2003-04, 11-17.

UCLA travels to Tempe for its Pac-10 regular season finale against the Arizona State Sun Devils on Saturday.

UCLA Player Updates

2010-03-03T12:43:00.000-08:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

UCLA freshman forward Reeves Nelson has been medically cleared to play in this week's games at Arizona (Mar. 4) and Arizona State (Mar. 6) and completed a full practice today, sporting his new protective gear.

He missed both games last week against the Oregon schools after having successful laser retinopexy on Feb. 22, 2010 to repair a slight retinal tear in his left eye.

Sophomore center J'mison Morgan has been suspended for the Arizona game for a violation of team rules.

Senior forward Nikola Dragovic, who sprained his right ankle after landing on a basketball during pregame of the Oregon contest (Feb. 27), was able to play with full contact at practice today.

UCLA (13-15, 8-8) faces Arizona (14-14, 8-8) on Thursday in Tucson at the McKale Center

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (3/1)

2010-02-28T16:00:00.000-08:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Commits

Kentwood's 6-foot-10 center Joshua Smith has been selected to play in the elite Jordan Brand Classic in April in New York. Smith, a UCLA signee, is a McDonald's All-American. MaxPreps 2/22

Sophomore guard Lazeric Jones knocked down 22 points, including 12-of-12 from the free-throw line to pace the Logan attack. The Southern 2/23

Joshua Smith, a 6-foot-9 senior, had 22 points and 19 rebounds as seventh-ranked Kentwood beat rival Kentridge Tuesday night, 74-54, in a loser-out game of the West Central 4A District boys basketball tournament at Auburn High School. The Conquerors (15-11) are one win from their first state berth since Smith's freshman year. They play Beamer of Federal Way Friday at 8 p.m. at Foss of Tacoma in one last loser-out game. The Titans (17-7) stayed alive with a wild, 56-55 victory over Mount Tahoma of Tacoma. Smith, who has signed with UCLA and recently was named a McDonald's All-American, doesn't want this season to end the way the last two have, just short of the state tournament. Seattle Times 2/23

Mater Dei's Tyler Lamb made a 3-pointer to put Mater Dei on top, 38-36, King made a jump hook in the key and followed with a finger-roll, and Mater Dei had a six-point lead....Franklin scored 21 points, and Lamb scored 13 and blocked four shots. OC Varsity 2/23

Recruits

The Mt. Pleasant High School boys basketball team won its 13th straight game Tuesday as the Oilers bested host Bay City Central 73-68 in overtime....Trey Zeigler also tallied 27 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out in regulation. Morning Sun 2/24

Another key Kentucky target is big man Terrence Jones, a player from Oregon whom Biancardi coached at the Nike Skills Academy. “He is a power forward body that is chiseled. He possesses small forward skill levels. One of his best attributes is the way he handles the ball facing the basket,” Biancardi said. “With his body and soft touch he can score in the low post and in the mid-post from about 12 feet. AM News 2/25

Detroit Country Day 75, Detroit Denby 64: Ray McCallum scored 22, Amir Williams 19 and Lee Bailey 17 for Country Day (16-1). Derrick Barton scored 21 and Isaiah Sykes 16 for Denby (10-8). Detroit News 2/25

Teammates at Jefferson (Portland, Ore.) and two of the top unsigned 2010 prospects Terrence Jones and Terrence Ross attended the Washington-UCLA game last Saturday on the Husky campus. MaxPreps 2/26

UCLA Rally Falls Short On Unforced Errors

2010-02-27T13:50:00.000-08:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Box Score

The Bruins rallied but came up short losing to the Oregon Ducks, 70-68, at Pauley Pavilion on Senior Day.

After falling behind by 14 points, the Bruins rallied to tie the game, 65-65, with just 2 minutes remaining in the game.

But then Jerime Anderson committed two consecutive turnovers to snuff out the Bruin rally.

In the first play Tyler Honeycutt cut to the basket but Anderson tossed a pass low and behind him for a turnover after which Tajuan Porter hit a three-pointer to put the Ducks up 68-65. On this same play Anderson misplayed a screen set for Porter by going under the screen, and Porter with the extra space hit the trey.

On the ensuing play Anderson dribbled up past halfcourt but then inexplicably threw the ball away with just 50 seconds remaining to end the Bruins chances.

After crawling back from a huge deficit, it was disheartening for the team to lose on the unforced errors.

Senior Michael Roll hit a three-pointer to end the game to bring the final losing margin to one.

Roll, playing his last game at Pauley Pavilion, finished to tie a career-high 25 points.

In the first half UCLA was ineffective attacking the Duck's 2-3 zone, launching numerous three-point shots off the mark to begin the game. They were just 4 of 14 from beyond the arc in the opening half for 28% as they fall behind 41-31 going into halftime.

The Bruins were passive offensively, unable or perhaps unwilling to attack the Oregon zone and instead were willing to slowly pass the ball around the perimeter until forced to launch a shot before the shot clock expired.

In the second half, the Bruins were more effective against the zone as they put Malcolm Lee on the baseline to run behind the zone. It resulted in Lee getting 18 points in the game, mostly on backdoor layups.

Defensively the Bruins were unable to stop Tajuan Porter who finished with 29 points on 7 of 9 shooting from beyond the arc. In addition, UCLA was outrebounded 33-26 by Oregon.

In the second half, the UCLA defensive 2-3 zone got more aggressive, extending and pressuring the Ducks on the perimeter, to help cut the lead, but then the Bruin turnovers at the end were just too much to overcome.

A couple of bright notes from a rather dreary day at Pauley Pavilion, Tyler Honeycutt finished with a game-high 13 rebounds and 9 assists, while fellow freshman Brendan Lane continued to show promise as he finished 4 of 4 from the field for 8 points and pulled down 5 rebounds in 23 mintues of action.

UCLA (13-15, 8-8) travels to Arizona next week and needs to sweep both Arizona schools to end the regular season at .500. It will be no easy task.

Honeycutt's Double-Double Leads UCLA To Win

2010-02-25T14:35:00.000-08:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Box Score

Freshman Tyler Honeycutt had the best all-around game of his young collegiate career to help UCLA to a 65-56 victory over the visiting Oregon State Beavers.

Honeycutt recorded a double-double with a team-high 18 points and 10 rebounds. He also added 5 blocked shots, 3 steals, and numerous tipped balls to his resume in this game.

He stepped it up to help the Bruins compensate for a rash of injuries to their front line which includes injuries to James Keefe, Brendan Lane, and Reeves Nelson.

Keefe is out for the season with shoulder surgery, Lane is day-to-day with an injured ankle, while Nelson has not yet been cleared after undergoing laser eye surgery earlier this week.

UCLA played a short 7 man rotation in this game.

Sophomore guard Malcolm Lee snapped back on the offensive end with 13 points on 6 of 10 shooting. He also had just 2 turnovers.

In the first half, the Bruins efficiently picked apart the Beavers' 1-3-1 zone to jump out to 36-26 lead.

In the second half the Beavers' zone got more active as they pulled back into contention to trail the Bruins by just one with less than 4 minutes remaining.

But then UCLA' s defense solidified after a Honeycutt block and a Lee steal, the Bruins pushed the lead back to 7 after a Nikola Dragovic lay-up with less than a minute left in the game.

Dragovic finished with 14 points as he started at center for the Bruins, and did an adequate job in the middle of the defensive zone.

The Bruins shot 52.1% from the field while holding the Beavers to just 33.3%

UCLA now 13-14 (8-7) faces the Oregon Ducks on Saturday.

Bruin Injury Updates: Nelson and Lane

2010-02-24T08:21:00.000-08:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Freshman forward Brendan Lane sprained his left ankle on the last play at the end of practice yesterday.

Lane is in a boot and did not practice Wednesday and will be a game-time decision when the Bruins take the court against Oregon State on Thursday.

Post man Reeves Nelson has not been medically cleared to play in either home game this week against the Oregon schools.

Nelson had successful laser retinopexy on Feb. 22, 2010 to repair a slight retinal tear in his left eye.

He will be revaluated early next week for the Bruins' final regular season road trip at the Arizona schools.

Reeves Nelson Has Successful Eye Surgery

2010-02-22T13:52:00.000-08:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

From the UCLA Athletic Department:

UCLA freshman forward Reeves Nelson had laser retinopexy on his left eye today to repair a slight tear in his retina. The surgery was done at UCLA's world-renowned Jules Stein Eye Institute by Dr. Steven Schwartz.

He did not practice today and is not slated to practice tomorrow. He will be revaluated on Wednesday for Thursday's game against Oregon State (Feb. 25).

"The retinal tear was very far away from his central and meaningful peripheral vision and should not affect his ability to see the court," Dr. Schwartz said. "He is an extremely tough kid and tolerated the procedure extremely well without anaesthesia."

Dr. Schwartz said that he has consulted with Los Angeles Lakers' athletic trainer, Gary Vitti, who will assist with protective eyewear, the same worn by James Worthy.

The tear had a small amount of blood around it, indicating it was a recent injury.

Nelson took a hard face-first fall after a slam dunk in the first half of the Bruins' game at Washington State last Thursday (Feb. 18). He sustained a two-inch cut above his right eye, requiring 15 stitches. He never returned to the game. He started two nights later when UCLA visited the University of Washington.

Upon his return, Nelson was revaluated by UCLA team physician, Dr. John DiFiori, and after that consultation, Dr. DiFiori referred him to Dr. Schwartz.

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (2/22)

2010-02-21T16:00:00.000-08:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Commits

In 1AA, Santa Ana Mater Dei (25-1) used balanced scoring to defeat Corona, 95-46. Keala King had 17 points, Tyler Lamb 16 and Gary Franklin Jr. 14. LA Times 2/17

Lee has the confidence of teammates, who realize he is getting on-the-job training. "Going from shooting guard to point guard . . . is a big adjustment. It shows his character that he can deal with it," Roll said. Whether Lee deals with it beyond this season is to be seen. He would like to remain a point guard, but Howland's concerns about the position are such that he took the unusual step of recruiting a community college transfer. Lazeric Jones, a 6-1 point guard from Logan College in Illinois, arrives next season. LA Times 2/18

Kentridge 55, Gig Harbor 43: Joshua Smith, Kentwood's 6-9 senior, scored 30 points as the sixth-ranked Conquerors beat visiting Gig Harbor. Kentwood plays Decatur Friday for a trip to state. Seattle Times 2/18

It came as no surprise to local coaches and talent evaluators that there were no McDonald's All-American selections from the state of California. The Golden State leads in all-time McDonald's All-Americans, but was shut out for the first time in the event's 33-year history. One only has to look at the state's top teams for an indication as to why. Top-ranked Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), currently No. 7 in the ESPN RISE FAB 50, has three fine players, but two of them basically are both wing players (UCLA-bound Tyler Lamb and Arizona State-bound Keala King) and the team's elder statesman, Gary Franklin Jr., is a point guard in a guard-heavy class. RISE 2/18

Best All-Around: Tyler Lamb (6-5, 190), Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei: Lamb is the most polished prospect in this group. He isn't the bounciest, but his skills and savvy for the game speak volumes. The only question mark concerning his game is his inconsistent outside shot. However, due to his approach, he should be a fine fit in Ben Howland's defensive-minded system. ESPN 2/19

Coach Gary McKnight's top-ranked (in California and in the CIF Southern Section's I-AA Division) did a dandy job of displaying that point Friday at Jordan High school while cruising past the Panthers, 103-77, in a second-round playoff contest. The Monarchs (26-1) trailed by five points late in the first quarter to provide a shot of adrenalin for Coach Ron Massey's Panthers and their crowd. But after future UCLA Bruin Tyler Lamb scored with four seconds to go to give Mater Dei the lead at 20-19 after a quarter, the Monarchs sizzled in the second and third quarters....Lamb (who had 18 of his game-high 25 points in the first half), Mater Dei scored 64 points in the middle 16 minutes of the game. Press Telegram 2/19

Recruits

The Flint Southwestern boys' basketball team was able to keep the pace slow and the scoring low for a half Feb. 17, but Mount Pleasant pulled away in the second half in a 60-42 win....Mount Pleasant pulled away in the fourth, getting the lead into double figures after dunks on consecutive possessions by Trey Zeigler. Southwestern couldn't get the lead back under 10 the rest of the way. Graham led Southwestern with 12. Josh Young had eight and Kendric Roberts scored seven. Zeigler finished with 26. MLive 2/17

Finlday Prep (NV) took on the Hotchkiss School (CT) at the Sun National Bank Center in Trenton (NJ). Playing without Texas-bound forward Tristan Thompson, Findlay was still too deep and too big for Hotchkiss as Cory Joseph and Nick Johnson tossed in 19 points each to lead Findlay to a 64-48 victory. NBE Sports 2/17

The Mt. Pleasant High School boys basketball team shrugged off a slow start Wednesday night to record a 60-42 win at Flint Southwestern Academy. The Oilers (13-3, 7-2 Saginaw Valley League) ended the first quarter down 7-5, but regained the lead at halftime at 20-16. A big fourth quarter in which Mt. Pleasant outscored the hosts 18-7 put the finishing touches on the victory. Trey Zeigler tallied 24 points, 16 rebounds, nine assists, three blocks, and three steals to lead Mt. Pleasant. Morning Sun 2/18

The screams were ear-piercing during the starting lineups Friday at Roosevelt, but there was one big name missing from Lew Wallace's starting five. Branden Dawson, arguably the region's best player, was left off the starting lineup. But when he emerged two minutes into the game, the show began. The 6-foot-6 junior forward made his presence felt in a tournament atmosphere, as he led the Hornets (13-4, 2-0) to a 77-68 Northwestern Conference victory. "It hurt being on the sideline to start, but I knew my team would step up and handle business," Dawson said, who didn't g
ive a reason for the brief benching. The Hornets led 4-1 when Dawson entered the game. He scored eight of his game-high 32 points in the first quarter. Post Tribune 2/2o

With four Dragons scoring in double figures, No. 3 Sacramento (20-6, 10-0) ran to an 85-53 win over the No. 10 Titans (20-7, 8-2) to capture their fourth consecutive Metro title. Sacramento is 39-1 in league play during that run. Junior guard Josiah Turner had 22 points. Sac Bee 2/21

Third-ranked Milton held off Wheeler 72-71 when Jalen Kendrick’s buzzer-beating shot at the end of overtime was ruled a 2-pointer, preserving Milton’s victory....Scott finished with 17 points for Milton, which was led in scoring by Julian Royal with 18. AJC 2/20

Washington Easily Handles UCLA in Seattle

2010-02-20T12:53:00.000-08:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Box Score

With the ESPN cameras rolling to a national audience and the Bank of America Arena rocking due to Senior's night, the Bruins were easily overcome by a charged-up Washington Huskies team, 97-68.

It was a combination of hot-shooting and pressure defense by Washington that subdued the Bruins who seemingly rolled over and simply gave up even before the first half ended.

The Huskies went into halftime with a commanding 49-26 lead on a sizzling 68% field goal shooting. They finished 59.3% for the game and 52% from three-point territory hitting 11 of 21.

Washington could had eclipsed the century mark against UCLA except for Huskies Coach Lorenzo Romar's classy-move to hold the ball on the final possession. Despite the move, it was still the Huskies' largest margin of victory over the Bruins in history.

The Bruins had trouble handling the Huskies defensive pressure.

Guard Malcolm Lee had difficulty fending off Washington's Venoy Overton's on-ball pressure. It affected Lee's overall game as he finished just 1 of 9 shooting and never was able to get his team in any offensive rhythm.

UCLA's 2-3 defensive zone, which was effective against Washington State two nights earlier, was listless and slow reacting in this game. The Bruin rotations were slow and the players caught out of position way too many times especially considering how much time this team has spent practicing the defense this year.

Forward Nikola Dragovic, in particular, did not react effectively to the opponent's ball movement and the Huskies capitalized on his defensive side of the court numerous times.

Huskies' senior Quincy Pondexter turned his final home game at Washington into a personal highlight show, scoring 10 points in the first 5 minutes, finishing with 20 for the game.

For UCLA, freshman Reeves Nelson gutted out the team's best performance and considering he had 15 stitches over his swollen right eye. Nelson battled for 14 points on 5 of 7 shooting.

Another bright note, in an overall dismal night for Bruin faithful, was freshman Brendan Lane who played perhaps his best game of the season with 5 of 6 shooting for 11 points.

UCLA (7-7, 12-14) heads home for their final two games at Pauley Pavilion this season when they face Oregon and Oregon State next week.

Nelson Cleared To Play, Bobo To See More Minutes

2010-02-19T08:45:00.000-08:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

UCLA Coach Ben Howland announced during his press conference today that freshman Reeves Nelson will play in tomorrow's game against Washington.

Nelson's eye is still swollen but he has been medically cleared to play. Howland expects Nelson to play his regular 20-25 minutes against the Huskies tomorrow.

"He looks like Rocky Balboa," Howland said, "but he should be fine."

Nelson is averaging 10.8 points and 5.6 rebounds in 23 minutes of effective action per game.

Howland also indicated today he plans to play sophomore J'mison Morgan increased minutes for the remainder of the season.

With James Keefe's season ending due to shoulder surgery, Morgan will be the first center off the bench backing up Nelson at the five spot.

While freshman Brendan Lane will primarily back-up Nikola Dragovic at the power forward position.

Tip-off for tomorrow contest in Seattle against Washington is at 6:00 PM PT.

It will be a nationally televised game on ESPN.

Bruins Swamp Cougars in Pullman

2010-02-18T14:37:00.000-08:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Box Score

UCLA got back on the winning track in Pullman with a 71-51 thrashing of Washington State.

After suffering two consecutive losses at home, the Bruins came out much more active on the defensive end and never let the Cougars into the game.

The Bruins did an exceptional defensive job against the Cougars high scorer Klay Thompson, who was frustrated into just 2 of 9 from the field for 8 points, as the UCLA 2-3 zone shaded towards him all game long and kept a lid on him.

For the contest the Cougars (15-11, 5-9) shot just 36% from the field.

UCLA senior Michael Roll finished with a game-high 15 points on a sharpshooting 6 of 7 from the field including 3 of 4 from beyond the arc. He also added 4 assists.

Tyler Honeycutt and Nikola Dragovic contributed 14 points apiece for the Bruins. Honeycutt once again played a solid all around game. His savvy court sense and physical abilities make him an exciting player to watch.

After numerous subpar performances sophomore Jerime Anderson played a solid game finishing with 10 points, 4 assists, and more importantly just 1 turnover in 24 minutes of action. While Anderson is still far from the level of point guard UCLA needs, he did play with more confidence, and hopefully, its a starting point for future improvement in his game.

Freshman Reeves Nelson suffered a nasty gash over his left eye in the first half after he came down hard on a dunk shot and hit his head on the court. He left the floor with a pool of blood under the basket.

Nelson later returned to the bench in the second half with 15 stitches above his eye, fortunately he reportedly did not suffer a concussion. No doubt this latest episode will only add further to the hard-nosed legend of the wildly popular freshman post player.

J'mison Morgan played significant minutes in place of Nelson and played one of his better games of the season. On defense his big 6'10 frame clogged up the middle of the zone. Morgan had 3 blocked shots and added 3 reboudns in 21 minutes of play.

UCLA (12-13, 7-6 Pac-10) shot 65% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc on 6 of 12 shooting.

The Bruins now travel westward to Seattle to face the Washington Huskies on Saturday. The Huskies were losers on Thursday night to USC, 67-64.

James Keefe To Have Season-Ending Shoulder Surgery

2010-02-18T09:16:00.000-08:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

From the UCLA Athletic department: UCLA senior forward James Keefe will have season-ending surgery on his left shoulder next week.

It is the same shoulder that Keefe had surgery on in August of 2007 to repair a torn labrum that caused him to miss the first 12 games of the 2007-08 season.

"I'm very disappointed to be ending my senior year early," Keefe said. "I would have liked to have been able to come back and finish my final season, but as of now, I'm unable to play and my shoulder hasn't improved."

This culminates a series of setbacks that Keefe has had this year. He first injured the shoulder again on Oct. 19, 2009 during the first week of practice. Then after returning to play the first nine games of the season, he suffered a dislocated left shoulder midway through the first half of the Bruins' 100-68 home win over New Mexico State on Dec. 15, 2009. He missed the next three games, but returned in time for UCLA's Pac-10-opening victory over Arizona State on Dec. 31, 2009. Then last week, he reinjured his shoulder in practice on Friday, Feb. 12, 2010.

"I am very disappointed and sad that James Keefe has had to go through all of these issues with his shoulder this year," UCLA Head Coach Ben Howland said. "He has handled it very well and I know he is disappointed that he won't be able to finish his senior year."

Keefe had made 13 starts in the 20 games he played this season, averaging 2.2 points and 2.8 rebounds per contest. He was third on the team with 12 blocked shots this year.

"I've thoroughly enjoyed my time at UCLA and have had a lot of great memories with this basketball program," Keefe added. "It has been a great ride and I look forward to graduating from UCLA this spring."

He will best be remembered for his 18-point, 12-rebound and four-block effort in the Bruins' NCAA Regional Semifinal victory over Western Kentucky during his sophomore year on March 27, 2008. The Bruins led by 21 points at halftime (41-20), but saw their lead shrink to just four points (61-57) with 6:57 left in the game. Keefe scored 11 of his career-high 18 points in the second half, including two huge free throws that put an end to WKU's 8-0 run that saw the Hilltoppers get as close as four points. Those free throws were the start of a 7-0 run by UCLA and WKU never got closer than six points the rest of the way.

"I appreciate all of the hard work and dedication he has given to this program over the last four years," Howland added. "He is on track to graduate and has a bright future ahead of him. We are all so proud of him."

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (2/15)

2010-02-14T16:00:00.000-08:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Commits

Josh Smith of Kentwood High School joined the ranks of basketball's elite today with his selection to the prestigious 2010 McDonald’s All American High School Basketball Boys Team. Smith’s participation in the Games will help raise funds for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio, which supports local children and families in need. Smith was named to the West squad, and will play with the 23 other top male high school basketball players in the country. He averages 13.4 points-per-game, 11 rebounds and 2 blocked shots. Seattle Times 2/11

After trailing most of the way, the John A. Logan Volunteers took control late as they knocked off the Blue Knights 81-78 at the Dungeon....UCLA-bound floor general Lazeric Jones tacked on 13 points in the win. “Jones is one of the best point guards in the nation,” Burris said. “He dictates the game and is extremely physical.” Olney Daily News 2/11

The Conquerors (13-9) wrapped up the league’s No. 2 seed to the district tournament and will play host to Gig Harbor in the first round Wednesday. Josh Smith, a 6-foot-9 center bound for UCLA, returned from a knee injury almost four weeks ago, and Kentwood has been on a roll ever since. Smith turned in his usual double-double, finishing with 22 points and 11 rebounds, but the Conks got production from his supporting cast, too. News Tribune 2/14

Recruits

The weather outside was snowy but unfortunately for the Bay City Western boys basketball team their opponents Mt Pleasant were red hot and came away with a 71-57 victory. Trey Zeigler led the Oilers with 20 points. James Arnold added 15 points while Josh Rathje also had double digits with 13 points for Mt Pleasant (11-3). MLive 2/10

One of the worst-kept secrets in recent weeks at Jefferson High School was released off campus Thursday when Democrats senior Terrence Jones was selected to the McDonald's All-American boys basketball team. The 6-foot-8 wing, who is averaging 30 points and 14 rebounds for No. 1 Jefferson, became the seventh player in Oregon to earn McDonald's honors. Jones is one of 24 players chosen for the 33rd annual game, which will be played at 5 p.m. March 31 in Columbus, Ohio. Oregon Live 2/11

Keith Appling of Detroit Pershing and Ray McCallum Jr. of Detroit Country Day have been selected to the McDonald's All-America Team for 2010. Appling and McCallum will play for the West All-Stars....McCallum is averaging 22.5 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals. Appling, who is averaging 27 points, has signed with Michigan State. McCallum remains uncommitted. He is considering Arizona, Oklahoma, UCLA and Detroit Mercy, where his father is the head coach. Detroit News 2/11

Jefferson (Portland, Ore.) senior forward Terrence Jones, ranked No. 13 in the ESPNU 100, isn't sure where he wants to attend college. Could be Oregon, Kentucky, Oklahoma, UCLA or Washington. But for now, he won't even say who he's leaning toward. Why? "I haven't been thinking about it like that," said Jones. "I want to focus on my team." Jones' logic is simple: As long as he's getting national attention, his team can also reap the benefits of exposure. "I just figure that if coaches are coming to see me and one of my teammates has a big game, they'll be interested in them, too," Jones said. "I just feel like we all help each other out and this is my way of doing it. ESPN 2/12

And by the time standout senior Ray McCallum Jr. was finished with his 16-point second half – which included a showtime dunk midway through the fourth quarter that had the Pioneer gym roaring – Country Day was well on its way to a 75-55 win. "I'll pick a college during the spring period, but for now we all need to be getting looks. We're hoping to all sign together."MLive 2/12

Bruins Can't Handle The Pressure Again and Lose

2010-02-14T14:07:00.000-08:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Box Score

For the second consecutive game the Bruins couldn't handle the defensive pressure and lost again, this time to crosstown rivals USC, 68-64.

After trailing by just 3 points at the half, 32-29, the Bruins came out in the second with hopes for a possible upset on the road. But USC started applying full court pressure and quickly sensed UCLA were unable to cope with it.

The Trojans forced the Bruins into 20 turnovers. UCLA point guards Malcolm Lee had 6 turnovers and back-up Jerime Anderson had 2.

But Anderson's turnovers were big momentum changers.

With UCLA down by just 4 and making one final push down the stretch late in the game, Anderson was dominated and picked one-on-one at half court by USC's Marcus Johnson who converted and pushed the Trojans ahead for good.

It begs the question. Considering how poorly he had been playing, why was Anderson even on the floor at such an important juncture in the game?

By now it should be clear to most anyone that Jerime Anderson is not a UCLA level point-guard, or possibly a Pac-10 level for that matter, especially considering the important role a point-guard plays in UCLA Coach Ben Howland's offense.

Senior Nikola Dragovic had another poor offense showing hitting just 1 of 7 from three-point distance. As a team the Bruins were just 7 of 26 for 27% from beyond the arc.

Although the Bruins outrebounded the Trojans 36-23, it could not compensate for the lack of UCLA's composure and ability to withstand the aggressive defensive pressure by USC.

The Trojans were once again quicker, more athletic, and aggressive than their Bruin opponents.

UCLA (6-6, 11-13) was swept by USC for only the sixth time in the last 50 years, and the Trojans beat the Bruins for the first time at the Galen Center which opened in 2006.

Keefe Injured In Practice, May Miss USC Game

2010-02-12T13:37:00.000-08:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

UCLA Coach Ben Howland announced forward James Keefe injured his left shoulder in practice this afternoon.

Keefe won’t practice on Saturday
and is listed as questionable for the USC game on Sunday. He will be a game time decision on whether he will play.

It is the same shoulder Keefe injured in October which caused him to miss over a month of action.

Keefe is averaging 2.2 points and 2.8 rebounds in 16 minutes per game.

Freshman
Reeves Nelson sustained a concussion in the California game and didn’t return to full-contact
practice until yesterday. He is listed as probable for the USC contest.

Reeves Nelson Cleared For Non-Contact Drills

2010-02-09T09:17:00.000-08:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Freshman Reeves Nelson was cleared to practice in non-contact drills only for the next two days after sustaining a concussion in the Bruins' last game against California, the UCLA Athletic Department announced today.

Nelson suffered the concussion on his first touch of Saturday's game against California. The injury occurred when he and California center Markhuri Sanders-Frison collided early in the first half.

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (2/8)

2010-02-07T16:00:00.000-08:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Commits

No. 1 Mater Dei 111, Servite 36: Tyler Lamb led the Monarchs with 19 points (20-1, 7-0) in the road victory. OC Varsity 2/2

Terrence Jones led Jefferson of Portland to a 42-39 victory over Joshua Smith's Kentwood team Tuesday night in the nationally televised Old Spice High School Basketball Showcase at Kentwood High School. Both 6-foot-9 seniors are nationally ranked recruits by ESPNU, with Smith at No. 11 overall and Jones at No. 13. And each showed why in flashes. With lights glaring and Kentwood fans blaring, Jones put together 20 points, four rebounds, four assists and four steals for the Democrats (14-3, with one loss by forfeit due to weather). Jefferson is the only team to beat Federal Way — rated 24th in the country — this season. The UCLA-bound Smith, still working to get into shape after missing 10 games with a partially torn patellar tendon in his right knee, made his impact on defense with 11 rebounds and nine blocks to go with a team-high nine points. Seattle Times 2/2

Every once in a while, UCLA-bound Tyler Lamb of Santa Ana Mater Dei wishes he could help his future Bruins teammates right now. "I love how my senior year is going and how our team is playing," he said. "I don't mind waiting, but there's always the urge to go to college now." With UCLA Coach Ben Howland watching, Lamb scored 26 points to help top-ranked Mater Dei hold off Las Vegas Bishop Gorman, 82-76, Saturday night in the Nike Extravaganza at Mater Dei. Besides Lamb, Mater Dei (22-1) has two other guards headed to Pacific 10 Conference schools in Keala King (Arizona State) and Gary Franklin Jr. (California). King had 21 points and Franklin 17. But it's Lamb's athleticism and versatility that are much in demand. LA Times 2/7

Recruits

Terrence Jones, 6-8 combo forward and one-time teammate of Ross’ during their underclassmen years at Jefferson, had Oklahoma head coach Jeff Capel watch him play this past week. Jones scored 20 points and had four rebounds, four assists and four steals in a 42-39 win over Kentwood (Kent, Wash.), who was led by UCLA signee Josh Smith. Jones is down to UCLA, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Oregon and Washington. MaxPreps 2/2

Trey Zeigler led Mount Pleasant to its eighth straight win with 33 points in a 67-49 victory over host Midland Dow. The Chargers pulled to within nine points in the third quarter but would get no closer. Mount Pleasant took a 22-5 lead after the opening quarter. MLive 2/2

Not since Glenn Robinson graduated from Roosevelt in 1991 has a player from Northwest Indiana been as celebrated. It's possible that Branden Dawson could have his choice of schools, depending on the results of his test scores. A "B" student, he takes the ACT in March. My job? To try to give some definition to just where Dawson might end up going to school. I know that Dawson hasn't made up his mind yet about who the winner is going to be in the sweepstakes for his services. But I figure that he must have an idea of who is in play and who isn't.... Dawson rattles off Purdue, Illinois, Indiana, Georgetown, UCLA, Michigan State, Minnesota, Kentucky and Marquette as his leaders. Post Tribune 2/5

History repeated itself Friday when the Oilers, led by Division I recruit Trey Zeigler, knocked off the Trojans for the first time in more than 10 years, 56-53, in a Saginaw Valley League boys basketball game at Saginaw High. "It's been a long time, but this is not a shock to us as coaches or players," Mount Pleasant coach Sam Taylor said. "We prepare for this ... to play and beat the best teams in the state." Zeigler, the 6-foot-5 guard, did his part, scoring 20 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. Zeigler, the son of Central Michigan University coach Ernie Zeigler, did not commit in the fall and will wait until the spring signing period to pick a college program. The favorites are Duke, UCLA and Michigan. MLive 2/5

The visiting Apaches went on a 16-0 run en route to an impressive 80-68 win that at the least will hop them over Hoover in the Southern California ratings....Although Hoover’s 6-9 junior Angelo Chol scored 21 points and collected 12 boards, the prolific shot-blocker finished with just two of his specialties. San Diego Tribune 2/7

UCLA Wilts Under Pressure, Bows to Cal

2010-02-06T12:57:00.000-08:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Box Score

UCLA (11-12, 6-5) barely had a chance to experience first-place in the Pac-10 before dropping right out of it with a 72-58 loss to California (15-8, 7-4) at Pauley Pavilion on Saturday afternoon.

For about the first nine minutes of the game, the Bruins could do no wrong. They whipped the ball around and scored almost at will and opening up a 14 point lead, 22-8.

But then Cal's Coach Mike Montgomery called a time-out and woke up the sleeping Bear - its pressure defense.

For the next 31 minutes of the game, the Bruins were unable to solve the Bears defense which forced the Bruins out of any offensive rhythm, making them rush their shots, and into 16 turnovers.

By halftime Cal had roared back from its early deficit and overtook its younger southern brethren for a 37-30 lead.

The second-half didn't get any better for UCLA fans as the Bruin offense continued to wilt under the pressure of the Cal defenders who extended the Bruins out further and further on the perimeter as the game progressed and extended its lead to 17 at one point.

Moreover, the Bruins were punished on the boards getting outrebounded by the Bears 31-23.

On offense the Bears sizzled from the three-point line hitting 10-24 as seniors Patrick Christopher and Theo Robertson torched UCLA's 2-3 zone defense for 20 apiece.

Cal constantly attacked UCLA's defensive zone on the side of Nikola Dragovic. Dragovic was unable to stop either dribble penetration or was much too slow in his switches as the Bears capitalized on his defensive shortcomings.

Dragovic was unable to make it up on the offensive end either as he shot just 1 of 8 from the field and had 2 rebounds in 31 minutes.

The Bruin zone defense was actually more effective when Dragovic sat on the bench and was replaced by a guard- the zone defense was much quicker and active.

Dragovic's defensive liability is an issue Coach Howland needs to address if the Bruins are going to challenge any further in the conference.

UCLA senior Michael Roll did his part for the Bruins scoring 22 points hitting 9 of 14 from the field.

The Bruins will face the USC Trojans at the Galen Center next Sunday evening.

Honeycutt's Double-Double Puts UCLA Into...First Place

2010-02-04T16:17:00.000-08:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Box Score

Surprise! With a little more than just half the Pac-10 season over, UCLA (11-11, 6-4) is now in a four-way tie in the wacky Pac-10 race after beating Stanford, 77-73, at Pauley Pavilion.

Freshman sensation Tyler Honeycutt continues to get better and better with each game. Honeycutt recorded a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds and added a season-high 8 assists for good measure.

Honeycutt who is finally getting into playing shape after missing most of the summer and the start of the basketball season with injuries, has been one of the keys to the Bruins resurgence.

The freshman makes everyone on his team better on the court and has now beginning to assert himself as a scorer going 5 of 9 from the field. Did we mention the 6'8 forward also had 3 blocks and 2 steals?

Fellow freshman stud Reeves Nelson scored a team-high 18 points as he manhandled Cardinal defenders in the paint. Nelson finished 7 of 10 from the field - all within the Bruin blue painted area on Nell and John Wooden Court

With the win UCLA avenged an earlier loss to Stanford at Palo Alto in January.

The game on Thursday was tight throughout the evening with Stanford hanging onto a narrow 32-29 lead going into halftime.

In the second half the game continued to see-saw as the two teams traded baskets.

With Stanford holding its biggest lead of the game 60-54, the Bruins went on a 13-2 spurt to pull ahead by 69-64 with two minutes remaining after a Reeves Nelson dunk off a Honeycutt assist.

Malcolm Lee hit a pair of free throws with 24 seconds left to preserve UCLA's fourth victory in its last five games.

Seniors Michael Roll added 16 points and Nikola Dragovic 15 points.

UCLA played primarily a 2-3 zone defensive set-up for most of the game, but they mixed in a man-to-man defense in the second-half which seemed to throw the Stanford offense off balance.

One of the other keys to this game was the Bruins committing just 5 turnovers after committing 20 in their prior contest.

Stanford's (10-12, 4-6) league-leading scorer Landry Fields had a career-high 35 points - his third consecutive 30-point gamenford .

UCLA faces the Cal Bears on Saturday afternoon at Pauley Pavilion as it attempts to tighten its grip atop the Pac-10 conference.

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (2/1)

2010-01-31T16:00:00.000-08:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Commits

Nominees for the McDonald’s All-American Games were released this week. The annual showcase of the nation's top senior high school basketball players is slated for March 31 at Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio.... Tyler Lamb, 6-5, G, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) – UCLA signee. McCredentials: Lamb is having an even more productive season from a statistical standpoint than King, posting 18.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. Max Preps1/26

For the first time this season, Josh Smith was healthy enough to play like the "Big Dawg" emblazoned on the back of the black socks he wears during games. However, the reason for Kentwood's 74-56 victory over 10th-ranked Kentridge in the Les Schwab Shootout had more to do with the 6-foot-9 big man's ability to play within the framework of his team than his ability to take over the game. "This is a team game and I realize that," said Smith, who was fighting off a cold. "I don't care if I don't score any points as long as we win." Smith, who said he's 100 percent healthy, but still working on his conditioning, finished with 22 points, 17 rebounds, four assists and three blocks in 25 minutes. He let the game come to him and the attention he drew inside created open shots for Tre Tyler (14 points) and driving lanes for Isaiah Malvar (12 points). Seattle Times 1/29

Mater Dei beat Orange Lutheran by 34 points....Senior guard Tyler Lamb, who signed with UCLA, scored 24 points on 11-for-15 shooting, and had five assists, four steals and four blocked shots. OC Varsity 1/29

Recruits

Incidentally, the Huskies had a pair of top-notch recruits at Saturday’s 88-74 upset of No. 1 Texas: Angelo Chol, a 6-8 junior center from San Diego, and Tyler Olander, a 6-9 senior power forward from Mansfield, who transferred from Worcester (Mass.) Academy back to E.O. Smith High (right at the foot of the UConn campus) last fall.
They certainly picked a good game to attend — with or without Calhoun on the bench. New Haven Register 1/25

The good news for the San Diego State Aztecs is they’ve found a true point guard. The bad news is they won’t get him until next year. LaBradford Franklin of Temecula Great Oaks High has accepted a scholarship offer to San Diego State, and it’s likely that as early as next season he’ll be running the SDSU offense. “I think I excel at playing the point guard position and I like having the ball in my hands,” said Franklin, 18. “But I’ll go wherever they tell me to go. I’m excited to be part of the team.” The 6-foot-3, 180-pound Franklin is expected to make his commitment official April 14, the first day of the regular signing period for high school basketball recruits. San Diego Union Tribune 1/26

The Mt. Pleasant High School boys basketball team picked up its sixth consecutive victory on Monday night as the Oilers nearly doubled-up host Cadillac 63-32. The Oilers (7-3) took an 11-6 lead in the first and upped the ante to 25-12 by the half. From there they didn't look back. Trey Zeigler led the offense as he finished with 20 points, 15 rebounds and four steals. Morning Sun 1/26

Nominees for the McDonald’s All-American Games were released this week. The annual showcase of the nation's top senior high school basketball players is slated for March 31 at Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio....Terrence Jones, 6-9, F, Jefferson (Portland, Ore.) – UncommittedMcCredentials: A threat to post a triple-double every time out, Jones averaged over 30 points and 10 rebounds per game at the Les Schwab Invitational in December....Ray McCallum Jr., 6-1, G, Detroit Country Day (Beverly Hills, Mich.) – Uncommitted. McCredentials: Several big schools in pursuit of McCallum, who is averaging 22.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game for one of Michigan’s top programs. Max Preps 1/26

Four of Hoover’s starters scored in double figures, led by guard Eric Wells’ game-high 21 points. Two Cardinals finished with double-doubles on the evening – Ndiaye had 15 points and 11 rebounds and center Angelo Chol scored 18 points, pulled down 16 rebounds and blocked seven shots. San Diego Reader 1/27

The Findlay Prep basketball team defeated Oldsmar Christian (Fla.) 83-53 on Thursday at the Montverde Academy Invitational Tournament in Montverde, Fla. Senior point guard Cory Joseph’s team-high 17 points led five Findlay (24-1) scorers in double figures. Marko Petrovic scored 15 points for Findlay, junior Nick Johnson had 14 points. Las Vegas Sun 1/28

Trey Zeigler scored a game-high 28 points and had seven assists while leading Mount Pleasant to a 72-55 win over visiting Bay City Central Friday. MLive 1/29

UCLA Beats Oregon St. In Low Scoring Affair

2010-01-30T14:57:00.000-08:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Box Score

Freshman Reeves Nelson recorded a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds to help UCLA beat Oregon St. 62-52.

With the win the Bruins (10-11, 5-4) split their road trip to the state of Oregon and hold onto third place in the Pac-10.

Seniors Nikola Dragovic and Michael Roll added 13 and 11 points respectively in the low scoring affair in Corvallis.

In a battle of zone defenses the game was played mostly at a snails pace, and as a result, UCLA only attempted 35 shots in the entire contest.

Fortunately the Bruins were efficient from the field, hitting 65.7% including 75% in the second half.

After hoisting up 33 three-point shots in their loss against Oregon on Thursday, UCLA made an effort to get the ball inside against Oregon St. 1-3-1 zone. For the game the Bruins attempted just 9 three-points shots and hitting on 4 of them for 44.4%. They scored 34 of their points in the paint.Box s

Both teams struggled early in the game to score before UCLA ended the first half on an 11-2 run to lead 24-18 at halftime.

The Beavers stayed close throughout the second half and only trailed the Bruins 38-35 before UCLA went on a 12-2 run to finally pull away for good.

Oregon St. only managed to shoot 37.3% against UCLA's 2-3 zone defense and hit just 5 of 23 from beyond the arc for 21.7%.

With the Pac-10 season now half over, the Bruins return home to play against Stanford on Thursday night at Pauley Pavilion.

Bruins Fall to Ducks At McArthur Court

2010-01-28T16:13:00.000-08:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Box Score

Playing in its last game at McArthur Court, the Bruins fall to the Oregon Ducks 71-66 in overtime.

UCLA (9-11, 4-4) was down 55-52 with 11 seconds left in regulation when senior Michael Roll hit a long three-point shot to send the game into overtime.

However, Oregon's Matt Humphrey opened the overtime period with two three-pointers to put the Ducks ahead by two possessions, 61-57, a deficit the Bruins could not overcome as the Ducks hit key shots and their free throws in the extra period.

Nikola Dragovic had 10 rebounds and led UCLA in scoring with 19 points but was just 5-13 from beyond the three-point arc. Michael Roll added 16 points and 6 assists.

Freshman Tyler Honeycutt continued to display his all-around game by recording 13 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals in a season high 40 minutes.

Malcolm Lee struggled all evening on offense scoring 2 points on just 1 of 9 shooting, however, he did dish out 6 assists and 6 rebounds.

The Bruins played zone defense all-evening long and limited the Ducks to just 42% shooting, but the Bruins struggled on their end hitting on just 39%.

UCLA took way too many three-point attempts, hoisting up 33 from beyond the arc which accounted for over 50% of their total shot attempts in the game. They finished 10-33 from the arc for 30%.

The Bruins were once again beaten on the boards, 41-37, and gave up way too many second-shot attempts especially in the second half.

Tajuan Porter and Matt Humphrey scored 15 points each for Oregon (11-9-3-5) which snapped a five-game losing streak with the victory over UCLA.

The third-place Bruins now travel to Corvallis to play the Oregon State Beavers on Saturday.

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (1/25)

2010-01-24T16:00:00.000-08:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Commits

Kentwood big man Joshua Smith, who at 6-foot-10 is rated the No. 1 center in the nation, saw his first action in a month, scoring 10 points in a 61-37 win over Tahoma. The UCLA-bound Smith has been sidelined with a knee injury. Smith missed the next two games, including the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame's Spalding Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass. Max Preps 1/19

Ben Howland is counting down the days until Tyler Lamb arrives? If he’s not, then he should start the countdown ASAP. Lamb, Mater Dei’s senior guard, scored 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting with 11 rebounds in a 79-71 victory over DeMatha, ranked fourth in the nation, on Monday. While the present might be dark around the UCLA hoops program (last place in the Pac-10?!), the future appears to be a lot brighter with Lamb on the way. OC Varsity 1/19

Four Auburn Riverside players scored in double-figures as the Ravens beat Kentwood 72-56. Forward Joshua Smith scored 13 points for Kentwood in his second game since injuring his knee in December. News Tribune 1/19

Tyler Lamb, another highly recruited guard who has signed a national letter of intent with UCLA, will enroll in summer school so he can get started early. He loves that Howland preaches defense and has a history of sending players to the NBA. UCLA starts two freshmen, and Lamb said he’ll have an opportunity for immediate playing time as well. From his talks with current players, he’s actually encouraged. “They’re not happy with the way things are going, but they believe in the coaches and are following the system,” Lamb said. “Things will turn around.” ESPN 1/22

Mater Dei coach Gary McKnight was recognized Friday night for breaking the California record for career victories during a 10-minute pregame ceremony....King led the Monarchs with 23 points and 11 rebounds. Gary Franklin and Tyler Lamb had 20 each. OC Varsity 1/22

Recruits

Terrence Jones, a 6-foot-9 University of Washington recruiting wish with extraterrestrial basketball powers, graced the court at Edmundson Pavilion on Monday and put on a show that made you understand just how good he'd look in a Huskies jersey. Showing no emotion, Jones didn't so much play the game as he dissected it. He influenced the action in every way imaginable, handling both the spectacular and the fundamental with ease, guiding Portland's Jefferson High School to a 62-58 victory over Federal Way, the finest squad in Washington state. Seattle Times 1/19

“I really wanted to win bad,” said Hoover center Angelo Chol. “I don’t want to lose to a team in San Diego – that’s my goal.” With 16 points, Chol was one of three Hoover players in double figures. San Diego Reader 1/19

So, Coach, how did Ray McCallum look? "Like an NBA player," Thomas said with a chuckle. "He scores when he wants to, he's a floor general. He's a great point guard for the simple fact that he involves his teammates. He understands that position very well. He can shoot it, drive, score, pass ... just one of those guys who can probably go pretty much anywhere he wanted (for college)." McCallum, a 6-foot-1 point guard whose father is head coach at University of Detroit-Mercy, is a top-50 recruit in the Class of 2010. Scout.com ranks him the seventh-best point guard (23rd overall) and the the top prospect in Michigan. McCallum, a physically strong player who averages 22.7 points, seven rebounds and about three assists, has yet to make a verbal commitment but acknowledged that his top four are Arizona, Florida, UCLA and, of course, his father's U-D program. MLive 1/22

Another player generating a good amount of buzz in recent months is 6-6 forward Branden Dawson (Gary, Ind./Lew Wallace). Dawson, who moved up from No. 29 to No. 10, is as strong as an ox. A tremendous athlete, Dawson is incredibly productive around the basket. He's a relentless rebounder with strong hands and developing skill. We've been very impressed with his energy and effort. ESPN 1/22

Norvel Pelle (Long Beach, Calif./Price) is a long athletic 4 man with a lot of potential. He has all the athleticism any coach could desire in a power forward and he has the frame to add good bulk. At times, Pelle takes plays off. We'd like to see him approach the game with more intensity. Formerly ranked No. 46, Pelle has dropped out of our Super 60. ESPN 1/22

Bruins Pull Away From Cougars For Second Straight

2010-01-23T13:50:00.000-08:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Box Score

Nikola Dragovic scored 18 points and freshman Reeves Nelson added 19 points and 7 rebounds off the bench to spark UCLA to its second straight victory with a 74-62 decision over Washington State (14-6, 4-4) at Pauley Pavilion.

Dragovic came alive in the second half scoring 8 points during a 16-5 run to help the Bruins pull away. He scored 16 of his 18 points in the deciding half.

UCLA Coach Ben Howland once again deployed a 2-3 zone and today the Bruins seemed more comfortable as well as aggressive in the defensive alignment which may signal UCLA's final transition from a strict man-to-man to zone defense team.

You have to hand it to Coach Howland who finally began to recognize his team's athletic and quickness deficiencies and lack of dominating size inside and decided to adapt his style to the team's talent.

On the other hand, one weakness of a zone defense is an increased difficulty in blocking opponents out for rebounds and in this game the Bruins were outrebounded 34-32 by the Cougars.

Freshman Tyler Honeycutt continued to display his all-around talents by recording a box score resembling a bingo card. Honeycutt had 8 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and on the defensive end - 2 steals and 2 blocks. With more experience and added weight and strength, the sky is the limit for this special player.

Last game's hero, red-shirt junior Mustafa Abdul-Hamid, continued to contribute in place of injured guard Jerime Anderson. Abdul-Hamid had 9 points on 3 of 5 shooting and just one turnover in a productive 18 minutes of play.

With the win the Bruins (9-10, 4-3) moved into a five way second place tie in a very competitive Pac-10 race.

UCLA travels to Eugene next week to take on an improved Oregon Ducks team on Thursday evening at McArthur Court.

Abdul-Hamid's Buzzer Beater Lifts Bruins to Victory

2010-01-21T14:31:00.000-08:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Box Score

He's been working his tail off at practice ever since he decided to walk-on at UCLA over three years ago, and today it all paid off.

With 3.2 seconds left and UCLA down by one point, Mustafa Abdul-Hamid took a long pass dribbled to the top of the circle, pump faked his defender in the air, before calmly sinking a 20 foot jump shot at the buzzer to win the game, 62-61.

Ironically Abdul-Hamid was only on the floor because sophomore Jerime Anderson suffered a hip flexor injury and did not suit up for the game.

UCLA started the game at Pauley Pavilion determined to play a 2-3 zone defense all night against Washington. A solid strategy considering the Huskies were ranked last in the Pac-10 in three-point shooting at 28.9%, and the Bruin defenders have had problems staying in from of offensive players.

But the Huskies (12-6, 3-4) started off hot from the perimeter, hitting their shots. and went into halftime with a 41-37 lead. Forward Quincy Pondexter was 4 of 4 on his three-pointers and finished with a game-high 23 points.

In the second-half the Bruin zone tightened and did a better job closing out on Husky shooters while holding Washington to just 20 points in the half.

On the offensive end, the UCLA freshmen helped spark the team.

Reeves Nelson finished with 16 points on 6 of 11 shooting while Tyler Honeycutt continued to show off his all-around game.

Honeycutt finished with 10 points and hit all 4 of his shots and finished with a game-high 9 rebounds. The young freshman also chipped in 6 assists.

But this game belonged to the former walk-on player, Abdul-Hamid, who has since earned a well deserved basketball scholarship at UCLA.

With the poise he displayed in the game tonight it wouldn't be a surprise if Abdul-Hamid saw a little more action on the floor in upcoming games.

The Bruins (8-10, 3-3) will face the Cougars of Washington State at Pauley Pavilion on Saturday afternoon.