Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (2/13)

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup published every Monday during the season.

Commits

UCLA-bound forward James Keefe scored 24 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, and blocked 4 shots to lead Santa Margarita to a 71-52 victory over Servite at Servite High School. Christian Hernandez also had a big game for the Eagles recording 25 points and 14 rebounds. Bruin Basketball Report 2/8

UCLA signee Marko Spica, who is from Serbia and Montenegro, did not get a qualifying score on his last SAT attempt, but will continue taking the test in hopes of become NCAA eligible for the fall. L.A. Daily News 2/11


Recruits

Junior forward Kyle Singler gunned in a game-high 22 points on 8-for-10 shooting from the field and 6-for-6 marksmanship from the free-throw line to lead South Medford (19-1, 10-0 SOC). Mail Tribune 2/8

The Kyle Singler recruiting show appears to be winding down. Singler, South Medford’s Division I basketball recruit, has put Duke and UCLA at the top of his wish list and said Monday that he’ll make a verbal commitment by the end of the school year and probably sooner. Singler took an unofficial visit to UCLA last weekend with Kevin Love and liked everything he saw. In two weeks, he’ll tour the Duke campus in Durham, N.C. and could make a decision on his future prior to the Class 4A state tournament March 9-11. Mail Tribune 2/7

Russell Westbrook of Lawndale Leuzinger is a senior guard who is riding a wave of positive evaluations as he continues to benefit from a growth spurt of two summers ago. What a difference a few inches can make in the performance of a basketball player. Feats he couldn't accomplish when he was 5 feet 10 are finally within reach at 6-3. Shots that were once blocked are going in the basket. Rebounds that were taken away are ending up in his hands. Centers who stood as immovable obstacles are mere distractions as he elevates over them." It's exciting," Westbrook said.Last fall, Kent State, Creighton and Wyoming wanted him to sign a letter of intent." I didn't feel I was ready to make a decision yet," he said. His patience has resulted in a growing number of schools, including some in the Pacific 10 Conference, expressing serious interest in offering him a scholarship. He has become one of the best unsigned senior prospects in Southern California." I just think I got better over the summer," he said. L.A. Times 2/8

Leuzinger 56, Peninsula 50: Russell Westbrook scored 32 points and Donnell Beverly added 11 for host Leuzinger (23-3, 9-1), which clinched the league championship. Daily Breeze 2/10

Russell Westbrook had 24 points, 13 rebounds and four assists to lead visiting Leuzinger (22-3, 8-1), which clinched at least a share for the league title. Daily Breeze 2/8

Taft 59, Granada Hills 50: Oscar Bellfield scored a team-high 14 points as visiting Taft of Woodland Hills, the Daily News' top-ranked team, defeated Granada Hills in a West Valley League game. Larry Drew added 12 for Taft (19-5, 9-0). L.A. Daily News 2/9

Cal-bound senior Patrick Christopher had 27 points, four blocks and three steals as the Dons (21-5, 10-0) put the capper on their third consecutive San Gabriel Valley League title.
Quintin Watkins added 14 points and five rebounds and Audwin Tolbert had 10 points, six rebounds and three steals. Sophomore point guard Brandon Jennings had eight assists and six steals to go with four points. L.B. Press-Telegram 2/10

But that's when King and Kamyron Brown took over. Brown scored 19 of his 22 points in the second half, including 10 in the third quarter on a series of slashing moves to the basket. King, a junior who has already committed to Duke, scored 16 of his team-high 24 points after halftime.
"We didn't do a good job of keeping (Brown) out of the paint," Madigan said. L.B. Press-Telegram 2/8

The Wave struggled in guarding Luke Babbitt by allowing the sophomore 13 points, six of those coming from the charity stripe. With 1:13 left in the quarter, Babbitt left the game with 27 points, the same number the entire Fallon team had at that time.Williams said Babbitt is one of the best players he has seen this season."I don't know how to stop him," Williams said. Lahontan Valley News 2/6

Mitty 53, Riordan 41: Mitty earned top-seed honors as Justin Sweat scored 13 and Drew Gordon added 10 for the host Monarchs (21-3, 12-2). Robert Jones had 17 for Riordan (16-10, 7-7). Mitty hosts St. Francis on Tuesday. S.F. Chronicle 2/12

(BruinBasketballReport.com)

(photo credit: O.C. Register)