Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (2/20)

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup published every Monday during the season.

Commits

The Santa Margarita Eagles traveled to Pomona high school for their first-round CIF III-AA play-off game. James Keefe scored 20 points while Mychel Thompson chipped in 14 points as the Eagles cruised to a 52-39 to advance into the next round. Bruin Basketball Report 2/18

Christian Hernandez scored 19 points and James Keefe added 16 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Santa Margarita to an easy 62-36 victory over Santa Paula in a CIF III-AA wildcard round game at Santa Paula high school. Bruin Basketball Report 2/16

DIVISION III-AA 2005 champion: Santa Margarita. Artesia has emerged as the clear favorite to win this division, but Santa Margarita remains the two-time defending champion and starts one of the Southland's best players in UCLA-bound forward James Keefe. LA. Times 2/15

UCLA-bound Marko Spica scored 18 points and 5 steals for to lead his Beovuk team to an 87-83 victory over Partizan. Eurobasket 2/17


Recruits

Russell Westbrook never found his shooting touch, but he made two key throws late in the fourth quarter to help host Leuzinger avoid a first-round loss in a 59-58 CIF Division I-AA victory over Vista Murrieta on Friday. Daily Breeze 2/18

Kyle Singler threw a block party, while Myles Daley and the rest of the top-ranked Panthers feasted on whatever point guard Michael Harthun was serving as South rolled by Ashland, 71-36, to secure the conference’s No. 1 seed and clinch at least a share of the SOC title. Mail Tribune 2/15

Here's a breakdown of who is primed for a playoff push and who is destined for an early exit among those ranked in The Associated Press Top 10 Poll: No. 1 South Medford (20-1) -- Contender. The Panthers feature four starters 6-feet-7 or taller, one of the state's best players (Kyle Singler) and haven't lost since Dec. 28. A double-digit victory at Jefferson in January cemented their top ranking. No. 2 Lake Oswego (17-3) -- Contender. Kevin Love. Do I really need to say anything else? . The Oregonian 2/14

Tarver sometimes plays the point on the press; against Westview, he’ll hustle down to guard 6-11 sophomore Andy Poling. “He’s very physical on Andy and uses his quickness and athleticism to bother him,” Coons says. Westview beat Jesuit 48-46 in the Les Schwab Invitational, with Poling scoring 22 points. Jesuit won the first Metro League encounter 50-47, holding Poling to 12. Tarver had 19 points. Portland Tribune 2/14

Out and about: Floyd, who spent much of this week recruiting, attended Friday night's game between Crenshaw High of Los Angeles and San Fernando Poly. Crenshaw features 6-foot-8 forward Darnell Gant. Press-Telegram 2/19

Junior center Julian Vaughn (28 points, 17 rebounds and 5 blocks) helped the Seahawks outscore the defending district tournament champions 23-8 in the second quarter to take a 35-26 halftime lead. Washington Post 2/17

Fairfax 98, Granada Hills 51: Jerren Shipp scored 22 points and Chase Stanback scored 21 and had 10 rebounds as top-seeded Fairfax of Los Angeles (22-3) defeated Granada Hills in a first-round game. L.A. Daily News 2/18

No More Shipps Coming In at Fairfax: Coach Harvey Kitani of Los Angeles Fairfax has set sail with a Shipp on his boys' basketball team in every season except one since the 1995-96 school year.Brothers Joe, Josh and Jerren Shipp have been more than good players. They have set the standard for what it means to be good people. "You meet the parents and the grandfather, and you understand why the kids are like they are," Kitani said L.A. Times 2/18

Dominguez 82, Claremont 58. Guards Brandon Jennings and Quintin Watkins scored 17 points each to lead the Dons over visiting Claremont in a Division II-AA first-round game. L.B. Press-Telegram 2/18

Campbell Hall 71, L.A. Baptist 35: Jrue Holiday scored a game-high 27 points as Campbell Hall of North Hollywood (23-4) defeated L.A. Baptist of North Hills (13-9) in a second-round game. Justin Holiday added 14 points for the Vikings. L.A. Daily News 2/18

Remember these names: Taft's Larry Drew and Oscar Bellfield, Campbell Hall's Jrue Holiday and Hillcrest Christian of Granada Hills' Dallas Rutherford - all 10th-graders, each making impacts now, years ahead of schedule. "In basketball, you can tell at an early age if a kid has potential or not," said Sonny Vaccaro, a Calabasas resident and one of the most influential figures in amateur basketball. "There's some pretty darn good young players in the Valley, and I say that because I've seen them play. L.A. Daily News 2/17

Point guard Larry Drew had a game-high 18 points and Calvin Haynes added 17 as the third-seeded Toreadors defeated No. 14 Grant of Van Nuys 66-27 Friday night at Taft High. L.A. Daily News 2/18

Mitty boys 50, Serra 49: Kevin Toth hit a free throw with 4.6 seconds left as the third-ranked Mitty won its 13th straight game in taking the WCAL playoff title game at Foothill College. Drew Gordon led Mitty (24-3) with 19 points and 10 rebounds. S.F. Chronicle 2/19

The 6-foot-5 Jones scored 19 points and pulled down 17 rebounds, while 6-8 Drew Gordon tallied 18 points and nine rebounds, but Mitty - behind a balanced attack and 16 points from sixth man Collin Chiverton - pulled away in the second half for a 62-50 victory. S.F. Examiner 2/17

(BruinBasketballReport.com)