Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (7/24)

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Commits

Nikola Dragovic from Serbia-Montenergo has qualified academically and will join the UCLA basketball team this upcoming season. Dragovic joins an already solid 2006 recruiting class of James Keefe and Russell Westbrook in Westwood. An official announcement from the university is forthcoming. Bruin Basketball Report 7/23

Recruits

Kansas has already received an oral commitment from Cole Aldrich, a 6-foot-11 senior from Bloomington, Minn. Others on the wish list for two or three available slots expected to be open because of players turning pro include Derrick Rose (6-4, Chicago), Kyle Singler (6-8, Medford, Ore.), James Anderson (6-5, Junction City, Ark.), Jerryd Bayless (6-3, Phoenix), Anthony Randolph (6-10, Dallas) and Tyrel Reed (6-3, Burlington) among others. LJWorld 7/18

Mitty-San Jose incoming junior Drew Gordon, recently selected www.calhisports.com's state sophomore athlete of the year, was picked as the top junior camper of the week at the ABCD Reebok camp in New Jersey. SFGate 7/18

Luke Babbitt carries a grade point average in excess of 3.9 and has stuck to his guns about finding the right fit for his academic endeavors in college. In fact, the word NBA never came of out of his mouth."My main goal is still to win state," said Babbitt, whose Grizzlies went 12-0 in the High Desert League, 22-7 overall, and lost in the regionals to eventual state champion Reno. "Even with all the recruiting, it's my main goal. It's really important to me how Galena is doing. When I'm on the road (at tournaments), I call to see how they're doing." Nevada Appeal 7/18

Michigan received a re-commitment this week from guard prospect Alex Legion, a smooth point/wing hybrid who stands 6-4 and stood out frequently with his play at the Reebok ABCD Camp earlier this month. Legion had chosen the Wolverines last November, reconsidered in the spring, but now says he's certain he wants to play for Michigan. SportingNews 7/18

Justin Holiday, a 6-foot-6 senior small forward from Campbell Hall in North Hollywood, Calif., is another player that really showed well in the first two weeks. Holiday is the older brother of elite junior guard Jrue Holiday. While Jrue has received early attention from the likes of UCLA, Arizona and Washington, Justin's recruitment has been more at the mid major level. But Justin is an outstanding prospect in his own right and we expect multiple high majors to ultimately recruit the talented wing. Fox Sports 7/20

Capital Christian High School's Matt Simpkins is an athletic, gifted 6-foot-9 basketball player. His talent is obvious. The kid has game. Unfortunately, that same vision also reveals a mind-set that seems totally immersed in himself. No doubt, Simpkins is young, and increased maturity hopefully will come with age and experience. However, Simpkins needs to make strides as a team player to maximize his ability. SacBee 7/20

Kyle Singler, the highly recruited basketball player at South Medford, has decided not to play football this fall as a senior. Singler, who also has been one of the state’s top quarterbacks, plans to be busy in September, though, taking recruiting visits to the schools still on his list for basketball –Duke, Kansas, UCLA, Arizona and Washington. Portland Tribune 7/20

Against Sylmar, they were missing Justin Holiday, out with a dislocated finger, and Deuce Johnson, who's been bothered by a twisted ankle. Justin's brother, Jrue Holiday, picked up the slack, scoring 32 points and adding 14 rebounds and Dallas Rutherford finished with 19 in the statement making performance against the Spartans. L.A. Daily News 7/21

But in the high-stakes world of elite high school basketball, free time is at a premium, rigorous travel is routine and family time can be almost nonexistent. So when the chance to hang out with Dad arrives -- even if it comes in another time zone, involves a life-sized game of Pop-A-Shot and occurs at Dave and Buster's, a video arcade/teenage entertainment mecca -- Kyle Singler seizes the opportunity. Oregonian 7/23

Adidas - Super 64:

Jrue Holiday did whatever he wanted, hitting four three-pointers in the game all the while powering his way into the lane for scores right at the rim. If Holiday found a spot to score, he scored. If he found a way to get into the lane on the defensive end to grab a rebound, he did just that. Defensively, he has reacts quickly and plays tight on his man. Physically, Holiday has a body that will be chiseled at the next level. Cardinal Sports 7/23

Horne's teammate Matt Simpkins is trying to figure out a couple of things. 1. What position he will be the most successful at in college? 2. What prospect class he will be in – 2007 or 2008? There is no question about his talent though. Simpkins is certainly a good looking prospect. The NorCal native showed flashes of why he is such a hot commodity with high-major programs. Cardinal Sports 7/23

At face value, Larry Drew may not look like a prospect that has garnered the attention the elite high-majors from coast-to-coast. He's 5-foot-11, maybe not the fastest or most athletic guy around either. Here is what he does do: Drew controls the game with a mature level of thinking for a player in the class of 2008. He never seems to get rattled and maintains a sense of confidence throughout the game like a guy that has seen it all before. Cardinal Sports 7/23

I then watch the bulk of the Los Angeles-based Double Pump Elite’s 30-something point victory over the New York Ravens and, although I don’t think along those lines at the time, later Saturday night I began to wonder if the DP Elite’s 6-3 Jrue Holiday might be the best all-around player in the national class of 2008. Scout.com 7/23

Junior center David Whitey has a lot of promise at close to seven feet, but needs to get stronger and raise his aggressiveness and energy level. If he gets more aggressive, he could turn into a nice center prospect.Las Vegas based Billy White is a rawer version of Jamelle Horne. He thrives in the open floor and attacks the basket with high flying dunks. NBADraft.net 7/23

Then Kevin Love took over for the Southern Cal All-Stars attacking the glass, making his signature pinpoint outlet passes and triggered a 19-4 run that put So Cal up 30-13 before Mean Streets caught their breath and managed to right the ship to in at the half down by a formidable 42-27 margin. Love lead So Cal with 12 points and 6 boards CSTV 7/23

The second half started in similar fashion until the 12-minute mark when So Cal, behind Kevin Love's outlet pass and his ability to control the glass, went on an 9-2 run to widen their lead to 61-53 over the Michigan squad. From that point on Michigan battled, but couldn't grab the lead, although they did cut it to two on a number of occasions. CSTV 7/23

(BruinBasketballReport.com)