Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (7/31)

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Commits

Kevin Love, Renardo Sidney, Brandon Jennings & Co.'s eventual 31-point (84-53) victory belied the fact that their team looked anything but invincible in its 77-72 win earlier Sunday morning against the Michigan Hurricanes. I'll skip any details on that one since I've already forgotten them. The game was just another reminder why Love (29 points, 12 rebounds and four or five "I can't freakin' believe he just did that!" outlet passes) — who is expected to announce Tuesday that he will sign with UCLA in November — is without peer as a high school post player in the Class of 2007. Fox Sports 7/25

It is going to be very interesting to see how Kevin Love fits in at UCLA in 07. He is seemingly the perfect fit at the moment to play along side Darren Collison, Aaron Afflalo, and Luc Richard Mbah A Moute. The PAC-10 style of play is quite fast, and Kevin should be able to continue to be the “One Man Fast Break” he is at the high school level with his amazing outlet passes. While we will most likely see Love in the NBA some day, we may have to wait a little bit longer due to the fact that he doesn’t quite have the potential of many of his peers, although he is far more talented at the moment. DraftExpress 7/25

Kevin Love, the 6-foot-10 forward/center from Lake Oswego, who has generated as much recruiting interest as any prep basketball player in Oregon history, announced Tuesday at a news conference at Foothill High School that he will attend UCLA. Bruin Basketball Report/Oregonian 7/25

And, because of the talent Bruins coach Ben Howland is expected to have on hand when Kevin Love finally begins classes in Westwood some 14 months from now, the Bruins will be a consensus choice to reach the 2008 Final Four in San Antonio. By the way: If you are suspicious of the hyperbole surrounding Love — and it was being ladled on well before he attended his first high school class — then the presumption here is that, a.) you've never watched him play, and/or, b.) you don't have at least a rudimentary understanding of the elements that make up an elite prospect in the sport. Fox Sports 7/26

Kevin Love chose UCLA over North Carolina. And maybe you're happy for him today, but we also should grieve the fact that the University of Oregon, where his father played, wasn't even a distant third in the race for one of the most prized basketball recruits in state history.
If you ask his family, the Ducks weren't fourth, either. Not fifth. Not even in the top 20. Oregonian 7/26

Reebok Big-Time Championship Game: Southern Cal All-Stars 69, Mean Streets 63:...So Cal was led by Kevin Love with 20 points, 15 boards and three key blocks. He got solid support and a big helping hand from Daniel Hackett who finished with 19 big points. Taylor King had a big second half to finish with 13 points, and 6-3 point Brandon Jennings handled the pressure Mean Streets imposed to finished with eight points and six assists. CSTV 7/27

"I believe it," said Kevin Love, the aforementioned kid headed to UCLA. "We are the best AAU team ever." Love proclaimed this late Wednesday after leading the Southern California All-Stars (Los Angeles) to a 69-63 win over Meanstreets Express (Chicago) in the finals of the Reebok Big Time Tournament. Sportsline 7/28

Recruits

The Oakland Soldiers crew drew a strong Pac-10 crowd to their game. Arizona head coach Lute Olson was joined by assistants from Arizona State, UCLA, Cal, Oregon State, and Oregon. Assistants from North Carolina, Kentucky, Michigan and Louisville were also on hand, mainly to get a glimpse at 2008 prospect Drew Gordon. Gator Bait 7/25

How many of those who watched EBO, with a roster that included Jerryd Bayless, Jamelle Horne, Billy White, Matt Simpkins and Jeffrey Withey, expected the two-time defending champions of the adidas tournament to get bounced in the Round of 32 Monday night (71-63 by DTA Wisconsin 17’s)? An interesting thing about basketball: The team that has the most “talent” and gets the most AUTigers.com 7/25

Jrue Holiday's play was overshadowed by Austin Freeman's 33-point effort in an adidas Super Sixty Four semifinal victory by D.C. Assault Tuesday night at Desert Pines. But Holiday's four-day performance in the event left little doubt that the 6-3 guard from Campbell Hall in North Hollywood, Calif., and the Double Pump Elite team should be considered one of the five or so best prospects in the Class of 2008. A year from now he may be every bit as dominating a shooting guard as Freeman and Eric Gordon are right now. Fox Sports 7/26

Darrington Hobson, 2007 – Mr. Versatility had it rolling to the tune of 21 points, nine rebounds and four assists. They call him "Butter" because of his smoothness and his game was in true form. He did it all and helped his H-Squad team advance to Wednesday's play. Don't sell him short on confidence either. The three-star wing demanded that he be the new No. 1 player in the country twice in the middle of the game, beckoning media row to take notice loudly. Blue Demon Nation 7/26

Former NCAA head coach and National Champion Jim Harrick coached the Pump-N-Run team to the championship and said Harden is en route to a fantastic basketball career much like a couple of his former players....Harden didn't do it alone. Larry Drew was outstanding with the ball in his hands, scoring 16 points and handing out five assists. Try finding a point guard in the 2008 class that executes the pick and roll like he does. Jackets Online 7/26

Larry Drew, Jr., 5-10 from Taft High in Woodland Hills, Calif., added 15 points for the winners. The son of former NBA player Larry Drew is believed to favor UCLA over KU, North Carolina, Arizona, Stanford and many others. Lawrence Journal-World 7/28

Larry Drew 5-11 Jr. Pump-N-Run Elite - Frank Burlison says: Based on his play over five days and the increasing number of high-profile programs that are jumping on his recruiting bandwagon, it's reasonable to assume that he's at least the equal of any point guard in the Class of 2008. Fox Sports 7/29

(BruinBasketballReport.com)

(photo credit: Bruce Ely)