Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (11/6)

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Commits

Top 25 Fall Recruiting Classes:  No. 24 - UCLA; Commitments: Kevin Love 6-9 C Lake Oswego, OR; Chace Stanback 6-8 WF Los Angeles, Fairfax. No Top 25 could be complete if the team Kevin Love chooses isn't in it.  He is an impact talent who will make Ben Howland's club a contender for Pac Ten & national honors for as long as he's in Westwood. CSTV.com 11/3

Kevin Love has some unfinished business - only another state crown will do, of course, and there is no question he's looking forward to wreaking havoc in the Roundball Classic (Chicago) and McDonald s All-America East-West (Louisville) all-star games next spring - to attend to in his final year of high school. A year from now, though, he'll be rapidly approaching his debut as a UCLA Bruin And the only person who might be more eager for those 12 months Lake Oswego center Kevin Love towers over the 2006-2007 Best in the West selections. Press-Telegram 11/6

Who is the best high school basketball player in the senior class? It all depends on whom you ask.  Van Coleman of Hoopmasters picks 6-9, 250-pound Kevin Love of Lake Oswego, Ore., who is committed to UCLA. Hoop Scoop's Clark Francis also rates Love at the top of his list.  Bob Gibbons of All-Star Sports favors guard Eric Gordon of Indianapolis, who jilted Illinois for Indiana. Harv Schmidt of Chicago-based Illinois Prep Bulls-Eye rates Love No.1 and Gordon No. 2. But his brother Roy favors Gordon over Love. Chicago Sun-Times 11/6

Recruits

Kansas State coach Bob Huggins announced that Class 2007 Top 100 forward Bill Walker of Cincinnati-North College Hill, Ohio, has enrolled early as a part-time student and will be eligible to compete for the Wildcats at mid-year of the 2006-07 season. CSTV.com 11/5

As expected, Chicago Simeon High School senior Derrick Rose announced he will attend Memphis to play basketball next season. Rose made his decision public Saturday at a reception in Burbank, choosing the Tigers over Illinois and Indiana. Memphis had been the favorite since early summer to land Rose, a point guard who carried Simeon to the Class AA state title in March. State Journal-Register 11/5

Drew Viney de-committed a couple weeks ago from Cal, and after visiting this weekend, Viney, a 6' 5" guard/forward who's the 20th rated at that spot nationally, committed to Oregon. Viney's close friendship with Kamyron Brown was cited as one of the reasons for his initial interested in the Ducks. But apparently the assistant coaches, Kent, the team and the situation won him over. Oregon Live 11/5

Oregon's also apparently still has a small shot at Darnell Gant, a 6' 8" forward from Crenshaw High in LA who also has offers from Kentucky, Washington, Nevada, and Cal. To date, he's visited Washington, Oregon and Kentucky. His trip to Eugene came back on the 23rd of September. Oregon Live 11/5

(photo credit: Oregonian)