By Bruin Basketball Report
Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.
Commits
Drew Gordon is finally a senior, Archbishop Mitty is loaded and the new transfer rule likely will not hinder a Southern California Division I powerhouse from repeating as champions. San Francisco Chronicle 12/4
The 36th annual Tournament of Champions will be held for the 20th consecutive year at Ocean View High next week...Five Best in the West first-team choices - Jrue Holiday (Campbell Hall), Demar DeRozan (Compton), Malcolm Lee (JW North), Renaldo Woolridge (Harvard-Westlake) and Klay Thompson (Santa Margarita) - are the headline players in the event. Press Telegram 12/4
Wearing a black headband and flashing a smile that shows off glittering white teeth, Anderson is living out a little brother's dream by playing on the same team with his big brother, UCLA-bound Jerime Anderson. "It's very emotional," he said. To see them on the court together, then sitting next to each other on the bench, smiling, winking and appreciating the special moments, is what high school sports is all about. "It's something we always looked forward to," Jerime said. "He's my little apprentice. I can show him the way." Anderson looks like a sixth-grader and barely reaches the shoulders of his 6-foot-3 brother. But he's quick, fearless and has convinced Coach Nate Harrison that he belongs on varsity. LA Times 12/5
Two stars and a scrappy supporting cast trump one star and a solid supporting cast. St. Edward, with 6-8 frontcourt aces Delvon Roe and Tom Pritchard, outlasted Campbell Hall and superstar guard Jrue Holiday, 78-73, in overtime on Thursday night in Lakewood. The contest was televised nationally by ESPN2. The viewers and standing-room crowd of 2,000 got their money's worth, both in entertainment and tension. The Plain Dealer 12/9
Recruits
Westchester and Fairfax have been the City's two dominant teams. Fairfax finally took control of the series last year, so Westchester has to regain the upper hand this year. But a problem stands in the way. Fairfax added Renardo Sidney, a transfer from Artesia. Sidney is a 6-11 junior power forward who makes Fairfax the City favorite. He led Artesia to a state title last year. Daily Breeze 12/5
Dominguez 85, Van Nuys 29: Junior guard Jordan Hamilton scored 28 points and senior guard Bryce Cartright had 10 to lead the Dons (1-0) to a win in the first round of the Westchester Tip-Off Classic. Press Telegram 12/5
Bulldogs fall to Renaissance Academy for second straight year in own tournament, 63-40....Anthony Stover anchored that unit Saturday with 10 blocks, including one which sparked a fast break, finished by Yader Combs (six points, three assists) for an 8-2 lead at the 5:00 mark. “We wanted to make them put it on the floor, and then we can cover and help out,” Wildcats Coach Sid Cooke said. “We’re trying to do a better job of that.” Burbank Leader 12/5
“Mater Dei,” DeBusk said, “is clearly above the rest of us.” Mater Dei does not have Taylor King and Kamyron Brown, two All-County first-team player of last year who are at Duke and Oregon, respectively. But the Monarchs have three starters returning – 6-foot-11 twins David and Travis Wear, and 6-8 Andy Brown. Brown and the Wears are juniors, but if they were seniors they likely would have signed letters of intent with prestigious college programs by now. OC Register 12/5
Travis Wear and David Wear, teammates of Jrue Holiday and Jerime Anderson on their Pump N Run squad, have the Bruins on their lists. North Carolina and Arizona are in the hunt as well for the Wear twins, but it will not be easy to get them out of Los Angeles - especially with the strong ties between the Bruins and the Pump N Run club. The Wears shoot the ball well from behind the arc and certainly have the potential to extend their range out to the NBA 3-point line. Whatever school they chose to attend will have to wait one more year, however, since both are five-star prospects in the 2009 class. Rivals 12/6
Junior center Daniel Orton, 6-9, had a lot to do with Har-Ber’s reluctance to stray inside. Orton, who is rated as one of the top college prospects for 2009, had 8 points, 5 rebounds and 2 blocked shots. He played only 19 minutes as he continues to recover from a recent knee injury. “Daniel hurt his knee in a scrimmage and we have to be careful with him,” Durham said. “We’re monitoring his progress, and we don’t need him to pick up any careless injuries and hurt himself worse.” NWA News 12/7
The Tigers led by as many as 15 points in the first quarter and owned a 24-12 advantage after the opening 8 minutes. Fremont slowed the game down in the second half as it battled foul trouble. Senior forward James Albright had 20 points and five blocked shots for Fremont, and also helped limit Crusaders standout Reeves Nelson on the offensive end, as the 6-7 junior finished with just six points. Inside Bay Area 12/7
DaShonte Riley, 6-11, junior, Birmingham Detroit Country Day. The state's top junior, averaged 12 points and seven rebounds after transferring from Detroit Cass Tech. The confidence he gained from helping Country Day win the Class B state title should make him even more offensive-minded. He already was a terrific shot blocker and his rebounding has improved. Detroit Free Press 12/7
And, although the Taft High Toreadors were well short of "acing" their exam, they were still able to cruise past the Dominguez Dons, 70-54....Jordan Hamilton, who was just five of 18 from the field and finished with 13 points and a half-dozen turnovers, scored to cut the Dons' deficit to 41-36 with 2:31 to go in the third quarter. Press Telegram 12/7
Bishop McGuinness (2-2 ), from Oklahoma City, lost Daniel Orton early in the game. The 6-9 junior injured his knee with 11: 35 to play in the first half and did not return. Rivals. com has rated Orton as the 2009 class' top overall center prospect. He was injured coming into the tournament, having twisted his right knee during a scrimmage last week. NWA News 12/7
For the first time in the tournament, Bishop McGuinness of Oklahoma City, Okla., got the big man going and defeated Memphis (Tenn.) Hamilton 63-52 to take third place Junior center Daniel Orton finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Fighting Irish (3-2). His performance came after he was shut out Friday and was held to eight points and five rebounds on Thursday. "I wish we would have had him yesterday," Bishop McGuinness coach Tondrell Durham said. "He played well tonight. He got up and down the floor."NWA Morning News 12/8
Stephan Van Treese, a 6' 9" junior, had 22 points and 17 rebounds to lead Class 4A No. 4 Lawrence North past unbeaten Lafayette Jeff 79-71. Indy Star 12/8
Christ School 92, Community Partners 78 - Miles and Mason Plumlee had double-doubles to lead Christ School (6-0), which scored 27 points in the third quarter to take control. Miles Plumlee had 22 points and grabbed 17 boards while Mason Plumlee had 21 points and 12 rebounds. Tavares Speakes poured in 38 to lead Community Partners. Citizen Times 12/8
(photo credit: Alex Gallardo / Los Angeles Times)
Labels: Prep News Roundup
