Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (1/21)

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Commits

According to a source near the UCLA basketball program, the Bruins' coaching staff was both shocked and elated that Reeves Nelson has decided to tie his basketball future to UCLA. They expected him to wait until at least the end of this season to tie the knot. "There's no pressure on me any more," Nelson said prior to Tuesday's Trans-Valley League game against Riverbank. "I started getting recruited pretty heavily the summer after my freshman year. From then until now it's been a hectic time. I get 30 letters a day. I get phone calls every day. At first, I thought it was really cool. After awhile, it doesn't get annoying but it does get old." Modesto Bee 1/16

MODESTO CHR. 94, RIVERBANK 59, at Modesto Christian -- Reeves Nelson had 25 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Crusaders (10-4, 3-0) over the Bruins (0-3). Modesto Bee 1/16

Drew Gordon’s last high school shot was a three-pointer at the buzzer to send Mitty’s game against Riordan into overtime on Friday night. Gordon didn’t know it at the time, but he took the shot while playing on a broken foot. The 6-foot-9 UCLA-bound center broke his left foot in two places when he landed off-balance while trying to block a shot with 3:30 left in the fourth quarter of Mitty’s 46-45 overtime loss at Riordan. Gordon will be in a cast for six weeks, ending a high school career that many envisioned would end with him holding a state championship trophy. “I wasn’t ready for this to happen,” he said. “We have a great team. All my support goes to my teammates. I have no doubt they can accomplish all that they hope for.” Gordon was relieved in one respect, no surgery is required. Mercury News 1/19

Jrue Holiday led four of his teammates in double figures with a game-high 26 points, while Dallas Rutherford added 25 of his own. The Vikings (17-4, 5-0 Olympic League) used their relentless full-court pressure to take the air out of the Mounties' gymnasium quickly and distance themselves. They used a 30-9 first-quarter advantage to coast to their 49-19 halftime lead. Daily News 1/19

Rancho Cucamonga 90, Los Osos 74: Rashad Bowie scored 24 points for Rancho Cucamonga (15-6, 2-2), which used a 31-point third quarter to turn a four-point halftime deficit into a 14-point lead entering the fourth quarter. Kendall Williams led Los Osos (12-8, 1-3) with 18 points while Derek Rogers had 16. Nick Bennett chipped in 18 for Rancho Cucamonga. Redlands Daily Facts 1/19

Canyon High was in perfect position for a letdown. The Comanches had beaten archrival Villa Park less than 24 hours before playing Ocean View in a mid-afternoon game Saturday in the MLK Invitational at Century High. This,” Canyon senior Jerime Anderson said, “was our most dangerous game of the season.” Living dangerously suits Anderson. He scored 26 points with 12 rebounds, 12 assists, three blocked shots and three steals as Canyon beat Ocean View, 69-57, in one of five boys basketball games that were part of the event. Canyon, ranked No. 7 in Orange County, improved to 16-4. Ocean View is 14-5. OC Register 1/19

Campbell Hall of North Hollywood couldn't have asked for more chances to win, and fans couldn't have asked for more entertainment value in the evening finale of the Pangos Classic on Saturday at Pauley Pavilion. The Vikings fell 78-77 in double overtime to South Atlanta, but not before getting three good looks at a potential winning shot down the stretch. Jrue Holiday's final attempt at the win came from just inside the 3-point line at the elbow; it hit the side of the rim and came off as the buzzer sounded. Holiday finished with a game-high 35 points, 18 rebounds, seven assists and nine steals. He scored all of the Vikings' points in the first overtime, and his left-handed scoop shot at the end of regulation appeared to give his team the win before the referees waved it off, saying time had expired. Daily News 1/20

With 2 minutes, 49 seconds left in the second quarter, guard D.J. Seeley crashed to the floor, holding his left ankle, and had to be helped to the locker room. Then, barely a minute into the third quarter, forward Reeves Nelson turned his ankle on nearly the same spot of the floor and limped to the bench.
Both would return to action, with Nelson scoring 16 of his game-high 27 points after being nicked. Modesto Bee 1/20

Recruits

San Diego's 6-11 sophomore Jeremy Tyler, who missed 11 minutes of the first half after collecting his third foul midway through the first quarter, helped the Cavers increase their intensity down the stretch. Horizon's Jeff Withey, who has signed with Arizona, won the battle on paper as the 7-footer had 18 points, 12 rebounds and seven blocked shots. Tyler finished strong with 12 points, seven boards and a pair of blocks. His brother, James, led the Cavers with 15 points. Union Tribune 1/15

Rocklin beat Oakmont 63-42 last week behind 15 points each by Jackson Cummings and Brendan Lane. Rocklin has won 14 consecutive games and leads the Sierra Foothill League with a 3-0 record. Sac Bee 1/15

Led by 6' 10" junior center Renardo Sidney Fairfax started to work the ball inside. The Lions outscored Palisades 17-10 in the third quarter and entered the fourth quarter with a six-point lead. The margin grew to 10 points with five minutes left but once again the Dolphins refused to fold. Palisadian 1/16

Standing in Del Oro's way - literally - is Thunder junior Brendan Lane, a 6-foot-10, 200-pound power forward who is already being recruited as one of the top post players in the state. "He's a kid that you're not going to stop," Del Oro head coach Geoff Broyles said. "We just want to make it difficult for him, give him different looks where it's tough to get into a rhythm offensively." Lane, who has already received several scholarship offers from Top 25 schools, has recorded a double-double in 12 of the 17 games he's played in Auburn Journal 1/16

Until recently, UCLA was not recruiting Renardo Sidney. There were major questions as to whether Sidney had enough of a blue-collar mentality to play for Ben Howland. There was also the question of whether Sidney and the Wear twins could coexist. But now that Travis Wear and David Wear have committed to North Carolina, the word out of Westwood is that UCLA is beginning a concerted effort to land Sidney - the No. 1 prospect in the class of 2009. Adding to the intrigue, this looks to be shaping up as a two-school, Pac-10, intra-city battle for Sidney between the Bruins and the Trojans. UCLA has some ground to make up against USC, which has been vigorously recruiting Sidney. If Sidney's attendance this past weekend at the UCLA/Washington State game is any indicator, it looks like UCLA is in the process of making up some ground. Is UCLA sold on Sidney and ready to extend an offer? I don't know, but a courtship has certainly begun. Sidney is making strides and maturing as a player. His game is similar to Love's in that both have great physical strength and both are highly skilled with a mature/intelligent game. Neither is an explosive athlete, but each has exceptional body control. Where they differ is that Love enjoys contact more and has a greater passion for rebounding. Sidney is a more advanced ballhandler who can change directions and create with the dribble. They were a great complement to each other when they played together two summers ago with the SoCal All Stars. Love made a living off Sidney's skilled play in the high post. Rivals 1/17

UConn assistant coach Andre LaFleur's trip to Australia to see recruit Ater Majok was quick but productive, as the Huskies are still considered one of the leaders for the 6-foot-9 forward. LaFleur left after Saturday's Georgetown game to watch Majok work out, but the player was sidelined by a slight knee injury. LaFleur did meet with his coaches and academic personnel to make sure he is on track for eligibility. LaFleur returned to the United States Wednesday, landing in Los Angeles, then took a red-eye flight to Boston. Journal Inquirer 1/18

If there were any doubts about the basketball ability of 6-foot-10 junior center Renardo Sidney of Los Angeles Fairfax, they vanished Friday night during an extraordinary individual performance against Westchester in a game for first place in the Western League. Sidney scored a career-high 36 points, including five dunks, and had 19 rebounds, five assists and three blocks as the No. 7-ranked Lions (15-2, 5-0) held off No. 3 Westchester, 68-63, at Fairfax. "He is such a phenomenal player," Fairfax Coach Harvey Kitani said. "He has a great feel for the game." LA Times 1/19

Jordan Hamilton scored 33 points, Myron Green 13 and Robert Mandingo 10 as Dominguez remained undefeated in the SGVL after going on the road and beating Lynwood 79-68 Friday night. Press Telegram 1/19

Bragging rights were on the line Saturday afternoon between Renaissance Academy of La Canada and La Canada High. Tiny Renaissance Academy did not take long to prove who is better this season in a 67-35 rout of last season's Southern Section Div.III-AA runner-up at Taft High in Woodland Hills in the War on the Floor showcase. Justin Cook and 6-foot-10 junior forward Anthony Stover scored 14 points each and juniors Tremaine Tatum and Hector Harold scored 13 and 10 points, respectively, for the Wildcats (18-2). "That was a big win today for us," Stover said. "We are out here proving we are a great team. A lot of people don't give us respect because we are a small school, so we have to show them what's up." Daily News 1/19

(photo credit Modesto Bee)