Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (2/25)

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Commits

While Central Catholic is king in football, the basketball court has been ruled by MC for years. Neither Central Catholic nor anyone else in D-IV has an answer for 6-foot-7-inch junior Reeves Nelson and 6-2 senior guard D.J. Seeley. They combine for 46 points a game and said they're going to UCLA (Nelson) and Cal (Seeley). Modesto Bee 2/20

Two members from UCLA's 2008 elite freshmen class, Jrue Holiday and Malcolm Lee, have been named to the McDonald's All-American team. BBR 2/20

The Crusaders' quickness overwhelmed Central's backcourt, as the Raiders often struggled to get the ball upcourt and had 10 turnovers in the first quarter. Central played physical inside, putting a body on 6-7 Reeves Nelson every time he entered the key, and it worked for a while. But Nelson (15 points) blossomed in the second half, throwing down three rim-rattling dunks. Modesto Bee 2/21

Canyon senior guard Jerime Anderson went to the bench early in the second period after he picked up his second foul. It occurred at the 7:31 mark and came after he had scored 12 points in the first period. The UCLA-bound Anderson was reinserted into the game with 1:23 remaining in the second period and quickly made up for lost time as he scored seven of his game-high 24 points in less than a minute, and Canyon coasted from there to a 79-48 victory over Peninsula of Palos Verdes on Tuesday night in the second round of the CIF-SS Division I-A playoffs. OC Register 2/21

Two days after the selections were unveiled for the McDonald's All-American Game, the rosters for the seventh annual Jordan  Classic were announced live on ESPNU Thursday night. And for anyone who's seen the McDonald's rosters, there will be a lot of familiar names in this one....Two players who likely would have made the McDonald's cut had they not battled injuries all year were selected for the Jordan Classic: Delvon Roe of St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio), who has been out for the year with microfracture surgery, and Drew Gordon of Archbishop Mitty, who has missed more than half the season with a broken bone in his foot. Even if they can't play, they'll be able to enjoy the honor of being chosen. Plenty of those great players reside in the backcourt, led by Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) playmaker Brandon Jennings. Joining him at the point will be New York native Kemba Walker of Rice (New York, N.Y.) and Malcolm Lee of J.W. North (Riverside, Calif.). Shooting guards include Tyreke Evans of American Christian (Aston, Pa.), Jrue Holiday of Campbell Hall (North Hollywood, Calif.) Rise Magazine 2/21

Campbell Hall's Jrue Holiday scored 17 in the first half and was 10-of-10 at the free throw line. The 6-4 senior came into the game as the leading scorer for the Vikings and they leaned on him in the first half as the Knight zone defense gave Campbell Hall trouble. Santa Maria Times 2/23

Senior forward Dominic Tiger-Cortes, noted for his scoring ability, forced McDonald's All-American and UCLA recruit Malcolm Lee to travel with 2.8 seconds left and Glendora withstood a furious fourth-quarter Huskies rally for a 58-56 victory and a spot in the divisional semifinals for the second time in the past three seasons. SGV Tribune 2/23

MC, which has regularly pounded lesser foes in the playoffs over the last decade, did it again with a 90-41 win over Argonaut in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV quarterfinals. Reeves Nelson scored 26 points and Daniel Lemburg had 24, including four 3-pointers, to lead MC (25-4) to a 16th consecutive win and a trip to Wednesday's semifinal at Tokay High. Modesto Bee 2/23

Recruits

Renaissance scored the first 21 points of the quarter and pulled away for a 70-48 victory over host Notre Dame....Center Anthony Stover and guard Justin Cook then took over for Thomas. The pair scored the next 16 points and the Wildcats had breathing room and a spot in the division semifinals for the second consecutive year. Pasadena Star News 2/20

Led by junior Brendan Lane, listed at 6-foot-10, the Thunder rolled in every quarter, just failing to hit 20 in every period with its 19-point bench-heavy effort in the fourth quarter. The hosts also showed why the DDM system works for them, because when the drive was made and the ball inevitably kicked out to a shooter, a good shooter was found. The Thunder knocked home 10 3-pointers, including a pair by the big man Lane, who poured in 34 dominating points. Times Herald 2/21

Some of the top talents from across the country will be on hand for the action as well as a few international prospects. The tournament boasts one of the most highly sought after international prospects in the 2008 class Ater Majok who will play with Heat Academy out of Virginia. The 6-10, 220-pound forward has been attending American International School in Carlingsford, Australia, but recently joined the Heat Academy squad. Over the last year Majok has become a hot commodity with offers pouring in from Baylor, Uconn, Kansas, Kentucky, UCLA, and West Virginia. He committed to Baylor following an August visit but backed off that commitment and is now favoring UConn along with the Baylor Bears.  Scarlet Nation 2/21

Milton Jennings of Pinewood Prep is at the head of the class for 2009 basketball prospects in South Carolina. Jennings, who averages 21 points and 11 rebounds per game this season, has an offer list that includes Clemson, USC, North Carolina, Florida, Georgetown, UCLA and Connecticut. “He’s strongly considering Clemson,” said Rufus McDonald, Jennings’ guardian, mentor and AAU coach. “They have a good shot. He also likes Georgetown a great deal, and UCLA. South Carolina is not totally ruled out, but they are working from behind.”  The State 2/21

Jordan Hamilton scored 26 points and Myron Green added 13 to lead No. 1 Dominguez (25-2) to a 65-60 victory over La Mirada in the second round of the Southern Section I-AA playoffs. The Dons now face JSerra, a 63-54 winner over Thousand Oaks, Friday in the quarters. LA Wave 2/21

Renardo Sidney picked a good time to play like the player he says he is, a top-shelf national talent capable of carrying a team at the high school level and ruining the ambitions of opponents....Sidney's jumper from the top of the key with two seconds to play handed Fairfax a 55-53 victory in an L.A. City Section boys basketball semifinal Friday night at the Galen Center, capping a spree in which he scored 12 of his 32 points in the final two minutes.  Daily Breeze 2/23

ROCKLIN 66, PITMAN 50, at Rocklin -- The top-seeded Thunder (27-2) hit nine 3-pointers and 6-10 Brendan Lane scored 18 points to run past the Pride (18-9). Pitman shocked the Thunder out of the gate, leading 16-4 after a quarter, but Rocklin was up 49-42 after three quarters. Modesto Bee 2/23

Last week, the father of the nation's top-ranked high school junior, power forward Renardo Sidney of Los Angeles, said WSU is one of six schools his son is considering. And DeAngelo Casto, a senior post player for unbeaten Ferris of Spokane, said the Cougars, Gonzaga and Eastern Washington continue to show interest. Seattle PI 2/24

(photo credit: Santa Maria Times)