Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (4/7)

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Commits

Up until Jrue Holiday's arrival at Campbell Hall, the private North Hollywood school had the reputation of a one-room schoolhouse -- an ideal setting for an intimate education, but hardly the place to develop an elite boys' basketball player, much less an entire team. Nearly four years later, Holiday has made a name for himself among the best players in the nation and, in turn, helped the Vikings become one of the Southland's most successful basketball programs. When he graduates this spring, Holiday will take with him three state championships, an appearance in the McDonald's All-American game and the distinction of being selected Gatorade's national player of the year. He can now add one more award, as he has been selected The Times' boys' basketball player of the year. Holiday said playing for a small school provided him with just the right mix -- he benefited from the school's academic environment while building a name for himself on the travel-ball circuit. LA Times 4/2

Best in the West selections on the Parade Magazine All-America team are Demar DeRozan (Compton) and Jrue Holiday (Campbell Hall), first team; Luke Babbitt (Reno Galena), second team; Larry Drew (Taft), third team; and Malcolm Lee (J.W. North), fourth team. Fairfax junior center Renardo Sidney was a fourth-team selection. If those putting the Parade team together had been a bit more thorough in their research, two more Best in the West selections, Jerime Anderson (Anaheim Canyon) and Klay Thompson (Santa Margarita), as well as Jordan Hamilton of Dominguez, would also have been chosen. Press-Telegram 4/2

Jrue Holiday has received several impressive awards during his four-year career at Campbell Hall of North Hollywood, but his latest honor might be the most impressive of all. The UCLA-bound Holiday became the first area player in nearly three decades to be selected as Cal-Hi Sports' Mr. Basketball, recognizing the state player of the year for the 2007-08 season. Holiday joins Kennedy of Granada Hills graduate and former UCLA and Boston Celtics talent Darren Daye, who received the award in 1979, a year after Crescenta Valley of La Crescenta standout Greg Goorjian was honored. Daily News 4/2

North Carolina coach Roy Williams can swoop in and get nearly whoever he wants — whenever he wants. Kansas coach Bill Self is one of the nation's elite recruiters and has stockpiled McDonald's All-Americans. For a program knee-deep in rich tradition, UCLA coach Ben Howland has done it primarily the old-fashioned way: Evaluating talent and developing players...."Ben Howland is so comfortable in his own skin and what he likes," Scout.com national recruiting director Dave Telep said. "He doesn't have to go out and get a list of the top 100 kids and start at No. 1. He's a feel guy. If it feels right, he goes for it." Howland's approach hasn't changed, although he will bring in a pair of McDonald's All-Americans next season: guards Jrue Holiday and Malcolm Lee. Fox Sports 4/4

Recruits

Will power and manpower problems consigned the U.S. to an 87-67 defeat in Saturday’s bronze-medal game of the 24th Albert Schweitzer tournament for players aged 18 and younger....“We wanted to make a name for the U.S. and get us back on top,” said Anthony Stover of La Canada, Calif., who snared six rebounds. “But last night’s game really took it out of us. We’re all really sore, really worn out.” Stars and Stripes 4/1

Putnam City junior Xavier Henry was named to the Parade All-America Basketball second team. The 6-foot-6 guard/forward is one of 30 high school players honored by the magazine, which will be included in Sunday's editions of The Oklahoman. Henry was on The Oklahoman's Super Five team after averaging 25.8 points and 6.4 rebounds while leading the Pirates to the Class 6A state tournament. Oklahoman 4/1

Dominguez (Compton, Calif.) 31-3 (12): A 63-60 head-to-head win over Mater Dei in the CIF Southern Section Div. I-AA championship was the key for the Dons to stay high in the final rankings. They also won the CIF Division I Southern California title. The team's top player, 6-7 junior Jordan Hamilton, may not be eligible next season and if that happens he could be playing at a prep school back East. CaliHiSports 4/2

The top prospect in the state for the 2009 class, 6-8 Milton Jennings of Pinewood Prep, probably is too far down the road with his decision for Horn to have an impact. "Time is of the essence with Milton," said his AAU coach and mentor Rufus McDonald Tuesday. "It's very possible next Wednesday. or some point next week after the Final Four, an announcement will be made. He's been pretty firm on four different places for about seven or eight months...Clemson, UCLA, Georgetown and Florida." All indications point towards Jennings picking Clemson. Palmetto Sports 4/2

t appears as if the recruiting process is picking up, at an alarming rate, for Anthony Stover since we last heard from him. Stanford and USC have offered scholarships, as well as Washington and Washington St. Other programs that have expressed interest include: UConn, Texas and UCLA, just to name a few. Stover has been on unofficial visits to Arizona St., Cal and San Diego and plans on making several other trips over the next couple of months. A decision about his future could come as early as November. LA Times 4/2

Los Angeles Ribet Academy center Krys Faber has received a scholarship offer from USC, according to Scout.com. The Palmdale resident is expected to make an unofficial visit to the Trojans' campus this weekend and is scheduled to make an official recruiting visit to DePaul on April 10. Faber, who averaged 15.8 points and 17.5 rebounds this season, is considered one of the state's top unsigned seniors. South Florida, Minnesota and Northern Illinois are also in the running for his services. LA Times 4/3

(photo credit: LA Times)