Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (6/16)

By Bruin Basketball Report 

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday. 

Commits 

Two athletes on the trials roster will return to the hardwood to represent the USA for a third time in July. Drew Gordon (Archbishop Mitty H.S. / San Jose, CA) and Malcom Lee (John W. North H.S. / Riverside, CA) helped lead the USA to a 98-78 victory over the World Select Team at the Nike Hoop Summit in April. Gordon, the Junior National Team's second-leading scorer, accounted for 15 points, seven rebounds and four blocks while shooting 85.7 percent from the field. However, in spite of his stellar performance, Gordon credited much of the team's success to the USA's backcourt play. Among the cast of tenacious guards was Lee, who helped force 25 World turnovers and 18 USA steals. WKYT 6/10 

Recruits 

Maintaining the No. 2 rating is versatile 6-6 G/F Xavier Henry (Oklahoma City/Putnam City). Henry is a gifted outside shooter and an explosive athlete when he slashes to the hoop. He somewhat reminds us of Kobe Bryant as a high schooler. His father played basketball at Kansas, and the Jayhawks are considered the favorites to land Henry's services, though he also is interested in other schools, including Texas, UCLA and Memphis. ESPN 6/11 

Now rated No. 4 is the pride of the Big Apple, 6-5 G/F Lance Stephenson (New York/Lincoln). Stephenson has an NBA body and is a gifted scorer from all shooting ranges. He most definitely has the talent and will get all of the New York City hype to push him toward looking like the top player in this class. However, he is somewhat of an enigma to us. We have seen him lose his composure on and off the court, and he has participated in a limited number of events outside the New York area this spring. ESPN 6/11 

At No. 6, but with the size, talent and potential to become the ultimate dominator of this class is 6-foot-10, 260-pound center/forward Renardo Sidney (Los Angeles/Fairfax). Like Stephenson, Sidney is somewhat of a riddle. His abilities are obvious, but he has a tendency to disappear in some games. Perhaps Sidney is one of those guys who plays well only when he feels like it. He has been missing in action from most of the top spring events. Reportedly Sidney will attend the Reebok All-American Camp in Philadelphia from July 8-10. ESPN 6/11 

One of the would-be prospects will be on campus this weekend. Stephan Van Treese, a 6-foot-9 power forward from Greg Oden's alma mater, Indianapolis Lawrence North, will participate with his teammates in Ohio State's team camp Saturday and Sunday. Van Treese, who attended Kansas' elite camp last weekend, told Rivals.com that the five schools he is considering are Indiana, Kansas, Louisville, Ohio State and UCLA. Rivals ranks Van Treese No. 121 on its list of the top 150 recruits in 2009. Columbus Dispatch 6/13

Xavier Henry looked down at the machine pumping cold pressure to his right foot Saturday morning and learned he couldn't go anywhere for 24 minutes. Henry, the smooth 6-foot-6 guard from Oklahoma City, leaned back against a wall at the Finch Center and just smiled, displaying the same patience and disposition that has characterized his entire recruiting process to this point. Despite being hounded by questions for at least two years about where he plans on playing college basketball, the easy-going lefty said Saturday he's in no hurry to make a decision, which will have a massive impact on the 2009 recruiting efforts of several schools, including the University of Memphis. Commercial Appeal 6/15 

Rumble in the Bronx: The Dream Team's Renardo Sidney's first shot would be an air ball as Kevin Parrom and Omari Lawrence did damage inside the paint for the Panthers. With 10:52 left in the first half, the Panthers were already up 18-2 with classic NY run n' gun offense as Graham continued to be white hot from the arc. The only way the LA Dream Team could stop the bleeding was to call a time out. With 9:18 left, the Dream Team was still down by 13 points as Jordan Hamilton was off from outside as fouls began to plague the team from California. Hamilton would finally get hot, hitting two quick jumpers and with 7:12 left in the half, the Dream Team was now only down by 7 points. Scarlet Nation 6/15