Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (12/29)

By Bruin Basketball Report 

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday. 

Commits 

In this second meeting, one that actually counts in the official standings, the Thunder sent a clear message with a resounding 63-39 thrashing....Senior center Brendan Lane was held below his scoring average, scoring eight of his 13 points after the intermission, but the Rocklin big man made his presence felt on the defensive end with five blocks and also pulled down 11 rebounds. Placer Herald 12/23 

Sylmar 71, Sheldon 61: Tyler Honeycutt had six blocked shots and combined with teammate Gary Hicks to produce 29 points in Sylmar’s National Division fifth-place finish. San Luis Obispo Tribune 12/23

UCLA signee Reeves Nelson, The Bee's 2007-08 boys basketball player of the year, is expected to play his first minutes of the season after suffering a torn meniscus during football. It was repaired via surgery. "He's been practicing since the Gridley Tournament was over (Dec. 13)," Porter said. "He looks very good in practice. He's going to play. "I don't know how much he'll be playing, but he'll play. It's a matter of getting back in shape." Modesto Bee 12/24 

he Rocklin High School boys basketball team outscored Bellarmine Prep of Tacoma, Washington 41-21 after intermission to win a first-round game 69-52 at the prestigious MaxPreps Holiday Tournament at Torrey Pines in San Diego....The Friday evening matchup was the first head-to-head battle between Rocklin center Brendan Lane, who is headed to UCLA, and his future Pac-10 opponent, Washington-bound Abdul Gaddy. While Gaddy, a 6-foot-3 guard, won the individual scoring battle with 24, it was Lane’s team that delivered the win with a dominant second half, after trailing by three points at the break. Lane, the 6-foot-10 center, scored 21 to lead the way for Rocklin, and junior guard Cody Kale added 18 as the Thunder answered Gaddy with an impressive inside-outside attack. Placer Herald 12/26 

It's been a long time since Reeves Nelson felt nervous before a basketball game. But just before Modesto Christian took the floor for its game against Merced in the first round of the Modesto Christian Holiday Hoops Classic, there they were: Butterflies. "There was a little tingling in my stomach," Nelson said. "First time playing each year, I feel it a little bit."
After the game, the standing-room-only crowd was tingling. Nelson scored 39 in his first game back after knee surgery in the fall, countering a 50-point night by Bears guard Allen Huddleston, in a 94-89 Crusaders win Friday night. Modesto Bee 12/27 

Grant 64, Sheldon 46: Mike Moser scored 18 points and blocked three shots for the reigning Class 6A champion Generals, who had a 43-22 rebounding advantage against the Irish of Eugene. Oregonian 12/27 

Niyi Harrison had 20 points, but 5th-ranked Bellarmine (3-2) couldn't overcome the two-man effort of Michigan-bound guard Darius Morris (22 points) and 6-10 UCLA-bound Anthony Stover (eight points, 13 rebounds, 15 blocks) as Winward-Los Angeles (8-2) posted a 54-50 win. San Francisco Chronicle 12/27 

SYLMAR 79, CLOVIS EAST 75 -- UCLA-bound forward Tyler Honeycutt scored 25 points and Gary Ricks added 22 as the Spartans beat the Timberwolves. Kevin Bailey (22 points), Robert Sandoval (20) and John Hedrington (18) led Clovis East. Modesto Bee 12/27 

Tyler Honeycutt (6-8, 180), Senior, Sylmar, Calif.: Honeycutt has as much talent as any prospect in the country, but in order to reach that elite status, he must become more tenacious at both ends. His skill level is quite high and his overall talent should project to the NBA level. His athleticism is terrific and he displayed it in the dunk contest where he jumped over four players standing up in the paint area. In addition to his exceptional leaping ability, he is one of the most gifted passers in the country and has savvy beyond his years. On the other hand, he defers too much to his teammates and lacks that killer instinct, especially when games get tight. Whether he develops that desire to be the best remains to be seen, but it better improve by the time he arrives at UCLA because "toughness" is what personifies the Ben Howland program. ESPN 12/27 

Kendall Williams (6-2, 170), Junior, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./ Los Osos: Williams developed a national reputation after committing to UCLA after his freshman campaign. However, his game has not progressed in quite some time. He still has a frail frame and as a result struggled to finish in traffic despite having decent bounce. He has solid speed in the open court but he doesn't have that highly coveted 2nd gear. In addition, he is predominantly right-handed and had trouble separating defenders off the dribble throughout the tournament. He has 3-point range on his shot, but his release is mechanical and consequently his shot is streaky. Williams has the leadership qualities of what you look for in a point guard and is a confident player, but there needs to be a significant amount of improvement at both ends if he expects to make an impact at UCLA. First, he needs to develop a jump-stop to his game and a mid-range pull-up to become more efficient as a player. In addition, he'll need to get considerably stronger which should help smoothen out his jump shot. ESPN 12/27 

Mater Dei’s Tyler Lamb is more athletic than I thought. Not in a traditional, 40-inch vertical way, but moreso in how he maneuvers in the air to finish. He’s also a good passer, but the final pieces to the puzzle are improving his ballhandling and strength. SLAM 12/28 

The Eagles from Rialto showed off all phases once again en route to their 10th win in 11 outings with a 77-66 throttling over a very strong Rocklin squad in a National Division quarterfinal matchup at the MaxPreps Holiday Classic at Torrey Pines on Saturday....The Eagles harassed Rocklin (9-2) into 21 turnovers and limited entry passes to 6-10 UCLA-bound post Brendan Lane, who was effective when he got the ball with 22 points. Max Preps 12/28 

Mike Moser has been stamped as "UCLA-bound" and has been discovering what that means ever since signing his letter of intent last month. On Saturday at the Les Schwab Invitational, it meant facing Fairfax High School of Los Angeles, ranked No. 9 nationally by USA Today and eager to see what the Grant standout was all about. And an even bigger name was also waiting. Renardo Sidney Jr., at 6-foot-11, 259 pounds, is the biggest attraction in the tournament, literally and figuratively. And he took it to Grant with 22 points, seven rebounds and seven assists for a 70-59 victory in a quarterfinal game. Sidney has not signed yet, but UCLA is on his short list, and many believe he is a one-and-done talent who could potentially be considered the No. 1 pick of the 2010 NBA draft. Sidney hadn't heard of Moser before Saturday's game. "When (coaches) told me, I was like, 'OK, let's see what 'UCLA-bound' can do,' " Sidney said. Moser, a slender 6-8 forward, is still coming to grips with what being a future Bruin means in the here and now. Should he try to carry his team? Should he trust his teammates? Against Fairfax, the pressure to perform was palpable. Moser made 6 of 19 shots and finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Oregonian 12/28

Recruits 

Kentwood 51, Los Osos 49: Kentwood outscored Los Osos 14-6 in the fourth quarter to seal seventh place in the National Division Kentwood’s Josh Smith led his team with 18 points. Los Osos’ Kendall Williams scored a game-high 20. San Luis Obispo Tribune 12/23

Freshman Jeff Withey, 6'10, has yet to play for Arizona and will transfer as a redshirt to Kansas because of the retirement of Lute Olson, it was confirmed Wednesday. Withey, a 6'10 center from San Diego, has not played at all this year for the Wildcats. Arizona's top 2008 freshman, Withey requested a release from his scholarship before the season began after coach Lute Olson suddenly retired in October. At first, his request was denied in November by Athletic director Jim Livengood because he wanted Withey to stay on at least one year, as stated by his letter of intent. Withey chose to transfer to Kansas over Texas, Gonzaga, Cincinnati, Indiana, San Diego, San Diego State and Boston College. All Headlines 12/25 

After wins on Friday in the first round of the Governors Division of the Holiday Classic boys basketball tournament, 7-foot sophomore Kyle Caudill from Brea Olinda High and 6-8 junior Tanner Clayton of Rancho Bernardo will square off in a second-round game at 7 tonight at Rancho Bernardo. With 23 points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots, the 265-pound Caudill helped his team beat San Marcos 66-48. North County Times 12/27 

Josh Smith (6-9, 280), Junior, Kentwood, Wash.: With the exception of one game, Smith was battling foul trouble throughout the tournament. However, that did not stop him from dominating his opponents. Despite his enormous frame he has some of the most nimble feet in the game. He gets off the floor rather easily and can throw down the monster slam in traffic. He is blessed with some of the softest hands I've seen and literally grabs anything in his vicinity. His footwork is solid and he utilizes his massive frame to ward off opponents. He is a very good passer out of the post and has an overall solid feel for the game. Like most bigs he needs to continue to polish his fundamentals (keeping the ball high), become a better free throw shooter, and work on finishing with his left hand. In addition, he'll need to play with more intensity and develop more stamina for the next level to make that expected immediate impact. ESPN 12/27 

J.L. Mann’s super sophomore Damien Leonard poured in 28 points, but but it wasn’t enough as Boys & Girls (NY) prevails 71-56 in the first round of the Beach Ball Classic at Myrtle Beach Convention Center. SCNow 12/28 

(photo credit: Modesto Bee)