Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (1/19)

By Bruin Basketball Report 

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday. 

Commits 

James Johnson's presence was felt on the defensive end as he shut down UCLA-bound forward Anthony Stover, who finished with four points, including just one field goal. "To be honest it was kind of easy on me," Johnson said. "I have known him for a long time and know his tendencies. he played hard though. But I knew when he was going to be soft." LA Daily News 1/12 

MODESTO CHRISTIAN 98, ARGONAUT 72, at Salida -- Johnny Hutton erupted for 29 points and 11 rebounds as the Crusaders (5-7) trounced the Mustangs (2-12). Reeves Nelson scored 20 points and Anthony Pratt 12 for MC. Modesto Bee 1/14 

With five players from its regular rotation sitting out the first half of the game for disciplinary reasons, the Rocklin High School boys basketball team put its incredible depth on display in an 83-43 win over Roseville Tuesday night....Even with the game all but iced away at 43-22, the Rocklin regulars returned to the floor after sitting out the first half, and senior center Brendan Lane quickly made up for lost time. Lane scored 14 points in the third period and 10 more in the first four minutes of the fourth before taking a seat for the night with 24 points and five rebounds in just 12 minutes. Placer Herald 1/14 

Rocklin High’s varsity boys basketball team had another fast start Thursday night against visiting Nevada Union, jumping out to a 30-10 lead in just over 11 minutes. The Thunder’s lead grew as high as 31 points and they pulled out the 74-53 victory. Rocklin (17-2 overall) is now 4-0 in the Sierra Foothill League while the Miners are 1-2. Rocklin has dominated the first quarter since league began, including 20-0 against a tough Woodcreek team in the league opener. “We’ve started out really strong so far in league and we just go out and try to pressure as much as we can (in the first quarter),” Rocklin center Brendan Lane said. Lane finished with a game-high 15 points. Placer Herald 1/16 

Setting up their inside game, the Mustangs seemed to have found a way to score. But the Crusaders intercepted passes inside the paint that led to long passes and many dunks and stuffs, mostly by UCLA-bound center Reeves Nelson, who scored 20 points in the game. Ledger Dispatch 1/16 

Three boys basketball players from the Stanislaus District have made the opening list of nominees for the McDonald's High School All-Star Basketball Game, which will be played April 1 in Miami.
Modesto Christian's Reeves Nelson (top), Merced's Allen Huddleston (center) and Patterson's Felix Mapanda. Modesto Bee 1/17 

MODESTO CHRISTIAN 91, JOHANSEN 55 -- Jimmy Escudero scored 23 points, including five 3-pointers, and Johnny Hutton had 22 as the Crusaders rolled past the Vikings. Junior guard Dakarai King led Johansen with 19 points.
UCLA-bound forward Reeves Nelson didn't play his second consecutive game for MC. Crusaders coach Gary Porter said he was out because of a tender knee. Nelson had knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus in the fall. Modesto Bee 1/18 

Recruits 

But Miller (9-3, 1-1) got a big-time performance from Mychal Parker, who poured in a game-high 23 points to go along with seven rebounds and three steals. Daily Progress 1/13 

At Kentwood 60, Tahoma 29, The No. 3 Conquerors put the Bears away early with an 18-0 lead after one quarter. Josh Smith scored 19 for Kentwood. Christian Behrens of Tahoma scored a game-high 22. Seattle Times 1/14 

Renardo Sidney emerged from the summer basketball circuit with more red flags than the Atlantic Coast during hurricane season. His focus drifted during games and he often appeared unmotivated. His poor diet resulted in an increasingly doughy appearance. He even had a few run-ins with referees, including a dustup during a Las Vegas tournament in which he was continually admonished for his behavior....The Renardo Sidney who takes the court at Fairfax tonight for the Lions' Western League showdown against rival Westchester is 13 pounds leaner than he was this summer -- the result of a new diet and conditioning regimen. When it comes to high school competition, though, he's still the heavy. Against the Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies on Wednesday, Sidney scored 39 points and put together a fourth-quarter sequence lasting only a matter of seconds in which he had a thunderous one-handed dunk, a two-handed alley-oop slam and an uncontested layup amid a flurry of turnovers by the opposition. LA Times 1/16 

Behind its talented backcourt and game effort from its big men, Westchester only trailed once after the first quarter and fended off every challenge by Fairfax in a 78-73 league victory that was more convincing than the final score indicated....The Comets (17-1, 4-0) were quite impressive again. They offset a 34-point performance by Fairfax standout Renardo Sidney, getting 22 points from O'Connor and 18 from shooting guard Jordin Mayes. Daily Breeze 1/17 

Josh Smith knew his Kentwood boys basketball team didn't want to get into a track meet with No. 2 Federal Way.
If the Conquerors did, he was sure it would turn out like the last meeting, with a loss.
That didn't happen.
The 6-foot-9 Smith dominated as usual inside with 25 points and 18 rebounds, and third-ranked Kentwood won 52-50 Saturday night in a clash of top teams in the South Puget Sound League North Division. Seattle Times 1/18