Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (3/22)

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.  

Commits

Players like Tyler Lamb and Josh Smith should be heading to Westwood with thoughts of returning this program back to the NCAA tournament and once again challenge for a Pac-10 and NCAA title. In order for that to happen, they need to commit to challenging themselves and not being complacent or buy into their stellar class ranking in high school because the division 1 level is a different beast. Fox Sports West 3/16

Joshua Smith got the chance to throw his arms up toward the ceiling in celebration one more time. However, instead of commemorating Kentwood's Class 4A state championship, he was cheering the really big ring he had just helped his teammates pick out. "Whoooo," he shouted after the Conquerors picked a design. When it came time to select their 2010 championship rings, Kentwood players wanted something that summed up their season. They wanted something with so much ice they would feel chills every time they put it on. They wanted something larger than life, as big as their 6-foot-9 senior center. It has been more than a week since the Conquerors beat Jackson for the title and, for Smith, The Seattle Times' Male State High School Player of the Year, the accomplishment is just now starting to sink in. Seattle Times 3/17

The Monarchs did too much standing around on offense and shot poorly in a loss to Westchester of Los Angeles, 71-63, in the CIF Southern California Regionals Division 1 championship game at USC's Galen Center....Tyler Lamb was Mater Dei’s most-effective player. Lamb, a senior headed for UCLA, made 13 of his 22 shots for 32 points with 14 rebounds. OC Varsity 3/20

Recruits

Country Day is led by Mr. Basketball candidate Ray McCallum, one of nation's top point guards who is trying to chose between Arizona, UCLA and the University of Florida. He is averaging 22.5 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals per game. MLive 3/17

Mt. Pleasant committed 22 turnovers while the Lumberjacks made few mistakes on their way to a 69-49 win over the Oilers at Bay City Central High School....The win for the Lumberjacks means a loss for the Oilers and the end of the career of senior Trey Zeigler, who led Mt. Pleasant to four district titles in his career. He finished Wednesday's game with 20 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Oilers. "I don't care who wins Mr. Basketball, he is the best player in the state of Michigan," Taylor said of Zeigler. "That kid will go on to have a great career in college and maybe even the NBA. His upside is unbelievable." Morning Sun 3/18

Branden Dawson, the 6-6 do-it-all forward who many feel is a Purdue lean, scored 24 points and had 11 rebounds to lead Gary Wallace past Ft. Wayne Elmhurst 57-47. The win was the 10th straight for the Hornets, setting up a battle with Zeller and Washington for the state title next Saturday. Inside the Hall 3/20

Brandon Ashley had 13 points and 13 rebounds to lead Bishop O'Dowd of Oakland past Sacramento, 57-50, to win the NorCal Division III boys’ championship at Arco Arena Saturday. Sacramento’s Josiah Turner led all scorers with 20 points. Merced Sun Star 3/20