Wednesday, February 25, 1998
Recruits brighten Bruins future
BASKETBALL: Immediate path for UCLA filled with questions, but
next season brings promise
By Brent Boyd and Emmanuelle Ejercito
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
Next years Bruin squad will be a fountain of talented youth,
especially with the potential to have 12 players who will either be
sophomores or freshmen.
UCLA already has three recruits lined up for next years
campaign, with Kansas City prep standout and McDonalds All-American
JaRon Rush announcing his intention to sign with UCLA.
The Pembroke Hill senior was the object of desire for many of
the nations top programs. He was pursued especially hard by the
University of Kansas. He had announced in November his intention of
signing with the Jayhawks, but his mother, Glenda Rush, would not
give her consent, wanting instead for Rush to think thoroughly
about his decision.
Kansas stopped recruiting the 6-foot-7-inch Rush two weeks ago,
when Rush criticized Kansas head coach Roy Williams substitution
techniques.
UCLA always has had the tradition with guys like Kareem
(Abdul-Jabbar) and Pooh Richardson, Rush told the Kansas City Star.
I remember being out there and looking at the championship trophies
… All my friends wanted me to go to KU so they could see me play.
This will give me a chance to go away and grow up.
Another bonus for Rushs arrival in Westwood is that his close
friend, Kansas City native Earl Watson, is the starting guard for
the Bruins.
When Rush officially signs with UCLA, he will join two other
recruits of the 1998-1999 recruiting class.
Ray Young committed to UCLA during the early signing period. The
6-foot-4-inch Young was rated the No. 1 prep off-guard in the
nation by Dick Vitales preseason magazine.
The 6-foot-7-inch Matt Barnes also signed during the early
signing period. The Del Campo senior is considered to be one of the
top forward prospects in California.
UCLA has six scholarships available for next year.
Pleased would be a huge understatement, Lavin said about the
prospective recruits, though he could not comment on specific
potential recruits. The four or five players that have basically
told us that they are going to come (to UCLA) are at the highest
level four McDonalds All-Americans.
Recruiting is at a high point in the seven years Ive been here.
In terms of the future of our program, this is exciting.
Jelani McCoys departure left the 6-foot-8-inch J.R. Henderson as
the No. 18 Bruins tallest player and forced him to move over to
center.
So, when Henderson picked up three fouls within the first six
minutes against Duke, then fouled out early, the Bruins were even
more undersized than before.
As a result, the Blue Devils scored early and often in their
120-84 victory.
The problem which may come as a surprise to some, UCLA head
coach Steve Lavin says, is that Henderson was just too
aggressive.
You cant ask your center who is your rebounder and post offense
to not be aggressive, Lavin said. He has two weeks to learn how to
be aggressive and not foul.
With the NCAA tournament rapidly approaching, much talk has been
centered around regional seedings.
Will they be a three, four, five or six seed?
Will they be in the Midwest, East or South?
Lavin, for one, could care less.
Right now, the seeding is less important than just playing good
basketball, he said.
In the last two years, despite winning the Pac-10, the Bruins
were shipped out of the West last year to the Midwest, and to the
Southeast in 1996.
By NCAA rules, no team from any conference will place in the
same region as the top-seeded team from its conference.
Since Arizona is a virtual lock to gain the top seed in the
West, the Bruins figure to head elsewhere for the third consecutive
year.
Bruin wire services contributed to this story.