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SoCalHoops Recruiting News

UCLA News: Gloger Leaves,
Travon Bryant, & More--(Sept. 2, 1999)

Spencer Gloger Leaves Team

Here's the big news for the day. . . make that at least the week: Spencer Gloger (6'-6" Fr. SG) who signed a scholarship agreement (not a National Letter of Intent, but a scholarship agreement) has reportedly told sources that he will not enroll at UCLA this fall. Jim Downs is reporting the story on his website today. The former Orange County Player of the Year was reportedly unhappy about how much playing time he might get in the fall as a freshman (i.e., not much), and also reportedly was having problems, from a team-chemistry point of view, at the pick up games at the men's gym. No official word on this one yet, and certainly no word from Gloger, but Downs reports that sources have told him Spencer might enroll at Princeton, where he originally verballed last fall. We would not consider that likely, especially considering that Princeton probably doesn't have a spot just waiting for him after he turned them down, and given the comments of the Princeton coaches which were reported in the media (remember, Princeton like the rest of the Ivy League doesn't subscribe to the National Letter of Intent system), we question just how welcome he'd be there after all is said and done. Wherever he winds up, we wish Spencer well, because he's a heck of a shooter. . . . now, as for walk-ons, here's a name you haven't heard a lot from lately: Jason Bow. . . . we'll track that one down and have more later. . .

More on Big Guys: Travon Bryant

In the on-again off-again story of the recruitment of Travon Bryant, we've had several sources over the last month tell us that (a) UCLA has offered Travon; (b) UCLA hasn't offered Travon; (c) UCLA definitely won't offer Travon; (d) UCLA definitely will offer Travon, but only if he's a qualifier; (d) that there's no way UCLA will offer Travon because he won't qualify.

We've reported a lot of these contradictions, and we're sure that before his recruiting is over, we'll hear a lot more stories about him (and from him) that conflict with the "conventional wisdom". But the solid word right now is that UCLA is continuing to recruit Travon and has set up an in-home visit with him for September 25. Travon will also reportedly make an unofficial visit to the campus next week. In addition to UCLA, Travon will get home visits from Cincinnati on the 9th, Kansas on the 10th, Cal on the 16th, and Michigan on the 18th.

Another Big Guy: T.J. Cummings

While the word on the street is that Ohio State continues to be the leader for T.J. Cummings (6'-8" Sr. PF) from Homewood HS in Flossmoor, IL, Cal, DePaul and UCLA are also getting involved with him. UCLA coaches have reportedly set up an in-home visit with him in the next few weeks, although the date has not been made widely known.

DeShawn Stevenson Recruiting Update

While everyone is saying that DeShawn Stevenson (6'-5" Sr. SG/SF) from Fresno's Washington Union HS, has now set up in-home visits with seven schools, not everyone agrees which seven will be seeing him. Among those which everyone agrees upon is UCLA, which is, according to the information we received during late summer from sources very close to DeShawn, one of his top choices, even if Lavin and the rest of the UCLA coaches haven't followed him around (or maybe because they haven't) the way they did with his ex-EBO teammate Carlos Boozer (who ultimately elected to play at Duke. . . and who recently broke his foot, which will mean Carlos will miss at least the first two months of his freshman season. . . but we digress). Depending on which recruiting gurus you talk to, DeShawn has set up visits with Connecticut, Duke, Fresno State, Georgia, Kansas, Missouri, UCLA, Kentucky, Stanford. Notably missing from that list of schools, at least the lists that are being discussed publicly, is the University of Wyoming, where DeShawn's former high school coach Vonn Webb recently took an assistant's job. Wyoming will certainly get involved and visit with DeShawn as well before it's all over. . . . But also don't count out the NBA either, which is a real possibility whether DeShawn ends up as a qualifier or not.. . .

Jason Kapono. . . Don't Be Surprised To See Him Starting. . .

The word we're getting from the pickup games at UCLA, especially from the pro players who are frequenting the games, is that Jason Kapono is playing extremely well, so well that we're hearing that the coaches will (or at least should) start him this season. Several pro players have commented that he's an amazing player, who's got the most "complete" game among the Bruins playing. Stay tuned. . . .

Coach Interviews

And finally, some coaching news: Our sources back in the Midwest and East tell us that Jim Saia, UCLA assistant basketball coach, was one of five candidates who interviewed for the vacant UTEP job. Our sources also tell us that UTEP is now down to three leading candidates, and whether Saia is among them, is not certain. The others we know about are James Rabedoux from an 11 year assistant at Okahoma, and Kentucky's Shawn Finney. More as this develops. . . .