SoCalHoops Recruiting News

Kapono Really May Be Interested In Cal.  Really.--(Dec. 1, 1998)

We keep saying that we're not making this up, and we're not.   Dave Benezra is a genius. Or a seer.  Or just plain smart, as his Recruiting USA site was the first to float this one last weekend.  And there's more from today's edition of the Daily Cal, by their recruiting beat writer, Anil Podduturi, who generally has some pretty reliable information when it comes to who Cal is looking at. Here's what he says:

"The Bears coaching staff has targeted Kapono in recent weeks, and it now appears as though Cal has a reasonable shot at landing the 6-foot-7 wing forward from Artesia High School in Lakewood, Calif."

And it seems that Anil even contacted Jason to confirm:

"Yes, Cal is definitely an option," said Kapono, who is widely considered among the nation's top 20 prep prospects according to recruiting experts. "I didn't talk to (the Bears coaching staff) much in the summer, but I guess there's some interest now. I've got to give them a look."

The Daily Cal speculates that because Jason has elected to wait until spring, and still has one visit left, that he might not visit Syracuse after all, and may instead use the visit to go to Cal:

"Kapono has tentatively scheduled to take his fifth campus visit to Syracuse in January, although no official date has been set. The recruit said he has not ultimately decided on how he will utilize his last official trip and could visit the Cal campus after all. Last week, Bears head coach Ben Braun contacted Kapono personally, and in recent weeks Cal coaches have had dialogue with the recruit's high school coach, Wayne Merino."

So how serious is Kapono about considering Cal?  Here's what Jason reportedly told the Daily Cal:

"At this point, anything can happen," Kapono said. "I'm wide open. I might visit Cal if I talk to their coaches more. Right now, I've only talked to coach Braun last week. I know (the Cal coaches) have really come on strong in the last couple of weeks."

So when will we know whether Jason is going to visit Cal or Syracuse, or UNC, or maybe all three?  Well, we'll know when we know. Which is to say that your guess is as good as anyone else's. The only thing that's for certain is that Jason will be the first to know and the rest of us will just be spectators.  Cal is though an interesting choice, and would be a very good place to play, especially with their other signees from California, Shantay at point, Wethers at the forward/wing spot, Nick down in the paint, and Jason at another wing.  Not a bad start for Braun on getting what could be a tournament contending team in the next few years.

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