caleb

SoCal College Recruiting News

It's Official: Louisville Has
Signed Caleb Gervin--(May 1, 1998)

Caleb Gervin has officially signed and Louisville has received his National Letter of Intent to play for the Cardinals next season. Despite being rumored to have been "underrecruited", the official Louisville press release on Gervin's signing, states that "Gervin chose U of L after also considering Florida State, Pepperdine, Arizona State and USC." So much for being "underrecruited." They forgot to mention Cal State Fullerton, which he visited a couple of weeks ago. Congratulations Caleb.

The official statement goes on to describe what most of us here in SoCal already know: That Gervin can score.

Gervin averaged 31.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 4.8 steals as a senior for Coach Rob Hamner in leading Cathedral City to a 24-5 record. He shot 52 percent from the field, including hitting 61 three-point goals, and 73 percent at the free throw line.

"Caleb is very athletic," said Crum. "He can create his own shot, handles the ball well and is a real student of the game. He has great point guard skills. He has a very outgoing personality and just loves to play the game."

The nephew of Basketball Hall of Famer George Gervin, Caleb was a three-time All-CIF first team all-state selection, a three-time All-Desert Valley League MVP, and earned All-Los Angeles Times honors for the past three years as well.

As a four-year starter for Cathedral City, Gervin amassed career school records with 2,647 points (No. 4 all-time in CIF Southern Section behind Tracy Murray, Cameron Murray and Leon Wood), 227 three-point goals and 353 steals. He averaged 26.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 3.6 steals for his four-year career. His career scoring average is a Riverside County record.

"Caleb's strength is obviously putting the ball in the basket," said Hamner. "He can shoot it from three-point range, put it on the floor and pull up for the medium-range jump shot, or take it to the hole and dunk it."

Gervin scored a school-record 842 points as a senior, producing a single-game high of 49 points against Pasadena High School. He averaged 26.8 points as a junior, 28.2 as a sophomore and 15.0 points his freshman year.

As a junior, Gervin led 22-7 Cathedral to the CIF AA championship, scoring 31 in the championship game. He helped Cathedral produce a combined 27-3 league record over the past three years.

Louisville has also signed four other players, including three junior college standouts and one other high school player besides Gervin.

The other players who have signed are:

Dion Edward (6'-9" So. F) from from Cincinnati, Ohio who started at Westark Community College in Fort Smith, Ark. the past two seasons;

Tobiah Hopper (6'-9" So. F) from Hopkinsville, Ky. who played the past two seasons at St. Catherine (Ky.) College;

Kevin Smiley (6'-6" So. G) from Louisville who started for junior college power Alleghany College in Cumberland, Md.; and

Janerio Spurlock (6'-5" Sr. SG/SF) from Cincinnati (Ohio) Aiken High School.