SoCal College Recruiting Update

USC Trojan Recruiting Status--(November 7,1997)

There really is another D-I basketball presence in SoCal besides USC (actually there are quite a few including all the WAC and WCC schools). But just so the Trojans don't begin to feel left out here's an update on the status of Trojan basketball from what we've been able to piece together from printed material and the internet.

The Trojans this season have six scholarships to give. They've already gotten five committments for those six spots.

1. Brian Scalabrine, a 6'-8" power forward and center from Highline Junior College in Washington, has already verbally committed. He was very highly ranked nationally (among the top 175 JC players), and is expected to sign Nov. 12-15.

2. Rahim Johnson, a 6'-4" shooting guard from Troy Redemption High School in Troy, New York. He reportedly will also sign this fall. He was a senior last year, but attended prep school for his 5th high school year. He was rated by Clark Francis' Hoop Scoop as the No. 10 Prep School 5th year player in the country (whatever that really means). He is expected to sign Nov. 12-15.

3. Sam Clancy, a 6'-7" power forward from St. Edward High School in Cleveland, Ohio will sign, and will be academically eligible to play. He will sign this fall, during the early Letter of Intent period, Nov. 12-15. He was rated by Hoop Scoop this summer as the 43rd player overall out of 600 top seniors (remember again that the NCAA estimates there are approximately 500,000 high school players in any given year, so you get an idea of just how good these top 600 are; more importantly maybe it means that there's not really that much difference between No. 100 and No. 600 after all).

4. Jason Thomas, a 6'-5" shooting forward from Compton, Dominguez, will sign with 'SC, but on a football scholarship. Student Sports reportedly ranked him as the No. 8 "wing forward" in the country. He "may" sign in the fall period, and will be a "walk on" to the basketball team.

5. Qunicy Wilder, also from Des Moines, Washington's Highline Junior College, he's a 6'-3" shooting guard who also plays the point. As a high school senior he was ranked within the Top 100 players in his graduating class. He probably won't sign until the spring, and reportedly will have to make up some credits in summer school in order to be academically eligible.

So those are the supposedly "confirmed" verbals. We'll know more by next Wednesday.

Who else is looking at 'SC and who are they looking at? A long list of characters, some of whom probably won't sign, some who might.

Tayshaun Prince is reportedly visiting this weekend. Some folks are speculating that Jason Thomas coming to SC might influence Tayshaun, although other folks who've spoken with him claim that his only factors will be discussing what's best for him with his parents. Most think that SC is a longshot, and the frontrunners appear to be Kentucky, UCLA, and Kansas.

DeAngelo McDaniel, from Oklahoma City's Marshall High, a 6'- 9" power forward is reportedly considering SC, but is also looking at thers: Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Missouri, Tulsa, and Clemson. Again, another longshot, look for him to stay closer to home (although those midwest winters do tend to get pretty bleak; just ask Greg Swaim, he'll tell you. :-)

There are a few homegrown's looking at SC. David Bluthenthal of LA's Westchester High, a 6'-7" power forward, who has been rated in the top 120 overall in his class is considered a favorite. His visit with SC was reportedly very positive, and his choices are SC and Oklahoma State, and if he doesn't sign in the fall, possibly at UCLA (if the coaching staff wakes up there. Lavin are you listening) if Moiso doesn't qualify.

Others meriting possible attention and/or considering SC are Michael Smith of Bossier Parrish Lousiana JC, a 6'- 9" combo power forward-center; David Murray of Mesa Arizona JC, another 6'- 9" center; Brandon Kurtz, from Bakersfield City College, also a 6'-9" PF/C (gee, think Bibby's looking for a 6'-9" PF/C??); Nigel Smith from Kennedale High in Texas, also (you guessed it) a 6' 9" C; and Jed Hall, from Montclair Prep in Van Nuys, a 6'-8" (an inch short?) PF/C. SC is also considering Tim Johnson a 6'-10" PF/C from Oregon, but as we all can see, he's obviously an inch too big, so Bibby won't go with him. More of a possibility is Malcolm Battles, from Henderson High in Troy, Alabama who's not too big for Bibby as a 6'-8" power forward.

That's about all we've been able to figure about what USC and Bibby are doing. The interesting thing about USC is that even though the football program is in the dumper, there just doesn't seem to be the kind of activity either in print or on the internet (especially on the internet) that there is for other major D-I college programs, and if you live in SoCal, there's no question that UCLA dominates the media and internet bandwidth. If anybody's got any further information, post it to some of the boards, including our college message board at SoCalHoops.

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