Boys’ basketball: Transfers en masse

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It’s now completely clear how ridiculous high school basketball has become in terms of the willingness of players to switch schools for little reason other than to be on a successful team.

Woodland Hills Taft, the City Section champion, has picked up sophomore point guard Dominique Evans from Van Nuys and junior forward DeAndre Daniels from Renaissance Academy. Evans is eligible immediately under the CIF one-time transfer rule for sophomores-to-be. Daniels must get a hardship waiver.

Renaissance, state runner-up in Division V, lost four players to transfers, according to the Daily News, led by 6-10 Anthony Stover, who’s now at Los Angeles Windward. But the biggest transfer appears to be that of 6-4 UCLA-bound junior guard Tyler Lamb of Ontario Colony to Mater Dei. That’s supposed to be finalized this week. And Ervin Ware, a junior guard, has checked out of Gahr.

Mater Dei and Dominguez, which has its own share of transfers, ought to play in their own two-team division because they have separated themselves. They are all-star teams.

Before anyone accuses schools of illegal recruiting, it’s more about parents deciding they want their sons in a big-time program. Many of the players moving already are going to receive college scholarships, so the usual excuse -- trying to gain more exposure -- doesn’t make sense. This is about winning, publicity, egos and friendships made during summer all-star team play.

‘This late in the game and knowing the summer associations, it clearly looks like these kids are being manipulated and moved around like chess pieces, and it does concern me,’ Southern Section Commissioner Jim Staunton said.

‘I think it’s getting way out of control,’ Taft Coach Derrick Taylor said of player movement.

High school basketball is out of control, and I don’t see anyone putting a stop to the madness.

-- Eric Sondheimer