Basketball Letter of Intent : UCI Adds a Forward and a Guard to Arsenal

Frank Woods, a 6-foot 6-inch forward from Seward County College in Liberal, Kansas and Jason Turner, a 6-0 guard from Crespi High School.

Woods, who averaged 24 points and 10 rebounds per game, was an All-Region 6 selection for Seward County this season. Bob Thate, a UCI assistant, said Woods is a talented athlete with good jumping ability.

Turner averaged 14.8 points, 5.1 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game and was an All-Del Rey League selection this season. Bill Mulligan, UCI coach, called Turner “as good a pure shooter as we’ve seen this year.”

Woods and Turner join Mitch Parrott and Arthur Phillips, who signed in November, on the list of UCI recruits for next season. Parrott averaged 22.3 points and 9.3 rebounds per game for Camarillo High this season and was named the Ventura County player of the year. Phillips, a 6-9 center out of Murphy High, averaged almost nine blocked shots per game.

Cal State Fullerton did not sign any men Wednesday, the first day players could sign a national letter of intent. The Titans, however, already had signed Kevin Cutler, a 6-7 forward from Ganesha, and Marlon Vaughn, a 6-2 guard from Dominguez. Cal State Long Beach got Lee Roy Brown, a 6-6 forward who averaged 16 points and 15 rebounds a game last season for Cohen High School in New Orleans.

Pepperdine, the only team from California to play in the NCAA tournament last season, signed four players to letters of intent, and Coach Jim Harrick said he has one of the best recruiting campaigns on the West Coast.

With guards Jon Korfas and Dwayne Polee and swingman Grant Gondrezick graduating, Harrick was especially pleased to fill potential holes in the backcourt by signing Lafayette Dorsey of Dorsey, Wally Carter of Las Vegas High and Donnie Moore of West Valley Junior College in San Jose.

The 6-1 Carter averaged 25.6 points a game, earning All-Nevada honors, and Moore, although only 6 feet, is said to be an impressive leaper.

All-City forward Michael Courtney of Westchester was Pepperdine’s other addition.

The Waves also expected to get 6-9 Marcellus Lee of Pomona, but Lee changed his mind and chose Loyola Marymount.

The women’s basketball staffs at UCI and Fullerton had active recruiting days Wednesday. Irvine Coach Dean Andrea announced the signing of two community college transfers and two area prep players and Fullerton’s Maryalyce Jeremiah added three players.

Signing with UCI were Sharon Warmus, a 5-11 guard from Esperanza High, Cheryl Eiland, a 6-3 center from Saddleback College with three years of eligibility, Cheryl Hoffman, a 5-7 guard from Cypress College and Shurell Johnson, a 5-9 forward from Lynwood High.

Warmus averaged 21.8 points and 8.3 rebounds this season and was a Times All-Orange County selection. Eiland averaged 22.1 points per game for Saddleback and led the South Coast Conference in rebounding (12.3). Hoffman was twice named Cypress’ most valuable player and averaged 24.3 points for the Chargers in 1985-86.

Bethel Lauder, a 5-10 center from Riverside City College, may be the biggest of the Fullerton recruits. Lauder, who will probably moved to forward at Fullerton, averaged 20.5 points and 12 rebounds per game in leading Riverside to the state JC championship.

Also signing with Fullerton were: Jan Pearson, a 6-3 center from Millikan High and Yolanda Kelley, a 5-10 forward from Crenshaw. They will join guard Jill Matyuch of El Dorado High, who signed with the Titans earlier.

The Nevada Las Vegas women’s team also had a big day in Southern California, getting Pauline and Geannine Jordan, the twins who led Pasadena Muir to the No. 1 spot in the nation for part of the season, and Linda Staley of Palmdale, perhaps the Southern Section 3-A Division’s best player.

Brian Berger, Chapman College women’s coach, signed three junior college transfers, Karen Polk (Riverside City College), Tina Cavalin (Santa Rosa) and Laura Thomas (Utah Tech, Provo, Utah).