USC, UCLA Ready for Prep Signings

USC, with three oral commitments, and UCLA, with two, are both seeking even bigger hauls as the week-long early signing period begins today for high school basketball players around the country.

The Trojans, in Coach George Raveling’s first full year of recruiting, are expected to sign Ronnie Coleman of Compton Dominguez, Duane Cooper of Lakewood and Calvin Banks of Toledo, Ohio.

Beyond that, they are still in the running for David Whitmore of Playa del Rey St. Bernard but will probably to have to wait until April to get an answer from Elliot Perry of Memphis, Tenn. Perry, a 6-foot guard, has visited only USC and Oklahoma and is leaning toward waiting for the second signing period despite a full-court press by hometown Memphis State.

UCLA has guards Kevin Williams of Verbum Dei and Gerald Madkins of Merced, the latter having chosen the Bruins over USC. Coach Walt Hazzard could turn this into an outstanding preseason performance if he also gets Fairfax’s Sean Higgins, the top prospect in the West Coast who has called a press conference Nov. 18 to announce his choice. Michigan, Texas, Louisville and Kentucky are also in the running.