Los Alamitos’ Lamoureux Doesn’t Sign With Harrick and UCLA

It was supposed to be a day on which Dre Lamoureux, Los Alamitos High School center, realized a lifelong dream by signing to play basketball for a major college.

Lamoureux had made an oral agreement with UCLA’s former basketball coach, Walt Hazzard, about a month ago to attend UCLA on a scholarship. Lamoureux had planned to sign a national letter of intent with the Bruins on Wednesday, the first day of the spring signing period.

But between the time Lamoureux made his commitment to UCLA and the first day prep players could sign with the college of their choice, Hazzard was fired as the Bruins’ coach and replaced by Jim Harrick of Pepperdine.

Lamoureux met with Harrick at Lamoureux’s home Wednesday evening. Lamoureux later said he did not sign with the Bruins, although he said the scholarship offer was still available.

“I need some time to make some decisions,” said Lamoureux, who earlier in the day had expressed his excitement about attending UCLA. “I need to make some decisions both academically and athletically. I didn’t sign, but the offer is still there.

“They didn’t change their offer, but I’m going to take a couple of weeks to think things over before I make a decision.”

Lamoureux, 6-feet 9-inches, has been termed a “project player” by many scouts and coaches. There had been speculation as to whether Hazzard’s replacement would honor the oral commitment, and Lamoureux described the past 10 days as “stressful” while the Bruins searched for a replacement.

Lamoureux had said he felt relieved when Harrick was named on Tuesday to replace Hazzard. Lamoureux had competed in team camps under Harrick at Pepperdine and was familiar with the veteran coach, though Harrick had not recruited him.

Lamoureux would not give any details about his meeting with Harrick but said several options were discussed. Harrick was unavailable for comment.

“I talked with Dre’s mother and it was my understanding that the scholarship is there for him,” said Steve Brooks, Los Alamitos coach. “UCLA will honor the commitment.

“Dre has to make a decision whether UCLA is the right place for him at this time. I would say that Jim Harrick is not as high on Dre as Walt Hazzard was.”

Hazzard was fired before the start of the NCAA’s Final Four, and some of collegiate basketball’s finest coaches were mentioned as possible candidates to replace him.

“All of my life, I wanted to play college basketball,” Lamoureux said. “I started wondering if the new coach would want me. It was a very stressful time.”

But Lamoureux was momentarily relieved when assistant coach Kris Jason called shortly after it was announced that Hazzard had been fired and told him that his scholarship would be honored.

“It was a very strange period,” Lamoureux said. “Every day, things were changing. It seemed like a new coach (Larry Brown) was coming, and then he wasn’t. I started getting worried again.”

Lamoureux made only one of five allotted visits, attending UCLA basketball games against Stanford and California in February and then touring the Westwood campus.

Although Lamoureux failed to sign, three other Orange County prep basketball players did sign a national letters of intent on Wednesday.

Bobby Joyce, a 6-7 forward from Santa Ana, was the only prep player signed by Nevada Las Vegas. Joyce, a two-time Times All-County selection, had called a news conference last November, reportedly to announce that he was signing with Fresno State, but changed his mind.

Joyce visited the Las Vegas campus eight days ago and made an oral commitment to the school last week. He probably will be a redshirt next season.

Gylan Dottin, a 6-5 swingman at Saddleback, signed with the University of San Diego and will play guard for the Toreros in the fall. Dottin visited Montana, San Jose State and UC Irvine but chose San Diego because of its business school.

Brian McCloskey, the player of the year in the Freeway League at Sunny Hills, signed with UC Irvine. McCloskey averaged 18.4 points and 12.3 rebounds in his senior season. McCloskey joins Brett Pagett of Los Alamitos, who signed last November, at Irvine.

Gary McKnight, Mater Dei basketball coach, said two starters on the Monarchs’ Southern Section 5-A division championship team were still considering college offers.

Mark Ramstack, the Monarchs’ point guard, will visit New Mexico State this weekend and also plans to visit the University of Cincinnati. Ramstack, the school’s starting quarterback, also has an offer for a football scholarship from Texas El Paso.

Char Ruppel, a 6-6 forward, will choose among offers from Division II schools Brigham Young Hawaii, Eastern Montana or Cal Lutheran. Earlier, Mike Hopkins signed with Syracuse, and Kevin Rembert signed with San Diego State.

Four starters on Mater Dei’s baseball team, including the Monarchs’ three outfielders, signed with Division I programs.

Outfielders Larry Sutton (Illinois), Mark Basse (Tennessee) and Jim Austin (Arizona State) and first baseman Joe Ciccarella (Loyola Marymount) all signed, giving Mater Dei the most college signings since five players graduated to college programs in 1985.

A fifth starter, shortstop Brian Keegan, was considering an offer from St. Mary’s. Mater Dei has been ranked among the county’s top teams all season.

Austin, described by Monarch Coach Bob Ickes as “the best power hitter I’ve coached in 14 years here,” is the top player in the group. He has 4 home runs and 23 RBIs in only 11 games. Basse leads the county with 5 triples, and Ciccarella is the team’s leading hitter with a .418 average.

Sutton joins Esperanza infielders Jason Moler and Doug Saunders at Illinois under Augie Garrido, the former Cal State Fullerton coach. USC signed Servite outfielder-first baseman Mike Robertson and Canyon pitcher John Cummings.

Capistrano Valley outfielder Tommy Adams, considered to be one of the top prospects in Southern California, signed with Arizona State although he missed all of this season with a pulled groin muscle.

WHERE TOP PLAYERS HAVE SIGNED

BASEBALL

Name School Position College Tommy Adams Capistrano Valley Outfield Arizona State Jim Austin Mater Dei Outfield Arizona State Mike Basse Mater Dei Outfield Tennessee Joe Ciccarella Mater Dei First Base Loyola John Cummings Canyon Pitcher USC Chris Facione El Dorado Outfield California Brian Keegan Mater Dei Shortstop St. Mary’s Mike Kelly Los Alamitos Outfielder Arizona State Jason Moler Esperanza Infield Illinois Mike Robertson Servite Outfield USC Doug Saunders Esperanza Infield Illinois Larry Sutton Mater Dei Outfield Illinois

BOYS’ BASKETBALL

Name School Position College Gylan Dottin Saddleback Guard Univ. San Diego Steve Guild* Marina Forward Pepperdine Mike Hopkins* Mater Dei Guard Syracuse Bobby Joyce Santa Ana Forward Las Vegas Adam Keefe* Woodbridge Forward Stanford Alan Lewis* Fullerton Forward Univ. San Diego Brian McCloskey Sunny Hills Forward UC Irvine Brett Pagett* Los Alamitos Guard UC Irvine Kevin Rembert* Mater Dei Forward San Diego State Chris Tower* Westminster Center New Mexico

* Signed in November

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

Name School Position College Tami Chick Huntington Beach Forward Cal Poly Pomona Tricia Stringam Mission Viejo Guard Hawaii Susan Tousey Brea-Olinda Center Pepperdine Andrea Young El Toro Forward Rice Elaine Youngs El Toro Forward UCLA

BOYS’ SOCCER

Name School Position College Sam George Mater Dei Midfielder UCLA Mike Lapper Marina Defender UCLA Chris Mastropaolo Mater Dei Defender Cal State Fullerton Greg Morales Mission Viejo Defender Chapman

SOFTBALL

Name School Position College Tiffany Boyd Woodbridge Pitcher UCLA Terry Carpenter Edison Pitcher Fresno State Ruby Flores Sunny Hills Pitcher CS Long Beach Nikki Lewis Canyon Infield Cal State Fullerton Michelle Shean San Clemente Catcher Oklahoma State