UCLA Recruits Help U.S. Juniors Win

Judging by the performance of three incoming freshmen Sunday night against the Soviet Union’s junior national team, the future looks bright for UCLA’s basketball program.

Tracy Murray, Zan Mason and Mitchell Butler, a trio of prized recruits landed by Bruin Coach Jim Harrick, were the standouts for a group of Southern California high school all-stars in a 127-99 victory in front of 1,600 in UC Irvine’s Bren Center.

Murray, the state’s career and single-season scoring leader at Glendora High School, scored 25 points but it was the play of another future Bruin, Mason of Westchester, that was most impressive. Mason led all scorers with 28 points and added 13 rebounds.

Oakwood’s Butler added 11 points and had the play of the game when he drove through the lane and made a no-look wrap-around pass in the final minutes.

“Those three kids are going to play a big role in putting UCLA on the national map,” said Bob Gottlieb, the U.S. coach. “I think UCLA is a quality center away from a national title in four years.”

The center who most four-year colleges will have on their shopping list in two years also was impressive. Cherokee Parks, a 16-year-old, 6-foot-10 sophomore from Marina, scored eight points and had 15 rebounds. Parks, the only underclassman on the U.S. team, held his own against a very physical Soviet team.

“Before Cherokee Parks is through, he will be the best big man to ever come out of Orange County,” Gottlieb said. “With normal growth, maturity and strength, he has a chance to be a four-year starter in college and a power forward in the NBA.”

The Southland preps also showed they’ve learned what it takes to be successful in international competition . . . the three-point shot. Murray made five of 11 attempts from three-point range as the Americans were 11 of 22 from the three-point range.

Murray opened the second half with two consecutive dunks that gave the U.S. a 73-54 lead. Murray had 40 of the U.S. team’s 69 points in the opening half. It was a game that Murray perceived as a crystal ball.

“I got a chance to look at the future tonight and it looks good,” Murray said. “I wanted to have some fun in this game. We played team ball, and any time you’re playing team ball, you’re having fun.

“This game was revenge for two years ago when they came here and blew us out by 25 points. They were aggressive and scrappy, but I thought we were much quicker.”

The Soviets, however, were stronger inside. Kahka Shengelia muscled his way to 15 points and was named the most valuable player on the visiting squad by a panel of sportswriters.

Mason was the only match inside for the Soviets. At one stretch in the first half, Mason made eight consecutive shots. He was named the most valuable player on the U.S. team.

“In 25 years of coaching, I’ve never had a player as strong as Zan,” Gottlieb said. “He was awesome tonight inside.”

Mason credited a trip six weeks ago to West Germany for his rugged style inside.

“They play a more physical game in Europe and that was the style tonight,” Mason said. “This was my last high school game, and I wanted to play hard and win.”

The game was the fifth stop for the Soviet team on a whirlwind, 15-day, 11-city tour for its top players aged 17 and 18. Arturus Karnishovas led the Soviet team with 22 points and Yuri Leonov added 20 points.