Brantley, Lattimore to Play Basketball for CSLA

Calling the offer a “great package deal,” Granada Hills High point guard Jermoine Brantley and forward Aaron Lattimore have signed letters of intent to play basketball next season at Cal State Los Angeles.

Brantley, who led the Highlanders to a second-place finish in the City Section 4-A Division North Valley League, averaged 20.2 points, 9.0 assists and 3.8 steals.

A 5-foot-10 senior and a three-year letterman, Brantley set single-season and career marks in assists and orchestrated a fast break that handed Cleveland its only defeat in two years of league play. Brantley also considered walking on at Cal State Long Beach.

“It’s a great package deal for both of us,” Brantley said.

Lattimore, who started at small forward, emerged as an inside and outside threat last season, averaging 14.4 points and 10.2 rebounds. Lattimore (6-5) is expected to play at off-guard at Cal State Los Angeles, a member of the Division II California Collegiate Athletic Assn.

Lattimore said he received little interest from college recruiters until after the season ended. Brantley said that Lattimore was spotted by the CSLA staff during a recent postseason all-star game and that the staff asked Brantley to forward film of his teammate.

“I was kind of wondering why nobody was looking (at me),” said Lattimore, who plans to study engineering. “I knew I wasn’t going to play inside, but I thought I could play at two-guard.”

So did CSLA--which snared two guards at once.