O’Bannon, Tarver Near Decisions

Southern California’s most highly recruited basketball players are expected to announce where they will attend college today and early next week.

Shon Tarver, a 6-foot-5 guard from Oxnard Santa Clara High School, said he would decide today whether he will attend UCLA or Arizona State.

Ed O’Bannon, a 6-8 forward from Lakewood Artesia, said he will chose between UCLA and USC by Tuesday at the latest.

Tarver and O’Bannon announced last May they would attend Nevada Las Vegas without signing a letter of intent. Each changed his mind when UNLV was barred last month from postseason competition for recruiting violations of 13 years ago.

“We feel sorry for what happened at Vegas,” said O’Bannon’s father, Ed.

Each player began considering other options last week for fear that UNLV also will be severely penalized from a recent NCAA investigation into the recruitment of New York prep star Lloyd Daniels.

Tarver visited Arizona State last weekend and met with UCLA coaches Jim Harrick and Brad Holland Thursday.

O’Bannon also met with Harrick this week.

Coach Jerry Tarkanian of UNLV said Friday he expected both players to attend UCLA. Tarkanian said neither player had informed him they would not go to Las Vegas.

“They just told me last week they wanted to look at all their options,” he said. “I thought that was something they should do.”

Said Ed O’Bannon Sr.: “We just want to get this over with and get back to playing basketball and having fun.”