After Publicity Campaign, Burns of Reseda Commits to UCLA

Reseda High basketball Coach Jeff Halpern knew that his best player, Marquis Burns, was capable of playing in a major college program. Burns, a confident sort, had similar sentiments.

The list of believers, it seemed, ended there.

So Halpern started a letter-writing campaign on behalf of Burns that attracted the attention of UCLA. Burns, an All-City Section 3-A Division selection last season, had twice attended a UCLA basketball camp but remained virtually anonymous, Halpern said.

The school offered Burns a scholarship last week and Halpern’s lobbying efforts paid off in full Sunday when Burns, considered the best NCAA Division I prospect among area City Section seniors, orally committed to play next season at UCLA.

Burns, a 6-foot-3 1/2, 185-pound swingman, averaged 20 points and 9.1 rebounds a game last season and is projected as a shooting guard at UCLA. Burns is expected to sign a letter of intent Nov. 13, the first day of the NCAA’s early signing period.

“I’ve always wanted to go to UCLA,” Burns said.

In an age when players routinely are scouted in summer-league play and touted as underclassmen, Burns almost fell between the cracks.

“How a guy can be All-City and nobody knows him beyond me?” Halpern said. “When I have to call people about a local kid, well, I don’t know what’s going on anymore.”

Burns did not participate in any summer leagues nor did he attend any all-star summer camps, at which highly regarded players are on display for dozens of Division I coaches.

Other colleges that showed interest in Burns included Pepperdine, UC Santa Barbara and San Diego State. Halpern said he also wrote letters to Arizona--where one of his former players from Van Nuys High, Anthony Cook, once starred--but the coaching staff was slow to respond.

“They really didn’t see me over the summer and that’s when they do most of their recruiting,” Burns said of the Division I schools that ignored him.

Burns said that once UCLA Coach Jim Harrick made an official visit to his family’s home last week, Burns was ready to commit.

“It was pretty much settled right there,” Burns said. “He wanted me to come and see the school before I made up my mind for sure.”

Burns, who made no other official visits, carries a 3.8 grade-point average and already has scored at least 700 on the Scholastic Aptitude Test.

Burns is the second senior player with ties to the area to make an oral commitment. Brandon Martin, who played for two years at Cleveland before transferring to Washington High after last season, committed to USC two weeks ago.