49ers Land Hot-Shooting Point Guard

LONG BEACH — James Gray, the CIF City Section 4-A Division basketball co-player of the year, signed a letter of intent last week with Cal State Long Beach.

Gray, a 6-foot-4 senior point guard, averaged 15.5 points and five assists a game in leading the Westchester High School Comets to consecutive City championships. He also was selected The Times’ Westside Player of the Year for 1992.

Gray made his decision after talking with Harold Miner, a guard at USC who last week announced his intentions to forgo his senior season and make himself eligible for the NBA draft.

“Harold Miner convinced my parents that I should sign there,” Gray said. “We’re close friends and my parents respect his opinion. I think I made a good decision.”

More than 40 schools, including Georgetown, USC and Pepperdine, showed interest in Gray, but they were reluctant to offer him a scholarship because he had not satisfied Prop. 48 requirements.

Long Beach was among the few schools to offer Gray a scholarship and wait until he becomes eligible to play.

“I think the school has an up-and-coming basketball program,” Gray said. “They’re trying to develop a winning team and they need someone to initiate it. I look forward to the challenge.”

Gray said he also based his decision because teammate and friend Lorenzo Ball has agreed to play at Long Beach as a non-scholarship player. Ball, a senior forward, averaged 15.4 points and 7.5 rebounds. Gray also said that point guard Damian Wilson, who last played for Westchester in 1990, also may transfer to Long Beach. Wilson averaged 20.9 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.4 assists during his sophomore season at Moorpark College.