RECRUITING / JEFF FELLENZER : Kentucky Coach Hopes to Get in Final Word With Artesia High Player

It may be a long way from Bourbon Street and the Final Four in New Orleans, but for Kentucky basketball Coach Rick Pitino, nothing will be more important on April 22 than a banquet in Lakewood.

Pitino is scheduled to be the keynote speaker at Lakewood Artesia High’s annual basketball awards presentation. Among the honored guests will be 6-foot-6 Charles O’Bannon, Artesia’s All-American forward and a prime recruiting target of Kentucky.

Although the spring signing period for basketball players begins Wednesday, neither O’Bannon nor his heavily recruited teammate, 6-11 All-American center Avondre Jones, is expected to announce his college choice until a few days after the banquet. Thus, coaches from other schools that O’Bannon and Jones are considering also figure to be in the audience. For O’Bannon, that could mean Jim Harrick of UCLA, George Raveling of USC and Steve Fisher of Michigan. Along with UCLA, USC and Michigan, Jones’ list also includes Arizona, Missouri and Louisiana State. The latter two schools entered the picture late, but each is hoping to see Jones on his final official campus recruiting visit.

South Torrance point guard Jimmy Williamson took an unofficial trip to USC last week. Williamson has made official visits to Fresno State and Loyola Marymount and is hoping to be offered trips to Michigan State and Miami.

Williamson expects to make a decision by Wednesday, the first day of the national signing period. Fresno State and Loyola are the only Division I schools that have offered him a full scholarship.

Notes

The recruiting odyssey of Rialto Eisenhower standout defensive lineman Germaine Gray finally ended last week when Gray signed a letter of intent to attend USC. The 6-foot-5, 255-pound Gray, who said he had been “leaning to Arizona State” after originally giving an unwritten commitment to Florida State, signed with the Trojans after deciding that he wanted to stay closer to home so his family could see him play. He also considered UCLA. Gray had reconstructive surgery Jan. 29 to repair a partially torn ligament in his right knee and is expected to redshirt next season. The signing of Gray marks the 15th scholarship handed out by Coach John Robinson in his first recruiting class since returning to USC.

Los Alamitos wide receiver George Sagen (6-1, 185), who caught 177 passes in his career, second-most in Southern Section history behind former La Puente Bishop Amat and USC star J.K. McKay (207), has signed with Morehead State, an NCAA Division I-AA school in Morehead, Ky. Sagen, the favorite target of Stanford-bound quarterback Tim Carey, has excellent hands but was not considered fast enough by most major college recruiters. . . . One of the country’s outstanding forward prospects, 6-9 Jerald Honeycutt of Grambling, La., is scheduled to visit UCLA this weekend. However, Louisiana State is considered the favorite for Honeycutt, who scored 14 points in the McDonald’s East-West All-American game Sunday in Memphis, Tenn. Other schools recruiting Honeycutt include Tulane, Arkansas and Louisiana Tech. Another top player from the South, 6-4 guard Eric Washington of Pearl, Miss., has given an unwritten commitment to Alabama. UCLA, Georgia, Mississippi State and Seton Hall were among the schools recruiting Washington. . . .

The Bruins are still the choice of 6-1 point guard Cameron Dollar of Frederick, Md. Dollar recently visited Miami and may take at least one more recruiting trip. He played Thursday night in the McDonald’s Capital Classic at the University of Maryland, matching a team of Washington, D.C.-area all-stars against a U.S. team. . . . Cal State Long Beach has received an unwritten commitment from 6-8 1/2, 225-pound forward Gerry Branner of Belleville (Ill.) Community College. Branner, who averaged 18 points and 11 rebounds a game last season, also visited Cal State Fullerton and South Florida. He attended high school in Cincinnati. The 49ers are hoping to sign three players next week to go with their three recruits from the November signing period.