Artesia’s Jones Shuns O’Bannon, Picks USC : Recruiting: 6-11 center rejects pleas of former teammate, who signed last week with UCLA.

Despite relentless recruiting pleas from teammate Charles O’Bannon, who last week signed with UCLA, Avondre Jones announced Friday night that he would attend USC in the fall.

Jones, a 6-foot-11, 220-pound center from Lakewood Artesia High, said he was tempted to go to UCLA and be reunited with O’Bannon, but felt more comfortable with Coach George Raveling and the USC program.

“Charles made it very tough on me this week,” said Jones, who together with O’Bannon helped Artesia win three State Division II basketball championships the last four seasons. “He very much wanted me to join him at UCLA. We are close friends and I certainly will miss playing with him, but he made the decision that was best for him and I made the one that was best for me.

“I know that we will be rivals on the court now, but that does not bother me. Charles and I will always be friends off the court.”

Jones, 18, said he planned to sign a letter of intent at his Lakewood home Friday night after notifying Raveling.

He settled on USC late Thursday night after discussing the matter with his parents, Curtis and Vivian Ruffin. He told no one of his decision until Friday, and it was Curtis Ruffin who called assistant coaches at Michigan, UCLA and Arizona--three of the finalists--and told them his son had chosen to play for the Trojans. Jones wanted to wait to call Raveling.

The announcement, made before a large group of family, friends and a few USC boosters, ended a yearlong recruiting battle. USC and Michigan were the front-runners in recent months, and many believed Jones would sign with Michigan because of his expressed desire to play with Chris Webber.

Things intensified last week when O’Bannon chose UCLA. There was speculation the Bruins would land Jones, too.

“In the end, I wanted to stay close to home to share my talent with family and friends,” said Jones, who averaged 21 points, 12 rebounds and four blocked shots last season. “I also wanted to go where I would have an immediate impact, and USC was that place.”

Jones, regarded as one of the top prospects in the nation, is expected to move into the starting lineup at USC. Raveling has said that he would switch from a three-guard lineup to a more conventional alignment if he landed Jones.

The Trojans could end up with the top recruiting class in the Pacific 10 Conference. Jones joins guards Stais Boseman of Inglewood Morningside, Claude Green of Washington, D.C., Dunbar and forward Jaha Wilson of San Francisco Riordan.

Boseman and Green, however, have not achieved a minimum score on the Scholastic Aptitude Test to make them eligible.