UCLA Lands Four Basketball Recruits

Jim Harrick, criticized for his recruiting efforts when he failed to land any players during the early signing period last November, reversed his fortune Wednesday as four highly regarded high school seniors signed letters of intent with the Bruins.

Heading the group is omm’A Givens, a 6-foot-10 center from Aberdeen, Wash. He is joined by 6-9 forward J.R. Henderson of Bakersfield, 6-5 forward Toby Bailey of Los Angeles Loyola High and 6-4 forward Kristaan Johnson of Crenshaw High.

All four players were heavily recruited. It is a bonus to the Bruins that they committed during the early signing period, which began Wednesday and lasts for a week. After Harrick failed to sign any players last November, he silenced his critics a bit when Charles O’Bannon of Lakewood Artesia signed in April.

UCLA has one scholarship remaining, which is being saved in the hope that 6-6 point guard Jelani Gardner of Bellflower St. John Bosco will pick the Bruins. Gardner plans to announce his choice in April.

USC signed one player Wednesday, 6-0 guard Cameron Murray of Glendora. Murray is the younger brother of former UCLA forward Tracy Murray, who is now with the Portland Trail Blazers.

Other notable signings included 6-6 guard Rick Price of Gardena Serra with Duke, 6-4 guard Miles Simon of Santa Ana Mater Dei with Arizona and 6-11 center Alex Lopez of North Hollywood Campbell Hall with Washington.

Tony Gonzalez of Huntington Beach, one of the top football and basketball recruits in the area, announced that he will attend Cal next year and play both sports. Gonzalez, 6-5, will sign a letter with the football team in February.

Nicole Erickson of Brea-Olinda, a 5-6 guard considered one of the area’s top girls’ basketball players, signed with Purdue.

Perhaps one of the most interesting signings Wednesday was not in basketball but in golf. Tiger Woods of Anaheim Western chose Stanford over Nevada Las Vegas.

Woods has won the last three U.S. Junior Amateur Championships and has played twice in the Los Angeles Open. He was 16 when he played in the L.A. Open in 1992, making him one of the youngest golfers ever in a PGA Tour event.