Kings of NCAA Add a Prince : Recruiting: UCLA gets Dominguez swingman, adding to impressive class.

One of the most mysterious recruitments of a top local high school basketball player ended earlier this week, when Tommy Prince of Compton Dominguez High revealed his decision to attend UCLA.

Prince, a versatile 6-foot-5 guard/forward, said he told UCLA Coach Jim Harrick of his intention a day before the Bruins left for the Final Four in Seattle. But Prince told no one else until Sunday.

Prince’s father, Tommy Sr., said even he didn’t know of the decision when reached by phone Monday.

Those who know Prince are not surprised by his elusiveness. Although he was considered one of the top three prospects in the Southland, he did not take any of the five recruiting visits allowed by the NCAA. College coaches had a difficult time reaching him at home.

Russell Otis, Prince’s high school coach, was almost as inaccessible.

“I didn’t take any trips because I didn’t need to go through all of those mind games,” said Prince, who averaged 19 points and seven rebounds for Dominguez, which won a Southern Section title and advanced to the State Division II championship game in Oakland for the first time.

“I wanted to stay close to home, and I wasn’t interested in USC.”

Although Wednesday marked the beginning of the one-month spring signing period, Prince said he was not sure when he would sign his letter of intent.

An overriding factor may be that Prince is still not academically qualified. He said he has a 3.3 grade-point average but has fallen short of the necessary college entrance exam score. He said he has taken the Scholastic Assessment Test three times and is scheduled for a fourth early next month.

If Prince eventually enrolls at UCLA, he will join incoming freshman Jelani McCoy of San Diego St. Augustine and Brandon Loyd of Memorial High in Tulsa, Okla., who signed in November. McCoy is a 6-10 center and Loyd a 6-1 guard.

Guard Shomario Richard of La Puente Nogales is another top prospect in need of a college entrance exam qualifying score. The 6-1 senior said he has already taken the SAT and took the American College Test last Saturday.

Richard, who averaged 28 points and 10 assists last season, said he visited Nevada Las Vegas last weekend and plans trips to Fresno State, Long Beach State and Arizona State.

Arizona State Coach Bill Frieder had a productive recruiting year in the Southland, signing 6-8 forward Okime Oziwo of Rialto in November and adding another 6-8 forward, Rico Harris of Temple City, on Wednesday. Jemall Slaughter, a 6-3 guard from Fontana, said he will sign with the Sun Devils next week.

“UCLA started recruiting me about four months ago, but I had pretty much decided on Arizona State by that time,” Harris said. “They recruited me solid for the past two years.”

As expected, Inglewood High’s Paul Pierce signed with Kansas.

USC Coach Charlie Parker is in the running for several players, but his only expected signing this week is 6-8 forward Maurice Strong of East High in Memphis, Tenn.

Coach Jerry Tarkanian appears to be off to a fast start at Fresno State. He is expected to sign junior college guards James Gray of Santa Monica and Joe Wyatt of College of the Sequoias this week and also is in contention for former USC center Avondre Jones, who played at Chaffey College last season.