Villa Park’s Phaler Has Commitment to Bruins

Sean Phaler of Villa Park High became the second forward from the Southland to commit to UCLA, joining Trevor Ariza of Westchester, who committed three weeks ago.

Phaler, 6 feet 9 and 170 pounds, averaged 19.8 points and 8.5 rebounds last season. He shot 42% from three-point range, making 107.

Phaler also considered Washington and Indiana.

-- Steve Henson

Redondo swingman Wendell White has committed to Pepperdine, though he must fulfill certain academic requirements before he would be eligible to enroll, a source close to the situation said.

The 6-5 senior averaged 14 points last season and made a last-second three-point shot to lift Redondo over Riverside King in the Southern Section Division II-A championship game.

Pepperdine assistant Jim Nielsen coached White before leaving Redondo after the 2000-01 school year.

-- Ben Bolch

Tennis standouts Elizabeth Exon of Irvine Woodbridge and Robyn Baker of Palm Desert have committed to Michigan and Loyola Marymount, respectively.

Exon, a semifinalist in the Southern Section singles tournament the last two seasons, chose Michigan over Cal, Virginia and Texas A&M.; Baker, a singles quarterfinalist the last two years, opted for Loyola, where her sister, Jennifer, plays, over San Diego State and Missouri.

-- Lauren Peterson

Long Beach Wilson wasn’t at its best Monday in the Southern Section Central Division girls’ golf championships, but the Bruins were good enough to shoot 420 and win the title by 10 strokes over Cerritos at Seven Hills Golf Club in Hemet.

Jennifer Tangtiphaiboontana, Kim Lorenzana and Kimberly Punyasavatsut each shot five-over-par 77 for Wilson, which averaged 205 in nine-hole matches this season.

Freshman Angela Park had two birdies and shot a tournament-low 72 to pace Torrance, which finished third with 436. Murrieta Valley finished fourth with a 447 and Palm Desert was fifth with 458. The top five teams advance to the section finals Nov. 18 at Las Posas Country Club in Camarillo.

-- Peter Yoon