Signings are well-scripted

In a scene worthy of a Hollywood movie, rap star Romeo Miller and basketball standout DeMar DeRozan simultaneously signed letters of intent to attend USC on Monday at a lavish news conference at The Four Seasons hotel in Beverly Hills.

Miller, the Beverly Hills High point guard better known in rap circles as Lil’ Romeo, spoke of his desire “to go balling” and attend USC’s film school in hopes of eventually being mentioned in the same breath as legendary graduates Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and John Singleton.

DeRozan, the Compton High guard who is considered one of the top prospects in the country, said he wanted to help put USC’s basketball program “back on the map.”

The 6-foot-6 DeRozan said Miller, a longtime friend and travel ball companion, took the lead in deciding to become a Trojan, raising the issue of whether USC coaches tried to curry favor with DeRozan by offering the lightly regarded Miller a scholarship.

The Trojans did not practice Monday and Coach Tim Floyd did not return a call seeking comment.

Beverly Hills High Coach Luis Turcios said the 5-10 Miller, a first-team All-Ocean League selection who averaged 14 points as a junior, had not received any other scholarship offers.

DeRozan and Miller said they made their decisions separately, writing down their top three college choices and then learning that they had each listed USC in their top two.

“It was like a shocker right there,” Miller said. “We had no intention for it at all.”

“I think you saw my paper or something,” joked DeRozan, who also considered North Carolina, Florida State, Arizona and Washington.

DeRozan said Miller was a Pacific 10 Conference-caliber player who was “going to prove the world wrong.”

Miller said he thrived on being doubted. “I have to say I am driven when people put me down,” he said.

Miller, whose next album is scheduled to be released in 2008, said he would focus on basketball and schoolwork while at USC, having already attained financial security.

“I made a lot of money for me and my family, but I’m one of those people that always preach education because I feel that knowledge is wealthier than money,” said Miller, whose father is the rapper known as Master P. “If you have your knowledge, you can do anything.”

USC also announced it had received a letter of intent from Donte Smith, a 6-foot guard from Mt. San Antonio College.

The Citadel on Monday released a statement apologizing for the actions of some of its cadets when it played host to USC on Thursday. The cadets jeered Trojans guard O.J. Mayo and some held signs comparing him to Michael Vick and O.J. Simpson. One local resident said after the game he considered those actions racist and would demand an apology to USC. “By no means was anything meant to be racially implied toward O.J. Mayo, his teammates or coaching staff,” the Citadel statement said in part.

Former USC walk-on forward Reed Doucette has been awarded a Rhodes scholarship to attend the University of Oxford in England. Doucette, who gave up his final year of eligibility to concentrate on academics, becomes the fourth USC athlete to win the scholarship and the first since swimmer Desmond Koh in 1995.

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ben.bolch@latimes.com