Basketball big men can be a tall order for recruiters
One of the toughest tasks for a college basketball recruiter is to project the potential of teenage big men. They frequently can look awkward, uncoordinated and inconsistent, but their size makes them tempting targets.
Recruiters have been visiting high schools this month, evaluating prospects, but now comes a dead period until early July, making it a critical time for big men to start making progress before coaches next see them on the summer travel circuit.
Two intriguing juniors to be are 7-footers K.C. Caudill of Brea Olinda and Mike VanKirk of Lancaster Paraclete. Caudill already has offers from USC, Arizona State and Oregon State. VanKirk, a volleyball player, is just starting to gain basketball attention.
California Coach Mike Montgomery was among a steady stream of coaches visiting Brea Olinda’s gym checking up on Caudill, who averaged 16.3 points and 12.0 rebounds as a sophomore.
“He’s made great strides since his freshman year,” Brea Coach Bob Terry said.
The question is, can Caudill take the next step and become a dominant player?
“He’s doing what he needs to improve,” Terry said.
As for VanKirk, he wasn’t even a starter for much of his sophomore year, and Paraclete Coach Bernard Nichter only convinced him of his basketball potential late in the season.
“He honestly did not understand how good he is or can be,” Nichter said. “By the time he graduates, I think he’s going to be able to go to any school he wants.”
VanKirk’s best performance came in a playoff game when he had four blocked shots and 12 rebounds. He has since joined a travel team, and many will be watching to see what he can do.
Colleges are more willing to take risks with players as tall as Caudill and VanKirk with the hope they will eventually get their skills to mesh with their bodies.
“Each big man develops differently,” UCLA assistant coach Scott Garson said. “You have to look at their hands, their footwork, their athleticism.”
There are other big men preparing to be scrutinized this summer.
Reggie Murphy, a 6-8 senior at Westchester, came on strong during the playoffs for the state Division I champions.
“He has the talent and skills,” Westchester Coach Ed Azzam said. “He has to back it up with consistent play.”
Two natives of Cameroon, 6-9 senior Atanga Yannick from Ojai Besant Hill and 6-8 junior Stephan Nembot from Van Nuys Montclair Prep, will be monitored closely to see what kind of improvement they can make.
Yannick averaged 20.4 points as a junior. Nembot’s high game as a sophomore was 12 points against Los Angeles Windward.
Then there’s 6-8 Richard Solomon of Torrance Bishop Montgomery. He experienced a growth spurt early in high school, became a starter on last season’s state Division IV finalist team, and who knows where his development will reach?
While college recruiters can’t watch players until July, they can communicate with them via phone calls and e-mail, and players can come on campus to speak with recruiters or attend team camps.
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A hitting machine
All senior outfielder-catcher Mark Strazzeri of Mission Hills Alemany has done this season is get at least one hit in every game for the Warriors. That’s a 21-game hitting streak and 23 when you include the final two games from last season.
He’s hitting .461 as Alemany’s leadoff batter.
“I don’t really think about it,” he said of his hitting streak. “I’m working hard every day and having fun.”
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Speedster to watch
How does a football player improve his college chances in the off-season? If you’re junior running back Kyle Middlebrooks of Fountain Valley, you get faster. Middlebrooks won both sprints Saturday at the Orange County track championships, winning the 100 meters in 10.48 seconds and the 200 in 21.54. He rushed for 1,276 yards last season, but those sprint times will make people take notice.
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Mr. Versatility
USC-bound football recruit James Boyd, 6-5, 235 pounds, might be the best athlete in the history of Los Angeles Jordan. He was the City player of the year in football as a quarterback-defensive end. He was All-City in basketball. He played center field for the baseball team this season for several games. Now he’s competing in the shotput for the track team. If he had time, he would join the volleyball team.
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