When the UCLA men’s basketball team takes on Arizona this
Saturday at Pauley Pavilion, it could be a ceremonial passing of
the torch from the Pac-10’s elite team for the past several
years ““ the Wildcats ““ to the conference’s elite
team of the present year ““ the Bruins. Watching in the stands
may be UCLA’s answer to sustaining that status for the near
future. According to sources, heralded and much sought-after high
school juniors Kevin Love and Kyle Singler, who both hail from
Oregon, will be in attendance on Saturday during an unofficial
visit to UCLA. The Bruins’ potential landing of Love and
Singler, according to Tracy Pierson, publisher of
BruinReportOnline.com, is the single most important recruiting
development at UCLA since Baron Davis’s 1997 freshmen class
came to Westwood. From Lake Oswego High in Oregon, Love is a
6-foot-10, 255-pound center who is currently projected to be the
No. 3 recruit in the Class of 2007 according to multiple recruiting
services. Love, the son of former Oregon Duck and NBA player Stan
Love, has reportedly narrowed his decision between North Carolina
and UCLA. According to Pierson, Love could have started on a Pac-10
team as a freshman in high school. Meanwhile Singler, who is a
close friend of Love’s, is a 6-foot-8 small forward known for
his quickness and basketball intelligence. He joins Love as a
top-10 prospect for the Class of 2007, as multiple recruiting
services peg him as the No. 6 high school junior in the country.
Singler is reportedly debating between Duke and UCLA. The duo, who
played on the same Amateur Athletic Union team together, are the
most highly touted recruits to come out of Oregon in several years,
and together could possibly vault a program into instant elite
status. “Kevin Love is the single best recruit that UCLA has
recruited since Ben Howland has been here,” said Pierson, who
has been following UCLA’s recruiting for nine years.
“He is a hugely impact type of player. So the combination of
him and Singler make for the biggest recruiting experience in UCLA
basketball in recent memory. “I can’t even remember
there being as good of players the Bruins have been recruiting that
they have a good chance of getting, and perhaps even leading
for.” Due to NCAA rules, high school players are only allowed
to take official visits during their senior year, but can take as
many unofficial visits as they please before their final year of
high school. This will be Love’s second unofficial visit to
Westwood and Singler’s first, according to Pierson. Neither
UCLA coach Ben Howland nor other athletic department officials are
permitted to comment about potential recruits because of NCAA
rules.
THE 12 ANGRY MEN: Freshman Mike Roll sprained his right thumb in
practice on Tuesday, meaning that all 12 scholarship athletes have
suffered an injury this season. The sophomore practiced on
Wednesday and is expected to play tonight against Arizona State.
Roll’s thumb will be taped before the game.
DRIBBLERS: Having started the last two games at center, senior
Ryan Hollins will continue to be in the starting lineup, according
to Howland. In his last four games, Hollins is averaging 9 points
and 5.3 rebounds per game while shooting 75 percent from the floor.
… The last time UCLA swept all four games from the Arizona
schools was during the 1996-97 season, Steve Lavin’s first
year as coach of the Bruins.