300 Elite Prospects at UA for Tourney

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">More than 300 elite-level basketball prospects will land on the Arizona campus this weekend and Lute Olson can't see any of them.
Yet the UA basketball coach couldn't be happier about it.

This weekend's inaugural Arizona Cactus Classic, featuring 32 AAU programs mostly from the West, is being held during an NCAA "quiet'' period when coaches are prohibited from watching or talking with prospects.

But that drawback kept other major AAU events from being held this weekend, so the teams that wanted to play had little choice but to visit McKale Center and Bear Down Gym.

And if the players happen to like what they see when they take a look around campus and town, the better for Olson.

"It's like guys getting an unofficial visit to the campus," Olson said. "Although we can't be involved or anything else, they can (look) on their own and it's really important for them to get a feel for the arena and the campus."

Already, several other top programs are the site of AAU tournaments, getting players to tool around their campuses. At the UA, Olson is hoping for good crowds to add to the attraction for recruits.

In return, he figures, fans will get a look at several top high school juniors and sophomores, even a few freshmen.

"Without a doubt, it will be the most outstanding group of high school players to play on that court," Olson said. "A lot of them they'll be seeing at various universities through the years and a number of them will be in the NBA eventually."

The UA's top 2007 recruit, point guard Jerryd Bayless, won't play in the event. But the Wildcats' other two committed recruits, center Alex Jacobson and forward Jamelle Horne will be involved. So will Houston forward Gary Johnson and several other UA recruiting targets.

It wasn't just the date that attracted these elite players. Instead of asking a shoe company to sponsor the event, which would scare off those AAU teams who are affiliated with other shoe companies, event organizer Jim Storey found local sponsorship.

Storey also threw in four hotel rooms a night and meals for 24 of the teams paying the $500 team entrance fee. Not to mention, he's logged plenty of hours organizing the event.

But for Storey, who runs the recruiting-focused goazcats.com Web site, it's a labor of love.

"The biggest motivation, which I've experienced (at tournaments) in Las Vegas and Houston, is that it's so exciting to watch the new talent of tomorrow, future NBA guys," Storey said. "I thought this would be fantastic for Tucson, which is such a good basketball town."

For Tucson's one competing AAU team, the all-sophomore Sporting Chance outfit, it's also a bit more convenient than normal. Instead of racing all over the country again in pursuit of competition and exposure, coach Gary Malis and his players merely need to find the UA campus.

"It's going to be strange sleeping in our own beds," Malis said. "Some of them said, 'Can we stay in the hotel?' They're not used to it." </div>

Source

<u>Players to watch:</u>
Enoch Andoh, So. F, Sporting Chance (top Tucson player)
Kamyron Brown, Jr. G, SoCal Razorbacks (cousin of UA assistant coach Miles Simon)
Jamelle Horne, Jr. F, EBO-EA Sports (committed UA recruit)
Alex Jacobson, Jr. C, SoCal All-Stars (committed UA recruit)
Brandon Jennings, So. PG, SoCal All-Stars (Top 25 UA recruiting target)
Gary Johnson, Jr., F, Houston Hoops (Top 25 UA recruiting target)
Kevin Love, Jr. F/C, SoCal All-Stars (Top 10 prospect from Oregon)