SoCalHoops Recruiting News

Long Beach State Gets
Commitment. . . Maybe--(Apr. 19, 2000)

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported on the first day of the late signing period, April 12, that Cornell High School's Drago Pavolovic (6'-7" Sr. F) has given a verbal to the 49'ers and will sign a Letter of Intent after he visits the campus officially during the weekend of April 21-23.   Pavolovic was chosen to the First Team All-WPIAL Class-A (which is, as best as we can tell, akin to Division V here in California, and which is called "Small Schools" in Pennsylvania.  He was selected as the Class A Player of the Year by the Tribune-Review, and was also selected to the "Small School" All-State Third Team.  Pavlovic, a native of Belgrade, Serbia, averaged 22.7 points and 14 rebounds a game in leading his high school team to the WPIAL Class A championship game, which the Raiders lost to Kennedy Christian. In that game, Pavlovic had 18 points and six rebounds. He was recruited by Cleveland State, West Virginia, Davidson, Iona, Princeton, Quinnipiac and St. Francis (N.Y.).  We have never seen Pavlovic play, but we understand that he's a very good student and a talented small forward. 

While the Pittsburgh papers have reported the commitment, other sources here in California are suggesting that Long Beach State may have withdrawn the scholarship offer and that Pavlovic may not make the visit after all. There has been no confirmation of any withdrawal from our sources in Pittsburgh.

We tried to find out a little bit more about Pavolovic, and went searching through the archives of some of the local Pittsburgh papers.   We came across the usual game reports and stats stuff, but also found this article, which was published in the Tribune-Review on January 28, 2000, and it sheds some additional light on who Pavlovic is and where he's from:

Serbian player complements Cornell lineup

Ed Wovchko had retired as a teacher at Cornell and was ready to give up coaching basketball there when his son, Jon, convinced him to stay. The elder Wovchko agreed on the condition that they share the coaching duties.

Not that he didn't have another incentive.

The arrival of Drago Pavlovic surely made Wovchko think twice. A native of Belgrade, Serbia, Pavlovic came to the U.S. for a basketball camp. His parents decided they wanted him to stay here to avoid the violence in his homeland.

"Somehow, he ended up at our school," Wovchko said. "He's a good kid to have."

A cultural exchange agency sent Pavlovic here so he would be comfortable with fellow Serbians in the city's ethnic neighborhoods.

He's also found some success on the basketball court.

The 6-foot-7, 225-pound Pavlovic is averaging 21.3 points a game for the No. 3 Raiders (10-5, 2-3 in Section 3-A) and has drawn the interest of several Division I basketball programs.

Cleveland State coach Rollie Massimimo paid a visit to the school. Iona is expected to send a scout  either tonight, when Cornell plays host to Serra, or on Tuesday. West Virignia has also called about Pavlovic.

"Even though Drago doesn't play guard for me because of his size and the fact that we're a small school, that's probably where he's best-suited," Wovchko said. "One scout told me, `Generally, those kids that come over play soft. They like to stand outside and shoot, and won't go inside.'

"We're trying to develop him into an all-around player."

By adding Pavlovic's size and scoring touch, the Raiders are becoming a well-rounded team. Ryan Singleton, a 5-11 senior point guard, is averaging 19.5 points a game and adds a blend of quickness and 3-point shooting.

Seniors Shauncey Carter and Jon Bretch join Singleton in the backcourt, and 6-4 Cliff Snatchko and 6-2 Dan Woodard help Pavlovic form the front line. After suffering losses to Serra, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart and Duquesne early on, Cornell has beaten Monessen, Vincentian and California the past two weeks.

"We're unpredictable," Wovchko said. "People have remarked to me that they've seen two different teams on the court in the same day.

We're certainly capable of winning the section, but there's inconsistency.

"Drago gives us the chance."

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