SoCalHoops Recruiting News

Coaching Carousel, Player Carousel:
New Jobs, Potential Transfers--(Apr. 11, 2001)

UCLA News:   None of this is new stuff, but we thought we'd summarize what's being put out in the media and at various other sites. . . so bear with us if you've heard this before.   Word is now out that UCLA may be in the market for a potential transfer from Dalron Johnson (6'-9" So. PF) from UNLV.   We're not certain that Dalron has formally been given his release from UNLV, which would raise other questions, but assuming that he has, certainly Dalron would be an interesting player to consider adding to the UCLA roster.  However, by our count, unless someone is leaving, or gives up a scholarship, it will likely be a situation where Dalron has to walk on for a year in any event (a redshirt year anyway).    Since it was announced yesterday that Dan Gadzuric is staying and won't be leaving, the most current speculation is that Jason Kapono will once again announce for the NBA.  We've heard it said that a college player can only exercise the "test the waters" approach once (that is announcing for the league and then returning to school), and since Jason did that last year, if he announces again (regardless of whether he signs with an agent), he'll be out, so perhaps that opens things up, or perhaps it will convince him to stay in school for one more year.   What we're hearing from some very well placed sources who are very close to Jason, the word is that he will be gone this year, the thinking being that he won't significantly improve his draft position by staying. . .tell that to Shane Battier. There's also been some speculation that either Josiah Johnson or Ryan Walcott might be induced to give up their scholarships, taking on the role of walk-ons, but we don't believe that's going to happen either, and this could just be a situation where the 5/8 rule will prevent anyone from getting a ride beyond the guys who have already signed or who will sign this week.

More UCLA/Pepperdine/CSUN:   Assistant Coach Jim Saia, who formerly applied for the head coaching job at Pepperdine two years ago when Lorenzo Romar left for St. Louis, has applied for the job once again at Pepperdine now that Jan Van Breda Kolff has taken the St. Bonaventure head coaching job.    The LA Daily News (not Billy Witz, but Vincent Bonsignore) this morning reported that there are several other leading candidates for that job who will likely get it ahead of Saia, and those include CSUN's Bobby Braswell, current asisstant Gib Arnold, and former Pepperdine head coach and Kansas State Coach Tom Asbury.   According to Bonsignore, Asbury is the current favorite for the position.  Bonsignore also mentions that Arizona assistant Rodney Tention and former NBA and college coach Paul Westphal, fired by the Seattle SuperSonics this season, are both considered to be longshot candidates as well.  According to Bonsignore, "Westphal also is known for his strong Christian faith and has close ties with Pepperdine -- his son Michael is a walk-on with the Waves and his daughter graduated from the school. Westphal is a native of the Los Angeles area who graduated from USC and continues to live in the city."

Pepperdine:  Speaking of Pepperdine, former Pepperdine and St. Louis Assistant Coach Randy Bennett beat out the other applicants for the head coaching job at St. Mary's College in Moraga (that's up in the Bay Area).   We'll feature the official press release in a separate article.   Other applicants included current USC Assistant Silvey Dominguez, and current De La Salle High School head coach Frank Alloco.

Yet More Coaching Carousel:  We've heard that former UCLA Assistant Michael Holton who last week was named the new Head Coach at Portland University, has hired as his first assistant Eddie Hill. Apparently the word is that Hill was eager to return to the west coast and Portland was able to give him an attractive financial package, enough to get him from UTEP.   Hill was also formerly an assistant for San Jose State.  Congrats to Michael Holton on picking up a tremendous assistant and to coach Hill on his return to the west coast.

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