Fred Snowden's first recruiting class, known as the Kiddie Korps and featuring five freshman starters, took Tucson by storm.

University of Arizona basketball does not begin or end with Lute Olson, despite the four Final Fours and one NCAA title to his credit.

Olson’s 24 seasons at the helm of UA basketball cast a giant shadow, one that perhaps obscures another principal contributor to all that is Arizona basketball today.

Former UA star and current Wildcat broadcaster Bob Elliott sums it up this way: “If there’s not a Fred Snowden, there’s probably not a Lute Olson.”

Elliott explains that Olson was already a Final Four coach who had his choice of schools to move on to – and that Snowden’s success here showed Lute the possibilities.

“It’s a lot easier to go to a program where the fire had already been lit. . . . Lute knew the fire had been lit by Freddy,” Elliott says.

Snowden is the man who took the Cats from the 3,000 seats or so of Bear Down Gym to brand new McKale Center and its nearly 15,000 seats in 1973.

It was a lot of pressure for a rookie head coach. Not only was he tasked with filling McKale and creating a national reputation for the program, he also had the added glare of publicity that came from being the first African-American head coach in men’s Division I basketball.

Snowden’s first recruiting class, known as the Kiddie Korps and featuring five freshman starters, took Tucson by storm. By the time McKale opened at midseason, Tucson’s love affair with basketball was in full bloom and sellouts were the norm.

“Fred was the catalyst,” says Jerry Holmes, an assistant coach under Snowden.

“The Fred Snowden regime in that time started the tradition of Arizona basketball, without question,” Holmes says.

Success built quickly, as Snowden’s breakneck offense captivated Tucson.

“The community really bought into this team. . . . It was the most exciting time in UA sports history,” Holmes says.

Two members of the Kiddie Korps, Eric Money and Coniel Norman, left early for the NBA, and another, John Irving, transferred. But two of them remained to take the Wildcats to then-unheard of heights: the final eight in the NCAA Tournament and within eight minutes of the Final Four.

That 1976 team, which featured Elliott at center, was led by Kiddie Korps holdovers Al Fleming and Jim Rappis. In what was certainly Snowden’s finest season, his Cats beat John Thompson’s Georgetown Hoyas in the first round. It was also the first meeting of two black head coaches in the NCAA Tournament.

Next up was Nevada-Las Vegas, ranked No. 3 in the country. The Cats won 114-109 in overtime, propelled by what may have been the finest backcourt performance ever by a Wildcat twosome. Rappis and junior Herm Harris combined for 55 points on 23 of 36 field-goal shooting and 21 assists. They did it without the benefit of the three-point shot.

Then came mighty UCLA in the West Region final, on its home court at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles. The Bruins broke open a tie game with eight minutes to go and went on to earn the Final Four berth.

“It was the first team in Arizona history to go to the Elite Eight. That set a benchmark,” says Elliott.

Combined with Olson’s first UA Final Four squad in 1988 and the 1997 NCAA title team, they form a trio of milestones that new UA coach Sean Miller will try to surpass.

“The milestone is to win two national titles. Everything else has been done,” says Elliott.

Fred W. Enke played three seasons for the basketball Wildcats, 1945-48, becoming team captain in the 1947-48 season.

<h4>Mutual respect: </h4>

Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (left) and Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin shake hands following the Penguins' 6-2 win in Washington on Wednesday, sending the Penguins to the next round of the NHL playoffs.

&gt; Go to <a href="http://www.tucsoncitizen.com">www.tucsoncitizen.com</a> for more sports photo galleries.

In the case of USC basketball coach Tim Floyd’s recruitment of O.J. Mayo, it might come down to a case of he said vs. he said.

Louis Johnson, a former associate of Mayo’s, has told federal and NCAA investigators that Floyd gave $1,000 in cash to a man who helped steer the star player to the Trojans, according to Johnson’s attorney, Anthony V. Salerno.

Whatever happens, there was a sense of relief at the University of Arizona, which had courted Floyd this spring before hiring Xavier coach Sean Miller.

UA athletic director Jim Livengood denied he had offered Floyd the job. But he said he had asked Floyd about the reports and his relationship with Mayo.

“I asked him the question,” Livengood said. “He said there’s nothing to that. So end of question. We didn’t go any farther.”

Floyd has yet to respond to the allegations, which first appeared in a Yahoo! Sports report.

“That’s really the whole thing: who do you believe?” Salerno told The Associated Press on Wednesday. “Tim Floyd had a motive to pay O.J. Mayo to get there. Louis really doesn’t have any motives. He doesn’t have an ax to grind against Tim Floyd.”

Salerno said he thinks investigators believe Johnson’s story. Johnson has told them that he accompanied Mayo’s handler, Rodney Guillory, to a meeting with Floyd at a Beverly Hills cafe on Valentine’s Day 2007, and that Guillory emerged with an envelope stuffed with $100 bills.

“I don’t think they’ve expressed any indication that they don’t believe him,” Salerno said, referring to NCAA investigators. “And for what it’s worth, I think the U.S. government, through the Justice Department, believes him, too.”

Johnson’s account comes as USC deals with allegations that 2005 Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush received improper benefits from a sports marketing agent while at USC.

If the NCAA can prove Floyd paid Guillory for delivering Mayo to USC, that would be a major violation. The Trojans could be forced to forfeit victories, and could face recruiting restrictions and lose scholarships.

USC athletic department spokesman Tim Tessalone said the school could not comment on an ongoing NCAA investigation.

Mayo played one season at USC, leading the Trojans to a 21-12 record and an NCAA Tournament berth. He was drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies with the third overall pick. He was runner-up for the NBA’s top rookie award to Chicago’s Derrick Rose.

Salerno said he wonders why Floyd has not disputed Johnson’s account if it’s false.

“Tim Floyd easily could have said, ‘That’s baloney, it’s slanderous and not true, I never did that,’” Salerno said. “In my opinion, it’s kind of damning, his being silent. It’s not like this is a criminal case for him. It’s not like this is a subtle allegation. It’s black and white.

Ex-Pistons honor Daly

TEQUESTA, Fla. – Chuck Daly’s team gathered around him one last time. Bill Laimbeer and Rick Mahorn were side by side on one end, Joe Dumars on the right, Isiah Thomas and Vinnie Johnson standing together a few feet back.

The Bad Boys were together again, not as players but pallbearers who gave their coach a sad, fond farewell.

“He was coaching all of us until the day he died,” Thomas said.

Here’s how much Daly meant to Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle, an ex-Daly assistant: His team was in Denver, a playoff game was six hours away, and Carlisle was still in South Florida, to help carry his mentor out of the church.

“Missing this was not an option,” Carlisle said.

Daly, 78, died Saturday of pancreatic cancer in Jupiter, Fla.

The Associated Press

Taylor rejoins Dolphins

MIAMI – Jason Taylor’s newest step has him back where he started. The dancing linebacker signed a $1.5 million, one-year contract with Miami.

He played his first 11 seasons with the Dolphins before being traded a year ago to Washington – a fallout from his stint on the TV show “Dancing With the Stars.” He was released by the Redskins in March after an injury-plagued season.

The Patriots courted Taylor, but he wanted to return to South Florida, where he still lives.

The Associated Press

Streaker pleads not guilty

NEW YORK – A streaker who disrupted a New York Mets game by jumping onto Citi Field naked except for a stuffed monkey tied around his waist pleaded not guilty to trespassing charges Wednesday.

Craig Coakley was arraigned in state Supreme Court in Queens on a charge of interfering with a professional sporting event and criminal trespassing.

The 38-year-old plumber jumped onto the field, with only the stuffed monkey and “Lets Go Mets” painted on his back.

The Associated Press

UW athletics lays off 12

SEATTLE – The University of Washington athletic department is trimming an additional $1.6 million from its operating budget by laying off a dozen staffers and streamlining operations.

Athletic director Scott Woodward announced the additional cuts on Wednesday. He had already decided to end the men’s and women’s swimming programs. Cutting those teams is expected to save the Huskies $1.2 million.

He said the cuts were necessary to “preserve the viability” of the UW’s remaining teams.

The Associated Press

It’s a girl for WNBA star

NEW YORK – Los Angeles Sparks star Candace Parker has given birth to a girl.

It is the first child for the WNBA’s reigning MVP and rookie of the year and husband Shelden Williams of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The baby, born in Los Angeles on Wednesday, weighed 7 pounds, 6 ounces and was 20 inches long.

Parker plans to rejoin the Sparks once she gets the OK from her doctor. The WNBA season begins June 6.

The Associated Press

NUMBER OF THE DAY

56

Consecutive games in which the Yankees’ Joe DiMaggio got hits in 1941 – the longest such streak in baseball history. The other top streaks:

Pete Rose, Cincinnati, 1978 44

Willie Keeler, Baltimore, 1897 44

Bill Dahlen, Chi. Cubs, 1894 42

George Sisler, St. Louis, 1922 41

Ty Cobb, Detroit, 1911 40

Paul Molitor, Milwaukee, 1987 39

Tommy Holmes, Boston, 1945 37

Jimmy Rollins, Phil., 2005 36

Chase Utley, Phil., 2006 35

QUOTABLE:

'It would have sucked a lot more if we had lost.'

RYAN ZIMMERMAN,

Washington third baseman, whose hitting streak ended at 30 games. He went 0-for-3 but the Nationals beat San Francisco 6-3.

———

ON THIS DATE

1913: Washington’s Walter Johnson gives up a run in the fourth inning against the St. Louis Browns to end his streak of 56 scoreless innings.

1967: Mickey Mantle’s 500th home run, off Stu Miller, lifts the Yankees over the Orioles 6-5.

1999: Ex-UA Wildcat Annika Sorenstam shoots an 11-under 61, the best score in LPGA history on a par-72 course.

2004: Ex-UA Wildcat Richard Jefferson scores 18 of his 31 points after regulation to lead New Jersey to a 127-120 triple-overtime win over Detroit and a 3-2 lead in the NBA Eastern semifinals.

———

SPORTS SOUND-OFF

If Cats don’t yowl, NCAA will do it again

Re: Candrea tells Cats: Let go of anger

• This is the second year in a row that Arizona gets the shaft (failing to host an NCAA softball first-round regional). And if Arizona does not do anything, then expect more of the same treatment. One was acceptable. Two is just personal. CLAUDIA44

• Truth is Arizona has won the regional out of state before, and here is one fan hoping the Wildcats do it again. AZMSKI

Amphi-CDO football series should be revived

Re: Amphi coach laments lapse in rivalry with Canyon del Oro

• What a shame! This was a great football rivalry. The games were always well-attended and usually were very well-played. Hopefully, the powers that be will look at picking this game up next year. 6652

NEW YORK – Roger Clemens tried the silent treatment for more than a year and saw where that got him.

With many fans believing allegations that the seven-time Cy Young Award winner used performance-enhancing drugs, he’s now attempting a different strategy. Clemens hired a firm that guides high-profile figures through public relations crises, and Tuesday he broke his silence with a radio appearance.

Clemens again denied that former personal trainer Brian McNamee injected him with performance-enhancing drugs in a phone interview on ESPN’s “Mike & Mike in the Morning.”

“He’s never injected me with HGH or steroids,” Clemens said of McNamee’s assertions to baseball investigator George Mitchell.

About three weeks ago, Clemens met in Houston with Washington-based Levick Strategic Communications. He chose to speak out Tuesday because it was the release date of a book about his alleged drug use.

Clemens appeared on CBS’ “60 Minutes” in January 2008, then held a news conference the next day. But he had stayed quiet since testifying before Congress the following month.

While “American Icon: The Fall of Roger Clemens and the Rise of Steroids in America’s Pastime” was officially released Tuesday, its revelations were not new to the public. The book, by four New York Daily News reporters, recaps previous reports in the newspaper.

Clemens is under investigation by a federal grand jury in Washington that is trying to determine whether he lied when he told a congressional committee that he had not used illegal performance-enhancing drugs. Clemens said he had not been summoned to testify before the grand jury.

He also has sued McNamee for defamation. While not mentioning McNamee by name, Clemens said Tuesday that “you’ve got somebody that’s out there that is really just crawling up your back to make a buck.”

“This, in my view, is going to backfire, because he’s publicly now poking a stick in Congress’ eye,” McNamee’s lead lawyer, Richard Emery, said. “And, to me, all that’s going to do is vitalize the prosecutors going forward. Nobody, for a minute, thinks he’s not a liar just because he’s talking.”

Clemens said he gave a DNA sample to federal investigators but that syringes provided by McNamee would not link him to performance-enhancing drug use “because he’s never given me any,” Clemens said.

His radio appearance returns him to the spotlight as other stars had replaced him as the most visible reminders of baseball’s drug scandal. Alex Rodriguez admitted before the season he had used steroids, and Manny Ramirez was suspended last week for violating MLB’s drug policy.

Clemens said it would have been “suicidal” for him to use steroids because of a history of heart problems in his family.

Apology I

DALLAS – Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has apologized to the mother of Denver Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin.

Cuban made a crack after a Mavs loss in Dallas on Saturday in their NBA playoff series. According to Cuban, a fan called the Nuggets “thugs.” Cuban looked at Martin’s mother, Lydia Moore of Dallas, and said, “That includes your son.” Martin’s agent told the Denver Post that Cuban said to Martin’s mother that her son is a “punk.”

In a Tuesday post on Cuban’s blog titled “An Apology to Kenyon Martin’s Mom,” Cuban wrote that he shouldn’t have said anything. He added that this matter has gotten out of hand.

The Mavs trail the series 3-1 after winning Monday 119-117. Game 5 is Wednesday at Denver.

The Associated Press

Apology II

WALTHAM, Mass. – Boston Celtics forward Glen Davis apologized Tuesday for bumping a 12-year-old boy while celebrating his game-winning shot against the Orlando Magic.

Davis said he got emotional and didn’t see the boy as he turned and ran to the Celtics bench following a 21-foot jumper that gave the Celtics a 95-94 win Sunday, tying the series at 2.

“If I’ve hurt anybody or if I’ve done any harm to anybody, please forgive me because my intentions were just harmless,” he said.

Video of the play shows the 6-foot-9, 289-pound Davis ducking behind a referee and stepping out of bounds before appearing to place a hand in the small of the boy’s back. The boy took a step back and his hat fell off.

The boy’s father, Ernest Provetti, wrote the NBA office demanding an apology, saying Davis had “no regard for fans’ personal safety.”

The Associated Press

NFL may deploy more

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – After seeing fans jam London’s Wembley Stadium to watch the NFL the past two years, the league may add a second regular-season game overseas for 2010.

Commissioner Roger Goodell said the second game could also be played in London or another location in the United Kingdom. The issue will be discussed at next week’s league meetings, and could be included in a larger plan to add up to two regular-season games to the NFL schedule.

The NFL first staged a regular-season game in London in 2007, when the New York Giants beat Miami 13-10. Last year, New Orleans beat San Diego 37-32.

Both games were sellouts, and fans gobbled up tickets for this year’s game between the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Oct. 25.

“The fan reaction we’ve had in London has been extraordinary. We would like to feed that passion,” Goodell said.

But some players have been critical because of the extensive travel involved in the middle of the season. One team also loses a home game, a potential competitive disadvantage.

The Associated Press

Delaware may get sports betting

DOVER, Del. – The state Senate approved a bill Tuesday that would authorize Delaware to become the only state east of the Mississippi River to offer sports betting, sending it to Gov. Jack Markell for a promised signature.

The Senate passed the bill 17-2.

Because of a brief unsuccessful experiment with a sports lottery in the 1970s, Delaware is one of only four states, along with Nevada, Montana and Oregon, exempted from a 1992 federal law banning sports gambling.

The Associated Press

Utah hoops coach gets raise

SALT LAKE CITY – Utah has rewarded basketball coach Jim Boylen with a raise and new contract after only two years.

Utah announced Tuesday that Boylen has signed a five-year deal that will pay him $850,000 annually with potential for $1 million with incentives.

Boylen, who had been mentioned as a potential candidate for the Arizona job, had three years remaining on his original contract, which paid him $575,000 a year. Boylen has gone 42-25 in two seasons at Utah.

The Associated Press

———

SPORTS SOUND-OFF

Preseason picks always wrong?

Re: Anthony Gimino’s sneak peek at college football season

• The only thing certain about preseason prognostication is it is always wrong. It would not surprise me if this is the year Arizona comes out of almost nowhere to make it to our first Rose Bowl. Of course, it also wouldn’t surprise me if we lost by 14 to Central Michigan in the season opener. AZCATFAN85

• I’m looking forward to a challenging year for the Cats. Our wide open offense should be more polished now. I think our quarterbacks will come through for us. If Matt Scott can throw accurately, he should be exciting to watch. DSTOWE

Bring shooting guard to Arizona

Re: UA hoops signee Parrom, prospect Stephenson shine in tourney

• Lance Stephenson would make Jerryd Bayless look like a slow/poor shooter. YES, Stephenson is that good as a shooting guard. . . . He’s played with Parrom and knows UA assistant coach “Book” Richardson. Even if he’s a “one and doner,” I’d vote a big fat yes to bring him to Arizona. John Wall (Raleigh, N.C.) is the other Top 5 recruit that hasn’t committed yet. He’s a natural point guard. New Memphis coach Josh Pastner has him on speed dial! CACTUS PETE

———

BY THE NUMBERS

29

Points separating the leader and second place in the NASCAR Sprint Cup points standings:

Driver Points

1. Jeff Gordon 1,601

2. Tony Stewart 1,572

3. Kurt Busch 1,546

4. Jimmie Johnson 1,465

5. Denny Hamlin 1,445

6. Jeff Burton 1,384

7. Kyle Busch 1,380

8. Ryan Newman 1,363

9. Greg Biffle 1,345

10. Matt Kenseth 1,326

———

ON THIS DATE

1952: In an Appalachian League game, Ron Necciai of the Bristol Twins strikes out 27 batters while pitching a 7-0 no-hitter against the Welch Miners.

1958: Stan Musial gets his 3,000th hit with a pinch-double off Chicago’s Moe Drabowsky at Wrigley Field in a 5-3 win.

1976: The New York Nets overcome a 22-point third-quarter deficit to beat the Denver Nuggets 112-106 to win the ABA title 4-2.

2005: Tiger Woods misses a 15-foot par putt at the Byron Nelson Championship, ending his record of 142 straight cuts made over the last seven years on the PGA Tour.

Arizona’s basketball connection in New York City is faring well in postseason all-star action.

UA signee Kevin Parrom and UA prospect Lance Stephenson helped the Panthers AAU team advance to the semifinals of the Nike Spring High School Classic in New York over the weekend.

Parrom, a 6-foot-6 small forward, scored 11 of his 13 points in the third quarter to lead the Panthers to a 91-81 second-round win Saturday over N.Y.A.B.C.

Stephenson, a 6-6 guard-forward, pumped in a game-high 38 points Sunday as the Panthers ousted N.Y. Elite 84-76 in the quarterfinals.

The Panthers will meet New Heights in the semifinals Saturday at 9:30 a.m. Tucson time in the prestigious tournament.

Arizona and Memphis are reportedly interested in signing Stephenson, a McDonald’s All-American who set the New York schoolboy record for career points. He averaged 31.9 points and 12.8 rebounds during his senior season at Lincoln High in New York.

Parrom told Five Boro Sports that Stephenson said he would visit Arizona shortly. The final day of the early signing period is May 20.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Louisville says coach Rick Pitino is not interested in returning to the NBA.

The university insists there is no truth to a Yahoo! Sports report that said Pitino had inquired about the Sacramento Kings’ vacant coaching job. Louisville spokesman Kenny Klein said Pitino was in his office Friday but did not feel it necessary to address the situation.

Pitino just finished his eighth season with the Cardinals, leading Louisville to a 31-6 record and the Big East regular-season and tournament titles.

The Cardinals lost to Michigan State in the regional finals of the NCAA tournament.

Pitino has coached two NBA teams. He went 90-74 with the New York Knicks from 1987 to 1989 and 102-146 with the Boston Celtics from 1997 to 2001.

Venus loses to Safina

ROME – Top-ranked Dinara Safina rallied to beat Venus Williams 6-7 (3), 6-3, 6-4 Friday, setting up an all-Russian final with Svetlana Kuznetsova at the Italian Open.

No. 8-ranked Kuznetsova beat No. 9 Victoria Azarenka, a three-time title winner this year, 6-2, 6-4 in the other semifinal at Foro Italico.

The Russians’ clash on Saturday will be a repeat of last weekend’s Porsche Grand Prix final at Stuttgart, Germany, where Kuznetsova upset Safina in straight sets to capture her first WTA title in almost two years. Kuznetsova has won nine successive matches on clay.

Both players have been runners-up in Rome, Safina three years ago and Kuznetsova in 2007.

Beckham eying return

MILAN – David Beckham wants to return to AC Milan “as soon as possible” after the Major League Soccer season ends in November.

The former England captain will return to Los Angeles Galaxy in June, but is expected to rejoin the Italian club in January.

“I want to come back and play for Milan as soon as possible, even if it doesn’t happen quickly,” Beckham was quoted as saying in Corriere dello Sport on Friday. “I have to respect the contract I signed with Galaxy.”

East player Lance Stephenson, of Coney Island, N.Y., scores two of his 12 points during the second half of the McDonald's All-American boys basketball game April 1 in Coral Gables, Fla. The East team won 113-110.

Sean Miller is off and running. Where the new Arizona basketball coach takes the program – and who he lands – is anyone’s guess.

But this much is known: He has three solid signings from forward Solomon Hill, wing Kevin Parrom and center Kyryl Natyazhko.

Whether New York City shooting standout Lance Stephenson, the No. 8 recruit for next season’s class, is in the mix is unclear. But Arizona may not need him to succeed next season.

There’s no question Stephenson is a dynamic player, but his character – given his desire to get to the NBA as quickly as possible – might not be a good fit for Miller’s system. Why risk it? What’s to gain for one season?

Stephenson, a 6-foot-6 guard-small forward from Coney Island, N.Y., and his coach Dwayne Morton did not return calls left by the Tucson Citizen. His other apparent choice is Memphis.

Even people in Memphis, where former UA assistant Josh Pastner is the new head coach, don’t know what to think. The Memphis Commercial Appeal’s Dan Wolken wrote on Wednesday: “Stephenson’s recruitment has been difficult to read, however, and even the coaches involved are not sure where things stand.”

What’s undeniable is how well Miller has done in such a short time after being named UA’s coach a month ago. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, however, because one of the big reasons UA athletic director Jim Livengood pursued Miller was his ability for getting players.

“Spectacular,” said longtime UA men’s hoops fan George Kalil of Miller’s arrival and quick accomplishments. “Everywhere I go and when I get an e-mail or a phone call, people say to me Arizona could not have gotten a better guy or a better coach.

“People absolutely love him.”

It’s the feeling – or vibe – I’ve been getting in Tucson, too. Here it is in early May and people are talking about basketball.

Recruits. Future. Potential.

“I’m thrilled,” Kalil said. “It’s like this town has been born again.”

Not that the climb had to be that high, lest anyone forget UA has gone to 25 consecutive NCAA tournaments, and just two months ago was in the Sweet 16.

But compared to recent previous highs – UA won the 1997 national title and went to the 2001 Final Four – the Arizona program is down. Miller is capable of returning UA to the elite level. He took Xavier to the Elite Eight and Sweet 16 the last two seasons.

He may not contend for a national title right away, but he’s looking at every player possible.

My guess is UA doesn’t get Stephenson, who also has the option of going to Europe for a season or two before making an attempt at the NBA.

Stephenson already has been labeled a one-and-done player for next season, and coaches don’t build programs with those types. Miller never directly talked about such players in a meeting with the media two weeks ago, but he spoke about building a program with players who were good fits.

It’s hard to say if Stephenson is a good fit.

Good talent, yes.

Steve Rivera’s e-mail: srivera@tucsoncitizen.com

Lance Stephenson, of Brooklyn, N.Y., scores two of his 12 points during the second half of the McDonald's All-American boys basketball game April 1.

Arizona basketball coach Sean Miller’s first recruiting class is already getting raves. Adding McDonald’s All-American Lance Stephenson would make the class one of the best in the nation.

It’s unclear how interested Arizona is in getting Stephenson, a shooting guard/small forward who is rated the No. 8 player overall for the 2009-10 class by Scout.com.

Fox Sports, citing unnamed sources, says Arizona likely won’t “make a move on the talented, yet enigmatic wing player” from Coney Island, N.Y. UA is concerned with the player’s off-the-court issues, Fox said.

But the New York Daily News, also citing an unnamed source, says Arizona is making “a big-time push” for the 6-foot-5 Stephenson, who passed NBA player Sebastian Telfair as the leading scorer in New York schoolboy history.

One thing working in UA’s favor: new assistant coach Emanual “Book” Richardson has strong New York City ties and has coached Stephenson before.

Fox Sports and the Daily News report that new Memphis head coach Josh Pastner, a former UA assistant, is pursuing Stephenson.

Kansas also was in the running, but the Jayhawks opted to take Xavier Henry instead. St. John’s and Maryland also wanted Stephenson.

Stephenson also could go the route of former UA recruit Brandon Jennings and head to Europe for a year before entering the 2010 NBA draft.

Three top-100 players already are headed to Arizona: forward Solomon Hill, center Kyryl Natyazhko and wing Kevin Parrom.

As for Stephenson, he already has his own online reality documentary site, BornReadyTV.

Parrom, a former Xavier signee, commits to UA

Kevin Parrom

New Arizona men’s basketball coach Sean Miller made it a trifecta Sunday, getting recruit Kevin Parrom to commit to the Wildcats after visiting Tucson over the weekend.

The 6-foot-6 shooting guard/small forward from South Kent (Conn.) Prep is expected to sign scholarship papers soon and join signees Solomon Hill and Kyryl Natyazhko to give UA a formidable 2009-10 freshman class. All three could see playing time right away for UA.

Parrom, a Bronx, N.Y., native, visited the University of Pittsburgh last week. He had signed with Xavier, but when Miller left that school for UA, Parrom was granted a release from his letter of intent.

“That’s what it comes down to,” Parrom told the New York Daily News. “I had a great relationship with coach Miller.”

Despite Parrom’s visit to Pitt, it seemed as if Arizona was the front-runner because of his connection to the new UA coaching staff.

South Kent Prep coach Kelvin Jefferson said last week that Parrom was looking for a “comfort level” and a chance to play right away.

With UA having just seven returning scholarship players for next season, there seems to be plenty of playing time available – or at least a chance at playing time.

Jefferson confirmed Parrom’s commitment Sunday afternoon.

“Arizona had the upper hand the whole way – it was just a matter of him getting to campus and walking around,” Jefferson said. “It was (about) getting a good feel for the environment. And he did that.”

In an interview last week, Jefferson said Parrom likely would return from Tucson and talk with his family before making a decision. But he didn’t need that much time.

Parrom committed before he left Tucson. His parents – Kenny Parrom and Lisa Williams – were with him.

“I spoke to his dad and he was excited,” Jefferson said of Mr. Parrom. “The one thing he said to me was, ‘They love their basketball out here.’ He was happy. He’s happy for his son but sad that he’s going far away. He knows this is a really good thing thing for Kevin.”

Parrom is the first UA recruit out of the New York area since guard Khalid Reeves of Queens led the Wildcats to the 1994 Final Four. Parrom left St. Raymond High in the Bronx to play his senior season at South Kent.

He has a good relationship with new UA assistant Emanuel (Book) Richardson, the former director of the New York Gauchos club team before he joined Miller’s coaching staff at Xavier in 2008.

UA isn’t likely done with recruiting just yet. The Cats are after McDonald’s All-American Lance Stephenson, a 6-foot-5 guard from Coney Island, who is New York’s all-time leading scorer. Memphis, coached by former UA assistant Josh Pastner, also is pursuing Stephenson.

The NCAA late signing period ends May 20, although players may accept a scholarship after that date.

Kevin Parrom (right), a shooting guard/small forward from South Kent (Conn.), will play for the Wildcats.

———

MILLER TRIO

Despite getting a late start, new UA coach Sean Miller has landed three top-tier high school seniors for the 2009-10 recruiting class:

• Solomon Hill, F, 6-6, Los Angeles Fairfax High (27th-ranked player overall by Rivals.com; 61st by Scout.com)

• Kyryl Natyazhko, C, 6-10, Ukraine, IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla (41st overall by Scout; 81st by Rivals)

• Kevin Parrom, G-F, 6-5, Bronx, N.Y.; South Kent, Conn., High (74th by Scout; 122nd by Rivals)

The University of Arizona looks like a perfect spot for basketball recruit Kevin Parrom.

It has a good coach he’s comfortable with and UA’s situation – few scholarship players are on the team – would provide him a chance to play and have an immediate impact in 2009-10.

Those are some of the reasons the 6-foot-6 small forward is making a recruiting visit to Tucson this weekend.

“He’s looking for a comfort level with the coaches and he obviously has found that with that staff,” said Kelvin Jefferson, Parrom’s prep school coach. “They have a hand in that. He has that relationship. That’s important to him and the family.”

Parrom attends South Kent (Conn.) Prep. He asked out of his scholarship with Xavier three weeks ago, shortly after UA head coach Sean Miller left Xavier for Arizona.

Miller is not allowed to speak about Parrom because he’s now a recruitable athlete. But when Parrom signed his letter of intent with Xavier, Miller gushed about the guard.

“Kevin Parrom is a versatile wing player that can play a number of different positions in our program,” Miller said then.

“We are very excited about Kevin’s ability to contribute to our program on the basketball court. We are equally excited about his ability as a student and who he is as a person.”

When Parrom signed with Xavier, ESPN recruiting analyst Paul Biancardi told a Cincinnati television station that Parrom would be an impact player at Xavier and the Musketeers “struck gold” in getting him.

Jefferson said he likes Parrom’s work ethic and character. He also likes his basketball skills.

Jefferson said Parrom “can shoot the ball and score. He can get to the basket in a variety of ways. He’s a good size. . . . He can rebound and start the break. He makes good decisions.”

Zane Johnson is leaving the UA basketball team.

The player who was to be Arizona’s designated 3-point shooter won’t even be in a Wildcat basketball uniform next season.

Sophomore Zane Johnson has decided to leave the program.

“We wish Zane only the best of luck,” said Arizona head coach Sean Miller in a news release Wednesday. “He felt that opportunities would be better for him elsewhere.”

Where Johnson will go is anyone’s guess. He could not be reached for comment. His high school coach, Buddy Rake didn’t return messages.

After UA lost to Louisville in the Sweet 16 last month, Johnson said he was looking forward to being a team leader, being that he’d be one of only two juniors, along with Jamelle Horne, on the team.

“We talked about it,” Johnson said then, of what next season would be like. “It will be interesting. We might even have a bunch of walk-ons. But we’ll be ready to play. When the new coach comes in we’ll play hard for him.”

Johnson, a former Phoenix Thunderbird High School star, averaged 4.6 points, 1.8 rebound and 0.9 assists per game last season for UA.

Johnson played in 33 games, starting 13. He had a career-high 17 points against Loyola Marymount.

Last season, he hit 39.6 percent of his 3-pointers and 43.1 percent of his shots overall.

As a freshman, he was suddenly pulled out of his redshirt season at midyear when then-UA guard Jerryd Bayless was injured.

Juniors Jordan Hill and Chase Budinger have declared for the NBA and will not return next year to UA. Junior guard Nic Wise has decided to test the NBA waters to gauge if he is a first-round pick. UA has signed only two players from the spring’s recruiting class, making seven total players on scholarship.

Johnson

University of Arizona basketball guard Zane Johnson has decided to transfer to another school.

The 6-foot-5 sophomore from Phoenix averaged 4.6 points, 1.8 rebounds and 19.1 minutes in 33 games – 13 as a starter for the Wildcats.

Johnson has not decided what school he will attend, the university said in a news release.

“We wish Zane only the best of luck,” new Arizona coach Sean Miller said. “He felt that opportunities would be better for him elsewhere.”

NEW YORK – Concerns about swine flu prompted CONCACAF to cancel the rest of its under-17 soccer championship in Mexico, the epicenter of the outbreak.

Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico and the United States had clinched spots in the semifinals of the tournament, being played in Tijuana.

But after the Mexican government announced it was closing schools nationwide, CONCACAF said Monday it would abandon the tournament “to safeguard the health of players, officials and fans.”

Health officials say 20 deaths in Mexico are confirmed to be from swine flu, which is also suspected of causing more than 100 other deaths there.

The U.S. team, which had won all three of its group matches, was heading back to Bradenton, Fla., where the players and coaches are based.

“Our primary concern is the safety of our athletes and all of the athletes that were involved in the tournament,” said Neil Buethe, spokesman for US Soccer. “If CONCACAF feels this is the best decision to ensure the safety of all the athletes, we support that.”

Varnado to test waters

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State forward Jarvis Varnado announced Monday that he has declared for the NBA draft but won’t hire an agent.

The 6-foot-9, 210-pound junior from Brownsville, Tenn., said in a school news release that he wanted to get a feel for his draft status. By not signing with an agent, he could return to Mississippi State.

The Arizona men’s basketball team will travel to face Oklahoma on Dec. 6 as part of the Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series – a tough, early test in coach Sean Miller’s first season.

The Pac-10 holds a 13-11 advantage in the first two years of the Hardwood Series.

Go to www.tucsoncitizen.com/blog for the full schedule.

North Carolina basketball coach Roy Williams (center) fields questions during a news conference at Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C., at which players Ty Lawson (left) and Wayne Ellington announced that they would enter the NBA draft.

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington put off a jump to the NBA last season so they could improve their draft standing and make another run at a national championship.

Now with that title in hand, the juniors figure it’s the perfect time to give pro ball another try.

They announced Thursday that they would enter the draft again, ending their college careers a few weeks after leading the Tar Heels to their fifth NCAA championship.

Both players declared last year so they could work out at the predraft camp and for teams before deciding to return to school, a “testing the waters” option they can use only once.

But considering the way both performed in North Carolina’s dominating NCAA Tournament run, their departures seemed almost a certainty.

“Winning a championship definitely had a lot to do with it,” Ellington said. “There’s no better way to go out.”

Coach Roy Williams, who sat between them during the afternoon news conference, said he had spoken with 13 NBA teams to gauge where they might be drafted. He had previously said they returned because they weren’t guaranteed of being first-round picks.

“Every indication is that this is a good time,” Williams said Thursday.

“There’s no question that we loved having them. It’s been a great experience for me to watch them mature and grow.”

Lawson was a second-team All-American and unseated Tyler Hansbrough as Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year.

He was second on the team in scoring at nearly 17 points per game, and had 21 points and a championship game-record eight steals in the 89-72 win against Michigan State at Ford Field in Detroit.

Ellington was third in scoring at about 16 points despite a shooting slump that lasted the first two months of the season.

Curry to leave Davidson

DAVIDSON, N.C. – Davidson guard Stephen Curry will skip his senior season and take his sweet shooting stroke to the NBA.

After weeks of struggling to decide, the nation’s leading scorer announced Thursday that he’ll enter the NBA draft, where he could be a lottery pick.

The 6-foot-3 Curry moved to point guard this season and averaged 28.6 points. He had 15 games of 30 or more points and three of 40 or more.

Elsewhere

KANSAS: John Calipari’s move to Kentucky has cost him one of his prized recruits.

Oklahoma City high school star Xavier Henry announced Thursday that he would not follow Calipari after he left Memphis, and committed instead to play at Kansas.

MARYLAND: Guard Greivis Vasquez will enter his name in the NBA draft, but because he has not hired an agent could return for his senior year with the Terrapins.

The 6-6 Vasquez averaged 17.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game for the Terps this season and served as the team’s emotional leader.

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL: Isiah Thomas will make $1.29 million in base salary and bonuses from Florida International if he stays at the school for five seasons.

That figure doesn’t include incentives and variable compensation that the former New York Knicks coach and president could receive, such as bonuses for championships and strong academic achievement by his team.

Sean Miller

It’s been an action-packed two weeks for new Arizona men’s basketball coach Sean Miller, going from here to there and seemingly everywhere for recruits, family and UA.

“Change really makes you hustle,” Miller said Thursday in his first news conference since he was introduced two weeks ago as the new coach. He’s been in Tucson and on UA’s campus just half the time, if that, he said.

His hustle has resulted in two recruit signings – 6-foot-6 Solomon Hill and 6-10 Kyryl Natyazhko – and a few thousand frequent flier miles.

Miller said he’s hoping to add at least one more player, but if it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen.

“(If) we take somebody this spring,” he said, “I’d hope we’d want him a year from now and two years from now.”

Miller declined to speak about Hill and Natyazhko. He intends to talk about his entire recruiting class when it’s completed. It’s not clear where UA stands with Tremayne Johnson, a 6-7 forward who committed to the program in the winter.

In a text to the Citizen on Thursday, Johnson said he had not spoken to Miller yet but “maybe he’s making me his last recruit.”

Miller said he won’t go after recruits just to go after them.

“I don’t even know if there are eight available 2009 prospects that are Arizona good,” Miller said. “For us to make the right decisions with who we scholarship and who we bring in with our first class, I’m more concerned with that. I’m more concerned with having the proper (people) to make our ship sail.”

If no more than two or three recruits are signed, UA still could have a “significant” class next year.

As of now, UA has seven returning players, eight if UA guard Nic Wise were to return for his senior year.

Last week, Wise announced he would declare for the NBA, but he did not hire an agent. Miller said he’s unsure what Wise will do, but they have met a couple of times to discuss his situation.

The NBA has been one of Miller’s strongest selling points to recruits, along with the “high stature of the program.”

“That’s the name of the game (in) being able to continue the legacy coach (Lute) Olson and his staff (have) done for so long,” Miller said. “The reception we’ve gotten as a staff has been terrific.”

The history of the program is selling itself, something that has happened throughout recent years.

Miller said if you look at the NBA playoffs right now, Arizona has a “2-to-2 1/2-hour commercial” with Mike Bibby (Atlanta), Luke Walton (Los Angeles), Andre Iguodala (Philadelphia) and many more in the playoffs.

“That’s their dream,” Miller said of recruits wanting to be in the NBA. “They want to make that happen for themselves.”

Miller said one of his regrets about not having been around Tucson much was not being able to spend a lot of time with the current team.

“They understand what’s going on,” he said. “(I’m) getting to know them bit by bit and day by day, making sure they understand that by far the most important thing is that our players get treated the right way.”

Miller has spoken with former interim coach Russ Pennell about the team “and he was very helpful. . . . It really allowed me to get to know the players through the coaches’ eyes.”

Miller said he anticipates freshman Garland Judkins, who had been suspended off and on throughout this past season, to be back on next year’s team.

Judkins had been suspended for the season’s final two months.

“I told everyone of those guys I want to give them a fresh start,” Miller said. “I want to be the coach who really solidifies things. All those guys have been through an awful lot. That’s always the unknown.”

Also unknown is just how good UA will be next year.

Will the Wildcats make it to 26 consecutive NCAA Tournaments, extending the current NCAA mark for appearances? North Carolina has the record at 27.

“For me to walk around and fear that and walk around not to think that’s part of the deal would be foolish,” Miller said of the high expectations.

———

STARTING FIVE?

Possible UA starting lineup in 2009-10:

Pos. Player Cl.

F Jamelle Horne Jr.

F Solomon Hill Fr.

C Kyryl Natyazhko Fr.

G Nic Wise* Sr.

G Kyle Fogg So.

* If Wise doesn’t stay in NBA draft