RELATED LINK FROM GOAZCATS.COM: Josh Gershon is reporting that Chris Hill, a forward from Raleigh, N.C., Stevens Prep is favoring the Cats if he can get his academics in order by the spring.

Gary Parrish of CBSSportsline.com at least got this one right: Why blue-chippers should wait until the spring to sign

A few of Arizona’s targeted recruits this summer for the Class of 2010 remain undecided as the end of the week-long fall signing period is tomorrow. I am a firm believer that these players — and even some of those who signed with other programs during the fall — should wait until the spring before making a final decision. The potential UA recruits still out there include:

1. Ray McCallum, 6-1, 175, Detroit Country Day School. Why would it benefit McCallum to wait? He can really study the programs that want him the most, including his father’s team at Detroit Mercy. McCallum can also be at ease by waiting until the spring if he decides to not play for his father. Instead of constantly being reminded during the season by hometown folks he should have stayed at home, he can concentrate on playing basketball and still support his father.
2. Doron Lamb, 6-4, 175, Mouth of Wilson (Va.) Oak Hill Academy. Although he never took an official visit to Arizona this fall, I believe the Wildcats are still very much in play for Lamb during the spring. The signing of Phoenix North guard Daniel Bejarano last week should not deter Lamb from considering the UA. It’s obvious that UA coach Sean Miller will try a rotation of eight to 10 players, so playing time will be there for the taking. Also, Lamb is a combo guard who can play the point if necessary. A McCallum-Bejarano backcourt or Lamb-Bejarano backcourt — heck, even a Lamont “MoMo” Jones-Bejarano backcourt — could evolve into one of the best the school has produced.

We should learn about McCallum’s intentions soon (mostly likely Tuesday). I will not be surprised if he waits until the spring, an approach that would be wise on his part. If he announces he will play for his dad and signs during the fall, more power to him: Family should take precedence in that scenario. As I mentioned before, if he chooses to sign with a team other than Detroit in the fall, he may get a lot grief from Detroit-area fans during his senior season. Bottom line: McCallum is better off waiting.

McCallum and Lamb waiting can only be good news for Arizona, which figures to increasingly play well by the end of the year because of its youth. That momentum and potentially another NCAA tournament appearance can spark an interest in these recruits and others who decided to wait until the spring.

The darkhorse out there might be C.J. Leslie, a 5-star power forward from Raleigh, N.C. Arizona showed interest not too long ago with the UA coaching staff phoning Leslie’s mother to gauge interest and she did not rule the Wildcats out. If the UA catches the eye of the national media as the season goes along, who’s to say that Leslie will be showcased better elsewhere? Will he become interested in the Wildcats?

With these recruits waiting until the spring, the UA has a fighting chance with any of them (if the opportunity presents itself — a BIG IF — because as it stands now only one scholarship is available if the team stays intact — another BIG IF).

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 at 1:14 am and is filed under Sports. Tags for this post: Chris Hill, Class of 2010 recruits, Doron Lamb, Ray McCallum. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.