Three basketball recruits commit to UCLA with letters of intent
By Daily Bruin Staff
April 10, 1997 9:00 p.m.
Friday, 4/11/97
Three basketball recruits commit to UCLA with letters of
intent
Head coach Lavin announces players who have officially committed
to UCLA
By Emmanuelle Ejercito
Daily Bruin Staff
The UCLA men’s basketball team made official the addition of
three new members to its 1997-1998 roster.
UCLA head coach Steve Lavin announced Wednesday that Billy
Knight, Travis Reed and Rico Hines have signed national letters of
intent to play basketball for the Bruins.
Knight is a 6-foot-5 inch guard/forward from Westchester High
School. He averaged nearly 20 points per game for Westchester,
leading the Comets to a 25-7 overall record and to the Los Angeles
city final.
Knight is a left-hander and a consistent three-point threat; he
will add to UCLA’s perimeter shooting. He was honored as a
first-team Press-Telegram Best in the West selection and is a
two-time first-team L.A. city honoree.
Fontana A.B. Miller High School senior Reed is a 6-7 forward who
averaged 25 points per game. Another left-hander, Reed earned the
accolade of the Los Angeles Times Inland Player of the Year.
Meanwhile, Hines originally signed with UCLA in May 1996, but a
core course in his high school was not deemed acceptable by the
NCAA Initial Eligibility Clearinghouse. In 1996, as a senior at St.
John’s Prospect Hall (Cameron Dollar’s alma mater), Hines averaged
11.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.4 steals per game.
The three new recruits will join early signee Earl Watson.
Watson, a 6-2 guard from Washington High School in Kansas City,
Kan., committed to UCLA during the early signing in November.
"We are very happy with our recruiting class to this point,"
Lavin said. "All of these players are highly skilled and come from
prominent high school programs. These student athletes come from
great families and they will be a strong addition to our basketball
family."
UCLA will have another month to sign any more prospective
recruits. The letter of intent deadline is May 15.
