Texas-bound Bradley leads Findlay; UNLV gets Lopez letter (UPDATED)

By Rob Miech

Monday, Nov. 17, 2008 | 6:08 p.m.

Findlay College Prep started the season with two victories over the weekend and will play a couple of basketball games in Rhode Island this weekend.

Avery Bradley, the slick-shooting guard who has committed to Texas, led the way in scoring by averaging 24.5 points in the wins over New Creations (113-78) and Pickering High (77-54) from Canada.

“They tried to figure out what the heck they could do with him,” Findlay coach Mike Peck said of the 32 points Bradley tallied in his debut.

Carlos Lopez, the 6-11 power forward bound for UNLV next season, averaged 12.5 points and 8.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocked shots.

UNLV confirmed it received Lopez's letter of intent from Puerto Rico, bearing his mother's signature, Monday morning.

“One less thing to stress about his senior year,” Peck said. “He feels established here. He knows the environment. Doesn’t have to get used to new surroundings. By the time he’s a senior there he will have been here seven years.”

In a release, UNLV coach Lon Kruger praised Peck and Pilots assistant coach Todd Simon.

"They have done a terrific job in his development," Kruger said. "Carlos has made unbelievable progress over the last three seasons at Findlay Prep. He has very good instincts for the game and is a skilled big man."

Collegiate coaches cannot comment about a prospect until they receive the player's signed commitment papers.

Pilots guard Cory Joseph, a junior, attended Pickering in suburban Toronto the past two seasons. He had seven assists in the opener, and 10 points and 9 rebounds against his old school.

Victor Rudd, a 6-foot-8 senior from the San Fernando Valley near Los Angeles, averaged 12.5 points and 12.5 boards in the two victories.

Illinois-bound guard D.J. Richardson, averaged 12 points and 4.5 assists off the bench.

Willie Hankins, a junior guard from Los Angeles, impressed Peck with 16 points off the bench in the blowout of New Creations.

“He had a good all-around game,” Peck said. “He made some shots and, defensively, played hard. That was a nice surprise for us. That allowed us to separate.”

Godwin Okonji, the power forward from Nigeria who hopes to play at UNLV, too, also was solid in both games, according to Peck.

Findlay plays St. Andrews of Delaware on Friday night at 6 at Bryant University in Smithfield, R.I., then has St. Marks of Massachusetts on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. at Bryant.

“It’s a challenge bouncing back to the East Coast the very next week,” Peck said. “St. Andrews, I hear, is very solid year in and year out. It’ll be another new test for us.

“Hopefully, we’re not too full of ourselves. But this group listens very well. They take things to heart. It’s like a business trip, let’s do the job and get out of town. They’re pretty focused.”