Rebels focused on grabbing high school prospects during early signing period

Steve Carp

Tuesday, Nov. 10, 1998 | 10:22 a.m.

The recruiting game is a funny one, and somewhat unpredictable at that.

A week ago, UNLV didn't appear to be signing anyone early, which would have been fine with coach Bill Bayno. Because the guy he really wants, Artesia High School swingman Jason Kapono, said he's not signing until the spring.

But while Kapono ponders his basketball future, the Rebels are expected to get commitments Wednesday from Dalron Johnson and Oscar Garcia, a pair of power forwards who will get a shot at taking Kevin Simmons' place next year.

National letters of intent went out Monday to the two players with the hope the fax machine will have something to spit out come Wednesday, the first day of the week-long early signing period.

Because of NCAA rules, Bayno can't comment on Johnson or Garcia. But he was feeling good about the way the 1999 recruiting class is shaping up.

"I'm pleased with the way it's going, he said. "Things are looking good."

"The fact is, we lose Kevin and who do we have to replace him? Shawn (Marion) and Chris (Richardson) can play the position, but they're really threes (small forward)."

Johnson, a 6-foot-9 forward from Verbum Dei High in Los Angeles, had narrowed his choices to UNLV and California. Johnson recently visited Berkeley but apparently has decided to play for the Rebels.

Garcia, a 6-8 forward from Spain, is playing at Notre Dame Academy in Fitchburg, Mass. He visited Las Vegas last month and will apparently choose UNLV over Clemson.

Meanwhile, Steve Hunter, the 6-10 forward from Maywood, Ill., may hold off on a decision.

Hunter, who many believed was committing to DePaul, apparently is waiting to see if Kapono comes to UNLV. Word is if Kapono commits to the Rebels, Hunter will join him in Las Vegas.

Kapono took his official visit at the end of October and has said he will not make his decision until April.

Final tuneup

Tonight's exhibition game with the California All-Stars will give Bayno another chance to look at his newcomers and give the entire team a chance to show it can play the type of defense he expects.

"Our focus for the last two days has been in defense," Bayno said. "We were a step behind a lot (against Global Sports) and we were slow in reacting.

"We don't expect to play perfect defense. We do want perfect effort on defense."

Bayno said he will once again play a lot of different combinations to see who works best together.

"One lineup I liked the other night was when I played Chris, Shawn and Ike (Issiah Epps) on the front line," Bayno said. "I liked what I saw from them."

Epps, who has been nursing a pulled groin muscle, worked out over the weekend and will be ready tonight.

"He's pain-free right now and he's starting to get back into shape," Bayno said of the 6-10 junior.

Hoop du jour

The California All-Stars are 3-5 on their 10-game tour which included a 67-40 loss at Wisconsin Monday night. The tour, which included an 85-79 win over North Carolina State Saturday, wraps up at Cal Thursday. There are a few familiar faces on the Cal All-Stars roster: Former USC center David Crouse, one-time Cal State Fullerton standout Chris Dade, former San Jose State swingman Marmet Williams and former Loyola Marymount center Kenny Hotopp will be in the lineup tonight at the Thomas & Mack. ... The first WAC team to begin its season was 25th-ranked Texas Christian, which lost 87-85 to No. 23 Rhode Island Monday night in the CoSIDA Classic at Providence. TCU plays Providence Wednesday. Seven WAC teams tip off their seasons Friday.