Prospects draw Rebels’ attention

Steve Addy

Monday, July 30, 2001 | 11:38 a.m.

Las Vegas was teeming with high school basketball talent all week, but UNLV coach Charlie Spoonhour wasn't content just to hang around town.

After observing potential Rebels for the first three days of the Big Time Tournament, Spoonhour hurried off to watch junior college players in Tulsa, Okla., on Saturday and Orlando on Sunday.

After being hired out of retirement in March and rushing to complete the Rebels' 2001-02 recruiting class, he is making up for lost time with future prospects.

"We're doing some catching up right now," Spoonhour said from Orlando. "We're trying to get caught up with this year's seniors and the rising juniors."

Though they are not allowed to comment on specific players, Spoonhour and his staff targeted several at the Big Time Tournament, and many are showing interest in UNLV.

"We saw a lot of guys who could help us," Spoonhour said. "Even though you know about most of them already, invariably you see a couple other guys you like."

Because the Rebels awarded five scholarships this season, they'll have only three to give for 2002-03, in keeping with the NCAA's new 5-8 rule regarding new scholarships.

Spoonhour is known to be tracking several Juco players, notably shooting guard Antwain Barbour from Wabash Valley (Ill.) College, where he played last season under coach Jay Spoonhour, the new UNLV assistant and son of Charlie. Wabash Valley won the national Juco title with a 37-1 record.

It's possible two of next year's scholarships could go to Juco players.

"We probably have to wait and see who we have the best shot at," Charlie Spoonhour said. "The logical thing would be to sign at least one interior player and one perimeter player with some size, then go with the next-best guy."

At the Big Time Tournament, the Rebels followed several wing players. Bryson Krueger, from Mountain Pointe HS in Phoenix, said UNLV is high on his list of potential destinations.

Krueger's team, Double Pump AZ All-Stars, was eliminated in bracket play Friday, but his four-game scoring average was 25.5, including 38 in his first game Wednesday. The lanky senior showed deep shooting range and good ballhandling, particularly in traffic.

"UNLV started recruiting me after Spoonhour took over," the 6-foot-5 guard said. "They're one of my top schools. Wherever I go, I want to sign in November, and I would like to commit in August, just to get it out of the way."

New Mexico, Arizona, Oregon State and Vanderbilt were also on Krueger's trail. He plans to trim his list of schools in the next few weeks, he said.

UNLV also kept an eye on 6-3 shooting guard Marcellus Kemp from Seattle and 6-7 wing Bobby Jones from Dominguez HS in Compton, Calif.

Kemp is considering UNLV among several other West Coast schools, including Oregon, Oregon State and Gonzaga. Jones is being recruited by Kansas, Cincinnati, Utah, UCLA, Southern Cal and most of the Pac-10.

Among local players, the Rebels are recruiting senior guard C.J. Watson from Bishop Gorman, and they also watched his Pump N Run teammate, junior center David Padgett of Reno HS.

The NCAA's final summer evaluation day is Tuesday.