Post by RunTheSystem2 on Oct 17, 2007 10:28:44 GMT -5
www.insidebayarea.com/prepsports/ci_7201565
Skyline's Vaughn finds home
OAL scoring leader chooses Loyola Marymount
By Steve Herendeen, STAFF WRITER
Inside Bay Area
Article Last Updated:10/17/2007 02:35:09 AM PDT
OAKLAND — It took awhile, and there were definitely some tense moments, but Skyline High's standout point guard Kwame Vaughn has finally locked down his college basketball future.
Vaughn, a senior, verbally committed to Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles on Sunday night, ending a few months of anxiety in which a scholarship offer from St. Mary's College fell through and interest from other schools waned.
"They (scholarship offers) just never materialized," said Vaughn, the 2007 Oakland Athletic League scoring champion and the most impressive player at the Proving Ground Combine at Diablo Valley College last July.
"There was a lot of stress," he added. "This is a big load off my shoulders."
The 6-foot-3, 195-pound Vaughn — who had an overall 16.8 scoring average last year while also posting 5.2 assists, 3.2 steals and 5 rebounds a game — can't sign a national letter-of-intent until Nov.14.
Vaughn plans to visit Loyola Marymount this weekend. However, he already knows he's going to like it, because he's met Lions coach Rodney Tention.
Tention, entering his third year as coach after serving eight years as an assistant under Lute Olson at Arizona, personally sold Vaughn and Skyline coach Terrence Ransom on Loyola Marymount.
The injury-plagued Lions went just 13-18 overall and 5-9 in the West Coast Conference last season. The year before the team was 12-18 overall, but 8-6 in the WCC, its first conference winning season since 1995-96.
"He was very honest and very serious about making the program better," Vaughn said of Tention. "He's similar to (Ransom) because he pushes the kids (on the court), but also pushes them in the classroom."
Vaughn said Tention told him he'll get some minutes at both guard spots and a chance to earn a starting position.
"Coach Tention liked Kwame's size, the way he shoots, and that he's so eager," said Ransom. "He thinks Kwame's got a big upside."
Ransom expects Vaughn to blossom under Tention.
"Every year, Kwame's gotten more fiery and more determined," Ransom said. "(Under Tention), he'll become a student of the game and learn how to read it while playing with guys as good as he is. In that situation, he'll just unfold. Kwame's best basketball is four years down the road."
Skyline's Vaughn finds home
OAL scoring leader chooses Loyola Marymount
By Steve Herendeen, STAFF WRITER
Inside Bay Area
Article Last Updated:10/17/2007 02:35:09 AM PDT
OAKLAND — It took awhile, and there were definitely some tense moments, but Skyline High's standout point guard Kwame Vaughn has finally locked down his college basketball future.
Vaughn, a senior, verbally committed to Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles on Sunday night, ending a few months of anxiety in which a scholarship offer from St. Mary's College fell through and interest from other schools waned.
"They (scholarship offers) just never materialized," said Vaughn, the 2007 Oakland Athletic League scoring champion and the most impressive player at the Proving Ground Combine at Diablo Valley College last July.
"There was a lot of stress," he added. "This is a big load off my shoulders."
The 6-foot-3, 195-pound Vaughn — who had an overall 16.8 scoring average last year while also posting 5.2 assists, 3.2 steals and 5 rebounds a game — can't sign a national letter-of-intent until Nov.14.
Vaughn plans to visit Loyola Marymount this weekend. However, he already knows he's going to like it, because he's met Lions coach Rodney Tention.
Tention, entering his third year as coach after serving eight years as an assistant under Lute Olson at Arizona, personally sold Vaughn and Skyline coach Terrence Ransom on Loyola Marymount.
The injury-plagued Lions went just 13-18 overall and 5-9 in the West Coast Conference last season. The year before the team was 12-18 overall, but 8-6 in the WCC, its first conference winning season since 1995-96.
"He was very honest and very serious about making the program better," Vaughn said of Tention. "He's similar to (Ransom) because he pushes the kids (on the court), but also pushes them in the classroom."
Vaughn said Tention told him he'll get some minutes at both guard spots and a chance to earn a starting position.
"Coach Tention liked Kwame's size, the way he shoots, and that he's so eager," said Ransom. "He thinks Kwame's got a big upside."
Ransom expects Vaughn to blossom under Tention.
"Every year, Kwame's gotten more fiery and more determined," Ransom said. "(Under Tention), he'll become a student of the game and learn how to read it while playing with guys as good as he is. In that situation, he'll just unfold. Kwame's best basketball is four years down the road."
