Things are quiet in terms of basketball team news since the coaching staff is on the recruiting trail this month before the Wildcats head to the Bahamas in August.
Football
* The 2012 season is upon us just about. The Pac-12 Conference will have its Media Day this Tuesday at the Gibson Ampitheatre in Universal City, Calif.
GOAZCATS.com will be in attendance and provide updates on both the premium board and Twitter.
Here's the lineup and a general idea on times you can probably expect some news to come from our end:
Group interview sessions
9:00 a.m. - Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott, president of Pac-12 Enterprises Gary Stevenson
9:15 a.m. - Colorado (Head coach Jon Embree, OT David Bakhtiari, LB Douglas Rippy)
9:35 a.m. - Arizona (Head coach Rich Rodriguez, QB Matt Scott, LB Jake Fischer)
9:55 a.m. - Arizona State (Head coach Todd Graham, RB Cameron Marshall, LB Brandon Magee)
10:15 a.m. - Utah (Head coach Kyle Whittingham, RB John White, DT Star Lotulelei)
10:35 a.m. - UCLA (Head coach Jim Mora, RB Johnathan Franklin, FS Tevin McDonald)
10:55 a.m. - USC (Head coach Lane Kiffin, QB Matt Barkley, safety T.J. McDonald)
11:15 a.m. - Break
11:25 a.m. - Washington State (Head coach Mike Leach, QB Jeff Tuel, DE Travis Long)
11:45 p.m. - Oregon State (Head coach Mike Riley, WR Markus Wheaton, CB Jordan Poyer)
12:05 p.m. - California (Head coach Jeff Tedford, WR Keenan Allen, DB Marc Anthony)
12:25 p.m. - Washington (Head coach Steve Sarkisian, QB Keith Price, CB Desmond Trufant)
12:45 p.m. - Stanford (Head coach David Shaw, RB Stepfan Taylor, LB Chase Thomas)
1:05 p.m. - Oregon (Head coach Chip Kelly, RB Kenjon Barner, LB Michael Clay)
Additional interview opportunities
1:25 to 4 p.m.
So we'll provide you with all of the latest updates as the team prepares for fall camp, as well as an idea of what the rest of the Pac-12 is saying about Arizona. As always, feel free to post questions you guys want answers to or email them to tracy@goazcats.com.
From there, we will be eight days away from Rodriguez' reporting day press conference and the team's official arrival for on-campus fall camp. The first practice is scheduled for Aug. 2.
* Speaking of fall camp, it was revealed that Kindall/Sancet Stadium will serve as the team's on-campus home along with Jimenez Practice Facility, which will only be used every now and then. But the converted baseball field will then become the temporary practice home until August 2013 while the practice facility next to Kindall/Sancet hosts intramural activities because construction on the North End Zone Project has made Bear Down Field unusable.
The space at Kindall/Sancet allows for the team to have almost two full football fields instead of the one field and 40-yard turf at Jimenez Practice Facility, and the Wildcats did already have one closed, invite-only scrimmage there in the spring.
Of course, like athletic director Greg Byrne told GOAZCATS.com earlier in the spring, the plan is to eventually have practices at Arizona Stadium on what is expected to be a new FieldTurf once the $72 million Lowell Stevens Football Facility is complete in August 2013. Nothing is final yet on a move to a new playing surface but it's all but inevitable barring a sudden change of heart.
* Among the changes Rodriguez has made to the fall camp schedule is the abundance of 6 p.m. practices. Seven two-hour practices at that slot, a 6:15 p.m. session and 5:30 p.m. scrimmage at Fort Huachuca, and a 6:30 p.m. closed scrimmage are on the Wildcats' fall slate.
But it's no surprise because all you have to do is look at UA's schedule and the start times of many games. Many times Rodriguez has wanted to simulate a game-like atmosphere in practice whether it was crowd noise, situations, etc. So it's only natural to play in similar conditions the team will face once the Sept. 1 opener against Toledo arrives.
The first three games at Arizona Stadium to start the season are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. kickoffs.
Now, here's Matt Moreno's recruiting breakdown:
As always - or so it seems - there's a lot to talk about when it comes to recruiting at Arizona this week. On the basketball side of things this is of course a busy time for the UA coaching staff with two of the three July evaluation periods now in the books. Sean Miller and his staff were out on the trail over the last few days and they were able to check out a number of prospects for the upcoming classes.
After a relatively quiet couple of weeks, the Wildcats' football program added another piece to an already impressive class Friday. It wasn't much of a surprise, but it the latest commit does fit a need and he's happy to be joining Rich Rodriguez's program.
With plenty to talk about this week, let's get right into it.
Football recruiting
* Previous to Friday's commitment of offensive tackle Jacob Alsadek, the last UA pledge came back on July 1. It was not a big surprise as we had been saying leading up to his decision that the Wildcats were in a good spot. The San Diego (Calif.) Torrey Pines prospect had been waiting on an offer from Vanderbilt for some time now. He recently camped with Commodores, but didn't pick up an offer.
The big 6-foot-7 offensive tackle did pick up offers from Colorado, Kansas State and Arizona State. Alsadek said that in the end it came down to UA and CU.
When we talked to the rising senior earlier in the month he said early playing time was going to be a big part of his decision. He reiterated that point after deciding to choose the Wildcats late last week.
"That was really the thing that set it off most," he told GOAZCATS.com. "And that's really what made me want to pull the trigger now, especially because they're going to offer some more offensive linemen. They needed an offensive tackle this year, and being the first true offensive tackle it's an honor.
"I'm just really happy that I have this opportunity."
The Wildcats only signed one offensive tackle in 2012 - T.D. Gross - who is converting from playing tight end in high school.
Alsadek is staying relatively close to home with his UA decision, but he said that means more to his family than him as he just wanted to find the right fit.
"I know my mom and both of parents didn't want me to leave - they're both really sad that I'm leaving next year," he said. "They want the best for me and they knew this place was the best for me. They (UA staff) treated me nicely and it's just that family feeling.
"They like that it's close and they can come to the games on the weekends, and that was a big thing for my mom because she loves football. For me it was about being close enough to home, but not too close.
"I kind of wanted to get out of California and go see a new place. I haven't ever traveled the country too much, so it was nice to see new places. I'm excited about it."
Alsadek pushed the Wildcats up to 23 commitments for the 2013 class.
* With the big offensive lineman's pledge to the 'Cats, that obviously leads to the discussion about the rest of this year's class. At this point, running back Pierre Cormier and his teammate Lee Walker are the two strongest candidates to make their decisions along with safety Nicholas Halmon.
But like Alsadek mentioned, UA adding another offensive lineman - more specifically a tackle - wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility. The Wildcats really want to bolster their offensive line in the future and adding another piece in this class would certainly do that.
* While one recruit was deciding whole-heartedly that Tucson is the place for him, another Wildcat commit is still going through his options. Cornerback commit Darius Allensworth took a trip to Wisconsin this weekend to figure out if a move to Madison is something he wants to do.
"The coaching staff is just telling me about my trip and how the trip should be," Allensworth told BadgerBlitz.com heading into his trip. "We've been going over the basic details about what we're going to do.
"I just want to look around and see the environment and see how I like it. I've never been up to Wisconsin so I want to see if I think it's a place I could be for the next four years."
The plan right now is for Allensworth to come to his final decision some time before his senior year. At this point the biggest threats to UA ultimately holding on to the three-star recruit are Wisconsin and Cal. The nation's 43rd-best cornerback seems intrigued by the offer and he intends to visit Berkeley before making his ultimate decision.
"Cal is a big offer. As far as my offers it's definitely top three because I like everything they have to offer," he recently told Rivals.com. "The education is great, you can't beat the education at Cal so you have that and it's like seven hours from my doorstep and still in California. It's an intriguing offer."
While it wouldn't be surprising to see him decide to de-commit, it is still our belief that he ultimately keeps his verbal pledge with UA. As we have said previously, his family really likes the culture surrounding the program now with Rodriguez in charge and that could end up being a big factor in Allensworth's decision.
* UA quarterback-to-be Anu Solomon has been busy since his commitment to get ready for his senior year at Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman, but he's also kept an eye on what has been going on with his future college program.
"I've been paying attention a lot," he told GOAZCATS.com last week. "Every now and then I check the updates on who committed to Arizona, because again I talk to the coaches and I feel like we're trying to build a dream team here. And I'm just trying to do my best to help them bring even more exposure to our team, because we are getting so much talent on the offense and defensive sides of the ball."
The four-star prospect said he's excited about being able to compete with fellow signal caller Brandon Cox when both recruits get their chance in 2013. He added that having that competition and the option to go with either player is something that will benefit the program as a whole.
"It's going to be huge for our success," he said. "Having the both of us - we kind of have the same traits - so if one of us goes down we'll have another one to put in. We'll have like a little clone."
One of the aspects of Solomon that often times will get overlooked is his touchdown to turnover ratio as a three-year starter for the Gaels. The UA commit rarely turns the ball over and he said that is going to be a big part of what he hopes earns him the starting job in Tucson.
"It's going to help a lot," he said. "It's just simple. I go through my reads and if anything's not there then I'll run it or throw the ball away. It's just simple things like that and little things like that really matter. I've been taught not to force things."
Solomon's squad finished last season ranked seventh by Rivals High, and he said his goal for this season is to finish No. 1 in the nation.
Basketball recruiting
It has of course been a busy time for the Wildcats on the basketball side of things as the second of three July evaluation periods wrapped up Sunday. Miller was in Augusta, Ga., for the duration of the period watching the Peach Jam. Many of the program's top targets for 2013 were taking part in the event, which was won by the Oakland Soldiers.
In California, assistant coaches Joe Pasternack and James Whitford were on the road watching recruits from different classes at events around Southern California. The NCAA only permits three coaches to be out on the road at a time, so Pasternack and Whitford alternated throughout the evaluation period.
* Aaron Gordon was one of the bigger stories to come out of the Peach Jam as the five-star prospect made his return after months away from competitive action. The UA recruit didn't disappoint as he helped the Soldiers to the title.
The Wildcats continue to sit in a good spot for the talented wing prospect as Gordon named UA and Washington as the two schools in his top six that are standing out the most. UW has been thought to be the leader from quite a long time now, but Gordon has insisted that he's open to any program willing to recruit him.
At this point his recruitment is still likely going to come down to the two schools, but Kentucky is trying to make its case as of late.
Gordon's official visit to UA for the Red-Blue Game will be huge for determining how far the interest goes with the Wildcats. While it wouldn't be a huge shock for Gordon to ultimately choose the Huskies, the same could probably be said for UA as well.
The explosive rising senior is in no rush to make his decision, but there are some things he's thinking of when it comes to making that choice.
"I'm looking for a coach that really understands me, that's able to talk to me," Gordon said. "He doesn't talk at me but talks with me and talks to me. He figures out what's going to benefit me and what's (best for) my well-being. I also want to look for a very up-tempo, very unselfish, very principle-oriented college basketball team."
A big season by the Wildcats would also help the program's cause with Gordon based on everything I'm hearing right now. While that wouldn't necessarily swing the recruitment in favor of UA, it would certainly put the 'Cats in an even better spot.
* At this point the Wildcats don't have any commits for the 2013 class, and that won't likely change just yet. But that doesn't mean it's time to panic if you're a UA fan. The 'Cats have identified five-star wing Keith Frazier as a big-time target in the class and at this point in time the staff is doing a good job with him.
The Texas schools are always going to be the biggest competition for the Dallas (Texas) Kimble standout, but the 'Cats will be right in the thick of it until the end.
* While in California, Pasternack and Whitford were able to see quite a few recruits and while there were prospects of all age groups represented, the Wildcat coaches kept a close eye on a pair of 2013 wings.
One of those prospects was Sacramento (Calif.) Sheldon prospect Dakarai Allen. UA watched him quite a bit over the weekend, and he said that he was recently offered by the 'Cats.
"Arizona just started showing me some real interest," the 2013 recruit said. "Sean Miller was at my last camp and games in Philadelphia. I didn't know if he liked how I played just by his facial expressions, but the week after I got an offer so I guess he liked it."
* Another recruit who has interest for quite a long time in the 'Cats is 2014 recruit Isaiah Bailey from Compton, Calif. The Wildcats watched him some over the weekend and he said the two sides still have interest in each other although the contact hasn't been as consistent.
"It's probably tailed off a little bit," the four-star prospect said. "But they're still around. I'm hearing a lot from UNLV and Oklahoma right now."
* One of the wing prospects to earn a scholarship offer from the Wildcats during the spring evaluation period was in-state recruit Jaron Hopkins. The Mesa (Ariz.) Dobson standout said he's still been in contact with the Wildcats and coaches from the program watched him a little bit over the weekend.
"I talk to them once or twice a week," he said about the 'Cats. "And my dad talks to them as well. Coach Sean Miller he keeps in good contact and the same with coach Whitford."
* The Wildcats have their eye on a few recruits in Louisiana and one of them was playing in Long Beach, Calif., at the Cream of the Crop Challenge over the weekend. Four-star 2014 prospect Craig Victor was watched by Pasternack early in the second evaluation period and the talented forward has some initial interest in the 'Cats.
"Coach Pasternack and all those guys over there, I've been hearing from them for a [while]," Victor said. "As the time to decide gets closer they contact more and more. I know they have the new signee in Brandon Ashley and he plays above the rim. I watched them play a lot when Derrick Williams played.
"I believe that would be a good fit for me."
* One of the main targets UA coaches watched while in Southern California for the weekend was 2014 point guard Jordan McLaughlin. They watched him quite a bit during the first evaluation period as well, so it will be interesting to see if he picks up an offer soon.
The four-star recruit has played well over the last two weeks, so it would not be surprising to see him pick up an offer from the 'Cats.
The Wildcat staff has one more weekend to evaluate recruits during July and that will begin this week. Most of the big tournaments will be in Las Vegas and that's where many of UA's targets will be playing as well.[/B]
Football
* The 2012 season is upon us just about. The Pac-12 Conference will have its Media Day this Tuesday at the Gibson Ampitheatre in Universal City, Calif.
GOAZCATS.com will be in attendance and provide updates on both the premium board and Twitter.
Here's the lineup and a general idea on times you can probably expect some news to come from our end:
Group interview sessions
9:00 a.m. - Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott, president of Pac-12 Enterprises Gary Stevenson
9:15 a.m. - Colorado (Head coach Jon Embree, OT David Bakhtiari, LB Douglas Rippy)
9:35 a.m. - Arizona (Head coach Rich Rodriguez, QB Matt Scott, LB Jake Fischer)
9:55 a.m. - Arizona State (Head coach Todd Graham, RB Cameron Marshall, LB Brandon Magee)
10:15 a.m. - Utah (Head coach Kyle Whittingham, RB John White, DT Star Lotulelei)
10:35 a.m. - UCLA (Head coach Jim Mora, RB Johnathan Franklin, FS Tevin McDonald)
10:55 a.m. - USC (Head coach Lane Kiffin, QB Matt Barkley, safety T.J. McDonald)
11:15 a.m. - Break
11:25 a.m. - Washington State (Head coach Mike Leach, QB Jeff Tuel, DE Travis Long)
11:45 p.m. - Oregon State (Head coach Mike Riley, WR Markus Wheaton, CB Jordan Poyer)
12:05 p.m. - California (Head coach Jeff Tedford, WR Keenan Allen, DB Marc Anthony)
12:25 p.m. - Washington (Head coach Steve Sarkisian, QB Keith Price, CB Desmond Trufant)
12:45 p.m. - Stanford (Head coach David Shaw, RB Stepfan Taylor, LB Chase Thomas)
1:05 p.m. - Oregon (Head coach Chip Kelly, RB Kenjon Barner, LB Michael Clay)
Additional interview opportunities
1:25 to 4 p.m.
So we'll provide you with all of the latest updates as the team prepares for fall camp, as well as an idea of what the rest of the Pac-12 is saying about Arizona. As always, feel free to post questions you guys want answers to or email them to tracy@goazcats.com.
From there, we will be eight days away from Rodriguez' reporting day press conference and the team's official arrival for on-campus fall camp. The first practice is scheduled for Aug. 2.
* Speaking of fall camp, it was revealed that Kindall/Sancet Stadium will serve as the team's on-campus home along with Jimenez Practice Facility, which will only be used every now and then. But the converted baseball field will then become the temporary practice home until August 2013 while the practice facility next to Kindall/Sancet hosts intramural activities because construction on the North End Zone Project has made Bear Down Field unusable.
The space at Kindall/Sancet allows for the team to have almost two full football fields instead of the one field and 40-yard turf at Jimenez Practice Facility, and the Wildcats did already have one closed, invite-only scrimmage there in the spring.
Of course, like athletic director Greg Byrne told GOAZCATS.com earlier in the spring, the plan is to eventually have practices at Arizona Stadium on what is expected to be a new FieldTurf once the $72 million Lowell Stevens Football Facility is complete in August 2013. Nothing is final yet on a move to a new playing surface but it's all but inevitable barring a sudden change of heart.
* Among the changes Rodriguez has made to the fall camp schedule is the abundance of 6 p.m. practices. Seven two-hour practices at that slot, a 6:15 p.m. session and 5:30 p.m. scrimmage at Fort Huachuca, and a 6:30 p.m. closed scrimmage are on the Wildcats' fall slate.
But it's no surprise because all you have to do is look at UA's schedule and the start times of many games. Many times Rodriguez has wanted to simulate a game-like atmosphere in practice whether it was crowd noise, situations, etc. So it's only natural to play in similar conditions the team will face once the Sept. 1 opener against Toledo arrives.
The first three games at Arizona Stadium to start the season are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. kickoffs.
Now, here's Matt Moreno's recruiting breakdown:
As always - or so it seems - there's a lot to talk about when it comes to recruiting at Arizona this week. On the basketball side of things this is of course a busy time for the UA coaching staff with two of the three July evaluation periods now in the books. Sean Miller and his staff were out on the trail over the last few days and they were able to check out a number of prospects for the upcoming classes.
After a relatively quiet couple of weeks, the Wildcats' football program added another piece to an already impressive class Friday. It wasn't much of a surprise, but it the latest commit does fit a need and he's happy to be joining Rich Rodriguez's program.
With plenty to talk about this week, let's get right into it.
Football recruiting
* Previous to Friday's commitment of offensive tackle Jacob Alsadek, the last UA pledge came back on July 1. It was not a big surprise as we had been saying leading up to his decision that the Wildcats were in a good spot. The San Diego (Calif.) Torrey Pines prospect had been waiting on an offer from Vanderbilt for some time now. He recently camped with Commodores, but didn't pick up an offer.
The big 6-foot-7 offensive tackle did pick up offers from Colorado, Kansas State and Arizona State. Alsadek said that in the end it came down to UA and CU.
When we talked to the rising senior earlier in the month he said early playing time was going to be a big part of his decision. He reiterated that point after deciding to choose the Wildcats late last week.
"That was really the thing that set it off most," he told GOAZCATS.com. "And that's really what made me want to pull the trigger now, especially because they're going to offer some more offensive linemen. They needed an offensive tackle this year, and being the first true offensive tackle it's an honor.
"I'm just really happy that I have this opportunity."
The Wildcats only signed one offensive tackle in 2012 - T.D. Gross - who is converting from playing tight end in high school.
Alsadek is staying relatively close to home with his UA decision, but he said that means more to his family than him as he just wanted to find the right fit.
"I know my mom and both of parents didn't want me to leave - they're both really sad that I'm leaving next year," he said. "They want the best for me and they knew this place was the best for me. They (UA staff) treated me nicely and it's just that family feeling.
"They like that it's close and they can come to the games on the weekends, and that was a big thing for my mom because she loves football. For me it was about being close enough to home, but not too close.
"I kind of wanted to get out of California and go see a new place. I haven't ever traveled the country too much, so it was nice to see new places. I'm excited about it."
Alsadek pushed the Wildcats up to 23 commitments for the 2013 class.
* With the big offensive lineman's pledge to the 'Cats, that obviously leads to the discussion about the rest of this year's class. At this point, running back Pierre Cormier and his teammate Lee Walker are the two strongest candidates to make their decisions along with safety Nicholas Halmon.
But like Alsadek mentioned, UA adding another offensive lineman - more specifically a tackle - wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility. The Wildcats really want to bolster their offensive line in the future and adding another piece in this class would certainly do that.
* While one recruit was deciding whole-heartedly that Tucson is the place for him, another Wildcat commit is still going through his options. Cornerback commit Darius Allensworth took a trip to Wisconsin this weekend to figure out if a move to Madison is something he wants to do.
"The coaching staff is just telling me about my trip and how the trip should be," Allensworth told BadgerBlitz.com heading into his trip. "We've been going over the basic details about what we're going to do.
"I just want to look around and see the environment and see how I like it. I've never been up to Wisconsin so I want to see if I think it's a place I could be for the next four years."
The plan right now is for Allensworth to come to his final decision some time before his senior year. At this point the biggest threats to UA ultimately holding on to the three-star recruit are Wisconsin and Cal. The nation's 43rd-best cornerback seems intrigued by the offer and he intends to visit Berkeley before making his ultimate decision.
"Cal is a big offer. As far as my offers it's definitely top three because I like everything they have to offer," he recently told Rivals.com. "The education is great, you can't beat the education at Cal so you have that and it's like seven hours from my doorstep and still in California. It's an intriguing offer."
While it wouldn't be surprising to see him decide to de-commit, it is still our belief that he ultimately keeps his verbal pledge with UA. As we have said previously, his family really likes the culture surrounding the program now with Rodriguez in charge and that could end up being a big factor in Allensworth's decision.
* UA quarterback-to-be Anu Solomon has been busy since his commitment to get ready for his senior year at Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman, but he's also kept an eye on what has been going on with his future college program.
"I've been paying attention a lot," he told GOAZCATS.com last week. "Every now and then I check the updates on who committed to Arizona, because again I talk to the coaches and I feel like we're trying to build a dream team here. And I'm just trying to do my best to help them bring even more exposure to our team, because we are getting so much talent on the offense and defensive sides of the ball."
The four-star prospect said he's excited about being able to compete with fellow signal caller Brandon Cox when both recruits get their chance in 2013. He added that having that competition and the option to go with either player is something that will benefit the program as a whole.
"It's going to be huge for our success," he said. "Having the both of us - we kind of have the same traits - so if one of us goes down we'll have another one to put in. We'll have like a little clone."
One of the aspects of Solomon that often times will get overlooked is his touchdown to turnover ratio as a three-year starter for the Gaels. The UA commit rarely turns the ball over and he said that is going to be a big part of what he hopes earns him the starting job in Tucson.
"It's going to help a lot," he said. "It's just simple. I go through my reads and if anything's not there then I'll run it or throw the ball away. It's just simple things like that and little things like that really matter. I've been taught not to force things."
Solomon's squad finished last season ranked seventh by Rivals High, and he said his goal for this season is to finish No. 1 in the nation.
Basketball recruiting
It has of course been a busy time for the Wildcats on the basketball side of things as the second of three July evaluation periods wrapped up Sunday. Miller was in Augusta, Ga., for the duration of the period watching the Peach Jam. Many of the program's top targets for 2013 were taking part in the event, which was won by the Oakland Soldiers.
In California, assistant coaches Joe Pasternack and James Whitford were on the road watching recruits from different classes at events around Southern California. The NCAA only permits three coaches to be out on the road at a time, so Pasternack and Whitford alternated throughout the evaluation period.
* Aaron Gordon was one of the bigger stories to come out of the Peach Jam as the five-star prospect made his return after months away from competitive action. The UA recruit didn't disappoint as he helped the Soldiers to the title.
The Wildcats continue to sit in a good spot for the talented wing prospect as Gordon named UA and Washington as the two schools in his top six that are standing out the most. UW has been thought to be the leader from quite a long time now, but Gordon has insisted that he's open to any program willing to recruit him.
At this point his recruitment is still likely going to come down to the two schools, but Kentucky is trying to make its case as of late.
Gordon's official visit to UA for the Red-Blue Game will be huge for determining how far the interest goes with the Wildcats. While it wouldn't be a huge shock for Gordon to ultimately choose the Huskies, the same could probably be said for UA as well.
The explosive rising senior is in no rush to make his decision, but there are some things he's thinking of when it comes to making that choice.
"I'm looking for a coach that really understands me, that's able to talk to me," Gordon said. "He doesn't talk at me but talks with me and talks to me. He figures out what's going to benefit me and what's (best for) my well-being. I also want to look for a very up-tempo, very unselfish, very principle-oriented college basketball team."
A big season by the Wildcats would also help the program's cause with Gordon based on everything I'm hearing right now. While that wouldn't necessarily swing the recruitment in favor of UA, it would certainly put the 'Cats in an even better spot.
* At this point the Wildcats don't have any commits for the 2013 class, and that won't likely change just yet. But that doesn't mean it's time to panic if you're a UA fan. The 'Cats have identified five-star wing Keith Frazier as a big-time target in the class and at this point in time the staff is doing a good job with him.
The Texas schools are always going to be the biggest competition for the Dallas (Texas) Kimble standout, but the 'Cats will be right in the thick of it until the end.
* While in California, Pasternack and Whitford were able to see quite a few recruits and while there were prospects of all age groups represented, the Wildcat coaches kept a close eye on a pair of 2013 wings.
One of those prospects was Sacramento (Calif.) Sheldon prospect Dakarai Allen. UA watched him quite a bit over the weekend, and he said that he was recently offered by the 'Cats.
"Arizona just started showing me some real interest," the 2013 recruit said. "Sean Miller was at my last camp and games in Philadelphia. I didn't know if he liked how I played just by his facial expressions, but the week after I got an offer so I guess he liked it."
* Another recruit who has interest for quite a long time in the 'Cats is 2014 recruit Isaiah Bailey from Compton, Calif. The Wildcats watched him some over the weekend and he said the two sides still have interest in each other although the contact hasn't been as consistent.
"It's probably tailed off a little bit," the four-star prospect said. "But they're still around. I'm hearing a lot from UNLV and Oklahoma right now."
* One of the wing prospects to earn a scholarship offer from the Wildcats during the spring evaluation period was in-state recruit Jaron Hopkins. The Mesa (Ariz.) Dobson standout said he's still been in contact with the Wildcats and coaches from the program watched him a little bit over the weekend.
"I talk to them once or twice a week," he said about the 'Cats. "And my dad talks to them as well. Coach Sean Miller he keeps in good contact and the same with coach Whitford."
* The Wildcats have their eye on a few recruits in Louisiana and one of them was playing in Long Beach, Calif., at the Cream of the Crop Challenge over the weekend. Four-star 2014 prospect Craig Victor was watched by Pasternack early in the second evaluation period and the talented forward has some initial interest in the 'Cats.
"Coach Pasternack and all those guys over there, I've been hearing from them for a [while]," Victor said. "As the time to decide gets closer they contact more and more. I know they have the new signee in Brandon Ashley and he plays above the rim. I watched them play a lot when Derrick Williams played.
"I believe that would be a good fit for me."
* One of the main targets UA coaches watched while in Southern California for the weekend was 2014 point guard Jordan McLaughlin. They watched him quite a bit during the first evaluation period as well, so it will be interesting to see if he picks up an offer soon.
The four-star recruit has played well over the last two weeks, so it would not be surprising to see him pick up an offer from the 'Cats.
The Wildcat staff has one more weekend to evaluate recruits during July and that will begin this week. Most of the big tournaments will be in Las Vegas and that's where many of UA's targets will be playing as well.[/B]
