UCLA recruit changes mind, bolts to Tigers

Last Friday, Spencer Gloger, a 6'6" forward from Mission Viejo, Calif., who had originally chosen to attend UCLA, announced that he had changed his mind and will enroll at Princeton this fall. In 1996, the co-Ivy League champion Tigers upset the defending national champion Bruins in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, 43-41. Gloger, who averaged 23.7 points and 6.0 rebounds at Santa Margarita High, signed a grant-in-aid to attend UCLA on May 24, after the National Letter of Intent signing date. He was also considering Princeton at the time. However, unlike a letter of intent, a grant-in-aid does not guarantee that the athlete must attend the school with which he signed. With Gloger gone, the only remaining member of UCLA's incoming freshman class is the highly regarded Jason Kapono, a 6'8" forward from Lakewood, Calif. However, UCLA returns four starters and seven other lettermen from last year's team. The only starter not returning for the Bruins is Baron Davis, who was drafted third overall by the Charlotte Hornets in this June's NBA draft. The Bruins were knocked off in the first round of the 1999 NCAA Tournament by Detroit, 56-53, in Indianapolis. "Spencer wanted to go to a program where he could make a major, immediate impact as a freshman," said UCLA men's basketball coach Steve Lavin in a statement last week. "I think Spencer is a talented player who could have contributed to our program this year and whose contributions would have increased throughout his UCLA career." With the losses of 1999 Ivy Player of the Year Brian Earl and first team All-Ivy selection Gabe Lewullis to graduation, Gloger is expected to play a prominent role in Princeton coach Bill Carmody's plans early on. The two other projected frontcourt starters for the Tigers are senior forward Mason Rocca and sophomore center Chris Young, the 1999 Ivy League Rookie of the Year. "I understand his reasoning for going to Princeton," Lavin said. "Princeton is a quality program and as a staff, we wish him the best." Princeton was not the only member of the Ancient Eight that Gloger considered. Prior to deciding on UCLA and Princeton as his top two choices, Gloger was recruited by Penn and even made an official recruiting visit last year. "He ruled us out early last year so we didn't follow very much of what he did over the course of his senior year," Penn coach Fran Dunphy said. "We have a great group of kids that are coming here this year and we think we're in pretty good shape. Spencer chose not to go to Penn so where he goes to school is not something we can be overly concerned about." Carmody was not available for comment.