UCLA signs three to National Letters of Intent

LOS ANGELES – The UCLA men’s basketball program has received signed National Letters of Intent from high school standouts Noah Allen, Allerick Freeman and Zach LaVine during the early signing period, as announced Thursday by head coach Ben Howland.

These three high school seniors will enroll at UCLA in the fall of 2013 and begin their freshman seasons in the Bruins’ 2013-14 campaign.

“We are thrilled to add these three young men to our program,” head coach Ben Howland said. “Noah, Allerick and Zach have excelled in high school, and they will be valuable additions to our team next year. I’m very excited about this class and the potential of these players. We are looking forward to their arrival next fall, and we’re still hoping to add one or two more players to this recruiting class in the spring.”

Allen, a 6-foot-6 forward from Salinas, Calif., enters his fourth season in the starting lineup at Palma High School (Salinas, Calif.). He averaged just under 18 points per game as a junior, helping Palma HS advance to the CIF Central Coast Section Division IV semifinals before securing Monterey County Herald Player of the Year acclaim.

Freeman, a 6-foot-4 guard from Charlotte, N.C., is playing his senior season at Findlay Prep in Henderson, Nev. Ranked as the No. 54 player in his class, nationally, by ESPN.com, Freeman starred the last three years at Olympic High School in Charlotte, N.C. As a junior last season, he averaged 17.6 points and 5.8 rebounds per game before earning District 9 Player of the Year honors.

LaVine, a 6-foot-3 guard from Bothell, Wash., has starred at Bothell High School (Bothell, Wash.) the last three seasons and has been ranked the No. 6 point guard, nationally, by Scout.com. As a junior last season, Lavine averaged over 23 points per game in leading Bothell HS to the Class 4A state playoffs.

 

Noah Allen
Three-year varsity letterwinner at Palma High School (Salinas, Wash.) under head coach Paul Alioto … averaged just under 18 points, six assists and six rebounds per game in 2011-12 as a junior at Palma HS … finished his junior season having averaged 23 points per game in the team’s final eight contests, helping Palma HS advance to the Central Coast Section Division IV semifinals … named the 2011-12 Monterey County Herald Player of the Year … entering his fourth season as a starting forward on the Palma HS varsity team in 2012-13 … guided Salinas HS to a 17-9 overall record as a junior, including an 11-1 mark in league action.

Allerick Freeman
Transferred to Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) for his senior season and will play under head coach Todd Simon in 2012-13 … was a three-year varsity basketball letterwinner at Olympic High School (Charlotte, N.C.) under head coach Ty Baumgardner … ranked the No. 54 high school senior, nationally, by ESPN.com … has been ranked the No. 60 high school senior by Scout.com ... tabbed the No. 4 player in his class from the state of North Carolina by ESPN.com … as a junior (2011-12) at Olympic HS, averaged 17.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 4.3 apg and 1.3 spg, helping guide the Trojans to a 28-2 overall record and a 12-0 league mark … also led Olympic HS to a second consecutive N.C. 4A Western Regional appearance … named 2011-12 District 9 Player of the Year, the ME-GA 7 Conference Player of the Year, an Associated Press N.C. All-State selection and the N.C. Preps’ N.C. 4A State player of the Year.

Zach LaVine
Two-year varsity basketball letterwinner at Bothell High School (Bothell, Wash.) under head coach Ron Bollinger… as a junior at Bothell HS in 2011-12, led the Cougars to the Class 4A state playoffs, averaging more than 23 points per game … as a sophomore at Bothell HS in 2010-11, registered 25.9 points per game … ranked No. 27 overall in his high school class, nationally, by Scout.com … ranked No. 51 overall by ESPN.com … rated the No. 1 shooting guard on the West Coast by Scout.com and the No. 6 point guard, nationally, by Scout.com … also listed as the No. 1 high school senior in the state of Washington by ESPN.com and the No. 6 player on the West Coast by ESPN.com … has played AAU Basketball for Friends of Hoop (FOH) Seattle.