Mater Dei has 11 athletes sign letters of intent

SANTA ANA Mater Dei forward Tyler Lamb knew where he would be playing college basketball since his sophomore year, but he made it official Wednesday.

He signed his letter of intent to attend UCLA at the Mater Dei National Signing Day event held on campus.

"It's a relief to finally get this over with," Lamb said. "Just signing the letter feels good."

Lamb's father echoed those sentiments.

"It's been a long time coming," Terry Lamb said. "He's been at it (basketball) since he was 10 years old."

Lamb and 10 other Mater Dei athletes, including two of his basketball teammates, signed their letters at the ceremony. It is the second consecutive year Mater Dei had three basketball players sign with Division I schools.

Lamb had a conversation with UCLA head coach Ben Howland on Monday in which Howland expressed his happiness with Lamb's commitment. They also talked about the team Lamb will be joining next season.

"He told me I'm going to have to be ready my freshman year," Lamb said. "I'm excited about that."

While Lamb's signing was merely a formality, point guard Gary Franklin's journey was far from routine. He originally committed to USC, but he changed his mind after former USC coach Tim Floyd resigned amid allegations he gave $1,000 to an associate of former Trojan and current Memphis Grizzlies guard O.J. Mayo.

"Coach Floyd was the one who originally recruited me," Franklin said. "I also didn't know if they would face any consequences regarding their eligibility for the NCAA Tournament."

After withdrawing his commitment from USC, Franklin looked at many schools including Villanova, UCLA and Tennessee. Franklin ultimately chose Cal because he felt Coach Mike Montgomery was the best fit for him. He said the opportunity to get a great education also influenced his decision.

Mater Dei coach Gary McKnight praised Franklin's heart for coming back strong after a serious arm injury. He also praised Franklin's positive attitude.

"I've never seen anyone smile as much as this kid," McKnight said.

Keala King, who transferred from Dominguez, was the other Mater Dei basketball player to sign, choosing Arizona State over Kentucky and the other Pac-10 schools. He said his decision was based on his desire to stay close to home.

Along with three basketball players, Mater Dei also had three baseball players who signed letters of intent.

Jacob Medina signed with Loyola Marymount. Medina was a three-year starter at Mater Dei.

"He is our Mr. Consistency," Monarchs coach Burt Call said.

Derek Campbell signed to play his college ball at Cal. Call praised Campbell's athletic ability and his leadership.

"He continues to surprise me with his athletic skill on the baseball field," Call said.

Center fielder Cory Hahn committed to Arizona State. A four-year starter at Mater Dei, Hahn was given the highest praise by Call.

"He is, by far, the best center fielder I have ever coached," Call said. "I think he's worn down a few of our batting cages with his work ethic."

Other Mater Dei athletes who signed letters of intent: girls basketball players Shayla Batson (Northern Arizona University) and Alexandria Thomas (Cal State Fullerton); softball players Amy Nunez (UC Davis) and Carly Wade (Stony Brook); and swimmer Melissa Bates (Cal).