BOULDER — Three in-state signees, including national top-100 prospect Josh Scott of Lewis-Palmer High School, headline an impressive five-member recruiting class for Colorado men’s basketball that also includes top-100 recruit Xavier Johnson of the Los Angeles area.
Colorado’s class is expected to rank among the nation’s 25 best.
CU coach Tad Boyle added 6-foot-1 guard Xavier Talton of Sterling High School to the class today, the first day of the eight-day early signing period for several NCAA sports other than football.
“We kept (his commitment) quiet,” Boyle said of Talton, who led his team to a Class 4A state high school championship at CU’s Coors Events Center last spring. “We’re excited what he’s bringing to the program.”
Scott, a 6-9 forward-center, is ranked No. 46 nationally for all positions by and is No. 65 on ‘s list.
“We know how good he is,” Scott said.
Talton and Scott joined 6-8 forward Wesley Gordon of Colorado Springs’ Sierra High School.
“Wesley has tremendous size, tremendous skill, tremendous athleticism,” Boyle said. “Wesley and Josh are the frontcourt of the future for Colorado.”
Scott, who impressed during national tournaments last summer, could be the highest-rated high school boys basketball player produced by Colorado since Chauncey Billups.
Scott was underrated entering the summer because he had missed previous national tournaments due to foot surgery.
“We’re glad he did, otherwise we would have been in for a battle (in recruiting him),” Boyle said Scott being under the radar prior to commiting to CU in March.
Johnson, a 6-6 forward at famed Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, is ranked No. 83 nationally by and No. 86 by ESPN.
Video highlights shown of Johnson showed a variety of reverse dunks and finger rolls.
“He has all the tools to be as good as he wants to be,” Boyle said. “He does things you can’t coach.”
Also signing with the CU men’s team is 6-7 Chris Jenkins of Detroit (Mich.) Jesuit High School in Detroit.
“Chris is a guy that has all the tools to be a great player at this level,” Boyle said. “He could be a sleeper in this class. He has a chip on his shoulder.”
“They all have high character,” Boyle said.
CU women’s basketball coach Linda Lappe announced a three-player class highlighted by two national top-100 players: 6-foot-1 Lauren Huggins and 6-2 Jamee Swan of Marana (Ariz.) High School near Tucson.
Swan is ranked the nation’s 38th best player by ESPN. Huggins is ranked No. 63.
“Jamee gives us a post presence in this class,” Lappe said. “She’s very athletic, has a lot of passion, a lot of fire.”
Lappe, who previously coached at Metro State, said she first saw Huggins play as a seventh-grader.
“Lauren is one of the best shooters our staff saw all summer,” the coach said.
CU also signed 5-7 point guard Kyleesha Weston of Kansas City, Mo.
“It’s about recruiting and these coaches are getting it done!” CU athletic director Mike Bohn said.
Tom Kensler: 303-954-1280 or tkensler@denverpost.com
