KU recruit Woolridge to play in Invite

By Gary Bedore, KUSports.com, Thursday, April 9, 2009

Future Kansas University basketball player Royce Woolridge is scheduled to play in the 2009 Jayhawk Invitational basketball tournament, set for May 1-3 at various gyms around Lawrence.

Meet director Roger Morningstar and Kansas City Pump N Run coach L.J. Goolsby on Wednesday indicated Woolridge, a 6-foot-3, 175-pound junior shooting guard from Phoenix Sunnyslope High, would be playing for the Arizona Magic in the 17-and-under portion of the tourney.

Woolridge, Rivals.com’s No. 88-rated player, committed to KU last May 1. He chose the Jayhawks over UCLA, Arizona, Arizona State, California and Georgetown.

Harrison Barnes, the No. 4-ranked player in the Class of 2010, is expected to compete for the All-Iowa Attack. The 6-foot-6, 206-pound junior shooting guard from Ames (Iowa) High, has a long list of schools, including KU, North Carolina, Duke, Iowa State, Kentucky and Texas.

Bradley Beal, a 6-3 sophomore shooting guard from St. Louis Chaminade High, will play for the St. Louis Eagles. He’s considering KU, Illinois, Missouri, Florida, Purdue, North Carolina, Texas and others.

Wichita Heights freshman sensation Perry Ellis likely will attend as a member of the Kansas Players. Ellis, a 6-8 forward who was recently named Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year, attended several games at Allen Fieldhouse this past season.

“It’s going to be a big-time event. The Atlanta Celtics will be back, the Compton (Calif.) Magic, several teams from Chicago, one from North Carolina will all be here,” said Morningstar, who will provide further details in coming weeks.

The tourney will not be held in Allen Fieldhouse or Horejsi Center this year because of construction. The bulk of the featured 17-and-under games will be at Haskell’s Coffin Complex.