UCLA transfer orally commits to join UNLV

In early May, after Chace Stanback announced he was leaving the UCLA basketball team, he received a call from a friend.

On the phone was UNLV junior Matt Shaw, who was Stanback's teammate at Fairfax High School in Los Angeles. Shaw saw an opportunity for the two to be reunited.

"Matt heard I wanted to transfer, and he immediately called and said he wanted me to come to UNLV with him," Stanback said.

Three months later, what Shaw envisioned is reality. Stanback orally committed to the Rebels on Saturday night -- while Shaw was driving him to McCarran International Airport.

Stanback, a 6-foot-8-inch forward, called UNLV coach Lon Kruger to make it official.

"When I called Coach Kruger and told him, that's when I made up my mind," Stanback said. "The coaches seemed very interested in me, and I bonded well with the players."

Stanback was the 2007 California Division I Player of the Year at Fairfax, where he averaged 25.8 points and 11.9 rebounds. He picked UCLA over Arizona and Washington.

But he rarely played as a freshman for Bruins coach Ben Howland. Stanback averaged 1.8 points and 5.8 minutes while playing in 25 of 39 games for a UCLA team that reached the Final Four last season.

"I just didn't feel like that program was right for me," he said. "I didn't feel comfortable."

Stanback said he chose the Rebels over North Carolina State, San Diego State and Washington.

By transferring to UNLV, Stanback must pay his own way through school while sitting out this year. The Rebels have no available scholarships for the 2008-09 season. Stanback will get one of the two remaining scholarships for 2009-10, when he will be a redshirt sophomore.

Stanback is the eighth player to commit to UNLV since September, and he's the fourth member of the 2009 recruiting class.

Derrick Jasper, a 6-6 point guard, transferred from Kentucky in June and also will sit out this season. Two players who will be prep seniors -- 6-10 forward Carlos Lopez of Findlay College Prep and guard Justin Hawkins from Woodland Hills (Calif.) Taft High -- also committed to the Rebels.

UNLV's four incoming recruits are point guard Oscar Bellfield of Westchester High in Los Angeles, 6-10 center Brice Massamba from Findlay Prep, small forward DeShawn Mitchell from Monmouth Academy in Howell, N.J., and 6-8 Darris Santee of Midland (Texas) College.

Two local prep guards -- Cheyenne's Elijah Johnson and Mojave's Anthony Marshall -- are in the running to accept Kruger's final scholarship for 2009.

Stanback said he can play shooting guard and either forward position. The scouting report on Stanback is that he's a jump shooter whose weakness is on the defensive end.

"I would say that is unfair," Stanback said. "I do need some work on defense, but I feel like I've gotten better. My perimeter shooting is good, but my mid-range shot is more of a strength."

Shaw, who started seven games and played in all 35 last season, had right knee surgery in July and also will miss this season.

Contact reporter Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907.