PROVO — Christmas came early for Steve Cleveland as his BYU basketball program received national letters of intent late last week from a quartet of talented prep prospects, comprising what some experts already have labeled as a top 20 recruiting class and the third-best in the West.
The official commitments have come from David Burgess, a 6-foot-10 center out of Woodbridge High in Irvine, Calif.; Lee Cummard, a 6-6 guard from Mesa High in Mesa, Ariz.; Chris Miles, a 6-10 frontline player from Provo's Timpview High; and Trent Plaisted, a 6-10 forward out of Clark High in San Antonio, Texas.
One catch, though. Following the aforementioned Christmas analogy, the Cougars won't be able to open the presents for a year and will maybe enjoy their benefits even further down the road.
All four still have their senior seasons in high school yet to begin and all four could have LDS Church missions in their near future, with several already having mentioned plans to serve for two years after a first season at BYU.
"The one thing about recruiting, especially at BYU, is that it doesn't always manifest itself until two or three years down the road," said Cleveland, adding his own personal projection that the foursome may not be on the court together until the 2006-07 season. "That being said, you have to reserve some judgment about their impact."
Yet they are the four that Cleveland and his staff have pursued for more than a year. Add to that the verbal commitments from an additional pair of Utah County prep players — Timpview's Matt Pinegar, who is expected to serve a mission between high school and college; and Provo's Tai Wesley, brother of former BYU standout Mekeli Wesley — and the Cougars filled their wish list quite nicely.
DAVID BURGESS: Considered one of the top frontcourt prep players in the nation, Burgess was the only high school player on the USA Basketball World Championships Team that went 7-1 earlier this year — losing only to eventual champion Australia — and went 5-0 to win the 2003 Global Games in Dallas.
Averaging 16.4 points, 12.4 rebounds and 2.6 blocks as junior last season, Burgess led Woodbridge High in Irvine, Calif., to a 21-6 record as well as two CIF championships and one state title. Cleveland describes him as a much-improved, wide-bodied player with a penchant for rebounding and an instinct for frontcourt play.
During the 2002-03 season, Burgess recorded game highs of 31 points, 20 rebounds, eight assists, four steals and nine blocks.
Earning CIF first-team, all-county and league MVP honors in 2003, Burgess is a Street & Smith's All-America High Honorable Mention selection. Playing in the summer for the Southern California All-Stars, he was an all-star pick and leading reboudner at the adidas ABCD Camp.
His brother Chris played collegiately at Duke and Utah and his brother Josh is a redshirt transfer in the BYU program this season.
"David is an intelligent and strong low-post player who will have an immediate impact on our program," Cleveland said. "He is an aggressive rebounder and has a solid understanding of offensive low-post play. I'm excited about coaching David and helping him reach his full potential as a player."
Others recruiting Burgess included Gonzaga, Louisville, Florida, UCLA, Kansas, Kentucky, Washington State and Utah.
LEE CUMMARD: Considered one of the West's top shooting guards — even the region's top prospect by some recruiting experts and the West's fifth-best small forward by CNN/SI — Cummard averaged 17 points and six rebounds last season while leading his Mesa team to a double-overtime loss in the state quarterfinals.
Cummard is described by Cleveland as a high-energy player who boasts versatility on the court.
Known as a fierce competitor with all-around abilities and leadership skills, Cummard has good ball-handling skills, excellent shooting range and the toughness to rebound and finish in traffic.
A Street & Smith All-America Honorable Mention, he was a member of the East Valley All-Region First Team as a junior after earning second-team honors as a sophomore.
"Lee is a versatile athlete who possesses outstanding offensive skills," said Cleveland. "He has great instincts on the floor and plays with a real passion for the game. I love his confidence and aggression level. Lee is a special player who will have a major role in our program."
Others recruiting Cummard included Arizona State, UCLA, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, Iowa State, Utah State, Utah, New Mexico, Miami, Gonzaga, Oklahoma State, San Diego State and Texas Tech.
CHRIS MILES: As the state's 4A MVP and state tournament MVP last season, Miles averaged 11 points, eight rebounds and five blocks for a balanced Timpview team that won the state title.
Invited to this summer's NBA Players Camp, he was rated No. 47 among the nation's top prep players and has been projected as high as the West's second-best post player. Cleveland has noted a strong offensive development in the defensively capable Miles, adding that he'll need to develop a mid-range jumpshot of 15 to 17 feet to enhance his effectiveness.
A Street & Smith All-America High Honorable Mention selection, Miles is a quick and versatile player, tough defender and outstanding shot-blocker. He is on track to become the No. 2 all-time shot-blocker in Utah high school history during his senior season behind former BYU and current NBA center Shawn Bradley.
"Chris is an excellent defender and has developed into an outstanding shot-blocker," Cleveland said. "He runs the floor as well as any big man I've coached. Chris has shown real improvement with his offensive skill development and will be a major contributor in the program."
Others recruiting Miles included Gonzaga, Utah State, Utah, Kansas, Oregon State, Connecticut, UCLA, Vanderbilt, Wyoming and Texas Tech.
TRENT PLAISTED: Leading his high school team to a 31-7 record, the District 28-5A title and regional quarterfinals in Texas' largest prep-school classification, Plaisted was the only junior named to the all-district first team after averaging 12.5 points and 5.5 rebounds.
A left-handed shooter and young player who just turned 17 in October, he has earned MVP honors at numerous tournaments and has been nominated for McDonald's All-America recognition. Cleveland anticipates Plaisted possibly redshirting a season for development, then possibly playing a season before leaving on an LDS mission.
He averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds this summer on his AAU team, the San Antonio Bulls, where he was given the opportunity to play more on the perimeter. Rated the No. 10 player in Texas, Plaisted impressed at the Texas Elite Camp and made a national name for himself at the 2003 Kingwood Classic in Houston.
Long and athletic, Plaisted runs the floor well and has a soft shooting touch to 18 feet. He is a good shot-blocker and solid rebounder.
"I love Trent's ability to put the ball on the floor and attack the basket," Cleveland said. "He's left handed and very crafty around the basket. Trent will play on the perimeter and continue to develop his outside shooting skills. Trent is 6-foot-10 with great feet and has the potential to be an outstanding defender."
Others recruiting Plaisted included Florida State, Stanford, Kansas, Oklahoma State, Washington State, Texas A&M, Utah, Arkansas, New Mexico, Texas Tech, and Vanderbilt.
E-mail: taylor@desnews.com