Anderson told to wait for scholarship

Anderson called UA coaches yesterday with the intention to commit but was told UA did not have a scholarship to offer him immediately. Sources said that the scholarship Anderson thought was his is possibly being saved for Chris Richardson, another highly-touted power forward who will be visiting UA this weekend. However, if Richardson turns Arizona down, the scholarship could go back to Anderson.

"Yeah, it's something like that," Ricky Anderson said.

That upset Anderson's older brother Robbie, an outstanding junior college golfer who will play golf at whichever school his brother chooses. He was just as high on Arizona as his brother and was angered by the unexpected turn of events.

"It was a done deal," Robbie Anderson said. "He was going to commit and Lute wouldn't even talk to him. That's dirty business."

Ricky Anderson simply laughed when told of his brother's statement.

"I'm not mad or anything," he said. "I'm just going to make my other trips and see what's up. Arizona is still my number one choice."

Anderson said one of his other trips will be in a few weeks to Utah.

Olson and his assistants are forbidden by NCAA rules for commenting on recruits until they sign a letter of intent to attend UA.

Richardson is a 6-foot-9 forward from Carroll High School in Corpus Christi, Texas. He is a good friend of Arizona recruit Richard Jefferson, who committed to Arizona last week.

Arizona is also still in the running to get one of the top centers in the prep ranks. Rashard Lewis, a 6-10 resident of Houston, Texas, lists Arizona among his top choices. Hoop Scoop rates Lewis as the third-best player in the country. Lewis, who was named the MVP of the prestigious Nike Camp this summer, was coached in the AAU ranks by Arizona guard Josh Pastner and still keeps in close contact with Pastner's father Hal.

Unfortunately for the Wildcats, Lewis has yet to qualify academically, but that could change in time for him to be a late signee.

"The bottom line is he's working hard to get his grades up," Hal Pastner said. "His mom is making sure of that and he's gotten himself tutors."

Sources have said that if Lewis does not choose the UA, he will jump directly to the NBA, like former UA recruit Stephen Jackson. Pastner said that's untrue.

"Absolutely not," Pastner said. "He's being bombarded by all sorts of schools, but right now he's just focused on getting eligible."