by Keith Peters
Maintaining a tradition of success for two Stanford teams apparently has been assured, thanks to a twin coup in recruiting. Cardinal men's tennis coach Dick Gould has filled his needs for the future by signing three of the top junior players in the nation to national letters of intent.
And the Stanford women's basketball team has solidified its guard situation through the year 2000 by signing a trio of talented players.
"I got three nice faxes this morning," Gould said Wednesday, the first day of the early signing period for high school seniors. "I'm just ecstatic."
He should be. Gould signed two of the most highly recruited athletes in the nation--identical twins Mike and Bob Bryan of Camarillo--plus a third member of the elite U.S. National Team--Geoff Abrams of Newport Beach.
"It's a tremendous coup for us," Gould said.
The Cardinal women's basketball team, meanwhile, has signed 5-foot-10 guard Christina Batastini of Providence, R.I.; 5-6 guard Milena Flores from Snohomish, Wash., and 5-9 guard Melody Peterson from Mater Dei High of Santa Ana.
"There's no doubt that these are three of the very best guards out there," said Cardinal interim head coach Amy Tucker, who'll be guiding the team's fortunes this season while Tara VanDerveer coaches the U.S. National Team. "I expect that two, maybe even all three, will be playing together at the same time. I would describe this as the best perimeter class that we've ever signed."
While the signing of the Bryan twins and Abrams may not be the best class Stanford ever signed, it certainly ranks with the finest Gould has attracted to The Farm.
"These (three), in their age group, are three of the top five players in the country," Gould said. "These are the kind of guys you need to win championships."
The Bryan twins, the object of a tug-of-war between USC and Stanford, were the most-coveted players ever recruited by Trojans' head coach Dick Leach. In fact, the brothers were all but headed for nearby USC based on the family's close relationship with Leach and the possibility that the twins' father, Wayne, might be named Leach's assistant coach should his sons become Trojans.
Mike and Bob, a package deal wherever they went, opted for Stanford--noting the single biggest factor as their close relationship with Stanford's Paul Goldstein and Ryan Wolters--both of whom played with the twins on the U.S. National Team.
Another factor was Stanford's tradition of success at the NCAA tournament. Championship rings mean a great deal to the twins.
"Coach Gould was wearing one on each finger when we were there," Bob told Steve Pratt of the Ventura County Star.
Stanford, which has won 13 NCAA team titles in Gould's 29 years at Stanford, is the defending national champion. The Cardinal returns all but one player off that team--Paul Humphries turned pro after his freshman year. Gould, however, has Wolters to replace Humphries and next season will have the Bryan twins and Abrams to step in for current seniors Jeff Salzenstein, Jim Thomas and Ricky Becker.
Goldstein, a sophomore, reportedly said he would put off his pro career until he graduates if the Bryan twins chose Stanford.
The twins, as well as Abrams, will bring to Stanford international experience after competing at the Junior Wimbledon and Junior French Open. In 1994, Mike and Bob were ranked as the nation's No. 2 doubles team in the Boys 16 & under age group. In singles, Mike was No. 3 and Bob was No. 4. Abrams, part of the No. 1-ranked doubles team, was No. 6 in doubles. All are expected to move up when the 1995 rankings are released.
The stock in Stanford's future guards also should go up this season, following standout junior years by all three.
Batastini averaged 28 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists during her junior year at Classical High. She was named the Gatorade Player of the State and USA Today Player of the State in Rhode Island last season.
"No doubt," Tucker said, "she's one of the best guards in the East."
Flores, a true goint guard out of Snohomish High, not only averaged 14.8 points, five rebounds, six assists and 5.6 steals per game, but carries a 4.0 GPA in the classroom.
"Milena is probably the best open-court passing point guard that I've ever seen," Tucker said. "She's like Jennifer Azzi that way."
Peterson is a familiar name to local hoop followers. She played opposite Sacred Heart Prep guard Renee Robinson in last season's Division I state championship game, which SHP won. Peterson is a preseason All-America after being named the CIF Player of the Year for 1994-95 while averaging 25 points, 7.5 rebounds, six steals and five assists per game.
In the classroom, she made the honor roll every semester.
"Melody is the kind of player who will give you some shake-and-bake," Tucker said. "She has some flash . . . she's creative and will be fun to watch."
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