9 Draftees Have Ties to Southland

Nine players with ties to Southland high schools and colleges were among the 54 selected in Wednesday night’s NBA draft.

J.R. Rider of Nevada Las Vegas, who played one season at Antelope Valley College before transferring, was taken by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the fifth pick.

Taken 14th by the Indiana Pacers was Oregon State’s Scott Haskin, who was the Southern Section 1-A player of the year at Beaumont High in 1988.

Arizona’s Chris Mills, a two-time All-City player at Fairfax High, was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the 22nd pick.

Corie Blount, who played only one season at Monrovia High and led Rancho Santiago College of Santa Ana to two state championships before transferring to Cincinnati, was the 25th player taken. He went to the Chicago Bulls.

Among the second-round selections were teammates Lucious Harris and Bryon Russell of Cal State Long Beach. Harris was taken by the Dallas Mavericks, who had the 28th pick, and Russell, an All-Southern Section player at San Bernardino High, was tabbed by the Utah Jazz, who had the 45th selection.

Arizona’s Ed Stokes, the Southern Section Division I player of the year as a senior at Playa del Rey St. Bernard High in 1989, was the 35th pick, by Miami.

Adonis Jordan of Kansas, who, like Harris, was an All-City player at Reseda Cleveland High, was picked by the Seattle SuperSonics, who had the 42nd pick.

Houston used the 46th pick to take UCLA’s Richard Petruska, who played one season for the Bruins after transferring from Loyola Marymount.