Four Players Sign to Play Basketball at Irvine

UC Irvine signed four basketball players to national letters of intent Wednesday.

They are: Brian McCloskey, a 6-foot 7-inch forward from Sunny Hills High School; Rod Palmer, a 6-4 guard and former UCLA player, now at Compton College; Elgin Rogers, a 6-7 forward from Horace Mann High School in Gary, Ind., and Etop Udo-Ema, a 6-5 forward from Scottsdale, Ariz.

They join point guard Brett Pagett from Los Alamitos, who committed to Irvine during the early signing period in November.

McCloskey, who was also recruited by Utah State, averaged 18.4 points and 12.3 rebounds a game during his senior year. He was named player of the year in the Freeway League and was named to the All-Southern Section 3-A first team.

Palmer played in 46 games for the UCLA from 1985 to ’87. An All-American at Dominguez High School, Palmer was considered one of the top West Coast guards as a senior when he averaged 13.7 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. He did not play this season at Compton and will have two years of eligibility at Irvine.

Rogers, a McDonald’s All-American this season, was also recruited by Illinois State, Valparaiso, Indiana State and Western Kentucky. The power forward earned all-section and all-state honors while at Horace Mann, averaging 14 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.1 blocked shots per game.

Udo-Ema averaged 17.9 points, 9.8 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game at Chaparral High School in Scottsdale, Ariz., and was named all-state and all-league after his senior year. Udo-Ema is currently attending Mesa Community College. He did not play basketball, having undergone knee surgery last fall, and has four years of eligibility.

The Anteaters, who finished the 1987-88 season 16-14, will lose center Wayne Engelstad, guard Mike Hess and forward Frank Woods to graduation.