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KU Jayhawks offer men’s basketball scholarships to two California high school juniors

For the first time in more than a year, college basketball coaches were allowed to hit the road recruiting high school players last Friday through Sunday during the first of two “evaluation periods” in the month of June.

Kansas’ coaches apparently were left impressed by two players from the same Corona (California) Centennial High School team at the Section Seven tourney in Glendale, Arizona. Centennial junior guards Jared McCain and Kylan Boswell on Sunday night on Twitter each reported receiving scholarship offers from KU.

McCain is a 6-2, 175-pound combo guard and Boswell, a 6-2, 180-pound point guard. Both are not yet ranked in the recruiting Class of 2023 by Rivals.com or 247sports.com.

McCain is being recruited by KU, Arizona, USC, UCLA, Louisville, Texas Tech, New Mexico, Gonzaga, San Diego State and others.

“Thank you to the coaching staff of Kansas for believing in me and offering me a scholarship,” he wrote on Twitter.

McCain hit nine threes in a single game at the Coast to Coast Prep School Classic in February in California.

Boswell is being recruited by KU, Kentucky, Arizona, USC, Illinois, Texas, UCLA, UNLV, San Diego State and others.

“Proud to say I just received an offer from @KUAthletics,” Boswell tweeted Sunday.

The next evaluation period in which coaches can leave their campuses to assess players at various events will run Friday through Sunday (June 25-27). The first three-day period concluded Sunday night.

KU in South Carolina to watch Gortman

Kansas coaches were on hand to watch Jazian Gortman compete at a South Carolina High School League event last weekend in Rock Hill, South Carolina, Rivals.com reported.

Gortman is a 6-foot-1, 160-pound senior point guard from Keenan High in Columbia, South Carolina, ranked No. 13 in the recruiting Class of 2022 by Rivals.com.. He’s also being recruited by Alabama, Miami, Clemson, South Carolina, North Carolina State, Indiana, Ohio State, Florida, Wake Forest, Florida State and others.

“He showcased his patented on-the-ball defense to the tune of six steals in the (opening) game,” wrote Jamie Shaw of Rivals.com. “He also showed deft shooting touch with the ability to get anywhere he wanted on the floor, finishing with a game high 21-points.”

KU scouts Dunlap, Evans

Recruiting analyst Eric Bossi of 247sports.com says KU scouted high school teammates Brady Dunlap and Dennis Evans at the Section Seven AAU tournament in Arizona.

Dunlap is a 6-7, 180-pound junior small forward from Harvard Westlake High School in Studio City, California who is ranked No. 71 in the Class of 2023 by 247spors.com. He’s being recruited by KU, Arkansas, Rice, California, Colorado, UCLA, USC, Stanford and others

“In addition to his shot making, Dunlap has some bounce and a good overall feel,” Bossi wrote at 247sports.com.

Evans is a 7-1, 210-pound junior center also from Harvard Westlake. Coaches from KU, Wyoming and others were watching Evans in Arizona, Bossi stated.

“Standing every bit of 7-1 with long arms, Evans needs to get stronger and isn’t a wild athlete, but he blocks everything in sight, has some skill and touch and plays really hard. And is still only 15 years old. He was recently at USA Basketball’s 16U team trials and got some buzz there and while he’s far from a finished product, he’s awfully intriguing,” Bossi wrote.

KU is recruiting Jazz Gardner

Jazz Gardner, a 6-10, 200-pound junior center from Los Alton High School in Hacienda Heights, California, has KU on his list of schools, 247sports.com reports.

Ranked No. 48 in the recruiting Class of 2023 by 247sports.com, he is considering KU, Memphis, UCLA, USC, Florida State, Gonzaga, Ohio State, Cal, Washington, Michigan, George Washington and others.

“He’s got a lot of good overall talent,” Los Altos head coach Jeff Lucas told Zagsblog.com. “He’s a good shooter for his size. He’s a good passer, sees the floor real well.”

Gardner averaged 25.1 points and 13 rebounds per game as a sophomore at Los Altos.

Son of former Cal and Pepperdine guard Jelani Gardner, who played pro basketball overseas, Jazz Gardner (who was born in France) this summer will be playing with the French National Team in the U-18 European championships.

Kentucky offers Jalen Lewis

Jalen Lewis, a 6-9, 210-pound junior forward from Bishop O’Dowd High School in Oakland, California, was offered a scholarship by Kentucky last week.

He’s also being recruited by KU, UCLA, Michigan, North Carolina, Arizona State, Texas Tech, Arkansas, USC, Stanford and others, according to 247sports.com.

Lewis is ranked No. 6 in the Class of 2023 by Rivals.com and No. 12 by 247sports.com. He was offered a scholarship by KU in April.

He fared well at USA Basketball’s men’s junior national team minicamp in May in Houston.