HS HOOPS: Ex-Taft standout Drew likin' it in North Carolina

Just gave Larry Drew, Jr. a holler, and the former Taft High kid is doing great as a freshman at North Carolina -- though the basketball wunderkind concedes he misses Los Angeles.

"Oh,of course I miss L.A. It was my home," Drew said. "But it's really nice out here in North
Carolina. The gym is nice, the arena is nice. And it's 7 to 1 girls' ratio,"

Not that Drew has had much time to chill because even though it's not basketball season, the sport consumes him "24 hours day" -- including daily four-hour conditioning workouts the likes of which he has never seen.

"We do a lot of conditioning and a lot of lifting weights -- a lot," Drew said.

Meanwhile, Drew just might have a chace to play significant minutes or even break into the starting lineup.

"That's the plan. Whoever gets the job done will be playing," Drew said.

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com