Lee signs with USC; Onwuasor chooses Arizona

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With the cameras rolling, Serra receiver and defensive back Marqise Lee delivered his big announcement on where he will play his college football.

"I'm staying in my backyard. I'm going to USC," Lee told Fox Sports News Wednesday on National Signing Day, pulling the USC cap on his head over the Oregon and Miami caps.

Lee rejoins former Serra teammate Robert Woods at USC and will attend with Serra receiver George Farmer, who had committed to the Trojans in November.

All three are close friends, and the trio won a CIF and state title last season during Lee's junior campaign..

"It's going to be amazing," Lee said of reuniting with his teammates. "I enjoyed playing with them my sophomore and junior year. To play with them another time is going to be great."

Lee said Woods and Farmer didn't put too much pressure on him.

"They didn't bother as much because they went through the process. They knew how tough it was," Lee said.

Lee made his announcement with five family members standing behind him.

Lee has shown a propensity to score on either side of the ball, playing defensive back almost exclusively as a junior before stepping up for Woods on offense this past season. Lee is also a lockdown defender in basketball with a remarkable jumping ability.

"I'll probably play offense, but if I have to play defense, I will," Lee said. "Whatever gets me on the field quicker. I'm comfortable with offense or defense. It doesn't matter to me.

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While Inglewood linebacker Jaswha James had firmly committed to Oregon State, Inglewood receiver Patrick Onwuasor entered the school library for their signing ceremony a bit conflicted.

Onwusaor wore a University of Arizona T-shirt, a University of Miami cap and had an Arizona State cap attached to his belt.

Then he made it official in front of the cameras.

"Patrick Onwuasor, University of Arizona," Onwuasor said, trading his Miami hat for an Arizona cap.

Onwuasor sifted through 21 offers during a dizzying process, including Miami, Arizona State, Nebraska, Washington, USC, Utah and Boise State. Onwuasor said there were endless texts, phone calls and emails.

"At first, this was fun, then it got heavy," Onwuasor said. "I prayed over it with my family and my coaches. Coach Thomas, Coach Ali and Coach Bass helped me through it."

Onwuasor had taken trips to Nebraska, Arizona, Hawaii, Miami and Arizona State. Onwuasor took his Miami trip with Lee, Farmer, Moala and former Narbonne and Harbor College star Byron Moore.

Onwuasor liked that Arizona offered him a chance to play receiver.

"Compared to other schools, Miami is on a chart by itself," Onwusaor said of the recruiting trip. "But I really liked Coach Stoops and Coach Nichols at Arizona. Coach Nicholas and I had a great connection. I feel it's the best fit for me."

*NOTE: Complete South Bay list to come later today.


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This page contains a single entry by Tony Ciniglio published on February 2, 2011 1:11 PM.

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Tony Ciniglio

Tony Ciniglio is an 11-year veteran at the Daily Breeze and is the Prep-JC Editor. Ciniglio graduated from Malibu High (home of the mighty Sharks) in 1997 as part of the school's second graduating class before attending powerhouse Pepperdine (Class of 2001), thus shattering any reader's preconceived notion that he has any personal bias when it comes to South Bay Preps.

E-mail Tony at tony.ciniglio@dailybreeze.com.

Dave Thorpe

Dave Thorpe was a self-proclaimed, slightly above average baseball player back in the day at Torrance's West High, who went on and had an unspectacular, injury-riddled stint as a third baseman at El Camino College. Trading bat for pen, Thorpe wrote sports for the Long Beach Union newspaper at Long Beach State University, then worked as the sports editor for the Palos Verdes Peninsula News for seven years before climbing down the Hill to the Daily Breeze, where he has been a sports writer covering local sports for more than two years.

E-mail Dave at dave.thorpe@dailybreeze.com.

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