By THEO RABINOWITZ & ADAM ZAGORIA

NEW YORK — Playing in his first event since signing a Letter of Intent with UNLV on Tuesday, Anthony Bennett  went off for 24 points and 10 rebounds at the IS8 Nike Spring Classic in Queens.

The 6-foot-8 Bennett threw down five dunks — several from three or four feet above the rim — as the New York Panthers beat the Playaz Sophomores, 72-44, to advance to the quarterfinals on Sunday.

Bennett went a perfect 7-for-7 from the line and also had two blocks.

“He was a man,” longtime New York recruiting expert Tom Konchalski told SNY.tv. “He played terrific. He was clearly the best player there today.” (more…)

After months of speculation, Findlay Prep forward Anthony Bennett has finally made a decision.

The 6-foot-7 Canadian forward chose UNLV over Oregon on Saturday and will join fellow Canadian and close friend Khem Birch in the Rebels’ frontcourt. He will sign his Letter of Intent Monday, Findlay assistant coach Todd Simon told SNY.tv.

Bennett previously cut Florida and then Kentucky from his list.

“I got along with the coaches and players,” Bennett told SNY.tv by text. “I’ve been here [in Las Vegas] for two years now so I feel I have a lot of people supporting me out here and also just the thought of playing with my boy Khem Birch in college is going to be crazy.” (more…)

Because of a pulled right hamstring, Findlay Prep senior forward Anthony Bennett will be a gametime decision for today’s ESPNU tilt against Shabazz Muhammad and Bishop Gorman at UNLV.

“We don’t want to make it worse and make it something that lingers beyond us next fall into college,” Findlay coach Michael Peck told the Las Vegas Sun.

UNLV fans figure to be out in force for the nationally televised game since the Rebels have offers out to both players.

Peck told FiveStarBasketball.com in this recent column that it would be a blockbuster move for the Rebels to land both the 6-7 Bennett and the 6-6 Muhammad. (more…)

Does hometown UNLV have a real shot at landing Shabazz Muhammad?

If you listen to what his Bishop Gorman teammate, Demetris Morant, told FiveStarBasketball.com, the answer is yes.

“I think Shabazz is really considering going [there] because he feels that they’re a great team and everyone else sees that, too,” the UNLV-bound Morant, a 6-foot-8 power forward, told Five Star in the above video. “And they’re ranked in the nation.

“At first he wasn’t thinking about going there because he thought they wouldn’t be that good and he wouldn’t be looked at by [NBA] scouts. So he was mostly considering Kentucky, but now UNLV is in the top three.” (more…)

As the head coach at Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.), Michael Peck is in the unique position of working in the same city in which both Shabazz Muhammad and Anthony Bennett currently play high school ball.

A handful of elite programs are targeting the two players, with Kentucky and UNLV in the mix for both.

So what would it mean if one of those programs – say, Kentucky – were to score a double-dip and land both players come springtime?

“Oh my God, amazing,” Peck told Fivestarbasketball.com on Wednesday.

Click here to read the full story at FiveStarBasketball.com.

**And click here for the Five Star Recruiting “Big Board.”

**Video: Elite recruits chime in on Kentucky

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Former Pittsburgh forward Khem Birch is headed to UNLV in what could be the makings of a big 2012 class for the Rebels.

The former McDonald’s All-American committed Monday after visiting the campus with his mother, Wendy Sparks, and CIA Bounce coach Mike George.

The 6-foot-9 Birch also considered Florida and New Mexico State.

“I really like UNLV,” he told Alex Kline of The Recruit Scoop. “It was a very tough decision but UNLV is a good fit for me because of the coaches, players and facilities. I will be able to train during my time off. Also, I can develop under a great, young coach in Dave Rice. He and the entire staff made me feel very comfortable in Las Vegas.” (more…)

Katin Reinhardt is off the board.

The 6-foot-5 shooting guard from Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei verbally pledged to UNLV on Thursday.

“Katin committed to UNLV,” his father, Ernie, told SNY.tv. “He liked the style of play, the coach [Dave Rice] and UNLV basketball.”

The No. 8 shooting guard in the Class of 2012 per Rivals, Reinhardt also considered Texas, St. John’s, Baylor, Syracuse, Washington State, Arizona State. West Virginia and N.C. State.

Reinhardt joins point guard Daquan Cook of Digital Harbor HS, Baltimore (MD) in UNLV’s 2012 recruiting class.

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Odds are, Shabazz Muhammad will ultimately wind up at Kentucky, Kansas, Duke, Texas, UCLA or some other basketball blueblood.

But don’t count out UNLV.

Vegas is the hometown school for the 6-foot-6 Bishop Gorman star who dropped 39 points Friday to help his Dream Vision 17s overcome a 12-point first-half deficit and beat the Atlanta Celtics, 87-80, in the adidas 64.

“UNLV is doing a really good job of recruiting me, and even the fans are recruiting me,” Muhammad told the hometown Las Vegas Sun. “That’s what it’s all about: You want to have fun with your recruitment. Everybody’s here. My family’s here. I’ve lived here 12 years. My coach’s brother is the head coach. I really like the program, so they’re going to continue to be in my recruitment.” (more…)

By ALEX KLINE & ADAM ZAGORIA

As the coaching carousel has been in full effect recently, a number of moves have taken a toll on recruiting. The latest has hit the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels.

2013 Findlay Prep guard Nigel Williams-Goss, a UNLV commit, decided on Saturday night that it would be best if he re-opened his recruitment.

“I didn’t feel comfortable staying committed to a coaching staff that I had no relationship with,” the 6-foot-2 star said by phone on Sunday morning. “I’m wide open to any school that is looking to recruit me, even UNLV.” (more…)

Dave Rice is the new head coach at UNLV, according to multiple reports.

He will be introduced at press conference at 4 p.m. on Monday in the Mack Board Room, according to Ryan Greene of the Las Vegas Sun.

The BYU associate head coach for the past three seasons under Dave Rose, Rice was a reserve under Jerry Tarkanian on the 1990 national championship team and 1991 Final Four team. He then spent 11 years as an assistant at UNLV before Lon Kruger arrived in 2004. (more…)