USC no longer interested in Mater Dei star Katin Reinhardt

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Santa Ana Mater Dei star guard Katin Reinhardt, who is widely considered one of the top junior prospects on the West Coast and had verbally committed to USC on New Years Eve, will no longer be coming to USC.

Reinhardt had intentions of re-opening his recruitment because he wanted to make sure USC was right for him after seeing so many freshmen throughout college basketball transfer last season.

But when he called USC Coach Kevin O’Neill on Tuesday night and told him he wanted to re-open his recruiting process, he was notified that USC no longer had any interest in recruiting him, said Reinhardt’s father, Ernie.

“We were informed by Kevin O’Neill that we’re no longer considering him,” Ernie said, adding that O’Neill “was very professional about it” and that neither he nor Katin have any ill will toward O’Neill.

Ernie said this has been a “four-week process” and that Reinhardt still wanted to consider USC his top choice as he re-entered the recruiting process.

Ernie characterized the list of schools his son is interested in playing for as “wide open,” saying there are no specific schools the 6-foot-5, 200-pound combo guard is considering.

Reinhardt, who was ranked the No. 19 shooting guard in the 2012 class by ESPN, was previously considering UCLA, Syracuse, Notre Dame, Washington State, Oregon State, Washington, Arizona State, Utah, Colorado, Boston College and California.

Reinhardt has said that playing close to home was a key factor, which is why he committed to USC, along with the ability to play early when he planned to join the team in 2012-13.

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-- Baxter Holmes