KU on prep Morgan’s list

Kansas University recruiting target J’Mison Morgan has sliced his list of schools to six.

Morgan, a 6-foot-10, 275-pound senior out of Dallas’ South Oak Cliff High, tells Rivals.com he will attend either Kansas, Kentucky, Alabama, LSU, UCLA or Louisville.

Rivals.com’s No. 23-rated player also had received interest from Texas, Texas A&M, Arizona, Georgetown, Cincinnati and others.

“Kansas is pretty high on my list,” Morgan said. “It’s all just all open right now. I kind of lean toward Kansas because of Darrell Arthur.

“He will probably be gone when I get there, anyway,” Morgan said of his former high school teammate, who could emerge as a top 10 pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. “Yes, I like Kansas regardless of him. The fact that Darrell probably will not be around doesn’t change how I feel about Kansas. I like them no matter what.”

He has yet to set up any campus visits.

¢ Taylor, other Eastern players like KU: Tyshawn Taylor, a 6-3 senior from St. Anthony High in Jersey City, N.J., tells Rivals.com he will visit Virginia Tech on Sept. 14 and Virginia on Oct. 19. The No. 104 player in the Class of 2008 said he soon will set up a visit to KU and also likely will visit Georgia Tech.

KU is recruiting other seniors from the East, including Quintrell Thomas, 6-8, from St. Patrick High in Elizabeth, N.J., and Kevin Jones, 6-7, from Mount Vernon (N.Y.) High. Jones is a recent addition to the Boost Mobile Elite 24 Hoops Classic on Aug. 24 at Rucker Park in N.Y.

¢ Denmon taps Tigers: Kansas City Pump N Run guard Marcus Denmon has committed orally to Missouri.

Denmon, 6-foot from K.C. Hogan High, also had received offers from Creighton, Illinois State, Missouri State, Colorado, Iowa State, Kansas State and Miami of Florida. KU had watched some of Denmon’s games but did not recruit him. His teammate, Travis Releford, has committed to KU.

¢ Collison cut: Seattle SuperSonics forwards Nick Collison and Kevin Durant were cut Monday night as the U.S. reached the 12-player limit for the Olympic qualifying tournament that starts Wednesday in Las Vegas.

Former KU player Collison was brought in for training camp as a longshot to make the squad.

“Nick wasn’t involved from the very beginning, so to be this close to making it after being here a week shows what a tremendous job he did,” U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski told the Associated Press. “This was an extremely difficult decision because for both kids you can make a case for either one.”

The U.S. roster: Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire, Dwight Howard, Jason Kidd, Chauncey Billups, Michael Redd, Mike Miller, Tyson Chandler, Tayshaun Prince and Deron Williams.