UCLA signs Marko Spica to Natl. Letter of Intent

Marko Spica Signs NLI
Spica is considered one of the top young post players in Europe.


Marko Spica, a 6-9, 225-pound post player from Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro, has signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball at UCLA, Bruin head coach Ben Howland announced Tuesday. Spica will be an incoming freshman for the 2006-07 school year.

From the High School of Sport in Belgrade and considered one of the top young post
players in Europe, Spica, since the age of 13, has been a member of the Beovuk Club. Within his club team, Spica for two years has been playing on his country's Junior squad, averaging 11.0 points and 7.0 rebounds. Prior to that, for three seasons on the Youth team, he averaged 17.0 points and 9.0 rebounds.

"Marko is a skilled post player, who also has the ability to step out and make a shot," Howland said. "He and James Keefe give us two talented inside players for next season."

Spica joins James Keefe, a 6-8, 220-pound senior forward from Santa Margarita Catholic HS, who signed his NLI with UCLA on Nov. 9. Keefe is a recent Long Beach Press-Telegram Best in the West selection and is rated the No. 27 high school player in the nation by Bob Gibbons' All-Star Sports Top 100.