CANYON: FLEMING'S NICE, QUIET PLACE TO PLAY.

Byline: Scott Magoloff Daily News Staff Writer

Well, it seems junior LaTricia Fleming has finally found a home at Canyon High.

The multi-talented basketball player was ineligible for her sophomore season due to improprieties surrounding two separate transfers she made during the year.

While enrolled at Monroe High, Fleming, a 5-foot-11 forward/guard, said she was recruited to attend Los Angeles High. With an aunt living in the area, she falsely used that address as her home to allow her to enroll.

``I actually lived with my aunt for about a month, then I started taking the bus to L.A. (from her mother's North Hills residence),'' Fleming said.

Trouble found Fleming at L.A. High, where she fell in with the wrong crowd and saw her grades slip. Then, once the City Section found out about the situation, she became ineligible for the season and wound up transferring back to Monroe.

While at Monroe for the second time in her sophomore year, Fleming said she was recruited again, this time by another school.

``I wish I wouldn't have done that,'' Fleming said of her general involvement with recruiting, a violation of CIF rules. ``I was disappointed that I didn't have a chance to play as a sophomore. I would have learned the stuff I'm learning now and I could be learning new stuff now.''

Fleming took responsibility for her actions, saying the desire to play for L.A. High stemmed from the fact it was basically re-starting its program under a new coach. But perhaps the greatest blessing came when Fleming's mother moved to Santa Clarita, taking all the guesswork out of where her daughter would play basketball.

And her fit with Canyon coach Paul Broneer has been a good one.

``At first she was a loner, but once (her teammates) got to know her, they loved her. She's a great kid,'' Broneer said. ``Honestly, I didn't want to know about her past. I'd heard there were coaches that actually recruited her. But she was here and I told her that if anyone asked her to play for them, they were breaking the rules.''

That's not likely to happen anyway.

``I like this school better than all the other ones,'' Fleming said. ``And (Broneer) is a good coach. He pushes me to do my best.''

And it has been that way ever since she began training with Broneer and the track team. Upon Fleming's arrival, her counselor mentioned her athleticism to Broneer, who coaches the jumping events and he immediately took her out to the track and noticed her leaping ability.

And Fleming did not disappoint once she joined the basketball team. Upon reviewing a summer game, Broneer noted that Fleming's hand was even with the rim when she went up for a rebound. And, as it turns out, she did touch the rim once in her life, while at Monroe.

Fleming is averaging 15 points, nearly 11 rebounds, three steals and two blocks per game, while making 49 percent of her shots. These kinds of numbers, along with her desire to improve in the classroom, lead Broneer to believe he has a legitimate Division I college prospect on his roster.

``She gets mail every day (from colleges),'' Broneer said.

Considering her past, Fleming seems relieved that the letters find her well in Canyon Country.