HOT OFF THE PRESS TAFT'S DREW GETTING D-I ATTENTION.

It's not every day that college basketball coaches Roy Williams of North Carolina, Lute Olson of Arizona, Mark Few of Gonzaga and Mark Gottfried of Alabama are in the San Fernando Valley, looking at a prospect for their respective programs.

However, all four prominent Division I figures made appearances in the area during the past week, taking in practice at Taft High of Woodland Hills and paying extra close attention to junior Larry Drew, who's rapidly becoming one of the more sought-after point guards in the nation.

``Larry is taking things in stride,'' Taft coach Derrick Taylor said. ``He's a pretty level-headed kid. He's mature for his age.''

Drew, the son of former Laker Larry Drew, was selected to the Daily News' All-Area first-team as a sophomore after leading the Toreadors in nearly every significant statistical category en route to an appearance in the City Section championship game.

Scout.com ranks him as the second-best player in the nation at his position for the 2008 class, and Rivals.com has him at No.3. USC, UCLA, Cal, Arizona State and Louisville have also expressed interest in Drew.

``The good thing about this job is every once in a while a special player like Larry comes along. I mean, when am I ever going to have the chance to talk basketball with a guy like Roy Williams or Lute Olson? It was pretty sweet. Really, the past couple of days have been crazy.''

-- Sean Ceglinsky

Double the pleasure

Keith Higgins is going to be pulling double duty at Reseda High this year. After a successful five-year run as the girls' basketball coach, Higgins has agreed to coach the boys' team, too.

``I'm excited. It's going to be a great challenge for me to try and build the boys' program,'' Higgins said. ``It'll be fun. I don't think anyone in CIF has the kind of job title I have now.''

Higgins is 70-32 in five seasons as coach of the girls' team. The Regents were a perennial cellar dweller before Higgins arrived, but they have made the playoffs in five of the past six seasons. Last year, they went 19-7, the most Reseda wins in 20 years.

Higgins said assistant coach Ramon Zuniga would coach the girls' team when there are conflicts between the teams.

-- Ramona Shelburne

Hoffenberg fires 62 to win

Royal of Simi Valley senior Matt Hoffenberg shot a record-setting, final-round 62 Sunday to win the Bobby Chapman Invitational at the Country Club at Spartanburg in South Carolina. Hoffenberg, who is considering Fresno State, Long Beach State, Santa Clara and San Francisco, beat Pete Uihlein -- the son of Titleist CEO Wally Uihlein -- on the first hole of a playoff. ``I didn't really expect it,'' said Hoffenberg, who eagled the par-5 fifth hole in the final round. ``I haven't played like that in a while. Everything was just clicking. I wasn't doing anything too much better, but I putted really well.''

-- Jill Painter

Longshore honored again

Former Canyon of Canyon Country quarterback Nate Longshore was selected the Pacific-10 Conference's Offensive Player of the Week for the second time in three weeks after passing for 270 yards and four TDs in a 49-21 victory over Arizona State.

-- Ramona Shelburne

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HIGGINS