RECRUITS UP IN AIR AFTER FIRING : UCLA `MAY SUFFER' WITH LOSS OF TALENT.

Byline: Eric Sondheimer Daily News Deputy Sports Editor 

Just days ago, UCLA was in position to secure one of the nation's top basketball recruiting classes.

After Wednesday's firing of coach Jim Harrick, the Bruins' recruiting outlook is considered bleak at best.

``I think you can almost throw the recruiting out the window for now,'' said Bob Gibbons of All Star Sports, a national basketball recruiting service based in Lenoir, N.C.

The Bruins have oral commitments from Crossroads High guard Baron Davis and guard Earl Watson from Washington High in Kansas City, Kan. Also, Harvard-Westlake High School's Jason and Jarron Collins were strongly considering UCLA, as was 6-foot-9 Kaspars Kambala from Mequon, Wisc.

Now there are real questions whether any will end up at UCLA.

Just last month, potential Bruins recruits were troubled by information that Harrick's son had sold a car to Davis' sister. The Pacific-10 Conference cleared Harrick of any wrongdoing. Then came Wednesday's controversy, just one week before high school seniors can begin signing national letters of intent.

The Collins twins, being pursued by the Bruins, Arizona and Stanford, declined to comment Wednesday about the impact of Harrick's departure on their decision.

But 6-foot-11 Jason has memorized a response to tell reporters. ``It's one more fact to consider in the decision-making process,'' he says repeatedly to questions.

Jarron said students kept inquiring during school about the latest UCLA saga. ``Just about everybody wanted the inside scoop,'' he said.

The Collins brothers and Watson were the three recruits who attended a dinner last month with Harrick that UCLA officials said led to the coach's firing.

In a statement, the university said Harrick violated NCAA rules by bringing five players along to the dinner with the three recruits. The rules allow for the university to pay expenses only for one host for each recruit on an official visit.

The university said Harrick compounded the violation by submitting an expense report designed to cover up the fact that the two extra players were there, and then giving false information to investigators and encouraging at least one other person to give false information as well.

In the aftermath of Harrick's firing, the Collins brothers were waiting Wednesday to talk to interim UCLA coach Steve Lavin.

Athletic director Peter Dalis sent a letter to the twins and other recruits explaining UCLA's decision. But the twins seem to be growing impatient not only with the Bruins' problems but with the whole recruiting process.

``We have to get resolution soon, very soon,'' Jarron said.

Gibbons predicted that the Collins twins won't be going to UCLA.

``I think (the firing) will really hurt their chances with the Collins twins,'' he said. ``It was a toss-up anyway and this doesn't do any good for UCLA. I would say they would go to Stanford.''

As for whether Lavin can convince players to sign with UCLA in a week's time, Gibbons said, ``The key word is interim. There's no finality and no closure. I would guess what would be in most recruits' minds is here's a young guy who inherited this job because of timing, but will he be the guy to take them into the next century as head coach?''

Watson's coach, Leonard Sparkman, said, ``Earl very much wanted to come there (UCLA). Right now, everything is up in the air. It's almost like being hit in the head with a hammer.''

UCLA had been saving its scholarships specifically for this recruiting season because the talent level is one of the best in years.

Dalis admitted the Bruins ``may suffer'' in the recruiting department for releasing information about potential NCAA violations just before signing day, but he added, ``It was the right thing to do.''

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Photo: Harvard-Westlake's Jarron and Jason Collins talk to the media about their involvement in a recruiting violation that led to UCLA coach Jim Harrick's dismissal.

Tina Gerson / Daily News