Multiple media outlets are reporting that Bloomington South guard Matt Carlino will graduate high school a year early and attend UCLA next fall as a member of the 2010 class.

Carlino, who originally committed to IU back in August of 2008 following an Elite Camp, re-opened the process on March 25. And now, Carlino will enroll as a Bruin next fall. Here’s what he told Dustin Dopirak of The Herald-Times about his decision:

“It has great tradition. It’s close to home and they’ve got a great coach in coach (Ben) Howland. There are great players coming in there and there currently. I just feel like it’s a great situation for me to come in and help out.”

The Carlino situation is an interesting one with many dynamics. First, he committed very early to Indiana, so it’s not surprising that he would end up changing his mind. It happens quite often.

But beyond that, Carlino and his father, Mark, moved from the Phoenix area to Bloomington last spring to get a closer look at the IU program. And now, he’ll leave Bloomington South, graduate high school a year early, move across the country again and re-classify to 2010. While it would be easy to question the decision making here, the better route is to wish Carlino the best and move along.

Update: Hugh Kellenberger of The Herald-Times talked to Carlino about his decision to open up his recruitment. When Kellenberger asked if re-commiting to IU was an option, Carlino had this to say.

“For right now, it’s not (an option). I like IU a lot. But right now, coach Crean said — he told me that he doesn’t need any players there that aren’t 100 percent committed to the program and everything, and obviously he knew I was thinking that way. He told me that it was good for me to tell him now, instead of being there and having those kind of thoughts. He respected my decision.”

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It’s been an eventful evening, to say the least, in the world of Indiana basketball.

First, The Washington Post reported Moses Abraham gave a verbal pledge to Georgetown on the day he returned from his official visit to Bloomington.

And now, in a confirmation of a story reported earlier by Mike Pegram, Matt Carlino has confirmed to Inside the Hall that he has decided to open up his recruitment.

“Coach Crean and his staff have been great to me,” Carlino wrote in a text message to Inside the Hall. “However, I feel that I committed too early and although I like Indiana, I felt it would be good to explore other options.”

Carlino, a 6-3 guard, played this past season at Bloomington South after transferring from Highland High, near Phoenix (AZ). He committed to Indiana shortly after attending an Elite Camp in August of 2008.

Indiana now has one player committed, Hamilton Heights wing Austin Etherington, in its 2011 recruiting class.

Related: J.R. Holmes expects Carlino to return to Bloomington South, according to Hugh Kellenberger of The Herald-Times.

Excellent work, per the usual, from Chris Howell and The Bloomington Herald-Times on this video feature on 2011 commitment Matt Carlino: