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You know it’s summer when boys’ basketball players start suiting up for rival high schools and talking transfer. It’s a scene routinely played out in gyms in Southern California.

The summer of 2000 is looking strikingly similar to recent ones, when established, talented players considered taking their games elsewhere.

Two years ago, it was Gilbert Arenas talking about leaving Grant High for Sylmar.

It never happened.

Today it’s Anthony Davis of Cleveland and Leon Usher of Canoga Park at the center of transfer rumors.

Only it’s anybody’s guess where Davis and Usher are headed. Even they aren’t sure.

Davis, who transferred via open enrollment to Cleveland last summer after two years at Locke, is apparently on the move again.

The 6-foot-5 forward, who averaged 15.1 points for the West Valley League co-champion Cavaliers and was a Times’ All-Valley selection last season, recently had been playing for Fremont after a falling out with Cleveland Coach Adam Levitt.

Davis, who lives near Fremont, played sparingly last weekend in the Pathfinders’ three pool-play games in the War on the Floor tournament, scoring a total of 11 points.

But Davis did not show up Monday or Tuesday for Fremont’s games against Grant and Notre Dame.

His absence did not surprise Fremont Coach Sam Sullivan, who is convinced Davis will play for a City team in the Valley next season.

“When he’s at [Fremont] and taking classes in September, that’s when I’ll believe it,” Sullivan said.

Sullivan said Davis contacted him about two weeks ago and said he had checked out of Cleveland and was transferring to Fremont.

Sullivan was skeptical of Davis’ story because it wasn’t the first time Davis had told the coach he was coming to Fremont. Sullivan has known Davis for several years and expected him to enroll at Fremont as a freshman.

Although Davis has not checked out of Cleveland, Levitt doesn’t expect the All-City player to wear a Cavalier uniform again.

“If he comes back, he’s not welcome,” Levitt said.

Earlier this month, Levitt suspended Davis for one week for breaking team rules and told the athletic swingman he needed to follow a few directives to get back into good graces. Davis, who could not be reached for comment, did not comply, Levitt said.

Cleveland, which lost to Westchester, 83-65, in the City Championship quarterfinals, could be losing another top player.

Levitt said Justin Thompson, a 6-5 forward, is expected to move out of state this summer.

Although Levitt might lose his two best players, he could gain one of the region’s most promising point guards.

Usher, a junior-to-be with one season of varsity experience, played for Cleveland in the Watts Summer Games, a violation of City Section rules. A player can play for any team from June 1 to Aug. 31 regardless of where he attends school, except for the Watts Summer Games. Because it is a sanctioned tournament, players can play only for the school in which they are enrolled.

Usher, who is attending summer school at Canoga Park, said he hasn’t made any decisions regarding where he’ll play next season.

“I’m just trying to work on my game,” he said. “I understand the more I play, the better I get.

“If a team with five girls comes up to me and asks me to play, I’ll play.”

Usher played Tuesday with Valley-Calabasas, a team thrown together Friday to fill a void left by Cleveland’s late withdrawal from the tournament. Usher scored nine points in a 59-54 loss to Santa Monica.

Usher, who was born and raised in Belize, moved to the United States about a year ago. He and his aunt reside in an apartment across the street from Sylmar High.

It appears likely Usher will transfer to Sylmar, but playing time for the quick playmaker might be hard to come by.

Sylmar, arguably the most athletic team in the region, boasted a talented roster before the recent addition of three transfers.

Hannibal Thomas, a 6-3, 190-pound two-sport athlete who transferred from Lincoln, might be the best of the lot.

“He could be the missing piece,” Coach Bort Escoto said of Thomas. “He can be a strong presence in the paint.”

Thomas also is expected to make an impact on the football team at wide receiver and running back.

Ryan Hicks and Walter Burch of Granada Hills have played sparingly for Sylmar in the War on the Floor tournament. Hicks averaged 15.1 points and 4.6 assists and Burch averaged 8.4 points last season.

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Much like the players who are shopping for new schools, Will Sheslow is getting little playing time at Chaminade.

Sheslow recently transferred from Montclair Prep, where he averaged 10.9 points and 5.7 assists last season.

Although Chaminade Coach Jeff Young expects Sheslow to be an impact player for the Eagles, he has played shooting guard sparingly in the War on the Floor tournament.

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Chaminade lost star player Scott Borchart for the remainder of the summer.

Scrambling for a loose ball against Canoga Park on Sunday, the 6-9 senior tore a tendon near the tip of his right ring finger.

Borchart is expected to be in a splint for four to six weeks, Young said.

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Based on a tournament formula, Sylmar finished its three pool-play games with the third-largest winning margin of 32 teams in the War on the Floor tournament.

The Spartans defeated Santa Clara, Canyon and Newbury Park by more than a combined 42 points. Inglewood and Notre Dame each defeated its pool-play opponents by more than 45 points.

For some, the quality of Sylmar’s pool competition was questionable because Escoto is the tournament director.

“The tournament is called War on the Floor, except for Sylmar. . . they get a picnic in the park,” Canoga Park Coach Ralph Turner quipped.

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Simi Valley, which lost to Hoover, 61-60, Monday in a pool-play game, is not the same.

But neither is center Dustin Villepigue. He’s better.

Villepigue appears to be picking up where UC Santa Barbara-bound Branduinn Fullove left off.

The 6-9 senior, who averaged 12.4 points last season, averaged 23.3 points in pool play.