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Recruiting News
Most recent coverage
KINGDOM OF THE SUN REPORT
December 28, 2009
The Kingdom of the Sun Tournament at Vanguard High School in Ocala, Florida is now in its 36th year and has developed a sterling reputation for three things: tremendous young talent, quality play, and a Kentuckiana-like atmosphere in terms of fan support.
Our day consisted of catching some solid seniors, top-flight underclassmen, and a few under-the-radar players. Read story. ...
GSK INVITATIONAL REPORT
December 28, 2009
RALEIGH, N.C. — The GlaxoSmithKline Invitational is taking place this week at Broughton High School, and Monday featured a very entertaining array of games that had it all: great performances, highlight plays, emerging young players, diamond in the rough unsigned seniors, competitive games, and more.
The day of the day was unsigned senior C.J. Leslie, who kept a near-capacity crowd in their seats until the final buzzer as his Word of God squad hung on to defeat local contender Apex. Read story. ...
GREAT FLORIDA SHOOTOUT REPORT
December 28, 2009
Now in its 29th year, the Great Florida Shootout delivers excellent basketball on the doorstep of Walt Disney World. This year, the event relocated to the Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee, Florida and it proved to be a good move.
Some high-major players are here as well as a slew of mid-DI and below guys that should find a home over the next couple of years. Read story. ...
"Style" Helps Cardinals Land Wayne Blackshear
December 25, 2009
-- Holiday Hoopala Read story. ...
- Youtube - VOD -
CITY OF PALMS REPORT: PART II
December 25, 2009
The final day of the City of Palms continued to showcase talent from all across the country. A national audience on ESPN saw a double dose of Florida vs. New Jersey action. In the end, both New Jersey teams won, and Patterson (NJ) Catholic walked away with the hardware.
In the first half of his game against Huntsville (AL) Butler, it didn’t look like 6-5 junior WF P.J. Hairston from Greensboro (NC) Dudley had recovered from his toe injury. The second half was much different as he scored 26 points to finish the game with 31. Hairston has a beautiful stroke from deep with great form and rotation. Read story. ...
CITY OF PALMS REPORT: PART I
December 24, 2009
Here’s a look at the City of Palms Classic, which took place this week. We rolled into Fort Myers, Fla., on the third day of the event, and as usual, the stand-out players rose to the occasion (for the most part) and there were some surprises as well.
Clearly the best player of the day was 6-3 junior WG Austin Rivers of Winter Park (FL) High. His 22 points in the first half was matched by only one player for a full game earlier in the day and it took that player double OT to get his. It is hard to imagine there is a better scorer in terms of variety of tools at the high school level than Rivers. Read story. ...
CHICK-FIL-A CLASSIC REPORT
December 23, 2009
COLUMBIA, S.C. – The eighth annual Chick-Fil-A Classic took place in the capital of South Carolina and home of the Gamecocks, and as always there is outstanding talent — much of it regional, but some national — on hand.
There were some big names to lace them up but also some guys we hadn’t seen previously, plus a few others who commanded reevaluation based on their play. Atlanta (GA) Westlake proved victorious, led by Clemson signee Marcus Thornton. Read story. ...
HOLIDAY HOOPS ON TAP
December 22, 2009
The Holidays obviously are a very good time for high school tournaments every year, and the close of 2009 will be no exception. As always, we’ll be in the thick of it, covering such events as the Chick-Fil-A Classic this week and then the GlaxoSmithKline Invitational and Beach Ball Classic after Christmas.
In addition, we’re keeping an eye on other events happening across the nation. Just check out the links below to see what’s what in the world of grassroots hoops for events currently in progress: Read story. ...
CHECKING UP ON ... MARCUS THORNTON
December 16, 2009
One guy we’ve caught in action a decent amount, but not as much as others, is GA BF Marcus Thornton. A Clemson signee, Thornton is a 6-7 BF at Atlanta (GA) Westlake who has impressed us as a top-125 caliber senior but is esteemed by others as a clear top-100 talent.
Thankfully, we’ll get an opportunity to watch Thornton at the upcoming Chic-Fil-A Classic to form a firmer opinion. Read story. ...
NITTANY LIONS SCORE JUNIOR BIG MAN
December 14, 2009
Penn State reportedly has picked up a junior commitment from Peter Alexis, a 6-10 C at Wilkes-Barre (PA) Redeemer, who is unheralded nationally but had received attention from various other Big Ten and Big East programs.
The Nittany Lions also hold a Class of 2011 pledge from OH PG Trey Burke. PSU’s 2010 signing class is a small one, containing only guard Taran Buie, so not suprisingly they can be more bold with underclassmen. Read story. ...
UCONN GETS A JUNIOR; WHAT'S UP WITH ROSS?
December 10, 2009
UConn certainly was disappointed not to beat Kentucky on primetime on Wednesday night, but the Huskies did garner a commitment from Maurice Harkless, a 6-7 junior WF/BF at Queens (NY) Forest Hills.
Harkless isn’t a huge national name but had established himself as a solid high-major prospect among Big East coaches, and he presently is battling back from an foot injury suffered a couple months ago. He had made multiple unofficial visits to campus prior to making his decision. Read story. ...
COUPLE OF ELITE GUARD UPDATES
December 8, 2009
There haven’t been any major commitments thus far this week — and in the upcoming months the pace of pledges will slow because most guys are off the board already — but of course there are several key recruitments to track during the season.
Starting in Baltimore, big-time guard Josh Selby has added to his list of schools that previously had included Kentucky, Kansas, Miami, Syracus and Indiana. Now, Selby may take a visit to Arizona, which is looking for a lead scoring guard with tremendous desire. Read story. ...
PINKSTON TO 'NOVA
December 3, 2009
Villanova added a commitment from talented NY/VA BF Jayvaughn Pinkston, an aggressive, big-bodied scorer who has been a national name since his freshman season at Bishop Loughlin.
After also spending time at Oak Hill, Pinkston has proved to be reliable force at all points along the Eastern Seaboard. Though small for the post at 6-6, in truth Pinkston has a game more similar to that of former Iowa State star Marcus Fizer. He doesn’t handle like a wing against pressure, yet he’s easily able to use his powerful shoulders and good quickness to beat opposing frontcourt opponents off the dribble and finishes pretty well around the basket. Read story. ...
HIGH SCHOOL STARS TAKE TO THE AIRWAVES THIS SEASON
December 1, 2009
In the wake of the fall signing period and now that the opening of the high school season has begun in earnest, it’s time to start thinking about various prep games and events that will dominate the action from now through the end of March.
One facet for recruitniks to follow during the season has emerged this decade. Namely, cable television outlets — primarily based on the ESPN networks — will be televising various games this season between elite teams and frequently featuring blue-chip players. Read story. ...
BEAL PLEDGES TO GATORS
November 30, 2009
Florida won out for one of the nation’s best juniors, getting a commitment from MO WG/PG Brad Beal, one of the nation’s best scorers off the dribble. Beal chose the Gators over Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Ohio State and others.
Beal is a smooth scorer who drills long bombs yet also puts the ball on the floor and is able to create offense himself and others. Interestingly, he is the third St. Louis product — joining David Lee and Alex Tyus — to play for Florida since Billy Donovan took over in Gainesville. Read story. ...
MAJOR COMMITS HIGHLIGHT TURKEY WEEK
November 26, 2009
Despite the fact that this week as a whole was quiet due to the holiday, there was some noticeable movement along the recruiting trail. The biggest news was the deliverance of a commitment to Ohio State by top-50 junior GA PG Shannon Scott. The son of former North Carolina star Charlie Scott, the younger Scott is an improved scorer and playmaker who enjoyed a solid spring and summer.
Ohio State has done an extraordinary job recruiting underclassmen in recent years, and Scott is just the latest to offer the Buckeyes an early pledge. Read story. ...
KANTER CHOOSES HUSKIES
November 23, 2009
Touted big man Enes Kanter committed to Washington over the weekend, giving the Huskies a potential impact player for the Pac-10. A 6-10 C prepping at Simi Valley (CA) Stoneridge, the native of Turkey has been considered by some scouts to be among the very best NBA prospects in the senior class.
Kanter averaged 19 points and 16 rebounds per game in the European Championships, so obviously he has production in addition to potential. Read story. ...
HARRIS PUNCTUATES FALL; MORE SIGNINGS
November 19, 2009
Finally, the recruiting race for NY BF Tobias Harris is finished. On Thursday evening, the multi-faceted forward chose Tennessee over a highly disappointed Syracuse, Louisville, Kentucky, Georgia Tech, Maryland and West Virginia.
Harris’ recruiting saga began early and never dissipated in drama. After sporting a very long list into the spring, he began to whittle away his list to a core group of finalists. He visited each of the contenders and became the No. 1 recruiting story for several schools. Read story. ...
Finally, after years of retrieving scholarship offers, taking and hosting visits, playing throughout the country on the travel circuit, beginning on Wednesday the Class of 2010 made their college decisions binding.
While the results below will change as certain top recruits make their decisions (No. 1 Harrison Barnes and No. 19 Jelan Kendrick announced after the opening of the period, for example), here’s a look at the top 25 recruiting classes to date, with Memphis now leading the charge at No. 1. Read story. ...
HARRIS TAKES SURPRISE VISIT; SET TO ANNOUNCE THURSDAY
November 18, 2009
On the face of it, it would appear odd that a player would announce just after the conclusion of the fall signing period. But that’s exactly what big-time NY BF Tobias Harris is doing when he announces his decision on Thursday.
The elite senior frontcourt player, one of he most versatile players in the class, is down to what still comprises a lengthy list of finalists: Syracuse, Tennessee, Louisville, Kentucky, Georgia Tech, Maryland and West Virginia. He’ll sign on Wednesday (final day of the signing period) and then announce on Thursday, so technically he’s still a fall signee. Read story. ...
MEMPHIS STRIKES AGAIN; MORE SIGNINGS
November 16, 2009
Just when it appeared Memphis couldn’t do much better recruiting the Class of 2010, the Tigers added yet another stud in TN BF Tarik Black, who chose Josh Pastner’s program over Marquette and others.
Black is a good athlete with a strong frame who is comfortable in the paint despite standing a relatively short 6-7. He’s powerful springy and the possessor of an effective short jumphook, so he contributes as a scorer, rebounder and all-around tough guy. He’ll certainly fit in well with Memphis, which will have three excellent scorers on the perimeter and needs someone to do the heavy lifting inside. Read story. ...
KENDRICK DELIVERS PLEDGE TO MEMPHIS
November 15, 2009
Memphis received its third elite pledge from a high school senior. The Tigers went down to Georgia to land GA wing Jelan Kendrick, a big-time scorer and significantly advanced ball-handler for a player at his position. When we watched Kendrick during the summer, he actually spent some time playing point guard.
While point guard certainly isn’t his natural position, it’s a testament to his skill level that he can play it effectively at all. The Tigers now boast pledges from three national elites, also including wing Will Barton and hometown guard Joe Jackson. Read story. ...
BARNES COMMITS TO NORTH CAROLINA
November 13, 2009
On Friday afternoon, amid a maelstrom of reporters, TV stations and live internet streams bursting with traffic, the nation’s No. 1 senior, IA WF Harrison Barnes announced for North Carolina over Duke, Kansas, Oklahoma, Iowa State and UCLA.
The Barnes recruitment was among the most storied in recent memory, and no definitive leaks surfaced in the hours – or even minutes – prior to his announcement on live television. Read story. ...
VIDEO FEATURE: THE FOUR HORSEMEN
By now, most of the elite seniors have made their college decisions. That said, a handful of big-timers remain undecided, and the drama accompanying those recruitments obviously is very high. In this exclusive video, check out the exploits of IA wing Harrison Barnes, OR combo forward Terrence Jones, star FL guard Brandon Knight and tremendously skilled NY BF Tobias Harris.
These four seniors will continue to draw headlines as long as they're undecided and beyond, and of course you can expect to see their names in lights as their careers progress to the higher levels of the sport. Enjoy! Watch the video. ...
TIGERS ADD MORE
November 12, 2009
Two sets of Tigers landed commitments, as both Memphis and Auburn made pickups in time for the end of the fall signing period. At Memphis, Josh Pastner’s club added VA C Hippolyte Tsafack, an emerging center who runs the floor hard, blocks shots and toss down emphatic slams. We first viewed Tsafack at the Super Slamfest in Virginia last February, and he also gained exposure on the travel circuit during the spring and summer.
Tsafack definitely is more raw offensively that some of he elite senior big men, but his role early likely will be to loom as the enforcer and finisher alongside scorers such as Will Barton and Joe Jackson. Read story. ...
SIGNING DAY RUNDOWN
November 11, 2009
The letters have been faxed in and the news continues to pour. Here are the latest moves on the recruiting trail for the Class of 2010, and as you’ll see there has been quite a lot of movement on Wednesday.
Starting in the Northeast, Pittsburgh won out for tough, rapidly improving wing scorer J.J. Moore, who had narrowed his choices to the Panthers, Louisville and St. John’s. Read story. ...
SMITH, MORRIS MAKE COLLEGE CHOICES
November 11, 2009
UCLA landed its most important prospect of the 2010 recruiting cycle, getting the nod from elite WA C Josh Smith, who chose the Bruins over co-finalist Washington and many other schools that had hoped to hang around longer in his recruitment than they did.
Smith is an elite talent who has suffered through bouts of inconsistency during his prep career, but given his size and excellent skills, with improved conditioning and focus he could become a star at the college level.
Meanwhile, versatile wing Jason Morris is headed to Georgia Tech. Read story. ...
COLLIER, NDAO COMMIT
November 6, 2009
Oregon State won a huge battle for NJ BF Devon Collier, getting the East Coast big man to head out west over offers from Big East programs Seton Hall, Providence and St. John’s.
Collier entered the spring with a big national reputation after a strong junior season at St. Anthony. His play then dropped off for a couple months as he struggled with knee problems, but he showed greater comfort and mobility in July, restoring the luster to his recruitment. Read story. ...
HALLOWEEN HAVOC REPORT
November 4, 2009
Last weekend, we traveled to the Richmond, Va., area for a new event hosted in association with the Richmond Squires travel team program. The event was held at the Virginia Sports Complex and focused on younger talent.
Many of the players in attendance hail from Virginia, but there were imports from North Carolina, Georgia and other states on hand as well. That said, let’s take a look at some of the players who made the event a success: Read story. ...
KEARNEY MAKES EARLY PLEDGE TO MSU
November 3, 2009
Just a week following the commitment of senior OH BF Adreian Payne, Michigan State made a foray into the Class of 2011 for Brandan Kearney, a 6-4 WG at Detroit (MI) Southeastern. Kearney chose the Spartans over in-state rival Michigan and other high-major programs, and he’ll bring some perimeter scoring ability to East Lansing.
Kearney averaged 13 points, six rebounds and six assists per game as a sophomore for a strong team, impressive numbers for such a young player. He becomes MSU’s first recruit from junior class. Read story. ...
SENIORS, UNDERCLASSMEN MAKE CHOICES
November 2, 2009
While the pressure is building while key uncommitted seniors near their decisions, some underclassmen relatively quietly removed their names from the board. At Tennessee, the Vols gained a prototypical guard recruit in GA junior WG Kevin Ware.
Ware, a member of the fabled Atlanta Celtics and one of the best run/jump athletes in the junior class, committed to Tennessee over a smattering of SEC, Big East and other interest. He’ll need to improve his jump shot in order to round out his game, but in UT’s uptempo system he’s an excellent fit. Read story. ...
We've posted our extended rankings for the Class of 2010. While there weren't many changes in the top 100 between our post-summer update and these fall rankings, we've gone from a top 100 to a top 200 national prospects. Of course, the fluidity you'll see between now and our final rankings in the spring will result from the games and tournaments we watch this season, as well as (to a lesser) extent the postseason games.
Just click on the link to see the new list! See Rankings. ...
GAMECOCKS SNARE JUNIOR COMMIT
October 29, 2009
Michigan State won out for a huge commitment on Thursday, getting the nod from OH BF Adreian Payne, who announced for the Spartans over Arizona, Kentucky and West Virginia along with tons of high-majors who didn’t make the list of finalists.
It’s easy to understand why Payne was so hotly pursued. He’s a big, fairly strong athlete who is a physical specimen around the rim athletically. And just when one is inclined to label him as a generic post athlete, he lofts in a short jump hook with his left hand. Clearly, his style should work well for Tom Izzo’s program, which continues to feast on blue-chip frontcourt prospects. Read story. ...
GAMECOCKS SNARE JUNIOR COMMIT
October 27, 2009
South Carolina made a move into the junior class, reaching into North Carolina – which it has done very well under Darrin Horn – for Anthony Gill, a 6-8 junior C at Charlotte (NC) Christian. Gill is a big center who caught our eye at the Carolina Challenge last spring as a player to watch closely, and the Gamecocks liked his potential enough to offer an early scholarship.
Gill will need to get himself into tip-top shape and continue to hone his skills, but obviously with two years of high school still to play, he has plenty of time to improve. Read story. ...
ODOM SWITCHES UP; OTHERS MAKE DECISIONS
October 26, 2009
MA WF Rod Odom, who recently had pledged to Arizona, backed off that commitment and instead will take his skills to Vanderbilt. Odom is a major talent who stands to upgrade the wing position at either school, and ultimately he’ll be playing somewhat closer to home.
Of course, there have been other important decision as well, including Missouri getting a pledge from Kadeem Green, a 6-8 Canadian BF prepping this year at Charlotte (NC) United Faith. Read story. ...
IRVING HEADS COMMITMENT ROUNDUP
October 22, 2009
Duke achieved part I of what it hopes will be a two-pronged, dynamite fall. The Blue Devils received a commitment officially on Thursday from elite NJ PG Kyrie Irving, who chose Duke over Texas A&M, Kentucky and many others.
Irving’s commitment is a major statement for Duke, which invaded Big East turf and pulled out the top-rated senior prospect within the region. He’ll also provide the Devils with a tremendous tangible presence in terms of his ability to create his own offense. Read story. ...
BATTLE FOR THE RANKINGS REPORT
October 22, 2009
One of the most anticipated exposure events in Florida during the fall is the Breakdown Battle for the Rankings, held at the Orlando Sports Complex. Hosted by Breakdownmagazine.com, it brings players from as far away as Pensacola to the North and Miami in the south for two days of competition among some of the best high school basketball players in the state.
The talent level and competition has always been top notch and this year was no different. Read story. ...
FLURRY OF COMMITMENTS
October 19, 2009
As expected, there were numerous pledges delivered both during and immediately following the slew of official visits taken over the weekend. Starting in Palo Alto, Stanford picked up FL BF Dwight Powell. Powell, a native of Canada, had received offers from Georgia Tech and high interest from Ivy League programs, and obviously he’s an excellent student.
On the court, the slender big man is a very intelligent and skilled player who generally plays within himself. Though he isn’t a high-flyer or huge numbers generator, he does possess very good mobility and shoots well with easy range to 17 feet. Read story. ...
SEASON SET TO TIP OFF, MAJOR VISITS IN TOW
October 16, 2009
College basketball festivities tip off this weekend all across the country, and from a recruiting perspective, this is a huge period during which several major decisions are likely to be made.
Official visits have taken place throughout the fall, but the opening weekend of practice typically involved a much greater amount of crowd support and formal basketball activities. For that reason, college programs typically seek to bring in their top targets during season-opening weekend, if possible, and as such a lot of major moves will occur in the coming days. Read story. ...
HUSKIES GO OFF RADAR FOR BRADLEY
October 14, 2009
UConn received a commitment from 6-10 C Michael Bradley, a mostly unsung product at Chattanooga (TN) Tyner Academy. Bradley pledged to the Huskies after taking an official visit to campus, and he also took visits to Georgia, Drake and Virginia Commonwealth.
Bradley is one of the classic UConn recruits who, over the years under Jim Calhoun, frequently have surpassed his expectations entering college out of high school. Read story. ...
'DORES, PIRATES SCORE CONNECTS
October 12, 2009
There were no huge commits during the weekend or on Monday, but there have been a couple of developments the past few days. In Vanderbilt, the Commodores landed 6-10 C Josh Henderson, a product of Roanoke (VA) Cave Spring, former high school of J.J. Redick.
Henderson is a somewhat thin and less heralded big man whose primary early contributions are likely to occur on the defensive end of the court. Read story. ...
COTHRON, OTHERS MAKE PICKS
October 9, 2009
N.C. State landed a key frontcourt commitment, getting the nod from NC BF Luke Cothron, a talented big man who has bounced around high schools and travel teams yet possesses easy top-50 talent in the Class of 2010.
Cothron was expected to enroll at prep school in Connecticut this season but ended up back in North Carolina. The Wolfpack had recruited him diligently for a year and ultimately won out over Alabama, Tennessee and others. Read story. ...
ODOM SELECTS ARIZONA
October 8, 2009
MA WF Rod Odom ended his recruitment by committing to Sean Miller’s Arizona Wildcats. U-A needs signature players to replenish its talent level, and Odom could become a key recruit.
There’s no real consensus about Odom, because he didn’t play at as many events at some players and didn’t always excel when he did. For example, he didn’t scintillate at the NBA Top 100 Camp in June, though largely his struggles were due to illness. Read story. ...
"One thing that surprises coaches is Cady’s ability to shoot the ball."
October 6, 2009
-- Derek Heard, on big man Cady Lalanne Read story. ...
MORE HIGH-MAJORS PULL TRIGGER
October 6, 2009
The pace of commitments is increasing. By now, most blue-chip seniors have visited their favorites officially, and as a result a lot of pledges are getting delivered to programs throughout the country.
Starting in Palo Alto, the Stanford Cardinal added key California wing Anthony Brown. Brown had been consistent during the summer prior to his junior year, but this past travel circuit he was much more consistent shooting the ball and with his ball-handling. As he continues to get stronger, he should become an outstanding weapon for Johnny Dawkins’ program. Read story. ...
DAVIS PICKS AGGIES
October 5, 2009
TX BF Keith Davis committed to Texas A&M, choosing the Aggies over co-finalist Texas. Davis enjoyed a big summer, starting at the It Takes 5ive Classic in early July, and he continued his fine play through the end of the summer period in Las Vegas.
Davis’ emergence in July speaks to the fact that rising seniors still can emerge from obscurity to become universal top-100 talents. Though Davis still has some inconsistencies and holes to his game, he should become a fine weapon for A&M. Read story. ...
BEJARANO BACKS OFF; MORE COMMITS
October 1, 2009
The big news on Thursday was that AZ WG Daniel Bejarano has backed off a pledge to Texas and instead will reopen his recruitment. According to a story at Arizona Central, Bejarano is likely to stay closer to home and play at either Arizona or Arizona State.
Bejarano is a very good shooter whose summer was marked by tragedy. In June, his father was killed, prompting him understandably to consider options closer to Phoenix. Read story. ...
PRATHER, OTHERS DECIDE
September 30, 2009
The biggest name to commit so far this week is that of TN WF Casey Prather, who chose Florida over Vanderbilt, Clemson, Michigan and others. Prather is a tremendous leaper who will provide the Gators with scoring punch and overall perimeter athleticism.
Prather is an excellent fit for Florida’s defensive system as well, and he has a body that shouldn’t need much work before he’s ready for the physical rigors of college hoops. Read story. ...
NTF WORKOUT: FINAL REPORT
September 29, 2009
In our final look at the last weekend’s Nike Team Florida workout in St. Petersburg, Fla., we’ll explore some of the best young players in the Sunshine State.
The last day of the event featured approximately 80 prospects from the classes of 2012, 2013 and even a few from the Class of 2014. That said, here’s a look at some early sketches of players you’ll no doubt be reading much more about in the future. Read story. ...
MCCARTER CHOOSES VCU
September 28, 2009
VCU scored a tremendous pledge from NC WF/BF Reco McCarter, a talented combo forward who chose the Rams over serious interest from George Washington, Georgia and others.
McCarter was somewhat overshadowed within his home state due the presence of numerous high-majors, but obviously VCU and other college programs were well aware of his talents. Because of his size (6-7) and skill level, he is likely to earn early playing time upon arrival in Richmond. Read story. ...
NIKE TEAM FLORIDA WORKOUT:
DAY ONE REPORT
September 26, 2009
The annual Workout, hosted in St. Petersburg by Nike Team Florida, always affords us the opportunity to watch some of the best players in Florida. The event, held at Eckerd College this year, is broken into divisions: seniors and juniors on day one, and sophomores and freshmen on day two.
On Saturday it was the upperclassmen who took the floor, so let’s see which guys separated themselves from the pack: Read story. ...
LAS VEGAS CLINIC RECAP
September 25, 2009
Over the past week we have traveled to a series of events, and one of the best was the clinic held by Pangos in Las Vegas. The event benefited heavily from the presence of Henderson (NV) Findlay Prep, and of course there was other good local talent on hand there as well. Here’s a look at some prospects long since established on the national radar, as well as some newer names and some youngsters who warrant mention.
The summer wasn’t always a great one for Tristan Thompson, but prepping this year at Findlay, he obviously has taken his time in the gym very seriously. Read story. ...
ROUNDUP: POOLE, GASSER DECIDE
September 25, 2009
Kentucky won out for talented FL wing Stacey Poole as expected, adding a prototypical athlete to John Calipari’s system. Poole began the spring as a fringe top-100 prospect but steadily played himself upward during June and July, and now he projects as a fine contributor for the Wildcats.
South Carolina and Clemson also were heavily involved. Poole is UK’s first Class of 2010 recruit, after the ‘Cats steamrolled the nation to close out the 2009 class. Read story. ...
MORE MAJOR PROGRAM COMMITS
September 24, 2009
Minnesota picked up a big-time underrated commitment from TN wing Austin Hollins. A slender guard who played alongside Casey Prather and others for the Nashville Celtics, there are some within the grassroots community who view Hollins as the best prospect to emerge from that team.
Hollins visited the Gophers and chose Tubby Smith’s program over Arkansas and Memphis. Read story. ...
SLEW OF COMMITMENTS
September 21, 2009
Alabama beat out Oklahoma and others for the services of talented KS PG Trevor Releford. A 6-0 floor general who emerged as a national top-100 prospect during the spring and summer, Releford connected early with the Crimson Tide coaching staff.
Releford is among the best passers and overall playmakers in the senior class. With a somewhat deceptive stop-and-go dribble, he’s a solid scorer off the dribble as well. Though he has been inconsistent with his jump shot, he hit a higher percentage of his threes this past summer.
Releford was one of just many players to pledge over the weekend. Read story. ...
PANTHERS GET A JUNIOR
September 18, 2009
Pittsburgh picked up a Class of 2011 commitment, getting a pledge from 6-1 PG John Johnson. A somewhat less heralded prospect of Philadelphia (PA) Gerard, Johnson chose the Panthers over interest from St. Joe’s, St. John’s, Virginia Tech, Penn State and others.
Johnson averaged 21 points and five assists per game for Girard last season, which won its first ever state title. Read story. ...
UT GOLDEN WITH GEORGIA GUARD
September 17, 2009
Tennessee picked up former Ohio State commitment Trae Golden, a guard who in effect became a swap with the Buckeyes for former UT pledge Aaron Craft.
Golden chose the Vols over Georgia, Virginia and others, and he’s an arguable top-100 prospect who should become a solid contributor in Knoxville. Golden emerged onto the scene early, made his commitment to OSU and then struggled for an extended period of time. But he bounced back after backing away from the pledge and performed consistently better this year on the travel circuit for the Atlanta Celtics. Read story. ...
HUSKIES, TIGERS ADD PLEDGES
September 15, 2009
Connecticut landed a wing scorer, getting a commitment from emerging Georgian Jeremy Lamb. Lamb, a member of the Georgia Stars during the summer, became one of July’s big stories.
Lamb was terrific throughout the week at the Peach Jam, a very high-profile event that enabled him to gain traction with numerous high-major coaching staffs. Ultimately, he chose the Huskies over Georgia, Clemson, Texas and others. Read story. ...
JOHNSON, PRESSEY ANNOUNCE
September 14, 2009
Another round of weekend visits, another batch of commitments; this past weekend turned out several more major decisions as the fall rolls onward. One significant pledge was delivered to Virginia by CA BF James Johnson, who committed to the Cavaliers over Arizona, Oklahoma and others.
Johnson emerged at the Pangos All-American Camp in June, where he outshone previously more-touted prospects. He carried that momentum into the remainder of summer and now ranks as one of the finest senior prospects on the West Coast. Read story. ...
JACKSON NOT BLUE ABOUT MEMPHIS
September 11, 2009
Six months ago, a commitment given by TN PG/WG Joe Jackson wouldn’t have been viewed as anything extraordinary. After all, from the beginning of the prolific scorer’s prep career, the Tigers had been considered the heavy favorite.
But the dynamic was altered dramatically when John Calipari left for Kentucky last spring, and suddenly the Memphis native wasn’t so sure about his collegiate future. But enter Josh Pastner, the youthful coach of the Tigers who has managed to reel in a truly terrific class (which also notably includes elite wing Will Barton) in his first year as head coach. Read story. ...
MORE MAJOR COMMITS
September 10, 2009
Notre Dame added to its 2010 recruiting haul, getting a commitment from MD WG Jerian Grant. Grant, who enjoyed a big summer with Team Takeover, chose the Irish over interest from numerous Big 12, Big East, ACC programs and others.
Grant had struggled at the NBA Top 100 Camp in June, but he rebounded at the Peach Jam in July and earned a spot in the national top 100. Read story. ...
PRICE GIVES EARLY NOD TO CARDINALS
September 8, 2009
One would expect seniors to dominate the headlines at this point in the fall, but the past few days it’s been juniors that have attracted the most attention. A second top-50 junior made his college decision when Zach Price, a 6-9 C at Lakewood (OH) St. Edward, chose Louisville over interest from Ohio State, Michigan and others.
Price is one of several major players to emerge from St. Edward this decade, and his commitments offers evidence that the recent turmoil at Louisville is unlikely to exact a profound impact on recruits. Read story. ...
QUICK FLURRY OF COMMITMENTS
September 8, 2009
Indiana and other schools have been able to get on board this week, with the Hoosiers landing athletic, hard-working utility Beltway wing Victor Oladipo, who chose IU over a smattering of ACC and Big East attention.
Oladipo performed for Team Takeover alongside fellow senior wing Jerian Grant and junior wing Michael Gbinije during travel team events, and his play was consistently solid, if not spectacular. Our view is that he’s unlikely ever to become a prolific scorer, but he will bring slashing toughness and overall aggressiveness to the lineup. Read story. ...
MCADOO DECIDES; COBBINS CHOOSES OSU
September 7, 2009
After making an unofficial visit to UNC for the school’s alumni celebration, top-five junior BF James McAdoo opted for the Tar Heels over a host of other high-major programs. McAdoo visited with his family and, prior to leaving campus, gave Roy Williams a commitment.
McAdoo has been a national name since his freshman season, which enabled him to maintain his elite standing in the Class of 2011 despite missing the entire summer due to a shoulder injury. He’s a top-shelf athlete and joins NC wing P.J. Hairston as a member of the Tar Heels’ junior haul. Read story. ...
JONES, OTHERS MAKE PICKS
September 4, 2009
The high-major prospects continue to make up their minds about college. In the latest commitment, CA WG Bryce Jones has become a member of the Southern Cal family. The Trojans, re-building the program under first-year coach Kevin O’Neill, will gain the services of a player who is considered by some to rank among the top 100 seniors in the country.
Jones definitely enjoyed some very good moments on the travel circuit, and he’ll be able to compete for early playing time in LA. Read story. ...
MCKENZIE PICKS XU
September 2, 2009
Xavier capitalized on the strong in-state class within Ohio, getting a commitment from emerging big man Griffin McKenzie, a Cincinnati native who chose the Musketeers over Vanderbilt, Northwestern, Wake Forest and others.
McKenzie caught our attention at the Adidas It Takes 5ive Classic in early July. There he showed good skills, and at 6-9 he has the size to play either post position at the next level. Though not as trumpeted as some other undecided recruits weighing their decisions this fall, McKenzie should become a fine contributor for Xavier. Read story. ...
SENIOR SUPERLATIVES
September 1, 2009
We recently unveiled our updated, post-summer rankings, so now let’s take a look at the nation’s category killers. In this feature we’ve identified players from the Class of 2010 who are the best at certain aspects of the game, as well a few less serious categories. Read story. ...
FLORIDA FORWARD CHOOSES CINCY
August 28, 2009
Cincinnati added an athletic big man late this week, getting the nod from FL BF Justin Jackson. A 6-7 BF who starred with Team STAT, Jackson doesn’t possess ideal height (he’s just 6-7) but is very long and has the athleticism to compensate.
Jackson is somewhat untested offensively. The assumption has been that the big man is a limited slammer/rejector, but it’s important to point out that he frequently deferred to his club’s guards, including top-five senior Brandon Knight. Read story. ...
MAJOR LIST UPDATES
August 26, 2009
There haven’t been any earth-shattering commitments so far this week – don’t worry, they’re just around the corner — but several big names have begun to trim their school lists and set up visit dates. Starting at the very top of the senior class, No. 1 Harrison Barnes has cut his list of schools to a half dozen: Duke, Kansas, North Carolina, Oklahoma, UCLA and Iowa State.
No. 2 senior Brandon Knight will visit Kansas for its Late Night in the Phog event on October 16, with an in-home set up for September 12. Read story. ...
EARLY TEAM RECRUITING RANKINGS
August 24, 2009
If you looked back at this decade and were forced to choose one surprise program on the recruiting trail, Ohio State would have to be it. Under coach Thad Matta, the Buckeyes have become one of the nation’s most formidable programs at the grassroots level.
Matta’s signature recruit at OSU was Greg Oden, the No. 1 prospect from the Class of 2006, who in his one season in Columbus helped lead the Buckeyes to the national final. The Buckeyes have continued to successfully mine elite talent in recent classes, and there have been two primary subplots to their success. Read story. ...
In our final look at updated, post-summer rankings for the high school classes, we've rolled off an early top 15 for the Class of 2012. The sophomore class obviously will see a lot of changes between now and their senior year, but it's worth making note of some of the early bright lights in the class.
For now, our vote for No. 1 goes to Texas big man Isaiah Austin, but that certainly could change in the future. Class of 2012 Top 15
ROUNDUP: PARKER CHOOSES TERPS
August 21, 2009
It was an eventful week for VA WF Mychal Parker. The slender wing was implicated in a storyby the Washington Post about his involvement with a caretaker, although most of the blame conjured in the story was directed at him.
Parker then decided to end his recruitment, which he did by making a commitment to Maryland. The Terrapins have enjoyed a recruiting rebound over the past couple years, and Parker will give them good size (6-5) and athleticism for the wing. He had garnered serious interest from Miami, Clemson and others, but it had become clear by late summer that the Terps held a commanding edge.
Yesterday we presented our updated rankings for the senior Class of 2010, and today we've followed up with a fresh look at the nation's top juniors.
Even more than No. 1 senior Harrison Barnes, Michael Gilchrist at this point is nearly impossible to argue against as the top prospect in the junior class. The sensational forward has worthy competition at the top of the Class of 2011, but he simply has outpaced everyone in high school basketball with the possible exception of Barnes. Class of 2011 Top 50
Iowa wing Harrison Barnes easily retained his spot at the apex of the Class of 2010. Barnes was outstanding throughout the summer and at times was positively sensational.
Meanwhile, he is flanked by elite Florida guard Brandon Knight and dominating Ohio big man Jared Sullinger. Just click on the link to see the complete top 100! Class of 2010 Top 100
JONES CHOOSES GOLDEN EAGLES
August 17, 2009
Marquette reached into Georgia for a top-100 prospect in the Class of 2010. The Golden Eagles won out for GA WF Jamail Jones, who picked Buzz Williams’ program over serious interest from Xavier, Oklahoma, Mississippi State and others.
Jones is an interesting case because he didn’t get as much exposure during the summer as some of his fellow high-major peers. That said, he did get out enough to warrant his spot in the national top 100, and he now will become part of the Eagles’ ongoing rebirth after the graduation of their trio of outstanding guards.
"T.J. had some ACC and SEC programs showing some interest earlier this spring."
August 14, 2009
-- Conrad Foss, on T.J. Hall
BUCKS GET YET ANOTHER
August 13, 2009
Ohio State added yet another commitment to its stellar 2010 recruiting haul, gaining the services of local BF J.D. Weatherspoon, a talented athlete who played a key role for All-Ohio Red this summer. Weatherspoon is a BF who is springy and has the ability to play above the rim.
The Buckeyes hold pledges from Weatherspoon, elite forward DeShaun Thomas, elite center Jared Sullinger, plus guards Jordan Sibert, Lenzelle Smith and Aaron Craft.
WADE, OTHERS MAKE DECISIONS
August 11, 2009
Arkansas won out over Missouri, Alabama and others for Memphis WG/PG Mardracus Wade, a strong, athletic and tough wing. Wade’s stock began to climb at the NBAPA Top 100 Camp in June, and he now appears to be a borderline top-100 talent heading into the fall.
Recruiting Memphis is an obvious strategy for the Razorbacks, which need to look inside the state and outside the state to compile SEC-worthy talent.
FERGUSON PULLS A STUNNER
August 9, 2009
When blue-chip IN BF Dominique Ferguson backed away from Kentucky in the aftermath of Billy Gillispie’s dismissal, few expected the top-25 talent to stray far from the orbit of major programs.
Well, Ferguson did just that, choosing Isiah Thomas’ program at Florida International, giving Thomas his first signature recruit and sending a message that he’s capable of bringing elite talent to FIU.
BEARS GET BULLISH FOR SOLOMON
August 7, 2009
CA BF Richard Solomon ended his recruitment prior to the start of his senior season. The skinny big man — who first emerged as the Jayhawk Invitational in the spring — chose California over co-finalist Oregon State.
A strong student academically, Solomon should have no trouble adjusting to Cal’s rigorous academics. On the court, he does lack strength but possesses a fine array of skills and, given time to develop, should become a very solid contributor.
MELO CHOOSES ORANGE
August 5, 2009
Another big name is off the board: Blue-chip big man Fab Melo committed to Syracuse. He chose the Orange over Louisville and many other major programs.
Comment: Melo is one of the most intriguing big men in the Class of 2010, and his pledge to the Orange gives Jim Boeheim’s program a building block around which to build a team that can continue to compete on even terms with Big East clubs such as UConn and Louisville. He isn’t likely to stay long in college, but his impact should be massive as long as he’s around.
COMMITMENT SEASON BEGINS
August 4, 2009
Now that the spring and summer evaluation periods have concluded, it’s time to enter the next phase of the recruiting calendar: commitment season. Over the next few months seniors will make official visits to their serious contenders, and of course they’ll also host coaches for in-home visits.
Along with that, some players will opt to end their recruitments prior to the opening of school, and already over the past couple days some major pledges have been delivered.
AAU JUNIOR BOYS 17-U: DAY FIVE
July 31, 2009
ORLANDO, Fla. – This was the day we watched all four quarterfinals and both semifinals in their entirety at the AAU Junior Boys’ (17-Under) National Championship.
We’ve chronologically identified the premier performers in each of the games, and they constitute today's Brick’s Picks. One player who enjoyed great success all spring and summer was All-Ohio Red product Adreian Payne.
AAU CHAMPIONSHIPS: DAY FOUR
July 30, 2009
ORLANDO, Fla. – Viewing all or part of 15 different games during the fourth day of the AAU National 17-Under and 16-Under Championships, here's the recap:
In the 17-Unders, the rounds of 32 and 16 were played, while the 16-Under semifinals and finals took place. Entering day five, here are the quarterfinal match-ups in the 17s: New York Gauchos vs. Houston Hoops, All Ohio Red vs. Youth Interlock Society (PA), Georgia Stars vs. Boo Williams Summer League All-Stars (VA), and Jackson Tigers (MS) vs. Arkansas Wings. Eight individuals who particularly impressed us with their play are highlighted today.
AAU JUNIOR BOYS 17-U: DAY THREE
July 29, 2009
ORLANDO, Fla. – We roved from court to court, watching all or parts of 13 different games over the course of another long day at the 17-Under AAU National Championship Tournament.
While we viewed a lot of good performances, there were none as captivating as New Jersey Road Runners guard Kyrie Irving's 39-pointer the previous day. Regardless, here are seven players we've singled out for their noteworthy play.
BRICK'S PICKS: AAU JUNIOR BOYS 17-U
July 28, 2009
ORLANDO, Fla. – Over the course of the second day, we saw all or at least significant parts of 10 different games in the AAU Junior Boys (17-Under) National Championship tournament.
By far the highlight of the day was provided by a hard-fought match-up between the Baltimore Stars and the New Jersey Road Runners, so we'll begin Brick's Picks by mentioning the two players who were both superb in this exciting contest.
RIDING THE RECRUITING TRAIL
July 27, 2009
The past two days we believe we are the only scout to have been present for the championship games of The Main Event in Las Vegas, the Center Stage tournament in Vegas, the Reebok Summer Championships in Vegas, the adidas Super 64 in Las Vegas, and The Super Showcase in Orlando.
It took a lot of riding around the Las Vegas area and then a swift plane flight to Orlando, but with transportation help from long-time friend Ron Logan and fellow scouts Clark Francis of The Hoop Scoop and Van Coleman of Hoopmasters, we were able to see most of two of these finals and all of the other three.
MORE FROM THE SUPER SHOWCASE
July 26, 2009
ORLANDO, Fla. – The NBA’s catch phrase is "where amazing happens." The second day of the 17U AAU Super Showcase lived up to that kind of advance billing with three games that defied imagination and nearly defied explanation.
Game one occurred when the NJ Celtics, which is essentially Elizabeth (NJ) St. Patrick minus Michael Gilchrist, took down All-Ohio Red in pool play. Red still placed first in their pool but then amazingly fell to the Rising Stars in the first round of bracket play. The final surprise was the NJ Celtics take down of Team Final and Michael Gilchrist in overtime. The tournament headed into its final day with the two top dog seeds out of contention.
VEGAS WEEK: BRICK'S PICKS DAY FOUR
July 26, 2009
LAS VEGAS -- We spent day four in Las Vegas watching games in either the new Center Stage tournament (where we were most of the day), presented by StarVision Sports, or The Main Event, sponsored by Vision Sports. Consequently, this year we now have attended all of the five separate high school basketball events going on in Vegas during the July 22-26 time frame.
Our latest edition of Brick's Picks contains six individuals we observed at the Center Stage and two from The Main Event.
VEGAS WEEK: BRICK'S PICKS DAY THREE
July 25, 2009
LAS VEGAS -- We spent our third day in Las Vegas watching games in the Reebok Summer Championships at Foothill High. Particularly impressive, and thus constituting Brick's Picks for July 24, were the eight individuals we'll write about below.
Within the overall Reebok event was an eight-team Create-N-Finish Cup Challenge, and we saw most of these players in Cup Challenge tournament games.
While the Brandon Bass team from Dallas (TX) was not in the Cup Challenge, 6-7 rising senior WF/BF Tony Mitchell (who'll rise into the top 35 in 2010) was absolutely superb.
SUPER SHOWCASE AAU 17U
July 24, 2009
ORLANDO, Fla. – With round-the-clock hoops at Disney’s Wide World of Sports since Tuesday, Friday was the first day for the 17U age group to hit the big stage in front of coaches. The Gold Division houses many of the nation’s best while the Silver Division claims more than its fair share of talent. With twelve courts on site, it is truly a hoops junkie’s paradise.
VEGAS WEEK: DAY THREE REPORT
July 24, 2009
LAS VEGAS – Friday’s action in Las Vegas took us to the Reebok Summer Championships. The venerable tournament previously was known as the Big Time, and now it’s in its third year with a new name.
While there were good players and some surprises across the board, one rising senior in particular broke out as a national impact player.
VEGAS WEEK: BRICK'S PICKS DAY TWO
July 24, 2009
LAS VEGAS -- We spent the entire day watching games in the adidas Super 64 tournament at Rancho High School, with some of the games being good ones and others being not so good. As for individual performances, we've singled out eight players as Brick's Picks for Thursday.
Most impressive of the lot was the play of a member of the rising junior class, uncommitted 6-7 Dallas (TX) Lincoln WF LeBryan Nash (No. 12 in 2011), who led the Dallas Mustangs Blue to victories over Team Philly Blue (91-76) and the Michigan Mustangs.
VEGAS WEEK: DAY TWO REPORT
July 23, 2009
LAS VEGAS – Here on the second day in Las Vegas, we spent our day at the Adidas Super 64. The Adidas crop of teams is strong enough to carry an event to big success, and it’s quite possible that the Super 64 is the best top-to-bottom happening in Vegas this week.
The second day of action produced some big performances and also served an introduction to a few new faces, so let’s get to it!
VEGAS WEEK: BRICK'S PICKS DAY ONE
July 22, 2009
LAS VEGAS – The GBOA Challenge of Champions was indeed an all-day "shoot-out-type" affair held July 22 at Henderson (NV) International School and consisted of 11 consecutive games.
We scouted nine of the 11 games, some which were fiercely contested (two were decided by a single point) and others embarrassing massacres. Here are our choices as the most impressive performers we observed on the first of five days in Las Vegas.
VEGAS WEEK: DAY ONE REPORT
July 22, 2009
LAS VEGAS – The quintet of events in Las Vegas this week figures to create a great deal of running around the city, but on the first day of the open period we actually spent our entire day at the GBOA Challenge of Champions, a one-day affair featuring a large number of major travel programs.
And the college coaches turned out in full force. Roy Williams, Mike Krzyzewski, Jim Calhoun, Billy Donovan, Ben Howland, Jay Wright, Herb Sendek, Jeff Capel, John Pelphrey, Bobby Gonzalez, Craig Robinson, Lorenzo Romar, Paul Hewitt, Jamie Dixon and many other head coaches were in attendance for at least part of the day.
JULY TAKE TWO: RECAP, PREVIEW
July 21, 2009
While the first leg of the July evaluation period is the more traditional portion of the month, with All-American camps by Nike and Reebok highlighting the opening days, the second segment of the summer features the slew of Las Vegas events that dominate the grassroots scene for the remainder of the month.
The most storied of the Vegas events is the Reebok Summer Championships, a tournament previously known as the Big Time Invitational. Reebok’s event isn’t as large now as it was during the Sonny Vaccaro era, but it still features more than 100 teams and offers lots of senior and underclass talent.
SELBY BACKS OFF UT
July 20, 2009
The big news from the over the weekend, and just prior to the opening of the second leg of the live evaluation period, was that MD guard Josh Selby backed off his pledge to Tennessee.
Selby had made an early pledge to the Vols but will reconsider his options heading into his senior year. The schools most frequently mentioned with him now are Kentucky and Oregon, but obviously the situation could evolve as his (re) recruitment becomes more heated in the fall.
DAWKINS AIMS TO ENROLL EARLY
July 16, 2009
The July live period obviously features camps and tournaments most heavily, but there has been various recruiting news to occur betwixt all the on-court action.
Perhaps the most intriguing story involves Duke commitment Andre Dawkins. A Class of 2010 wing, Dawkins actually has completed four years of high school already and reportedly will enroll at Duke this fall.
PEACH JAM TOP PERFORMERS
July 15, 2009
NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. – Having spent three days (July 13-15) in North Augusta (SC) at the Nike-sponsored Peach Jam, here are Brick's Picks as the eight most impressive performers in the 17-Under division of that fine event. As for the overall quality of the Peach Jam, it's worth noting that four of our top five and 10 of our top 20 pre-July choices as the best rising seniors (Class of 2010) were present, as were eight of the top 10 juniors and four of the top 10 sophomores! So the quality was certainly excellent. In alphabetical order, here are our picks.
PEACH JAM: ANOTHER BIG DAY
July 14, 2009
NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. – Tuesday at the Peach Jam brought another major day of performances on the South Carolina/Georgia border. The pool play rounds ended during the afternoon, and the quarterfinals tipped off in the evening.
Some of the best performers on the day were super wing Harrison Barnes, Florida State-bound Okaro White and rising senior Jerian Grant.
PEACH JAM: STARS DO SHINE
July 13, 2009
NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. – The Peach Jam is considered by many to be the premier team event of the spring and summer. Not only are the very best Nike-sponsored teams on hand, the mid-July timing makes for more cohesive play now that prospects have become accustomed to playing with their summer teammates.
In contrast to much of our shoe camp coverage from last week, when so many new players broke onto the scene while projecting at a variety of college levels, the Peach Jam primarily is about the big-timers. One of the best guys so far has been NY forward Tobias Harris.
BRICK'S PICKS: REEBOK RECAP
July 13, 2009
The last day of the Reebok All American Camp in Philadelphia provided two sets of games (including a camp championship game) for each team, followed in the evening by an All-Star Game.
REEBOK CAMP: DAY TWO REPORT
July 9, 2009
PHILADELPHIA – The second day of action at the Reebok All-American Camp featured more new names and perhaps a few you’ve read about once – or twice – on this very website.
The consensus at the camp this year is that the elite talent is down from where it was in 2008 – some have speculated that this may be the camp’s final year – but certainly we have been able to pick out some new faces and new challenges to evaluate.
BRICK'S PICKS: REEBOK RISING STARS
July 9, 2009
PHILADELPHIA – Brick's Picks highlight eight individuals who lack a great deal of national publicity yet appear to possess the ability and potential to play at the highest level of college basketball. Five of the eight are big men who are 6-8 or taller, and six of the eight are rising seniors (Class of 2010), with the other two being rising juniors. Only two of these six seniors are currently ranked among the top 100 nationally in their class, and neither is in the top 50 at this juncture.
KING CITY CLASSIC: A TALENT SHOWCASE
July 8, 2009
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The King City Classic offers an outstanding array of talent among its 86 participants, who are divided into eight camp teams. A total of 45 campers are currently ranked among our top 100 high school rising seniors (Class of 2010), while 13 others are ranked among the top 25 juniors (Class of 2011) and three are among the top 10 sophomores (Class of 2012).
REEBOK CAMP: DAY ONE REPORT
July 8, 2009
PHILADELPHIA – The third edition of the Reebok All-American Camp tipped off Wednesday on the campus of Philadelphia University. The camp differs from last year in that no rivalry exists similar to the one between Kenny Boynton & Brandon Knight vs. Abdul Gaddy and Avery Bradley, but there are plenty of new faces to watch.
The obvious focus of the camp is the crop of seniors in the Class of 2010, but some of the most impressive performers on day one actually were underclassmen. In fact, there was substantially less "Backing Up The Hype" and far more guys we'd never seen play, or at least hadn't seen them play in a long time. All that said, let's check out day one!
IT TAKES 5IVE: FINAL REPORT
July 8, 2009
CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Due in large part to the way the schedules set up at both Nike’s Lebron James Skills Academy and Reebok’s All-American Camp, the It Takes 5ive Classic in Cincinnati was the place to be the first two days, and play wrapped up on Wednesday.
All in all, there were still plenty of noteworthy performers and lots of young guys taking the stage.
IT TAKES 5IVE: COMPETITION ELEVATES PLAY
July 7, 2009
CINCINNATI, Ohio -- The second day of the Adidas It Takes 5ive Classic matched pool winners against one another in the event's playoffs, and the overall caliber of play was significantly better than the previous day. Once again, prominent players previously mentioned such as 6-8 VA BF and Duke commitment Josh Hairston of D.C. Assault-17U, 6-2 GA WG/PG Trae Golden of the Atlanta Celtics and 5-11 KS PG Trevor Releford of K.C. Pump N Run-17U continued to excel, while a few others fulfilled already lofty expectations, and several clearly exceeded their pre-event reputations.
IT TAKES 5IVE CLASSIC TAKES CENTER STAGE
July 6, 2009
CINCINNATI, Ohio -- With no games being played at other major venues such as the Nike Camp and the Reebok All-American Camp, the adidas-sponsored It Takes 5ive Classic had a veritable captive audience of approximately 200 college coaches. July 6, of course, is the first day (out of 20 viewing dates in July) the coaches could watch high school prospects in formal team action since March! Unfortunately for those representing big-time programs, the vast majority of the performers in Cincinnati are low- to mid-Division I caliber prospects, at best, rather than high-major to big-time talents.
"... he’s worked so hard and improved so much that he’s a solid mid to high-major player."
July 6, 2009
-- Tom Topping, on Keith McDougald
CLASS OF 2010: UPDATED RANKINGS!
July 3, 2009
Though to this point there has been little to discuss when deciding on a No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2010, IA WF Harrison Barnes demands mention despite that fact. The ultra-polished guard has been consistently excellent all spring and early summer. Now, he'll have to showcase his wares in front of college coaches during the July evaluation period.
Meanwhile, FL PG/WG Brandon Knight, NV BF Tristan Thompson, OH C Jared Sullinger and MD WG Will Barton round out the list of top players.
FEATURE: FINAL 2009 CLASS RANKINGS
July 3, 2009
Now that prodigal Brooklyn guard Lance Stephenson has opted for Cincinnati, the Class of 2009 recruiting business largely is finished.
That said, then, let’s take a look at the top 50 classes from Class of 2009 recruiting. The Kentucky Wildcats needed very little time under coach John Calipari to storm back to the top of the national charts, and the late decision of NC PG John Wall pushed them over the top.
ROUNDUP: MORE PROSPECTS DECLARE
June 29, 2009
Summer commitments continue to roll in as seven players have made their decisions since our last roundup posting. Beginning with Purdue, the Boilermakers gained a commitment from New Albany (IN) High native Donnie Hale. The 6-8 BF gives Purdue an upgrade in the frontcourt with his ability to block shots and rebound. Hale uses his mobility and speed to finish around the basket and handles the ball better than most big men he plays against. However, Hale will need to improve his explosiveness if he is going to finish over the bigger bodies in the Big Ten.
"My list is Missouri, Arkansas, Alabama, Ole Miss, Baylor and Virginia."
June 25, 2009
-- Mardracus Wade
Read full story. ...
SCORECARD ON THE NBA DRAFT
June 25, 2009
Thursday's NBA draft may not have been the most talent-filled in recent memory, but it did provide some very interesting outcomes. Several clubs greatly improved their rosters (Orlando, San Antonio) while others may have made questionable decisions (Minnesota drafting three point guards). But our focus here is to look at the top 14 lottery picks in the draft and see what the PrepStars staff had to say about them when while they were making their names. You will notice times where our ranking of a player was right on the money, or occasionally a little off, but the in-depth evaluations from Brick Oettinger, Rob Harrington and staff prove beyond a doubt that PrepStars is, and has been the number one basketball recruiting source on the planet.
ROUNDUP: PACE OF COMMITMENTS INCREASES
June 24, 2009
It’s been a busy couple of days on the recruiting trail as six schools landed commitments since the beginning of the week. Earlier this week, California got a verbal commitment from 6-5 WG Alex Rossi, a sharpshooter from Winnetka (IL) New Trier. Rossi made his commitment just one day after the NBA Top 100 Camp in Charlottesville, Va.
At the camp he showed scouts his ability to knock down jumpers from all over the court, whether it be from outside or from 12-15 feet. Rossi doesn’t have a blazing first step but he is quick enough to finish around the basket and adequately defend opposing 2-guards. Rossi joins 6-6 WG Allen Crabbe as Cal’s early commits for the class of 2010.
Elsewhere, Texas improved its 2011 class by landing a commitment from 6-3 WG Julien Lewis.
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME AT THE NBAPA CAMP
June 21, 2009
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Team championship games at premier invitation-only camps for high schoolers can tell us a lot about the players, who must blend together for team rather than individual goals. At the 2009 NBAPA Top 100 Camp, there was a great deal of parity among the better players, so intangibles such as unselfishness on offense and hustle on defense are what usually wound up separating the winners and losers. At this camp, the participants were divided into 10 relatively even teams of 10 players each.
BRICK'S PICKS: DAY TWO AT THE NBAPA CAMP
June 19, 2009
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Day Two featured a previously unannounced slam dunk contest and an all-star game whose participants were chosen by votes of their peers.
On the positive side, among those rising seniors whose play in their two camp games was especially noteworthy were 6-5 combo forward Jayvaughn Pinkston (currently ranked No. 28 in the Class of 2010), who will transfer this fall to famed Mouth of Wilson (VA) Oak Hill Academy from Brooklyn (NY) Bishop Loughlin; 6-11 Duncanville (TX) High BF/C Perry Jones (No. 23 and verbally committed to Baylor); 6-5 Jackson (TN) North Side swingman Casey Prather (No. 48); 6-7 Beckley (WV) Mountain State Academy WF/WG Shaquille Thomas (No. 73); 6-5 Oak Hill Academy (and native New Yorker) WG Doron Lamb (No. 26); 6-3 Chicago (IL) Crane WG Crandall Head (No. 38 and committed to Illinois); and 6-3 Mountain State Academy PG Noah Cottrill (No. 72 and committed to West Virginia).
NBA CAMP: DAY TWO REPORT
June 19, 2009
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The second day of action at the NBAPA Top 100 Camp brought another ferocious day of action from many of the nation’s best players, and it was unconventional in the sense that there was an all-star game introduced to the mix as well.
There’s definitely been a separation of the men from the boys here, and the rankings will reflect that in our upcoming editions in the next couple weeks. The biggest matchup of the travel season far took place on Friday: No. 1 senior Harrison Barnes vs. No. 1 junior Michael Gilchrist.
BRICK'S PICKS: NBAPA TOP 100 CAMP, DAY ONE
June 18, 2009
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – In a talent-laden camp marked by a great deal of parity among the better players, among those particularly impressing us in their two games thus far were the following:
6-3 Fort Lauderdale (FL) Pine Crest rising senior PG/WG Brandon Knight (whom we currently rank No. 3 nationally in the Class of 2010), 7-0 Weston (FL) Sagemont rising senior C Fab Melo (No. 65 is too low), 6-9 Henderson (NV) Findlay Prep rising senior BF/C Tristan Thompson (No. 4), 6-6 Baltimore (MD) Lake Clifton-Eastern rising senior WG/WF Will Barton (No. 14), 6-5 Chesapeake (VA) Atlantic Shores Christian rising senior WG/WF Andre Dawkins (No. 13) and 6-4 Arlington (VA) Bishop O'Connell rising senior PG Kendall Marshall (No. 20).
NBA CAMP: DAY ONE, PART II
June 18, 2009
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The evening session of the NBAPA Top 100 Camp reflected what obviously was a long day for the campers, yet many of the players still put forth a great deal of effort and enhanced their reputations.
Here’s a look at some prospects who clearly recognized the value of this most significant day one.
NBA CAMP: BONUS PHOTO GALLERY
June 18, 2009
Check out this story to see bonus action photos from day one of the NBAPA Top 100 Camp!
NBA CAMP: DAY ONE, PART I
June 18, 2009
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – In the first of several reports from the NBA Top 100 Camp, we’ve taken a look at some the fast starters from day one. During the day’s morning sessions, there were a handful of elites who dominated, yet there also were a couple of fast-risers working to move up toward that status themselves.
The key thing to remember here is there aren’t likely to be any guys who emerge from the undar the radar. If you enjoy reading about players who are largely unsung or are high-major sleepers, this isn’t the camp for you.
VIDEO: BARTON, CRAFT TAKE OFF
June 18, 2009
Two of the most significant commitments made this month were issued by elite MD WG Will Barton and rising OH PG Aaron Craft. Barton is headed to Memphis while Craft chose Ohio State, and both players – despite dissimilar styles – should evolve into fine contributors at their chosen school.
UPCOMING: NBAPA TOP 100 CAMP
June 17, 2009
The dominant event of this week and weekend is the NBA Players Association Top 100 Camp, a three-day extravaganza featuring many of the nation’s top 100 prospects from the Class of 2010.
What makes the event, held on the campus of Virginia at John Paul Jones Arena, particularly unique is that it features many players who, due to shoe company loyalties, otherwise would not compete against each other during the summer.
COLEMAN CHOOSES FRIARS
June 15, 2009
Providence made a bold move and received a top-100 commitment for its work, getting a pledge from NH WG Gerard Coleman. Coleman, a 6-3 wing who has been a mainstay for BABC the past couple seasons, chose the Friars over serious interest from Boston College, Clemson, Marquette, Louisville and others.
Coleman is a quick driver who at times has been inconsistent, but he has shown the ability throughout the past two years that he can score off the dribble and that he's especially dangerous in transition.
JONES, WILLIAMS GAIN RELEASES
June 12, 2009
Southern Cal obviously has faced a great deal of turmoil in the past few days given the sudden resignation of coach Tim Floyd, and now there has been the expected fallout. Just days after Floyd's departure, both VA PG Lamont Jones and CA WF/BF Derrick Williams have obtained releases from their letters of intent from the Trojans.
LATHAM, OTHERS MAKE THEIR PICKS
June 11, 2009
After a brief lull in commitments, this week has seen a pickup of the pace. The latest majors included a pair of frontcourt prospects who rank among the national top 100. Starting at Xavier, 6-8 BF Jordan Latham re-committed to Xavier.
Latham had backed off the Musketeers in the wake of Sean Miller's departure for Arizona, but new XU boss was able to maintain the continuity and lure Latham back into the fold.
-- Trevor Releford
Read full story. ...
HOWARD LINING UP FOR BIG SUMMER
June 9, 2009
There are guys who amount to made men on the summer recruiting trail, and there are guys who have to scrap for the attention and offers that come their way. Pe'Shon Howard is one of the latter, and the 6-2 WG/PG at Mouth of Wilson (VA) Oak Hill Academy feels pretty good about where he stands heading toward July.
ROUNDUP: BARTON, CRAFT, ET AL
June 8, 2009
There have been a handful of major commitments, and starting at the top, it was the decision by MD WG Will Barton that caused the most attention.
An elite, top-10 wing, Barton chose Memphis over a host of major programs to give new Tigers boss Josh Pastner an enormous recruiting victory as the summer season begins to heat up.
PANGOS VIDEO: TERRELL VS. JACKSON
June 5, 2009
In our continuing series of video presentations, today we're taking a look at last weekend's Pangos All-American Camp in Los Angeles.
While there obviously were lots of California prospects in attendance, the best battle of the event may have been on the final day, when NC WG J.T. Terrell squared off against top-25 TN PG/WG Joe Jackson.
DANIELS HAS MAJOR INTEREST
June 5, 2009
DeAndre Daniels helped himself more than just about anyone at the Pangos All-American Camp. Daniels, a 6-7 junior WF/BF at Woodland Hills (CA) Taft, was outstanding at the event, showcasing outstanding length and athleticism.
Daniels got better as the event wore along, and now he projects as one of the better forward prospects in the Class of 2011. Thought more of a big forward offensively, he has the quick feet to potentially play the wing in college.
"He's already got offers from Tulsa, Marshall Virginia Tech and Nebraska ..."
June 3, 2009
-- Kenny Gillion, on Jelani Hewitt
Read full story. ...
REEBOK HEADLINER CAMP: JACKSONVILLE
June 2, 2009
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Continuing the legacy established by former boss Sonny Vaccaro, Reebok was always ahead of the curve in putting on events during the spring and summer.
With Chris Rivers now running the show, one of the unique ideas has been to hold regional events around the country to find players that deserve a shot to be seen by big time college coaches but aren't part of elite teams.
VIDEO: HOT PROSPECTS AT THE TOC
Bob Gibbons' Tournament of Champions showcased a treasure trove of elite talent. While viewing the video clip, sit alongside PrepStars analysts Rob Harrington and Brick Oettinger and revisit a little trailtalk on:
Kyrie Irving, Reggie Bullock, Roscoe Smith, Jayvaughn Pinkston, Keith Appling, Casey Prather, Michael Gilchrist
PANGOS CAMP: TOP 25 CREAM OF THE CROP
June 1, 2009
LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Brick's Picks as the most intriguing players in the Pangos Top 25 game are 6-3 Burlington (NC) Cummings rising senior WG J.T. Terrell, 6-7 Ames (IA) High rising senior WF Harrison Barnes, 6-5 Baltimore (MD) Lake Clifton-Eastern rising senior WG/WF Will Barton, 5-11 Memphis (TN) White Station rising senior PG Joe Jackson, 6-4 Mouth of Wilson (VA) Oak Hill Academy rising senior WG Doron Lamb, 6-6 Greensboro (NC) Dudley rising junior WF/WG P.J. Hairston and 5-11 Roeland Park (KS) Bishop Miege rising senior PG Trevor Releford.
PANGOS CAMP: DAY TWO REPORT
May 30, 2009
LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Day two at the Pangos All-American Camp brought a full slate of games that featured many top players doing their thing, and a couple surprises emerged from the woodwork as well. more. ...
PANGOS CAMP: DAY ONE REPORT
May 29, 2009
LONG BEACH, Calif. -- The Pangos All-American Camp tipped off Friday night in Southern California, and this year's field is especially notable for its outstanding depth.
The group of players includes many high-majors and other players on the mid/high fence who will competing for scholarship offers throughout the summer. One of the best players at the event was IA WF Harrison Barnes. more. ...
MICHAEL GILCHRIST: VIDEO FEATURE
April 23, 2009
Swish!!! Make that two-for-two on potential No. 1s. Last week, we offered up a video assessment of arguably the top prospect in the Class of 2010, Harrison Barnes. Today, we take a look at the guy who's likely No. 1 in the Class of 2011: Michael Gilchrist. more...
More Featured Video:
Top 10 Harrison Barnes ('10); Brandon Peters ('10); Top 75 John Jenkins ('09).
ON TAP: PANGOS ALL-AMERICAN CAMP
May 29, 2009
LONG BEACH, Calif. -- The Pangos All-American Camp tips off once again in Southern California, and it is by far the weekend's most significant grassroots hoops happening. In addition to a strong crop of Californians, a slew of out-of-towners will be in as well.
The camp, which is sponsored this year by Pit Bull Energy Drink, will feature America's No. 1 senior, IA WF Harrison Barnes. Other big-timers expected to attend are TN PG Joe Jackson, TN BF Tarik Black, AZ WG Royce Woolridge, KS PG Trevor Releford, CA PG Gary Franklin, VA WG Andre Dawkins, MD WG Will Barton, VA WF Mychal Parker, VA WF Travis McKie, NC BF Luke Cothron and many others! more. ...
"I've got Florida State, South Carolina, Clemson, Florida, Marquette, Indiana, Virginia and Miami."
May 29, 2009
-- Stacey Poole
Read full story. ...
TOC: A FINAL LOOK
May 26, 2009
The Tournament of Champions concluded over the weekend, and here we have taken one final look at some players we didn't get to during our event coverage.
Some big names turned it on during the playoff rounds, and some new guys surfaced as well. more. ...
BRICK'S PICKS: TOC FINALE
May 24, 2009
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- The nine individuals singled out for Brick's Picks, based on the final day of action, all come from the 17-Under division.
They are NJ rising junior WF Mike Gilchrist (ranked No.1 nationally in his class) of Team Final, NJ rising senior WG Dion Waiters (No. 62) also of Team Final, NC rising senior BF Melvin Tabb (No. 76) of the CP3 All-Stars, NC rising junior WG/WF Dezmine Wells (top 100 at worst) also from CP3 All-Stars, and others. more. ...
TOC: DAY TWO REPORT
May 23, 2009
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Saturday at the Tournament of Champions brought a great deal of diversity to the proceedings, as we were able to catch quite a few teams we hadn't yet seen on the travel circuit.
The upshot of that is that we'll be able to further fine-tune our rankings in the classes of 2010, 2011 and 2012, and there even were a couple of 2013 prospects who commanded notice on day two. more...
BRICK'S PICKS: TOC DAY TWO
May 23, 2009
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Today we were especially captivated by the performances, all in the 17-under division, of the Team Detroit duo of 6-1 Beverly Hills (MI) Detroit Country Day rising senior PG Ray McCallum (No. 15 nationally) and 6-5 Mt. Pleasant (MI) High rising senior WG Trey Zeigler (No. 46), 5-11 Memphis (TN) White Station rising senior PG Joe Jackson (No. 22) of the Memphis Magic Elite, 6-0 Marietta (GA) Walton rising senior PG Ryan Harrow (No. 47 and verbally committed to North Carolina State) of the Atlanta Celtics/J-Smoov, 6-7 Kinston (NC) High rising senior WF/WG Reggie Bullock (No. 11 and committed to North Carolina) of the CP3 All-Stars, 6-9 Henderson (NV) Findlay Prep rising senior BF Tristan Thompson (No. 4 and committed to Texas) of Grassroots Canada, and 6-8 Spotsylvania (VA) Courtland rising senior BF/WF Josh Hairston (No. 17 and committed to Duke) of DC Assault. Narrowly missing today’s list were... more
BRICK'S PICKS: TOC DAY ONE
May 22, 2009
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Each day at Bob Gibbons’ Tournament of Champions and at subsequent grassroots hoops events, we’ll provide details on the performances of our version of the Magnificent Seven prospects that particularly stood out when we viewed them in action. At TOC Day One, we watched parts of nine different 17-under games at UNC’s Dean E. Smith Center, and the most impressive players deserve special mention. more...
TOC: FRIDAY REPORT
May 22, 2009
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- The 16th annual Tournament of Champions tipped off on Friday night in North Carolina's Research Triangle Park, taking place at the campuses of UNC, Duke, N.C. State and elsewhere.
Day one featured only three rounds of games, but there was plenty to discuss both where we were and elsewhere in the area. Let's take a look at some guys who stole headlines, starting with top-20 rising senior Roscoe Smith. more...
MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND PREVIEW
May 22, 2009
This weekend always is a big one for grassroots hoops, and the marquee of the weekend is the Tournament of Champions in North Carolina. Headquartered at UNC but branching to Duke, N.C. State and other are schools, the TOC has been a fixture in the Triangle for 15-plus years.
The TOC field scored some major wins, getting not only many of the elite non-Nike backed teams but also getting some of those very Nike teams. more...
MELO'S RECRUITMENT ANYTHING BUT
May 22, 2009
Do you remember the scene in the movie "Blue Chips" where the college coaches have made their way down to the bayou to see a high school phenom (played by Shaq) in a gym that was essentially a metal barn without air conditioning?
Well, 7-0 C Fabricio de Melo from Weston (FL) Sagemont doesn't have quite the same story, but it isn't far off. more...
NEW RANKINGS & LISTS: 2011, 2012, JUCO
Prior to the unofficial opening of summer, Memorial Day Weekend, and its big-time grassroots basketball events, we've compiled new pre-summer rankings for the Class of 2011, a watch list for the Class of 2012 -- and both of those classes look strong! -- along with a list junior college prospects who will make their way to college campuses this fall.
Looking more closely at 2011, No. 1 Michael Gilchrist continues to maintain a stranglehold at the top of the list. To see the different rankings, just click here...
LATE SPRING COMMITMENTS
May 21, 2009
It's been a pretty busy week in terms of commitments, and now a slew of 2010 prospects are starting to make their picks rather than play through the summer and risk injury or simply losing out on a scholarship offer that may have gone to a different player. more...
CLASS OF 2010: PRE-SUMMER RANKINGS
Our readers are likely to be highly unsurprised by our choice for a new No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2010. IA WF Harrison Barnes was so good throughout the spring -- and chronicled here in-depth -- that it was a very easy decision to move him to the top spot in the class. That doesn't mean he'll stay there, of course, but for now, Barnes is the man to beat in 2010.
Meanwhile, the top 10 looks largely the same as it has in the past. The real drama in the class is beginning to take shape from spots 15-50, where there is a great deal of parity and a razor-thin difference between the top and bottom players of that group. more...
WALL CHOOSES KENTUCKY
May 19, 2009
The John Wall saga finally is over. The top-five point guard chose Kentucky over Miami, Duke and many, many others after a protracted struggle that has been the No. 1 recruiting storyline throughout the spring.
Wall at one time had favored Memphis, and when John Calipari made the switch to Kentucky so did Wall's interest. The ultra-athletic 6-4 PG is a likely one-year player and should put together quite a highlight reel in that one year. more...
The outgoing senior class still has a few issues to tie up on the recruiting trail, but we've now digested information from the high school season as well as the postseason and generated our final rankings for the class. Not surprisingly, Naismith player of the year Derrick Favors remains our No. 1 prospect, but he's followed closely by guards Avery Bradley and John Wall.
Meanwhile, players such as Lorenzo Brown, Kawhi Leonard, Keith Gallon and others all made substantial leaps in the rankings. Of course, we won't accurately be able to score the results for a few years, but for now we ponder and share agreements and disagreements. Enjoy! more...
ALEXANDER MAKES HIS PICK
May 14, 2009
Texas A&M landed a very nice commitment, getting the services of TX BF Daniel Alexander. A 6-7 BF at Dripping Springs (TX) High, Alexander chose the Aggies over interest from Texas, Arizona, Southern Cal and others.
For a state that gives its prospects a pretty solid push, Alexander slipped under the radar for a long time. It really wasn't until the Pangos All-American Camp last summer that he made national notice, and since that time he has been a clear high-major target. more...
PAINTER OPTS FOR WOLFPACK
May 13, 2009
N.C. State added to its already outstanding 2009 recruiting class, getting the nod from top-100 VA BF Deshawn Painter, a slender BF who chose the Wolfpack over finalists Maryland and Virginia Tech.
Painter previously had signed with Florida, but he obtained a release from his letter of intent this spring upon deciding to reopen his options. Given his size, length and athletic ability, he should have a very good chance to start as a freshman in Raleigh. more...
SIMMONS CHOOSES HUSKIES
May 12, 2009
On the heels of an excellent spring, Desmond Simmons already had the scholarship offer he wanted and ended his recruitment. The 6-7 BF/WF, a rising senior at Richmond (CA) Salesian, chose Washington over Oregon State and interest from Oregon, Stanford, St. Mary's and Cal.
Simmons was very impressive starting at the Boo Williams Invitational last month. A slender forward who may be more of a 'tweener than one ordinarily would prefer, he nevertheless is very active and athletic, and thus he makes plays irrespective of what position he occupies on the court. more...
HANKERSON MOVING UP, MOVING OVER
May 7, 2009
This past season was filled with success for Charles Hankerson, Jr. The 6-4 WG/PG from Miami (FL) Coral Reef averaged over 18 points a game and upped his average to 22 points a game in the state tournament, hitting for 27 in the title game to lead Coral Reef to its first state title in the largest classification in Florida.
In Hankerson's first outing of the spring, he moved over to the point guard slot and led his Gold Coast team to the title of the 17U Blue Division at the AAU Easter Classic at Disney's Wide World of Sports. more...
BLEDSOE CHOOSES UK
May 6, 2009
Deciding largely between Kentucky and Memphis, No. 2 unsigned PG Eric Bledsoe committed to the 'Cats over the Tigers.
Bledsoe is a widely underrated scorer with big-time quickness and excellent defensive potential. What he doesn't have yet is a consistent jump shot, but that's something he can improve in college. It's certainly true that many spring recruits get oversold due to the scarcity factor, but Bledsoe doesn't figure to be one of those guys. more...
COMMITMENTS ROUNDUP
May 6, 2009
There have been a few major moves in the past few days, so let's catch up with the latest as the spring signing period winds down and the rising senior Class of 2010 begins to fully command the attention on the national recruiting stage.
First, there continues to be no real news on the NC PG John Wall and NY WG Lance Stephenson fronts. more...
JAYHAWK INVITATIONAL: TAKE TWO
May 2, 2009
LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Saturday at the Jayhawk Invitational proved to be extremely valuable in terms of watching players we hadn't seen this year, if ever. There were a lot of high-majors and lots of guys who at least should be evaluated by those types of programs during the summer.
Additionally, some of the young guys in attendance were tremendously impressive and deserve immediate consideration for the national rankings. more...
JAYHAWK INVITATIONAL: DAY ONE REPORT
May 1, 2009
LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Opening day at the Jayhawk Invitational produced a solid number of high-major players, including some guys we hadn't yet watched this travel season.
The most touted prospect of the day was elite IA WF Harrison Barnes, and not surprisingly he was among the most productive guys as well. In addition, however, AZ WG Royce Woolridge and GA PG/WG Ryan Harrow also were outstanding. more...
SIDNEY FINALIZES; WEEKEND PREVIEW
May 1, 2009
Pardon the pun, but one of the big dogs in the senior class is off the board. Days after backing off a pledge to Southern Cal, MS/CA big man Renardo Sidney has signed with Mississippi State.
Sidney's journey has taken him from the Magnolia State to California, different high schools and through a winding set of turns relating to his recruitment. The Bulldogs ultimately won out, and what is likely to be a one-year experience could result in huge gains on the court for MSU. more...
KENNEDY CHOOSES VILLANOVA
April 30, 2009
Villanova has added one of the rising underclassmen big men to the fold, getting the nod from Markus Kennedy. Kennedy, a 6-8 rising senior C at Pennsauken (NJ) Apex, has enjoyed a very good spring with Team Final.
And now, following in the recent footsteps of VU big men such as Will Sheridan, Kennedy will be taking his act to Nova for college in the fall of 2010. At 250 pounds, he'll fill a void in the middle and should have the opportunity to play right away. more...
SIDNEY BACKS OFF USC
April 29, 2009
There have been several major commitments during the transition from event to event, but the biggest news to emerge this week is that top-10 senior big man Renardo Sidney reportedly is backing out of his pledge to Southern Cal. Sidney, whose story has been chronicled throughout his years as a prepster, is an elite talent but also one who has been tagged with the "vagabond" label, and developments such as this are a reason why. more...
VEGAS: TAKE TWO
April 26, 2009
LAS VEGAS -- Our second report from Las Vegas centers on the Adidas Nations event featuring some of the nation's very best rising seniors and underclassmen. This program offers two American teams -- one from the Class of 2010, and one from the underclasses -- that will practice and eventually compete.
The workout we attended was one that gave us additional insight on players and enabled us to get a look at some players for the first time in a long while, including high big-time forward Tristan Thompson. more...
WESTERN SWING: DAY ONE
April 24, 2009
LAS VEGAS -- Friday at the Las Vegas Spring Invitational was a solid affair featuring some impressive new faces on the West Coast.
With some teams opting not to travel nationally this spring because of the NCAA ruling prohibiting college coach attendance at events, the source of players from nearby regions has proved to be more crucial than ever. more...
WESTERN SWING
April 24, 2009
So far this spring we've attended the nationally renowned Boo Williams Invitational in Virginia, covered the Northeast in Pittsburgh and checked out the Deep South in Arkansas. This weekend, we'll explore the western portion of the United States by heading to Las Vegas for a couple different events featuring many of the best players within the region.
The Spring Invitational has always been a reliable spot for viewing young West Coast prospects for the first time...
COLLIER TAKING HIS TIME
April 24, 2009
The past year has been very good for Devon Collier. The 6-8 rising senior BF transferred from Bronx (NY) All Hallows to Jersey City (NJ) St. Anthony for his junior season, and he made the most of that opportunity when he became eligible halfway through the year. more...
Some big things have happened during the past 36 hours. Starting in the outgoing senior class of 2009, Kansas has won out for high big-time OK WG Xavier Henry. Henry had signed with Memphis in the fall, but he opted to obtain a release in the wake of John Calipari's departure for Kentucky.
Henry has the potential to be an impact performer in the Big 12 next season and will fill a position of need, as the Jayhawks lacked wing scoring this past year. more...
REAL DEAL ON THE ROCK: A LOOK BACK
April 22, 2009
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- We traveled to the Real Deal on the Rock last weekend, and traditional powers and loaded squads were upset as the 17-Under playoffs ended with a repeat winner knocking off a Cinderella. We've taken a quick look at the team results to provide overall context, and then as always we've delved into capsules for specific players of note.
The road to the championship had its shockers as the Houston Clippers beat DC Assault and Brandon Bass Elite knocked off Southeast Elite, whose roster was stacked with highly-recruited players as you'll see in the breakdowns below. One of the event's notable performers was diminutive TX PG Phil Pressey. more...
USA VS. FLORIDA REPORT
April 21, 2009
Since the NCAA instituted a two all-star game limit for college recruits, it has become difficult for new events to garner some of the country's top talent. While the McDonald's and Jordan games will always get the cream of the crop, the next tier of all-star games battle it out for top players with state and local games.
Now in its second year, the Team Florida vs. Team USA All-Star Weekend has made a statement that it will be a contender for much of the country's top talent. more...
JAM FEST: FINAL REPORT
April 19, 2009
PITTSBURGH -- The final day of action at the Pittsburgh Jam Fest featured the final three rounds of play in the various divisions, and thus we'd seen a lot of the teams already earlier in the weekend.
That said, there were a few new faces for us to cover, and we'll hit them in this report. more...
JAM FEST: DAY TWO REPORT
April 18, 2009
PITTSBURGH -- The second day of action at the Pittsburgh Jam Fest featured a very diverse set of players, or at least their recruiting situations were very diverse.
Along with some big names, including touted guards Ray McCallum and Kyrie Irving, there were numerous other players on the fringe of a given level. There were low-majors trying to crack mid-major status, and a few high-major minus types hoping to generate momentum in order to get serious looks from the big boys later this spring and summer. more...
PITTSBURGH JAM FEST
April 17, 2009
PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Jam Fest tipped off on Friday night in the Steel City, with most of the action taking place at Pitt's Peterson Arena and elsewhere nearby campus.
Friday's schedule was limited, but we did catch the games offered and are geared up for what should be a very competitive Saturday and (especially) Sunday. more...
UPCOMING: PITTSBURGH JAM FEST
April 17, 2009
The Pittsburgh Jam Fest tips off on the campus of Pittsburgh this weekend, and the event -- run by the Hoop Group -- always features a strong array of regional and national talent. more...
DANIEL FACES TWO-TIERED DECISION
April 17, 2009
One of the nation's better two-sport prospects in the Class of 2010 is Darren Daniel, a 6-4 power wing at Phenix City (AL) Central. Playing with the Georgia Blazers at the Boo Williams Invitational, Daniel served notice that his collegiate roundball prospects are legitimate. more...
HARRISON BARNES: VIDEO FEATURE
April 16, 2009
We wrote last weekend that IA wing Harrison Barnes was well on his way to making a run at the top spot in the Class of 2010. But his play at the Boo Williams Invitational was only the most recent stage upon which he has excelled.
Take a look at this exclusive video presentation and form your own opinion. We feel confident that, rankings aside, you'll agree that he's a unique talent and one who possesses a deliriously promising future in basketball. more...
SIMMONS HAS HIGH MAJOR PROMISE
April 16, 2009
Desmond Simmons isn't the sheepish type. The 6-7 BF/WF at Richmond (CA) Salesian was one of the most active performers at last weekend's Boo Williams Invitational, and he had every reason to be excited about his chances at the event.
Just a few weeks ago, Simmons spearheaded Salesian's charge to the state championship. In the final, he poured in 31 points and 19 rebounds, hitting two crucial baskets down the stretch in the club's victory. more...
VIDEO BLAST: BRANDON PETERS
April 15, 2009
For sheer explosive athletic excellence, you won't find many players who can match the exploits of Brandon Peters. A 6-0 rising senior WG/PG at Houston (TX) Yates, Peters offered up one of the Boo Williams Invitational's signature plays.
After snatching a defensive rebound, Peters races downcourt and elevates for the sort of slam that is extremely rare for a player that size.
But don't take our word for it -- watch it on our exclusive video! more...
MARBLE'S FLOOR IS SOLID
April 15, 2009
Last weekend offered us our first opportunity to check out Roy Marble, the son of a former Iowa star of the same name. The younger Marble is a 6-4 rising senior WG out of Lathrup Village (MI) Southfield-Lathrup, and he was named all-state as a senior after averaging more than 20 points per game and leading his team to a playoff run that didn't end until they encountered powerful Detroit Pershing.
Marble played last weekend for The Family at the Boo Williams Invitational, and he won over a lot of national admirers who hadn't watched him in the past. more...
BOO: PLAYER CAPSULES FINAL TAKE
April 15, 2009
This will be our final report from last weekend's Boo Williams Invitational. As reported earlier, All-Ohio Red won the event over Team Final, which stunned the host Boo Williams team in the semifinal round.
In this report we'll cover likely the second-most effective performer at the event: Michael Gilchrist. In addition to hitting Gilchrist and his mates with Team Final, we've also taken a look at some teams spanning from Florida to the Northeast. more...
BOO: PLAYER CAPSULES TAKE II
April 14, 2009
In our continuing series of looks at last weekend's fabulous Boo Williams Invitational, we've written another set of player capsules to underscore the success of the event.
It cannot be overstated what a loaded event this was, and the implication is that the other major Nike events -- the Memorial Day Classic and the Peach Jam -- also will be very strong.
Of course, the other implication is that Nike may have gained at the expense of everyone else, but that question remains to be answered at other events this month and continuing into the summer. more...
BOO: PLAYER CAPSULES TAKE I
April 13, 2009
As we mentioned during this past weekend's coverage, this year's Boo Williams Invitational may have been the best of the decade. Boo always has been a fixture of the spring period, but Nike's addition of new clubs has given its circuit incredible access to elite teams and players.
We covered a large number of players during the weekend, but here's another look at the best players from the event -- and we'll be seeing almost all of these guys the remainder of the spring and summer. more...
WILDCATS GET NATYAZHKO
April 13, 2009
New Arizona coach Sean Miller didn't need long to reel in a top-100 recruit. The Wildcats have gained a pledge from Kyryl Natyazhko, a talented big man from the Ukraine who prepped at Bradenton (FL) IMG and chose U-A over Pittsburgh and Arizona State.
In our view, Natyazhko is one of the more underrated big men in the Class of 2009. He played head-up against Daniel Orton at last summer's Peach Jam, and if he'd had more exposure it's quite possible that he'd have landed in the national top 50.
At any rate, don't expect him to ride the pine next season at Arizona. The Wildcats are rebuilding, and Natyazhko's ability to score should enable him to earn heavy minutes as a freshman. more...
ALL-OHIO WINS BOO WILLIAMS
April 12, 2009
HAMPTON, Va. -- You read the headline correctly. The Boo Williams Summer League team did not win its host tournament, something that has happened rarely during this decade. In fact, Boo's squad didn't advance to the final, where All-Ohio Red defeated a game Team Final squad 75-72 in the championship match.
But clearly the game of the day -- and the game of the tournament -- was the extraordinary finish between Team Final and Boo Williams in the semifinal round. more...
AT BOO WILLIAMS: DAY TWO REPORT
April 11, 2009
HAMPTON, Va. -- The second day of competition at the Boo Williams Invitational was even more exciting than the first. The tournament is stronger this year than it has been in the past several, thanks largely to a strong group of underclassmen (look out for the Class of 2011!), new Nike teams and strong performances from the most touted players.
There have been far fewer disappointments among the big names this year compared with last year, two examples of which are Harrison Barnes and Brandon Knight. We covered Barnes' exploits in our first report -- and he was every bit as good on day two -- and Knight kicks off our coverage tonight. more...
AT BOO WILLIAMS: OPENING NIGHT
April 10, 2009
HAMPTON, Va. -- The Boo Williams Invitational kicked off once again on Friday night at the Boo Williams Sportsplex. As was the case last year, the first time the event was hosted at the new venue, the consolidation of courts made for great and efficient basketball watching.
There were four rounds of games on day one, and the PrepStars.com team was out in full force. We caught potential superstars, mid-major sleepers and some very talented underclassmen in the 16-under division. The star of the day was top-five rising senior Harrison Barnes. more...
GRASSROOTS HOOPS: ARE YOU READY?
April 9, 2009
You didn't think you'd be all alone without basketball, did you? The beauty of the grassroots season is that its timing is impeccable. Just days following the conclusion of the NCAA tournament, the Boo Williams Invitational takes place in Hampton, Va., starting Friday night. The best prospects on the Nike circuit will be in attendance, including the always-favored Boo Williams Summer League squad. This year, there will be a few new teams that signed with Nike since last summer.
As always, we'll be there the entire weekend reporting late each night from the event. One of the top players scheduled to be in attendance is top-five wing Harrison Barnes, who will be moonlighting with the Minnesota-based Howard Pulley Panthers. more...
EXCLUSIVE REPORT: LIFE AFTER MARCH MADNESS
April 10, 2009
In Life After March Madness, we’ve examined each of the final 16 teams in this year’s tournament — unveiling our new Recruiting Power Index in the process — and their chances of making another deep postseason run. more...
COUSINS TO UK; MORE NEWS
April 8, 2009
John Calipari won't be going to Kentucky empty-handed. The new UK boss reportedly has landed a commitment from elite AL C/BF DeMarcus Cousins, who had committed to Calipari during his time at Memphis.
Cousins obviously is a major get for UK, which could boast him, freshman Daniel Orton and Patrick Patterson in the frontcourt next season, depending on what Patterson decides to do about the NBA. The Cousins recruitment has been a testament to flexibility. At one time committed to UAB, Cousins refused to sign with the Blazers when they denied him a release clause in the event there was a coaching change. more...
SPECIAL VIDEO PRESENTATION: JOHN JENKINS
Watch It Here...
MILLER TO ARIZONA: ANOTHER DOMINO FALLS
April 6, 2009
After initial reports were that he had turned down Arizona, it appears Xavier coach Sean Miller will become the new man in Tucson. Multiple reports now have surfaced that Miller will sign a seven-year contract with the Wildcats, filling the highest-profile coaching job still on the board.
Miller's decision constitutes just the latest major coaching move, and certainly the recruiting implications are significant. It's too early to know yet how this will impact specific recruits, but clearly it affects senior class signees, underclass commitments and those who had been on the recruiting radar for this spring and summer. more...
FINAL FOUR IN ROTATION
April 3, 2009
Four teams will take the court this weekend in Detroit for the Final Four, and one of those will be fortunate enough to travel home with a national championship trophy in tow. Each of the four combatants, Connecticut, Michigan State, North Carolina and Villanova, all advanced to the season's final weekend thanks to great talent, organization and perseverance.
And, despite each team's stylistic differences, all do share a common thread: outstanding recruiting. Heading into these final three games, then, and just for fun, let's examine the recruiting rankings of each team's key players. more...
FLORIDA JAMBOREE REPORT
April 2, 2009
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Now in its third year, the Nike Team Florida/Florida Rams Jamboree has become a must-see stop as teams get ready to hit the road in April. This year, the event was played at Eckerd College.
It was a loaded field with the Florida Rams, Nike Team Florida, Team Stat, Florida Elite and others looking to find out what their strengths and weaknesses were before heading out of state to elite national tournaments. more...
FAVORS LEADS EAST AT MCDONALD'S
April 2, 2009
No. 1 senior Derrick Favors proved his worth at the McDonald's All-American Game in Miami, scoring 19 points and adding eight rebounds -- and winning the MVP award -- to lift his East squad to a 113-100 victory over the West. The future Georgia Tech stud wasn't the only big name to shine, of course, as Texas-bound guard Avery Bradley (15 points), Oklahoma signee Keith "Tiny Gallon (20 points), Villanova pledge Dominic Cheek (15 points) and Louisville signee Peyton Siva (nine assists) were among the others to have their moments.
Of course, for true basketball fans, the McDonald's Game is just an exhibition during which no one plays defense and few attempt to play team basketball. On the other hand, however, fans at least get a chance to see how their favorite new players run and down the court and perhaps get a feel for the players' styles. more...
CAROLINA CHALLENGE REPORT: PART II
April 1, 2009
CARY, N.C. -- Today we'll feature our second and final look at last weekend's Carolina Challenge, held on the campus of Cary Academy.
We covered many of the big names in part I, but there were additional prospects from the event who warrant attention as well. more...
CAROLINA CHALLENGE REPORT: PART I
March 30, 2009
CARY, N.C. -- Last weekend marked the third annual Carolina Challenge, a one-day event featuring the best underclassmen in the state of North Carolina.
And while the 2008 Challenge may have been better for elite prospects -- with someone like John Wall in the mix, that's no surprise -- this year's edition actually was more loaded from top to bottom. One of the best prospects in attendance was top-15 junior wing Reggie Bullock. more...
COACHING CAROUSEL KEEPS TURNING
March 30, 2009
Monday's big basketball story concerned neither the Final Four nor recruiting -- at least not directly. Reports surfaced during the afternoon that Memphis coach John Calipari was in serious negotiations with Kentucky about their open head coaching position, and several outlets reported that he had accepted or was likely to accept a huge offer by the Wildcats.
Calipari's move obviously carries huge ramifications along the recruiting trail, as the Tigers at this point have one of the nation's best recruiting classes for the 2009 haul. Memphis has become a recruiting and on-court juggernaut under Calipari, and clearly Conference USA would be taking a major hit while UK would be poised to charge back toward the top of the SEC. more...
THE SWEET 16: HOW THEY RECRUIT
March 26, 2009
The actual games obviously are what count in the NCAA tournament, but it's also worthwhile to examine how these teams put themselves into position to compete for postseason glory.
Below, we've taken a look at each of this season's final 16 clubs and listed recruiting results for the past four years. Some of those recruiting rankings foretold of their current success, while other teams have outperformed what one may have expected. more...
JONES, KADIMA BACK OFF PLEDGES
Virginia Tech and Iowa State each lost a previously committed recruit. The Hokies had held a pledge from VA PG Lamont Jones, a stalwart at Oak Hill who now plans to visit Southern Cal in mid-April. Jones had committed to Tech back in the fall, but he didn't sign in November and thus is free to ink wherever he likes this spring without interference.
Meanwhile, in Ames, the Cyclones and athletic junior guard Chim Kadima parted ways. more...
SHOWTIME BALLERS KICKOFF: PART II
March 24, 2009
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Following our first report from last weekend's Showtime Ballers Kickoff, today we've revisited the event and included a few more names to remember as we head toward April. more...
SHOWTIME BALLERS KICKOFF: PART I
March 23, 2009
ORLANDO, Fla. -- While some states are concluding their playoffs, Florida's travel team season got into gear last weekend. The Showtime Ballers Kickoff was held at Champions' Sports Complex and there was a lot of talent on display.
Generally, this time of year is reserved for juniors who are looking to get a jumpstart on their recruiting, but there were several unsigned seniors that performed well at the event. While they may have offers or serious interest by some schools, they are looking for an opportunity to be on the big stage. more...
TUCKER CHOOSES WILDCATS
March 19, 2009
March Madness? Job turmoil? Almost everything but recruiting has been in the news this week, but despite the various media reports about the job security of Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie, the Wildcats quietly added a juco recruit for their Class of 2009.
Konner Tucker, a 6-4, 180-pounder at Lon Morris (TX) JC, gave UK the nod and will have three seasons of eligibility in Lexington. He averaged 17 points a game as a freshman and is noted for being a good three-point shooter. more...
CLASS OF 2011: EXPANDED RANKINGS
Continuing with our series of updated rankings, we've enlarged our list of top sophomores to 25 players, a number that obviously will grow after the spring and summer periods.
For now, though, we've made a few subtle tweaks and also added numerous names to our listings of players to watch. Again, we'll be adding to this list continually in the coming months, but here's a snapshot of where things stand today. One change we didn't make is at the very top, where NJ forward Michael Gilchrist continues to rule the roost. more...
CLASS OF 2010: UPDATED RANKINGS, LISTS
We'll do a more formal overhaul of the Class of 2010 after the April travel period, but for now feast your eyes on some changes made as a result of the high school season. As mentioned in the player capsules we released last week, FL guard Brandon Knight is the new guy at No. 1.
In addition to those changes in the top 25, however, there also was movement elsewhere within the top 50. Clearly, the race is on for college programs to get commitments as quickly as possible, because there next opportunity to watch a lot of players in one setting won't be until July. more...
CLASS OF 2009: MOMENTUM
March 13, 2009
Final rankings for the senior Class of 2009 won't be ready until May, but now we can take a look at the players within the top 100 as of the season and how things stand heading into the postseason.
Included in this chart are guys whose play has caused them to move one way or the other, and of course that will change between now and the end of the postseason period. more...
CLASS OF 2010: FORMAL INTRODUCTION
March 11, 2009
The Class of 2010 has been a trailblazer. Though the recruiting calendar sped up roughly 15 years ago and elite players have made early commitments ever since, the nation's most promising juniors ushered in an unprecedented era of expedited -- and critics say rash -- decisions.
Among our updated 25 prospects, 13 already have tendered early pledges, and that includes seven of the top 10. Of that baker's dozen, the overwhelming majority committed prior the beginning of their junior season. We'll examine further the class as a hole and provide updated, pre-spring rankings for the top 25. more...
COUSINS PICKS MEMPHIS
March 9, 2009
Memphis added to its tremendous recruiting class by getting big-time AL C/BF DeMarcus Cousins, a sensationally skilled and big frontcourt prospect who chose the Tigers over interest from many of the nation's top schools.
Cousins had been committed to UAB, but he backed off during the fall because of the Blazers' refusal to include an "out clause" in the standard letter of intent. Now, he will arrive at Memphis with OK WG Xavier Henry, TX WG Nolan Dennis and others to further strengthen the elite program in Conference USA. more...
BRICK'S TAKE ON MCDONALD'S
March 5, 2009
Over the past several years it has become tradition for us to dissect the specifics leading to the selection of the annual McDonald's All American Team.
As our readers know, the 24 high school seniors chosen by the 34-person Selection Committee are divided into 12-man East and West teams for the McDonald's Game, which this year will be played on April 1 at BankUnited Center in the Miami metro area and televised live by ESPN.
Although the overwhelming majority of players already have signed letters of intent, one of those who is unsigned is AL big man DeMarcus Cousins. more...
ACC, BIG EAST DOMINATE: PART I
March 3, 2009
The following three-part story is a special look at how the ACC and Big East largely recruited their way to dominance of college basketball this season. Parts II and III are below. Enjoy!
During a brutal three-game stretch in February, University of Miami head coach Frank Haith had the daunting task of preparing his team to take on ACC heavyweights Wake Forest, Duke and North Carolina. more...
ACC, BIG EAST DOMINATE: PART II
March 3, 2009
HEELS, EAGLES GAINED WHERE OTHERS LOST IN 2005
There wasn't a lot of great recruiting to celebrate with the Class of 2005, the group that comprised this year's seniors in college. Considered by Handbook scouts and many others to be perhaps the least talented class to pass through the high school ranks this decade, there were far more misses than hits. more...
ACC, BIG EAST DOMINATE: PART III
March 3, 2009
RANKINGS HAVE MEANING, BUT AREN'T ABSOLUTE
Of the elite five teams this season from the two glamour conferences, Duke, North Carolina, UConn and Louisville all boast highly ranked players from highly ranked classes. If one had to predict which schools would crack the elite ranks, based on their recruiting rankings, all four of those programs would garner mention near the top. more...
BOYD PICKS HILLTOPPERS
March 1, 2009
Without much fanfare or an announcement on television, Terrence Boyd made his college pick. The 6-5 WF at San Diego (CA) High -- who was unable to play this season because of transfer rules -- pledged to Western Kentucky after basically missing two years of high school basketball.
Despite the lack of exposure in recent times, Boyd hardly is a mysterious figure to scouts. He's been in the public eye for several years and very active on the travel circuit, and his strength and athleticism are top-notch. more...
STEPHENSON HAS FINALISTS, SETS A DATE
February 26, 2009
Elite unsigned senior Lance Stephenson has set an announcement date of April 15 according to ESPN. The 6-5 wing is one of the most celebrated players in the Class of 2009 and no stranger to controversy in the eyes of scouts.
Stephenson is now down to Maryland, Kansas, St. John's, Wake Forest and UCLA. There had been speculation earlier in the season that he may opt for Europe for one year prior to shuttling off to the NBA, but the struggles of Brandon Jennings overseas seem to have cooled that option for American prepsters. more...
CANES GRAB A PAIR
February 24, 2009
Miami has gained a couple of underclass commitments who will terrorize public address announcers in future seasons, drawing pledges from Ismaila Dauda and Yvan Ngirabakunzi.
Dauda is a 6-10 freshman C from Nigeria enrolled at Miami (FL) Center of Life. He's obviously very tall for his class and, even if he isn't tremendously skilled at this point -- a common scenario for young big men -- eventually will give the team size in the middle. more...
SUDDEN TURN IN SIDNEY RECRUITMENT
February 20, 2009
It just isn't going to be easy with Renardo Sidney. The 6-9 big man at Los Angeles Fairfax is scheduled to announce his college choice on Sunday, but now it appears that the frontrunner no longer is in the running at all.
UCLA, which many expected to get Sidney's pledge, pulled out of contention according to this story in the Los Angeles Times, and ultimately he chose the USC Trojans. more...
AGGIES GET SENIOR COMMIT
February 19, 2009
Texas A&M picked up a sleeper senior, getting a pledge from Jeremy Adams, a 6-5, 210-pound WG/WF from Madison (MS) Central. Adams entered the season with very little in the way of a national reputation but averaged 25 points and seven rebounds per game.
Despite his lack of grassroots profile, due to his scoring ability he reportedly had drawn offers from USF, Arkansas and Virginia, in addition to the Aggies. Although these stats frequently get overblown, Adams reportedly sports a 35-inch vertical leap. Whatever the numbers, he clearly possesses major league athleticism to go along with good height and excellent strength for a wing. more...
MCDONALD'S ALL-AMERICANS ANNOUNCED
February 18, 2009
On Wednesday evening the McDonald's All-American teams were announced, and as usual 24 players were named to the prestigious squad. As most of our readers will already know, a committee of advisory panelists -- including our own Brick Oettinger -- vote on a total of 20 seniors. Afterward, committee chairperson Morgan Wootten then names up to four additional players to round out the East and West teams.
Below we've listed the players selected for the team, and afterward we've included some initial thoughts about the composition of this year's clubs. As always, there will be significant controversy over some of the inclusions and omissions. One guy who certainly wasn't omitted was No. 1 senior Derrick Favors. more...
YOUNG BIG MAN COMING ALONG
February 17, 2009
It may be a while for anyone knows exactly how good Hoover Vint will be. The 6-10 BF at Van Buren (AR) High is just a sophomore, and at that he is very thin at only 190 pounds. For that reason, it may be several years before he's able to hold his own physically against high college-level athletes.
That said, it's easy to be optimistic about his chances. First is his obvious size for that age range, and it wouldn't surprise anyone if he eventually tops seven feet. Second is a promising bloodline; his father Bobby played for Arkansas and spent more than 20 years as a coach at the college and high school levels. more...
PROVIDENCE LANDS JUCO COMMIT
February 16, 2009
During this relatively dormant period for actual commitments, Providence quietly made a pickup from within the junior college ranks. Taking advantage of a strong season within the Big East, PC added the services of Russ Permenter, a 6-9, 235-pound BF/C at Temple College (TX).
Permenter began his career at UT-San Antonio but left after one season. This year at Temple, he's averaging about 19 points and nine rebounds per game. The Friars were the lone Big East school to be interested, but others such as South Alabama, Santa Clara and Pepperdine were involved to some degree. more...
THOMPSON OUT AT ST. BENEDICT'S
February 13, 2009
It was a tumultuous span of hours in New Jersey high school hoops, as elite 2010 BF prospect Tristan Thompson was reported to be leaving St. Benedict's prep for an unknown location. Transfers obviously are commonplace among elite players, but this one had a little more steam.
Namely, St. Benedict's actually gave Thompson the boot. According to a report at Zagsblog.com, coach Danny Hurley was none too apologetic about the turn of events. more...
ALLEN SHIFTS OVER TO CANES
February 12, 2009
Miami added another backcourt recruit to its 2009 mix, getting a pledge from Antoine Allen. Allen, a 6-2 WG at Jackson (MS) Elite Christian, is a speedy handler and scorer who will bring additional speed and fullcourt defensive ability to the Hurricanes' lineup.
Our previous concern with Allen was that he lacked the size of an ideal wing yet didn't possess the skills to play point guard, but he has come on of late and now looks like a solid spring pickup for Frank Haith's program. Most recently, Allen backed off a pledge to Providence, so it was plus-one for the ACC at the expense of the Big East. more...
NPSI REPORT
February 11, 2009
The National Prep School Invitational just concluded at the University of Rhode Island, and as always many of the nation's most talented prep school teams took the court over four days of action.
The obvious focus of prep schools is on seniors and fifth-year prospects, but in addition to the prep veterans we also got a look at some talented underclassmen. One of the best there was 2010 wing Jason Morris, who played through pain to showcase improved ability that should make him one of the most hotly pursued wings nationally this spring. more...
"Most coaches have a ninth-grade list..."
February 8, 2009
-- Trailtalk: new rule aimed to regulate.
newswire
GIPLAYE HAS AN OFFER, EXPANDING INTEREST
February 7, 2009
The past couple seasons have been illuminating for junior Ron Giplaye. At one time the Fitchburg (MA) Notre Dame product was considered a national elite, and now that some of the hype has subsided, he's starting to get more serious about his recruitment.
Giplaye is limited by the fact that he's a 6-6 BF, and some list him as only 6-5. That said, he's a very strong and athletic forward who plays much bigger than his height. The 6-8 the team roster lists him as being seems slightly less absurd when one factors into account his propensity for rebounding and finishing inside. more...
"DeMarcus Cousins: A Writer's Take"
February 6, 2009
-- What happens if Mike Davis lands at Alabama (or elsewhere?)
Check out the discussion
SUPER SLAMFEST REPORT
February 3, 2009
Last weekend the Super Slamfest kicked off its eight annual edition in Richmond, Va., at the Benedictine High School gym, and we were on hand for the day's action. The Slamfest definitely benefited this year from the presence of so many talented underclassmen within the state of Virginia, and as a result there were some very significant movers and shakers from among the fledgling grassroots ranks.
The story of the day was sophomore James McAdoo, who last summer was just one of two -- along with near-super NJ WF/BF Michael Gilchrist -- sophomores to attend the LeBron James Skills Academy. more...
MONTVERDE INVITATIONAL REPORT
February 2, 2009
In high school hoops, many tournaments are held during the Christmas Holidays. However, Montverde Academy in Central Florida has put together a great eight team tournament held annually at the end of January.
Headmaster Kasey Kesselring and head coach Kevin Sutton bring together not only some of the best teams in the Sunshine State but also from other parts of the country. The sixth installment of the Montverde Academy Invitational may have been the best one yet. more...
TRAILTALK: GARY WILLIAMS, ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT TELL DIFFERENT STORIES
January 29, 2009
Gus Gilchrist and guard Tyree Evans got many of the Maryland faithful pumped about its recruiting efforts.
Now a report has surfaced offering differing accounts about their recruitment. more...
WALL SEEN WATCHING MEMPHIS IN GREENVILLE
January 29, 2009
Top-five prospect and unsigned senior John Wall took in Memphis' victory over East Carolina on Wednesday night. Wall, a native of nearby Raleigh, is arguably the top prospect left on the board in the Class of 2009.
Memphis has been a tiger in the bushes in a sense for Wall, never really getting considered the frontrunner but never falling off the list at any point, either. The Tigers obviously have something to offer Wall in terms of playing time and a proven track record for putting players in the NBA after one season. more...
"What's next for Arizona?"
January 28, 2009
-- The Wildcats are battling to stay afloat during transition period
Check
out the discussion
JUNIOR COMMITS LAGGING IN 2009
January 27, 2009
You have may noticed that there haven't been many commitments of late. The obvious reason is that, as has been the case for the past decade, the overwhelming majority of mid- and high-major seniors signed in the fall.
But that doesn't explain the slowdown in pledges this January from last year. Last January, there were eight major commitments offered to high-major programs from the junior class. This year as the month winds down, there has been scant activity from juniors. more...
JENNINGS COMPLAINTS: JUST HOW IMPORTANT?
January 26, 2009
So it doesn't sound like Brandon Jennings is enjoying his experience in Italy. The precocious Class of 2008 product -- and poster child for high school players considering bypassing college in order to play overseas -- told the New York Times that, among other things, he hasn't been getting paid on time and that "They treat me like a little kid."
That essentially was the gist of what ESPN and other sources ran with over the weekend, when a series of columns were written about Jennings presumably regretting his decision to ship out for a year prior to making the move to the NBA. more...
"What does the end of the April period mean?"
January 23, 2009
-- The NCAA's recent ruling dramatically alters the landscape
Check
out the discussion
"The KU/John Wall Encounter: That big of a deal?"
January 21, 2009
-- The recent string of stories has caused a buzz.
Check
out the discussion
SOPHOMORE WILSON GAINING OFFERS
January 20, 2009
Things are going pretty well at the moment for CT combo guard Derrick Wilson. The powerful backcourt performer for Lakeville (CT) Hotchkiss is enjoying a fine sophomore year, and his stock continues to rise as the end of the high school season draws closer.
Wilson tends to get overshadowed by junior teammate Jason Morris, but already Wilson himself is posting solid numbers. So far this year, he's averaging approximately 16 points, nine rebounds, five assists and four steals per contest. While he still needs to refine his skills as a scorer and a playmaker, he has unusual strength and poise for a player his age. more...
SURFING THE WEB: WEEKEND EDITION
January 16, 2009
A lot of people probably caught the showdown between elite big men Derrick Favors and DeMarcus Cousins. Favors won the individual battle but lost the team battle, as his South Atlanta club fell to defeat 78-66 to Mobile (AL) LeFlore.
Favors went bonkers as he has done on numerous occasions during his senior season, tossing in 36 points and 14 rebounds. The 6-9 big man is too big and strong for high school basketball, even against elite opponents such as Cousins. Cousins himself had a strong game as well, going for 21 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and five blocks -- along with the W. more...
FAVORS ANNOUNCES FOR GEORGIA TECH
January 14, 2009
As expected, No. 1 senior Derrick Favors announced for Georgia Tech over finalists Georgia and N.C. State. Favors, a prodigious 6-9 big man who has enjoyed some brilliant moments this season, is a native of Atlanta and thus will play his college ball -- likely to be a short-lived experience prior to an expected jump to the NBA -- in his hometown.
Favors long ago was figured to stay close to home, and his ultimate choice proved those assumptions correct. more...
"UCLA'S SIGNING CLASS UNDERRATED?"
January 14, 2009
-- Chime in on the controversial status of UCLA's class.
Read More On The Board
UNDERCLASS PLEDGES CONTINUE
January 13, 2009
The Class of 2010 seems like it's moving full steam ahead, and April hasn't even arrived yet. While some unsigned seniors remain on the board for the spring signing period, clearly many major college programs are trying to address their recruiting needs within the classes of 2010 and 2011.
Here's the latest: more...
TOC MLK CLASSIC REPORT: PART II
January 13, 2009
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Here is part two of our report from the TOC MLK Classic report. As you'll see, there were lots of guys who improved their standing with college coaches, whether that occurred at the high-, mid- or low-major level. more...
TOC MLK CLASSIC REPORT: PART I
January 12, 2009
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- The 14th annual Tournament of Champions MLK Basketball Classic took place this past weekend at Boyd Anderson High School . Showcasing the best teams and players in South Florida, it gave us an opportunity to track the progress of many players we had not seen since last July.
The event always provides new names to put on the map, and this year's edition was no different. Ultimately, it was two of the best players in the country that put on the best performances of the weekend. more...
CUNNINGHAM PICKS BEAVERS
January 8, 2009
Oregon State did something that's going to be pretty difficult to replicate over the coming months: Land a solid point guard from the senior class. The Beavers picked up the services of CA PG Jared Cunningham, a one-commitment to Arizona State.
Cunningham told the Contra Costa Times that "They told me they want me to come and lead from the start." more...
MOUNTAINEERS PICK UP JUNIOR PLEDGE
January 7, 2009
West Virginia may have dropped a tough one at home on Tuesday night to UConn, but the Mountaineers did come up with a junior commitment. That would be VA WG Bryon Allen, who chose WVU over steady mid- and high-major interest.
Allen isn't a tremendously skilled scorer at this point, but he's a strong and aggressive guard with the toughness that Bob Huggins love to employ in Morgantown. more...
TAMPA HOOPS CLASSIC REPORT
January 5, 2009
In just its second year, the Tampa Hoops Classic has become a premier post-Christmas event. Teams from New York City, Cincinnati, Chicago, Tennessee and Maryland made the trek to Tampa to take on that area's best as well as some of the top teams from other parts of the Sunshine State.
Playing at the USF Sundome, it provides a big-time college atmosphere and allows for the opportunity to see many of Florida's best players in one location.
more...
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