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BIG EAST NEWS & NOTES (8/22/2008)

Notre Dame passed a stiff test on their Ireland exhibition trip. Mike Cook will not be available for Pittsburgh next season. The end might be finally here for Derrick Caracter and Louisville. Cincinnati releases their non-conference schedule and they will be taking a different approach this season.

The Boost Mobile Elite 24 takes places tonight at Rucker Park in NYC. Recruiting updates are included today on Ashton Pankey, Josh Selby, Jonathan Graham and Omari Lawrence. Villanova is now looking to replace a very important member of their coaching staff.

The Notre Dame tour of Ireland continued with a rematch against the Ireland National Team. ND won the first match-up by 37 points, but this was a different squad they faced yesterday and it took a Ryan Ayers steal and dunk with two second left to help the Fighting Irish escape with a 90-88 win. Kyle McAlarney recaps the exciting action in his diary for the South Bend Tribune: Big Win, Friend Provide Boost.

The Irish started Tory Jackson, McAlarney, Jonathan Peoples, Luke Zeller and Luke Harandogy in yesterday’s contest. It was Ayers and Zach Hillesland making the key defensive play in the final seconds as they forced for Providence College guard Donnie McGrath to turn it over leading to Ayers’ winning dunk.

The NCAA’s decision to deny Pittsburgh guard Mike Cook a 6th year might be more of a emotional disappointment for the Panthers than a blow on the court. Cook was not expected to be healthy enough for competition until at least January. By the letter of the law, Cook Never Had a Chance (Beaver County Times), but Pitt coach Jamie Dixon tried all he could to make sure Cook’s last memory as a college basketball player was not the one of him laying on the Madison Square Garden floor in pain. Their decision, has Mike DeCourcey of the Sporting News believing that the NCAA Flunks Math, an Logic, in the Cook Case.
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Here is a reminder that the Boost Mobile Elite 24 contest will be held at Rucker Park tonight. Dick Weiss of the NY Daily News takes a little peek at tonight’s action: Boost Classic to Rock Rucker.
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RealScout.net has a few news and notes that Big East fans would be interested in, included Ashton Pankey’s Early List. Pankey, a 6-foot-7 power forward, lists his favorites as Stanford, Syracuse, St. John’s, Marquette, Kentucky, DePaul, Virginia and Virginia Tech.

Pankey played on the summer AAU circuit with the New Heights basketball team, whose director just accepted an administrative job on Norm Roberts’ staff at St. John’s.

This year, Pankey moves to St. Anthony’s in Jersey City (NJ) after playing for Jack Curran at Archbishop Molloy in Queens.
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Earlier this week, Matt Bracken of the Baltimore Sun’s Recruiting Report took a look at the Big Summer for Team Melo’s 2009 Recruits. Next up is A Look at Team Melo’s Young Prospects, below are those with Big East relevance:

Josh Selby, one of the nation’s top point guards in the class of 2010, has already visited Louisville and the Cardinals are high on his list.

Jonathan Graham, a 6-foot-8 power forward from Calvert Hall, has an offer from Villanova and inquiries have been made by Syracuse.

In the Class of 2011, Carlton Carrington of Team Melo says to watch out for St. Frances forward Greg Lewis. Even though it is early, it looks as though Lewis will have Georgetown interested in his progress.
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They are still beaming at St. John’s as Top Recruit Omari Lawrence is Set to Join the Program (NY Daily News).

Here is Jeff Borzello’s article on the commitment just moments after Omari Lawrence left a meeting with Norm Roberts on the SJU campus in which he made his verbal commitment to the Redstrom: Omari Lawrence Headed to Big East.
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For the first time in 14 seasons, Brett Gunning will not be by Villanova head coach jay Wright’s side. After being by Wright’s sidet for seven years at Hofstra and seven more years as an assistant with the Wildcats, Gunning Takes a Job With the Houston Rockets (DelCo Times) and received a three-year contract.

Jason Donnelly, the current Director of Basketball Operations at ‘Nova is a logical candidate to receive a promotion within the staff, but Jay Wright’s Phone Will Be Ringing (FoxSports.com) as this will be a coveted position for many up and coming assistants around the country.
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Slowly, Big East teams are releasing details on their non-conference schedule and Cincinnati is attempting a different tactic this season as a Softer Schedule for Bearcats (Cincinnati Enquirer) is in order this year. The schedule includes a road game against Memphis, match-ups with Xaiver and UAB at home and a trip to Vegas which will bring games against Florida State and either Cal or UNLV.
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No matter what happens, it just seems like Derrick Caracter has to be in the news periodically. After Louisville head coach Rick Pitino slightly left the door ajar for the beleaguered power forward to return to the Cards for the 2009-2010 season, Pitino Says Caracter Will go NAIA (Louisville Courier-Journal) and the Oklahoma City Coach is Awaiting Word from Caracter (FoxSports.com).

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