Cincinnati Recruiting, Connecticut Recruiting, DePaul Recruiting, Doug Ferguson, Georgetown Recruiting, Jeff Borzello, Louisville Recruiting, Marquette Recruiting, Matt Whitfield, Notre Dame Recruiting, Pittsburgh Recruiting, Providence Recruiting, Rutgers Recruiting, St. John's Recruiting, Syracuse Recruiting, Villanova Recruiting, West Virginia Recruiting

FRIDAY OPEN EVALUATION PERIOD NOTEBOOK, PART I

The action of the first leg of the July open evaluation period is beginning to spread out, testing the best travel coordinators of colleges around the country to get their head coaches and assistants in a gym with the targets they want to see and the commits they want to check up on.

Friday finds NBE staff members also spanning the landscape to keep college basketball fans and recruitniks on top of what is going on on the circuit. Doug Ferguson has set up shop in Deerfield (IL) at Joy of the Game, home of the Rising Stars Gold AAU program, where they are hosting, along with ChicagoHoops.com the Chicago Summer Classic. Jeff Borzello has moved from Philly back to Reading (PA) and is checking out the action at the Hoop Group Elite Team Camp today. Matt Whitfield has remained in Philadelphia for the close of the Reebok All-American Camp and Zach Smart has joined the action by travelling to Springfield (MA) for the BasketBull First Eight event.

You can follow the action at Springfield with Zach’s live updates: BasketBull’s First Eight Notes.

Let us catch you up on the rest of today’s happenings…

Reading (PA) and the Hoop Group Elite Team Camp:

- Upsets were the theme on Thursday as Boys & Girls (NYC), St. Patrick’s (NJ), Bishop McNamara (DC), Jamesville-Dewitt (NY), Roman Catholic (PA), Archbishop Caroll (PA), North Catholic (PA) and Xaverian (NYC) are all in the consolation bracket as of Friday morning. Of course, many of those teams were without several big names who are competing at other camps and events.

- Pittsburgh was here on Thursday watching Boys & Girls (NYC) HS guard Mike Taylor.

- Noticed Phil Martelli and a Providence assistant watching Penn Wood (PA) and St. Raymond’s (NYC) do battle this morning.

- St. Ray’s coach Oliver Antigua gave an update on a couple of his players. Nkeruwem Okoro , a guard in the class of 2012, is already developing quite a reputation in NYC after just playing his freshman season for coach Antigua. St. John’s, Kentucky, Pittsburgh and Arizona are among the schools already showing interest.

Antigua mentioned Pittsburgh, Providence, St. John’s, Virginia Tech and UMass as those looking at 2011 big man Joey De La Rosa.

Devin Brooks is a transfer into St. Ray’s and the speedy guard looks to be a key player for them next season.

- Cedrick Lindsay, a guard for Gonzaga (DC) High School, listed Penn State, Davidson, VCU, Brown and Richmond. Lindsay continues to be one of the most under-recruited players on the east coast.

- Aaron Brown, a class of 2011 forward for Penn Wood (PA) High School has Providence, Villanova, St. Joseph’s, La Salle, Temple, Maine, UTEP, Penn State and Virginia on his list of schools.

- Georgia Tech head coach Paul Hewitt has rolled in…

- Tre Bowman, a class of 2010 wing guard is a very interesting prospect that is not getting much love nationally. However, schools such as Marquette, Penn State, Xavier, Duquesne, Central Florida, Maryland, LaSalle, Clemson and Villanova have been showing him attention on the recruiting trail.

- Ameen Tanksley, a class of 2011 wing out of Imohtep Prep Charter has been getting a lot of Atlantic 10 love and some Pac 10 calls, according to his coach.Erik Copes and David Appolon are also getting A-10 calls.

Deerfield (IL) and the Chicago Summer Classic:

- Louisville is represented by the easily identified Walter McCarty in the coaches sections. Staffers from Notre Dame, Cincinnati, Providence and DePaul

- Very impressed with the play of James Siakam, a class of 2011 power forward from Carbondale (IL) and here with the Illinois Titans who are filling in for Mac Irvin Fire in the Match Play pool. He is playing like a beast inside against Net Gain Sports.

- According to the coach of the Eric Gordan All-Stars, 6-foot-7 forward Jordan Manuel out of Indianapolis (IN) – Howe has Providence, Wright State and St. Joseph’s high on his list.

Philadelphia and the Reebok All-American Camp:

- Jesse Morgan, of Olney HS in Philly, has had an excellent camp here at RBK. Morgan told NBE this afternoon he has offers from Connecticut and Florida with Marquette, LaSalle, Kentucky, Temple and St. Joe’s showing plenty of interest.

- LeBryan Nash is solidifying his status of one of the best out of the class of 2011. He has offers from Gonzaga, Florida, Oklahoma State, Texas, Memphis, Kansas and Georgetown. The Dallas (TX) native also has interest from Syracuse, Tennessee and Oklahoma. At the recent NBA Top 100 camp, Nash informed NBE that SU was a favorite of his with their style of play.

- Plainfield (NJ) two-sport star Tyrone Johnson gave NBE his three leaders, but made a quick point that there is a long way to go in his recruitment. Currently Georgetown, Villanova and Rutgers lead. The Scarlet Knights are also recruiting Johnson on the gridiron.

Johnson also said he plans to take a tour of West Virginia while there for next week’s Hoop Group Harley Jamfest.