April 2011

MITCH MCGARY: RISING 2012 BIG MAN SEEING RECRUITMENT INTENSIFY

By Lauren Kirschman

Since transferring to Brewster Academy in New Hampshire last year, class of 2012 big man Mitch McGary has been opening some eyes.

McGary began to shine this past season as the sixth man for one of the nations’ top prep schools and he’s continued to show off his improved skills on the AAU circuit this spring.

Now McGary is attracting the attention of top schools from across the country, including Duke, Texas, Arizona, Florida, Florida State, Illinois, Purdue, Indiana, Maryland, Marquette, Pittsburgh, Xavier and Cincinnati.

He’s already taken trips to Illinois, Marquette, Purdue and Indiana and is attempting to plan visits to Cincinnati, Maryland, Florida, Indiana and Texas.

McGary said that both Indiana and Cincinnati are recruiting him hard, but he hasn’t reached a college decision yet. Right now, he’s keeping his recruitment wide open.

“I want to go to whatever school fits me best,” he said. “Everyone is still in the mix.”

All of those potential schools will be watching as McGary continues to climb the recruiting rankings. The 6-foot-11, 250-pound center said the improvement in his game since he transferred to Brewster is indescribable.

“It was a big step for me,” he said. “Brewster is a lot tougher, it’s the highest level of play. The intensity is at another level. It’s so much faster.”

He’s gotten stronger in his year at Brewster, putting on muscle as he focused on lifting and conditioning.

But the concentration on lifting led McGary to falter with other aspects of his game, including his 18-foot and 3-point shots, but he said he’ll be working on returning those skills to his repertoire throughout the summer.

“I’m working on shots, working on post moves,” McGary said. “I want to focus on using post work in these [AAU games].”

And even if the hot prospect big man doesn’t end up playing his college basketball in Pittsburgh, he gave Panther fans an indication of the level of player they’ll be seeing inside next year.

When asked who was the toughest player he faced at Brewster this past season, McGary said that distinction belonged to incoming 2011 Pitt recruit Khem Birch.

NOTRE DAME ADDS RECRUIT ERIC KATENDA & TRANSFER GARRICK SHERMAN

After narrowing his list to Notre Dame and Wake Forest, 2011 forward Eric Katenda made his college decision Tuesday and the native of France is headed to the BIG EAST, per sources with knowledge of the recruitment.

Notre Dame will gain the services of the 6-foot-8, 210 pound athletic forward next season. Katenda, who most recently has attended Sunrise Academy in Kansas, made an official visit to South Bend last weekend and the visit made a lasting impression.

“Notre Dame really impressed me,” Katenda told NBE’s Matt Whitfield following the visit. “First of all they have a beautiful campus and beautiful facilities and a great coaching staff. And going on the visit gave me a chance to know more about the campus and ask a couple of questions, so I learned a lot from my visit.”

Katenda missed most of last summer’s AAU action after having his appendix removed and getting tendonitis in his knees. While being forced to sit out most of the key summer circuit, Katenda fell off the recruiting radar of many schools, leading him to become one of the more sought-after spring recruiting targets because of his high ceiling as a player.
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BIG EAST SPRING COMINGS & GOINGS

Connecticut:
–Junior point guard Kemba Walker declared for the NBA Draft. Walker is expected to be a lottery selection in June’s draft.

DePaul:
–Big forward Donnavan Kirk will be eligible after the first semester during the 2011-2012 season. Kirk enrolled at DePaul last January after transferring from Miami.
–Point guard Michael Bizoukas has another year of eligibility remaining, but he will not return to DePaul for the 2011-2012 season.

Georgetown:
–Sophomore G/F Hollis Thompson declared for the NBA Draft. Thompson, who is not expected to be drafted should he remain in the draft, can still withdraw from the draft and return to the Hoyas for his junior season.
–Sophomore guard Vee Sanford announced he was leaving the program and pursuing a transfer this spring.

Louisville:
–Junior center Terrence Jennings declared for the NBA Draft. Jennings, a second round-to-undrafted prospect, can return for his senior season if he withdraws from the draft prior to the May 8th deadline.

Marquette:
–6’7 forward Jamil Wilson will be eligible for the Golden Eagles after sitting out the 2010-2011 season as a transfer student from Oregon.

Notre Dame:
–Junior forward Carleton Scott declared for the NBA Draft. Although listed as a senior last season, Scott has another season of eligibility and can return to the Irish next season if he withdraws from the draft prior to the May 8th deadline. Scott is not expected to be drafted at this time if he were to stay in the draft.

Pittsburgh:
–Junior guard Ashton Gibbs declared for the NBA Draft. Gibbs has not signed with an agent. Projected as a 2nd round-to-undrafted prospect, Gibbs can still withdraw from the draft by the May 8th deadline and return for his senior season.
–Sophomore forward J.J. Richardson announced he will leave the program this spring and transfer somewhere closer to home.

Providence:
–The Friars fired head coach Keno Davis following the season. Former Boston College assistant and recent Fairfield University head coach Ed Cooley was hired as his replacement. Cooley is a Providence (RI) native.

Seton Hall:
–Freshman forward Anali Okoloji announced he was leaving the program and will seek a transfer this sprint.

South Florida:
–Junior forward Augustis Gilchrist declared for the NBA Draft. Gilchrist, projected as a second round-to-undrafted prospect has not signed with an agent and can return to USF if he withdraws his name from the draft prior to the May 8th deadline.
–Sophomore guard Mike Burwell was released from his scholarship and will transfer to another program. Burwell averaged 1.7 PPG last season.
–Junior point guard Shedrick Haynes left the program. Haynes played sparingly in his one season with the Bulls, averaging 1.1 PPG.
–The Bulls will receive the services of 6’7 forward Victor Rudd, who sat out the 2010-2011 season after transferring from Arizona State.

West Virginia:
–Junior forward Kevin Jones declared for the NBA Draft. Jones, a second round-to-undrafted prospect, can return to WVU for his senior season if he withdraws from the draft prior to the May 8th deadline.
–Forward Dan Jennings officially was granted his release from scholarship and will transfer this spring.

We will update the spring recruiting signings tomorrow night…

FUTURE BIG EAST PLAYERS PARTICIPATE IN 2011 CAPITAL CLASSIC

By Ron Bailey

Last weekend’s Capital Classic was the 38th time that event has been held, making it one of the oldest and most revered high school senior all star games in the land. An incredible player list has taken part, including Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and a host of other future (at the time) stars. There are sure to be some standouts in this year’s class as well.

Of course the BIG EAST is represented by Capital Classic players with the following players participating this time around: Trevor Cooney (Syracuse), Myles Mack (Rutgers), Jabarie Hinds (West Virginia), Greg Whittington (Georgetown), Achraf Yacoubou (Villanova), Tyrone Johnson (Villanova), Malcolm Gilbert (Pittsburgh) and a guy that could very well end up in the league, Kelvin Amayo. They are discussed below.

First off, the Villanova pair played well, as Johnson dropped 17 points, four rebounds and four assists, while Yacoubou, called ‘Ashe’ by teammates and friends contributed 10 points and nine rebounds. Jay Wright’s program has stressed backcourt players, and seems well situated with these two, both of whom can score, rebound and defend, doing so with stature – Johnson is 6’3” and Ashe stands 6’5”.

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ERIC KATENDA ENJOYS NOTRE DAME VISIT; TEXAS IN MIX FOR ’11 FORWARD

By Matt Whitfield

Unsigned Class of 2011 power forward Eric Katenda enjoyed his visit to Notre Dame this past weekend as he spent time with Fighting Irish players Jerian Grant and Eric Atkins. Katenda had previously told NBE that Wake Forest was his favorite, but that is no longer the case as he states there may be a fourth school entering the mix, along with Iowa, Wake Forest and Notre Dame with Texas recently contacting the athletic forward.

“Notre Dame really impressed me,” said Katenda. “First of all they have a beautiful campus and beautiful facilities and a great coaching staff. And going on the visit gave me a chance to know more about the campus and ask a couple of questions, so I learned a lot from my visit.”

Katenda did not attend Notre Dame’s Spring Football Game this past Saturday due to the rain, but he hung with Eric Atkins and Jerian Grant throughout the visit.

“They told that if I go there…that I’d have a chance to play and start on that team as they really need that kind of player that I am. I really got along well with those two guys. I didn’t get the chance to hang with all the other guys, but I really got along with those two guys.”

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’13 NYC GUARD TERRENCE SAMUEL GETTING NOTICED

Class of 2013 point guard Terrence Samuel is certainly a name college coaches have become aware of. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound is being recruited by Cincinnati, Villanova, Iowa State, Pittsburgh, Louisville, St. John’s, Rutgers, Georgia Tech, Xavier and Oregon State he told NBE on Tuesday evening.

Samuel, who plays his high school basketball with South Shore HS in New York City, is hitting the AAU circuit with the New Heights 16U club. This past weekend they made it to the semifinals of the Pittsburgh Jamfest put on by the Hoop Group.

While Samuel states there are no favorites or leaders at this stage, a few schools are coming on him pretty strong.

“Cincinnati, Villanova and Iowa State are coming at me strong,” said Samuel. “I’ve been to ‘Nova a lot for games already.”

Samuel was impressive last weekend in Pittsburgh and look for his name to become more familiar with recruitniks in the coming months. He is a physical guard that has the traits of previous greats guards out of the Big Apple. NBE will continue to keep a close eye on his progress on the court and his recruitment going forward.

MORE PITTSBURGH JAMFEST RECRUITING NOTES

By Lauren Kirschman

Recruiting rundown of some of the top names from this past weekend’s Pittsburgh Jamfest put on by the Hoop Group…

Jalen Robinson (2012)
Power forward
AAU Team: All-Ohio Red
Height: 6’7″, Weight: 215
Considering: Wisconsin, UCLA, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Xavier, Iowa, Penn State, DePaul, Cincinnati, Ohio University, Tennessee, Michigan
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Elijah Macon (2012)
Power foward
AAU Team: All-Ohio Red
Considering: West Virginia, South Florida, USC, Cincinnati, Tennessee
Offers from: South Florida, USC
Height: 6’7″, Weight: 200
Leaders: West Virginia and Cincinnati
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JERAMI GRANT IMPRESSES AT JAM FEST; MORE NEWS & NOTES

By Ray Mernagh

It was an impressive weekend for Jerami Grant. The 6-foot-7, 180-lb forward out of DeMatha (DC) was the best player throughout the weekend on the best team at the Hoop Group’s Pittsburgh Jam Fest. The long, bouncy and skinny-strong athlete took over games for minutes at a time and closed them when he needed to. An inside-out threat, Grant reminds me of a cross between Darius Miles and (potentially) Kevin Durant right now. His game is growing by leaps and bounds, especially off the bounce and in the mid-post area. Grant exploded off two feet time and time again to attack the rim, but has the versatility to also show off a finesse skill set.

Grant played well on both ends of the floor, rebounding and defending the perimeter well. He got to the foul line often for and-one’s. In the end…he led Team Takeover DC to the Jam Fest’s overall title.

Grant, a straight baller in the Class of 2012 showing the signs of a potential pro, told NBE’s Lauren Kirschmann that he holds offers from Georgetown, Maryland, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Miami, Rutgers and Clemson. He also tells Lauren that he is working on his ball handling and the consistency of his jumper. With no favorites, expect the recruitment of the latest Grant to blow up in the coming months VERY quickly.
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MYLES DAVIS: 2012 SHOOTING STAR

By Lauren Kirschman

Class of 2012 guard Myles Davis grew up wanting to emulate his older cousin, former Pitt point guard and current Pitt assistant coach Brandin Knight.

Depending on where Davis decides to attend college, he might get the chance to don the same uniform.

Right now, however, the Notre Dame Prep product is keeping his options open as he holds offers from Pittsburgh, Connecticut, Villanova, Xavier, Georgetown, Virginia Tech and South Carolina.
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SYF DUO DOING WORK IN THEIR OWN RIGHT: GLENN ROBINSON III & ADONIS FILER

By Ray Mernagh

Judging from his play this weekend in Pittsburgh, Mitch McGary (see more on Mitch HERE) is bound to get a ton of attention wherever SYF plays on the AAU circuit.

Friday night though, two of his teammates were arguably more impressive than their big man.

Glenn Robinson III SYF 6’8″ 205 LBS 2012 (Michigan Commit)

I did not recognize Glenn “Trey” Robinson when compared to the skinny kid I watched last summer.

Robinson was maybe 175 pounds soaking wet then.

Now he has a body that makes you envision a flying combo forward finishing strong on the offensive end with lock down ability defensively.
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JAM FEST RECAP: MITCH MCGARY GUNNING FOR TOP SPOT

By Ray Mernagh

Mitch McGary: SYF Players, 6’11″ 250 lbs Class of 2012

That’s right, Mitch McGary is now just about an inch from being a legitimate footer (7-footer for the uninformed).

McGary has always had a lot of skill mixed with athleticism and a decent motor.

Now he has the confidence of a big-time player in the best way possible.

He’s extremely vocal and enthusiastic with his teammates, urging them on and pumping them up when they make a play, hollering out instructions on the back end of the defense, and just playing with a passion that’s outright cool to witness. He passes well with either hand and finishes with both as well. He rebounds ferociously and makes plays in the open court and off the bounce. He also has a little mid range pull up and a floater.

He seeks out contact and tries to physically dominate his opposition at every opportunity.

And when he doesn’t play his best offensively, he still brings it in all the other areas.

You hear an awful lot about bigs in the 2012 class and who’s the best one.

McGary is not only in that discussion, he’s damn near the first name that should be uttered when having it.

As the stops on the circuit pile up I expect McGary to pull more than a few cards of the guys usually listed above him. Those hoping to battle him might want to leave the fadeaways and their fear of contact at the Hotel because McGary is bringing an MMA style to the proceedings.

Should be fascinating viewing.

The kid from Indiana — via Brewster — is coming for that top spot.

PART ONE OF JAM PACKED JAM FEST RECAP: TYLER LEWIS EDITION

By Ray Mernagh

“HEY….HEY…HEY,” came the rhythmic chant from both the Team Takeover bench and the small but vocal fan base directly behind it, all in unison with a few seconds in between as they waited for Tyler Lewis‘ defender to make physical contact with him or make him change direction. The Takeover kids on the court in help position also joined in.

It’s an age-old ritual in hoop.

What UNLV did to Bobby Hurley and the rest of his team in the NCAA Championship game his freshman year at Duke.

A great idea if it works.

Get in the kids head, piss him off, rattle him.

Scare him.

Maybe Tyler Lewis will go through some rattling at NC State when he gets there.
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ALL-OHIO RED F DEONTAE HAWKINS OPENS EYES ON AAU TRAIL

By Ray Mernagh

The Hoop Group’s traveling caravan of scouts, event promoters, camp directors, and future coaches returned once again to Pittsburgh Friday for their now annual stop.

The group’s Pittsburgh Jam Fest has been one of the primary stops on the April Grassroots circuit for a number of years now as it always brings loaded fields, timely starts and a buzz to this city for all the hoop junkies withdrawing from the sudden end to the college and high school season.

Along with revitalizing that dreaded hoop-rock itch (I showed up at 6:30 or so after a full workday planning on picking up my creds, catching a few halves of action and bouncing, but ended up staying until the last games and interviewing DJ Fenner from the DC Assault as the clock ticked towards Saturday) Friday night at the J-Fest always produces a player that makes you say o-k-a-y.

Last night, for a lot of us sitting along the baseline, Deontae Hawkins of All-Ohio Red was that kid.

The first kid to really pop during opening round play.
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BIG SHOTS DCA – BIG EAST PROSPECTS SHINE ON AAU SCENE

By Ron Bailey

April 14, 2011 – This past weekend Big Shots teamed with DC Assault to put on a grassroots tourney in District Heights, Maryland. An estimated 100-plus teams spanning the 10-under through 17-under age groupings strapped on their shoes, taking the hardwood in battle. There were a number that played who are getting BIG EAST looks as future high-major recruits. Some of these players already have a reputation readers are aware off while others will be players to keep an eye on as they work to build up their names in the coming months on the AAU circuit.

First off, the well known….

One such guy, Nate Britt, is already highly recruited by conference schools, with Villanova, Georgetown and Seton Hall having all offered the 6-foot-2 sophomore (Class of 2013) who shoots with his left but can dribble with both hands. West Virginia and Rutgers join others that are interested, including Virginia, Duke, and Texas. Arizona and UCLA have also offered Nate, a guard that can drive, shoot and pass, along with think the game.

What does he think about the BIG EAST? “It’s the best conference in America right now” was Britt’s response. Nate was one of the best players in this tourney, making i95Ballerz.com’s first team all star unit.

His DC Assault teammate, 6-foot-4 Torian Graham was tagged second team, and is also in high demand from conference schools, identifying Georgetown as having offered, and West Virginia being interested. UCLA, Clemson, Boston College and Miami have also invited him to attend, while Florida, Kentucky, Florida State and Kansas and others may do so soon.

Graham is a high flyer, one that can also drain jumpers from long distance, and defend in open court/press situations. An up and down style would seemingly fit him just fine.
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EYBL – BOO WILLIAMS: PREP SCHOOL PROSPECTS SHINE ON AAU TRAIL

BY PAT STEVENS

HAMPTON, Va. – The first major national event of the travel hoops season took place this past weekend with the first session of Nike’s Elite Youth Basketball League getting underway in it’s annual spot of long-time coach Boo Williams’ backyard.

Several prep school players were in action with their 17-under division teams, as BABC went 5-0 with Tilton (N.H.) teammates Georges Niang, Nerlens Noel, Goodluck Okonoboh and Wayne Selden (who mostly played 15U where they reached the championship game).

The Playaz also went undefeated with its backcourt shared by Myles Davis (Notre Dame Prep) and Darrick Wood (NIA Prep).

Albany City Rocks featured New Hampton (N.H.) teammates Zach Auguste and Olivier Hanlan along with Ricardo Ledo (Notre Dame Prep, MA), who averaged just under 24 points per game for the weekend.

Other prep school players included Mike Tobey (Hotchkiss/NY Gauchos/Virginia commit) and Sam Cassell Jr. (Notre Dame Prep/Baltimore Elite).

We managed to catch a pair of games in between session of the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament while in town last weekend…

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CLASS OF 2013 INTRO: DAVON REED

There has been quite a turnover of talent on the Team Final AAU roster and some new talent is taking their turn to shine on the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League circuit this spring and summer. A younger line-up features several Class of 2013 prospects and one such player that started off the circuit impressively leaving NBE wanting to follow him throughout the coming months is shooting guard Davon Reed, who is honored to carry on the Team Final tradition as a top program on the scene.

“This program was founded around great players,” said Reed. “With that I have the honor to put the Team Final jersey on like those before myself. Also getting a chance to play on the Nike circuit is a great experience.”

Reed, a 6-foot-3, 175-pounder from Princeton Day Academy, started play off this weekend with a bang in Team Final’s opening game Saturday morning scoring 22 points. According to Jeff Borzello of CBS Sports, Reed is a long and athletic scorer who can really light it up from the perimeter and has a very good stroke from beyond the arc. Reed showed the ability to get his shot off under duress and got to the rim to score as well.

Colleges are already taking notice of Reed on the East Coast and he hopes a summer on the EYBL tour brings more exposure for more offers.

“I have seven offers from the following schools; VCU, St. Joe’s, La Salle, Temple, Rutgers, Seton Hall and West Virginia,” said Reed. “I am [also] hearing from Cincinnati, Florida, Villanova, Stanford, Providence, and many more.”

Reed has a few schools he really likes, a couple on his current list and a couple he will be hoping to hear from over the next two years as he tries to capitalize on the exposure playing with Team Final will bring.

“I really like Ohio State, UNC, Florida, VCU and Syracuse,” he said.

Reed is not thinking about a commitment any time soon, only really mentioning he would like to stay on the East Coast, but he does have an idea of what an ideal school might have to offer.

“Well, I want to major in sports medicine or marketing so I need a school that has a good department for either of those majors because education is most important,” said Reed when asked what factors would play the biggest role in his college decision. “I would definitely like to stay on the East Coast. I also need a team that fits my style of play with a good coach!”

Team Final is certainly a program to keep an eye on this year and in the coming year or two as several players in the Class of 2013 look to develop into a force on the AAU circuit together. One of those players who will play a large role in their success will be Davon Reed and NBE will certainly continue to follow his progress in the future.

GEORGES NIANG CONTINUES TO PRODUCE AGAINST ALL COMPETITION; RECRUITMENT HEATING UP

Tilton (NH) School forward Georges Niang is a flat-out producer on the court. The 6-foot-7, 235-pound forward has a knack for putting up numbers against any type of competition he faces. The Class of 2012 prospect was the leader in Tilton’s NEPSAC Class AA championship run, averaging over 26 points a game as the Rams captured their fourth straight final. Against a St. Mark’s team that featured elite Class of 2012 prospects frontline prospects Alex Murphy and Kaleb Tarczewski in the championship game, Niang shredded their defense for 23 points, shooting a perfect 11 of 11 from the field. In typical Niang fashion, he added 10 rebounds and 7 assists for good measure in the 72-57 victory at Endicott College last month.

The Tilton season came to an end in their next game, a thrilling 87-85 loss to Notre Dame Prep in the National Prep Championships. Niang continued his postseason dominance in that game, scoring 31 points. At one stretch, Niang scored 13 straight points for the Rams helping them erase a 10-point deficit and nearly steal the victory. His versatility was on display, knocking down a pair of three-pointers down the stretch helping the comeback.

This spring and summer Niang is playing with another high-profile program as he embarks on the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League with the Boston Amateur Basketball Club (BABC) on the AAU circuit, an experience he is greatly looking forward to.
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JARMAL REID LIST FOUR LEADERS IN RECRUITMENT

Decatur (GA) F in the Class of 2012 will be running with Southern Kings this AAU season

Jarmal Reid has been on the radar screen of NBE since January of 2010 when Ray Mernagh introduced the 6-foot-6, 221-pound forward to our readers: Class of 2012 Intro: Jarmal Reid.

Now, following a state championship with Columbia High School out of Decatur (GA), Reid is ready to hit the spring and summer AAU scene with the Southern Kings program. This past weekend he got off to a solid start with a 17-point, 10-rebound performance against City Rocks in a tight loss to open the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League regular season at the Boo Williams event. Reid showed flashes of his potential that has college coaches looking forward to evaluating him this summer, scoring 15 points in another contest during the three-day event.

Reid told NBE over the weekend that Alabama, West Virginia, South Florida, Marquette, Georgia, Florida, Nebraska, UNC-Charlotte and VCU are schools he is hearing from that he is considering. At this stage, four schools stand out to him as leaders.

“Alabama, WVU, USF and Marquette,” replied Reid to a message asking if there were any leaders or favorites among the list of schools he was considering.

Reid feels the strength of his game is centered around his versatility.

“I would say my versatility [is the strength of my game] because I can play inside and out,” said Reid.

Reid is not looking to make a college decision in the near future, hoping to decide by the end of his senior season. In the meantime he will look forward to playing against the elite competition of the Nike EYBL and with the national schedule the Southern Kings will be up against on the AAU circuit.

Jarmal Reid continues to be a player to watch in the Class of 2012 and NBE will be certain to keep our eyes on him throughout the spring and summer ahead.

SUNDAY SCORES & STATS FROM NIKE EYBL – BOO WILLIAMS

The first leg of the 2011 Nike Elite Youth Basketball League concluded on Sunday afternoon. Once again there was some big time performances as Omar Calhoun continued to fill it up offensively, completing the five games over the weekend as the EYBL’s leading scorer. Also, names familiar to BIG EAST recruitniks such as Myles Davis, Ricardo Ledo, DaJuan Coleman, Savon Goodman, Kyle Anderson, Rodney Purvis, Anthony Bennett and more continued to make strong impressions with their excellent weekends.

Here are some selected scores and stats that NBE readers may find interesting from Sunday’s game action:

- Oakland Soldiers 69, Playground Elite 62
The EYBL is buzzing once again with the deep and talented squad of the Soldiers. On Sunday morning Dominic Artis led the way with 17 points and elite big men prospects Brandon Ashley (’12) and Aaron Gordan (’13) each added 15.

- CIA Bounce 71, Seattle Rotary 61
Anthony Bennett, who is getting plenty of recruiting attention from BIG EAST schools, continued his excellent weekend with a team-high 15 points. Mammoth Sim Bhullar added 12 points and 8 rebounds in 18 minutes and Louisville commit Negus Webster-Chan added 11.

- Mac Irvin Fire 65, ICP-Portland 51
Derrick Randolph had a team-high 13 points for the Fire and Thomas Hamilton Jr. added a dozen.

- Alabama Challenge 94, City Rocks 91 (OT)
86, yes, 86 free throws attempted in this contest. Craig Sword had 27 for the Challenge, including an 18 of 22 effort from the foul line. Ricardo Ledo had 29 for City Rocks which also got 18 points from Olivier Hanlon and 14 from DaJuan Coleman.
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SCORES & STATS FROM DAY 2 OF EYBL – BOO WILLIAMS

The NIKE Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) was developed to form a unified league among travel teams that focused on a consistent high level of play.

Featuring NIKE’s 40 elite 17U travel team programs, the league allows for continuous competition at each location as team records are cumulative throughout all league play.

The top 24 teams after the three regular season events qualify to play in the EYBL Finals at the NIKE Peach Jam in North Augusta, SC from July 12-15, 2011. The top 24 teams at the conclusion of the EYBL Finals will receive a contract for the following year with Nike.

Here are some of the scores and statistical highlights from selected games during day two of competition at this year’s tip-off regular season event the EYBL – Boo Williams:

- Athletes First 72, Team Final 64
Athletes First held a 25-3 scoring edge from the free throw line and used a balanced attack with four players in double figures to earn the victory. Davon Reed had 22 points for Team Final and Rondae Jefferson posted a double-double with 14 and 10 rebounds.

- Speice (IN) 94, Mo-Kan Elite 90
Teams combined for 64 free throw attempts in this high-scoring affair. DeVauntes Smith-Rivera contnued to light it up with a game-high 31 for Speice.

- B-More Elite 72, King James Shooting Stars 57
Sam Cassell Jr. looked like a chip off the old block with a game-high 21. Lorenzo Hearn led Kin James for the second straigh game with 20.

- Team Takeover 66, Southern Kings 59
Patrick Holloway had 18 and Arnaud Adala Moto 14 for the winners. Jordan Price had 12 for the Southern Kings.

- CP3 77, City Rocks 73
Louisville-commit Rodney Purvis led the winners with 21 points and Theo Pinson added 16. DaJuan Coleman had a team-high 18 in the loss to pace City Rocks.
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