May 2011

2011 BOB GIBBONS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS: DAY THREE

by Alex Schwartz

RALEIGH, N.C. – The 2011 Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions came to a close on Sunday with the three final game sets. When it was all said and done the top honors belonged to the Southern Phenoms, as the Mississippi-based squad won the U17 National bracket, defeating the South Florida Panthers by a score of 59-53.

In the U17 Select final, Garner Road knocked off Belmont Shore by three, 76-73, behind 39 points from 2012 wing TJ Warren (see our scouting report and recruiting update on Warren HERE in our TOC Day Two coverage). Garner Road also won the U16 National crown, overcoming the Long Island Lightning in the title tilt. At the U15 level, it was Team Loaded over Team United in the National bracket and BWSL defeating Ty Lawson Team Takeover for the Select championship.

Once again, NBE Basketball Report had the opportunity to speak with a few players and compile some scouting reports.

At this point, 6-foot-1 class of 2013 point guard Ikenna Iroegbu of Belmont Shore only has interest from programs in the Pac-12. However, with Iroegbn set to attend Oak Hill Academy (VA) next year, that is set to chance for the talented underclass floor general.

Although Iroegbu currently lists no scholarship offers, he is receiving interest from Arizona, UCLA, Cal, USC, Colorado, Oregon and Washington State. While USC and Cal are the line schools he has visited, Iroegbn has a different program atop his list.
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NIKE EYBL – LOS ANGELES: SUNDAY RUNDOWN

By Raphielle Johnson

On a day that featured a great matchup between the Oakland Soldiers and Albany City Rocks (won 72-68 by the Soldiers), it was the final game of the night that took the honors for Sunday’s best. Boo Williams and CIA Bounce (Canada) put on a show, needing double overtime to decide things in a two-point win for Bounce. The major performers were all over the floor, with Virginia commit Justin Anderson (2012) lighting it up for Boo Williams and 2013 prospect Xavier Rathan-Myers doing the honors in the latter stages of regulation and both overtime periods for Bounce.

Anderson displayed a wide range of skills in the contest, one he had to leave late due to major cramping issues (Anderson did return for a final possession but the ball did not end up in his hands). Early on Anderson made his way to the basket while also setting up teammates, finishing inside with contact as it became quite apparent that Bounce would have their hands full with him. But in the second half the fun really started, as each three-pointer Anderson put up seemed to be further back than the last one. Guessing that one of the shots came from 30 feet out would not be an exaggeration, and his form didn’t change. Virginia is getting a serious player come 2012.

As for Rathan-Myers, whose next high school seems to be up in the air, wow. He didn’t play a whole lot in the first half, but once on the floor in crunch time the young man got it done. Rathan-Myers displayed a good perimeter shot while also getting to the basket when needed. He’s already got good strength but one would have to think that he’ll get a bit more chiseled before 2013 rolls around.

But while those two stood out there were a number of other solid performers for each team. 2013 point guard Anthony Barber had some issues early in the second half with regards to decision-making, but with Anderson sidelined due to cramps Barber stepped up. Normally a pass-first point, the Hampton, VA native was able to penetrate to the basket and make shots while also knocking down a few perimeter shots. The outside shot will need to improve but Barber is a name to keep in mind.
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2011 BOB GIBBONS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS: DAY TWO

by Alex Schwartz

RALEIGH, N.C. – The Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions continued to roll on, on Saturday as pool play finished up and the playoffs began. By the end of the day, just 16 total teams remained alive in either bracket from the three age groups.

During the course of the day there were a number of quality performances and a many talented players on display. As was the case on Friday night, NBE Basketball Report spoke with a few players for recruiting updates and also put together some player evaluations.

TJ Warren, a 6-foot-7 class of 2012 small forward out of Word of God Christian Academy (NC), was one of the day’s best players. The Garner Road star showed why he able to list off scholarship offers from Georgetown, Florida, Ohio State, North Carolina State, Miami, Arizona State and Kansas. Warren said that he has no favorites and that all of the schools are recruiting him equally hard.

So far Warren has only taken visits to Georgetown and North Carolina State. He will visit NC State again next Tuesday and also has three other trips visits on tap. Warren will head down to Florida in about three weeks, Georgetown from June 23-25 and will also be at Kansas’ elite camp.
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NIKE EYBL – LOS ANGELES: SATURDAY RUNDOWN

By Raphielle Johnson

The third round of the Nike EYBL tipped off on Saturday, and there’s an awful lot on the line for many of the 40 teams taking part. The top 24 following the three rounds move on to the Nike Peach Jam in early July, making the games at Hangar Athletic Xchange that much more important.

The big matchups of the day wouldn’t come until the evening session of Saturday’s action, with a battle between BABC and Mac Irvin Fire kicking things off. The game provided an opportunity to watch 2013 big man Nerlens Noel and 2014 prospect Jahlil Okafor go head to head, and while there’s only a year’s difference between the two it was rather apparent which one was more prepared for the moment.

Noel, a rangy big man who at this stage in his development is better as a defender, got the better of this matchup in BABC’s 66-54 win. Noel finished with 13 points while also blocking a number of shots and sparking a late first-half run with a thunderous dunk over Okafor. BABC led by seven at the half, and thanks to solid performances from Iowa State commit Georges Niang (20 points) and 2012 guard Domonique Bull (12 points) were able to withstand Mac Irvin’s second half charge.

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NERR SPRING INVITATIONAL – SATURDAY RUNDOWN

Could Andre Drummond be on a college campus next fall? Possibility was not ruled out on Saturday

By Brian Bosworth

After the Bob Gibbons’ Tournament of Champions field was trimmed at the last minute, many teams were left scrambling for a new home for Memorial Day Weekend. Thankfully, the NERR Invitational sprung together quickly and some of the nations’ top amateur players had a venue to display their talents. Saturday’s action was chock full of future college stars as high profile programs Connecticut Basketball Club (CBC), NE Playaz, Mass Rivals, New Heights, Team Philly, and a host of others were in action. A few players proved themselves to be a cut above the rest and they are outlined below.

Andre Drummond (CBC 2012) – Drummond stands at 6’10” 275 pounds and he is the best high school basketball prospect in the country regardless of class. While often criticized for inconsistent play and a lack of dominance neither issue showed itself on this day. In an afternoon contest with Drive 4 Stardum Drummond had 20 points, 16 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks, and 7 rim shattering dunks. He showcased his full arsenal of skills and truly punished the opponent with his incredible force. Three of his monster dunks came on offensive rebound tip-ins but to simply call them tip-ins doesn’t do them justice. Drummond rises above everyone else on the floor in traffic with his hand easily above the box, grabs offensive boards, and hammers them down all in one fluid motion. It’s the kind of play that maybe 20 people on the planet could pull off and Drummond is an 18 year-old kid who just finished his Junior year of high school.
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2011 BOB GIBBONS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS: DAY ONE

by Alex Schwartz

RALEIGH, N.C. – The 2011 Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions tipped off on Friday night. While the field is not as strong as it has been in the past in large part due to new NCAA regulations that caused last minute changes, there are still a number of talented players in attendance.

NBE Basketball Report will have coverage of all three days of the event. Here is part one of our coverage of the TOC, which features both recruiting updates and player evaluations.

Carlos Morris, a 6-foot-5 wing in the class of 2012, is part of a three-headed monster for the U17 Dwight Howard Warriors. The Arlington Country Day (FL) standout teams with fellow high-major recruits Ian Baker ’12 and Solomon Poole ’13 on the Sunshine State squad.

Morris is garnering interest from a number of Big East programs at this point. He lists offers from Cincinnati, Providence, Miami, South Carolina, Georgia and South Florida. The other schools on his list are Florida, Seton Hall, Missouri, Arkansas, and VCU. Morris lists Cincinnati and Georgia as his favorites at this point.

When 6-foot-8 power forward Jordan Goodman played with the Dwight Howard Warriors last weekend, he was committed to the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. A teammate of Morris at ACD, Goodman has since reopened his recruitment. Although Goodman was not in attendance this weekend, Dwight Howard Warriors coach and ACD assistant Antwain Tennell provided an update on the class of 2012 standout’s recruitment.
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JUSTIN ANDERSON COMMITS TO VIRGINIA

Highly regarded 2012 SF officially switches commitment from Maryland to ACC rival Virginia

Virginia head coach Tony Bennett and his staff score a big victory on the recruiting trail over ACC rival Maryland with the commitment this morning of Justin Anderson. The 6-foot-5 small forward out of Montrose Christian in Rockville (MD) had originally made a verbal commitment to Gary Williams and Maryland but decided to reopen the process when Williams announced his retirement earlier this month.

“The Cavaliers were always my second choice behind Maryland,” said Anderson in a statement released by Montrose Christian this morning. “Also, my family lives in Virginia. After the departure of Coach [Gary] Williams and Coach [Robert] Ehsan it just feels like the right fit.”

During a junior campaign averaging 14 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2 steals, and 2.1 blocks per game, Justin led his team to victory over six nationally ranked opponents, including a 63-37 rout of pre-season number one ranked Findlay Prep.

According to Montrose Head Coach Stu Vetter in the school’s statement, “Justin decided to revisit his options after Gary [Williams] retired. He has been heavily recruited since the 8th grade and it has been an exhausting and distracting process for a teenager. Although Mark Turgeon wanted to begin recruiting him, Justin and his family decided to conclude the process. We look forward to developing a relationship with the new coaching staff at the University of Maryland. We are very pleased that Justin will continue his education and basketball career at the University of Virginia. UVA is a tremendous institution and recent Montrose graduates Tunji Soroye and Doug Browman have had great experiences there as student-athletes.”

Anderson has demonstrated his versatility and all-around game on many occassions with NBE watching him in action, making an impact at both ends of the floor. He has the ability to grab an offensive rebound and finish with a follow-up dunk, finishing with authority. Anderson showed an ability to drive past defenders and get to the rim, as well as hit jumpers from the perimeter. The long, lefty swingman is extremely athletic and is active on the defensive end. He plays with a ton of energy, as well. He will be an excellent addition to the Virginia program in the Class of 2012.

Anderson joins 6-foot-10 Mike Tobey and 6-foot-8 Evan Nolte in Bennett’s 2012 recruiting class for Virginia, an impressive early start for the Cavaliers.

While we rev up the engines for the upcoming summer AAU season, here is a great site for motorcycle parts to have your engine in top gear for the upcoming riding season. Be Safe!

MERNAGH: PENN STATE ADMINISTRATION NEEDS TO SHOW SOME COMMMITMENT TO ROUNDBALL

Ed DeChellis is a fine man.

His players, at least the ones that stayed through their senior year, always graduated.

DeChellis, who left Penn State to become the basketball coach at Navy yesterday, had been the head coach at Penn State since 2003.

His record was 114-138 –41-95 in Big Ten games– over the last 8-9 years.

Again, DeChellis didn’t get fired and he’s not resigning under pressure.

He’s leaving a place that had him under contract until 2014 for a chair in the Patriot League.

And those last three sentences tell you all you need to know about how serious Penn State has been about becoming a legitimate Big Ten basketball program — in other words, not serious at all. Yes, I’ve heard from credible sources that DeChellis was told before this past season no NCAA tournament and you’re fired.

Well, they made the tournament on the backs of some incredible seniors including the amazing Talor Battle.

But DeChellis saw a better opportunity at Navy and walked away. I would guess, despite his quotes, that he new how bad next season was going to be and seeing how the school didn’t add any figures or years after the tournament berth, that he’d probably be expendable following next season.

He made the smart play. You get a fresh start at a couple hundred grand less (but still 450k per) and you take it.
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OMAR CALHOUN AND FAMILY WORKING THROUGH RECRUITING PROCESS

Future of UConn head coach Jim Calhoun weighs on their mind as they look at potential college decision

By Matt Whitfield

Ask people with insight and access inside the UConn program and you’ll get many varying answers regarding what Jim Calhoun’s future holds. No one will know until this summer with 100% accuracy if the Hall of Fame coach will retire following last season’s National Championship or return to the Connecticut bench for a 26th season with the Huskies. While fans and players anxiously await the upcoming decision another group of people also watch the process with vested interest. Prospective recruits and their parents also are keeping a close eye on the situation, as explained by Omar Calhoun Sr., father of highly recruited Omar Calhoun Jr., a top shooting guard in the Class of 2012 who is very high on the Connecticut recruiting radar.

“It would weigh into it a little bit for his decision,” responded Omar Calhoun Sr. when asked if Jim Calhoun’s potential retirement would affect his son’s college plans. “We believe in UCONN and it’s still going to be UCONN. We still feel like Coach Calhoun is still going to have a major part still in the development in the program even if he’s not the head coach. We believe he’ll still have some type of representation on how these guys represent themselves.”

Omar Calhoun Sr. said his son plans to take a visit to Storrs in the next couple weeks, as that’ll be his only visit as the busy live period will get underway early in July.

“We’re going to try and set up a visit in the next couple weeks to UCONN.” Calhoun Sr. also added that, “for the live period that’s the only visit we’re trying to set up.”

Calhoun Sr. also mentioned that his son would likely visit Pittsburgh this summer and that Omar Jr. had no real geographic preference on where he played college hoops other than to say the Big East and ACC would likely be the conferences of choice. As of now though the younger Calhoun is working on his strength and conditioning before he gets to the next level.

“Just his strength and conditioning and his ball handling,” said Omar Sr. on what his son is working on to improve his game during this time. “Getting stronger, at the college level, that’s the biggest difference between college and high school, the strength of the players [and] the speed of the players.”

Keep tabs on the younger Omar Calhoun this summer as he’ll be playing for the NY Gauchos on the Nike EYBL, whoch rolls into Los Angeles this weekend, as well as partaking in the major camps including the NBA Top 100 and the Lebron James Skills Academy as he prepares for his senior season next year at Christ the King HS.

Are you in need of a business cash advance? These days a little extra cash flow is always welcomed.

CLASS OF 2013 INTRO: TYLER ROBERSON

by Alex Schwartz

The New Jersey Roadrunners are currently best known as the AAU program that produced Kyrie Irving, the odds-on favorite to be the top pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. However, Roadrunners coach Sandy Pyonin has been churning out Division I players for years and the next few will be no different.

The top prospect in the Roadrunners program right now is Tyler Roberson, a 6-foot-7, 195-pound small forward in the class of 2013 from Union (NJ). The Roadrunners won their pool at the Hoop Group Spring Jam Fest Phase II this weekend and Roberson was a main reason why.

Roberson’s talent has not gone unnoticed by Division I coaches, as he is already garnering interest from a number of quality programs. The rising junior lists offers from a trio of Big East schools in Cincinnati, Rutgers and Seton Hall as well as one from St. Joseph’s.

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MERNAGH: DURANT NEEDS SOME WESTBROOK IN HIS GAME

I found myself watching the first half of Game 3 in the Western Conference Finals last night trying, and failing, to dismiss a thought that kept popping into my head.

It seemed obvious yet crazy.

In fact, it bothered me so much, that I hit the DVR button to record the second half, including the program following it — remember the first time you lost the last 3 minutes of a great game because you didn’t record the program after? What a crappy feeling! — and then went to sleep. Maybe sleeping on it, plus not watching the second half until the AM when I could record through those stupid talking ball commercials, would help me determine if my brainstorm had any merit. Or if it was just another case of my psychosis interfering with my everyday life.

I slept extremely well, something I needed as I’d been feeling less than stellar as of late, and woke up fresh.

I hit the coffee pot button — I love the weekend days when the wife is out of the house and I can nurse 2-3 cups while lounging instead of slamming the single, extra-strong weekday pre-commute cup — and settled in to watch what was hopefully a better second half. And to my relief, it was a better second half for a couple of reasons.

One, it featured the ghost of Dirk Nowitzki’s playoff past. I’m not sure why, but back in the day, it used to crack me up whenever the frustrated/whiny/bratty Dirk would inevitably come alive during another Dallas defeat in the playoffs. He’d scream at his teammates (he never screamed at Stackhouse, nobody ever can question Dirk’s intelligence, because that would’ve no doubt resulted in the first same-team knockout/potential Homicide in NBA history). He’d throw his hands in the air, gesturing wildly while not getting back on defense. He’d throw little cheap forearms and elbows into smaller players. The old Dirk hasn’t reared it’s long blonde-haired-head in quite some time, and really, why would it?
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BIG EAST/SEC CHALLENGE MATCH-UPS & SCHEDULE

(release per SEC conference)

The Southeastern Conference will match up against the Big East Conference for 12 games over three days in early December for the Big East/SEC Challenge. Every SEC member will be a part of the event while 12 of the 16 Big East schools will participate. Six of the games will be played at SEC home arenas while six will be played at home facilities for Big East schools. ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU will combine to televise all 12 games of the three-day event.

This year’s event features the defending national champion (Connecticut), another Final Four participant (Kentucky) and an Elite Eight team (Florida) from last year’s NCAA Tournament. Nine of the schools are ranked in an early preseason top 25 by ESPN.com’s Andy Katz, including seven of the top 15 teams: No. 2 Kentucky, No. 4 Syracuse, No. 6 Connecticut, No. 7 Vanderbilt, No. 9 Louisville, No. 12 Florida and No. 14 Alabama.

Last year the SEC finished with a 3-1 record in the annual event. Arkansas and Kentucky earned victories over Seton Hall and No. 23 Notre Dame, respectively, on Wednesday, Dec. 8, in Louisville, Ky. Tennessee upset No. 3 Pittsburgh while Auburn fell to Rutgers at the CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh on Dec. 11. In the event of a 6-6 tie this year, the Challenge trophy will remain with the conference that won the previous year.

This is the fifth year that the SEC and Big East have played each other as a part of an in-season event with the overall series tied 8-8. Previously known as the SEC/Big East Invitational, the first four years of the event (2007-2010) featured four matchups between the two conferences from two neutral sites.

The event title will alternate to the SEC/Big East Challenge in 2012 and be played Thursday, Nov. 29 through Saturday, Dec. 1. SEC teams will alternate home and away games.

Marquette, Notre Dame, South Florida and Villanova are not part of the 12-team field for the BIG EAST in 2011.

2011 BIG EAST/SEC CHALLENGE (times and networks are to be determined)

-Thursday, Dec. 1:
Georgetown at Alabama
Providence at South Carolina
St. John’s at Kentucky
Ole Miss at DePaul

-Friday, Dec. 2:
Auburn at Seton Hall
Florida at Syracuse
Cincinnati at Georgia
Vanderbilt at Louisville

-Saturday, Dec. 3:
Arkansas at Connecticut
West Virginia at Mississippi State
LSU at Rutgers
Pittsburgh at Tennessee

Lose the challenge to the SEC and the BIG EAST might be in need of looking into payday loans to build some conference equity come NCAA Tournament time!

BIG EAST BASKETBALL WIRE — MAY 19, 2011

A look around the BIG EAST basketball conference with some of this mornings latest headlines from newspapers around the country…as well as our own sources:

The BIG EAST/SEC Challenge is expanding to 12 games this season and match-ups are starting to be leaked. The NY Post has learned one match-up will have St. John’s meeting Kentucky next season. The game will feature two of the top recruiting classes of incoming freshmen in the country.

According to the Post, the game will be played in early December at Rupp Arena. The Wildcats, under John Calipari, will bring in the nation’s No. 1-ranked recruiting class. St. John’s brings in the nation’s No. 3-ranked class, headlined by Queens forward Maurice Harkless, Texas guard D’Angelo Harrison and Juco center God’s Gift Achiuwa.
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The Post’s Lenn Robbins also reported this morning that Arizona guard Lamont “MoMo” Jones of Harlem, will transfer to St. John’s and could be eligible to play this upcoming season pending the application of an NCAA hardship waiver.

As a sophomore for the Wildcats last season, Jones averaged 9.7 points a game and 2.4 assists in 26 minutes a game as Sean Miller’s club reached the Elite 8 before losing to Connecticut.
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The Hoop Group has announced the field for their 2011 Philly Classic, which will be headlined by the BIG EAST’s Pittsburgh Panthers. Other teams participating include: La Salle, Penn, James Madison, Robert Morris, and Rider.
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New Providence coach Ed Cooley is working hard on the recruiting trail. New Hampton Prep’s Zach Auguste took an unofficial visit to get a closer look at the Friar campus earlier this week.
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West Virginia sophomore Dalton Pepper has left the program. The guard averaged nearly 4 points a game last season. Most reports have Pepper returning closer to his Pennsbury (PA) roots to attend Temple.
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Georgetown head coach John Thompson III has added former Hoya big man Othella Harrington to his coaching staff. Harrington played at Georgetown from 1992-1996 and spent 12 seasons in the NBA. Harrington is a native of Jackson, Miss.
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While Connecticut Hall of Fame coach Jim Calhoun basks in the glory of his third national championship, questions of his future remain. Calhoun Could Make Decision on Future in June (The Sporting News) but is preparing as if he will be coaching the Huskies next year. The 69-year old has battled several health issues in recent seasons and will use a 10-day family vacation in June to get away from the game for a little bit and reflect on his future.
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With Lamont Jones’ impending transfer to St. John’s, it will likely remove the Red Storm from the mix for NC State transfer Ryan Harrow who was expected to visit the program before making a decision. Harrow is also considering Kentucky, Louisville, Georgia and Texas – all of which he has visited. Expect a decision very soon.
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Anthony Crater, who has run into his share of difficulties since transferring to South Florida from Ohio State, has been kicked off the team by Stan Heath for a violation of team rules.
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ELITE 8 IN THE DESERT – SATURDAY RECAP

By Raphielle Johnson

This weekend some of the better teams out west took part in the Elite 8 in the Desert event, sponsored by Adidas. Below are some notes on some players seen on Saturday at the event, which took place at gyms throughout the Phoenix area (most elite bracket games were played at Copper Canyon HS in Glendale). It should also be noted that players such as Alex Caruso (Texas D-1 Ambassadors, 2012) and Tyler Ott (Utah Select, 2012) also played well according to other scouts in attendance. Following the scouting reports are a few links to other happenings on the grassroots scene this past weekend.

Gabe York: G (Compton Magic Elite, 2012)

What’s really left to be said about the rising senior that hasn’t already been said? York gets it done from just about anywhere on the floor, possessing a very good perimeter shot along with the ability to get to the rim and finish through contact. He also provided what may have been the “onions” shot of the day, knocking down a step-back three despite being guarded by two players to send their game against Arizona Red Shirts into overtime (the Magic went on to win in double overtime). His list is a who’s who in college basketball with Arizona, Kansas and Connecticut being two of the many suitors. Notre Dame and Marquette have also been trying to line up unofficial visits with the high-scoring guard.
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BRANDON AUSTIN MAKING A NAME FOR HIMSELF OUT OF PHILLY

By Matt Whitfield

Since the program’s inception in 2004 Team Philly has produced numerous BIG EAST players including Kyle Lowery, Shane Clark, Reggie Redding, Maalik Wayns, John Johnson, Nurideen Lindsday and more Division I players at all levels of the NCAA. Top sophomore guard Brandon Austin could very easily follow this trend and be the next highly recruited star from the program.

Austin, although a slender 6-foot-6, 170 pounds, is very skilled offensively with great handle and a knack for attacking the basket. Thus, not surprisingly Austin already has a slew of colleges interested in his services.

“The schools that are recruiting me are Syracuse, Villanova, Providence, Rutgers, Temple, Pittsburgh and Drexel.“ Austin also added that, “all of them [have] offered.”

A self-described playmaker, Austin tells NBE he feels a strength of his is his versatility off the bounce with the basketball.

“As a player I’m a playmaker for other players. [I'm] versatile off the bounce and I’m a combo guard,” said Austin.

Austin mentioned recently that he is improving on his shooting and defense but the youngster has already drawn the attention of the Philadelphia’s most prominent college basketball coach.

“Jay Wright,” responded Austin when asked if he had developed any good relationships with college coaches thus far. “I’ve talked to Jay Wright a couple of times.”

His Team Philly AAU coach Kyle Sample also added that Austin has spoken with Drexel Coach Ashley Howard as well.

Still only a sophomore (Class of 2013) attending Imhotep Charter, Austin is not thinking that far ahead and is just focused on this summer with Team Philly.

“I’d like to get my team better so we can get some more wins,” said Austin.

In the coming months and years Brandon Austin is definitely one to watch. The youngster stated the BIG EAAT is his conference of preference and that he feels he will play the one or the two position at the next level. Be sure to check out Austin and Team Philly if they’re playing at an event near you.

For more on Team Philly and to see where they will be playing next, check out their brand new website HERE.

MERNAGH: POST-SEASON THOUGHTS SO FAR

By Ray Mernagh

Just wanted to throw out an all-encompassing review of some of the things that have happened on Planet Hoops since the first Monday night in April, when we all watched Jim Calhoun and UConn shrug off a year of NCAA poking and prodding to win their third title behind the sublime offensive skill of Kemba Walker and Jeremy Lamb — plus a ton of help from their interior defensively. A lot has been made about the ugliness of the game — and it was far from aesthetically pleasing — but I truly believe, after re-watching the game a few times recently, that the first half intensity UConn played with on defense affected Butler into the second half and caused some of those “head-scratching” misses by the Bulldogs in the final 20 minutes.

I don’t think anyone — except for young Andrew Dakich and his father — appreciated or gave the proper respect to the way both teams defended in that first half. Butler had habitually been tougher than their opponents in ten of eleven previous NCAA tournament games, but UConn rocked them physically to the point of a standing eight count that they never fully recovered from. Now that I’ve expressed that opinion, one that’s been in my head for the last six weeks as I took on added work responsibilities that precluded me from writing full-time for the first time in years, I will move on to other topics, but not before asking the question that UConn AD Jeff Hathaway probably falls asleep and wakes up mulling: Is Calhoun going to announce his retirement in October, leaving no chance for Hathaway to do anything else but name an in-house successor? It would be an incredible exit strategy by Calhoun because it would ensure that his program, and make no mistake Calhoun sees it as his property, moves on the way he believes it should. And with Andre LaFleur’s move to Providence (what a get by Ed Cooley) can there be any question who that successor should be in Calhoun’s mind — Kevin Ollie anyone? Ollie was the new face in the program this year and made great contributions X&O’s wise and with communication between players and staff. He has the NBA background and had the chance to move right into front office work at big-time dollars after retiring last year but instead chose to come back to his school. Should Calhoun pull an October surprise it would leave Hathaway in a tough spot. Stay tuned.

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SPIECE RUN ‘N SLAM SCOUTING REPORTS & RECRUITING NOTES

by DOUG FERGUSON

Hanner Parea: F (Indiana Elite)/6-8/200
Committed to Indiana
There is nobody in the Class of 2012 who has the athletic gifts that Parrea does. He has fans holding their breath at what he will do next. It doesn’t show in his numbers at times however due to his lack of fundamentals. His is frequently outrebounded by more fundamentally sound opponents due to lack of boxing out.
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Dejuan Marrero: F (Spiece Indy Heat)/6-5/220
School List: Indiana, Purdue, Illinois, Kentucky, Cincinnati, Marquette, Michigan, Minnesota
On the exact opposite end of the spectrum is Marrero who was possibly the best technically sound rebounder in the gym. He could stand to have a tad more touch around the basket which is where he should stay offensively.
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Marcus Paige: G (All-Iowa Attack)/6-0/160
Committed to North Carolina
Can’t help but draw comparisons to current Tar Heel point man Kendall Marshall. Paige is a little more athletically gifted than Marshall while he is not quite as crafty with the ball.
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NIKE BALTIMORE ELITE INVITATIONAL RECRUITING NOTEBOOK

Last weekend many of the top teams on the AAU scene in the Mid-Atlantic region invaded Baltimore to participate in the Nike Baltimore Elite Invitational. Most of the 17U action took place at Annapolis Area Christian School and that is where NBE Basketball Report’s Matt Whitfield spent his time Friday night and much of the day on Saturday. Below are some of the key recruiting notes he was able to pick up on in his time at the event.

Mike Owona: 6-foot-9; Class of 2013; Baltimore Elite – College physique already and just finished his sophomore season at John Carroll in Bel Air (MD). The native of Cameroon has decent agility and athletic ability for a young big man, moving well for a player his size. Battles on the boards, but still has a very raw offensive game with little in low post moves to score with back to the basket. While Owona definitely needs to work on his basketball fundamentals, he definitely has a shot to play basketball at the high-major level in the future as he has only been playing the game for four years.

As for his recruiting, he told NBE he has interest from Oklahoma, Old Dominion, Virginia Tech, Xavier and Maryland.
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Kameron Williams: 6-foot-2; Class of 2013; Baltimore Elite – Williams is an exciting scorer that starred in his sophomore season for Mount St. Joseph coach Pat Clatchey. He has continued to see his stock rise early this AAU season with some high scoring outbursts this spring. Williams told NBE over the weekend he is on the radar of progrms such as Providence, Miami, George Mason, VCU, Richmond and Maryland.
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NATIONAL RUNNER-UP BUTLER IN STRONG WITH SAM CASSELL JR.

Baltimore native and son of former NBA All-Star is rising up the recruiting lists of available ’12 guards this spring

Sam Cassell Jr. is used to having the spotlight shining on him when he hits the basketball court. Being the son of a long-time NBA guard brings a lot of opportunity and a lot of scrutiny. Cassell told NBE’s Matt Whitfield last weekend at the Nike Baltimore Elite Invitational that he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“It’s wonderful,” said Cassell. “I’ve seen a lot of things. I’ve had a lot of experiences. When I step in the gym people are always going to watch me because of my name, so that gives me an opportunity to show my talents.”

The Baltimore native is currently attending Notre Dame Prep in Massachusetts and is seeing his recruitment pick-up as a member of the Class of 2012. As he shows his talents more and more he told NBE that he now has offers from Butler, Florida State, South Florida, Clemson and UNLV. At this time he is trying to take in the process and see how things will play out.

“I’m just trying to figure out the best place for me and where I know I’m going to play as a freshman,” he said last weekend.

One school that might be moving up on his list is Butler. Brad Stevens has led the Bulldogs to back-to-back national title appearances and their success has left a strong impression on the younger Cassell. He is planning to use one of his official visits to see the Indianapolis (IN) campus up close and personal in the future.

“It’s good. I think I fit in perfect [at Butler],” said Cassell.

Sam Cassell Sr. is a former NBA 1st-round pick out of Florida State who won three NBA World Champions as a member of the Houston Rockets and Boston Celtics. The elder Cassell was also honored in 2008 as one of the 20 greatest players in Milwaukee Bucks history for his success with the team. He had his best season in Milwaukee during the 2003-2004 campaign where he averaged 19.8 points a game and over 7 assists. The apple does not fall far from the tree as the younger Cassell has shown the ability to score and distribute as well on the floor, making him a very intriguing lead guard in the 2012 class.

NBE will be certain to follow Sam Cassell Jr. on the AAU trail this spring and summer with the Baltimore Elite program and keep readers updated on the latest news as it pertains to his recruitment. So stay tuned….

RECRUITING COMING UNDER FOCUS FOR KYLE ANDERSON JR.

As one of the elite prospects in the Class of 2012 the spotlight has shown brightly on Kyle Anderson for some time. The former Paterson Catholic player made the move to legendary coach Bob Hurley’s St. Anthony’s program in Jersey City (NJ) this past season and the results were sparkling. St. Anthony’s finished undefeated and in their mega-showdown against St. Patrick’s in the NJSIAA Non-Public, North B Final the Friars came out with a 62-45 win in front of over 8,000 at the RAC on the Rutgers campus. In typical Anderson fashion, the 6-foot-8 do-everything G/F tallied 11 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks and 2 steals in the contest. He spent much of the game matched up on the defensive end with Class of 2011 elite prospect Michael Gilchrist, who finished with just 7 points on two of 11 shooting from the field. Anderson’s early fourth-quarter block on a Gilchrist drive sparked a run-out basket by St. Anthony’s and an 8-0 run that turned the tide of the game. The Friars outscored the favored Celtics 23-5 in the final eight-minute period to claim the win.

Now that his junior high school season has ended, Anderson is on the AAU trail once again with the NJ Playaz. As one of the most heavily recruited players in the Class of 2012 the attention Anderson receives is constant from recruiting reporters and scouts. This past weekend Matt Whitfield of NBE caught up with Anderson while he was playing in the Nike Baltimore Elite Invitational to discuss the latest in his recruitment. As he said in the past, Anderson reiterated that Kevin Willard and his staff at Seton Hall continues to put in the biggest effort in his recruitment.

“Yeah, they’re definitely recruiting me the hardest and doing the best job,” Anderson said of the Pirates. “They got good recruits coming in so they’re definitely up there for me to go. I think [I could see myself] playing with the recruits that they’re bringing in and some of the players they have there [already]”

Besides Seton Hall, Anderson also mentioned Saturday that he is considering Florida, Xavier, Georgetown, St. John’s, UCLA and Arizona at this time.

“That’s it really,” he said of the list. “I told the rest of the schools I wasn’t really interested.”

Kyle Anderson is a match-up nightmare at the college level and coaches drool over his versatility. Can Seton Hall close the deal? If so, it would be quite a feather in the cap for the staff of Kevin Willard that is still trying to put the perception of the program left by the previous regime behind them. With some big time programs also in pursuit, this will be one interesting recruitment to follow as it reaches a conclusion, likely this fall.

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