August 2011

WILL FERGUSON READY FOR BIG SEASON AHEAD

An intriguing point guard in the Class of 2013 is Will Ferguson of Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington (VA). A true student of the game, the DC Assault 16U standout told NBE over the summer his style is influenced by well-known point guards when it comes to learning more about the position. In a quick conversation at the Desert Duel in Arizona in late July Ferguson referenced Kyrie Irving, Kemba Walker, Deron Williams, Steve Nash and Rajon Rondo as players with an impact on his game.

Ferguson has shown the ability as a dynamic point guard to play a little bit like each of the stars he mentioned over the summer. the extremely fast floor general has shown the ability to be an elite distributor and also the ability to score when needed. Over the summer he has worked more on the intangibles that are key to helping a point guard become the leader of his team.

“I would say being a leader and my defense has picked up a lot,” said the 6-foot-2, 170-pound Ferguson when asked what he has improved the most this summer in his game. “I’m starting to knock down more long range shots [too].”
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2011-12 BIG EAST CONFERENCE COMPOSITE MEN’S BASKETBALL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

The BIG EAST basketball conference released their 2011-2012 composite Men’s Basketball Schedule this afternoon. All 144 conference games will be televised either nationally or be ESPN regional. With an incredible 91 percent of all conference games in 2011-12 including a team that played in the 2011 NCAA Tournament, more than half of the league games will be televised nationally by ESPN or CBS.

It is the fifth consecutive season that all 144 league games will be televised.

“Last year’s historic success proved once again that the BIG EAST Conference continues to be among the most competitive conferences in the country from top to bottom,” said BIG EAST Commissioner John Marinatto in a statement released by the league today. “With a record 11 teams earning their way into last year’s NCAA Championship, our coaches and players reaffirmed the fact that BIG EAST basketball and excellence are synonymous. Our schools continue to take great advantage of the unparalleled media exposure they are afforded annually from both ESPN and CBS Sports – which is one of the reasons why we are confident that the 2011-12 season will be as exciting as any in our history.”

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ELIJAH MACON HEADING FOR PITT VISIT; MORE HUNTINGTON PREP UPDATES

By Ray Mernagh

Elijah Macon is a talented basketball player. Macon, now at Rob Fulford’s powerhouse Huntington Prep program, has decided to take a trip to Pittsburgh this weekend to check out the campus and Jamie Dixon’s program. Fulford says that Macon is much more diverse in his talents than he was allowed to show on the AAU scene (where Macon was primarily an inside presence for All-Ohio Red).

“He’s got a chance Ray,” Fulford told me, “especially if he gets stronger” (which he will in Huntington’s strength program).

Let me translate that for all you college basketball fans out there: When Rob Fulford says a kid has a chance, he means one thing — that the kid can be a pro someday (not a European pro, but an NBA pro).

Fulford thinks that Pitt‘s interest is fairly new but it’s not surprising at all if you think about it — new Pitt assistant Bill Barton and Fulford have had a relationship for years. It started with both in the Prep School ranks and continued when Barton left Notre Dame Prep for Duquesne and then when Barton was right down the road from Fulford last year at Marshall. It’s a good development for Pitt that Barton can be in on kids like Macon (a high-major kid without a doubt) because it shows that he might be able to keep up with the recent recruiting successes in the Pitt program –Khem Birch and Steven Adams, both top-10 kids in the ’11 and ’12 class –that were facilitated by the current staff and the departed Pat Skerry (now the head coach at Towson).

Macon, who’s always presented himself extremely well in NBE’s encounters with him, has impressed Fulford since he showed up on Huntington’s court.

“We love him, he’s a funny, gregarious kid,” says Fulford. “And he’s skilled, great passer, great rebounder and he shoots it well too.” I asked how his handle was? “It needs some work but he’s a worker and it’s pretty good for his size, I’ve already told him if he gets a rebound and has an open floor that I want him to go with it.” Huntington Prep is short a point guard right now after Ray Lee was dismissed from the program after getting into a legal scrape inside the dorms at Marshall.

Fulford always gives his team clear instructions regarding the dorms at the nearby school — “I tell them if they go into them they’re gone,” says Fulford. The charges against Lee are serious but it sounds as if the situation has a lot more to it than the local press has reported. Either way, Fulford says he had no choice, once Lee walked into that dorm he was history.

A point guard will be important for Huntington because of the sheer talent they will have taking the court this season. Besides Macon — who is also considering knocking out visits to Maryland and West Virginia after he takes his trip to Pitt — the Express also have a guy many consider the best player in the 2014 class in Andrew Wiggins, along with a trio of his Canadian brothers in Stefan Jankovic (’12), Tanveer Bhullar (’13) and Negus Webster-Chan. Jankovic is planning visits to Missouri, Florida State, Syracuse and Purdue, with Wake Forest very much involved, while Webster-Chan will trip to Iowa State next weekend. Webster-Chan is hungry to improve his stock after he fell off a bit last Spring and Summer due to some poor play and injuries. We’ve seen Webster-Chan at his best and when he has it clicking he’s a special talent.

Also on the squad is Xavier Rathan-Myers. Fulford calls him a stud while he says Bhullar needs a lot of work but also works very hard and probably moves laterally and end-to-end better than his older brother Sim.

Huntington Prep always plays in a number of places nation-wide and if you get the chance to see them you should take advantage of it — always fun to watch the Express go up and down.

RECRUITING NOTEBOOK (8/26/2011)

- Jairus Lyles, 6-foot, Class of 2013 point guard from DeMatha and Team Takeover DC told NBE’s Matt Whitfield earlier today via text that three ACC schools are involved in his recruitment at the moment.

“NC State has started to recruit me,” said Lyles. “Miami [is] still on me as well as Wake Forest.”
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- Troy Long checked in with Matt Whitfield yesterday to let us know of a new suitor for Tariq Carey, the Newark (NJ) native will be attending St. Benedict’s this season.

“TCU just got involved,” said Long. “We are working on setting up an official visit in September.”
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- According to Andre Harrington, Maryland and Texas are the latest schools to show interest in Kuran Iverson.
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- Andre White really enjoyed his recent visit to Cincinnati.

“Visit was great,” White told Matt Whitfield via text last week. “Great staff, loved the campus and got to meet a lot of good people.”
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6-foot-2, 170-lb Kameron Williams, a guard from Mt. St. Joseph’s (MD) opened up eyes this spring with q 47-point performance in a 16U Boo Williams game against the ATL Knicks. He picked up offers from Miami, Dayton and VCU over the summer. Earlier this month he told NBE there was three schools standing out to him.

“Right now I’m interested in the University of Miami, Richmond and VCU,” he said.

this was before the problems came to light at Miami, but Williams is a long way off for a decision as he is just beginning his junior year.

“I think my decision will be made definitely before my senior season,” Williams said. “The school has to make me earn everything, I dont want anything to come easy to me. Because in life nothing will be easy.”
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Stefan Jankovic has a final five in his recruitment.

“I cut my list down to Wake Forest, Purdue, Missouri, Georgetown [and] Florida State,” he said. “Now I’m gonna take my five visits and the decision time in the fall.”

Earlier this month Jankovic took a visit to Wake Forest, it was not his first trip to see the Winston-Salem school, but it had a valuable motive as it gave his family a chance to see the school.

“I had already been there for a visit so I knew pretty much everything there, but I was impressed with how much my parents enjoyed the visit,” Jankovic said.

Wake will be tough to beat in this one…

2011-2012 BIG EAST TEAM CAPSULE: SETON HALL

Seton Hall Pirates
Head Coach: Kevin Willard (2nd year at Seton Hall, 13-18 record)
2010-2011: 7-11 BIG EAST, 13-18 overall

Returning Players:
- Sr. G Jordan Theodore (11.0 ppg, 4.4 apg)
- Sr. F Herb Pope (9.8 ppg, 7.9 rpg)
- So. F/G Fuquan Edwin (7.9 ppg)
- So. F Patrik Auda (3.2 ppg)
- So. C Aaron Geramipoor (0.4 ppg)

Incoming Players:
- Fr. G Aaron Cosby (Louisville, KY)
- Fr. C Kevin Johnson (Woodland Hills, CA)
- Fr. G Freddie Wilson (New Haven, CT)
- Fr. F Brandon Mobley (Savannah, GA)
- Fr. G Haralds Karlis (Riga, Latvia)
- Fr. G Sean Grennan (Sea Girt, NJ)

Players Moved On:
- Jeremy Hazell (Graduation)
- Jeff Robinson (Graduation)
- Eniel Polynice (Graduation)
- Ferrakohn Hall (Transfer)
- Anali Okoloji (Transfer)

Stat Notes:
- There should be a lot more spreading the ball around this year for Seton Hall as Jeremy Hazell, a career 2,000 point scorer who never met a shot he didn’t like, was responsible for 38% of the Pirates’ field goal attempts on a per game basis the past three seasons.
- Second year coach Kevin Willard’s club returns only three players who averaged more than four points per game last year.

Star Watch:
- Seniors Jordan Theodore and Herb Pope are the leading returning scorers for Seton Hall but sophomore swingman Fuquan Edwin could have a breakout year after averaging nearly eight points in 25 minutes a game as a freshman.

Newcomer to Watch:
- Aaron Cosby is a high scoring 6-2 combo guard who should step in right away and receive a lot of playing time in the backcourt to help replace some of the offensive output the team will lose with Hazell’s departure.

Notes: The Pirates will participate in the Charleston Classic (11/17-11/20) and square off against Auburn in the BIG EAST/SEC Challenge (12/2) and Wake Forest (12/10) and travel to Dayton (12/21) in non-conference play. Transfers Brian Oliver (Georgia Tech) and Gene Teague (Southern Illinois) will sit out this season and practice with the team. Sophomore forward Patrik Auda played on the Czech Republic team in the World University Games.

– team capsule compiled by Brian Batko

2011-2012 BIG EAST TEAM CAPSULE: RUTGERS

Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Head Coach: Mike Rice (2nd year at Rutgers, 15-17 record)
2010-2011: 5-13 BIG EAST, 15-17 overall

Returning Players:
- Jr. F/G Dane Miller (9.2 ppg, 6.1 rpg)
- Jr. F/C Austin Johnson (4.5 ppg)
- So. C/F Gilvydas Biruta (9.5 ppg, 5.6 rpg)
- So. G/F Mike Poole (5.6 ppg)
- So. G Austin Carroll (2.7 ppg)
- rFR F Kadeem Jack

Incoming Players:
- Fr. G Myles Mack (Paterson, NJ)
- Fr. G Eli Carter (Willingboro, NJ)
- Fr. G Jerome Seagears (Silver Spring, MD)
- Fr. F/C Derrick Randall (Brooklyn, NY)
- Fr. F Greg Lewis (Randallstown, MD)
- Fr. F/G Malick Kone (Conakry, Guinea)

Players Moved On:
- Jonathan Mitchell (Graduation)
- Mike Coburn (Graduation)
- James Beatty (Graduation)
- Robert Lumpkins (Graduation)

Stat Notes:
- Rutgers hasn’t made the NCAA Tournament since 1991 and has gone without a post-season berth since the 2005-2006 season when they lost in the first round of the NIT.
- The Scarlet Knights will lose 53% of their scoring from last season but welcome possibly the best recruiting class in school history.

Star Watch:
- Playing with the Lithuanian U20 National Team is how sophomore big man Gilvydas Biruta spent a large portion of his summer and the 2010-2011 Big East All-Rookie Team pick could have a breakout year for the Scarlet Knights. The 6-8 Biruta is the squad’s leading returning scorer.

Newcomer to Watch:
- It’s difficult to pick one player from the impressive crop of Rutgers newcomers but Myles Mack, the 5-9 highly touted jet-quick point guard, appears to be the favorite to take over the reigns from day one. Second year head coach Mike Rice will likely look for Mack to score the ball as well as make plays for his teammates.

Notes: The Scarlet Knights will be tested early in the Triple Crown Cancun Challenge (11/23-11/24) and are also scheduled for out-of-conference games at Miami (11/15), against LSU (12/3) in the Big East/SEC Challenge, and against Florida (12/29). Kansas State transfer Wally Judge must wait a year and will sit out the 2010-2011 season while practicing with the team.

– team capsule compiled by Brian Batko

2011-2012 BIG EAST TEAM CAPSULE: PROVIDENCE

Providence Friars
Head Coach: Ed Cooley (1st year at Providence, 92-69 record at Fairfield)
2010-2011: 4-14 BIG EAST, 15-17 overall

Returning Players:
- Jr. G Vincent Council (13.7 ppg, 5.9 apg)
- Jr. F/C Bilal Dixon (5.7 ppg, 6.4 rpg)
- So. G Gerard Coleman (10.3 ppg)
- So. F/C Kadeem Batts (7.1 ppg, 5.8 rpg)
- So. G Bryce Cotton (4.0 ppg)
- So. F Ron Giplaye (1.6 ppg)
- So. F Lee Goldsbrough (0.6 ppg)
- rFR F Brice Kofane

Incoming Players:
- Fr. G Kiwi Gardner (Manteca, CA)
- Fr. F LaDontae Henton (Lansing, MI)

Players Moved On:
- MarShon Brooks (Graduation)
- Ray Hall (Graduation)
- Duke Mondy (Transfer)
- Dre Evans (Transfer)

Stat Notes:
- The Friars went 0-10 in true road games and will have to replace the second leading scorer in the nation last season in MarShon Brooks (24.6 ppg).
- Either Brooks or Vincent Council led the team in scoring in every game of 2010-2011.

Star Watch:
- Junior guard Vincent Council has been a do-it-all player for the Friars since his freshman year. Council recorded at least ten points, five assists, and five rebounds ten times last season and will be the driving force for PC with Brooks out of the picture.

Newcomer to Watch:
- The diminutive Kiwi Gardner may not start for the Friars but it will be hard for first year coach Ed Cooley to keep him off the floor. Standing just 5-8, Gardner made a name for himself this summer when he scored 52 points in a game at the San Francisco Pro-Am and should be fun to watch next season at the very least.

Notes: The Friars will play Iowa State (11/25) in the South Padre Invitational to go along with non-conference contests at South Carolina (12/1) as part of the BIG EAST/SEC Challenge and against Boston College (12/8). Kadeem Batts and Gerard Coleman took part in an eight day tour through Europe playing with the Global Sports Academy.

– team capsule compiled by Brian Batko

Mernagh:Where’s The Outrage?

Georgetown’s trip to China resulted in a beat down by some army cats who, despite the politicized banter that came in the aftermath, were obviously looking for a fight.

In a different time, say in John Thompson the father’s time, the Hoyas would’ve been on the first thing smoking out of Shanghai (not to mention that assistant coach/trainer from China who joined in would have had to have Big John’s Nike surgically removed from his colon).

Instead, we had the teams and coaches (actually just a few players and each coach) meet and squash the beef for the press/cameras. Heading straight home might have embarrassed the Chinese government, and with all that US debt China’s holding right now, we couldn’t have that. The statements released following the melee were straight out of a future script of Blazing Saddles II, which is appropriate considering the conditions of the game were farcical at best.

At least JT3 managed to keep it real, while all those around him tried to spin, saying at a certain point in the game it came down to his kids just having to protect themselves.

What coach, they weren’t ready for chairs being swung and thrown at them? You mean they weren’t prepared to have their heads kicked and pummeled while they were defenseless on the ground? They didn’t expect Monday Night Raw to break out in a friendly exhibition?

I wonder how the parents of the players feel about their children being on this trip of educational enlightenment right about now?

I do know this: If any of the Georgetown kids ever decided to imitate that Chinese team over here…oh my God! If they threw chairs and Timberland-stomped somebody on a Big East court? It would be the last college game they’d ever play, not to mention they’d probably be looking at some felony charges and jail time once Sean Hannity got involved.

But hey, it’s okay in this instance. Give it up for higher education and tolerance — lord knows we don’t want an international incident on our hands.

But just remember guys — don’t even think about pulling that crap your opponent pulled back here in the States.

You’d be labeled as thugs and ESPN would run a two-hour special about “why is the college athlete — read black — so violent?”

But hey, it’s all good right and, as so many reports about the incident continually mentioned, nobody got hurt (although I’ve yet to see any pictures, I suspect there’s probably at least some black eyes and bruises).

Funny though, after this happened a few years ago in suburban Detroit, I don’t remember anyone wanting to just sweep it under the rug. It was scary and violent and opened up a whole new can of worms regarding fan behavior in this country — not to mention a whole new slew of “thug” labels.

If you think what happened in China was that dissimilar then watch it again. Less fans were there for sure but as I watched the youtube the first time I said a silent prayer that no Hoya would run into that crowd of cowards that was bombarding them with projectiles as they walked off the court. Credit to those kids and their coaches for getting off that court in the manner that they did — without any freaking help from police or security.

Safe journey home fellas.

TOUGH DECISIONS AHEAD FOR ANTHONY BENNETT

One of the elite prospects in the Class of 2012 is FIndlay Prep forward Anthony Bennett. The 6-foot-7, 235-pound manchild terrorized rims and opponents all summer long playing with CIA Bounce on the AAU trail or Team Canada in international competition. NBE first identified Bennett as having the potential to be one of the top players in the Class of 2012 when he was playing for Mountain State Academy during the 2009-2010 season. Wrapping up that initial year in the United States after coming down from Brampton, Ont. in Canada, Bennett showed he was developing at a rapid rate at the 2010 National High School Invitational to close the season.

Bennett’s progress has only continued from those first viewings of him in action. Quite frankly, Bennett is a beast. He is every bit of the size he’s listed at and uses his strength to dominate the paint. He loves contact and has no problem finishing right through it inside. Not just a banger, Bennett also has a clean jump out past the three-point line, can put the ball on the floor, and runs in transition like a wing player. He has exploded on the national scene this past spring and summer and it’s easy to see why with his combination of power and skill. Bennett is only scratching the surface of his huge potential and is already drawing comparisons to the likes of Larry Johnson and Carmelo Anthony.

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VILLANOVA FINDS MANY POSITIVES WITH EUROPEAN TRIP

By Raphielle Johnson

Once every four years the NCAA allows college basketball teams to take a summer trip out of the country. In addition to the on-court benefits of playing against unfamiliar competition and extra practice time, teams are able to bond while experiencing things they don’t get a chance to during the season. Such was the case for the Villanova Wildcats, who just returned to the country after a nine-day trip to Paris and Amsterdam.

There were games to be played and sights to be seen and the hope for an overseas trip, especially with younger players, is that the maturation process for the next season will begin. Villanova has just one senior on its 2011-12 roster, Dallas Ouano, meaning that the junior class will have to step up if the Wildcats are to have a successful campaign. Dominic Cheek, Maalik Wayns and Mouphtaou Yarou immediately stick out, and they all took away valuable lessons from the experience.

“A lot of the guys going into their junior year see that there’s basically no senior class,” said associate head coach Billy Lange. “They’re all taking steps to become better leaders.”
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2011-2012 BIG EAST TEAM CAPSULE: PITTSBURGH

Pittsburgh Panthers
Head Coach: Jamie Dixon (9th year at Pitt, 216-60 record)
2010-2011: 15-3 BIG EAST, 28-6 overall, NCAA 3rd Round

Returning Players:
- Sr. G Ashton Gibbs (16.8 ppg)
- Sr. F Nasir Robinson (9.4 ppg)
- Jr. G Travon Woodall (6.4 ppg)
- Jr. F/C Dante Taylor (5.1 ppg)
- So. F J.J. Moore (3.7 ppg)
- So. F Talib Zanna (3.7 ppg)
- So. F Lamar Patterson (2.6 ppg)
- rFr G Cameron Wright
- rFr G Isaiah Epps

Incoming Players:
- Fr. F/C Khem Birch (Montreal, Can.)
- Fr. G John Johnson (Philadelphia, PA)
- Fr. C Malcolm Gilbert (Smyrna, DE)
- Fr. G/F Durand Johnson (Baltimore, MD)

Players Moved On:
- Brad Wanamaker (Graduation)
- Gilbert Brown (Graduation)
- Gary McGhee (Graduation)
- J.J. Richardson (Transfer)

Stat Notes:
- Pitt’s graduating class leaves the program with more Big East victories (52) than any other senior class in school history and helped lead the Panthers to the Big East Regular Season championship and the second number one seed in Pitt history in 2010-2011.
- The Panthers finished second in the nation last season in rebounding margin per game at +10.8.

Star Watch:
- After nearly declaring for the NBA Draft but eventually electing to return to school, All-Big East First Team choice and likely Big East Preseason Player of the Year candidate Ashton Gibbs will be one of the top players in the country. Gibbs shot 49% from beyond the arc last season and is representing Pitt on the USA team at the World University Games.

Newcomer to Watch:
- Pitt’s second McDonald’s All-American big man in three years, Khem Birch should make an impact in the frontcourt for the Panthers with his shot blocking prowess and impressive athleticism.

Notes: The Panthers will participate in the Hoop Group Classic in Philadelphia (11/25-11/26), travel to Tennessee (12/3) as part of the BIG EAST/SEC Challenge, and take on Oklahoma State in New York City (12/10) in the non-conference portion of their schedule.

– team capsule compiled by Brian Batko

WITH NEW INTEREST, JERMAINE LAWRENCE LIKELY TO TAKE A FEW VISITS

Bayside Cardozo rising junior (Class of 2013) Jermaine Lawrence is a player full of potential. The 6-foot-8 1/2, 192-pound forward is a high-riser of an athlete but also shows a deft touch from the perimeter beyond the three-point line. His game reminds many onlookers of another past star that game through Ron Naclerio’s program, current Syracuse forward James Southerland.

Still there is almost an unknown quantity to Lawrence who does not travel the country on a high-profile AAU team, spending most of his time playing for the Positive Direction program. As one of the stand-out performers at the Hoop Group Elite Session I Camp in Reading (PA) to kick off the July evaluation period last month his recruitment has kicked up another notch in the weeks since.

“Georgetown and Xavier have most recently showed interest,” said Lawrence.
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2011-2012 BIG EAST TEAM CAPSULE: NOTRE DAME

Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Head Coach: Mike Brey (12th year at Notre Dame, 238-120 record)
2010-2011: 14-4 BIG EAST, 27-7 overall, NCAA 2nd Round

Returning Players:
- Sr. F Tim Abromaitis (15.4 ppg, 6.1 rpg)
- Sr. G/F Scott Martin (9.7 ppg)
- Jr. F Jack Cooley (3.7 ppg)
- Jr. F Mike Broghammer (1.8 ppg)
- Jr. G Joey Brooks (1.6 ppg)
- Jr. F Tom Knight (1.4 ppg)
- So. G Eric Atkins (5.8 ppg)
- So G Alex Dragicevich (1.4 ppg)
- rFR G Jerian Grant

Incoming Players:
- Fr. G/F Pat Connaughton (Arlington, MA)

Players Moved On:
- Ben Hansbrough (Graduation)
- Carleton Scott (NBA Draft)
- Tyrone Nash (Graduation)

Stat Notes:
- 2010-2011 was Notre Dame’s best regular season since Mike Brey took the helm over 10 years ago but they were upset by 10th seeded Florida State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
- The Irish lose 50% of their scoring from last season, 44% of their rebounding, and three of their top four leaders in minutes played.

Star Watch:
- 5th year senior Tim Abromaitis was second on the team in scoring and rebounding last year and will be the focal point for the Irish now with Ben Hansbrough graduating. Abromaitis is representing Notre Dame on the USA Men’s Basketball Team in the World University Games in China.

Newcomer to Watch:
- Brey doesn’t usually play true freshmen very often but Pat Connaughton, a 6-4 wing, may get a chance to crack the rotation with his solid outside shooting. Connaughton will likely play baseball for the Irish as well and was taken by the San Diego Padres in the 38th round of the MLB Draft.

Notes: The Fighting Irish will take on Maryland in the BT&T Classic (12/4), Indiana in the Crossroad Classic (12/17 in Indianapolis), and Gonzaga in South Bend (11/30). Mike Brey’s club is one of the four BIG EAST teams not participating in this year’s expanded BIG EAST/SEC Challenge. 6-10 center Garrick Sherman is ineligible this season after transferring into the program from Michigan State and Eric Katenda, a 6-8 forward from Bel Aire, Kansas who was a member of the 2011 recruiting class, likely will not play this year after sustaining a severe eye injury in a summer pick-up game.

– team capsule compiled by Brian Batko

2013 C/PF CHINONSO OBOKOH SEEING MORE COLLEGE INTEREST; PLANNING VISITS

One of the intriguing big men in the Class of 2013 is Rochester (NY) product Chinonso Obokoh. The 6-foot-10, 220-lb center attends Bishop Kearney High School where he plays for coach Jon Boon. He is still a relative unknown in many recruiting circles since he only came to the United States from Nigeria in the spring of 2010 and has had limited exposure on the AAU circuit the last two summers. In the early July evaluation period he attended the Hoop Group Team Camp with his Bishop Kearney teammates and drew a lot of attention from scouts and coaches anxious to get a look at him on the floor.

Obokoh saw some time with the City Rocks AAU program and his highlight of the summer was getting the chance to play against another highly touted big man in the Class of 2013.

“Playing against Nerlens Noel of BABC,” said Obokoh of his highlight of the summer. “I thought I held my own.”
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2011-2012 BIG EAST TEAM CAPSULE: MARQUETTE

Marquette Golden Eagles
Head Coach: Buzz Williams (4th year at Marquette, 69-36 record)
2010-2011: 9-9 BIG EAST, 22-14 overall, NCAA Sweet 16

Returning Players:
- Sr. G Darrius Johnson-Odom (15.8 ppg)
- Sr. F Jae Crowder (11.8 ppg, 6.8 rpg)
- Jr. C Chris Otule (5.1 ppg)
- Jr. G Junior Cadougan (4.0 ppg)
- So. G Vander Blue (5.1 ppg)
- So. F/C Davante Gardner (4.6 ppg)
- So. F Jamail Jones (1.4 ppg)

Incoming Players:
- So. F Jamil Wilson (University of Oregon)
- Fr. F Juan Anderson (Oakland, CA)
- Fr. G Todd Mayo (Huntington, WV)
- Fr. G Derrick Wilson (Anchorage, AK)

Players Moved On:
- Jimmy Butler (Graduation)
- Dwight Buycks (Graduation)
- Joseph Fulce (Graduation)
- Erik Williams (Transfer)

Stat Notes:
- Marquette hasn’t missed the NCAA Tournament since joining the Big East in 2005-2006 and will look to make it for the seventh straight year.
- The Golden Eagles lose their second leading scorer, second leading rebounder, and leader in minutes played with the graduation of do-it-all forward Jimmy Butler.

Star Watch:
- All-Big East Second Team selection Darrius Johnson-Odom is the undisputed leader of this team now with Butler gone and should be one of the premier scoring guards in the conference in 2011-2012 after averaging at least 13 points per game his first two seasons with the program after transferring from junior college.

Newcomer to Watch:
- Jamil Wilson, a consensus top 100 recruit coming out of high school, redshirted last year after transferring from Oregon and should be a solid contributor at both forward spots. Wilson started 14 of 26 games and averaged 4.7 points per game for the Ducks in 2009-2010.

Notes: Buzz Williams and crew will be participating in the Paradise Jam in addition to non-conference match-ups at Wisconsin (12/3), against Washington (12/6, Jimmy V Classic in NYC), at LSU (12/19), and against Vanderbilt (12/29). Junior guard Junior Cadougan was named MVP of the Scion Dental Milwaukee Pro-Am over the summer. The Golden Eagles are one of four BIG EAST teams not participating in this year’s BIG EAST/SEC Challenge.

– team capsule compiled by Brian Batko

SUMMER SHOOTOUT NOTEBOOK

By Alex Schwartz

ALLENTOWN, N.J. — Although the Summer Shootout is not necessarily well-known outside of New Jersey, the event is filled with quality teams and talented players on a yearly basis. The 2011 edition was no different, as NBE Basketball Report took in some of the action on Saturday and got to catch up with a handful of Big East recruits.

Isaiah Watkins, a 6-foot-8, 215-pound power forward, really saw his stock increase this summer. A class of 2013 prospect who hails from Toronto and is in his first year at St. Benedict’s (NJ), Watkins already lists a number of high-major offers.

Watkins said that Santa Clara, Missouri, Arkansas, Cincinnati and Virginia have all extended scholarship offers to him. In addition, he is hearing from Harvard, Ohio State, Georgetown, Michigan, Elon, Lafayette, Niagara, Villanova, Rutgers, Seton Hall, Temple, West Virginia, Kansas and more.
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FRANCHISE CLASSIC NOTEBOOK: UK, OHIO STATE & FLORIDA STRONG IN THE MIX FOR CHRIS WALKER; GREG MCCLINTON HAS VARIED LIST: JEVON THOMAS UPDATE

by Alex Schwartz

BRONX, N.Y. — Despite rain causing a delay of over two hours and a change of venue, NBE was still in attendance for the inaugural Franchise Classic.

Team New York defeated Team USA, 146-138. Connecticut-bound Omar Calhoun led the way with 34 while Kyle Anderson and Villanova-commit Savon Goodman added 28 and 26 respectively. For Team USA, Archie Goodwin poured in 46 points in the loss and Shaq Goodwin contributed 31 of his own.

After the game, which was held at the South Bronx Job Corps, NBE had a chance to catch up with a trio of players.

Holmes County (FL) star Chris Walker is a top 10 player in the class of 2013. The 6’9 power forward has three schools standing out to him at this point–Florida, Kentucky and Ohio State.

“That’s the three I’m really feeling right now,” Walker said of the Gators, Wildcats and Buckeyes.

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ELITE ’14 PROSPECT CHRIS MCCULLOUGH ENJOYS UCONN VISIT

Chris McCullough burst onto the national recruiting radar this summer with a series of strong performances during the month of July, first at the Hoop Group Elite Session 1 Camp and the Hoop Group team camp playing with the Salisbury (CT) School. McCullough built up a strong following and next thing you knew college coaches were making sure they knew where his team SCAN AAU squad would be playing throughout the remaining of the month.

McCullough, who credits the work off the court with Team SCAN for helping him achieve honor roll status in school, visited Connecticut earlier this week with AAU teammate Conrad Chambers, another highly regarded player in the 2014 recruiting class. McCullough told NBE earlier today he enjoyed the trip.

“The trip was good, good experience,” said McCullough of the visit to UConn. ‘[The highlight was] chilling with Coach Kevin Ollie.”
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REGGIE CAMERON ENJOYS RECENT BIG EAST VISIT

Reggie Cameron has seen his recruitment pick up over the summer months. The 6-foot-7 sweet-shooting wing out of Hudson Catholic (NJ) High School has been a mainstay on the NJ Playaz AAU program. Their highly successful 16U squad had a large number of basketball coaches following them from event to event during the July live evaluation periods that recently concluded.

“I picked up offers from Villanova and Northwestern, and I picked up interest from Florida, Tennessee, Notre Dame and some others,” said Cameron of new recruiting developments for him over the summer.

Cameron mentioned other schools that have been maintianing contact with him through the summer months include Seton Hall, Xavier, Penn State, UMass, West Virginia and Marquette.

Cameron recently found the time to visit one of the schools most involved in his recruitment: Seton Hall. He visited the school with AAU and high school teammates Kavon Stewart and Mike Young and liked what he saw.

“Yes,” Cameron responded when asked if he recently visited Kevin Willard’s program. “I had a really good time. I was impressed of how much my ex-Paterson Catholic teammate Fuquan Edwin was improving his game.”

Cameron mentioned that all the schools mentioned are active in his recruitment. With no currently favorites he is hoping to have the chance to see more schools with unofficial visits in the fall.

“I don’t have anything planned yet but I would like to get out to a couple of thoose schools in the fall [for unofficial visits],” he said.

Over the summer on the AAU trail the 16U Playaz had many high points and Cameron impressed with his play. However, when asked what was the highlight of the summer period he will remember the most was not even from a game he played in.

“The biggest highlight was probobly not my game, but watching our 17u team come from 26 down to beat Mac Irvin Fire in the championship of the Desert Duel in Pheonix,” Cameron said.

Cameron hopes one of his next highlights is a state championship with Hudson Catholic in the season ahead. In the meantime, NBE will hope to catch Reggie Cameron and his talented NJ Playaz teammates in action at events such as the Fall Jam Fest put on by the Hoop Group and the always exciting IS8 Fall League in NYC. Stay tuned to NBE for future updates on Cameron as he will be closely monitored by many high-major programs in the coming months.

2011-2012 BIG EAST TEAM CAPSULE: LOUISVILLE

Louisville Cardinals
Head Coach: Rick Pitino (11th year at Louisville, 220-85 record)
2010-2011: 12-6 BIG EAST, 25-10 overall, NCAA 1st Round

Returning Players:
- Sr. G Kyle Kuric (10.8 ppg)
- Sr. G Chris Smith (9.4 ppg)
- Sr. F Jared Swopshire (injured 2010-2011)
- Jr. G Peyton Siva (9.9 ppg, 5.2 apg)
- Jr. F Rakeem Buckles (6.8 ppg, 6.1 rpg)
- Jr. G Mike Marra (6.5 ppg)
- Jr. F Stephan Van Treese (2.9 ppg)
- So. C Gorgui Dieng (5.7 ppg)
- So. G Elisha Justice (2.4 ppg)
- So. G Russ Smith (2.2 ppg)

Incoming Players:
- Fr. F Chane Behanan (Bowling Green, KY)
- Fr. G/F Wayne Blackshear (Chicago, IL)
- Fr. G Kevin Ware (Conyers, GA)
- Fr. F Angel Nunez (Bronx, NY)
- Fr. C Zach Price (Louisville, KY)

Players Moved On:
- Preston Knowles (Graduation)
- Terrence Jennings (NBA Draft)
- George Goode (Transfer)

Stat Notes:
- With Kuric, Justice, and Chris Smith giving up their scholarships to make room for the recruiting class, the Cardinals will have 16 players on the roster that are either on scholarship currently or were on scholarship last year.
- Louisville ranked third in the country last season in three-pointers made with 299 but Knowles was responsible for 100 of those.

Star Watch:
- Peyton Siva, the junior point guard from Seattle, looks poised to have a big year. Pitino has spoken highly of Siva’s development throughout the summer and the 5-11 floor general should get every opportunity to have a breakout season.

Newcomer to Watch:
- Competition for minutes on this squad will be fierce but Chane Behanan has the most college-ready body of the Louisville freshmen and should see plenty of playing time, especially if Rakeem Buckles and Jared Swopshire are slow to return from injuries.

Notes: The Cardinals are currently in the Bahamas from Aug. 10-14 and have a non-league schedule that includes games at 2011 NCAA National Runner-up Butler (11/19), against Vanderbilt in the Big East/SEC Challenge (12/2), vs. Memphis (12/17) and at in-state Kentucky (12/31). Luke Hancock transferred in from George Mason and will sit out this season due to NCAA transfer rules.

– team capsule compiled by Brian Batko

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