Alex Schwartz, baylor Recruiting, Cincinnati Recruiting, DePaul Recruiting, Florida Recruiting, Florida State, Georgetown Recruiting, Harvard Recruiting, Illinois Recruiting, LaSalle Recruiting, Massachusetts Recruiting, memphis Recruiting, Miami Recruiting, Missouri Recruiting, North Carolina State Recruiting, Ohio Recruiting, Ohio State Recruiting, Penn State, Pittsburgh Recruiting, Providence Recruiting, Rutgers Recruiting, Seton Hall Recruiting, St. Joseph's Recruiting, Temple Recruiting, Tennessee Recruiting, Texas A&M Recruiting, VCU Recruiting, Virginia Recruiting, West Virginia Recruiting, Wisconsin Recruiting, Xavier Recruiting

2011 ORLANDO AAU NOTEBOOK (PART 2): ACTION HEATING UP IN DISNEY

By Alex Schwartz

The action continues in Orlando with the AAU Super Showcase for the 15U and 16U heating up on Saturday. On Sunday the 17U division gets going stronger as well and more and more college coaches are arriving at the ESPN Wide World of Sports venue. In this afternoon’s notebook we take a closer look at the recruitment of standouts such as Kavon Stewart, Geno Thorpe, Davon Reed, Kendrick Nunn and we take a look at the impressive games of Dakari Johnson, Aquille Carr and Phil Booth. Read on below for the detail…

At 5-foot-11, NJ Playaz/Hudson Catholic point guard Kavon Stewart might not have elite height for a point guard, but what he does have is a fantastic feel for the game and the ability to lead a team. A pure point, Stewart gets others involved and has superb floor vision. He is able to find the open man and get him the basketball in a position to score. Stewart has a solid build, though he could add a bit of muscle. The 2013 prospect has a nice mid-range game which keeps the defense honest.

Playing in the 16U AAU Super Showcase this weekend, Stewart listed offers from Rutgers, Seton Hall, UMass, Towson, and Cincinnati. He also has interest from Xavier, Virginia and Providence. He does not have any favorites right now.

On his visits: “I already visited Seton Hall, but I’m gonna go up to UMass in October.”

Stewart said location is “not really” a factor in his decision. As for when he’ll commit, he said, “Probably like the beginning of my senior year.”

Stewart said he grew up a Syracuse fan, but that will not really matter in his recruitment. He would, however, like to play in the Big East or ACC.
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Geno Thorpe, Stewart’s backcourt mate with the NJ Playaz, listed offers from Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Seton Hall, and Wisconsin to go along with Baylor and Kansas State. He has no favorites at this point.

“Probably between Rutgers and Wisconsin,” Thorpe said of who is recruiting him the hardest.

He has taken visits to Rutgers, Seton Hall and Pitt. As for planned trips, he said, “I go to Wisconsin August 15th.”

Thorpe said location is not a factor and he does not have a timetable for a commitment.

Contrary to rumors saying otherwise, Thorpe said he will definitely be back at Shaler Area HS, near Pittsburgh (PA), next year.
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Davon Reed said he has offers from VCU, St. Joseph’s, Rutgers, Temple, La Salle, Seton Hall, West Virginia, Penn State, and Xavier. He is also hearing from Florida, Baylor, Georgetown, Ohio State, Miami, and Harvard.

On whether he has favorites: “No, I’m just taking it all in stride right now.”

Reed said that all of the schools that have offered as well as Miami and Georgetown lately are the ones coming after him the hardest.

The only school Reed has visited is St. Joseph’s. He will be visiting Harvard on September 22nd and also has a visit scheduled to Georgetown, but he did not recall the date. Reed will also be visiting Penn State, Rutgers and Seton Hall and probably the Philadelphia schools that have offered.
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Kendrick Nunn of Chicago Simeon/Meanstreets AAU, said he holds offers from Providence, Texas A&M, DePaul, Florida State, Missouri, Tennessee, North Carolina State, Memphis, Ohio U, and Illinois. He does not list any favorites.

He said “pretty much everyone I talk to” when asked who is recruiting him the hardest. Location will not be a factor in his decision.

“I took a visit to Memphis and Ohio U, that’s about it,” Nunn said, noting that he has no other trips planned.

On when he plans to commit: “Hopefully [I will] make my decision by [the time I am] coming into my senior year or my junior year.”
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Aquille Carr is one of the most unique prospects you will find in high school hoops. At just 5’6, Carr is almost always the shortest player on the court by a good margin. However, with his diminutive frame comes elite quickness. He can get past just about any defender with his incredible burst. In addition, Carr can handle the ball quite well. Although just 5’6, the 2013 point guard cannot only dunk, but can do so in impressive fashion. He has one of the best vertical leaps in the nation and is extremely athletic. He has such good hang time and is able to adjust his body in the air and finish around the cup. Carr is not a great shooter, but he can hold his own. He is not a great defender, partially due to his size, but also because he exerts much more energy at the offensive end.
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Phil Booth (Team Takeover 15′s) has a chance to be one of the best players in the nation in the class of 2014. A 6’3 combo guard, Booth has a superb frame with long arms. He is an impressive athlete who can get off the ground and finish with authority on the break. Booth does not show much of a jumper, but part of that is because he is able to get to the cup with such ease so much of the time at this level. Regardless, Booth will need to improve his jumper from both mid and long range. He has the ability to become a lockdown perimeter defender due to his combination of length, size and strength.
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Dakari Johnson is already one of the best post players in the nation, and he is merely entering his sophomore year of high school. The 6’10 center is one of the elite players in the class of 2014 due to his blend of size and mobility at his age. Johnson can get up and down the floor, moves his feet well and has some nice post moves. He rebounds well at both ends of the floor and is tough to stop one-on-one on the low block. If you double him, he is adept at passing out of the double team to an open man on the wing. Johnson will need to continue to improve his stamina and agility and change his frame into more of a muscular build over time.

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