Jeff Borzello

NATIONAL BASKETBALL EXPERIENCE NOTES – 11/9/2011

If you follow along all the social networking media today’s news of the day is dominated by the (sickening) scandal unfolding at Penn State which will end the Hall of Fame career of coaching legend Joe Paterno. For the best coverage on the scandal, be sure to check out the Patriot News out of Harrisburg (PA) which has been on this story from the beginning. They are now reporting that PSU President Graham Spanier will either be fired or resign by the day’s end.

The other news of the day dominating the talk on twitter (be sure to follow us on twitter as well) is the beginning of the early signing period for college basketball. Today is the first day when college players can sign for the Class of 2012 and it certainly has been a busy day. One of the best recaps of the action can be found with trhe CBS Sports signing day blog headlined by good pal Jeff Borzello.

One of the biggest news coming from the busy week of recruiting news was that Ricardo Gathers has reopened his recruitment. Riverside’s Gathers Decommits from St. John’s< ?a> (Nola.com) and will now look to sign in the spring.
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DAJUAN COLEMAN HAS THREE SCHOOLS STANDING OUT

Behemoth 2012 big man still considering several schools, but three have moved to the forefront

Jamesville-Dewitt HS just outside of Syracuse (NY) has been turning out a steady line of quality Division 1-A basketball players in recent years. Long-time J-D head coach Bob McKenney looks to have his best prospect yet in 6-foot-10, 290-lb center DaJuan Coleman and his performance last weekend at the Hoop Hall Classic in Springfield (MA) only reaffirmed that notion forcefully.

Coleman has been widely regarded among the elite handful of prospects in the Class of 2012 and the recruiting interest he is receiving reflects that lofty ranking. Coleman indicated to NBE this past weekend that three schools have moved into the forefront of his recruitment as he gave his updated list.

You can log-in or sign up for NBE Premium access by SUBSCRIBING (HERE) for as low as $2.08 a month with our annual membership to read more on DaJuan Coleman and his dominant performance at the Hoop Hall Classic and the latest on the elite 2012 big man’s recruitment. Also, any of our Premium Content Articles & Event Coverage is available to subscribers.

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HOOP HALL CLASSIC – - DAY THREE

BY JEFF BORZELLO

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Monday of the Hoop Hall Classic is annually the most loaded day of games, complete with a quartet of games on ESPNU. This year, the quality on Martin Luther King Day isn’t as high, but there are still some big-time contests. Prior to the television match-ups, Anthony Davis and Perspectives (Ill.) and Patrick Connaughton and St. John’s Prep (Mass.) got things kicked off. The first ESPNU game was Christ the King (N.Y.) vs. Westchester Country Day School (N.C.), sans an injured Quincy Miller. Following that was a battle between arguably the top players in the classes of 2011 and 2012 with Michael Gilchrist and St. Patrick (N.J.) taking on Bishop Gorman (Nev.) and Shabazz Muhammad. LeBryan Nash and Dallas Lincoln (Tex.) played Findlay Prep (Nev.) and then Academy of the New Church (Penn.) faced Boys and Girls (N.Y.).

In our Hoop Hall Classic – - Day 1 report, Jeff Borzello broke down the performances of BIG EAST commits Myles Mack, Wayne Blackshear, Mikael Hopkins and Jabarie Hinds. There were also scouting reports and recruiting updates on Kris Dunn (’12 PG), Kyle Anderson (’12 G/F), Jordan Adams (’12 SG), Kevin Johnson (’11 PF), C.J Blackwell (’11 SF), Billy Garrett, Jr. (’13 G) as well as a recruiting update on Evan Nolte (’12 SF) and more on Ben McLemore (’11 SG) and Damien Wilson (’12 SG). Hoop Hall Classic – - Day 2 coverage was more of the same with BIG EAST commits John Johnson, Michael Carter-Williams and Amir Garrett in action as well as top-level recruiting prospects such as Alex Murphy (’12 PF), DaJuan Coleman (’12 C/PF), Nik Stauskas (’12 G/F), Landen Lucas (’12 C), Kaleb Tarczewski (’12 C), Andre Drummond (’12 PF) and more…

You can log-in or sign up for NBE Premium access by SUBSCRIBING (HERE) for as low as $2.08 a month with our annual membership to read more of the coverage from the Hoop Hall Classic as Jeff Borzello completes his coverage with top player evals and recruiting updates from the standouts such as Omar Calhoun (’12 G), Isaiah Lewis (’13 G), Shabazz Muhammad (’12 SF), Rosco Allen (’12 SF), Winston Shepard (’12 SF), Anthony Bennett (’12 F) and BIG EAST commits such as Patrick Connaughton and Keton Miles. Also, any of our Premium Content Articles & Event Coverage is available to subscribers.

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HOOP HALL CLASSIC – - DAY 2

BY JEFF BORZELLO

After a jam-packed first day that featured several good teams but little in the way of exciting contests, Sunday at the Hoop Hall Classic brought another four national games between teams with several Division-I players on the roster. We opened with St. Mark’s (Mass.) against Life Center Academy (N.J.), followed by St. Thomas More (Conn.) and Hargrave Military Academy (Va.). After that was St. Andrew’s (R.I.) against Findlay (Nev.) and Jamesville-Dewitt (N.Y.) and Webster Groves (Mo.).

In our Hoop Hall Classic – - Day 1 report, Jeff Borzello broke down the performances of BIG EAST commits Myles Mack, Wayne Blackshear, Mikael Hopkins and Jabarie Hinds. There were also scouting reports and recruiting updates on Kris Dunn (’12 PG), Kyle Anderson (’12 G/F), Jordan Adams (’12 SG), Kevin Johnson (’11 PF), C.J Blackwell (’11 SF), Billy Garrett, Jr. (’13 G) as well as a recruiting update on Evan Nolte (’12 SF) and more on Ben McLemore (’11 SG) and Damien Wilson (’12 SG). Day 2 coverage is more of the same with BIG EAST commits John Johnson, Michael Carter-Williams and Amir Garrett in action as well as top-level recruiting prospects such as Alex Murphy (’12 PF), DaJuan Coleman (’12 C/PF), Nik Stauskas (’12 G/F), Landen Lucas (’12 C), Kaleb Tarczewski (’12 C), Andre Drummond (’12 PF) and more…

You can log-in or sign up for NBE Premium access by SUBSCRIBING (HERE) for as low as $2.08 a month with our annual membership to read more of the coverage from the Hoop Hall Classic with top player evals and recruiting updates from the standouts in the Class of 2011, 2012, 2013 and even 2014. Also, any of our Premium Content Articles & Event Coverage is available to subscribers.

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HOOP HALL CLASSIC – DAY I

BY JEFF BORZELLO

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Year in and year out, the Hoop Hall Classic at Springfield College is the most loaded event of the high school season. This year, though, the organizers took it to a new level. According to ESPN Rise’s Top 50, seven of the top 14 teams will be in attendance, with several more rounding out the rankings. In terms of individuals, nine of Scout.com’s top 21 players in 2011 and seven of their top 21 guys in 2012 will participate. Simply put, the event is stacked.

While Friday featured a few games, Saturday is when the Classic really got rolling. There were four nationally-relevant games, starting with Mount Vernon (N.Y.) and Taft (Calif). St. Anthony (N.J.) and DeMatha (Md.) followed, along with Morgan Park (Ill.) and Garfield (Wash.), as well as Oak Hill (Va.) and Milton (Ga.).

Note: Top committed players that were featured on Saturday included Spencer Dinwiddie (six points and 11 assists, Colorado), Tony Wroten (23 points, seven rebounds and five assists, Washington), Jerome Brown (13 points, Illinois-Chicago), Quinn Cook (16 points and eight assists, Duke), Sidiki Johnson (0 points and two rebounds, Arizona), Dai-Jon Parker (19 points, four rebounds and four assists, Vanderbilt), Shannon Scott (22 points, four rebounds and three assists, Ohio State), Julian Royal (15 points and seven rebounds, Georgia Tech), Kyle Hornsby (13 points and six rebounds, UNC-Asheville), Jordan Loyd (10 points and nine rebounds, Furman) and Daniel Gomis (0 points and four rebounds, Oregon State).

Class of 2011:

Myles Mack, PG, St. Anthony: Mack was arguably the best player on Saturday at the Hoop Hall Classic. The Rutgers-signee got his shot going early and was the primary factor in St. Anthony’s 50-point win over DeMatha. He eliminated most questions about his ability to play the point guard position in the Big East, getting to the rim and creating for his teammates. Mack is absolutely fearless when going to the basket and has also improved his ball-handling and vision. He plays with a quiet confidence and is impossible to contain when he’s hot from deep.

Wayne Blackshear, SF, Morgan Park: Blackshear had the day’s scariest moment when the Louisville-signee went down clutching his knee after a breakaway dunk in which he landed awkwardly. However, he ended up being fine and finished with an impressive 26 points and eight rebounds. Blackshear is such a difficult match-up for opponents due to his skill set, as he can overpower a guard like Tony Wroten in the post, but also step out and knock down perimeter shots if a bigger player is on him.

You can log-in or sign up for NBE Premium access by SUBSCRIBING (HERE) for as low as $2.08 a month with our annual membership to read more of the coverage from the Hoop Hall Classic with top player evals and recruiting updates from the standouts in the Class fo 2011, 2012 and 2013. Also, any of our Premium Content Articles & Event Coverage is available to subscribers.

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ELIJAH MACON RECRUITING UPDATE

BY JEFF BORZELLO

Elijah Macon made waves last spring when he backed off his commitment to West Virginia. However, little has been heard from the 6-foot-8 Marion-Franklin (Ohio) product since then.

When we caught up with him back at the Boo Williams EYBL, Macon said he just wanted to “see what else is out there.”

Now, the junior forward has seen the other options and is going through his recruitment for a second time.

Cincinnati, Tennessee, Marquette and Dayton are currently pursuing him, as well as the school from which he decommitted, West Virginia.

Macon said West Virginia, Cincinnati and Tennessee are coming at him the hardest.

“I’m going to make a top-five after this season,” he said.

Macon recently took an unofficial visit to Xavier. “It was alright,” he said. “I just walked around campus with the coaches and my mom.”

He might take an unofficial visit to Tennessee next week.

“[I’m looking for] a team that likes to run non-stop and just a good environment,” Macon said.

Although the season is young, Macon has been doing his best to keep his name out there.

In front of coaches from West Virginia and Cincinnati, he put up 19 points and 11 rebounds in his first game, followed by a 20-point, 12-rebound performance in his second outing.

“I bring energy,” Macon said. “Once I get going I think I’m unstoppable.”

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NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL HOOPS FESTIVAL RECAP

BY JEFF BORZELLO

HYATTSVILLE, Md. – An underrated event on the high school circuit is the National High School Hoops Festival, an annual one-day event in the Washington, D.C. area. This year, it moved from Wise High School to DeMatha Catholic High School, a gorgeous school with impressive facilities. Some of the marquee teams on the docket were Word of God (N.C.), I.C. Norcom (Va.), Benedictine (Va.), Paul VI (Va.), St. Vincent St. Mary’s (Ohio) and, of course, DeMatha (Md.). There was plenty of talent on hand, leading a jam-packed day of basketball, here are some of the highlights and latest recruiting notes…

Class of 2011

Javon Moore, National Christian: Moore could be a sleeper prospect for a mid-level program in the spring. He was on fire on Saturday, knocking down seven 3-pointers and scoring at the rim, finishing with 34 points. Moore showed an ability to finish with contact in the lane and also hit jump shots with hands in his face. He doesn’t have an explosive first step, but is crafty and finds ways to score. Moore also had a few nice passes along the way.

You can log-in or sign up for NBE Premium access by SUBSCRIBING (HERE) for as low as $2.08 a month with our annual membership to read more detailed scouting reports and the latest recruiting notes from our time Saturday at DeMatha. Also, any of our Premium Content Articles & Event Coverage is available to subscribers.

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GONZAGA DC CLASSIC RECAP

BY JEFF BORZELLO

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Although finals week is beginning at universities around the country – therefore limiting the number of big-time college basketball games in the next week – high school hoops was still in full effect. The mid-Atlantic was the place to be this weekend, starting with the Gonzaga DC Classic, held at Gonzaga College High School in Washington, D.C. The nation’s capital was host to eight high schools from the mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions. The talent level at the event might be down from last year, but marquee teams like St. Raymond’s (N.Y.) and host Gonzaga made it a must-see. Here’s a look at some of the top players from Friday…

You can log-in or sign up for NBE Premium access by SUBSCRIBING (HERE) for as low as $2.08 a month with our annual membership to read detailed scouting reports and the latest recruiting notes from our time Friday at the Gonzaga DC Classic. Also, any of our Premium Content Articles & Event Coverage is available to subscribers.

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NATIONAL PREP SHOWCASE: DAY THREE

by JEFF BORZELLO

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – A long weekend of basketball culminated Sunday with another six games between the top prep schools in the country. It started off with an easy Brewster Academy (N.H.) win over a hard-working but fatigued Princeton Day Academy (Md.) club. After that came a battle between Maine Central Institute and Northfield Mount Hermon (Mass.), where MCI pulled away in the second half. Kiski (Pa.) and La Lumiere (Ind.) was an interesting match-up on paper due to the frontcourts of both teams, but Kiski emerged victorious. NIA Prep and New Hampton had a back-and-forth battle that featured big leads and subsequent comebacks, but in the end, NIA Prep was too athletic and balanced. Tilton (N.H.) came out in a big way against Wilbraham & Monson (Mass.), blowing them out from the opening tap. The final game of the event kept everyone interested, with Blair Academy (N.J.) holding on to beat St. Andrew’s (R.I.). Here’s a look at some noteworthy players from the final day, starting with a player we will see in the BIG EAST next month:

Enosch Wolf, 2010, Wilbraham & Monson: Wolf will join Connecticut at the end of the fall semester, which comes in a couple of weeks. The German native is more versatile than one might think, showing off an ability to handle the basketball and step out to knock down outside shots. The 7-foot-1 lefty is very mobile and can run the floor. His stroke from the free-throw line is solid and he defends well. Moreover, Wolf is an effective rebounder – something the Huskies are lacking this year.

You can log-in or sign up for NBE Premium access by SUBSCRIBING (HERE) for as low as $2.08 a month with our annual membership to read more detailed scouting reports and the latest recruiting notes gathered on Day Three of the National Prep Showcase. Also, any of our Premium Content Articles & Event Coverage is available to subscribers.

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NATIONAL PREP SHOWCASE – DAY TWO

BY JEFF BORZELLO

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – After a first day that got better as the event progressed, everyone was ready for a jam-packed second day that featured eight games. Plenty of coaches were in attendance, keeping an eye on some of the top players in the country. The day started off with a great game between Bridgton Academy (Maine) and Fork Union Military Academy (Va.), with Bridgton overcoming a 20-point halftime deficit to win in the final minutes. In the second game, Andre Drummond led a comeback by St. Thomas More (Conn.) to beat Princeton Day Academy (Md.). After that, Hargrave Military Academy (Va.) opened up a big second half lead on New Hampton (N.H.), with an easy Brewster Academy (N.H.) victory over Fishburne Military Academy (Va.) following. South Kent (Conn.) proceeded to blow out La Lumiere (Ind.), but Notre Dame Prep (Mass.) and Westwind Prep (Ariz.) had a dynamite back-and-forth contest that ended with Notre Dame winning. St. Mark’s (Mass.) handled Lee Academy (Maine) easily, before Kiski School (Penn.) staged a big second-half comeback to beat Winchendon (Mass.).

Here is a look at some of the top players, and recruiting notes, from day two:

Zach Auguste, 2012, New Hampton Prep: Auguste is a long and lanky lefty who is improving every game. He uses his length and athleticism to get blocks and rebounds at both ends of the floor and he also has fairly good vision and passing ability for a player his size. Auguste was in foul trouble for most of the game, but in limited minutes, he demonstrated his immense potential. He had a big-time baseline dunk and can finish with either hand. Once he learns how to stay on the floor for an entire game, he is going to be tough to stop.

Despite being limited because of foul trouble on Saturday, colleges were still intrigued by his potential. According to New Hampton Prep coach Pete Hutchins, Auguste has offers from DePaul, Notre Dame, Boston College and Oregon State, with interest from Kansas and Syracuse.

You can log-in or sign up for NBE Premium access by SUBSCRIBING (HERE) for as low as $2.08 a month with our annual membership to read more detailed scouting reports and more of the latest recruiting notes gathered on Day Two of the National Prep Showcase. Also, any of our Premium Content Articles & Event Coverage is available to subscribers.

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NATIONAL PREP SHOWCASE: DAY ONE

by JEFF BORZELLO

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – College basketball has its 24-hour marathon; high school has the National Prep Showcase. Featuring 23 of the best prep school teams in the country, the National Prep Showcase is the official start to the high school basketball season. The teams gather at Albertus Magnus College in New Haven, Conn. for three jam-packed days of games. There will be well over 100 Division-I recruits throughout the weekend, so it is a great spot for college coaches to get a look at recently-signed recruits or uncommitted prospects.

The day started out with an uneventful Northfield Mount Hermon (Mass.) win over Fork Union Military Academy (Va.), 80-73. Notre Dame Prep (Mass.) held on in the second game to beat Fishburne Military Academy (Va.), 75-66. Westwind Prep (Ariz.) and Bridgton Academy (Maine) had a back-and-forth battle, with Westwind pulling it out, 84-78. The best game of the day was Hargrave Military Academy (Va.) and South Kent (Conn.), a high-scoring and entertaining affair that Hargrave won 115-105. After that was St. Thomas More’s easy win over Lee Academy, 82-57, followed by Princeton Day Academy (Md.) defeating Winchendon (Mass.), 67-63. The final game of the day kept everyone entertained, as NIA Prep (N.J.) knocked off Maine Central Institute in overtime after Shaq Thomas hit a jumper at the buzzer to tie the game.

Here is a look at some of the top players, and recruiting notes, from day one:

Evan Cummins, 2012, Northfield Mount Hermon: Cummins has consistently gotten better over the last few months, and it continued today. He runs the floor well and has good hands for a big man. He can finish at the rim and is also able to kncok down mid-range jump shots. Cummins struggled a bit to finish in some instances, but overall he demonstrated a versatile offensive game and justified the increased recruiting attention he is receiving (detailed below).

Aaron Cosby, 2011, Northfield Mount Hermon: The Seton Hall-signee is much more aggressive than he was a year ago. He looked for his shot more often today, driving past his defender into the lane for leaners and lay-ups. Cosby also knocked down outside shots consistently and was able to make shots over defenders. He had a few nice passes and led the fast break effectively. He does need to protect the ball better on his drives, though; he had the ball batted away or stripped while he was in the air several times. Cosby finished with 23 points, seven rebounds and three assists.

You can log-in or sign up for NBE Premium access by SUBSCRIBING (HERE) for as low as $2.08 a month with our annual membership to read more detailed scouting reports and the latest recruiting notes gathered on Day One of the National Prep Showcase. Also, any of our Premium Content Articles & Event Coverage is available to subscribers.

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ANGEL NUNEZ PULLS TRIGGER FOR LOUISVILLE

BY JEFF BORZELLO

Although a down year is expected for Rick Pitino and Louisville this upcoming season, it won’t last long given the recruiting class the Cardinals have coming in 2011.

Pitino picked up another one on Thursday, as New York native Angel Nunez committed to the Cardinals.

“Rick Pitino is a great coach who can push me to get to the next level,” Nunez said. “They’re a school that recruited me all four years, through my hard times and down times.”

Nunez, a 6-foot-7 swingman who is now at Notre Dame Prep (Mass.), chose Louisville over Miami (Fl.), Providence, West Virginia, Kentucky and others.

Because of his length and versatility, Nunez reminds some of former Cardinals star Francisco Garcia. Nunez will mesh nicely with the style of play that Pitino runs.

“I think I fit in well because they press and get up and down, shoot threes, so I think I can fit in,” he said. “Plus the class I’m coming in with is [really good].”

Nunez is glad the process is finished; he did not want to wait any longer.

“[Pitino] was excited, but he wanted me to wait to see a practice just to see how hard he’s going to make me work,” he said. “But I wanted to do it now.

“I wanted to get it over with so I know what I have to do. I’m glad it’s over.”

HOYAS READY TO MOVE ON FROM 2009-2010 ENDING

1st round NCAA Tournament loss to Ohio and losing Greg Monroe to NBA does not dampen JTIII’s hopes for ’10-11

BY JEFF BORZELLO

NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. – Only a few months have passed since Georgetown’s shocking first-round loss to Ohio in the NCAA Tournament, but John Thompson III seems to have put it in his rear-view mirror.

“I haven’t thought about it,” the Hoyas’ head coach said, jokingly. “I mean, of course I’ve thought about it, but I don’t think it’s good to dwell on anything. I think we’re ready to move on.”

After a disastrous 2008-2009 season in which Georgetown went 6-14 in its last 20 games, the Hoyas bounced back a year ago, going 23-11 and earning a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

The upset loss in the Big Dance notwithstanding, the Hoyas are hoping to continue their winning ways this season, losing just one starter from a team that came two points away from winning the Big East Tournament Championship.

“With the group we have coming back, they’ve been through a lot of successes and disappointing losses,” Thompson III said. “I don’t think that loss [to Ohio] is going to have an impact, but we want to go further in the tournament.”

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NIKE EYBL PEACH JAM: DAY FOUR

BY JEFF BORZELLO

NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. – The final day of the Elite Youth Basketball League/NIKE Peach Jam featured just four games, but two champions were crowned and one game was televised on ESPNU.

In the opening game of the day, one U-17 semifinal, the St. Louis Eagles knocked off Team Final behind 28 points from Brad Beal. Mike Gilchrist led Team Final with 26 points. In the other semifinal, Team Takeover overcame an early deficit to defeat Spiece Indy Heat by 15. Julian DeBose had a surprising 18 points and 14 rebounds, and held Marquis Teague to nine points on 3-for-12 shooting.

Up next was the U-16 championship between BABC and Georgia Stars. With Goodluck Okonoboh out with a sprained ankle, BABC did not look their usual self, but still kept it close. They had a chance in the final seconds, but L’Quan Arnum’s three-pointer bounced out and Rene Castro’s desperation shot at the buzzer fell short, giving the Georgia Stars a 59-57 victory. Marcus Hunt led the Stars with 19 points and nine rebounds, while Georges Niang had 25 points and eight boards for BABC.

The final game of the day was the EYBL Finals at the Peach Jam, and was televised on tape delay on ESPNU. It was a relatively evenly-matched game from the start, but the balance of Team Takeover started making the difference in the second half. Beal tried his best to keep the St. Louis Eagles in the game, but he was not enough. Takeover emerged victorious, 70-62. James Robinson led Takeover with 24 points and eight rebounds, while Michael Gbinije had 19 points. Beal had 26 points for the Eagles.

CLASS OF 2011

Rakeem Christmas, Team Final: Christmas continues to slide down the class of 2011 rankings. His physical tools and potential are outstanding, but he has yet to show he can consistently produce offensively. On the defensive end, he is one of the best shot-blockers in the country, and he is an effective rebounder at both ends of the floor. However, once he gets the ball with his back to the basket, Christmas struggles to score. He has limited post moves, and can’t face-up against defenders.
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Aaron Brown, Team Final: Brown had not had a very good week going into the semifinals, but he turned that around against the St. Louis Eagles. He went for 17 points and five rebounds, with most of his baskets coming off of well-timed cuts to the basket leading to lay-ups. The 6-foot-4 lefty from Penn Wood (Pa.) is a strong player who can get to the basket and finish. However, he still is unable to consistently knock down jump shots. Once he can do that, Brown will be an effective Big East player at West Virginia.
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Julian DeBose, Team Takeover: DeBose was one of the most surprising players I saw all day on Thursday. He impacted the game at both ends of the floor, guarding top-five guards Marquis Teague and Brad Beal in back-to-back games, making life difficult for both players. DeBose is long and athletic, using both attributes to be a very good rebounder for his size. He was active on the offensive glass and was also excellent in transition.
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Darion Atkins, Team Takeover: Atkins made his biggest impact on Thursday at the defensive end of the floor. Despite standing only 6-foot-8 and 215 lbs., Atkins was able to hold his own down on the low block against Spiece’s A.J. Hammons. He was effective at denying entry passes to Hammons and also demonstrated the ability to block shots and get rebounds. Atkins hit a baseline jumper and also was able to finish in transition. Once he gains some weight and develops post moves, look out.
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Antonio Wilson, Spiece Indy Heat: Although Wilson might not be the most talented forward on the court, he has a non-stop motor and never gives up on plays. He is very active on the offensive glass, creating second chances for himself and teammates. He constantly keeps the ball alive, chasing down loose balls or using his athleticism to get tip-ins and baskets. Wilson is aggressive in the paint at both ends of the court, and projects as a good mid-level guy.
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CLASS OF 2012

A.J. Hammons, Spiece Indy Heat: Hammons has certainly improved since the last time we saw him, as he is developing into a solid big man prospect. His footwork has gotten better and his hands are good enough at this point. He had a nice dropstep move against Mikael Hopkins and also played well defensively against the Team Takeover big man. On the negative side, he lacks athleticism and needs to improve his lift. Furthermore, he has to be more aggressive once he gets the ball.
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Georges Niang, BABC 16s: We have watched Niang before, and while he has always impressed us with his effort and energy, we didn’t think the Tilton (N.H.) product could be a high-major player until now. The kid is simply productive when it comes to scoring and rebounding the basketball. Niang plays hard at all times, outworking opposing big men and using his toughness and physicality to get baskets inside. He can finish with both hands, and also has nice post options and spin moves. He is more athletic than most give him credit; he can block shots and play above the rim.
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Marcus Hunt, Georgia Stars 16s: Although the Stars didn’t have as many stars (no pun intended) as some of the other U-16 teams, they have a host of players who can make an impact as mid-major-plus guys. Hunt is one of them, and he was outstanding in the title game. The 6-foot-5 North Clayton (Ga.) wing is a versatile offensive player, capable of shooting three-pointers from the perimeter or running the floor and finishing in transition. Hunt also has a mid-range jumper and can score when driving to the basket.
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Recruiting Notes:

- Darion Atkins said he has offers from George Washington, George Mason, Wake Forest, Maryland, VCU and Pennsylvania, with interest from Georgetown, Syracuse, Wisconsin and Xavier. The 6-foot-8 Landon (Md.) forward plans on visiting Syracuse in the next week, and also wants to take a second trip to Wake Forest. Atkins said his top three at this point would be Wake Forest, Georgetown and Florida State.
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- James Robinson’s stock is sure to rise after an outstanding week at the Peach Jam. Right now, though, he is hearing the most from Maryland, Georgetown, Notre Dame, Marquette, Virginia and Virginia Tech.
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- Nic Moore had an excellent week shooting the three-point shot, and he could make an excellent guard at the mid-major level. Spiece Indy Heat coach Jared Quarles said Moore has offers from IPFW, Northwestern, Bowling Green and Indiana State, with interest from Michigan and Indiana.
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- Elmhurst (Ind.) forward Antonio Wilson holds offers from IPFW, Indiana State and Eastern Michigan, according to Quarles. Illinois State is showing interest.
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Related Articles for Subscribers:
- Nike EYBL Peach Jam – Day Three; featuring detailed recruiting updates on Nick Johnson, Goodluck Okonoboh, Shaquille Johnson, Patrick Holloway, Malcolm Barber, Martavious Newby, Omar Calhoun, George Fant, Domonique Bull, Andrew Chrabascz, Aaron Gordon, Langston Morris-Walker, Steve Taylor, Jabari Parker, Thomas Hamilton, Willie Wiley and Cameron Biedschied.
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Additional Nike Coverage:
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- Lebron James Skills Academy Recruiting Notes – Part II; featuring Amir Williams, Khem Birch, Deng Leek and Angelo Chol.
- Lebron James Skills Academy Recruiting Notes – Part I; featuring Jabarie Hinds, Ricardo Ledo, Ricardo Gathers, JaKarr Sampson, Branden Dawson, Archie Goodwin, Rodney Purvis, Trevor Lacey, Brandon Ashley, Ryan Anderson, Nick Faust and Anrio Adams.

All in all those 10 articles from the Live Recruiting period have recruiting updates on 90 DIFFERENT players as well as player evaluations on them and MANY more. This is in addition to our coverage from the Adidas Invitational, Hoop Group Elite Camp, King James Summer Showcase, NY2LA Sports Summer Jam, Super 16 Showcase and Hoop Group Summer Classic, all can be found by either logging-in or signing up for NBE Premium access by SUBSCRIBING (HERE) for as low as $2.08 a month with our annual introductory membership. Its a steal…HAPPY READING and there is MUCH, MUCH more to come!

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Sports fans should also visit StubHub.com – The Safe Way to Buy & Sell Tickets Online for tickets to any NCAA event or NBA, MLB, NHL game or UFC, WWE or concert tickets at an arena near you this spring.

NIKE EYBL PEACH JAM: DAY THREE

BY JEFF BORZELLO

NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. – If Tuesday was the day when the stars came out, with big-time performances from Mike Gilchrist, Anthony Davis, Austin Rivers, Marquis Teague and Brad Beal, Wednesday was the time to showcase some lesser-known talents from the class of 2012. There were only four sessions of U-17 games, with four sessions of U-16 contests. The playoffs also kicked off during the night session for each age group, with Team Takeover, BABC, St. Louis Eagles and Spiece – the group winners – advancing to play Metro Hawks, Team Final, Oakland Soldiers and Boo Williams, the runners-up in each group. In U-16, group winners Team Takeover, Georgia Stars, BABC and Memphis YOMCA squared off. With the night session featuring all playoff games, the semifinals in U-17 and finals in U-16 are set for tomorrow. Thursday will see Team Takeover take on Team Final and the St. Louis Eagles face Spiece in U-17 action, while BABC and Georgia Stars battle for the U-16 title.

You can log-in or sign up for NBE Premium access by SUBSCRIBING (HERE) for as low as $2.08 a month with our annual introductory membership to read more of our coverage from North Augusta (SC) and the Nike EYBL Peach Jam’s third day of action as 18 more players update NBE on their recruitment and additional player evals are posted. Also, any of our Premium Content Articles & Event Coverage is available to subscribers.

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NIKE EYBL PEACH JAM: DAY TWO

BY JEFF BORZELLO

NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. – The finals of the inaugural NIKE Elite Youth Basketball League at the NIKE Peach Jam continued on Tuesday, as the 24 teams battled to finish in the top two spots in each group, which are the only places to advance. By the end of the day, only two teams – Team Takeover DC and the Oakland Soldiers – were undefeated, but plenty of clubs were still in contention for a playoff berth. Surprisingly, the regular-season champs, the NJ Playaz, were only 2-2 through two days and are unlikely to advance. Howard Pulley and Each One Teach One, also pool winners, are both 1-3. The heated competition to finish in the top two led to a great day two of action.

There are evals of players such as Mikael Hopkins, Amir Williams, Kyle Anderson, Anthony Davis, George Fant, AJ Hammons, Jevon Thomas and more along with recruiting updates from Trey Burke, who lists a top three, Jarnell Stokes, James Robinson, Justin Anderson, Jerami Grant, Kevin Johnson, who has two leaders, and many, many more from Day Two of the Nike EYBL championship pool play.

Related article: Nike EYBL Peach Jam: Day One

You can log-in or sign up for NBE Premium access by SUBSCRIBING (HERE) for as low as $2.08 a month with our annual introductory membership to read more of our coverage from North Augusta (SC) and the Nike EYBL Peach Jam. Also, any of our Premium Content Articles & Event Coverage is available to subscribers.

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NIKE EYBL PEACH JAM: DAY ONE

BY JEFF BORZELLO

NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. – Annually, the best event of the summer is the NIKE Peach Jam – a collection of 24 of the best NIKE-sponsored AAU teams in one spot. This year, it took on added importance, as it was the culmination of a four-event tournament that spanned three months and four cities. The top 20 teams from the Elite Youth Basketball League in Hampton, Va., Houston and Los Angeles joined four wildcard teams and headed to the Riverview Park Activities Center in North Augusta, S.C. In other words, the best event got even better. Throw in a U-16 division with 16 of the best teams in the country, and the Peach Jam continued to stand above the rest. You can visit the Nike EYBL website for schedules, scores and boxscores from all the games Here.

Below is our look at some of the opening day standouts and some detailed recruiting lists and updates from many top players of note, which included a pair of future Big East players (Michael Carter-Williams and Tyrone Johnson) going for at least 40 points in one of their two contests and Joe Coleman of Howard Pulley racking up the points and gives NBE his latest recruiting update. As usual, nobody covers an event like Jeff Borzello and your favorite school is likely covered in a recruiting update below…worth the price of admission (3.95 a month or 24.95 a year).

You can log-in or sign up for NBE Premium access by SUBSCRIBING (HERE) for as low as $2.08 a month with our annual introductory membership to read more of our coverage from North Augusta (SC) and the Nike EYBL Peach Jam. Also, any of our Premium Content Articles & Event Coverage is available to subscribers.

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FINAL KING CITY CLASSIC PLAYER EVALS & UPDATES

BY JEFF BORZELLO

CLEVELAND – After a fairly lackluster experience at the LeBron James Skills Academy – aside from the hype of having James there, of course – the 75 or so players from that camp traveled about 40 minutes north to Cleveland State University for two days of tournament-style games. The players, broken into eight teams, competed in two games each before entering the playoffs. It was far easier to evaluate the prospects in the game-setting than it was in the drills and the controlled scrimmages.

While our attention is now squarely on the finals of the Nike Elite Yough Basketball League being played at the Peach Jam in North Augusta (SC), we take our final look back at last week’s King City Classic. Previously, in our King City Classic Update (Part A) we took a look at Big East commits such as Wayne Blackshear, Tyrone Johnson, Michael Carter-Williams and James Price and their performances when we were watching. In King Citty Classic Update (Part B) NBE updated notes on mega-prospect Anthony Davis as he discussed his three finalists, talked with LaQuinton Ross about offers and visits and spent time with Myles Davis as he discusses the new offer from ‘Nova and the impact of friend Tyrone Johnson committing to the Wildcats recently. Desmond Hubert, Myles Mack and Ben McLemore also chat about their recruiting. Earlier today in Part C of our King City Classic Recap we touched base with players such as Rodney Hood, Kedren Johnson, Bernard Silluvan, Cedric McAfee, Jahii Carson, LJ Rose, J-Mychal Reese, Trey McDonald and more.

In this last edition we take a look at Rodney Purvis, DaJuan Coleman, JaKarr Sampson, Nick Faust, Jabarie Hinds, Nick Johnson, jabari Brown, Anrio Adams, Kyle Wiltjer, Deng Leek and recruiting updates from Sam Thompson, Mike Shaw, Josiah Turner, Julian Royal, Alex Poythress, Victor Nickerson, Jelon Hornbeck and many, many more…

You can log-in or sign up for NBE Premium access by SUBSCRIBING (HERE) for as low as $2.08 a month with our annual introductory membership to read more of our coverage from Cleveland and the King City Classic. Also, any of our Premium Content Articles & Event Coverage is available to subscribers.

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KEEPING TALENT HOME A TOUGH SELL FOR NEW STAFFS IN NYC/NJ REGION

New staffs at Seton Hall, St. John’s and Rutgers working up hill to stem tide of talent flowing leaving local area

BY JEFF BORZELLO

CLEVELAND – Not surprisingly, one can easily make multiple all-star teams with a list of players from the New York/New Jersey area over the past few seasons.

Kemba Walker, Samardo Samuels, Lance Stephenson, Sylven Landesberg, Kyrie Irving – the list goes on and on.

However, in what has become something of a disturbing trend – for metro-area basketball junkies, at least – none of those players ended up at a New York or New Jersey college.

“The game is national and global for these guys,” said Dave Telep, National Recruiting Director for Scout.com. “Getting on a plane is nothing to kids in that area. [It’s a] tough area to recruit because everyone views it as open and neutral.”

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KING CITY CLASSIC EVALS & UPDATES (PART C)

by JEFF BORZELLO

CLEVELAND – After a fairly lackluster experience at the LeBron James Skills Academy – aside from the hype of having James there, of course – the 75 or so players from that camp traveled about 40 minutes north to Cleveland State University for two days of tournament-style games. The players, broken into eight teams, competed in two games each before entering the playoffs. It was far easier to evaluate the prospects in the game-setting than it was in the drills and the controlled scrimmages.

In our King City Classic Update (Part A) we took a look at Big East commits such as Wayne Blackshear, Tyrone Johnson, Michael Carter-Williams and James Price and their performances when we were watching. In King Citty Classic Update (Part B) NBE updated notes on mega-prospect Anthony Davis as he discussed his three finalists, talked with LaQuinton Ross about offers and visits and spent time with Myles Davis as he discusses the new offer from ‘Nova and the impact of friend Tyrone Johnson committing to the Wildcats recently. Desmond Hubert, Myles Mack and Ben McLemore also chat about their recruiting. Now we move into part C below and touch base with players such as Rodney Hood, Kedren Johnson, Bernard Silluvan, Cedric McAfee, Jahii Carson, LJ Rose, J-Mychal Reese, Trey McDonald and more…

You can log-in or sign up for NBE Premium access by SUBSCRIBING (HERE) for as low as $2.08 a month with our annual introductory membership to read more of our coverage from Cleveland and the King City Classic. Also, any of our Premium Content Articles & Event Coverage is available to subscribers.

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