Rhode Island Recruiting

2012 NATIONAL PREP SCHOOL INVITATIONAL — TOP PERFORMERS

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By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

Now that the National Prep School Invitational has come to close and I’ve had a few days to process all the basketball I watched it’s time to rank the performances from the weekend. Below are player rankings by class based on this past weekend’s performance only. These are not an overall opinion on these players but rather a snapshot based on how they played at Rhode Island College over the weekend. The top spot in 2012 came down to the nation’s two best big men and is a decision I agonized over before finalizing it.

Be sure to check out our daily coverage from a great weekend of hoops at the 2012 National Prep School Invitational:
’12 NPSI – Day Four Report
’12 NPSI – Day Three Report
’12 NPSI – Day Two Report
’12 NPSI – Day One Report

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2012 NATIONAL PREP SCHOOL INVITATIONAL — DAY FOUR

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By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

The first three days of the National Prep School Invitational were dominated by Steven Adams and his Notre Dame Prep squad. The 2012 big man from New Zealand erased any concerns after his foul-plagued showing at the Hoop Hall Classic and cemented his status as one of 2012’s top players. On Sunday it was time for another 2012 big man to steal the show and make his case for the #1 overall ranking in the senior class. With the gym buzzing and filled to a capacity that it saw at no other time all weekend the Tilton School and REDA (Ontario) took the floor at 1:30 PM. Nerlens Noel jumped center for the Tilton School sporting his trademark bright pink Nikes and his high top fade and put on the best show of the weekend.

Top Performance of the Day:

Nerlens Noel (Tilton 2012) – This was Noel’s first national appearance since announcing his intentions to graduate this year as a member of the 2012 class early Thursday morning. Providence fans packed the gym to see him as they made the cut of his seven final schools along with Kentucky, Syracuse, Connecticut, Florida, Georgetown and North Carolina. Dominance doesn’t even begin to describe the defensive effort put forth by Noel as he tallied 10 blocks to go along with countless more altered shots. It reached a point where REDA coaches could be heard screaming at their players who even attempted to challenge the big man as a shot in the lane against Noel was basically a turnover. Perhaps the most telling statistic of his dominance was on the scoreboard. Noel played the majority of the game’s first 29 minutes at which point REDA had only scored 19 points. At that time Nerlens went to the bench in a blowout victory and in the remaining 11 minutes REDA was able to put up 29 points. His defensive prowess is certainly nothing new but Sunday’s was a particularly stunning performance even by his high standards. Offensively Noel looked better than ever and as crazy as it sounds was literally playing point guard for his Tilton team during the 2nd half. He brought the ball up the floor every time and got his team into their offense sometimes breaking his man down off the dribble and other times running a play for someone else. I’m not suggesting that Noel is making a drastic position change but it was an indicator of how far along his ball handling and passing skills have come in the last year. Once only a defensive standout, Noel’s offense is catching up seemingly by the day.
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2012 NATIONAL PREP SCHOOL INVITATIONAL — DAY TWO

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By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

The second day of the National Prep School Invitational featured nine games with tips starting bright and early at 9 AM. Things started off a bit slowly with the first couple of early morning games featuring sluggish, turnover prone play. Then at 1:30 PM everything changed when Notre Dame Prep took the floor against Canarias Basketball Academy. That’s when a 7 foot monster put his stamp on this tournament and in doing so earned top billing for the day from me.

Top Performer of the Day:

Steven Adams (Notre Dame Prep 2012) – committed to Pittsburgh – Adams was great in his team’s game on Thursday and nearly earned the top spot in my recap. He was noticeably better on Friday. Adams is a massive human being standing 7 foot, 240 pounds. Unlike most people his size though; he is an excellent athlete showing lateral quickness and powerful burst off the floor. Every time he got within five feet of the rim on Friday the back board was in jeopardy of being torn down. Adams dunks with such power whether he has time to set himself or has to go up quickly on an offensive rebound. The scary thing about the big kiwi is that he’s only scratching the surface of his massive potential. He still doesn’t understand the consistent aggression and energy that he can play with and the impact it will have on his game. Adams shows it in flashes and has incredible success every time he does but once a coach makes him realize that’s needed every play his impact will be off the charts. I don’t think I’m overstating it when I say that Steven Adams belongs in the discussion with the newly re-classified Nerlens Noel and Shabazz Muhammad for top player in the 2012 class.
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BOSWORTH: NATIONAL PREP SCHOOL SHOWCASE WRAP-UP (TOP PERFORMERS)

By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

Now that the National Prep Showcase has concluded it’s time to take a moment and digest everything that I witnessed in New Haven this weekend. One thing that jumps out is that the talent level in New England is at an all time high. While many players are imports from other areas of the country a large part of rosters on New England prep times are made up of local talent. Most notably, Nerlens Noel in 2013 and Noah Vonleh in 2014 both have a chance to become the top player in their class nationwide. These two separated themselves from everyone else at this event both with their current production and with their long term potential.

Past those top two, Ricardo Ledo deserves more recognition for his performance on Friday night. Ledo’s ability to score has never been questioned but his intangibles and whether or not he is a winner have long been debated. Against La Jolla Prep he not only scored from everywhere on the floor but he proved to be the vocal leader of a talent rich South Kent team. He specifically seems to have taken on somewhat of a mentor role for talented junior Chris Thomas. According to South Kent head coach Kelvin Jefferson Ledo has been everything he could have asked for and more both on the floor and in the locker room. He has taken Thomas under his wing in a sense and has been an incredible positive influence. If this progression continues, Ed Cooley landed an even bigger star than already thought.
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2011 ORLANDO AAU UPDATE (PART 6): HOUSTON DEFENDERS TAKE 17U SHOWCASE TITLE

By Alex Schwartz

It was a busy day in Orlando on Wednesday as the 17U AAU Super Showcase came to a close. The Houston Defenders earned the crown with an impressive 55-45 victory over BABC. Class of 2013 twins Aaron and Andrew Harrison led the Defenders as Aaron scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while Andrew finished with eight points and 10 assists. Earlier in the afternoon the Defenders got past Team Takeover, rallying from a halftime deficit to advance to the championship game. For their part, BABC survived a stiff challenge in the semis from Hoop Heavan Elite out of NJ to advance to the televised championship game.

Now the full focus will shift to the AAU National Championships. The 16U is in full swing and the 17U championships are also getting going in pool play as well. Still plenty of basketball left these next four days as the second July live evaluation period closes out.

Below we have some additional player evaluations and recruiting information from yesterday’s action with a heavy concentration on the Houston Defenders (Derrick Griffin), Team Takeover (Jerami Grant), BABC (Jaylen Brantley, Jake Layman, Goodluck Okonoboh) and more (Bobby Portis)…

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LAS VEGAS AAU DAY 1 NOTEBOOK: JABARI PARKER SHINES, KRIS DUNN SPARKLES & MORE

By Raphielle Johnson

When a who’s who of the college coaching profession is on hand a show is expected. And 2013 prospect Jabari Parker provided that and then some in Mac Irvin Fire’s win over Worldwide Renegades in the evening session of the Las Vegas Fab 48 at Bishop Gorman. Parker showed off his vast array of skills in front of the likes of Dave Rose (BYU), Oliver Purnell (DePaul), Mike Krzyzewski (Duke), Bruce Weber (Illinois), Buzz Williams (Marquette) and Tom Izzo (Michigan State) among others.

Also playing well in the win for Mac Irvin were 2012 forward Steve Taylor and 2012 guards Aaric Armstead and Derrick Randolph. Taylor won’t be graded on the same level as Parker but make no mistake about it, the young man is skilled. Taylor showed off the ability to step out and attack the rim, doing a solid job of playing with contact and knocking down mid-range shots. Randolph, while he looks shorter than his listed height of 5’9”, is the kind of winning player that all successful teams tend to have.

Randolph was highly competitive at both ends of the floor, setting up teammates for easy baskets on quick drives to the basket and disrupting the Renegades defensively. Armstead may not have had the impact scoring-wise that some of the other players had, but he did the little things especially on the defensive end. And 2013 DePaul commit Billy Garrett Jr. proved to be a tough matchup due to his crafty handle and ability to knock down a variety of shots.
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2011 NIKE EYBL PEACH JAM REPORT (FINAL REPORT)

By Brian Bosworth

The single elimination playoffs got underway Thursday night at the Peach Jam with four quarterfinal match-ups. The run-and-gun acrobatic show of the Oakland Soldiers against Kyle “slow-mo” Anderson and his New Jersey Playaz Club was too much to pass up so that’s where I planted myself. “Slow-mo” gave a Herculean effort ending up just 1 rebound shy of a triple double but in the end the Soldiers athleticism was simply too much to overcome and they advanced to the semifinals. Players from both teams showcased their talents for the bevy of college coaches in attendance.

Dominic Artis (Oakland Soldiers/2012) – Artis is a short statured point guard who has been getting reviews this spring as potentially the best point that the West coast has to offer. His play in this game made it easy to see why. He drained deep three pointer after deep three pointer both of the catch and off the dribble finishing 6-9 from behind the arc. In addition Artis is quick and crafty with the ball constantly working his way into the paint and creating scoring chances for teammates. He served as the engine that made this high powered Soldiers offense go leading his team both vocally and with his play on the floor.

Kyle Anderson (Playaz Basketball Club/2012) – What more can be said about Kyle Anderson that hasn’t been said already? He was brilliant against every defender on the Soldiers roster. They threw bigger guys at him and he used his deadly crossover to get into the paint. They threw shorter, quicker defenders at him and he went down to the right block and went to work. It seemed like every player on the Oakland Soldiers got a chance at stopping Kyle Anderson and every one came away shaking their head. Scouts can critique Anderson’s foot speed all they want. He is a winning basketball player who with excel at any college he chooses thanks to his toughness, basketball IQ, and leadership.
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JASON BOSWELL, TARIQ CAREY ON THE MOVE; RECRUITING UPDATES

The summer time brings news daily on recruiting and also of high school players looking for new homes for the fall. Two players NBE plans to see quite a bit this summer have decided on new schools for the 2011-2012 school year.

Jason Boswell, a Class of 2013 forward out of New York City who will be on the AAU circuit this July with the Long Island Lightning program, has decided to leave St. Patrick’s of Elizabeth (NJ) and attend Trinity Catholic High School in Stamford (CT). At Trinity, Boswell will play for head coach Mike Walsh.

“Trinity Catholic has a strong academic program which offers great basketball opportunities,” Boswell said by text this morning. “My commute will be significantly reduced to approximately 30 minutes as oppsed to the two hours traveled each day to Elizabeth.”

The 6-foot-7, 182-pound rising junior told NBE just over a week ago that he has heard from Cincinnati, La Salle, Seton Hall, Rutgers, Miami, Xavier, Houston and Dayton shortly after the June 15th timeframe when college coaches were allowed to contact players in the Class of 2013. Boswell is looking forward to continuing his career on the basketball court at Trinity.
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RECRUITING NOTEBOOK: CLASS OF 2013 TAKES CENTER STAGE

While many of the top players in the Class of 2012 have convened on the University of Virginia campus for the NBA Players Association Top 100 camp this week, Wednesday also marked the first day colleges could place phone calls to players in the Class of 2013. The action is hot and heavy as colleges show their interest in players in the rising junior class and begin to map out their recruiting plans for the coming year. With the July evaluation period just around the corner, many of these players will now see coaches from the schools that touched base evaluating them on the court next.

Here are some of the highlights we have come across in our conversations with some of the recruits who have seen their phones ring often the last 48 hours:

WILL FERGUSON HAS TOP FIVE

Will Ferguson of Bishop O’Connell HS in Arlington (VA) has had a very good spring on the AAU trail since making the change to DC Assault. The 6-foot-2, 165 pound true point guard has the ability to score when need be, but has impressed onlookers at every stop on the circuit this spring with his ability to distribute the basketball. The word is out and is evident by the interest he has drawn from colleges in the early stages of this contact period.

Ferguson indicated he has heard from Pittsburgh, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Xavier, Penn, Miami and Georgia Tech pretty quickly once the calls began. Even though it is early, Ferguson has developed a list of top schools he is considering.
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TARIQ CAREY RECRUITMENT HOLDING STEADY

Tariq Carey, the Class of 2012 guard out of Newark (NJ) East Side High School, continues to fly under the radar as he heads into his final AAU season on the circuit. Playing for Gary Charles’ New York Panthers this summer could very well change that soon.

“I honestly feel he will finally get his just due this summer,” Troy Long told NBE’s Matt Whitfield late last week of Carey. “He has the grades and game of a Top 100 player, but everything happens for a reason. Once more people see him his stock will rise in my opinion.”

Long, an assistant coach at East Side High, handles the recruitment of Carey and other players in the Red Raiders’ program. He told NBE that Carey’s recruitment is holding steady, naming schools like Providence, Virginia, Notre Dame, UNC-Charlotte, Richmond and Rhode Island being active in the process with a few more schools from the Atlantic 10 also being involved. The previous staff at Penn State had invited Carey to their elite camp this summer and Long added that Richmond and Charlotte have also extended similar invitations.

“He just turned 17,” said Long. “He played great at Pitt[sburgh Jam Fest], he has upside and he’s proven he is on that level (Big East) and now he’s becoming more consistent…he’s excited about the upcoming live period.”

Before the live period NBE plans to get a good look at Carey at the upcoming Rumble in the Bronx. Last year at the Rumble Carey was regarded as one of the Top 10 players in the Class of 2012 NBE saw. Playing with the NJ Playaz last season, Carey showed a much-improved his all-around game as he hit several three-pointers, many of the knuckleball variety, which he struggled with in previous viewings. He also showed an ability to get into the lane and finish or distribute. Carey can score with contact at the rim. Defensively, he is very aggressive and is adept at racking up steals and starting fast breaks.

NBE looks forward to seeing Tariq Carey in action this summer. This under-the-radar recruit could be ready to plant himself firmly on the minds of high-major programs as they look for a do-everything guard in the Class of 2012.

EYBL – BOO WILLIAMS: PREP SCHOOL PROSPECTS SHINE ON AAU TRAIL

BY PAT STEVENS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This spring and summer Niang is playing with another high-profile program as he embarks on the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League with the Boston Amateur Basketball Club (BABC) on the AAU circuit, an experience he is greatly looking forward to.
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NEWARK (NJ) GUARD TARIQ CAREY POISED FOR BREAKOUT AAU SEASON

by MATT WHITFIELD

Still under the radar, but things could all change this summer for Tariq Carey, a junior (Class of 2012) guard from Newark Eastside.

“Tariq has a few things going on now that High School season is over,” said his Newark Eastside High School Coach Troy Long. “He’s playing with the NY Panthers and Gary Charles that should prepare him for college because he will be coached by Rafer Alston.”

While playing for a Newark Eastside team that went 18-9 this season, which included tough games against Findlay Prep and Seton Hall Prep, among others, Carey picked up some new interest on the recruiting front.

“This season he has picked up interest from UVA (Virginia), Richmond and Rhode Island. That goes along with Notre Dame, Creighton, Clemson and Duquesne. His recruitment should start to pick up once AAU season rolls around because now he will be on a high profile team and he will finally get seen like he should.”

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NEPSAC PLAYOFFS GET UNDERWAY TODAY

by PAT STEVENS

State tournaments around the country are in full swing in high school hoops and the same can be said for the powerful New England Prep School Athletic Conference (NEPSAC) as their championships get underway tonight at sites across New England. Pat Stevens will be at many of the games this week as well as next week’s 2011 National Prep Championship and will provide NBE with updates on the action as well as the latest recruiting news and notes throughout the two-week run of top events in New England.

Here is the NEPSAC Playoff brief on the AAA and AA classifications:

*CLASS AAA OPENING ROUND (All games at Endicott College)*

1-Brewster Academy (NH) vs. 8-Winchendon (MA)
4-Maine Central Institute (ME) vs. 5-Northfield Mount Hermon (MA)
3-New Hampton (NH) vs. 6-Bridgton Academy (ME)
2-St. Thomas More (CT) vs. 7-South Kent (CT)

*CLASS AA OPENING ROUND (Games at higher seed’s sites)*

1-Tilton (NH) vs. 8-Holderness (NH)
4-Cushing Academy (MA) vs. 5-Marianapolis (CT)
3-St. Andrew’s (RI) vs. 6-Vermont Academy (VT)
2-St. Mark’s (MA) vs. 7-Hotchkiss (CT)

Semi-finals are Friday, Championships on Sunday

CLASS OF 2011 TOP 100s:
6-5 CG Michael Carter-Williams of St. Andrew’s (Syracuse)
6-7 WF Jakarr Sampson of Brewster Academy (St. John’s)
6-7 WF Maurice Harkless of South Kent (St. John’s)
6-0 PG Naadir Tharpe of Brewster Academy (Kansas)

CLASS OF 2012 Top Talents:
Andre Drummond – St. Thomas More
Kaleb Tarczewski – St. Mark’s
and Class of 2013 seven-footer Nerlens Noel of Tilton

CLASS OF 2011 COLLEGE SIGNEES:
6-9 PF Markus Kennedy – Villanova/Brewster Academy
6-9 C Vince Van Nes – Fairfield/Northfield Mount Hermon
6-8 PF Derrick Randall – Rutgers/South Kent
6-8 CF Donnie Hale – Purdue/Bridgton Academy
6-8 PF Rafael Maia – Brown/Maine Central Institute
6-7 F Ousmane Drame – Quinnipiac/Marianapolis
6-7 WF Nick Paulos – UNC Greensboro/New Hampton
6-7 PF James Kennedy – Boston University/Cushing Academy
6-7 PF Imoh Silas – Siena/Holderness
6-7 WF Armani Cotton – Yale/Northfield Mount Hermon
6-6 WF Durand Johnson – Pittsburgh/Brewster Academy
6-6 PF Adam Jones – Fairfield/St. Thomas More
6-6 WF Max Hooper – Harvard/Brewster Academy
6-5 SF Khristian Smith – Indiana State/Maine Central Institute
6-5 SG John Golden – Dartmouth/Northfield Mount Hermon
6-4 PG Joe Sharkey – Brown/Northfield Mount Hermon
6-3 SG Ge-Lawn Guyn – Cincinnati/South Kent
6-3 SG Zach Chionuma – Boston University/Marianopolis
6-2 SG Joey Ptasinski – Lafayette/New Hampton
6-2 PG Aaron Cosby – Seton Hall/Northfield Mount Hermon
6-1 CG Jordan Laguerre – UMASS/New Hampton

And several unsigned division one talents including…
Eli Carter – Brewster Academy
Xavier Pollard – Winchendon
Olivier Hanlan – New Hampton
Damion Lee – St. Thomas More
Nemanja Djurisic – South Kent
Will Davis – New Hampton
Ryan Martin – Bridgton Academy
Daishon Knight – Maine Central Institute
Omari Grier – Maine Central Institute
Kyle Callanan – Cushing Academy

Plus 2012 verbally committed prospects…
6-9 PF Mike Tobey – Virginia/Hotchkiss
6-8 WF Alex Murphy – Duke/St. Mark’s
6-3 SG Eli Lubick – Colgate/St. Mark’s
6-0 PG Dominique Bull – Rhode Island/Tilton

And other top underclassmen…
Zach Auguste – New Hampton
Kareem Canty – Bridgton Academy
Evan Cummins – Northfield Mount Hermon
Georges Niang – Tilton
Goodluck Okonoboh – Tilton
Wayne Selden (2014) – Tilton
Nik Stauskas – St. Mark’s
Kevin Zabo (2014) – St. Mark’s
Clyde Smith – Hotchkiss
Andrew Chrabascz – Cushing Academy

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2012 ZACH AUGUSTE RISING UP RECRUITING LISTS

It did not take long at the National Prep Showcase in November to see that New Hampton Prep junior big man Zach Auguste was a player to watch closely in the Class of 2012. While his name was not well known among fans and recruitniks, college coaches had the long and lean lefty on their minds. Auguste used 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. One play in particular, a nasty baseline dunk, showed the immense potential Auguste has.

Already with five scholarship offers from BIG EAST, Big 10 and ACC programs, along with plenty of serious interest from others in those conferences as well as the Big 12, SEC and Atalntic 10, it is easy to see that Zach Auguste is a player quickly moving up the ranks in the Class of 2012.

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 about Auguste as he discusses his development, recruitment and more with NBE. 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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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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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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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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