Rhode Island Recruiting

NEW YEAR’S JUMP-OFF EVENT RECAP

by Alex Schwartz

HACKENSACK, N.J. – Eight teams made their way to Hackensack (NJ) High School on Sunday for the New Year’s Jump-Off. The quartet of games featured only teams from the Garden State, but there was a great deal of talent on display, including a few players headed to high-major programs.

TOP PERFORMER

Reggie Cameron of Hudson Catholic is the easy choice of who turned in the day’s best performance. The 6-foot-8 small forward dropped 30 points and may well have had more if he shot more the fourth quarter had the game been close. Cameron, ranked No. 62 in the NBE Sports Class of 2013 Post-July Top 125, also grabbed 12 rebounds, distributed the ball well and made his presence felt on defense. A big-time shooter from long range, the future Georgetown Hoya really had his shot going in this game. He has such a smooth stroke and possesses the size to get it off over most defenders. Cameron also scored from midrange and at the rim. The senior even displayed the ability to play the point, which is something he has not really done before. He blocked shots, found open teammates for buckets and was the best low post player in the game, despite being a three man. Cameron led his team to a 70-53 victory over Pope John XXIII and put on in absolute show in his home city of Hackensack.

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ORLANDO AAU REPORT – WEDNESDAY

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by Alex Schwartz

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — The third and final Live Evaluation Period of July got underway on Wednesday and NBE Sports was present at the ESPN Wide World of Sports for the 11th Grade AAU Nationals. Although due to the new July format there are not quite as many talented teams in action, there are still numerous quality squads in the event. There were several players who stood out on the first day of the tournament.

TOP PERFORMERS

Derrick Griffin is an absolutely elite level athlete with truly incredible leaping ability. A 6’6 power forward from Terry (TX), Griffin is a 2013 prospect who has committed to Texas A&M as a football player. A member of the Houston Defenders, Griffin put on an absolute show in the squad’s nationally televised game on Wednesday night. He as a great body, pretty good length and is both strong and powerful. He threw down a number of very impressive, crowd pleasing dunks and also swatted shots at the other end of the floor. Griffin rebounds the ball well and is an effective interior presence despite his relative lack of height. He is an exciting player to watch and he will have a nice career on the hardwood in the SEC if he plays both sports.
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‘LIVE IN AC’ REPORT – DAY I

By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

While “Live in AC” is only in its inaugural year that didn’t stop New Jersey Playaz director Jimmy Salmon from putting together quite an impressive field of talent. I’ll be camped out at the main Stockton College site throughout the tournament which features most of the 17U action with some of the younger guys sprinkled in. Here’s who caught my eye on Wednesday night.

Top Performance of the Day:

Rysheed Jordan (Philly Pride 2013) – An electric scoring combo guard, Jordan played in two games on Wednesday night and was the best player on the floor in both including a matchup with Team Final that featured a bunch of high major talent. While Jordan refers to himself as a combo guard it’s his ability at the point that stands out to me. He has unique athleticism for someone running the show and is able to use his physical advantages to explode past defenders and work his way into the paint. Jordan is best in the open floor when his physical tools can shine and his vision in high paced action also stands out. He has a great feel for the action in an up and down game and has a way of gliding through traffic and creating angles with his speed. In half court sets, Jordan punished defenders for playing off him by knocking down deep jumpers and then blew past them when they tried to press up on him. His decision making and knowledge of how to efficiently run a team still need work but Jordan’s physical tools already make him a high major priority.
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2012 PEACH JAM REPORT – DAY III (PART B)

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By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

Friday afternoon in North Augusta brought 16U pool play at the Peach Jam along with a quick stop at the Nike Invitational. Here’s who managed to standout while NBE was watching.

Top Performer of the Afternoon:

Obi Enechionyia (Team Takeover 2014) – At 6’8”, the athletic forward showed off both an inside and outside scoring package. He flashed major bounce around the rim with a few ferocious dunks along with swatting away countless attempts at his own basket. While his work in the paint alone would have made Enechionyia a very intriguing prospect, he was also able to step out and make jump shots past the college 3-point line. The combination of owning the paint and being able to draw big men away from the rim by spacing the floor make it easy to project Enechionyia at the high major level for his college future. He needs to continue refining his ball handling and overall skill package and frankly could end up playing on the wing if his skills improve quickly enough.
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2012 NY2LA UNDER ARMOUR SUMMER JAM RECAP – PART III

By N.D. Kendrick

Mequon, WI – Friday was filled with overtime games and wild action at the NY2LA Under Armour Summer Jam. NBE was on hand to witness some fantastic action and more stellar play. Provided is who stood out the most.

Top Performer of the Day

Derek Griffin (Houston Defenders 17s) – The Texas A&M football commit was the star amongst stars on Friday. Despite not putting up jaw-dropping numbers, Griffin was the definitely the most noticeable player. He had at least 5 highlight film dunks and raised his hand for an alley-oop on just about every possession. He may not every play a minute of college basketball but if he did ever decide to lace up his sneakers on the hardwood, he would be one of the more exciting forward prospects to play in some time. He is a shot blocking, rebound snagging specialist. He does not understand what he can do on the court and is offensive package is limited to lobs and putbacks. Despite his limited offensive arsenal, the kid is an amazing watch.
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2012 PEACH JAM REPORT – DAY III (PART A)

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By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

With pool play in full swing, Friday at the Peach Jam featured high profile games with star power all over the place. The morning set of games was highlighted by a standout point guard who doesn’t always receive the recognition he deserves.

Top Performer of the Morning:

Rene Castro (BABC 2013) – BABC trailed by as many as 16 points in the second half of a morning game against Wisconsin Playground but Castro simply refused to lose. He showed incredible toughness in keeping his team together and attacking the rim relentlessly to fuel a comeback. While more effective off the dribble, Castro also made perimeter shots on his way to 10-14 shooting for 24 points. The numbers he put up and shots he made were impressive but it was the intangibles that stuck out to me. Castro’s ferocity and intensity only got stronger with his team behind and the entire BABC squad seemed inspired by their leader. He acknowledged after the game that with the team shorthanded here at Peach Jam (Wayne Selden and Goodluck Okonoboh didn’t make the trip) it was his responsibility to step up and be more of a scorer. Castro played that role brilliantly and showed the character and winning ways that are such strengths of his.
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REEBOK SHOWDOWN CHAMPIONSHIP RECAP – SUNDAY

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By Alex Schwartz

PHILADELPHIA – The first Live session of July came to an end yesterday evening, and NBE Sports was once again at Philadelphia University for the Reebok Showdown Series Championship. This time it was championship day of the event and it was Sports U that stole the show, beating the Jersey Shore Warriors, 82-74 in OT, to win the U16 division and then coming back to beat the Arkansas Hawks, 59-56, in the Showdown Division. Additionally, the NJ Cyclones knock off Team Nelson for the U17 crown.

TOP PERFORMER

DeAndre Bembry turned in a big-time performance in the championship game of the Showdown Division. The 6’6 combo forward from St. Patrick’s (NJ) was easily the contest’s top scorer, pouring in 24 points and was the only player on Sports U to finish in double-digits. Bembry, a class of 2013 prospect, is a superb slasher who makes his mark by getting to the rim off the bounce and finishing. He has a good body and is a big-time athlete. In the championship game he showed off some range, connecting on a 3-pointer at one point. Bembry rebounds the rock well, runs the floor well and simply produces.

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JOSH BROWN CONTINUES TO SEE EXPANDING RECRUITMENT

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by Alex Schwartz

PHILADELPHIA – For about eight months it looked like the college future for Josh Brown was all set as the 6-foot-3 point guard was committed to the Temple Owls.

However, he reopened his recruitment last month and, as NBE Sports learned from talking to him at the Reebok Showdown Championship, he now has an extensive list of suitors.

In fact, Brown, who attends St. Anthony’s (NJ), has so many schools pursuing him now that he called over his Sports U coach, Eric Harrield, to help him remember them all.

According to Brown and his coach, the schools to extend offers are Read more

2012 LEBRON JAMES SKILLS ACADEMY RECAP – SATURDAY

Contrast in communication sticks out

by Raphielle Johnson

The LeBron James Skills Academy, and other events like it, provide scouts and media with the opportunity to watch both collegiate and high school players work out in an instructional environment.

The final leg of Nike’s skills academy series, the LeBron camp features 24 college and 93 high school basketball players.

One area that has displayed a stark contrast between the two groups through two days has been on-court communication.

While the college players, be it in drills or in scrimmage situations, consistently communicate with each other the same can’t be said for the the high school stars.

This isn’t incredibly surprising, but if anything the need for instructors to consistently remind the high school players of the importance of on-court communication underlines a major difference between the two levels.

An action as simple as calling out a screen for a teammate may not seem like a big deal, and in many instances pure athletic skill trumps the intangibles when evaluating young talent.

But those “little things” can ultimately be the difference between simply having a shot at being a pro and being able to make an impact as one. This will be something to keep an eye on as the high school players begin scrimmage play on Sunday afternoon.

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ELITE 75 REVIEW – PART II (MASS RIVALS & BABC EDITION)

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By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

Mass Rivals is another of New England’s dominant AAU programs that was well represented at the Elite 75. Kaleb Joseph (2014 PG), Dmitri Floras (2014 PG), Idris Taqqee (2014 SG), Tyonne Malone (2016 SF) and Josh Sharma (2015 F) all suited up and were joined by injured stars Noah Vonleh (2014 F, ankle) and Jeremy Miller (2015 F, concussion.) Both Vonleh and Miller told me they expect to be healthy and ready to go for the kickoff of the July live period at the Adidas Invitational in Indianapolis. Chris Baldwin (2015 F) was also invited to the event but stayed home to nurse a sore back.

Of the Mass Rivals guys in attendance Kaleb Joseph had the best day attacking the basket in early drills and getting everyone else involved once five-on-five action got going. He caught up with NBE before things started to discuss his expanding recruitment. Read more

ELITE 75 REVIEW – PART I (EXPRESSIONS ELITE VERSION)

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By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

The Elite 75 took place on the campus of Umass-Lowell on Friday afternoon bringing together the top talent New England has to offer. All of the area’s top AAU programs were represented including, but not limited t,o Expressions Elite, BABC, NE Playaz, Mass Rivals, CBC and the NY Lightning. I had the chance to catch up with players from all of those programs regarding their recruitment since the unlimited contact period started on June 15th. Starting with Expressions Elite, NBE Basketball will be profiling players from each of these six programs over the next few days.

Expressions Elite was well represented at this year’s Elite 75 led by arguably the top 2 performers at the entire event in Jared Terrell (2014 SG) and Abdul-Malik Abu (2014 PF). Both were dominant in early skill development as well as full court 5 on 5 game action. Before getting started on their stand out days, both stars caught up with NBE regarding their burgeoning recruitment.
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RECRUITING NOTEBOOK: (SAM SINGER, TERRENCE SAMUEL & JOSH BROWN)

Clearing out the notebook from some recent updates we have gathered from players in the Class of 2013. We have updates below on Josh Brown, the Sports U/St. Anthony’s (NJ) point guard that recently de-committed from Temple, Terrence Samuel, a NYC point guard who has been hearing the most for a couple schools since June 15th and Sam Singer, a scoring guard out of Florida who has a long list of schools looking to track him this summer.

Read on below for the lastest on each…

JOSH BROWN COLLECTING OFFERS

When news circulated that Josh Brown was backing off his verbal commitment to Temple which he made last Fall, we knew it wouldn’t be long before his recruitment started to take off. Brown had been very impressive every time NBE saw him during the season at St. Anthony’s as well as on the spring AAU period with Sports U. When we caught up with Brown yesterday he shared with us the schools that have been in contact with him since his decommitment, which also coincided with the June 15th opening of the unlimited contact period.

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JOSH BROWN RE-OPENS RECRUITMENT; SCHOOLS ALREADY MAKING THEIR PITCH

It came to a surprise of many yesterday when word spread that Josh Brown had decided to re-open his recruitment and back off of the verbal commitment he gave to Temple last fall. Brown had told many in the last year, even before committing to the Owls that they were his dream school.

Brown is a 6-foot-3, 190-pound point guard that plays for legendary coach Bob Hurley at St. Anthony’s in Jersey (NJ) City. On the AAU trail he has been impressive with Sports U, leading the team to the Rumble in the Bronx championship last weekend over rivals the NJ Playaz. Here is what NBE National Recruiting Analyst Brian Bosworth had to say on Brown last weekend:

Every time I watch Brown play I’m more amazed that Temple was able to steal him away from the traditional Big East powers. He has been transitioning to the point over the past year after spending his youth on the wing and the process appears almost complete. A great decision maker and leader with elite athleticism to back it up, Brown is a top 50 player nationally that no one is talking about.

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BIG SUMMER AHEAD FOR ANDREW CHRABASCZ WITH BABC

Andrew Chrabascz, a 6-foot-7 forward weighing 235 pounds out of Cushing Academy in Massachusetts, enters the summer AAU and camp season with plenty of eyes on him. Top mid-major programs galore have been recruiting Chrabascz and will hold their breath as he hits the AAU trail with powerful BABC for the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League championships at the Peach Jam and end of July events in Orlando (FL). High major programs continue to track the multi-faceted game of Chrabascz, who is a skilled power forward.

One thing is certain, Chrabascz will produce. He is almost like a Georges Niang-lite, whose production last year with BABC on the AAU trail pushed his recruitment from the mid-major range to a schoalrship to Iowa State with plenty of other programs in hot pursuit when he made his decision. On the Oakland leg of the EYBL regular season, Chrabascz showed he is continuing to work towards being an effective face-up 4, and his shooting out to 17 feet or so is worthy of such a position. He was also willing to go inside and mix it up, effectively working on the glass at both ends and also finishing in traffic.
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2012 RUMBLE IN THE BRONX RECAP (PART III)

By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

The Rumble in the Bronx came to a close on Championship Sunday with winners being crowned in the 15U, 16U, and 17U divisions. The NJ Playaz took down the 15U crown, Team Scan the 16U, and Sports U was named 17U champions after a thrilling triple overtime win over arch rival NJ Playaz. I was camped out at John Jay College on Sunday which featured some early 16U playoff action followed by 17U semifinals and finals. While Sports U used a balanced attack en route to the championship, the Playaz had the day’s best performer in the losing effort.

Top Performance of the Day:

Shane Rector (NJ Playaz 2013) – As mentioned the Playaz lost a heartbreaker to Sports U in the championship game but Rector was a dominant force individually throughout the day on his team’s path to that game. His improvement over the past 12 months has been fun to watch and speaks to Rector’s tireless work ethic. A year ago at the Rumble I wrote about Shane after he scored 25 or so points without taking a shot outside of 4 feet. His game used to be all to the rim with little to no outside shot in his arsenal. Fast forward a year and the 3 point shot has become a major weapon for Rector as defenders can no longer go under the screen without being punished. He has also improved drastically as a floor general running a team and being a leader. No longer just an athletic combo guard, Rector has successfully made the transition to a full time point and his recruitment should soon reap the benefits.

NBE’s Alex Schwartz was able to catch up with Rector Friday night, along with Saturday’s Top Performer Dayshon Smith, to get the latest on the recruitment of two of the spring’s fastest rising guards, not only out of NYC, but in the nation: NYC Guards Shane Rector & Dayshon Smith See Recruitment Rise.
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REEBOK SHOWDOWN SERIES – PHILADELPHIA (SUNDAY RECAP)

by Alex Schwartz

PHILADELPHIA – There were only a few game sets at the Philadelphia Reebok Showdown Series on Sunday, the final day of the event. As was the case on Day One, NBE Sports was there to catch some impressive performances and collect a few school lists.

TOP PERFORMER

Lamar Kimble: While he did not enter the weekend as the most well-known player on the Team Final Blue 15s, there is no question that Kimble was the squad’s best performer in Philly. The 5’11 point guard out of Neumann-Goretti (PA) led the team to the title in the U16 age division. A true floor general who plays under control, Kimble handles the ball extremely well does a great job of distributing it. He has superb vision and is adept at finding the open man. Kimble has a nice spin move that he uses to get to the rack and he knows how to finish once there. Not a flashy player, Kimble just produces and gets things done on the court. He had a team-high 20 points in the championship game.

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REEBOK SHOWDOWN SERIES – PHILADELPHIA (SATURDAY RECAP)

By Alex Schwartz

PHILADELPHIA – In its inaugural year, the Reebok Showdown Series has managed to attract some quality teams. In fact, the field at the Philadelphia event this weekend is one of the best of any tournament in the month of June. NBE Sports was on hand for much of the day on Saturday and had the chance to take in some impressive performances and talk with some talented prospects.

TOP PERFORMER

Rondae Jefferson: One of the top players in the class of 2013 on a national level, the Chester (PA) star was at his absolute best on Saturday afternoon. Versatile enough to play three positions, the 6’6 Jefferson is best suited as a small forward who can be a secondary ball handler and also provide aid down low. With Jaren Sina not present for Team Final, Jefferson actually played a lot of point guard in this affair and was fantastic in doing so. He has a great feel for the game, sees the floor quite well and knows how to hit the open man. Possessing a great build, quality athleticism and nice strength, Jefferson is also impressive from a physical standpoint. The younger brother of Temple’s Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson, Rondae has an impressive skill set, gets to the cup with ease and can really score it. He continues to improve his game and does not seem to be done making progress.

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NIKE EYBL – OAKLAND (SUNDAY RECAP)

Parker vs. Randle highlights day

By Raphielle Johnson

Nike saved the “best” for its final regular season session of Nike EYBL, with the top two players in the class of 2013 facing off on Sunday afternoon. Jabari Parker and Mac Irvin Fire went toe-to-toe with Julius Randle and the Texas Titans, but a furious second half rally for the Chicago-based team fell just short. Behind 23 points and 13 rebounds from Randle and Matt Jones adding 19 and eight rebounds, the Titans won 63-59 to move into a tie for third in Division C with Mac Irvin.

That was a big win for the Titans from a Peach Jam standpoint as well, as the result guaranteed them a berth in the 24-team tournament to be held in July. A loss would have dropped them into a three-way tie with CPE and E1T1 Elite, and while all three would most likely advance (four at-larges join the top five in each division) it’s better to simply take care of business yourself instead of relying on help.

Jones had the assignment of guarding Parker in the first half while Jackson Forbes helped out in the second, and the nation’s top-ranked player seemed to settle for perimeter jumpers a bit too much. But he did guard Randle on the other end in the first half, and to be frank both seemed to be pressing in the first 16 minutes. But Randle’s teammates, most notable Jones, came up big as they led by as many as 18 in the first half.

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TERRENCE SAMUEL PLANNING TO VISIT UCONN, PITT SOON

Terrence Samuel has quietly been establishing himself as one of the elite point guards in the Class of 2013. After impressing NBE earlier this spring at the NJ Playaz Spring Fling and the Hoop Group’s Pittsburgh Jam Fest with the New Rens 17U AAU squad, Samuel will try and make his mark in a new environment this coming weekend playing for NY Lightning in the fourth and final preliminary leg of the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League. it is not a permanent change for Samuel, just looking to get a different experience.

“Yeah I will be in Oakland with them,” Samuel told NBE of playing with NY Lightning this coming weekend. “I’m with New Rens. I’m just getting some experience on the Nike circuit, only temporarily.”
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NIKE EYBL SESSION #2 – BOO WILLIAMS (DAY III)

By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

The Boo Williams Invitational wrapped up on Sunday and with it concluded the second session of Nike’s EYBL circuit. Unlike the majority of AAU tournaments Sunday is not playoff day at Boo Williams but rather just continued EYBL regular season play as all 40 teams are competing for spots in July’s Peach Jam. Star performances showed up in droves just as they had on the first two days. Below are a sampling of the best showings NBE has the pleasure of viewing.

Top Performance of the Day:

Kameron Williams (Baltimore Elite 2013) – Despite being undersized for the shooting guard position at 6’2”, 170 pounds Williams is an elite scorer. His most dangerous weapon is the jump shot but labeling him as “just a shooter” is rather short sighted. Players who are strictly shooters rely on others to create open shots for them but Williams is more than capable of creating his own looks. He’s smart enough to know that at his size challenging the trees in the paint is a low percentage shot whereas his jump shot is very efficient. Williams makes deep three balls off the dribble or the catch but is most effective using 2-3 dribbles to create space and then burying midrange shots. In an afternoon comeback victory over King James Shooting Stars he put on a scoring clinic going for 30 points on 11-18 shooting including 5 triples. I honestly don’t recall him missing a shot in the entire second half as his Baltimore Elite squad made their furious comeback. Kam Williams is a scoring machine and not enough high major programs have looked past his lack of elite size to realize that yet.

Alex Schwartz caught up with Williams on Friday night as the Red Hot Williams is Picking Up Recruiting Interest and he proved once again this weekend that more high majors should be in pursuit.
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