Xavier Recruiting

BASKETBALL RECRUITING NOTEBOOK: FIVE-STAR CAMP NOTES

On Sunday Matt Whitfield of NBE ventured to Brewster (NY) for the invite-only Five-Star Super Session at the Brewster Sports Center. Top rising sophomores, juniors and seniors from the Northeast and a few high-level “out-of-towners” participated in the two-day camp which concluded with an Orange/White All-Star game Sunday afternoon.

In addition to games and skill instruction with Five-Star’s innovative and historic teaching stations, the mental aspect of the game and success was also covered as campers spent three-sessions with sports psychologist and performance coach Dr. Pam Brill who authored the book, The Winner’s Way. Dr. Brill covered strategies to players that will help them reduce mental clutter, frustration with teamates and coaches and how to perform under pressure.

In this recruiting notebook, players such as DeAngelo Harrsion (2011), Tyler Harris (2011), Myles Davis (2011?), Vaughn Gray (2011), Mike Young (2013), Jabarie Hinds (2011), Shaquille Thomas (2011) and Reggie Cameron (2013) talk about recruiting, offers, visits 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 the recruiting notes on all of those players. Also, any of our Premium Content Articles & Event Coverage is available to subscribers.

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BIG EAST NEWS & NOTES (8/27/2010)

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Friday edition of the Big East Basketball News & Notes has some bad news for Louisville as, not one, but two Cards expected to make big impacts this season will not be with the team due to academic shortcomings. At Cincinnati, Dion Dixon looks to turn over the page from last season’s bad memory at Madison Square Garden. Also, Rutgers and Providence add new verbal commitments. Rutgers’ efforts in NYC continues as they host another highly touted player for an unoffcial visit and are getting closer to another big man commit. The transfer of jakarr Sampson has his former high school coach annoyed with an in-state college program.

Read on below for all of the latest News & Notes around the Big East basketball conference. 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.

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UPDATE ON NJ SHOOTING GUARD MYLES DAVIS

NJ shooting guard still deciding on school and class, names leaders in recruitment

One of the most talked about recrutiing situations in the Northeast this summer has been the status of Myles Davis, a 6-foot-2, 190-lb shooting guard who ranks among the best long range shooters in the class of 2011. Davis has been contemplating moving to a new school and reclassifying to the class of 2012 for several months now. Most sources have him pegged for Notre Dame Prep this fall and moving to the class of 2012. He has also considered leaving St. Peter’s Prep in Jersey City (NJ) for Montrose Christian where close friend, and Villanova-commit, Tyrone Johnson is headed this fall. While his decision is not final, Davis checks in with NBE to update his impending decision, talk about the summer on the AAU scene with the NJ Playaz and update his recruitment, where he names the four schools currently leading in that area.

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 our update on Myles Davis. Also, any of our Premium Content Articles & Event Coverage is available to subscribers.

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BIG EAST NEWS & NOTES (8/2/2010)

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Its been quite a month of July for players, coaches, scouts and writers alike, criss-crossing the country on the AAU basketball and elite camp tour. Not it is time to settle back into the normal routine and the calendar has flipped to August and, believe it or not, school is right around the corner!

So, as we work on some site maintenance today, updating of team rosters and long overdue recruiting database updates and team page overhauls, here are some of the latest News & Notes from around the Big East that have been kicking around the web the last several days. The big news is an important commitment earned by the new Rutgers staff over the weekend. We also catch up with Pitt on their tour of Ireland and some notes from South Florida as the Bulls ready to become Team USA in international competition in Brazil. Of course, there is plenty of recruiting information as well, with Anthony Davis, JaKarr Sampson, Eli Carter and more updated below. Plenty of news and notes to chew on for Big East fans and more…

Read on below for all of the latest News & Notes around the Big East basketball conference. 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.

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ORLANDO AAU UPDATE: PART VII (KADEEM JACK CUTTING LIST SOON)

The action in Orlando countinued strong on Thursday as they are now down to the final 32 teams for the 17-U AAU National championship and the championship game in the 16-U age group is set for Friday afternoon.

In the 16-U championship bracket, it will be BABC Sophs, led by the defensive prowess of Nerlens Noel taking on All-Ohio Red at 4 PM on the main court at the ESPN Wild World of Sports Complex. BABC got past Rising Stars Gold, 48-35, to earn their spot in the championship. With Noel acting as a goalie and blocking anything that comes near him, BABC has allowed just 36 points a game this week in Orlando. Georges Niang has also been outstanding and complimenting Noel inside, especially on the offensive end of the floor.

All-Ohio Red got past Arkansas Wings, 80-62, to advance to the championship game, which is a rematch of the 16-U AAU Super Showcase semifinal from earlier here in Orlando. That game was won by the boys from the Buckeye state, 47-42, but BABC will have Noel this time.

Alex Schwartz continues to gather updates from Orlando and and 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 the coverage from Orlando as he details the performance of Omar Calhoun, Evan Nolte, Tavon Sledge, Kareem Canty and Tyquan Goard with detailed recruiting updates on Kadeem Jack, who is set to cut his list and one long-standing team is no longer in consideration, Chris Martin and Goard, all detailed below. Also, any of our Premium Content Articles & Event Coverage is available to subscribers.

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ORLANDO AAU UPDATE: PART III

The 17-U Super Showcase is down to their final eight in the Gold Bracket after Sunday night’s action. The quarterfinals tip off on Monday morning with the St. Louis Eagles taking on Long Island Lightning and Team Takeover facing Team Next (NYC) at 9:25 AM with the winners meeting in the semifinals at 3 PM. The other half of the bracket features the Georgia Blazers and Showtime Ballers in one match-up at 10:50 AM with Each 1 Teach 1 and Westchester Hawks (who did beat the SYF Players) meeting in the other quarterfinal and the winners collide at 4:30 in the other semifinal at the Milkhouse

Earlier today the 16-U Super showcase winner was crowned as Baltimore Elite edged All-Ohio Red, 58-57, in the Gold Bracket championship game. In the Sliver Bracket it was the Martin Brothers taking the title game over Each 1 Teach 1.

Alex Schwartz again checks in from Orlando and 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 Orlando as we run down the impressive performances of Austin Rivers, Shane Larkin, Branden Dawson, Victor Nickerson and J-Mychal Reese and update the recruitment of Tony Parker, Elijah Macon, Dawson and Aaron Thomas, all of which is covered below in detail. Also, any of our Premium Content Articles & Event Coverage is available to subscribers.

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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.
- Peach Jam Recruiting Updates; featuring Egi Gjikondi, Josh Richardson, Darrick Wood and Phile Greene.
- Nike EYBL Peach Jam – Day Two; featuring Trey Burke, Shag Bogo, Steve Mondu-Missi, Jarnell Stokes, Jordan Granger, Rene Castro, James Robinson, Siyani Chambers, Justin Anderson, Jerami Grant and Kevin Johnson.
- Nike EYBL Peach Jam – Day One; featuring Malcolm Brogdon, Joe Coleman, Roquez Johnson, Cimmeon Bowers, Arnaud Adala-Moto, Richard Longrus, Stevie Clark, Justin Jackson, Ricky Tarrant, Roshcon Prince, Austin Colbert, Troy Williams, Kiwi Gardner, Rashaun Suarez and Chris Bryant.

Additional Nike Coverage:
- Final King City Classic Player Evals & Updates; featuring Gary Harris, Victor Nickerson, Alex Poythress, Sam Thompson, Josiah Turner, Mike Shaw, Dai-Jon Parker, Julian Royal, Toddrick Gotcher, Jelon Hornbeck and Dominique Pointer.
- King City Classic Evals & Updates – Part C; featuring Rodney Hood, Kedren Johnson, Bernard Sullivan, Cedrick McAfee, Jahii Carson, LJ Rose, Trey McDonald and J-Mychal Reese.
- King City Classic Evals & Updates – Part B; featuring LaQuinton Ross, Anthony Davis, Myles Davis, Myles Mack, Desmond Hubert and Ben McLemore.
- Recruitment of Rakeem Christmas & DaJuan Coleman ‘Open’
- 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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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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ELI CARTER & DURAND JOHNSON PICKING UP OFFERS

Former Jersey City St. Anthony’s guard Eli Carter is now officially back on the market. After originally signing a letter of intent with St. Bonaventure, Carter is taking an extra prep season and re-opening his recruitment. His release from the LOI is now official and Carter is allowed to be recruited once again.

“These are the schools recruiting me, in no order, Texas A&M, Cincinnati, Rutgers, St. Joseph’s, Oregon State, Iowa, Iowa State, Penn State, Virginia, Charlotte [and] Creighton,” Carter told NBE’s Matt Whitfield earlier this evening by text. “Rutgers and St. Joseph’s have offered, not sure about the other schools yet.”

Carter played for the legendary Bob Hurley at St. Anthony’s in high school and will be with another powerful program in his prep season as he will attend Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro (NH) next season.

“I want to work on pretty much every aspect of my game (be)cause all of it needs work,” said Carter when asked what he hopes to improve in his game in the extra season.
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Durand Johnson has been asking for more exposure and is looking forward to playing in front of some of the national talent evaluators this month. While Cecil Kirk has not been as prominent on the AAU scene as some of the other power programs, Johnson is hoping to finish off July with a strong showing. There will likely be plenty of interested eyes on him as he closes the first July live period at the Hoop Group’s West Virginia Jam Fest in Morgantown (WV) and then travels to Orlando in the second July live period.

NBE got a chance to see him at the Hoop Group Elite Camp in Reading (PA) and the Hoop Group Summer Classic in Neptune (NJ) last week and it was quite noticeable that college coaches were coming by to get a look at him and it looks like the liked what they saw.

“Yeah, I got an offer from Cincinnati and Providence and St. John’s,” Johnson told Matt Whitfield by text last night.

Johnson’s 9 AM game last Sunday in Neptune (NJ) brought out an impressive group of coaches as Mike Rice (Rutgers), Seton Hall assistant Dan McHale, later joined by Kevin Willard, Pat Skerry of Pitt, Ron Sanchez of Virginia and the duo of Steve Lavin and Tony Chiles of St. John’s were there to see him play.

Johnson also lists offers from Pittsburgh, Marquette, Seton Hall, DePaul, Virginia Tech, Xavier, Maryland and Rutgers with interest from schools such as Connecticut and West Virginia
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SUPER 16 SHOWCASE NOTES

by RICHARD KENT

The event was held at the brand new TD Banknorth Arena on the campus of Quinnipiac University. Quinnipiac’s head coach Tom Moore, formerly an assistant at UConn, was like a proud poppa in the stands, watching some of the top talent in the country eye his digs.

Probably the best player on display was former Providence-commit, 6-foot point guard Naadir Tharpe of Brewster Academy and the New England Playaz. Tharpe can see the court well and is a pure point. He is now still involved with Providence along with Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Indiana and UMass, among others. He was coached in the event by John Carroll,former head coach of the Celtics.

Tharpe played against J.B. Hoops of Pennsylvania led by rising junior 6-foot-5 forward Terry Turner, drawing looks from Penn State,Temple, La Salle, St. Joe’s and to a lesser extent Syracuse and Rutgers. 6-foot-7 Mark Bevacqua also impressed. He has a high ankle sprain but is being looked at by some Big East schools.

The New England Playaz 16s were led by 6-foot-9 Evan Cummins of Northfield Mt. Hermon who is drawing looks from Ivies such as Brown, Penn and Cornell.

The New York Panthers were stuck in traffic and didn’t show by press time. Many coaches were there to see 6-foot-7 Maurice Harkless of South Kent (via NYC), heavily recruited by Rutgers, who is on his new list, along with Memphis, St. John’s, Georgetown, Miami, South Florida, Xavier, Virginia, Maryland, Syracuse, Temple, Pitt, Providence and Cincinnati, according to adviser Nate Blue’s twitter this afternoon, since retracting his verbal commitment from Connecticut. Many coaches were also waiting on Kadeem Jack, who will join Harkless at South Kent next season, as Jack is Working Through Recruiting Process as a 2011 Prospect now.

Rising sophomore Kuran Iverson was a star for Connecticut Select 16s and was being looked at by Big East assistants from UConn (Andre LaFleur), Pittsburgh (Pat Skerry) and Cincinnati (former Rutgers assistant Darren Savino was there on behalf of the Bearcats).

Present for Rutgers was Van Macon, who previously coached under former Hofstra and now Fordham coach Tom Pecora, who was also present. The two remain friendly.

ESPN’s Andy Katz headed the media contingent and was looking all over the place for West Virginia coach Bob Huggins, who was due to arrive by evening. Word is Huggins made sure to make himself seen when elite 2012 prospect Andre Drummond took the floor for Connecticut Basketball Club later on.

Affable Harvard head coach, and former Seton Hall head coach, Tommy Amaker was there looking at some prep players. He did not rule out coaching in the Big East again.
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NBE recently welcomed Richard Kent, a veteran college basketball writer, to our growing team. Richard has written for SI.Com, Athlon and has covered the NCAA Tournament in the CBS Studio. He also has done extensive work on women’s college basketball, having founded the Big East Women’s Basketball Report and written three books on the topic. He broke the story nationally that UConn and Tennessee would no longer be playing. His day job is practicing law as a matrimonial attorney in Fairfield, Connecticut where he is a member of Best Lawyers In America.
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KING JAMES SUMMER SHOWCASE STANDOUT PLAYERS

RAY MERNAGH

In between the Adidas Invitational in Indianapolis (IN) and the NY2LASports.com Summer Jam just outside of Milwaukee (WI), NBE made a stop at the King James Summer Showcase which was being held in and around Chicago (IL) this past weekend. Most of the top 17-U teams competed at the Fieldhouse is Waukegan (IL) and that is where NBE found a spot to watch the action Friday evening and Saturday afternoon. Below we detail the performances (and update the recruitment) of some of the event’s top players, including Zach Price, JaKarr Sampson, Percy Gibson, Ryan Boatright, Michael Chandler, Nyles Evans, TJ Buchanan, Paxton Strub, Shelby Moats, Jonah Travis and Kendall Griffin.

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 the coverage from Waukegan and the 2010 King James Summer Showcase below. 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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HARKLESS ELIMINATES UCONN FROM CONSIDERATION

Former Husky commit expands list, but UConn no longer in the running

by JEFF BORZELLO

As recently as one month ago, Maurice Harkless was fully committed to Connecticut.

“He’s sticking with UConn, and I can see him curling off screens in Storrs,” a source said at the time.

Then, on June 21, Harkless decided to decommit – but was still heavily considering the Huskies.

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DURAND JOHNSON LOOKING FOR RESPECT & EXPOSURE

A Name You Should Know but Probably Don’t; Durand Johnson

By MATT WHITFIELD

The message received by NBE early afternoon on Tuesday was short, but very clear in its intention. After reading that NBE was on the campus of Albright College in Reading (PA) for the Hoop Group Elite camp, Durand Johnson sent the following message to NBE:

“I’m down here too. I play at 4. On court B1 my jersey number 683,” Johnson typed in his message.

My bosses at NBE immediately texted me and I did just that and sure enough this youngster was right on. We should be watching him and so should everybody else.

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VAUGHN GRAY’S PLAY IMPRESSIVE, RECRUITING ON AN UPTICK

New interest, especially from West Virginia, catches Gray’s attention

by MATT WHITFIELD

Playing on an AAU where Myles Mack, Myles Davis, Kyle Anderson and Desmond Hubert get most of the attention and Derrick Randall and Jarrod Davis also are receiving plenty of high-major attention, it might be easy for Vaughn Gray to get lost in the shuffle.

Afterall, Gray is a ‘glue-guy’ for the powerful NJ Playaz, willing to do the little things that help teams like the Playaz win. That type of game might not bring all the accolades that some of his teamates receive, but college coaches are certainly taking notice as his recruiting has been taken up a notch and NBE has certainly noticed right out of the gates this spring on the AAU trail.

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 on Gray, his recruitment that is heating up like the recent weather and his detailed thoughts on WVU. Also, any of our Premium Content Articles & Event Coverage is available to subscribers.

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LEBRON JAMES SKILLS ACADEMY RECRUITING NOTES: PART I

by JEFF BORZELLO

AKRON, Ohio – While most of the top college coaches and AAU teams were in Indianapolis to start the July live period, 75 of the best high school players in the classes of 2011 and 2012 – and one from the class of 2013 – convened at the University of Akron for the LeBron James Skills Academy. It was the culmination of four separate skills academies over the past weeks: those of Deron Williams, Paul Pierce, Kevin Durant and Amar’e Stoudemire. It was a true camp setting, with dozens of drills, but there was one noticeable difference: the King himself, LeBron James, showed up to play pick-up with the players. That was arguably the highlight of the event, as there was not too much to glean from the campers based on various passing and dribbling drills. However, there was plenty of recruiting notes and updates to pass along as NBE caught up with players such as Jabarie Hinds, Ricardo Ledo, Ricardo Gathers, JaKarr Sampson, Branden Dawson, Trevor Lacey, Nick Faust and many more for the absolute latest in their recruiting situations in detail as they talk leaders, visits, offers 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 recruiting updates below from the Lebron James Skills Academy and all of our July ‘live’ period news and notes. Also, any of our Premium Content Articles & Event Coverage is available to subscribers.

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NBE CLASS OF 2011 PRE-LIVE PERIOD TOP 100

Over the last 12 months NBE has made a conscious effort to be at as many events as possible and see as many players in various settings. Whether the event was an All-American Camp (Lebron James, Reebok, Hoop Group Elite, NBPA Top 100), AAU team event (Peach Jam, EYBL Boo Williams, Super Showcase, Hoop Group Jam Fests, Gibbons’ TOC) or high school events and games (Hoop Hall Classic, Newark Invitational, HSPI, etc), NBE has tried to be there.

Now, for the first time, we unveil a Class of 2011 Top 100 ranking. With the July ‘live’ period for basketball recruiting beginning tomorrow, NBE will be stationed in Indianapolis (IN) for the Adidas Invitational, in Akron (OH) for the Lebron James Skills Academy and Reading (PA) for the Hoop Group Elite Camp, watching these 100 players and more from the class of 2011 as we get to see who lives up to their ranking and who comes to take it away with several more looks at the top prospects in the class.

Today’s rankings were put together by Jeff Borzello and Alex Schwartz. Ray Mernagh is also evaluating players this month on top of his other stops from the Spring and the three will convene again in early August with an updated Top 100 listing.

Alex Schwartz is also the President, Chief Scouting Officer and Writer at Northstar Basketball. During July and in the future you will see NBE, Alex and Northstar working very closely together as Northstar is a new affiliate site of NBE Basketball Report.

Well, without further ado, here is the NBE Basketball Class of 2011 Top 100:

Rank, Player Name, Pos, Ht, Current School, Commitment
1. Michael Gilchrist, SF, 6′7, St. Patrick’s (NJ), Kentucky
2. Quincy Miller, SF, 6′9, Westchester Country Day (NC), n/a
3. Marquis Teague, PG, 6′1, Pike (IN), Kentucky
4. Austin Rivers, SG, 6′4, Winter Park (FL), n/a

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 the rest of the NBE Class of 2011 Pre-Live Period Top 100. Also, any of our Premium Content Articles & Event Coverage is available to subscribers and detailed below is our coverage schedule for the next month.

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DEJUAN MARRERO & A.J. HAMMONS ARE NEXT SPIECE INDY HEAT PLAYERS TO WATCH

2012 duo are hot commodities already among college coaches as July evaluation period readies to begin

BY JEFF BORZELLO

When watching Spiece Indy Heat on the AAU circuit over the past couple of years, most eyeballs were on top-five 2011 prospect Marquis Teague. If not, many were watching Purdue-commit Raphael Davis. However, it was hard not to notice the high-energy forward on the wing or the space-eating big man down low.

Now, those two players – 6-foot-5 DeJuan Marrero and 6-foot-10 A.J. Hammons – have built a reputation for themselves, becoming highly-touted rising juniors in their own right.

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 on Marrero and Hammons as Speice Indy Heat AAU coach Jared Quarles talks about the recruiting interest the pair has generated so far. Also, any of our Premium Content Articles & Event Coverage is available to subscribers and detailed below is our coverage schedule for the next month.

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JUNE 28 RECRUITING NOTEBOOK (FREE PREVIEW)

Aaron Cosby commits to SHU and updates on Jarrod Davis and Michael Carey as their lists expand

BY JEFF BORZELLO

After making an immediate impact in the class of 2010, new Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard picked up his first 2011 commitment on Sunday, as Northfield Mount Hermon (Mass.) guard Aaron Cosby chose the Pirates.

“They have been recruiting me the hardest over the past couple months,” Cosby said on Sunday. “My family and I had a stronger comfort level with the staff and the 2011 class will be a big class for that program, and they see me stepping in and playing right away.”

Cosby, a 6-foot-3 point guard originally from Kentucky, took a visit to the South Orange, N.J. campus this weekend and came away impressed.

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