Illinois Recruiting

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.
Read more

HOOP GROUP WV JAM FEST RECRUITING NOTES – DAY 1

By Lauren Kirschman

The first of two 10-day evaluation periods for the month of July come to a close today. One of the top annual events each year to close the period is the Hoop Group’s West Virginia Jam Fest, predominately help in the Morgantown (WV) area. With recent NCAA legislation preventing the games to be held on the WVU campus local high schools hosted contests as well as other sporting centers, including a local ice rink.

On day one of the event there was a large crowd of assistant coaches tracking down Amile Jefferson at University High School for an evening game and, as usual, the Team Final 16U club had their share of coaches on hand when they played. Below are some recruiting notes from the day’s action on Semaj Christon, Melvin Johnson, Rondae Jefferson, Dashawn Suber and more…
Read more

UA SUMMER JAM PRESENTED BY NY2LA SPORTS RECRUITING NOTES

By Alex Jesswein

While many across the country have turned their attention to the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League Championship at the Peach Jam in North Augusta (SC), Antonio Curro and his crew at NY2LASports.com have assembled another strong field for the 2011 UA Summer Jam. Some of the biggest names in the 2012 Class are in Wisconsin for the event, including Shabazz Muhammad, Isaiah Austin, Mitch McGary, Perry Ellis and more. Top AAU programs like Dream Vision, Texas Pro, SYF Players, DC Assault, Playground Elite, Team Loaded, and more are competing in the event.

NBE will have much more on the event as it moves to completion on the 15th. For now here are some recruiting notes that NBE has been able to compile in the first two days of action:

Duane Wilson, Class of 2013 point guard with the Playground Elite AAU program, listed Marquette (offer), Minnesota, Memphis, Washington, Virginia, Missouri, DePaul, Wisconsin, Illinois, Miami (FL), Florida State, and Florida. He has visited Kentucky, DePaul and Missouri unofficially recently.

As he heads into his next season, Wilson said he wants to work on getting stronger, playing better defense and hitting shots off of the dribble.
——————————————————–
Read more

LEBRON JAMES SKILLS ACADEMY RECRUITING FOCUS: GARY HARRIS & TERRY ROZIER

By Lauren Kirschman

College coaches were allowed at the Lebron James Skills Academy on Thursday for the first time and the turnout was as expected. A who’s who of college coaches were in the stands at the University of Akron’s James A. Rhodes Arena and they were not disappointed as the level of play at the camp has been very high. NBE is finishing up its coverage of the camp this morning and then will be on our way to the next stop on the evaluation trail. After yesterday’s afternoon session we had the opporunity to speak with Gary Harris (’12) and Terry Rozier (’12) as both have been putting in some impressive work this week. Both players have certainly helped their recruiting stock and will likely see an increased level of interest on the trail as they finish out the month and begin to work through the recruiting process.

Rozier lets NBE in on who his leaders are while Harris tells NBE he is continuing to be recruited for football as well as hoops…

Read more

REEBOK BREAKOUT CHALLENGE: THURSDAY RECRUITING ROUNDUP

By Matt Whitfield

The return to the summer basketball camp scene by Reebok has been well received. The competition and talent level is certainly solid at the Gallagher Athletic Center on the campus of Philadelphia University. NBE took in the action for the most part of the day Thursday and was able to touch base with many of the players to learn the latest on their recruitments. While the camp had a strong group of Mid-Major+ prospects, there was more than a fair share of players who will land at higher levels in college. Below is a rundown of who we caught up with yesterday.

Rysheed Jordan (Robert Vaux HS/Players Teaching Players)

There was a lot of hype centering Jordan entering the camp and many scouts, reporters and college coaches were anxious to get a look at him. He did not disappoint as the 6-foot-3, Class of 2013 point guard has all the look of a sure fire high major recruit. He has definitely noticed the increased attention of late.

“I think I’m blowing up,” said Jordan of the recent influx of recruiting attention. “I’m easing my way up.”
Read more

REEBOK BREAKOUT CHALLENGE: WEDNESDAY RECAP

By Alex Schwartz

PHILADELPHIA – The 2011 July Live Evaluation Period kicked off on Wednesday and one of the events that NBE Basketball Report was in attendance for was the Reebok Breakout Challenge. Featuring players from coast to coast in four different classes, there was no shortage of talent.

At least nine Big East schools were on hand at Philadelphia University during the course of the day, including Seton Hall head coach Kevin Willard, and some of the players they were watching took the time to discuss their recruitment with NBE on Wednesday.

Kareem Canty, a 6-foot-1 class of 2012 point guard out of Bridgton Academy (ME), listed Miami, Seton Hall, Xavier, Baylor, UCLA, Providence, Oklahoma, Washington and Florida State.

The New York native said all of those schools have offered except for UCLA. He also noted that his most recent offer is from another Pac-12 school, Washington.
Read more

BIG EAST NEWS & NOTES (6/29/2011)

College basketball is a year-round sport. In the summer there is news of players coming and going from programs to keep track of, a busy recruiting season and more and more summer leagues that offer the players a chance to stay sharp against high-level competition. While many incoming freshmen just celebrated their high school graduation in the last few weeks and even days, many are already on a college campus and competing in the summer leagues and attending classes with their new teammates.

Today we take a quick run through some of the latest stories in the BIG EAST that touch on each of those subjects…

In Mike Helfgot’s Recruiting Notes in the Chicago Tribune there is an update on 6-foot-2 rising junior Jaylon Tate, who recently confirmed rumors he will be transferring from De La Salle High School to Chicago Simeon. At Simeon Tate will join a loaded roster that includes classmates Jabari Parker and Kendrick Nunn and senior Steve Taylor. All four players are considered sure-fire high-major recruits.

As for Tate, Helfgot reports that has offers from Northwestern, Providence and Xavier, according to his mother, Arisa Johnson, with several other high-majors such as DePaul, Marquette, Tennessee, Florida State and, as of this week, UCLA, expressing serious interest.
Read more

UNC VISIST MAKES BIG IMPRESSION ON ’13 R.J. CURINGTON

Despite only entering his junior season next fall, R.J. Curington has been a player many have kept an eye on for a couple years around the country. After terrorizing local players around Dyer (IN) in junior high school Curington made the move to Oak Hill Academy as an 8th grader, spending two years on the ‘Red’ squad at the elite basketball powerhouse. This past season Curington moved up to the ‘Gold’ squad as a sophomore and he has had a huge spring on the AAU circuit with CIA Bounce and is beginning to fulfill the potential many saw in him early on.

Standing at 6-foot-5 and weighing in at 195 pounds Curington combines excellent size for a young wing with tremendous athletic ability. He has become a lethal scorer this spring and early summer as his skill development has been right on schedule and his confidence in his improved perimeter scoring skills is evident. Those traits have quickly raised his recruiting profile into one of the top targets for many schools in the Class of 2013.
Read more

RUMBLE IN THE BRONX REPORT – PART I

By Brian Bosworth

The Rumble in the Bronx got underway Friday night with a slightly different feel than in years past. Fordham University has traditionally been the epicenter of the action for the boys tournament but this year the girls took over at Fordham and the boys tournament was spread out at different sites in the greater NYC area. The main site for the 17U bracket was Manhattan College and the action can be described in one word, hot. While the gym itself reached sauna-like conditions, the action on the floor didn’t disappoint. A host of high profile teams were in action including the Long Island Lightning, Connecticut Basketball Club, Albany City Rocks and the Metro Hawks but the New York Panthers were unquestionably a cut above the rest. In addition to being the most impressive unit on this steamy Friday night in the Bronx, the Panthers had the best individual performance of the evening as well.

Top Performer of the Day

Malik Nichols (New York Panthers 2012) – The former Hofstra commit as a member of the 2011 class confirmed after the game that he would be attending a yet to be determined prep school and re-classifying to 2012. Offensively, Nichols was literally perfect in this contest. He made all 10 shots he attempted totaling 22 points and scored every way imaginable. Nichols made 3 pointers off catch and shoot situations. He made a pull-up 16 foot jumper. He drove to the rim with both hands and finished. He finished in transition. He converted a tip-in on the offensive glass. Simply put, Nichols was unstoppable on the offensive end of the floor and led his Panthers club to a blowout victory. If he can string more performances like this together, Nichols should see his recruitment skyrocket when the July live period rolls around.

Read more

KAREEM CANTY HAS FIVE SCHOOLS IN FRONT; DECISION COULD BE COMING SOON

One of the top point guards available in the Class of 2012 heading into the summer is Kareem Canty. The New York City native who currently attends Bridgton Academy has enjoyed a solid spring on the AAU circuit with the Long Island Lightning as his stock nationally has grown rapidly. NBE has long believed Canty was under-recruited when compared to his talent, but that seems to be correcting itself as the word is out on the tough-competing point guard.

Last summer NBE felt Canty was one of the top five players at the Rumble in the Bronx, at the time in the Class of 2011. After moving from Bishop Loughlin to Bridgton and reclassifying to the Class of 2012 things have really taken off for the 6-foot, 185-pound Canty. Consistently showing the ability to knock down shots from the perimeter or finish at the rim, Canty is also an excellent ball-handler that can change directions quickly and plays with a confidence and toughness where he believes he can beat anyone in front of him. He is a true playmaker that college coaches are aggressively trying to land for their programs.

Canty told NBE via text this morning that Seton Hall, Xavier, Miami, Cincinnati and Dayton were standing out in his recruitment.

“Yes, those schools are leading right now,” said Canty, “but I’m also considering South Carolina, Tennessee and Illinois.
Read more

SPIECE RUN ‘N SLAM SCOUTING REPORTS & RECRUITING NOTES

by DOUG FERGUSON

Hanner Parea: F (Indiana Elite)/6-8/200
Committed to Indiana
There is nobody in the Class of 2012 who has the athletic gifts that Parrea does. He has fans holding their breath at what he will do next. It doesn’t show in his numbers at times however due to his lack of fundamentals. His is frequently outrebounded by more fundamentally sound opponents due to lack of boxing out.
———————————-

Dejuan Marrero: F (Spiece Indy Heat)/6-5/220
School List: Indiana, Purdue, Illinois, Kentucky, Cincinnati, Marquette, Michigan, Minnesota
On the exact opposite end of the spectrum is Marrero who was possibly the best technically sound rebounder in the gym. He could stand to have a tad more touch around the basket which is where he should stay offensively.
———————————

Marcus Paige: G (All-Iowa Attack)/6-0/160
Committed to North Carolina
Can’t help but draw comparisons to current Tar Heel point man Kendall Marshall. Paige is a little more athletically gifted than Marshall while he is not quite as crafty with the ball.
————————————–
Read more

MITCH MCGARY: RISING 2012 BIG MAN SEEING RECRUITMENT INTENSIFY

By Lauren Kirschman

Since transferring to Brewster Academy in New Hampshire last year, class of 2012 big man Mitch McGary has been opening some eyes.

McGary began to shine this past season as the sixth man for one of the nations’ top prep schools and he’s continued to show off his improved skills on the AAU circuit this spring.

Now McGary is attracting the attention of top schools from across the country, including Duke, Texas, Arizona, Florida, Florida State, Illinois, Purdue, Indiana, Maryland, Marquette, Pittsburgh, Xavier and Cincinnati.

He’s already taken trips to Illinois, Marquette, Purdue and Indiana and is attempting to plan visits to Cincinnati, Maryland, Florida, Indiana and Texas.

McGary said that both Indiana and Cincinnati are recruiting him hard, but he hasn’t reached a college decision yet. Right now, he’s keeping his recruitment wide open.

Mitch McGary '12 prospect of Brewster Academy

“I want to go to whatever school fits me best,” he said. “Everyone is still in the mix.”

All of those potential schools will be watching as McGary continues to climb the recruiting rankings. The 6-foot-11, 250-pound center said the improvement in his game since he transferred to Brewster is indescribable.

“It was a big step for me,” he said. “Brewster is a lot tougher, it’s the highest level of play. The intensity is at another level. It’s so much faster.”

He’s gotten stronger in his year at Brewster, putting on muscle as he focused on lifting and conditioning.

But the concentration on lifting led McGary to falter with other aspects of his game, including his 18-foot and 3-point shots, but he said he’ll be working on returning those skills to his repertoire throughout the summer.

“I’m working on shots, working on post moves,” McGary said. “I want to focus on using post work in these [AAU games].”

And even if the hot prospect big man doesn’t end up playing his college basketball in Pittsburgh, he gave Panther fans an indication of the level of player they’ll be seeing inside next year.

When asked who was the toughest player he faced at Brewster this past season, McGary said that distinction belonged to incoming 2011 Pitt recruit Khem Birch.

MORE PITTSBURGH JAMFEST RECRUITING NOTES

By Lauren Kirschman

Recruiting rundown of some of the top names from this past weekend’s Pittsburgh Jamfest put on by the Hoop Group…

Jalen Robinson (2012)
Power forward
AAU Team: All-Ohio Red
Height: 6’7″, Weight: 215
Considering: Wisconsin, UCLA, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Xavier, Iowa, Penn State, DePaul, Cincinnati, Ohio University, Tennessee, Michigan
————————————————

Elijah Macon (2012)
Power foward
AAU Team: All-Ohio Red
Considering: West Virginia, South Florida, USC, Cincinnati, Tennessee
Offers from: South Florida, USC
Height: 6’7″, Weight: 200
Leaders: West Virginia and Cincinnati
——————————————————
Read more

GENO THORPE MAKING A MOVE; HAS A FAVORITE

By Matt Whitfield

Shaler (PA) Area High Shool, with sophomore Geno Thorpe leading the way, was 23-3 this past season. Thorpe was named to the ‘Fab Five’ in the Pittsburgh area as he averaged 19 points a game, but Thorpe will be taking his game to New Jersey next season as he told NBE Friday night that he will attending either St. Anthony’s of Jersey City, Hudson Catholic or St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark (NJ).

“It’s a jumpoff between St. Anthony’s, St. Benedict’s and Hudson Catholic,” Throrpe said.

One program that might be considered the front runner to land Thorpe’s services would be St. Anthony’s, especially with the departure of Rutgers bound PG Myles Mack and the championship season the Friars just had.

“I got a chance to have lunch with Bob Hurley and he’s a real good guy and it seemed like a good program, but at the same time St. Benedict’s and Hudson Catholic are still good too…but I’ll have my decision made by the beginning of the summer.”

As far as colleges go an increasing number of schools are going after Thorpe including some of the glory programs.

“They’re still the same old ones from last year like Pitt, Ohio State, Louisville; some of my new ones are Illinois, Kansas and Michigan State.”

Thorpe however is still partial to his hometown school and the first school that showed him heavy interest.

“It is [still my favorite school],” Thorpe said of Pitt. “And of course they’re going to be one of the top [schools] because I’m from Pittsburgh, but yea Pitt is high on the list.”

Thorpe added that the Pitt assistant coach Brandin Knight comes to a lot of his games.

“Brandin [Knight] comes to at least ninety percent of my games. He shows support anywhere I go. He’s always there.”

Wherever Geno Thorpe plays next season he will likely contribute greatly to the team in the talent-rich area, but for now Thorpe is trying to improve his jumper.

“Last year it was lacking. It was always up and down. It was never consistent. That’s one thing I’ve been trying to work on and try and add to my game.”

2012 PROSPECT DEJUAN MARRERO UPDATES RECRUITMENT & MORE

DeJuan Marrero is a versatile forward in the Class of 2012 that has drawn a solid following over the years playing with the Spiece Indy Heat AAU program in the Midwest. Marrero, who currently stands at 6-foot-5 and weighs 205 pounds, is difficult to defend due to his inside-outside ability at the offensive end. The forward out of Gary (IN)’s Bowman Academy has a strong body and is relentless inside. He is a factor on the backboards at both ends and can make plays in the lane. What makes him even tougher is that he has solid ball-handling ability and can beat defenders off the dribble to finish at the rim inside which he showed NBE on the AAU trail last season.

Marrero’s Bowman club played a tough schedule this season that included Chicago powers Simeon, Whitney Young and De La Salle. Despite losing in the sectional finals to Morgan Township, 53-49, the young Eagles had a season that Marrero was satisfied with and hopes to build on next year.

“I enjoyed this season even though we lost in Sectionals,” said Marrero. “The highlight game that I enjoyed the most was when we play against Chicago Simeon, which was the first game of the season. Going into my senior year my goal is to win one more state championship.”

Expect Marrero to be a highly visible player on the spring and summer AAU circuit running with the Spiece Indy Heat program. Many schools will likely pay close attention when the evaluation period in July rolls around to get a look at the versatile and energetic forward in action to see if he will fit in their programs. Marrero is looking forward to the chance to play agains the top competition across the country.

Read more

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.

Read more

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.

Read more

DESERT DUEL RECRUITING RUNDOWN & NOTES

The mission Desert Duel Memorial Basketball Tournament is to raise funds for the Tom Crawford Leadership Children’s Foundation. To date, over 21 million dollars in scholarships have been given to players passing through their event in the short time it has been in existence and, despite just a 32-team field, the field is loaded with some of the best teams from across the country. The NJ Playaz (17s & 16s), Mac Irvin Fire (17s & 16s), DC Assault (17s & 16s), Belmont Shores, Compton Magic, NY Panthers, Seattle Rotary, Arizona Magic Pump ‘N Run, Team Philly (17s & 16s), NE Playaz, Dallas Mustangs, Atlanta Celtics, Mo-Kan Spiece, Worldwide Renegades, Minnesota Net Gain, Team Loaded, Texas D1 Ambassadors, Franchize All-Stars, Carolina Elite, Team NJABC and more make up the loaded 2010 field.

Doug Ferguson braved the high heat of the Arizona desert to make his way to Mesquite High School in Gilbert (AZ) for the action of the 2010 Desert Duel Memorial Basketball Tournament. He was greeted upon arrival by some excellent play and many top college head coaches who also were taking in the action.

p>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 Arizona which includes the latest on the recruitments of Naadir Tharpe, Jerome Seagers, Amile Jefferson, LeBryan Nash (top 6), Quinn Cook, Andre Henley, KJ McDaniels and a look at what games coaches were finding the most interesting, as well as any of our Premium Content Articles & Event Coverage.

Read more

MARCUS PAIGE DRAWING BIG-TIME COACHES IN ORLANDO

2012 point guard out of IA has been a must-see player this week for coaches looking for a floor general

Marcus Paige has had a great spring and summer and when NBE has seen him on the court he has been impressive. Word is essentially out on the class of 2012 point guard who hails from Maron (IA) and attends Linn Marr Community High School. Playing with the Martin Brothers AAU program, a virtual who’s who of college coaches in Orlando checked him out for themselves.

In a class many consider to be a down year for point guards during early evaluations, Page has elevated himself as one of the top floor generals in the class of juniors-to-be. Based on his play in Orlando and throughout the spring and summer, and by the top head coaches watching him here, expect the 6-foot Paige to be among the most highly sought after in the Midwest and nationally.

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 about Marcus Paige and see what coaches were on hand in Orlando to watch him play. He also talks about those schools and his recruitment with NBE’s Alex Schwartz. You can also check out any of our Premium Content Articles & Event Coverage by logging in.

Read more

DAY TWO VEGAS RUNDOWN

Cody Zeller, Gabe York and J.P. Tokoto among the impressive performances on Friday

By Raphielle Johnson

With games under their belts and jetlag likely shaken off on Thursday, many of the players at the adidas Super 64 and Fab 48 tournaments put forth far better performances in day two. The Super 64 featured a few very good individual and team matchups in the afternoon, beginning with Indiana Elite taking on The Magic (Arizona). Cody Zeller (with Roy Williams, Mike Brey and Brad Stevens among the many coaches in attendance) going head to head with Isaiah Austin did not disappoint, with the Hoosier State native getting the better of the battle in a close Indiana Elite victory. The same game also featured Jahii Carson going up against Kevin “Yogi” Farrell in the backcourt and with enough complimentary parts to make any hoops fan happy.

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 Las Vegas and the Adidas 64 and Fab 48 on Friday as Raphielle Johnson breaks down the impressive performances and key match-ups that highlighted the day. Also, recruiting updates on Tony Wroten, Gabe York, ‘Yogi’ Ferrell, Kaleb Tarczewski and more. Other impressive runs were put forth by the Oakland Soldiers, NJ Playaz and more. Also, any of our Premium Content Articles & Event Coverage is available to subscribers.

Read more

« Previous Page — Next Page »