Indiana Recruiting

NBE POST-SUMMER CLASS OF 2012 TOP 50

NBE spent the spring and summer constantly on the road evaluating and reporting on all of the grassroots action. This followed up a busy high school season of coverage as well. As we finally get a chance to catch our breath, we have been compiling rankings of the players in the currently recruiting classes of 2011, 2012 and 2013. Today we release our initnial ranking of the top 50 players in the Class of 2012.

1)  Shabazz Muhammad - SF 6′5 Bishop Gorman NV (uncommitted) : Strong lefty wing who can score in a variety of ways and is tough to stop going to the rim.
2)  DaJuan Coleman - C 6′8 Jamesville-DeWitt NY (uncommitted): Beast on the low block who simply overpowers opponents with his size and strength.
3)  Andre Drummond - PF 6′10 St. Thomas More CT (uncommitted): Although he spends too much time on the perimeter, he is a match-up problem and has loads of potential.
4)  Brandon Ashley - PF 6′8 Bishop O’Dowd CA (uncommitted): Long, athletic and runs the floor with the best of them. Nice touch around the basket and good finishing ability.
5)  Isaiah Austin - C 7′0 Grace Prep TX (Baylor): Could be a match-up nightmare if he puts it all together due to his wide-ranging skill-set.
6)  Ricardo Ledo - SG 6′5 South Kent CT (uncommitted): Has the size to create match-up problems on the perimeter; can score in plenty of ways and is a good passer.
7)  Khem Birch - PF 6′9 Notre Dame Prep MA (uncommitted): Really improved over the last few months; he is an outstanding shot-blocker and rebounder.
8]  Jarnell Stokes - PF 6′8 Memphis Central TN (uncommitted): Great build and strength, plays with relentlessness on the backboards and in the paint.
9)  Amile Jefferson - SF 6′7 Friends Central PA (uncommitted): Jefferson has plenty of potential if he gains some weight and muscle. He can score inside and out.
10) Daniel Ochefu - C 6′10 Westtown School PA (uncommitted): He has flown under the radar thus far, but his potential and ability to score and defend are immediately noticeable.
11) Winston Shepard - SF 6′7 Findlay Prep NV (uncommitted): Has not had to be the main man on his high school or AAU team yet, but he is extremely athletic and can score effectively.
12) Grant Jerrett - PF 6′8 La Verne Lutheran CA (uncommitted): Not flashy, but Jerrett gets the job done. He is highly effective on the inside, and is also a good shot-blocker and rebounder.
13) J-Mychal Reese – PG 6′1 Bryan TX (uncommitted): Is starting to gain his reputation back after slipping in the rankings lately; lefty can really shoot the three.
14) Jordan Tebbutt - SF 6′5 Horizon Christian School OR (uncommitted): Terrific offensive player who has the strength to overpower most wing players; can finish with contact.
15) Hanner Perea - PF 6′8 United Faith Christian Academy NC (uncommitted): Unbelievable leaper can block shots as well as anyone, and runs the floor effectively. Rebounds well.
16) Cameron Ridley - C 6′10 Bush TX (uncommitted): Versatile scorer inside, utilizing jump hooks and face-up jumpers to get points in the paint.
17) LJ Rose - PG 6′3 Second Baptist TX (uncommitted): One of the best point guards in the class, Rose has excellent vision and good size for his position.
18) Perry Ellis - PF 6′7 Wichita Heights KS (uncommitted): Developing his perimeter game, which will only make him even more dangerous at the offensive end.
19) Kyle Anderson – SF 6′7 St. Anthony’s NJ (uncommitted): Could end up being a 6-9 point guard at the next level. Anderson has all the tools to be a major match-up problem.
20) Alex Murphy – SF 6′8 St. Mark’s MA (uncommitted): Versatile forward can handle the ball and find teammates, while also running the floor and finishing at the rim.
21) Wannah Bail - PF 6′7 Trent International School TX (uncommitted): Inside-outside scoring forward who has excellent athleticism and a terrific wingspan, making him tough to guard.
22) Justin Anderson - SF 6′5 Montrose Christian MD (uncommitted): He has a non-stop motor and gets after it on the defensive end. Awesome athlete who can really finish.
23) D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera – PG 6′3 North Central IN (uncommitted): Had to sit out the summer circuit due to injury, but the stocky point guard is powerful and savvy.
24) Archie Goodwin - SG 6′4 Sylvan Hills AR (uncommitted): Rising quickly up the rankings, Goodwin can score from the perimeter and while driving to the rim.
25) Ricardo Gathers - PF 6′7 Riverside Academy LA (uncommitted): Burly forward could just as easily have a future playing football. Runs the floor well and can finish.
26) Steven Adams – C 6′10 New Zealand (Pittsburgh): Physical big man with advanced skills for a player his size and age.
27) Anrio Adams - PG 6′3 Franklin WA (uncommitted): Has the ability to play both guard positions, and is at his best when driving by his defender to the lane.
28) Alex Poythress - PF 6′8 Clarksville Northeast TN (uncommitted) - Really athletic forward who runs the floor and is at his best playing transition basketball.
29) Rosco Allen - SF 6′7 Bishop Gorman NV (uncommitted): Excellent outside shooter who is developing his all-around offensive game, adding more off-the-dribble moves.
30) Kaleb Tarczewski - C 7′0 St. Mark’s MA (uncommitted): Legit 7-footer runs the floor very well and knows how to finish at the rim. Can rebound and block shots defensively.
31) Omar Calhoun - SG 6′3 Christ the King NY (uncommitted): The best player in New York City still counts for something; Calhoun can really fill it up at the offensive end.
32) Savon Goodman – SF 6′6 Academy of the New Church PA (uncommitted): Unbelievable finisher dunks with authority and is at his best when attacking the rim or playing in transition.
33) Rasheed Sulaimon - SG 6′3 Strake Jesuit TX (uncommitted): Sulaimon is constantly looking to attack the rim or shoot pull-up jumpers; constantly plays with energy.
34) James Robinson - PG 6′3 DeMatha MD (uncommitted): Strong, stocky point guard who is deceptively quick and is crafty at getting into the lane off of penetration.
35) Tony Parker - C 6′8 Miller Grove GA (uncommitted): Parker is a load for opponents right now because of his size, but his ability to step out and shoot jumpers make it even more difficult.
36) Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell – PG 5′10 Park Tudor School IN (uncommitted): Terrific getting into the lane off of penetration, and knows how to dish to teammates and finish in the lane with floaters and lay-ups.
37) Gary Harris - SG 6′4 Hamilton Southeastern IN (uncommitted) Strong offensive player needs to develop a perimeter jumpshot, but his mid-range jumper and attacking game are solid.
38) Landen Lucas - PF 6′8 Findlay Prep NV (uncommitted): His stock is still rising, and his transfer to Findlay Prep will only increase his recruiting attention next season.
39) Robert Carter - PF 6′7 Thomasville GA (uncommitted): Carter has a wide-ranging repertoire at the offensive end, making him very difficult to stop once he gets the ball.
40) Ryan Arcidiacono - PG 6′3 Neshaminy PA (uncommitted): Blew up at the Tournament of Champions; fearless point guard is a fantastic scorer and playmaker off penetration.
41) Jordan Goodman - PF 6′8 TBD TBD (Rutgers): Goodman has the size and skills to be a factor if he stays focused for an entire game.
42) Jeremy Hollowell - SF 6′6 Lawrence Central IN (uncommitted): Hollowell has a smooth touch from the mid-range, and is also able to get to the rim off the dribble.
43) Nino Jackson - PG 6′0 Ardmore OK (uncommitted): Needs to develop further point guard skills, but Johnson’s scoring ability and explosive first step stand out right now.
44) Montrezl Harrell - PF 6′7 North Edgecombe NC (uncommitted): Physical specimen down low does not back down from anyone, and is one of the better rebounders in the class.
45) Jerami Grant - SF 6′7 DeMatha MD (uncommitted) Could be the best of the Grant brothers when it’s all said and done; extremely versatile forward can do a variety of things.
46) JP Tokoto - SF 6′5 Menomonee Falls WI (uncommitted): His stock has dipped tremendously over the past few months, but his offensive potential is still there.
47) Xavier Johnson - SF 6′6 Mater Dei CA (uncommitted): Smooth prospect from the West Coast, Johnson can score from the wing and knows how to get to the basket off the dribble.
48) Braxton Obgueze - PG 6′0 United Faith Christian Academy NC (uncommitted): Underrated point guard is strong and quick; can knock down three-pointers and is aggressive at the defensive end.
49) Peter Jurkin - C 7′0 United Faith Christian Academy NC (Indiana): Still raw at this point, Jurkin is a great shot-blocker who can run the floor and finish off of alley-oops and offensive rebounds.
50) Marucs Paige - PG 6′0 Linn-Mar IA (uncommitted): Lefty prospect is known as a good shooter from the perimeter, but his ability to beat his defender and find teammates sets him apart.

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MIKE TAYLOR RECRUITING UPDATE

Class of 2011 shooting guard once again a hot target of Big East schools

After leading Boys and Girls High School to their first PSAL title in more than thirty years, Mike Taylor was poised for a big spring and summer on the AAU circuit. Instead it has been a quiet summer for the 6-foot-3 shotoing guard as he was hitting the books for the month of July instead of the court on the AAU trail. Summer school took precedent and not much has been heard from Taylor in a couple months.

NBE’s Matt Whitfield caught up with the New York City product this afternoon at Rucker Park where he was preparing for the 2010 Battle of the Boroughs as part of the World Basketball Festival. Taylor, who still has plenty of colleges highly interested in his services, just picked up a new offer from the new staff at Rutgers.

“Maybe the newest offer is probably…Rutgers,” said Taylor. “I did have an offer from Rutgers but since the new coaches came on it is probably that.”

The Scarlet Knights, already with a commitment from Derrick Randall look to be targeting the Big Apple’s top prospects heavily.

“The told me they have seven scholarships to try and get a lot of New York kids,” Taylor said of RU.

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 Mike Taylor, his addition thoughts on Rutgers and the other schools involved in his recruitment and he hoes to visit. Also, any of our Premium Content Articles & Event Coverage is available to subscribers.

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BIG EAST NEWS & NOTES (8/5/2010)

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We hit the morning running with a News & Notes edition that is heavy on catching readers up on the latest in college basketball recruiting. Darrun Hilliard is headed to the Big East…players like Cody Zeller, Brendan Dawson and others are not. Updates on what Davontay Grace and Mike Taylor have been up to this summer. Class of 2013 recruit Bronson Koening has picked up some impressive offers and big-time interest with a big summer. The Anthony Davis recruiting story is one worth reading…it is getting crazy!

Elsewhere it does not, again, look like Memphis is on the Big East agenda. The Legends Classic pairings are set for Atlantic City this November…stay tuned…we will likely be back with more updates throughout the day on the recruiting front…

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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DESERT DUEL SCOUTING REPORT & RECRUITING LISTS

The NY Panthers came out west and did work at Mesquite High School in Gilbert (AZ) by taking home the crown in a jam-packed Desert Duel field. The Panthers got a big performance over the two days from Maurice Harkless who earned NBE’s MOP award for the event. The Panthers, coached by Rafer Alston, defeated the NE Playaz in the championship game and DC Assault in the semifinals Wednesday to clinch the championship.

196 different colleges were represented over the two-day event with either a head coach, assistants or both as the field was strong up and down the 32-teams. Doug Ferguson spent a lot of time in the gym over the two days and below he runs through his scouting reports and recruiting notes from his time on top players from teams such as NJ Playaz, Franchize All-Stars, Team Loaded, Seattle Rotary, DC Assault, Illinois Wolves, Mac Irvin Fire, Team Philly, NE Playaz, Georgia Net Burners, Compton Magic and, of course, the NY Panthers.

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 scouting reports and recruiting updates from some of the top players in the nation at last week’s Desert Duel. Also, any of our Premium Content Articles & Event Coverage is available to subscribers.

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MERNAGH: MORE ORLANDO AAU PLAYER REVIEWS

Recruiting notes and player evaluations from some of the top players in Orlando last week

by RAY MERNAGH

While the July ‘live’ period for recruiting ended yesterday, the 17-U AAU National Championship will be decided at 4 PM this afternoon with a match-up between the Carolina Ravens and Arkansas Wings. Here is yesterday’s 17-U Championship Bracket scoreboard:

Quarterfinals:

Connecticut Basketball Club 66, St. Louis Gameface 64
Arkansas Wings 61, LI-Lightning (Blue) 54
HCYP Elite 69, Old Gold/Dream Team 51
Carolina Ravens 79, CP3 All-Stars 68

Semifinals:

Arkansas Wings 65, Connecticut Basketball Club 61
Carolina Ravens 78, HCYP Elite 66

Here are more of Ray Mernagh’s player notes, evaluations and recruiting tidbits from his stay in Orlando…

Malcolm Gilbert — 6′11, 210lbs 2011 — Gilbert, a center out of Bryn Athyn, PA is one of the best available bigs in the 2011 class. Gilbert is a legitimate 6′11 and long with good athleticism. He alters a ton of shots defensively when he’s not blocking them. He can hit the 10-12 foot shot and scores inside with his length. Gilbert told me he’s working on an old school hook shot with his father because it’s unblockable with his 7′4 wingspan. He also mentioned working on a bust out dribble — “just one or two bounces to start the break when nobody’s open” — and trying to add that to his game. Gilbert runs the floor well and I get the feeling he’s more suited to a more structured setting than AAU allows, especially for an unselfish and intelligent big (big men are often ignored as guards jack shots). Gilbert wants to take a few more unofficial visits (telling NBE’s Matt Whitfield via text on Saturday that Notre Dame, Cornell, Penn and Virginia are schools he hopes to unofficially visit) before he trims his list to five but hopes to decide where he’ll be headed by the middle of the school year if not sooner. Gilbert said that Pittsburgh and Ohio State have been on him the hardest and that Duke has been checking him out as well. He plans to take all five official visits before making his decision. This kid is a special kid, somebody will be fortunate to get him no matter how well he plays for them. Malcolm Gilbert will be making a difference in the world long after his basketball days end.
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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 similar coverage from Orlando as Ray takes a look at players such as DaJuan Coleman, Jabarie Hinds, Bernard Sullivan, Jaylen Brantley, Georges Niang, Chris Martin, Jaron Moore, Nerlens Noel, Egi Gjikondi, BJ Young, Dantiel Daniels and more with some recruiting tidbits and observations added. Also, any of our Premium Content Articles & Event Coverage is available to subscribers.

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ORLANDO AAU UPDATE: PART VI

The hectic month of July is winding down. The championships of the 17-U National AAU tournament in Orlando has moved into bracket play today and the 16-U national championships have quarterfinal play underway as this story is posted.

The beginning of pool play saw some completel blowouts in the 17-U pools, but some good performances also shined through.

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 he details the performance of the bigger names here with B.J. Young, Rashad Madden, Mitch McGary, Patrick Connaughton and Malik Price-Martin with detailed recruiting updates gathered by NBE on Young, Prince-Martin, David Rivers and Stephon Blair, all detailed below. Also, any of our Premium Content Articles & Event Coverage is available to subscribers.

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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.

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ORLANDO AAU UPDATE: PART IV

Tuesday in Orlando has the 17-U AAU National Championship pool play tip-off as well as the 17-U Super Showcase championship being settled in the Gold Bracket this evening between Each 1 Teach 1 and St. Louis Eagles. The Silver Bracket laso had their semifinals this morning with championship game slated for a little later on.

Yesterday was the Austin Rivers show as the local standout reminded all that might have forgotten, or simply did not know, that Rivers is G-O-O-D. Alex Schwartz had a very short player eval on Rivers’ semifinal performance yesterday: WOW. ‘Nuff said.

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 he runs down additional impressive performances from Monday by Chris Walker, James Robinson, Steve Mondu-Missi and Matt Costello with the latest on the recruiting front on Costello and Julian Royal, 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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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.

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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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DAY THREE VEGAS RUNDOWN

by RAPHIELLE JOHNSON

Saturday began with a trip out to Foothill High School to check out 2012 wing prospect Rosco Allen, who picked up an offer from UCLA. With a number of 2012 prospects on display in the game between Double Pump Elite 16s and Full Package Elite 16s, the pickings were not slim in regards to who to keep an eye out for. In a two-point victory Allen scored 18 points, getting to the foul line for 10 attempts in the process. Talking with Allen after the game he noted that he was working on “getting better at using his height to get into better position to score” and that was apparent by the fact that at times he would settle for the perimeter jumper instead of attacking the basket.

But outside of these couple of occasions Allen did what was needed to ensure the victory and advancement in the playoff bracket. Allen’s got quite the list of schools on his tail also, possessing offers from much of the Pac-10, Harvard, Northwestern, and interest from Marquette and Georgetown among many others. He and Belmont Shore big man Grant Jarrett are without a doubt two of the best 2012 prospects on the West Coast.

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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.

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BIG EAST NEWS & NOTES (7/19/2010)

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As we try to catch our breath a little bit from the first July live recruiting period, lets try and update readers on some News & Notes from around the Big East and college basketball recruiting. matt Whitfield got a couple tidbits from Vaughn Gray, Durand Johnson and the father of Ryan Arcidiacono over the weeked and updates the latest recruiting on each. Also, the standoff between Providence and Joseph Young continues, Quincy Miller, Yogi Ferrell and Kenny Kaminski are updated in sotries below. Rutgers is in good shape with a 2012 Nigerian wing as well.

Around the league there is a good story on Roburt Sallie and his travels that have brought him to Louisville. Still no official word on the status of Rashad Bishop at UC, but reading between the lines it might be encouraging that he will be back with the Bearcats. Aslo, UC adds an assistant and Cashmere Wright has some minor surgery on an injured knee. Marquette adds a walk-on transfer, Pitt is preparing for a trip to Ireland and getting a head start on the 2010-2011 season with high expectations. UConn’s Kevin Ollie is getting back into the college game and the program prepares to answer NCAA allegations. Notre Dame has two players finding themselves in a little trouble and former Marquette commit DJ Newbill has decided on his next home for college basketball.

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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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!

*********Follow NBE Sports on Twitter: http://twitter.com/NBESports*****

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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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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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*********Follow NBE Sports on Twitter: http://twitter.com/NBESports*****

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.

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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KING CITY CLASSIC EVALS & UPDATES (PART C)

by JEFF BORZELLO

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

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

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

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ADIDAS INVITATIONAL PLAYER EVALUATIONS & RECRUITING UPDATES (PART B)

by RAY MERNAGH

The Adidas Invitational threatened to turn into the New Heights Invitational — that will happen when a team full of tough, NYC-area ballers takes out a juggernaut full of “high-major” prospects like New Heights did to Indiana Elite/Team Indiana in the quarterfinals early Thursday morning. New Heights then repeated the performance in the semifinals, where it fought back from a double digit deficit to defeat the New England Playaz. Alas, the run ended in the final when New Heights lost to the LeBryan Nash-led Dallas Mustangs 69-58. It was an impressive run by a New Heights squad not expected to challenge for the title this week and plenty of college coaches were here to witness it.

Earlier in our Adidas Invitational Day One Standouts article we went into (long) detail on the impressive performance of Shabazz Muhammad, who was the talk of the event Tuesday and plenty of top coaches were watching his EVERY move, as well as our thoughts and updates on Wannah Bail, Cody Zeller, Gabe York, recent UC-verbal Ge-Lawn Guyn and more that stood out on Tuesday and in Part A of the Final Adidas Invitational Player Evals & Recruiting Notes the past two days (wed/Thurs) of action we looked at Winston Shepard, Lebryan Nash, Jermaine Sanders, Jeremiah Davis, Kenny Kaminsky and more…

To wrap up our coverage we spend time this afternoon taking a look at some new faces to NBE, like Dylan Ennis, BJ Van Loo and some familiar ones like Naadir Tharpe, Alex Murphy and some additional looks of the players of the Dallas Mustangs and New Heights as those teams went all the way to the ‘chip. Also a note or two on favorites like Quincy Miller and Yogi Ferrell can be found as well.

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 Indianapolis and the Adidas Invitational. Also, any of our Premium Content Articles & Event Coverage is available to subscribers.

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ADIDAS INVITATIONAL EVALUATIONS & RECRUITING UPDATES (PART A)

by RAY MERNAGH

The Adidas Invitational threatened to turn into the New Heights Invitational — that will happen when a team full of tough, NYC-area ballers takes out a juggernaut full of “high-major” prospects like New Heights did to Indiana Elite/Team Indiana in the quarterfinals early Thursday morning. New Heights then repeated the performance in the semifinals, where it fought back from a double digit deficit to defeat the New England Playaz. Alas, the run ended in the final when New Heights lost to the LeBryan Nash-led Dallas Mustangs 69-58. It was an impressive run by a New Heights squad not expected to challenge for the title this week and plenty of college coaches were here to witness it.

Earlier in our Adidas Invitational Day One Standouts article we went into (long) detail on the impressive performance of Shabazz Muhammad, who was the talk of the event Tuesday and plenty of top coaches were watching his EVERY move, as well as our thoughts and updates on Wannah Bail, Cody Zeller, Gabe York, recent UC-verbal Ge-Lawn Guyn and more that stood out on Tuesday.

Now here’s some evaluations and updates from the past two days (wed/Thurs) of action, including Winston Shepard, Lebryan Nash, Jermaine Sanders, Jeremiah Davis, Kenny Kaminsky and more…

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

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