Penn State

CHAMBERS & PENN STATE SCORE KEY ’13 COMMITMENT FROM GENO THORPE

New Penn State head coach Patrick Chambers is actively preparing for the start of his first season in State College (PA) tipping off this weekend. The former Villanova assistant coach and head coach at Boston University is also working hard on the recruiting trail as he works to turn around the basketball prospects of the football-crazed school. That work paid off this morning with an early commitment from Class of 2013 guard Geno Thorpe of Shaler Area High School near Pittsburgh.

“Yes,” responded Thorpe enthusiastically when asked by NBE Sports if his commitment was official. “I wanted this to be my birthday present.”

Thorpe, who is celebrating a commitment and a birthday today, provided the Penn State community with a much-needed doese of good news during a dark week in the athletic department’s proud history with the swirling controversy surrounding the school and football program. Allegations of sexual abuse have been levied against former Joe Paterno assistant coach Jerry Sandusky and signs point toward an athletic department cover-up. Still, Thorpe is committed to the Nittany Lions and the program coach Chambers is determined to build.

“Pat chambers is a great coach and is looking to turn things around up there,” said Thorpe about why he chose PSU.

Thorpe also mentioned State College being close to home and the academic reputation of the school helping turn the tide for PSU when comparing to other options, which included Wisconsin and Pittsburgh.

Thorpe is a 6-foot-3, 175-pound guard who ran this summer with the NJ Playaz 16-U AAU program. He has the potential to be a high-flying back court player capable of highlight reel dunks. Thorpe is at his best with the ball in his hands and he shows both a high level passing ability and feel for the game. He will be an excellent piece for coach Chambers to begin building his program and Thorpe, who has long told NBE that playing where his family can see him play was important to him, feels the situation is best for him.

“It was just the right school for me,” he said.

JAREN SINA OPEN TO ANYTHING IN SECOND RECRUITING GO-ROUND

Jaren Sina looked like he had ended the recruiting process early and was off the board before college basketball fans across the country really had a chance to begin to follow his recruitment. Sina, a 6-foot-2, 175-pound point guard from Gill St. Bernard in New Jersey verbally committed to the Crimson Tide last January, during his sophomore season. Now as he is preparing for his junior season the Class of 2013 prospect is back on the open market and looking forward to going through the complete recruiting process.

“I have a great relationship with the coaching staff at Alabama, but I just wanted to have the opportunity to go through the recruiting process again and make sure that I am making the right decision and that I am 100% sure on my choice,”Sina told NBE Sports earlier this evening.

That relationship with the Alabama staff is especially true with head coach Anthony Grant and Sina is definitely still considering the SEC program.

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RECRUITING NOTEBOOK: 2013 GUARDS THORPE, LEWIS & SAMUEL CHECK IN ON RECRUITMENTS

NBE caught up with a trip of guards in the Class of 2013 as college coaches hit the road in September to get a look at prospects across the country. Geno Thorpe of Shaler Area High School near Pittsburgh and New York City guards Terrence Samuel of South Shore High School and Isaiah Lewis of Christ the King touched base late last week to give us the latest on their recruitment as the busy month of September unfolds.

THORPE SET TO VISIT KANSAS STATE; SCHOOLS COMING BY SHALER

Geno Thorpe had an impressive summer playing with the NJ Playaz 16U squad on the AAU circuit. The athletic 6-foot-3, 175-pound guard had toyed with the idea of transferring from Shaler Area High School to a few different programs in New Jersey, but he is staying put this season and looking forward to a big season in front of friends and family.
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STEPHEN VASTURIA ENJOYS NOTRE DAME VISIT; PENN STATE TRIP UP NEXT

It might be tough to label Stephen Vasturia as a point guard or a shooting guard, but there is no mistaking the St. Joseph’s Prep High School standout as a sure-fire high major recruit in the Class of 2013 out of Philadelphia. This past Labor Day weekend Vasturia made an unofficial visit to Notre Dame, one of the schools that has been long on the trail of the 6-foot-4, 180-pound guard.

“I really enjoyed my visit to Notre Dame and learning more about the school and basketball program,” Vasturia told NBE Basketball Report last night. “The thing that made the biggest impression on me was the overall combination of success they have had over the years on the court and in the classroom.”

Vasturia, who won the Unselfish Player Honor at the Rasual Butler All-City Classic in Philadelphia this spring, is a very good long range shooter with nice form on his jumper and he can also hit shots from midrange. In addition he possesses a quality handle to go along with superb court vision, passing ability, feel for the game and overall basketball IQ. The consistency of his long-range jumper will improve with experience and his defense will also improve as his physical stature matures.

Mike Brey’s Notre Dame club has had a lot of success with similar backcourt talents in their system and Vasturia seems to be very interested in the Irish program and the visit only enhanced those feelings.

“Nothing about the trip really surprised me,” he said. “I was just really impressed with everything at the school.”

Notre Dame is just one of the schools currently involved in the recruitment of Vasturia. He will take another unofficial visit this coming weekend and continue to look at the other options that are coming available in his growing recruitment.

“I will be visiting Penn State this weekend,” Vasturia said. “Schools that are recruiting me are ND, Georgetown, Boston College, Villanova, Penn State, Northwestern and Temple.”

NBE will continue to monitor the development on the court of Stephen Vasturia this season at St. Joseph’s Prep High School in Philly and any recruiting developments off the court as the 6’4 guard is sure to be one of the most highly recruited backcourt talents in the 2013 class on the East Coast.

FRANCHISE CLASSIC NOTEBOOK: UK, OHIO STATE & FLORIDA STRONG IN THE MIX FOR CHRIS WALKER; GREG MCCLINTON HAS VARIED LIST: JEVON THOMAS UPDATE

by Alex Schwartz

BRONX, N.Y. — Despite rain causing a delay of over two hours and a change of venue, NBE was still in attendance for the inaugural Franchise Classic.

Team New York defeated Team USA, 146-138. Connecticut-bound Omar Calhoun led the way with 34 while Kyle Anderson and Villanova-commit Savon Goodman added 28 and 26 respectively. For Team USA, Archie Goodwin poured in 46 points in the loss and Shaq Goodwin contributed 31 of his own.

After the game, which was held at the South Bronx Job Corps, NBE had a chance to catch up with a trio of players.

Holmes County (FL) star Chris Walker is a top 10 player in the class of 2013. The 6’9 power forward has three schools standing out to him at this point–Florida, Kentucky and Ohio State.

“That’s the three I’m really feeling right now,” Walker said of the Gators, Wildcats and Buckeyes.

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REGGIE CAMERON ENJOYS RECENT BIG EAST VISIT

Reggie Cameron has seen his recruitment pick up over the summer months. The 6-foot-7 sweet-shooting wing out of Hudson Catholic (NJ) High School has been a mainstay on the NJ Playaz AAU program. Their highly successful 16U squad had a large number of basketball coaches following them from event to event during the July live evaluation periods that recently concluded.

“I picked up offers from Villanova and Northwestern, and I picked up interest from Florida, Tennessee, Notre Dame and some others,” said Cameron of new recruiting developments for him over the summer.

Cameron mentioned other schools that have been maintianing contact with him through the summer months include Seton Hall, Xavier, Penn State, UMass, West Virginia and Marquette.

Cameron recently found the time to visit one of the schools most involved in his recruitment: Seton Hall. He visited the school with AAU and high school teammates Kavon Stewart and Mike Young and liked what he saw.

“Yes,” Cameron responded when asked if he recently visited Kevin Willard’s program. “I had a really good time. I was impressed of how much my ex-Paterson Catholic teammate Fuquan Edwin was improving his game.”

Cameron mentioned that all the schools mentioned are active in his recruitment. With no currently favorites he is hoping to have the chance to see more schools with unofficial visits in the fall.

“I don’t have anything planned yet but I would like to get out to a couple of thoose schools in the fall [for unofficial visits],” he said.

Over the summer on the AAU trail the 16U Playaz had many high points and Cameron impressed with his play. However, when asked what was the highlight of the summer period he will remember the most was not even from a game he played in.

“The biggest highlight was probobly not my game, but watching our 17u team come from 26 down to beat Mac Irvin Fire in the championship of the Desert Duel in Pheonix,” Cameron said.

Cameron hopes one of his next highlights is a state championship with Hudson Catholic in the season ahead. In the meantime, NBE will hope to catch Reggie Cameron and his talented NJ Playaz teammates in action at events such as the Fall Jam Fest put on by the Hoop Group and the always exciting IS8 Fall League in NYC. Stay tuned to NBE for future updates on Cameron as he will be closely monitored by many high-major programs in the coming months.

TERRENCE SAMUEL RECRUITING UPDATE: NEW HEIGHTS GUARD IN DEMAND AFTER SUCCESSFUL SUMMER

One of the more impressive team performances throughout July was put on by the New Heights 16U AAU club. Including their Adidas Invitational championship to kick off the early July evaluation period and a Summer Classic East title that included a thrashing of highly touted Team Final 16U, New Heights claimed five impressive tournament titles on the AAU circuit this spring and summer. One player very instrumental in their success was South Shore (NYC) High School guard Terrence Samuel who loved every minute of his time with New Heights.

“The best part of being with New Heights is the expierence [of] being able to travel the world for free,” Samuel told NBE this week. “And to play in front of college coaches.”

And college coaches have liked what they have seen out of the 6-foot-3, 198-pound (rising) junior (Class of 2013) guard who is very happy with how his recruitment is going at the moment.
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CLASS OF 2012 PF VISITING WAKE FOREST TODAY

Wake Forest head coach Jeff Bzdelik and his staff will host a Class of 2012 power forward for an unofficial visit today as Devin Thomas will make a trip to Winston-Salem (NC) to check things out.

“Yeah, I am going to Wake Forest tomorrow,” said Thomas last night when asked if he has any visits upcoming.

The 6-foot-8, 230-pounder out of Central Dauphin HS in Harrisburg (PA) had an excellent summer playing with Mid-Penn Motion on the AAU circuit. Displaying a constant motor that was always turned on, Thomas was able to get things done in the paint and in doing so he drew many new suitors for his services from college coaches.

“Wake Forest, Temple and Marquette,” were new schools of note that Thomas mentioned adding that, as of now, he is considering “Wake Forest, Maryland, Clemson, Temple, Marquette, Penn State, Virginia Tech and VCU.”

Thomas does not have any favorites at this point and is looking to make a college decision in September. At this time, though, he is sad to see his AAU career come to an end and he wouldn’t trade anything for the experiences he has shared with friends and teammates.

“The best part has been experiencing everything with my best friends,” he said, adding “I dont want anything to end, I feel like this is alot of fun and a great experience.”

Now Devin Thomas will move his focus from the AAU circuit to the recruiting process. Hoping for a September decision will allow Thomas to enjoy one last year of high school basketball with his friends and teammates and create more lasting memories. With the energy and heart that he puts forth on the basketball court, expect Thomas to make an impact on and off the court in a positive way no matter where he lands in the future.

2011 ORLANDO AAU NOTEBOOK (PART 9): BRANNEN GREENE, TYLER CAVANAUGH, LANDRY NNOKO & THEO PINSON

By Alex Schwartz

BRANNEN GREENE SETS LOUISVILLE VISIT; PLANNING OTHER TRIPS

Pushing 6-foot-7, Brannen Greene is a mismatch on the wing due to his height and refined skill set. The Monroe (GA) native is a solid athlete with a good build who can do quite a bit with the ball in his hands. Greene has a high basketball IQ and good court vision, allowing him to hit the open man in position to score. His handle is superb and he can get through the defense on the way to the rack. Greene finishes pretty well at the rim and is crafty down low against the big bodies. He has nice form on his jumper, though he has yet to become a truly consistent shooter from deep. Greene puts in effort at the defensive end and can cause problems on the perimeter due to his length.

Greene has seen his stock explode as much as anyone in the Class of 2013 this summer and he a school list to prove it. He said that he has offers from Louisville, Georgia Tech, Georgia, Alabama, Marquette, Florida State, Florida, Connecticut, Kansas, Ohio State, Memphis, South Carolina, the equivalent of such from Harvard as well as “a lot more.”
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2011 ORLANDO AAU NOTEBOOK (PART 7): RECRUITING LISTS FROM AAU NATIONALS

By Alex Schwartz

The grind continues in Orlando as we move into the home stretch of the 2011 AAU National Championships. On Thursday NBE caught up with Malik Price-Martin, Kasey Hill, Duane Wilson Jr., Kobe Eubanks and Zacarry Douglas for the latest on their recruitment.

The action continues on Friday and through the weekend in Orlando and NBE will be on hand right through the conclusion. In the 16U level they have reached the FInal 8 of Pool Play. Match-ups late this morning include BABC/Garner Road, Ohio Varsity White/Rising Stars Gold, NY Gauchos/All-Ohio Red & Team Takeover/Ohio Hoopsters Cash. The semifinals will be played later this afternoon and the championship game is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon.

17U action has moved into championship bracket play with 32 teams left after early morning play. The field will be narrowed to 16 later today and then tomorrow the Final 8 will square off. Some big names remain and Albany City Rocks and Texas PRO square off today for a spot in the final 16. The Arkansas Wings, Florida Rams, CP3, All-Iowa Attack, PA Playaz, Wisconsin Playground Elite and others highlight the remaining teams.

Below you will find our recruiting updates from yesterday….

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2011 DESERT DUEL MEMORIAL FINAL DAY RECAP: NJ PLAYAZ STORM BACK FOR TITLE

By Raphielle Johnson

The only thing better than the two best teams in an event playing in the title game is those teams putting forth a game for the ages. And that’s exactly what happened when the Mac Irvin Fire and New Jersey Playaz 17U teams met in Tuesday’s title game at the Desert Duel Memorial. Despite trailing by as many as 26 points early in the second half the Playaz found a way back, ultimately winning the game in overtime by the final score of 70-62.

Things most certainly didn’t look good for the Playaz at the start as Mac Irvin jumped them out of the gate thanks to the combination of solid offensive execution and the Playaz’s inability to make shots. The squad from Chicago had everything rolling, especially 2013 stud Jabari Parker who hit just about any shot imaginable in the first twenty minutes.

Steve Taylor (2012) was able to slash to the basket, DePaul commit Billy Garrett Jr. (2013) and Derrick Randolph (2012) made plays in the backcourt and Aaric Armstead (2012) was also a factor. A dunk just before the halftime buzzer made the score 43-20, and a Parker three in the first minute of the second half pushed the lead out to 26. To say the least things did not look good for the Playaz was an understatement.

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2011 DESERT DUEL MEMORIAL – DAY ONE RECAP: COACHES GALORE ON HAND FOR ACTION

By Raphielle Johnson

With the second ten-day open period of the month on the back end it would have been easy for teams still playing to perform in a sluggish manner. But that didn’t happen on Wednesday, especially at the Desert Duel Memorial Tournament where a few games needed overtime to render a decision. One of those games was the matchup between Long Island Lightning Blue and Seattle Rotary Select, with the Lightning making up a four-point deficit in the final 30 seconds of regulation and going on to win by the final score of 69-65.

The guard tandem of Kareem Canty (2012; postgrad) and Melvin Johnson (2012) made crucial plays down the stretch with both being able to get to the rim off the dribble. Canty’s more of a scoring point who was also to make some nice passes to his big men after beating his man off the dribble, and the pull-up jumper he says he’s been working on was on display as well.

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2011 ORLANDO AAU NOTEBOOK (PART 4): ARCHIE GOODWIN UPDATES RECRUITING, MCGARY, NOEL CONTINUE TO DOMINATE & MORE

By Alex Schwartz

Ian Baker, a native of the DC-area now attending Arlington Country Day School in Florida, told NBE he has a top five school list he is working off of.

“I’d say my top four are Miami, South Carolina, Providence and Tennessee and you could say Marshall,” he said in Orlando where he is playing in AAU Super Showcase. “That’s my top five.”

Baker said Miami is his leader right now with South Carolina second and Tennessee third.

Baker has offers from four of his top five schools, with Tennessee as the only one who has not offered.

Asked if that is definitely his final five he cut his list to, Baker replied, “That’s about it. I wanna see how it’s gonna be after the tournament, who’s interested, who’s not, but as of now that’s how it’s gonna be.”

At one point Providence was his co-favorite with Miami, but Baker said he has not heard from PC as much of late and noted, “I’m not sure if I’m a top priority to them or not.”
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2011 ORLANDO AAU NOTEBOOK (PART 2): ACTION HEATING UP IN DISNEY

By Alex Schwartz

The action continues in Orlando with the AAU Super Showcase for the 15U and 16U heating up on Saturday. On Sunday the 17U division gets going stronger as well and more and more college coaches are arriving at the ESPN Wide World of Sports venue. In this afternoon’s notebook we take a closer look at the recruitment of standouts such as Kavon Stewart, Geno Thorpe, Davon Reed, Kendrick Nunn and we take a look at the impressive games of Dakari Johnson, Aquille Carr and Phil Booth. Read on below for the detail…

At 5-foot-11, NJ Playaz/Hudson Catholic point guard Kavon Stewart might not have elite height for a point guard, but what he does have is a fantastic feel for the game and the ability to lead a team. A pure point, Stewart gets others involved and has superb floor vision. He is able to find the open man and get him the basketball in a position to score. Stewart has a solid build, though he could add a bit of muscle. The 2013 prospect has a nice mid-range game which keeps the defense honest.
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LAS VEGAS AAU DAY 2 NOTEBOOK: TOP MATCHUPS CONTINUE

Khan/Judah not the only prize fight in town

By Raphielle Johnson

While boxing fans enjoyed the battle between Amir Khan and Zab Judah over at Mandalay Bay, two of the top AAU teams on the West Coast did battle at Bishop Gorman in the Las Vegas Fab 48. Led by the interior tandem of 2012 Brandon Ashley and 2013 Aaron Gordon, the Oakland Soldiers withstood a late rally to beat Belmont Shore 85-80. Both showed off their vast array of skills, especially Gordon with a few thunderous dunks.

The game was also valuable to see what Belmont Shore big men Zena Edsomwan and Grant Jerrett could do against two of the best prep players regardless of class. Edsomwan isn’t the kind of player who’s going to dominate the basketball but rather do the little things on both ends of the floor needed to win. Jerrett had his moments as well but it proved to be a tale of two halves for the Arizona commit.

In the backcourt the battle was just as intense, with the likes of Dominic Artis and Jabari Bird taking on Ikenna Ireogbu and Katin Reinhardt for Belmont Shore. With regards to dribbling skills, Artis may not have an equal in the 2012 class (Kris Dunn is another to consider). Bird can do just about everything on the floor, and while the 2013 prospect needs to continue to improve as a shooter he’s shown the ability to knock down open shots.
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JELON HORNBEAK PICKS UP NEW OFFERS; READY TO CLOSE JULY STRONG

It is becoming pretty clear that the Adidias Super 64 will be the place to be to start the final 10-day evaluation period of July. One player that wil lbe there and NBE is excited to get a look at is Jelon Hornbeak, a Class of 2012 guard out of Grace Prep in Arlington (TX). For much of the summer Hornbeak has been playing with Texas PRO but he will step out on the circuit this weekend with Family First in Las Vegas. He will not be doing it alone as his Grace Prep teammate and Baylor-commit Isaiah Austin will be along with him. Early highlights from the opening 10-day evaluation period in July for Hornbeak included connecting with his high school teammate in front of a plethora of college coaches and putting a beating on one of the top AAU programs at the NY2LA Sports Summer Jam in Milwaukee.

“Putting the mercy rule on Dream Vision,” said Hornbeak when asked of an early July highlights, “and throwing lobs to Isaiah and one game in Dallas I went 6 for 8 from three-point [range, making] five of them in a row.”
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CLASS OF 2013 NYC TRIO SEES RECRUITING REACH ‘NEW HEIGHTS’

One of the stories of the first 10-day live evaluation period recently concluded was the play of the 16U NYC New Heights team. The squad coached by Kimani Young took the Adidas Invitational in Indianapolis (IN) to open the period and then were victorious in the Hoop Group’s Summer Classic in King of Prussia (PA) as well. The players have definitely cherished the opportunity they have with New Heights and their success has been noticed by many college coaches.

“The oppurtunity to travel the world and play in front of college coaches for free,” is what 6-foot-3, 198-pound (rising) junior guard Terrence Samuel told NBE over the weekend when asked what he like dmost about being part of the New Heights program.

Samuel has seen his stock soar recently. After a few good performances on the early spring AAU period word was out that he was a player coaches should keep an eye on and those that came to check him out were not disappointed with what they saw.

“Pitt, Villanova, Cincinnati, Louisville, Arizona, Iowa State, Rutgers [and] Oregon State,” said Samuel when asked about offers received, noting many came since July began. He also mentioned VCU, Virginia, Temple and St. John’s as schools expressing new interest recently.
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HOOP GROUP WV JAM FEST RECRUITING NOTES – DAY 2

By Lauren Kirschman

The first 10-day live evaluation period of July has come and gone in nearly a blink of an eye. Its been a fun trip to Akron (OH) and Morgantown (WV) and points in between, north and south as well as east and west. While the coaches and throngs of media head home to their own beds finally, the Hoop Group’s West Virginia Jam Fest will carry on another day.

Tomorrow morning the event’s Gold Semifinals will take place. In the 17U bracket Team Philly will take on Team Takeover – Hoop Magic in one semifinal. Team Philly got past Long Island Lightning – Blue in one quarterfinal and the Hoop Magic-based squad upset Team 94 out of California in another quarterfinal.

The other half of the last four standing will be a match-up between the NY Gauchos and Hoop Heaven Heat of NJ who got past the Jersey Shore Warriors in a thrilling ending. The Gauchos won a hard fought affair with East Coast Elite in their quarterfinal match-up.

NBE caught up with a trio of standouts on Friday and below has the latest recruiting information on ’12 Blaise Mbargorba, ’13 Mark Williams and ’13 Elijah Brown for readers to enjoy…

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2011 NIKE EYBL PEACH JAM REPORT (FINAL REPORT)

By Brian Bosworth

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

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

Kyle Anderson (Playaz Basketball Club/2012) – What more can be said about Kyle Anderson that hasn’t been said already? He was brilliant against every defender on the Soldiers roster. They threw bigger guys at him and he used his deadly crossover to get into the paint. They threw shorter, quicker defenders at him and he went down to the right block and went to work. It seemed like every player on the Oakland Soldiers got a chance at stopping Kyle Anderson and every one came away shaking their head. Scouts can critique Anderson’s foot speed all they want. He is a winning basketball player who with excel at any college he chooses thanks to his toughness, basketball IQ, and leadership.
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2011 NIKE EYBL PEACH JAM REPORT (PART II)

By Brian Bosworth

After a lunch break for teams, college coaches, and scouts alike, the 17U tournament got back in swing on Tuesday evening with jaw dropping performances becoming commonplace.

Peach Jam 2nd Session Scoreboard:
Team Takeover 85, Athletes First 54
Oakland Soldiers 69, Texas Titans 51
Memphis YOMCA 71, City Rocks 62
BABC 79, Meanstreets 70
All-Ohio Red 73, Houston Hoops 69
Baltimore Elite 78, Boo Williams 71
NJ Playaz 72, California Supreme 60
CIA Bounce 55, All-Iowa Attack 53
Georgia Stars 78, Arkansas Wings 71
Indy Spiece 62, Louisiana Select 61
CP3 66, The Family 61
Mac Irvin Fire 60, Howard Pulley Panthers 53

Here are the highlights from some of the top performances NBE caught in action on Tuesday:
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