Iowa State Recruiting

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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RECRUITMENT OF ISAIAH WATKINS CONTINUES TO GAIN STEAM

There are a lot of new faces within the St. Benedict’s Prep basketball program in Newark (NJ) this season. From new head coach Mark Taylor to Class of 2015 must-see point guard Isaiah Briscoe and more new talent on the Gray Bees’ roster it is an exciting new era for the program in Newark. One player that still seems to be under the radar nationally is Isaiah Watkins, another member of the Canadian AAU program CIA Bounce that will look to excel this year for Taylor’s squad.

“What drew me to St. Benedict’s was the goal of becoming better,” Watkins told NBE earlier this evening. “Improving every day and hopefully being able to win at the highest level possible.”

The improvement of Watkins has been ongoing through the spring and summer according to Nolan Shulman, National Recruiting Analyst of Flagrant Fouls and Editor-in-Chief of the Ultimate Recruiting Handbook which is the authority on Canadian basketball prospects. Shulman also noted that Watkins will come to work every single day at St. Benedict’s, which should only enhance his goal of improving.
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ELIJAH MACON HEADING FOR PITT VISIT; MORE HUNTINGTON PREP UPDATES

By Ray Mernagh

Elijah Macon is a talented basketball player. Macon, now at Rob Fulford’s powerhouse Huntington Prep program, has decided to take a trip to Pittsburgh this weekend to check out the campus and Jamie Dixon’s program. Fulford says that Macon is much more diverse in his talents than he was allowed to show on the AAU scene (where Macon was primarily an inside presence for All-Ohio Red).

“He’s got a chance Ray,” Fulford told me, “especially if he gets stronger” (which he will in Huntington’s strength program).

Let me translate that for all you college basketball fans out there: When Rob Fulford says a kid has a chance, he means one thing — that the kid can be a pro someday (not a European pro, but an NBA pro).

Fulford thinks that Pitt‘s interest is fairly new but it’s not surprising at all if you think about it — new Pitt assistant Bill Barton and Fulford have had a relationship for years. It started with both in the Prep School ranks and continued when Barton left Notre Dame Prep for Duquesne and then when Barton was right down the road from Fulford last year at Marshall. It’s a good development for Pitt that Barton can be in on kids like Macon (a high-major kid without a doubt) because it shows that he might be able to keep up with the recent recruiting successes in the Pitt program –Khem Birch and Steven Adams, both top-10 kids in the ’11 and ’12 class –that were facilitated by the current staff and the departed Pat Skerry (now the head coach at Towson).

Macon, who’s always presented himself extremely well in NBE’s encounters with him, has impressed Fulford since he showed up on Huntington’s court.

“We love him, he’s a funny, gregarious kid,” says Fulford. “And he’s skilled, great passer, great rebounder and he shoots it well too.” I asked how his handle was? “It needs some work but he’s a worker and it’s pretty good for his size, I’ve already told him if he gets a rebound and has an open floor that I want him to go with it.” Huntington Prep is short a point guard right now after Ray Lee was dismissed from the program after getting into a legal scrape inside the dorms at Marshall.

Fulford always gives his team clear instructions regarding the dorms at the nearby school — “I tell them if they go into them they’re gone,” says Fulford. The charges against Lee are serious but it sounds as if the situation has a lot more to it than the local press has reported. Either way, Fulford says he had no choice, once Lee walked into that dorm he was history.

A point guard will be important for Huntington because of the sheer talent they will have taking the court this season. Besides Macon — who is also considering knocking out visits to Maryland and West Virginia after he takes his trip to Pitt — the Express also have a guy many consider the best player in the 2014 class in Andrew Wiggins, along with a trio of his Canadian brothers in Stefan Jankovic (’12), Tanveer Bhullar (’13) and Negus Webster-Chan. Jankovic is planning visits to Missouri, Florida State, Syracuse and Purdue, with Wake Forest very much involved, while Webster-Chan will trip to Iowa State next weekend. Webster-Chan is hungry to improve his stock after he fell off a bit last Spring and Summer due to some poor play and injuries. We’ve seen Webster-Chan at his best and when he has it clicking he’s a special talent.

Also on the squad is Xavier Rathan-Myers. Fulford calls him a stud while he says Bhullar needs a lot of work but also works very hard and probably moves laterally and end-to-end better than his older brother Sim.

Huntington Prep always plays in a number of places nation-wide and if you get the chance to see them you should take advantage of it — always fun to watch the Express go up and down.

SUMMER SHOOTOUT NOTEBOOK

By Alex Schwartz

ALLENTOWN, N.J. — Although the Summer Shootout is not necessarily well-known outside of New Jersey, the event is filled with quality teams and talented players on a yearly basis. The 2011 edition was no different, as NBE Basketball Report took in some of the action on Saturday and got to catch up with a handful of Big East recruits.

Isaiah Watkins, a 6-foot-8, 215-pound power forward, really saw his stock increase this summer. A class of 2013 prospect who hails from Toronto and is in his first year at St. Benedict’s (NJ), Watkins already lists a number of high-major offers.

Watkins said that Santa Clara, Missouri, Arkansas, Cincinnati and Virginia have all extended scholarship offers to him. In addition, he is hearing from Harvard, Ohio State, Georgetown, Michigan, Elon, Lafayette, Niagara, Villanova, Rutgers, Seton Hall, Temple, West Virginia, Kansas and more.
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ELITE ’14 PROSPECT CHRIS MCCULLOUGH ENJOYS UCONN VISIT

Chris McCullough burst onto the national recruiting radar this summer with a series of strong performances during the month of July, first at the Hoop Group Elite Session 1 Camp and the Hoop Group team camp playing with the Salisbury (CT) School. McCullough built up a strong following and next thing you knew college coaches were making sure they knew where his team SCAN AAU squad would be playing throughout the remaining of the month.

McCullough, who credits the work off the court with Team SCAN for helping him achieve honor roll status in school, visited Connecticut earlier this week with AAU teammate Conrad Chambers, another highly regarded player in the 2014 recruiting class. McCullough told NBE earlier today he enjoyed the trip.

“The trip was good, good experience,” said McCullough of the visit to UConn. ‘[The highlight was] chilling with Coach Kevin Ollie.”
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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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INTRODUCING LAMONTA STONE II — YOUNG POINT GUARD ENTERING HIGH SCHOOL ALREADY HAS D-1 OFFERS

By Ray Mernagh

LaMonta Stone II is the son of a coach — his father LaMonta is a long-time assistant coach at Bowling Green.

The younger Stone has shown this summer that he probably isn’t going to get overlooked the way some coaching offspring tend to.

Stone, who will enter Bowling Green High School this fall, is a traditional point guard according to those that have seen him this summer.

Stone did work at the Jr. Phenom Camp in San Diego at the start of the summer where he was ranked the #1 point guard in the camp, and continued to impress throughout the July period. So much so that he’s already garnered his first two D-1 scholarship offers from Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan. Stone is also getting interest from Michigan State, Iowa State, Michigan, Cincinnati and Duquesne.

Young Stone is definitely a player NBE will track over the next few years as he matures physically and will no doubt receive intense looks from even more programs nation-wide as he steps right into the Varsity level as a 9th grader.

For now here’s a little taste of his skills in the open court.

Let me be the first to dub the move the “Stone Cold” crossover.

2011 ORLANDO AAU NOTEBOOK (PART 10): ELIJAH MACON, KALE ABRAHAMSON & MARTAVIOUS NEWBY UPDATES

By Alex Schwartz

MARYLAND OFFICIAL VISIT THE PLAN FOR ELIJAH MACON

If you are looking for a big man to rebound and defend in your Class of 2012 recruiting efforts, 6-foot-9 power forward Elijah Macon could be your man. Yes, he can also finish around the cup and is by no means a major weakness offensively, but his offensive skill set down low is still developing. However, what Macon does do quite well is rebound and defend, two things that are very important. A well built post player with a strong frame, Macon, for the most part, understands his strengths and weaknesses and does not force things. He plays solid interior defense and is an overall sound player who does a lot of the little things.

Miami, West Virginia, Iowa, South Florida, Cincinnati, Xavier, USC and Dayton were the offers listed by Macon this past weekend while playing in the AAU National Championships for the All-Ohio Red program in Orlando. He also mentioned Memphis, Maryland, Georgetown, Kansas and Florida, noting that he has more offers and interest.
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HOOP GROUP END OF SUMMER CLASSIC RUNDOWN – 16U EDITION

By Brian Bosworth

The July live period came to a close on Sunday with Hoop Group’s End of Summer Classic at Albright College in Reading, Pennsylvania. The tournament featured 24 teams in 3 separate 17U brackets and 16 teams in 2 separate 16U brackets. The 16U portion had many standout players including one who was a cut above the rest.

Top Performer:

Rysheed Jordan (Players Teaching Players/2013) – Although his team lost in the semifinals, Jordan left little doubt that he was the top prospect in the 16U division. A 6’3” 175 pound point guard, Jordan has immense physical talents. In his team’s first game, an easy win, he played the role of facilitator and got into the paint time and again to create easy scoring opportunities for teammates. He used his long arms to disrupt passing lanes on defense and start transition offense and showed the ability to finish high above the rim. In his second game of the day, Players Teaching Players were trailing by 27 points when Jordan took matters into his own hands. He must have had at least 5-6 steals all leading to easy buckets at the other end. Offensively, he attacked the rim relentlessly finishing through contact over and over and bringing his team back within 7 points. The deficit was eventually too much to overcome but in the process of trying Rysheed Jordan proved that he is an elite point guard prospect in the 2013 class.

Other Standouts:
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BIG SHOTS – DCA RECRUITING NOTEBOOK

By Matt Whitfield

On the last two days of the July live evaluation period some of the top AAU programs on the East Coast converged near the nation’s capitol for the Big Shots – DC Assault event. Many college coaches used the chance to get one last look at their top recruiting targets as well. Below are some of the recruiting updates NBE gathered during their time Sunday at the event…

Long Island Lightning forward Daniel Dingle continues to be a player many programs are keeping a close eye on. The 6-foot-6 combo forward out of St. Raymond’s in NYC also added a new scholarship offer recently.

“Right now my recruitment is going good,” Dingle said Sunday. “I just got a scholarship offer from Maryland. [As well as interest and offers from] Arizona, Temple, Dayton, Miami, Florida and Texas.

Dingle is starting to think about where he will visit in the coming month.
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2011 ORLANDO AAU UPDATE (PART 6): HOUSTON DEFENDERS TAKE 17U SHOWCASE TITLE

By Alex Schwartz

It was a busy day in Orlando on Wednesday as the 17U AAU Super Showcase came to a close. The Houston Defenders earned the crown with an impressive 55-45 victory over BABC. Class of 2013 twins Aaron and Andrew Harrison led the Defenders as Aaron scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while Andrew finished with eight points and 10 assists. Earlier in the afternoon the Defenders got past Team Takeover, rallying from a halftime deficit to advance to the championship game. For their part, BABC survived a stiff challenge in the semis from Hoop Heavan Elite out of NJ to advance to the televised championship game.

Now the full focus will shift to the AAU National Championships. The 16U is in full swing and the 17U championships are also getting going in pool play as well. Still plenty of basketball left these next four days as the second July live evaluation period closes out.

Below we have some additional player evaluations and recruiting information from yesterday’s action with a heavy concentration on the Houston Defenders (Derrick Griffin), Team Takeover (Jerami Grant), BABC (Jaylen Brantley, Jake Layman, Goodluck Okonoboh) and more (Bobby Portis)…

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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.
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CLASS OF 2013 Q&A: TYLER ENNIS CONTINUES TO BLOW UP

One of the most intriguing prospects in the Class of 2013 is Tyler Ennis out of St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark (NJ) and the CIA Bounce AAU program. The Canadian import has been having a tremendous spring and summer on the AAU and camp scene and his recruitment continues to skyrocket.

Ennis is a smooth scoring guard that can put points on the board. He continues to improve his floor game as a point guard and with a busy July travel schedule you can be certain college coaches will continue to be seen at his games. The attention from the coaches keeps Ennis grounded and working hard to his goals. He also updates readers on the latestr in his recruitment in the following Q&A with NBE Sports…

NBE Basketball Report (NBE): What is your current height and weight?

Tyler Ennis (TE): 6’3, 180
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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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2011 NIKE EYBL PEACH JAM REPORT (PART IV)

By Brian Bosworth

As Wednesday night rolled around in North Augusta, the haves started to separate themselves from the have nots. Plenty of players showcased their talents for the nation’s top coaches and tried to put their stamp of the week’s festivities. After a third viewing in two days, one thing became VERY clear on Wednesday night. Nerlens Noel is a stud and is making a strong case that he is the top player at this entire event.

Nerlens Noel (BABC/2013) – After flirting with a triple double in his morning game, Noel finished the job Wednesday night putting up 13 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 blocked shots against a very talented CIA Bounce front line. He is a human eraser at the rim and it doesn’t matter who is attacking him. Any shot taken within five feet against BABC belongs to Noel and as the game goes on opponents start taking wild attempts because they are scared of being embarrassed. He is the best defender in the country and proved it for a third time this week.

Prominent head coaches on hand to see Noel’s effort against CIA Bounce included Tom Izzo (Michigan State), Rick Barnes (Texas), Jim Calhoun (Connecticut), Jamie Dixon (Pittsburgh), Thad Matta (Ohio State), Jim Larranaga (Miami), Frank Haith (Missouri), Mike Anderson (Arkansas), Roy Williams (UNC), Jim Boeheim (Syracuse), and Mick Cronin (Cincinnati). The win kept BABC undefeated in the two days thus far. Memphis YOMCA and the Oakland Soldiers are also 4-0 after Wednesday night.

Wednesday’s Session 2 Scoreboard:
Georgia Stars 85, All-Ohio Red 68
Boo Williams 68, Indy Spiece 64
CP3 93, Cali Supreme 82
Mac Irvin Fire 82, All-Iowa Attack 78
Team Takeover 86, Houston Hoops 80
Oakland Soldiers 74, Baltimore Elite 70
Memphis YOMCA 63, NJ Playaz 47
BABC 58, CIA Bounce 55 (OT)
Arkansas Wings 65, Athletes First 62
Texas Titans 61, Louisiana Select 44
The Family 62, City Rocks 54
Howard Pulley 72, Meanstreets 67

Individual Stat Leaders:

Scoring Leaders:
Sulaimon,Rasheed………..23.3
Gathers,Ricardo…………20.0
Ashley,Brandon………….19.5
Parker,Jabari-B4…………..19.3
Smith-Rivera,D’Vauntes…….19.0
Anderson,Kyle…………..19.0
Zierdan,Isaiah………….19.0
Jones,Matthew…………..18.8
Barber,Anthony…………18.5
Goodwin,Archie………….18.0

Rebounding Leaders:
Gathers,Ricardo…………13.0
Poythress,Alex………….9.8
Parker,Tony…………….9.8
Johnson,Brice………….9.3
Parker,Jabari…………..9.3

Assist Leaders:
Rose,LJ………………..8.8
Purvis,Rodney…………..7.3
Anderson,Kyle…………..7.3
Robinson,James………….6.0
Clark,Stephen………….. 5.5

Shot Blocking Leaders:
Noel,Nerlens……………6.8
Johnson,Brice…………..4.8
Kingsley,Moses………….3.8
Morris,Shaquille………..2.5

More Player Evaluations:

Josh Fortune (Boo Williams/2012) – committed to Providence – Fortune had it working from deep in this game burying 3-4 from the behind the arc while getting great elevation on his shot and showing a smooth release. He has a well built 6’5” frame on the wing and doesn’t shy away from contact inside. Very aggressive with the ball in his hands, Fortune has a scorer’s mentality always thinking about putting the ball in the hole.

Justin Anderson (Boo Williams/2012) – committed to Virginia – Anderson’s numbers didn’t jump off the page but his physical impact on a high school basketball game is really something to watch. He blocked a shot at the rim despite being near the free throw line as his opponent was taking off. He covered the ground in a flash, exploded off the ground, and sent the shot into the third row. Offensively, Anderson worked out of the post a lot in this game where he was far too physical and aggressive for any defender Spiece threw at him. Anderson plays with a ton of emotion on the court and while his passion is inspiring he lets it get the best of him at times and loses his cool. When in control, he is a physical force who can impact the game on both ends.

D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera (Indy Spiece/2012) – Smith-Rivera is a power point guard in every sense standing 6’3” and 205 pounds. He has tight handle and uses a strong front shoulder to stop defenders from trying to pick his pocket. Smith-Rivera shot the ball very well on this night going 4-6 from behind the arc along with getting to the basket and finishing in the paint. In addition to his physical attributes Smith-Rivera controls the action both vocally and by example for this Spiece group and is the unquestioned leader for his team out on the court.

AJ Hammons (Indy Spiece/2012) – In a word, Hammons is huge. He stands at 7’0”, 260 pounds and actually looks to be in much better shape than when I last saw him in April. His activity on both back boards stood out in tonight’s contest as he racked up 13 rebounds. Players of his immense size have a tendency to get complacent and think their body will get rebounds for them. Hammons was quite the opposite attacking the ball both in and out of his area and then whipping outlet passes ahead to Smith-Rivera to start the break.

Georges Niang (BABC/2012) – committed to Iowa State – Production, production, production. Prospects are often evaluated on potential of what they could do down the road but a balance between production and potential is what coaches really want to see. Niang produces every time he steps onto the floor and tonight was no different. An undersized 4 man standing at 6’7”, Niang uses a wide frame and outstanding footwork to give defenders fits down low. He knows how to create contact and can finish from all kinds of angles with either hand. College coaches sitting courtside were shaking their heads at every Niang finish inside as it never seems possible but he always seems to finish. The Big East let a good one sneak away to Big 12 country.

Anthony Bennett (CIA Bounce/2012) – Bennett is a beast. He is every bit of the 6’8” 220 pounds he’s listed at and uses his strength to dominate the paint. He loves contact and has no problem finishing right through it inside. Not just a banger, Bennett also has a clean jump out past the three point line, can put the ball on the floor, and runs in transition like a wing player. He has exploded on the national scene this spring and it’s easy to see why with his combination of power and skill. Bennett is only scratching the surface of his huge potential and is already drawing comparisons to the likes of Larry Johnson and Carmelo Anthony.

Andrew Wiggins (CIA Bounce/2014) – If I didn’t know Wiggins was a member of the 2014 class, I would never believe it. He has an advanced game at such a young age and can score the ball in a variety of ways from the wing. Wiggins has three point range although he is streaky from out there but is at his best attacking the basket. An elite athlete, Wiggins might be the only player I’ve seen all week finish in the paint with Nerlens Noel standing in his way. He had multiple put back dunks in this game and makes it look so easy when he elevates over opponents and hammers one down. Wiggins is squarely in the discussion for the top overall player in the 2014 class and reminds me of a young Paul Pierce.

Tyus Jones (Howard Pulley Panthers/2014) – Another one of the youngest players in the tournament, Jones plays like a seasoned veteran. Standing at 6’0” and manning the point for Howard Pulley, Jones has the ball on a string as he weaves his way up and down the floor. He always seems to make the right decision and doesn’t force things that aren’t there. Not only a facilitator, Jones showed off an impressive floater in the lane and a consistent jump shot going 3-3 from long range. Although it’s very early, Jones appears to be one of the elite point guards in the class of 2014.

Isaiah Zierdan (Howard Pulley Panthers/2012) – The 6’2” guard can really shoot the ball. I would go as far as to say that he is the best long range shooter I’ve seen this week and there has certainly been stiff competition. He made six from behind the arc in this contest which is just another day at the office for the long range sniper.

College Coaches in Attendance:

Boo Williams vs. Indy Spiece – Head coaches Brad Stevens (Butler), Stan Heath (South Florida), John Thompson (Georgetown), Ed Cooley (Providence), Tom Izzo (Michigan State), and Paul Hewitt (George Mason) were all courtside joined by assistants from Indiana, UNC, and Xavier.

BABC vs. CIA Bounce – Prominent head coaches on hand included Tom Izzo (Michigan State), Rick Barnes (Texas), Jim Calhoun (Connecticut), Jamie Dixon (Pittsburgh), Thad Matta (Ohio State), Jim Larranaga (Miami), Frank Haith (Missouri), Mike Anderson (Arkansas), Roy Williams (UNC), Jim Boeheim (Syracuse), and Mick Cronin (Cincinnati) with assistants from Duke, Gonzaga, and Xavier joining them.

Mean Streets vs. Howard Pulley – Tom Izzo (Michigan State), Sean Miller (Arizona), Paul Hewitt (Georgia Tech), and Patrick Chambers (Penn State) were on hand along with assistants from Ohio State, Depaul, and Xavier.

Recruiting Updates:

Wayne Selden – Only a rising sophomore, Selden confirmed that he already has offers from Kentucky, West Virginia, Connecticut, Boston College, and Pittsburgh.

Jaylen Brantley – The rising junior told me that since June 15th he’s been hearing from Florida, DePaul, Boston College (offer), Northeastern, and Louisville (offer).

HOOP GROUP ELITE TEAM CAMP FINAL RECAP & RECRUITING NOTES

By Alex Schwartz

READING, Pa. — Featuring over 60 high schools from seven different states, The Hoop Group Elite Team Camp drew numerous Division I coaches to Albright College. At least half of Big East was represented there Sunday, the second and final day of the camp.

Head coaches from both of New Jersey’s Big East programs, Rutgers and Seton Hall, were in attendance along with at least one assistant. NBE Basketball Report also spotted or was informed that assistants from Cincinnati, DePaul, Pittsburgh, St. John’s, Villanova and West Virginia were in Reading.

Amongst the attractions for the Big East schools were Kyle Anderson ’12, Nate Britt ’13, Reggie Cameron ’13, Hallice Cooke ’13, Will Ferguson ’13, Shep Garner ’14, Amile Jefferson ’12, Kris Jenkins ’13, Ja’Quan Newton ’14, Villanova-commit Daniel Ochefu ’12, Stanford Robinson ’13, Terrence Samuel ’13, Shamiek Sheppard ’13, Kavon Stewart ’13, Mike Young ’13, and more.
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LEBRON JAMES SKILLS ACADEMY RECRUITING FOCUS: JAMES ROBINSON & WILLIE CAULEY

By Lauren Kirschman

The Lebron James Skills Academy took it up another notch on Thursday as college coaches were allowed to watch the action at the James A. Rhodes Arena on the University of Akron campus. After getting their feet wet with several workouts and the opportunity to play with and against King James himself in their first day and a half of the camp, now the players are playing for scholarships.

Right out of the gates the big name coaches arrived. By the time the first morning high school workout had finished names and faces we all know populated the viewing areas like Tom Izzo, Coach K, Jim Calhoun, Jim Boeheim, Billy Donovan, John Thompson III, Thad Matta, Bill Self, Matt Painter, Lorenzo Romar, Anthony Grant, Josh Pastner, Bruce Weber and many more with others planning to be here before the day is done.

After the morning workout Willie Cauley (’12) and James Robinson (’12) spent time with NBE Basketball Report to fill our readers in on the latest with their recruitment…

James Robinson (DeMatha HS/Team Takeover DC)
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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.
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NEGUS WEBSTER-CHAN LOOKING FOR THE RIGHT FIT & RELATIONSHIP IN COLLEGE CHOICE

By Ron Bailey

Negus Webster-Chan, 6’6”, 190 lb senior shooting guard, Huntington Prep (WV) – Another of the Canuck invasion, Webster-Chan has just been in America full-time for about a year. Of course he’s had to adjust, on and off the floor.

In terms of the hardwood, Webster-Chan said of Huntington Prep “That was my first year in the States going to school out here. It was a real good experience; I got a lot bigger and gained more weight. I went up against better competition than I’m used to. Everybody had a big name in high school.”

Off the floor, he not only had to deal with a different style of life amongst youth in America, but Huntington, WV and perceptions of Canada as well. “That was real hard because I come from a big city” said the Toronto native. Moreover, “They (teammates) think we have a whole bunch of snow every day, it’s not like that. It’s sunny right now at home. It’s hot!”

Negus played solidly during NBAPA Top 100 action, displaying a penchant for perimeter play whether shooting, passing or driving. Lateral quickness can be improved, a point he acknowledges. If you ask Webster-Chan, he’s “working one everything. Everything can be improved.”

This Canadian indicated he considers himself “a combo guard, but they are using me as a two guard out here”. Webster-Chan admitted Top 100 was “like my first camp ever” and took away from it the opportunity to “learn a lot off the court about life skills and on the court from the optional workouts we had in the morning.”

According to him “Seton Hall, Marquette, Virginia, USC, South Florida, Texas, Iowa State, Oregon” plus “more schools” have offered.

Webster-Chan had originally made a verbal commitment to Louisville during the past season, but re-opened the process earlier this spring.

What are his college criteria?: “I’m just looking for a place that fits me…like how they want to use me, I’m comfortable there. (Where) I’ll have a great relationship with the head coach. (If) My parents are comfort able with it. It doesn’t matter if I’m East Coast or West Coast.”

RECRUITING NOTEBOOK: ELITE PROGRAMS REACHING OUT TO 2013 PROSPECTS

The live July evaluation period is right around the corner. Once again NBE will be out in full force during both 10-day recruiting periods, stretching from East to West and North and South to keep up with all the recruiting information. It is always a fun process to see what college coaches are out on the recruiting trail and who they are watching.

In the meantime, the phones of top prospects in the Class fo 2013 have been ringing off the hook as colleges are permitted to contact a recruit once a month on the phone or via email. June 15th was the first day contact was allowed and programs wasted little time reaching out to prospects.

“Santa Clara called me at 12:00 on the dot,” said Tyler Ennis. “Oregon State, Santa Clara and Iowa State all did.”

Ennis is a 6-foot-3, 178-pound guard who plays on the AAU spring and summer circuit with CIA Bounce out of Canada. He attended St. Benedict’s in Newark (NJ) last season and has had a busy early summer season with trips to LA for the Pangos Camp and to the University of Virginia campus for the recent NBA Top 100 Camp. His play has drawn very good reviews and it shows in the latest list of schools that have been in contact since the 15th.
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