Kansas Recruiting

RECRUITMENT OF TYLER ENNIS POISED TO BE BIG STORY IN CLASS OF 2013

Our northern neighbors of Canada have been producing a steady stream of elite basketball prospects recently and St. Benedict’s Prep guard Tyler Ennis may be the best of the bunch in the Class of 2013. Nolan Shulman, the authority on Canadian prep basketball, certainly would agree with that assumption.

“He was routinely the best player on the floor at every stop on the circuit this summer,” Shulman, National Recruiting Analyst of Flagrant Fouls and Editor-in-Chief of the Ultimate Recruiting Handbook which concentrates on Canadian basketball prospects, told NBE this fall. “His overall floor game is as good as any Canadian point guard we’ve had in the last six years, a group that includes Junior Cadougan, Cory Joseph and Myck Kabongo. He understands the strengths of his teammates and always puts them in a position to be their best.”

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CRC CLASSIC: ANYA, LYLES SHINE IN DEMATHA WIN OVER NEUMANN-GORETTI

By Ray Mernagh

DeMatha Catholic was led by the inside muscle of Beejay Anya and the outside shooting touch of Jairus Lyles in a 62-47 win over Philadelphia’s Neumann-Goretti. The Class of 2013 duo each scored 17 points in the win with Syracuse-commit Jerami Grant adding 14. As a team, Dematha was 26-43 from the field, setting a CRC CLassic record by making 60.5% of their shots from the floor.

Neumann-Goretti sophomore Ja’Quan Newton scored 16 in the loss to lead the Saints.

Following the game NBE got the chance to catch up with a few of the big guns for DeMatha to talk recruiting and more…

Beejay Anya 6’9″ 2013 Center

Anya has lost a severe amount of weight over the last several months….and that’s a good thing! My guess is that he’s dropped 30 pounds if not more and the result is a dominating presence in the post both defensively and offensively. Anya had 3 blocks before I could write anything and just continued from that point. He’s unquestionably the Stags best player and it’s not really close. Anya scored over each shoulder, rebounded and defended with a physical preference that probably had Pittsburgh coach Jamie Dixon salivating as he watched courtside. Anya finished with 17 points, 7 rebounds and 7 blocks and is being courted by just about everybody in the country.
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2011 CITY OF PALMS REPORT — TOP PLAYER PERFORMANCES

By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

Now that the 2011 City of Palms Classic has come to a close it’s time to put some measure on what I saw this week. Below are player rankings by class based on performances from this week alone. While they do impact my overall perception of these players, they are rankings strictly of what I saw in Florida this week.

Top 2012 Players:

1. Isaiah Austin (Grace Prep) – signed with Baylor – Austin was more committed to play inside on offense than he has been in the past and still rebounded and blocked shots at the highest level. He looked poised to challenge Shabazz Muhammad for top player in the class throughout the rest of the reason.

2. Shabazz Muhammad (Bishop Gorman) – It speaks to Muhammad’s talent that after a subpar week by his standards he still slots in at # 2. He was the most persistent scorer at the tournament, getting his points every way imaginable.

As for his recruitment, Muhammad told NBE on the opening day of the event that he has no timetable for a decision and sounds as though he’ll wait right up until the spring signing period to make his call. He listed an up-tempo style and a program that gets its players to the next level as the two most important factors in his decision making process. When the time comes Muhammad will be choosing from his final 6 of UCLA, Kansas, Duke, Kentucky, UNLV, and USC.
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CITY OF PALMS REPORT — DAY FOUR

By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

Each day at the City of Palms Classic seems to be more intense than the last. Today started off slowly with a mostly empty gym but it slowly filled up as the night wore and the semifinal matchups approached. When it was time for the tip of Montverde Academy and Grace Prep in the 1st semifinal there wasn’t an empty seat in the building. Through a delay when a power outage sapped the scoreboard, constant breaks to wipe up an increasingly slippery court, and a wildly overheated Florida gym, high level basketball remained the focus. A select group of players stood a cut above the rest and they are outlined below.

Top Performance of the Day:

Julius Randle (Prestonwood Christian 2013) – In the final game of the night with a chance to play for the title on the line Randle was brilliant. He tallied 31 points and 15 rebounds on 12 of 18 shooting while facing consistent double and triple teams in the post. Randle’s game has evolved as his skills have developed and while he still makes his living down low he showed the ability tonight to lead the break and facilitate offense for others from the perimeter. His shooting range now extends to the college 3 point line and he can comfortably handle the ball enough to help his guards break the press. Offensively, Randle has very few holes in his game but on the other side of the ball he does still need work. He has a tendency to sulk after a turnover and then miss a defensive assignment because he hasn’t let the play go. While not uncommon for a young player, stars of Randle’s caliber are held to a higher standard. If cleared up, there is nothing standing in his way from overtaking Jabari Parker as 2013’s top prospect.
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CITY OF PALMS REPORT – DAY TWO

By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

Day 2 at the City of Palms Classic featured national powerhouses Mater Dei (CA), Arlington Grace Prep (TX), and Miller Grove (GA) in action for the first time. Despite these big names the game of the day was St. Raymond’s (NY) come from behind overtime victory over Trinity (KY) in which they trailed by 15 in the 4th quarter. Through sheer force of will and a couple of standouts outlined below they stormed all the way back and then overcame another 5 point deficit in overtime. It highlighted a fun day of big time competition with quite a few monster individual performances.

Top Performer of the Day:

Isaiah Austin (Arlington Grace Prep 2012) – signed with Baylor – Austin is often criticized for floating on the perimeter and not using his 7 foot frame to score inside. If today’s performance is any indication, he has heard the critics and made an adjustment. Matched up against future Ohio State defensive end Adolphus Washington, Austin went to work in the lane and stayed there all day. He dominated the paint on both ends of the court finishing with 20 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 blocks. While still a finesse player, Austin seems to have learned to use his extreme length to get into easy positions to score and then use his soft touch to finish plays. He even initiated contact with the 6’6” beast of man Washington and worked his way to the free throw line. On the defensive end, Austin basically sent back every shot attempt within 6 feet and caused opponents to settle for jumpers because of his presence. Today’s performance was one that makes it clear why Austin has as much long term potential as any member of the 2012 class.
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CITY OF PALMS REPORT — DAY ONE

By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

The City of Palms Classic got underway at Bishop Verot High School in Fort Myers, Florida on Friday afternoon. In its 39th year of existence the City of Palms is unquestionably the top high school holiday tournament in America bringing in top teams from coast to coast. This year is no different as headlining teams span the nation including Montverde Academy (FL), Bishop Gorman (NV), Mater Dei (CA), Arlington Grace Prep (TX), and Miller Grove (GA.) Plenty of top young talent showed off on Friday and the headliners are outlined below.

Top Performer of the Day:

Anthony Perez (Montverde Academy 2012) – signed with Mississippi – Perez has long been thought of as a very talented big man who could have a very high ceiling is his skills came together. After his performance tonight, it would appear they are starting to come together. At a slender 6’9” Perez did two things very well tonight; he made long distance shots and he attacked the offensive glass. Montverde ran him through stagger screens on offense to create perimeter looks and he knocked them down with regularity. He also got countless offensive rebounds by using his length and a non-stop motor that frustrated the opposition. Perez even hit a pair of midrange jumpers after shot faking the deep ball and using a couple dribbles to create space. He looked every bit the part of an impact player for Ole Miss down the road.
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SAVON GOODMAN PLANNING TO SIGN IN SPRING, STAY IN 2012

by Alex Schwartz

PHILADELPHIA – On the last day of November in 2010, Savon Goodman committed to his local school, Villanova University. Just over a year later, the 6-foot-6 combo forward is looking for a new college, after decommitting from the Wildcats just before the start of his senior year.

Soon after reopening his recruitment, Goodman transferred to Constitution (PA), leaving the school where he had spent the first three years of his high school career, Academy of the New Church (PA). In addition, rumors began to swirl that he would have to reclassify to 2013 for academic reasons.

On Tuesday, NBE caught up with both Goodman and his high school coach after his second game as a Constitution General, a 61-53 win over Council Rock North (PA) in which he had a game-high 24 points.
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NATIONAL HOOPS FESTIVAL RECRUITING REPORT

On Saturday, Matt Whitfield made the trip to Hyattsville (MD) and DeMatha High School for the 2011 National Hoops Festival event. The early season event is typically one of the favorite stops for NBE on the December schedule and this year did not disappoint with several powerhouse programs headlining the event with a very solid day of action on the court. Here is the scoreboard from Saturday’s contests:

–Bullis 62, Riverdale Baptist 59
–Episcopal 44, Benedictine 38
–Paul VI 65, West Charlotte 58
–Oak Hill 68, Grace Prep 59
–DeMatha 83, Jamesville-Dewitt 57

NBE was able to catch up with players such as Kennedy Meeks, Beejay Anya, Stanford Robinson, Jordan Mickey, RJ Curington, Emmanuel Mudiay and more. See below for the latest in recruiting updates form many of the top uncommitted players participating on Saturday…

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JAKARR SAMPSON RECRUITING UPDATE

Fresh off a strong performance over the weekend at the National Prep Showcase, Brewster Academy forward JaKarr Sampson easily made the list of 2011 National Prep Showcase Top Performers compiled by NBE’s National Recruiting Analyst Brian Bosworth. The 6-foot-8, 205-pound forward is a long and skilled specimen who made countless plays in and around the paint as Brewster defeated Fishburn Military Academy (91-75 on Sat) and Massanutten Military Academy (95-65 on Sun).

Sampson scored 20 points in each contest showing that he loves to face up after catching in the post at which point his first step is too quick for helpless defenders. Brewster Academy coach Jason Smith said this is an area that Sampson has improved upon in the last year.

“JaKarr has gotten stronger and has really improved his ball-handling, specifically his first step,” said Smith. “He has a very explosive first step, which allows him to beat a lot of forwards off the dribble.”

Sampson is also able to defend the rim with his supreme athleticism. One high-major college coach compared Sampson over the weekend to former UNLV star Stacy Augman, and listening to coach Smith describe and project Sampson that comparison definitely holds water.

“JaKarr is a hybrid forward,” said Smith. “He’s a match-up problem for a lot of people due to his explosive athleticism and quickness. In a year or two, JaKarr can become an elite level defender in college.”

Formerly committed to St. John’s in the 2011 class before being ruled ineligible Sampson has re-opened his recruitment and is one of the elite members of the 2012 class still left on the board and high majors are going to be fighting for his services all year. He told NBE over the weekend he now has a list of Kansas, Pittsburgh, Louisville, Providence, Baylor, Miami, and St. John’s remains in the mix. Coach Smith also mentioned Florida as a school they are hearing from in the recruiting process.

After the Naitonal Prep Showcase Sampson flew home to Ohio and took the opportunity of some downtime to go check out one of the schools on his list for an unofficial visit according to his coach.

“JaKarr flew home on Sunday for the Thanksgiving break,” said Smith. “He’s scheduled to drive to Pittsburgh for an unofficial visit. Pitt is one of many schools showing interest in JaKarr.”

After opting not to sign a letter of intent in the early signing period it is certain JaKarr Sampson will be a hotly contested recruit for many programs in the spring signing period for the Class of 2012. It is expected Sampson will take his time in the process and in the meantime he will hone his skills under Coach Smith at Brewster. This is his second season in the Brewster program and will play for a team that will content for a NEPSAC and National Prep title this season. We will closely follow the recruitment of Sampson and the season of Brewster as it promises to be an interesting storyline throughout the season.

BOSWORTH: NATIONAL PREP SCHOOL SHOWCASE WRAP-UP (TOP PERFORMERS)

By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

Now that the National Prep Showcase has concluded it’s time to take a moment and digest everything that I witnessed in New Haven this weekend. One thing that jumps out is that the talent level in New England is at an all time high. While many players are imports from other areas of the country a large part of rosters on New England prep times are made up of local talent. Most notably, Nerlens Noel in 2013 and Noah Vonleh in 2014 both have a chance to become the top player in their class nationwide. These two separated themselves from everyone else at this event both with their current production and with their long term potential.

Past those top two, Ricardo Ledo deserves more recognition for his performance on Friday night. Ledo’s ability to score has never been questioned but his intangibles and whether or not he is a winner have long been debated. Against La Jolla Prep he not only scored from everywhere on the floor but he proved to be the vocal leader of a talent rich South Kent team. He specifically seems to have taken on somewhat of a mentor role for talented junior Chris Thomas. According to South Kent head coach Kelvin Jefferson Ledo has been everything he could have asked for and more both on the floor and in the locker room. He has taken Thomas under his wing in a sense and has been an incredible positive influence. If this progression continues, Ed Cooley landed an even bigger star than already thought.
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BOSWORTH: SUNDAY’S NATIONAL PREP SHOWCASE BREAKDOWN

By Brian Bosworth, National Scouting Analyst

The National Prep Showcase was back in full swing on Sunday with top teams like Brewster Academy, New Hampton Prep, and the Tilton School all in action. While the rosters of most prep schools in this event are dominated by seniors and post-graduate players it was a pair of underclassmen that stole the show on Sunday.

Co-Headliners of the Day:

Nerlens Noel (Tilton School 2013) – With college coaches such as John Calipari (Kentucky), Steve Lavin (St. John’s), and Ed Cooley (Providence) on hand to watch him play Noel put on quite a show Sunday night. Having already established himself as the premier defensive big man in America during the summer with BABC, Nerlens showcased an expanding offensive game that brings his upside to a new level. He played on the wing for much of the first half and repeatedly used a deadly right to left crossover to attack the rim and finish with his left hand. Despite being right handed he seems to prefer using his left to finish around the basket and did so with startling efficiency in this game. If Noel can continue to develop his offensive skills to complement his defensive brilliance he will give Jabari Parker a serious challenge for the spot of #1 overall player in the class of 2013.
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EARLY SIGNING PERIOD CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS – BIG 12

By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

Next up in our look at NCAA basketball early signing period classes is the Big 12. Rick Barnes has built quite a recruiting juggernaut in the Lonestar State. However, one in-state rival has become a surprising recruiting rival and challenges for the title of the conference’s best class. Here is a look at the top Big 12 classes and recruits so far for the Class of 2012…

Top 5 Big 12 Recruiting Classes for 2012:

1) Texas
Commits – Cameron Ridley (C), Prince Ibeh (C), Javan Felix (PG), Connor Lammert (PF), Ioannis Papapetrou (SF)
–While most programs have a tough time finding one true center Rick Barnes locked down two in one recruiting class with Ridley and Ibeh.

2) Baylor
Commits – Isaiah Austin (C), LJ Rose (PG), Chad Rykhoek (C)
–Scott Drew continues to attract long, skilled big men to Waco with Isaiah Austin following Perry Jones and Quincy Miller from the past two classes.

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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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CHRIS WALKER IMPRESSED BY TEAM CHEMISTRY ON VISIT TO KANSAS

As one of the top players in the Class of 2013 in America, 6-foot-9, 205-pound power forward Chris Walker of Holmes County (FL) High School had his choice of Midnight Madness events to choose from. Anually one of the most entertaining and well-attended by recruits drew Walker’s attention as he attended Friday’s Late Night in the Phog on the Kansas University campus. Recruits got a first-hand look at how the KU staff and players interact with each other, something that greatly impressed Walker.

“The chemisty of the team and the kind of relationship that coach Bill [Self] has with his players is phenomenal,” said Walker.

Walker has previously visited Alabama, Florida, Florida State and Georgia. He talked with NBE on what draws his attention to a school.

“Schools with good academics; schools that win school [and] that has a great fansbase,” he said. “[Also] a good relationship with [the] coach and a coach that will make you better on and off the court.”

With no leaders or favorites yet in the process, Walker mentioned Kansas, Kentucky, Florida, Ohio State, Texas, Baylor, Florida State and Memphis as the schools he is currently considering that are active in his recruitment.

While Walker continues to work hard on his game becoming a more versatile player, he has enjoyed the opportunity to showcase his talents this fall in front of college coaches who have come to see him work out.

“Things are going good [at Holmes County],” said Walker. “The best part is just being able to bring college coaches in the gym. “[This season I'm] looking forward to getting better and being more versatile and getting my team more exposure.”

With many eyes on Chris Walker as one of the elite prospects in the Class of 2013 you can be sure his team will be getting plenty of exposure this coming season. With some of the top programs across the country very active in his recruitment expect Holmes County to be playing in front of interested coaches and media throughout the season. NBE will hope to catch Walker and his teammates in action this season and keep readers up to date on his recruitment.

NOW AT VERMONT ACADEMY, DOMINIC WOODSON IS AN UNKNOWN COMMODITY NO MORE

by Alex Schwartz

Entering July, not many people outside of his part of Texas knew who Dominic Woodson was.

After breaking out during AAU Nationals in Orlando, Fla., the 6-foot-9 class of 2013 center is now a high-major priority.

Woodson transferred to Vermont Academy for his junior season. NBE caught up with Jesse Bopp, his coach at the New England prep school, to discuss Woodson’s recruitment, game and more.

“Vermont Academy was a great opportunity for him to be in a very controlled environment that resembles what life will be like for him as a college basketball player and he is a kid who talks about being the best and hopefully this environment gives him the opportunity at that,” Bopp said of why Woodson made the move, adding, “He has done a great job adjusting to all aspects of life here.”
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XAVIER RATHAN-MAYES HAS ‘AMAZING’ UCONN VISIT

Across the country college basketball programs hosted Midnight Madness events as they ushered in the beginning of another basketball season. At Connecticut the defending national champions had impressive line-up of recruits visiting this weekend to take in the festivities. One player, 2013 recruit Xavier Rathan-Mayes of Huntington (WV) Prep, made the trip and NBE caught up with him earlier today to get his thoughts on the visit.

“The visit was great! Had an amazing time,” said Rathan-Mayes. “The highlight was probably watching practice today and getting to know and shoot with Kemba Walker.”

Rathan-Mayes is another youngster from the CIA Bounce AAU program out of Canada exceling in America. Rathan-Mayes is a volume shooter and he can really fill it up when he gets on a roll. The 6-foot-4, 200 pound Class of 2014 guard has very high upside as a scorer.
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TYLER ROBERSON PICKING UP NATIONAL RECRUITING INTEREST

By Alex Schwartz

After spending the beginning of his high school career at Union (NJ), class of 2013 standout Tyler Roberson made the move to Roselle Catholic (NJ) this summer.

Although the 6-foot-8 small forward has yet to play in a game for his new school, he already has his high hopes for the upcoming season.

Asked his goals for the 2011-12 season, the junior replied simply, “To win a state championship.”
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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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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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MANY SCHOOLS STILL INVOLVED WITH ANDREW WHITE

Playing this spring and summer with Team Loaded, Andrew White saw his recruitment explode with a series of strong performances on the AAU circuit. His recruitment has not slowed one bit as top college programs have already made their way to Charlottesville (VA) and the Miller School to visit the 6-foot-6, 205-pound small forward. More schools are expected this week as well.

“I have already received visits from Virginia Tech, NC State, West Virginia and Cincinnati,” White told NBE earlier this afternoon. “DePaul, UTEP, Kansas, Wake Forest and a couple others will visit me in the next couple weeks.”
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