California Recruiting
HIGH SCORING ’13 G ZACH LAVINE HAS A FAVORITE
May 10, 2012 by NBE Blogger · Leave a Comment
One of the top prospects in the Class of 2013 on the West Coast is Zach LaVine, a 6-foot-4, 165-pound guard attending Bothell (WA) High School. LaVine has brought comparisons to Steph Curry as a silky-smooth scorer with a slender frame. LaVine enjoyed the recent April evaluation period on the AAU trail where college coaches were out on the road.
“[It was] good to see the coaches out there,” LaVine told NBE. “I just hope they saw all the aspects of my game.”
Speed and scoring ability are always the immediate aspects that stand out with LaVine’s game. He is also a slick passer with a feel for setting up his teammates. There are also areas of his game the rising senior point guard continues to work at improving to prepare himself for the college game in the future, but most of his attention goes toward improving his frame.
“I’m trying to get stronger,” he said.
College coaches have long been aware of LaVine, especially in the Pac 12 conference, but his recruitment has gone national in the recent months. Missouri, Baylor and Texas have recently come into his recruitment and Louisville offered toward the end of the season. Those schools can be added to his long list of other offers that come from Arizona, Arizona State, Washington State, California , Colorado, Gonzaga, UCLA, USC, Utah and Washington. As has been the case for some time, one school on the West Coast continues to lead the pack for his services.
“UCLA is my favorite right now,” said LaVine.
LaVine is not quite ready to pull the trugger as he plans to play out the AAU season with Friends of Hoop out of Seattle and asses the situation at that time in regards to his recruitment.
“I think I’ll pick toward the end of AAU season and just comfortability level [will be the biggest factor],” he said of a decision timeframe and likely deciding factor in a school.
College coaches will be back on the road in July and at that time NBE hopes to catch Zach LaVine in action as well. Stay tuned here for any news on his recruitment as this talented Class of 2013 scoring point guard could be off the board by summer’s end. Will UCLA seal the deal? We shall find out!
NIKE EYBL SESSION #2 – BOO WILLIAMS (DAY III)
May 1, 2012 by NBE Blogger · Leave a Comment
By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst
The Boo Williams Invitational wrapped up on Sunday and with it concluded the second session of Nike’s EYBL circuit. Unlike the majority of AAU tournaments Sunday is not playoff day at Boo Williams but rather just continued EYBL regular season play as all 40 teams are competing for spots in July’s Peach Jam. Star performances showed up in droves just as they had on the first two days. Below are a sampling of the best showings NBE has the pleasure of viewing.
Top Performance of the Day:
Kameron Williams (Baltimore Elite 2013) – Despite being undersized for the shooting guard position at 6’2”, 170 pounds Williams is an elite scorer. His most dangerous weapon is the jump shot but labeling him as “just a shooter” is rather short sighted. Players who are strictly shooters rely on others to create open shots for them but Williams is more than capable of creating his own looks. He’s smart enough to know that at his size challenging the trees in the paint is a low percentage shot whereas his jump shot is very efficient. Williams makes deep three balls off the dribble or the catch but is most effective using 2-3 dribbles to create space and then burying midrange shots. In an afternoon comeback victory over King James Shooting Stars he put on a scoring clinic going for 30 points on 11-18 shooting including 5 triples. I honestly don’t recall him missing a shot in the entire second half as his Baltimore Elite squad made their furious comeback. Kam Williams is a scoring machine and not enough high major programs have looked past his lack of elite size to realize that yet.
Alex Schwartz caught up with Williams on Friday night as the Red Hot Williams is Picking Up Recruiting Interest and he proved once again this weekend that more high majors should be in pursuit.
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HOOPHALL CLASSIC 2012: MONDAY RECAP
January 18, 2012 by NBE Blogger · Leave a Comment
By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst
The 2012 Hoophall Classic came to a close on Monday highlighted by four national games all broadcast live on national television. Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski and Kentucky front man John Calipari were front and center all day each flagged by two assistants. They were joined by a host of other coaches all trying to make an impression on the many uncommitted talents in action. While Shabazz Muhammad, Jabari Parker, Tony Parker, and others were the focus of these coaches, a senior guard who has already made his college decision stole the show and he receives top billing today.
Top Performer:
Katin Reinhardt (Mater Dei 2012) – signed with UNLV – After watching Reinhardt for a week at the City of Palms in Florida last month I came away seriously underwhelmed. He struck me as a player that forced shots, was careless with the ball, and cared more about making the flashy play than the right play. After dropping 35 points on a Hoophall Classic record tying nine three-pointers it’s safe to say he has changed my mind. Reinhardt got in the flow early with an easy dunk and once he found a rhythm the shots just kept falling and falling. Equally adapt off the catch or the dribble he made shots from well beyond the college 3 point line and was able to get enough elevation on his shot to make them over defenders. Not exclusively a shooter (although it was clearly his calling card today) Reinhardt used a low, tight crossover to get in the lane and finished a pair of floaters over help defenders. He also showed passion and aggression on the defensive end forcing Uconn commit Omar Calhoun into a miserable 6-22 shooting day. For now I’m willing to label Reinhardt a streaky shooter that has the ability to single handedly take over a game when he’s on a hot streak. If he can string together consistent performances like today’s I’ll be forced to simply label him a great shooter.
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HOOPHALL CLASSIC 2012: SATURDAY RECAP
January 15, 2012 by NBE Blogger · Leave a Comment
After two days filled with local contests and a sampling of girl’s games, the Hoophall Classic took to the national stage on the boys side Saturday. Traditional powers like Oak Hill Academy, Gonzaga College Prep, St. Patrick’s and DeMatha Catholic headlined the action at Blake Arena in Springfield. Many players improved their stock on Saturday but none more than an undersized big man from Gonzaga College Prep.
Top Performer:
Kris Jenkins (Gonzaga 2013) – Jenkins had a breakout performance on national TV a week ago at the Cancer Research Classic in Wheeling, West Virginia and backed it up today at the Hoophall Classic by dominating an individual matchup with Riverside’s Ricardo Gathers. Jenkins is 6’6” at best but still has great strength for the power forward position. This allows him to hold his own defensively while causing all kinds of problems for opponents on the offensive end. He did the majority of his damage on midrange jumpers but showed that his range extends to the 3 point line knocking down a pair of triples. Jenkins was productive from the opening tip until the final whistle not even allowing an errant Ricardo Gathers elbow to the face to slow him down. After scoring at will on top 10 sophomore Jahlil Okafor and top 30 senior Ricardo Gathers in the past week, it’s safe to say that Jenkins can contribute at the high major level.
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2011 CITY OF PALMS REPORT — TOP PLAYER PERFORMANCES
December 23, 2011 by NBE Blogger · Leave a Comment
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 – DAY FIVE
December 22, 2011 by NBE Blogger · Leave a Comment
By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst
The 2011 City of Palms Classic came to a close on Wednesday night with a wild day of hoops culminating in an all Texas title game between Prestonwood Christian and Grace Prep. Local fans, scouts, and college coaches packed the gym to the rafters and created a high intensity atmosphere for these young players. Even legendary ESPN analyst Dick Vitale stopped by to enjoy the action offering a few words to the crowd before the championship game. Prestonwood Christian turned the final into a laugher prevailing 62-42 with stud junior forward Julius Randle taking home MVP honors. While Randle led the team throughout the week, it was a freshman who carried Prestonwood on his back tonight while the big man sat for much of the game in foul trouble.
Top Performance of the Day:
Mickey Mitchell (Prestonwood Christian 2015) – After viewing Mitchell for 4 games this week I feel very comfortable saying that he is in the running for top player nationally in the 2015 class. Offensively, Mitchell does a bit of everything as a 6’7” guard including making jumpers, exploding to the rim, making high level passes, and crashing the glass. While all this is very impressive, it was Mitchell’s defensive ability that left the biggest mark. Over the course of 3 days he defended 5 star wing Shabazz Muhammad, 4 star big man Ricardo Gathers, and 5 star point guard Emmanuel Mudiay. It speaks volumes that Prestonwood’s coaching staff chose to use their freshman as the defensive stopper against this wide array of players. As long as Mitchell continues to work hard (which is basically all he talked about in a post game interview) the sky is the limit.
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CITY OF PALMS REPORT — DAY THREE
December 20, 2011 by NBE Blogger · Leave a Comment
By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst
What a day at Bishop Verot High School in Fort Myers, Florida. We saw great games, great individual performances, and one great comeback. The nation’s consensus top player, Shabazz Muhammad, went off for 42 points in the final game of the night and that wasn’t even the most impressive showing of the day. Kentucky head coach John Calipari continued his borderline stalking of Nerlens Noel by planting himself underneath the baseline for much of the day which instantly ups the intensity in the gym. Enough setup, on to the recap of Monday’s action at the City of Palms Classic.
Top Performance of the Day:
Jordan Mickey (Arlington Grace Prep 2013) – Grace Prep trailed Mater Dei by 18 at the half after Mickey had spent the majority of the half on the bench with 2 fouls. He came out in the 2nd half and put on a clinic on the low block tallying 22 of his game high 29 points. Mickey scored all of his points by working for low post position and then powering through his defender and scoring over his left shoulder. He has great strength which he uses to setup his shots and then a soft touch to finish off plays. Grace Prep fed Mickey in the same spot time and again and he used the same moves over and over without being stopped. He does a great job of making a quick, decisive move after he catches it in the post so that a double team does not have time to arrive. Mickey’s monster 2nd half and overtime led Grace Prep all the way back from that 18 point halftime deficit and carried them into tomorrow’s semifinals. For a recruiting update on Mickey, see our report from Saturday: City of Palms Report — Day Two.
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BOSWORTH: NATIONAL PREP SCHOOL SHOWCASE WRAP-UP (TOP PERFORMERS)
November 22, 2011 by NBE Blogger · Leave a Comment
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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LANDEN LUCAS FOCUSING ON A LIST OF 7 SCHOOLS
August 4, 2011 by NBE Blogger · Leave a Comment
Landen Lucas is one of the top uncommitted big men in the Class of 2012. The 6-foot-10, 245-pound center played last season at Findlay Prep but will finish up his high school career back home in Portland (OR) at Westview HS. As he is preparing for his senior year Lucas is also working on making his college decision. He told NBE yesterday he is working from a list of seven schools currently.
“[My] top seven [is] NC State, Oregon, Stanford, Arizona, Cal, Georgetown [and] Kansas,” said Lucas when asked what schools he was considering.
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2011 DESERT DUEL MEMORIAL FINAL DAY RECAP: NJ PLAYAZ STORM BACK FOR TITLE
July 29, 2011 by NBE Blogger · Leave a Comment
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.
2011 ORLANDO AAU UPDATE (PART 5): CHAMPIONSHIP DAY FOR 17U SUPER SHOWCASE AHEAD
July 27, 2011 by NBE Blogger · Leave a Comment
By Alex Schwartz
It is championship day at the 17U AAU Super Showcase in Orlando on Wednesday afternoon. At noon, Team Takeover DC will meet the Houston Defenders in one semifinal match-up while BABC will take on Hoop Heaven Elite at 3 PM in the other semifinal. The winners will meet in the Showcase ttile game scheduled for 7 PM and it will be televised by ESPNUI.
Last night ESPNU had a made-for-TV ‘highlight’ game in Orlando putting Texas PRO and the Georgia Stars on display for television viewers. NBE caught up with some of the top names from the highlight game, including Alex Poythress, Danuel House and Danrad ‘Chicken’ Knowles, to get the latest in their recruitment. Also a pair of 2013 guards, Stephen Vasturia and Allerick Freeman, are profiled in today’s report…
JELON HORNBEAK PICKS UP NEW OFFERS; READY TO CLOSE JULY STRONG
July 21, 2011 by NBE Blogger · Leave a Comment
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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UA SUMMER JAM PRESENTED BY NY2LA SPORTS RECRUITING NOTES (PART II)
July 17, 2011 by NBE Blogger · Leave a Comment
By Alex Jesswein
The UA Summer Jam Presented by NY2LA Sports was a rousing success this past week. A loaded field converged on Mequon (WI), just outside Milwaukee at Homestead High School. Talented players and teams from across the country competed over the course of July 12th through the conclusion of the first live evaluation period on July 15th. A who’s who of college coaches came through Homestead to take in the action and in the end it was the SYF Players taking the gold title led by Mitch McGary.
Below are a few more recruiting notes from the event as NBE got the opportunity to speak with McGary, Danuel House of Texas PRO and Ishmail Wainright of the KC 76ers for the latest on their recruitment….
Texas PRO Wing Danuel House has been a hot name on the recruiting scene this spring.
His ability to finish in traffic and knock down open shots has impressed coaches across the country.
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2011 NIKE EYBL PEACH JAM REPORT (PART V)
July 15, 2011 by NBE Blogger · Leave a Comment
By Brian Bosworth
Thursday marked the end of pool play at the Peach Jam and the last opportunity for teams to fight their way into the playoffs. For some teams who know they are going to be on the outside looking in it is the last opportunity to perform in front of college colleges this week. With the stakes raised the play became even more intense and some players will able to stand above the rest…
Brandon Ashley (Oakland Soldiers/2012) – Ashley has been having a monster work and continued that trend this morning. After dominating from the low block when I watched him on Tuesday night, Ashley showed off his face up game in this contest. He hit multiple 18 foot jumpers from the baseline and once he established that shot used a shot fake and a couple of dribbles to get to the rim. He was in attack mode throughout the game earning himself 12 trips to the free throw line and converting 9 of them. Ashley’s handle, while adequate, will need to get better as his game progresses. He can use 1 or 2 dribbles effectively but in the open floor sometimes becomes a bit wild if he has to put it down more than that.
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REEBOK BREAKOUT CHALLENGE: FINAL RECAP
July 10, 2011 by NBE Blogger · Leave a Comment
by Alex Schwartz
PHILADELPHIA – The Reebok Breakout Challenge came to a close yesterday, and NBE Basketball Report was on hand to take in the event’s final five game sets and catch up with a few more players.
One of the top uncommitted 2012 players at the camp was Daniel Dingle, a 6-foot-6 power forward out of St. Raymond’s (NY). He listed offers from Auburn, Temple, Xavier, Arizona, and Rutgers to go along with interest from Florida, Miami, Texas, and others.
Dingle said he does not have any favorites, but did note that a few schools are coming at him the hardest.
“I’d probably say Auburn, Temple and Arizona, those are the three,” Dingle said. “And Florida, Florida too, coach Norm [Roberts].”
At this point Dingle has visited Auburn, Temple and Rutgers. He does not have any visits scheduled, but may is thinking of working out a trip to Arizona.
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RICARDO GATHERS SHOWS BIG AT NBA TOP 100; PLENTY OF BIG EAST INTEREST & MORE
June 22, 2011 by NBE Blogger · Leave a Comment
By Ron Bailey
Ricardo Gathers, 6’7”, 250 lb senior power forward, Riverside Academy (LA) – If there was a BIG EAST prototypical four man, a guy that at first blush one would say belongs in the nation’s most physical league it’s Gathers, who looks like he might be very comfortable attacking quarterbacks from the defensive end position. Despite reportedly claiming he doesn’t push iron, Gathers looks as if he lives in the weight room.
It’s evident to say he’s a physical beast on the hardwood.
“I’m a power man. I can play finesse but I mean, I’m bulling everybody” he said of his NBAPA Top 100 Camp play. It was an accurate description, as Gathers routinely muscled his way into scoring and rebounding position, while also playing stout interior defense.
But that doesn’t mean he’s wed to only playing that way.
“That’s when I’m going to start using my mind, thinking it out more” responded Ricardo to the need for diversification in college. “You know, finessing people.”
Doing so dovetails with his goal to “try and become the three (small forward) by the time I set foot on the college campus”. He understands that work needs to be done. Subsequently, Gathers indicated “I have to live in this gym; just watch the players at that position, so you can learn.”
Ricardo on whether hitting jumpers from around 15 feet and attacking the rim off a couple of dribbles is advantageous: “Of course. A 15-17 foot jumper is going to help; I’m mean that just makes the game a whole lot easier. Then being able to beat your defender off at least one or two dribbles, I mean, that’s just domination right there. 15 feet in, that’s what I’m trying to work on.”
The shooting work is starting to show; while not draining outside shots left and right, Gathers did hit open ones from about 17 feet, including fast break pull ups.
Where do schools envision him playing? “Some say four, some say three” he shared.
BIG EAST institutions “St. John’s, West Virginia, Syracuse, UConn, Seton Hall, South Florida” are recruiting him, and have offered according to him, as have “LSU, Texas, Baylor, USC, Cal, Arizona” and others. The choice will be made “Probably my decision after the summer, like mid-Fall maybe” with “atmosphere, would I love being there if I wasn’t playing basketball” as “It’s not guaranteed, I might get hurt or anything. And then just academics and stuff” driving the decision. Ricardo expects to major in “finance or something.”
Does he think favorably of the B-EAST?
“It’s tough. (Great) Preparation for the NBA” was the response. “Eighteen teams in one conference, I mean it doesn’t get any better than that.”
JELON HORNBEAK BECOMING HIGHLY SOUGHT ’12 SHOOTING GUARD
June 19, 2011 by NBE Blogger · Leave a Comment
While somewhat overshadowed both with his Grace Prep High School squad in Arlington (TX) and his Texas PRO AAU basketball team because of Isaiah Austin, the consensus top 5 player in the Class of 2012, Jelon Hornbeak is giving college recruiters a reason to continue to show up this summer to see Texas PRO in action. The 6-foot-4, almost 200-pound guard has long been considered a special offensive talent coming out of the Lonestar State. His recruitment is anticipated to be hot and heavy as well and the list of schools are impressive.
“Pitt, Oklahoma, Arizona, Providence, Marquette, Texas Tech, Oregon, Cal, Miami and West Virginia,” replied Hornbeak to a message asking what schools he was currently considering that are actively recruiting him. He is planning to visit a few schools in the coming months as well.
“Texas Tech sometime this month [and] Pitt hopefully in August,” said Hornbeak when asked of upcoming visits. “That’s all I know of [now].”
Hornbeak admits he is “pretty much open” in the recruiting process at this time. Always a player that excels offensively with the ball in his hands to create offense, either with a jumper off the dribble or attacking the rim, he is working this summer to broaden his game and improve on the little things.
“Improvements [in] the physical aspect of course,” said Hornbeak when asked what he will work on the most in the summer and prior to college, adding “ball-handling and spot up shooting. Before college I want to increase my range a little bit more, become more of a vocal leader and touch up on my on [mid-range] game.”
Hornbeak will continue to hit the road hard this summer with Texas PRO as well as Family First, a team made up of players from Grace Prep. He is looking forward to just playing basketball. He does not have any timeframe in mind on when he will decide on a college, just looking to play is what he told NBE this weekend.
“No timeframe as of now, said Hornbeak when asked when he might decide on a college. “I just want to be able to play.”
College recruiters certainly know that Jelon Hornbeak can play and they will be watching him this July. Expect the recruitment for this very capable scoring guard in the Class of 2012 to become very hot in the coming months.
PANGOS CAMP: DAY TWO RECAP
June 5, 2011 by NBE Blogger · 2 Comments
By Raphielle Johnson
While the showcase matchup on Friday night was the battle between big men Isaiah Austin and Andre Drummond, there were two rounds of play on Saturday and some players took full advantage of the opportunity. Two of those players would be Jordan Bell and Alex Caruso, both of whom have played well in each session of the event.
Bell, a 2013 prospect from Long Beach, CA (Long Beach Poly), was outstanding on both ends of the floor. Bell’s an athletic finisher offensively while being a solid defender as well. His block count in the first game approached eight, an impressive number for a 6’7″ three. But the offensive skill set will need to expand if he’s to be an impact high-major player at the collegiate level.
As for Caruso, it’s reached a point of “what can’t he do” at this stage in the event. The 6’6″ 2012 prospect from College Station, Texas, who according to ESPN’s Dave Telep earned an invite to this month’s NBPA Top 100 camp, can do a number of things on the floor to help his team win. Whether it’s scoring from the perimeter, finishing above the rim or setting up the open teammate Caruso gets it done.
CHICAGO BEST BUY CLASSIC SCOUTING REPORTS/SCHOOL LISTS
June 3, 2011 by NBE Blogger · Leave a Comment
By Doug Ferguson
Last weekend the Joy of the Game facility in Deerfield (IL) hosted the Best Buy Chicago Classic. The 17U crown went to Terry Porter Elite and their 2013 stud Deonta Burton led the charge. NBE will have more on Burton this weekend. For today, Doug Ferguson takes a look at some of the stand out performers, including some visitors from Texas as the Texas PRO and Houston Hoopsters were must-see teams. Indiana Elite, TP Elite and others also showed well at the event…
Isaiah Austin/C/7-1/215/Texas PRO
School List: Committed to Baylor
It is hard to be at any event and where all eyes aren’t on Austin. His size/skill/athleticism combination is truly one of a kind. At one point in this event he had three possessions in a row that resulted in dunk, three-pointer, dunk (and the next possession was an assist). He runs the floor at an elite level for a seven footer and as most would guess is a world class shot blocker. There isn’t much Austin doesn’t do well and he is a seven footer to boot which makes it easy to see why many rank him number one in his class.
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Marlon Johnson/F/6-9/220/Illinois T-Wolves
School List: Unknown
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2011 BOB GIBBONS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS: DAY THREE
May 31, 2011 by NBE Blogger · Leave a Comment
by Alex Schwartz
RALEIGH, N.C. – The 2011 Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions came to a close on Sunday with the three final game sets. When it was all said and done the top honors belonged to the Southern Phenoms, as the Mississippi-based squad won the U17 National bracket, defeating the South Florida Panthers by a score of 59-53.
In the U17 Select final, Garner Road knocked off Belmont Shore by three, 76-73, behind 39 points from 2012 wing TJ Warren (see our scouting report and recruiting update on Warren HERE in our TOC Day Two coverage). Garner Road also won the U16 National crown, overcoming the Long Island Lightning in the title tilt. At the U15 level, it was Team Loaded over Team United in the National bracket and BWSL defeating Ty Lawson Team Takeover for the Select championship.
Once again, NBE Basketball Report had the opportunity to speak with a few players and compile some scouting reports.
At this point, 6-foot-1 class of 2013 point guard Ikenna Iroegbu of Belmont Shore only has interest from programs in the Pac-12. However, with Iroegbn set to attend Oak Hill Academy (VA) next year, that is set to chance for the talented underclass floor general.
Although Iroegbu currently lists no scholarship offers, he is receiving interest from Arizona, UCLA, Cal, USC, Colorado, Oregon and Washington State. While USC and Cal are the line schools he has visited, Iroegbn has a different program atop his list.
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