Oregon State

NIKE EYBL SESSION #2 – BOO WILLIAMS (DAY III)

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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BUSINESS AS USUAL FOR ISAIAH WATKINS ON SPRING AAU TRAIL

This weekend starting Friday evening colleg coaches will hit the road for AAU events across the country. Stops in Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and areas far and wide will be popular destinations for Division 1-A head coaches and assistants as they are allowed to evaluate talent for the first time in the busy April AAU schedule in a few years. While the intensity of the action is likely to be ratcheted up a few nothches, CIA Bounce big man Isaiah Watkins is taking it all in stride.

The 6-foot-8 Watkins attends St. Benedict’sPrep in Newark (NJ) and performing in front of college coaches is a regular event for him and his Gray Bees teammates. It was one of the reasons why he chose to attend a school like St. Ben’s and play with a powerful AAU program like the Canadian CIA Bounce program, which participates in Nike’s Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL).

Yet, Watkins is looking forward to showcasing his improvement as a player, but also has goals for himself to continue to impove against the top flight competition he will be facing.
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2012 NATIONAL PREP SCHOOL INVITATIONAL — TOP PERFORMERS

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By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

Now that the National Prep School Invitational has come to close and I’ve had a few days to process all the basketball I watched it’s time to rank the performances from the weekend. Below are player rankings by class based on this past weekend’s performance only. These are not an overall opinion on these players but rather a snapshot based on how they played at Rhode Island College over the weekend. The top spot in 2012 came down to the nation’s two best big men and is a decision I agonized over before finalizing it.

Be sure to check out our daily coverage from a great weekend of hoops at the 2012 National Prep School Invitational:
’12 NPSI – Day Four Report
’12 NPSI – Day Three Report
’12 NPSI – Day Two Report
’12 NPSI – Day One Report

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2012 NATIONAL PREP SCHOOL INVITATIONAL — DAY FOUR

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By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

The first three days of the National Prep School Invitational were dominated by Steven Adams and his Notre Dame Prep squad. The 2012 big man from New Zealand erased any concerns after his foul-plagued showing at the Hoop Hall Classic and cemented his status as one of 2012’s top players. On Sunday it was time for another 2012 big man to steal the show and make his case for the #1 overall ranking in the senior class. With the gym buzzing and filled to a capacity that it saw at no other time all weekend the Tilton School and REDA (Ontario) took the floor at 1:30 PM. Nerlens Noel jumped center for the Tilton School sporting his trademark bright pink Nikes and his high top fade and put on the best show of the weekend.

Top Performance of the Day:

Nerlens Noel (Tilton 2012) – This was Noel’s first national appearance since announcing his intentions to graduate this year as a member of the 2012 class early Thursday morning. Providence fans packed the gym to see him as they made the cut of his seven final schools along with Kentucky, Syracuse, Connecticut, Florida, Georgetown and North Carolina. Dominance doesn’t even begin to describe the defensive effort put forth by Noel as he tallied 10 blocks to go along with countless more altered shots. It reached a point where REDA coaches could be heard screaming at their players who even attempted to challenge the big man as a shot in the lane against Noel was basically a turnover. Perhaps the most telling statistic of his dominance was on the scoreboard. Noel played the majority of the game’s first 29 minutes at which point REDA had only scored 19 points. At that time Nerlens went to the bench in a blowout victory and in the remaining 11 minutes REDA was able to put up 29 points. His defensive prowess is certainly nothing new but Sunday’s was a particularly stunning performance even by his high standards. Offensively Noel looked better than ever and as crazy as it sounds was literally playing point guard for his Tilton team during the 2nd half. He brought the ball up the floor every time and got his team into their offense sometimes breaking his man down off the dribble and other times running a play for someone else. I’m not suggesting that Noel is making a drastic position change but it was an indicator of how far along his ball handling and passing skills have come in the last year. Once only a defensive standout, Noel’s offense is catching up seemingly by the day.
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2012 NATIONAL PREP SCHOOL INVITATIONAL — DAY THREE

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By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

With most college programs having games of their own on Saturday fewer coaches were on hand at Rhode Island College to take in the action but that didn’t stop the players from putting on a show. The best game of the day and arguably the weekend thus far was between New Hampton Prep and Canarias Basketball Academy. Canarias got out to a lead using their incredible size and strength but New Hampton came storming back to force overtime. New Hampton had lost stud sophomore Noah Vonleh to five fouls towards the end of regulation and it caught up with them in the extra session as Canarias prevailed 82-77. Despite coming up five points short on the scoreboard New Hampton had the top individual performance of the day from a somewhat unlikely source.

Top Performer of the Day:

Olivier Hanlon (New Hampton 2012) – committed to Boston College – Of the 10-12 times I’ve seen Hanlon play both with New Hampton and on the summer circuit with Albany City Rocks today clearly stands out as his best overall performance. The 6’2” physical point guard carried his team on his back for the entire 2nd half and overtime session by scoring and creating for others. Hanlon is at his best in screen and roll sets where he turns the corner aggressively and attacks the lane. In those situations he scored with the floater, got all the way to the rim, drew fouls on Canarias’ bigs, and found open teammates on the perimeter. New Hampton ran the same high ball screen seemingly every time down in the 2nd half and Canarias never found an answer for Hanlon’s fearlessness turning the corner. He also showed off his 3 point stroke as he played off the ball at times and knocked them down in catch and shoot situations. Just as impressive as his offense is Hanlon’s intensity and ball pressure on the defensive end. He never takes a possession off on that end and got multiple steals with his quick footwork and great hands. Boston College fans should look forward to a bulldog at the point guard for the next four years.
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NEW INTEREST HIGHLIGHTS SEASON FOR TERRENCE SAMUEL

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South Shore (NYC) High School guard Terrence Samuel is one of the most intriguing prospects in the Class of 2013 nationally. The powerfully built 6-foot-3, 195-pound guard began to make a name for himself nationally helping New Heights AAU to five impressive tournament titles on the spring and summer AAU circuit.

The attention in his talents has continued into his junior season with South Shore and his recruitment has expanded. Some of the new schools that have become involved has been the highlight of his season so far.

“Highlight [of the season is] picking up [recruiting interest from] Kansas and Memphis,” Samuel told NBE Basketball Report over the weekend.
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HOOPHALL CLASSIC 2012: WEEKEND’S TOP PERFORMERS

By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

Now that the 2012 Hoophall Classic has come to a close and I’ve had a few days to process all the basketball I saw it’s time to compile player rankings from the weekend’s performances. Below you will see players ranked by class based solely on their performance from the Hoophall Classic. These rankings are not an opinion on players overall game or potential but rather on the way they performed in Springfield.

2012 Player Rankings:

1) Shabazz Muhammad (Bishop Gorman) – Muhammad only strengthened his place as the top overall player in the 2012 class for his efficient 37 point performance.

2) Kaleb Tarczewski (St Mark’s) – signed with Arizona – In an event loaded with top big men Tarczewski stood out as the top low post offensive option.

3) Katin Reinhardt (Mater Dei) – signed with UNLV – The future Runnin’ Rebel put on an offensive show knocking down nine 3 pointers en route to 35 points in a blowout victory.

4) Kyle Anderson (St Anthony) – signed with UCLA – Anderson’s fingerprints have been all over every one of St Anthony’s 44 consecutive victories and Monday was no different as he compiled 18 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 steals.
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HOOPHALL CLASSIC 2012: MONDAY RECAP

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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CITY OF PALMS REPORT — DAY THREE

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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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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LAS VEGAS AAU DAY 4 NOTEBOOK: WILD, WILD WEST IN VEGAS

By Raphielle Johnson

By the end of the last college basketball season it was best to simply expect the unexpected. The same could be said for this weekend in Las Vegas, which has produced an unexpected champion in the Kansas City 76ers. The 76ers won the Las Vegas Fab 48 by beating Team Breakdown (Florida) in Monday night’s title game.

While the stands weren’t filled to brim as they were last summer (Oakland Soldiers tend to bring out the crowds), there were a few college programs represented in the coaches area with 2013 wing Ishmail Wainright the primary focus.

Ben Howland (UCLA) and Steve Lavin (St. John’s) were both there to watch Wainwright, who considers Earl Watson (who has connections to both as he played at UCLA under Lavin) to be an older brother and mentor. Other programs represented include Western Illinois, George Mason, Kansas, Missouri, UC Irvine, South Florida, Cal Poly, Nebraska, UM-KC and Creighton.

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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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REEBOK BREAKOUT CHALLENGE: FINAL RECAP

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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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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JERAMI GRANT & ANTHONY BENNETT CONTINUE GREAT SPRINGS AT NBA TOP 100 CAMP

By Ron Bailey

June 18, 2011 – Yesterday the action picked up even still at the National Basketball Association’s Top 100 Camp. With BIG EAST prospects in abundance, it wasn’t hard catching up to a few.

Anthony Bennett – 6’7”, 230 lb senior F, Findlay (NV) – Hailing from Toronto, over the course of two years being in the States Bennett has been involved in a transformation of sorts. The change is clearly continuing and successful.

“That’s what I’m trying to do, because when I was in Canada, I was like the tallest person so they put me down low” shared the Toronto native when asked if he is in fact migrating to the perimeter. “When I came out here (America), everybody is the same height as me, if not taller, so I had to develop my game to a three-man (small forward) and take my player off the wing.”

He’s done that in NBAPA play, attacking the tin hard, finishing similarly. He also has been solid in pick and roll situations, battled inside, rebounded against everyone, and stepped up to defensive challenges. The only thing he really hasn’t demonstrated frequently is deep outside shooting and top notch ball handling.
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PANGOS CAMP: DAY TWO RECAP

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.

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NIKE EYBL – LOS ANGELES: SUNDAY RUNDOWN

By Raphielle Johnson

On a day that featured a great matchup between the Oakland Soldiers and Albany City Rocks (won 72-68 by the Soldiers), it was the final game of the night that took the honors for Sunday’s best. Boo Williams and CIA Bounce (Canada) put on a show, needing double overtime to decide things in a two-point win for Bounce. The major performers were all over the floor, with Virginia commit Justin Anderson (2012) lighting it up for Boo Williams and 2013 prospect Xavier Rathan-Myers doing the honors in the latter stages of regulation and both overtime periods for Bounce.

Anderson displayed a wide range of skills in the contest, one he had to leave late due to major cramping issues (Anderson did return for a final possession but the ball did not end up in his hands). Early on Anderson made his way to the basket while also setting up teammates, finishing inside with contact as it became quite apparent that Bounce would have their hands full with him. But in the second half the fun really started, as each three-pointer Anderson put up seemed to be further back than the last one. Guessing that one of the shots came from 30 feet out would not be an exaggeration, and his form didn’t change. Virginia is getting a serious player come 2012.

As for Rathan-Myers, whose next high school seems to be up in the air, wow. He didn’t play a whole lot in the first half, but once on the floor in crunch time the young man got it done. Rathan-Myers displayed a good perimeter shot while also getting to the basket when needed. He’s already got good strength but one would have to think that he’ll get a bit more chiseled before 2013 rolls around.

But while those two stood out there were a number of other solid performers for each team. 2013 point guard Anthony Barber had some issues early in the second half with regards to decision-making, but with Anderson sidelined due to cramps Barber stepped up. Normally a pass-first point, the Hampton, VA native was able to penetrate to the basket and make shots while also knocking down a few perimeter shots. The outside shot will need to improve but Barber is a name to keep in mind.
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SPIECE RUN ‘N SLAM SCOUTING REPORTS & RECRUITING NOTES

by DOUG FERGUSON

Hanner Parea: F (Indiana Elite)/6-8/200
Committed to Indiana
There is nobody in the Class of 2012 who has the athletic gifts that Parrea does. He has fans holding their breath at what he will do next. It doesn’t show in his numbers at times however due to his lack of fundamentals. His is frequently outrebounded by more fundamentally sound opponents due to lack of boxing out.
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Dejuan Marrero: F (Spiece Indy Heat)/6-5/220
School List: Indiana, Purdue, Illinois, Kentucky, Cincinnati, Marquette, Michigan, Minnesota
On the exact opposite end of the spectrum is Marrero who was possibly the best technically sound rebounder in the gym. He could stand to have a tad more touch around the basket which is where he should stay offensively.
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Marcus Paige: G (All-Iowa Attack)/6-0/160
Committed to North Carolina
Can’t help but draw comparisons to current Tar Heel point man Kendall Marshall. Paige is a little more athletically gifted than Marshall while he is not quite as crafty with the ball.
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FUTURE BIG EAST PLAYERS PARTICIPATE IN 2011 CAPITAL CLASSIC

By Ron Bailey

Last weekend’s Capital Classic was the 38th time that event has been held, making it one of the oldest and most revered high school senior all star games in the land. An incredible player list has taken part, including Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and a host of other future (at the time) stars. There are sure to be some standouts in this year’s class as well.

Of course the BIG EAST is represented by Capital Classic players with the following players participating this time around: Trevor Cooney (Syracuse), Myles Mack (Rutgers), Jabarie Hinds (West Virginia), Greg Whittington (Georgetown), Achraf Yacoubou (Villanova), Tyrone Johnson (Villanova), Malcolm Gilbert (Pittsburgh) and a guy that could very well end up in the league, Kelvin Amayo. They are discussed below.

First off, the Villanova pair played well, as Johnson dropped 17 points, four rebounds and four assists, while Yacoubou, called ‘Ashe’ by teammates and friends contributed 10 points and nine rebounds. Jay Wright’s program has stressed backcourt players, and seems well situated with these two, both of whom can score, rebound and defend, doing so with stature – Johnson is 6’3” and Ashe stands 6’5”.

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