Stanford Recruiting

RECRUITING NOTEBOOK (1/25/2013): BERRY GIVES TAR HEELS HEAD START ON ’14 CLASS & MORE RECRUIT NEWS

by Alex Schwartz

While the last week or so has not been crazy on the recruiting trail, it has certainly not been as slow as the holiday season. The rundown includes a few high-major programs adding 2013 commitments, a powerhouse getting a 2014 pledge, USA Basketball releasing some big news and more.

We begin with the 2014 pledge, which came from Joel Berry, the No. 20 prospect in the NBE Sports Class of 2014 Post-July Top 75. Berry, a 6-foot-1 point guard from Lake Highland Prep (FL), has popped for North Carolina, per Alex Kline of TheRecruitScoop.com. He is a major pickup for the Tar Heels and is the highest ranked committed player in the NBE Sports 2014 rankings.

Amida Brimah, a 6-foot-11 class of 2013 center committed to UConn, per Coast 2 Coast Hoops. Brimah attends Archbishop Carroll (FL), after transferring over from Monsignor Pace (FL). He is a bit under the radar and fairly raw, but has some definite upside and can really impact the game when he is in the groove.

Jerron Wilbut of St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy (WI) is off the board to Seton Hall, according to Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com. Wilbut is a 6-foot-3 class of 2013 shooting guard who is in a post-graduate year after attending Downers Grove South (IL).

Sticking with the news on ZagsBlog.com and the current BIG EAST, Rutgers picked up a commitment from South Kent (Conn.) point guard Shane Rector.  The 6-foot-1 Rector is the first commit in the 2013 class for Mike Rice and the Scarlet Knights.

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RECRUITING NOTEBOOK (11/12/2012): COUNTDOWN TO SIGNING DAY IS ON

by Alex Schwartz

The early signing period is set to begin on Wednesday and that means class of 2013 recruits will finally be able to make their verbal commitments official.

Despite the approach of the signing period, the past few days have been fairly quiet on the recruiting front. However, there was one major commitment from an elite prospect.

Noah Vonleh of New Hampton (NH) committed to the Indiana Hoosiers on Saturday night, in news first reported by Scout.com’s Evan Daniels. Vonleh had been ranked No. 6 in the NBE Sports Class of 2014 Post-Summer Top 75 before reclassifying back to the 2013 class.

Now that he is in the senior class, Vonleh may well be amongst the top-10 players in the 2013 class and he is a huge addition for Tom Crean’s program. The 6-foot-8 power forward’s pledge to IU comes only a few weeks after he trimmed his list to six schools. The other finalists were Georgetown, Ohio State, North Carolina, Syracuse, and UConn.

Another player in the NBE Sports 2014 Top 75 also made his commitment recently. Scout.com’s Brian Snow broke the news that Melvin Swift, Jr. of Yates (TX) had popped to Xavier. The 6-foot-7 junior power forward checks in at No. 59 in the rankings and is a big pickup for the Musketeers.

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RECRUITING NOTEBOOK (10/8/12) — DECISIONS, DECISIONS, DECISIONS…

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by Alex Schwartz

Andrew and Aaron Harrison, arguably the best set of twin brothers to ever come through the high school ranks, announced their intentions to attend Kentucky. Their decision came on ESPNU’s “Recruiting Nation” program on Thursday night.

Andrew, a 6-foot-5 point guard, and Aaron, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard, selected UK over Maryland and SMU. The Travis (TX) High School stars are both ranked among the top five players in the nation in the class of 2013.

The Harrison twins are the two highest ranked committed players in the senior class, checking in at No. 1 (Andrew) and No. 4 (Aaron) in the NBE Sports Class of 2013 Post-July Top 125. John Calipari looks to be on his way to potentially landing the best recruiting class in the nation for the fifth straight time.
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ORLANDO AAU REPORT — SUNDAY

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by Alex Schwartz

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Sunday was the final day of the last Live Evaluation Period of July. While the turnout was not as high, there were still a number of Division I coaches in the gym until they had to leave a 5:00 p.m. NBE Sports took in much of the action on Sunday and all but one of the games we watched was from non-Gold Pool teams, allowing us to catch some sleepers. Find out below who shined in their last chance of the summer and also see who leads for a trio of 2013 prospects.

TOP PERFORMER

Nigel Hayes stood out as the easy pick for the top performer spot from Sunday’s action. A 6’7 power forward from Whitmer (OH), Hayes turned in a really nice showing for All-Ohio Red. Hayes has had a great summer and he continued his strong play on Sunday, demonstrating a vastly improved offensive skill set and better motor. Hayes has a terrific frame and is a strong player. He is a quality scorer who can connect on midrange jumpers and is also very comfortable with his back to the basket. Hayes even showed that he has the ability to step out and knock down a shot from beyond the 3-point line. He is a solid overall athlete and it is clear that Hayes is on the upswing as a player and a prospect.
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ORLANDO AAU REPORT – SATURDAY

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By Alex Schwartz

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Saturday was the final full day of the last Live period this month. Coaches will be back in the gym on Sunday, but must leave at 5:00 p.m. There were quite a few players who excelled on Saturday and it looked like one player had the Top Performer spot wrapped up–until one 2013 wing went bonkers from long range in the nightcap. Also, a trio of big men originally from Africa were quite impressive, two top-five players shined again and a top-100 prospect in 2013 listed a favorite.

TOP PERFORMER

Omar Prewitt needs to be in the discussion of the best shooter in the United States at the high school level. A 6’5 shooting guard out of Montgomery (KY) put on an absolute SHOW for The Ville in the final game of the night. In the first half alone, Prewitt had 22 points and knocked in six 3-pointers. The final stats sheet was swooped away before we could take a look at it, but one of The Ville coaches said Prewitt had 33 points and a D1 assistant told us he hd 34. He finished with eight or nine 3-pointers and was simply unstoppable off the catch. Prewitt is not just a one-dimensional shooter, though. He has a smooth game and is more than capable of knifing through a defense and getting to the rim. Prewitt handles the ball pretty well and he can block shots at the defensive end. His Saturday night performance was one of the best that this writer has seen all month.
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2012 PEACH JAM REPORT — CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY

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By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

Championship Sunday in North Augusta capped an amazing 2012 Peach Jam by crowning champions in both the 16U and 17U divisions. The Texas Titans defeated the Southern Stampede in double overtime to win at the 16U level. A few hours later the Oakland Soldiers were crowned EYBL champions after defeating CIA Bounce 51-50 to capture the 17U title. In those games and the 17U semifinals before them, some players separated themselves from the competition. Here’s who stood out to NBE.

Top Performer of the Day:

Andrew Wiggins (CIA Bounce 2014) – While his team came up a point short of an EYBL title this day, this tournament, and the entire EYBL circuit have belonged to Andrew Wiggins. In the morning semifinal Wiggins looked passive and a non factor for much of the game until his team needed him down the stretch. He turned a tight game into a double digit lead in a matter of minutes by scoring at will in the game’s biggest moments. In the title game Wiggins’ stat line wasn’t his best of the week (7-22 shooting, 23 points) but his dominance was as evident as ever. The Soldiers had two future pros to throw at Wiggins defensively in Aaron Gordon and Stanley Johnson and frankly neither one stood a chance. He was too quick, too strong, too explosive, and too good for every elite defender that was thrown at him all week. Stanley Johnson was the best defender in this tournament and even he couldn’t handle Wiggins. While I’ve been on record since last year’s Peach Jam that Wiggins was the top prospect regardless of class, the 2012 Peach Jam erased that debate in everyone’s mind. Everyone else in America is looking up at Wiggins and the gap is rather substantial.
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2012 PEACH JAM REPORT – DAY III (PART A)

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By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

With pool play in full swing, Friday at the Peach Jam featured high profile games with star power all over the place. The morning set of games was highlighted by a standout point guard who doesn’t always receive the recognition he deserves.

Top Performer of the Morning:

Rene Castro (BABC 2013) – BABC trailed by as many as 16 points in the second half of a morning game against Wisconsin Playground but Castro simply refused to lose. He showed incredible toughness in keeping his team together and attacking the rim relentlessly to fuel a comeback. While more effective off the dribble, Castro also made perimeter shots on his way to 10-14 shooting for 24 points. The numbers he put up and shots he made were impressive but it was the intangibles that stuck out to me. Castro’s ferocity and intensity only got stronger with his team behind and the entire BABC squad seemed inspired by their leader. He acknowledged after the game that with the team shorthanded here at Peach Jam (Wayne Selden and Goodluck Okonoboh didn’t make the trip) it was his responsibility to step up and be more of a scorer. Castro played that role brilliantly and showed the character and winning ways that are such strengths of his.
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2012 NY2LA UNDER ARMOUR SUMMER JAM RECAP – PART II

By N.D. Kendrick

Mequon, WI – The second July “live period” kicked off on Wednesday night and NBE Sports joined coaching staffs from numerous college programs at Homestead High School near Milwaukee to scout the prospects at the NY2LA Under Armour Summer Jam. Here is a rundown from Thursday’s long day of action…

Top Performance

T.J. Haws, Nick Emery and Eric Mika (Utah Reign) – Just had to go with this trio because they play like they are one. T.J. Haws has a little flash and flare to his game and is great ball handler that can shoot from distance but focuses on driving to the hoop. Emery is lethal from anywhere in the gym. He is not limited to being a catch and shoot player, he can take you off the bounce. Mika may be on the verge of becoming a household name (More on Mika below). They all three will be making noise at BYU in a few years.
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2012 PEACH STATE SUMMER SHOWCASE REPORT – PART I

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by Alex Schwartz

AIKEN, S.C. – The second Live Evaluation Period of July tipped off on Wednesday night and NBE Sports was in the building at USC Aiken for the Peach State Summer Showcase.

While the tournament might not get as much hype as Nike Peach Jam does, Peach State is also loaded with talented prospects. Several of those players stood out on opening night and NBE Sports caught up with a few guys as well.

TOP PERFORMER

John Egbunu might not be 7-foot like he is listed, but the future South Florida Bull is an impressive player nonetheless. The Class of 2013 center out of Eagle’s Landing (GA) is a rugged interior presence who simply gets things done around the cup. Egbunu turned in an impressive performance for Douglas Brothers Elite in a victory over Birmingham Ice Xpress and was extremely difficult to defend in the low post. He finishes well and does a great job of grabbing offensive rebounds and then putting the ball back in the cup for an easy deuce. Possessing strength and power, Egbunu is also capable of throwing down a big-time dunk, as he most certainly showed on Wednesday night.
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2012 ADIDAS INVITATIONAL – SATURDAY RECAP

By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

Saturday in Indianapolis was all playoff action at the Adidas Invitational and with higher stakes came stronger performances. All three age groups (15U, 16U, 17U) were represented at the main gym and players from all ages and all places managed to stand out. Here’s a sampling of who impressed.

Top Performers of the Day:

Daniel Hamilton (Dream Vision 2014) – The younger of the pair of brothers on Dream Vision’s 17U squad, Daniel is two inches taller and significantly longer than his older brother. While Daniel’s set of tools on the offensive end is not quite as refined as Isaac, he does have the middle game down to a science. He’s best scoring on runners or floaters going in either direction often using the back board from unusual angles. Hamilton has range out to the 3-point line but is consistently more successful when he puts the ball on the floor and pressures the defense off the dribble. Added strength, improved ball handling skills, and better shot selection can spring board Hamilton’s game to the next level.

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2012 ADIDAS INVITATIONAL – FRIDAY RECAP

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By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

Friday at the Adidas Invitational brought pool play to a close and marked the start of playoff action. It also allowed a chance to view some of the tournaments younger talent as the 15U pools wrapped up at the main site I’ve been stationed at. Star performances became the norm with one Texas big man standing out as top dog on the day.

Top Performer of the Day:

Jordan Mickey (Urban DFW Elite 2013) – The 6’9” post player was unstoppable in an afternoon playoff victory dominating the paint from start to finish. Mickey has outstanding footwork on the block and can score over either shoulder with either hand. He uses spins, drop steps, and a host of other moves keeping the defense on its heels all the time with his wide array of options down low. Mickey also succeeded from the high post where his 15 foot jumper is deadly and he can use 1 dribble to attack the rim. Still a bit on the slender side, a college weight room will do wonders for Mickey’s development and he projects as a go to low post scoring option within his first couple years on a high major college campus.
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2012 REEBOK BREAKOUT CAMP REPORT

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by Alex Schwartz

PHILADELPHIA – Reebok restarted its July camp last year after some time off and had some pretty nice talent on display. This year, though, the Reebok Breakout Challenge has gone to a whole new level and is absolutely filled with big-time talent from coast to coast.

NBE Sports was on hand the past two days and had the opportunity to see each and every team. Several usual suspects turned in impressive performances, while some lesser known players also made names for themselves.

TOP PERFORMER

Aaron Harrison of Travis (TX) is the best shooting guard prospect in the country and he played like it in Philly. The 6-foot-5, class of 2013 recruit has a terrific combination of skill and athleticism that makes him extremely difficult to contain when he is on his game. While at Reebok, he was absolutely fantastic and basically scored at will. Harrison showed off a lethal stroke from long range right from the get-go, nailing six 3-pointers in the first half of the very first game of camp on Wednesday evening. He has deep range so he cannot be sagged off of too much, but if you play him too tight he is more than capable of getting to the rack off the bounce. Harrison is also adept at drawing fouls around the rim, so even if he misses down low, there is a strong chance he will still get some points for his effort.

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RECRUITING NOTEBOOK: (SAM SINGER, TERRENCE SAMUEL & JOSH BROWN)

Clearing out the notebook from some recent updates we have gathered from players in the Class of 2013. We have updates below on Josh Brown, the Sports U/St. Anthony’s (NJ) point guard that recently de-committed from Temple, Terrence Samuel, a NYC point guard who has been hearing the most for a couple schools since June 15th and Sam Singer, a scoring guard out of Florida who has a long list of schools looking to track him this summer.

Read on below for the lastest on each…

JOSH BROWN COLLECTING OFFERS

When news circulated that Josh Brown was backing off his verbal commitment to Temple which he made last Fall, we knew it wouldn’t be long before his recruitment started to take off. Brown had been very impressive every time NBE saw him during the season at St. Anthony’s as well as on the spring AAU period with Sports U. When we caught up with Brown yesterday he shared with us the schools that have been in contact with him since his decommitment, which also coincided with the June 15th opening of the unlimited contact period.

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RECRUITING NOTEBOOK (DEVON HALL, STANLEY JOHNSON, JAYLON BROWN)

We still have some stories on individual players from the recently completed NBPA Top 100 High School Basketball Camp to publish and get up on the site in the coming days, but also felt it is a good time to clear out the notebook with some tidbits collected over the weekend outside of the Top 100 camp…

COACHES CALLING DEVON HALL

Last week we published our Class of 2014 Intro: Devon Hall so readers could get a better idea of who Devon Hall is. The 6-foot-5, Class of 2014 point guard is a Virginia Beach (VA) native that attends Cape Henry Collegiate School and performed well on the Boo Williams AAU club in the 17U Nike Elite Youth Basketball League this spring. So it came as no surprise to hear that his number was punched in early and often into the phones of college coaches once the clock struck Midnight on June 15th and players in the Class of 2014 could be contacted by colleges.
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MARYLAND FIRST TO REACH OUT TO ’14 F JUSTIN JACKSON

As one of the elite prospects in the Class of 2014, it comes as no surprise college coaches have punched in the number of Justin Jackson many times since 12:00 AM on June 15th. At that time the unlimited class and text rule went into effect and it was the first time college coaches could personally call or text players in the Class of 2014.

Jackson, a 6-foot-7, 180 pound F who is on the AAU circuit this spring and summer with Houston Hoops, is taking the recruiting regulations in stride, but is weary of how the process will unfold after this initial excitement wears off.

“It’s fine right now, but I’m sure I will get tired of it,” said Jackson. “It is a part of today’s age, but I’m trying not to get caught up in it.”

Coaches wasted little time in getting out of the gate and contacting Jackson.

“Maryland was the first one to call at midnight,” he said.

It was the first he has heard from Maryland in the recruiting process, although head coach Mark Turgeon is very familiar with recruiting Texas from his time at Texas A&M in the past. Following the call from Maryland, a steady stream of programs have been reaching out to Jackson.

“Texas, Texas A&M, Ohio State, North Carolina, Florida, Michigan, SMU, Kansas, Harvard, Stanford, and others,” said Jackson when asked what other schools has he heard form already.

Whichever school is ultimately his pick will likely have a high mix of athletics and education to offer. Currently Jackson is home schooled and plays his winter basketball with Home-school Christian Youth Association, a foundation that was put together to give Houston-area kids a place to play basketball and interact with other kids that are homeschooled. Academics are high on list list of factors for his college decision.

“I’m looking for a coaching staff that I have good relationships with, good academics and good tradition [in a college],” Jackson told NBE last month.

NBE will continue to monitor the progress of Justin Jackson throughout the summer as this elite Class of 2014 prospect will undoubtedly attract a list of who’s who among college basketball coaches at events he is playing in when the summer evaluation period gets underway in July to come see him in action. In the meantime they will continue to call, text and message him. Get to know this young man…he will deliver a complete package to one lucky school in the future!

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2012 RUMBLE IN THE BRONX RECAP (PART III)

By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

The Rumble in the Bronx came to a close on Championship Sunday with winners being crowned in the 15U, 16U, and 17U divisions. The NJ Playaz took down the 15U crown, Team Scan the 16U, and Sports U was named 17U champions after a thrilling triple overtime win over arch rival NJ Playaz. I was camped out at John Jay College on Sunday which featured some early 16U playoff action followed by 17U semifinals and finals. While Sports U used a balanced attack en route to the championship, the Playaz had the day’s best performer in the losing effort.

Top Performance of the Day:

Shane Rector (NJ Playaz 2013) – As mentioned the Playaz lost a heartbreaker to Sports U in the championship game but Rector was a dominant force individually throughout the day on his team’s path to that game. His improvement over the past 12 months has been fun to watch and speaks to Rector’s tireless work ethic. A year ago at the Rumble I wrote about Shane after he scored 25 or so points without taking a shot outside of 4 feet. His game used to be all to the rim with little to no outside shot in his arsenal. Fast forward a year and the 3 point shot has become a major weapon for Rector as defenders can no longer go under the screen without being punished. He has also improved drastically as a floor general running a team and being a leader. No longer just an athletic combo guard, Rector has successfully made the transition to a full time point and his recruitment should soon reap the benefits.

NBE’s Alex Schwartz was able to catch up with Rector Friday night, along with Saturday’s Top Performer Dayshon Smith, to get the latest on the recruitment of two of the spring’s fastest rising guards, not only out of NYC, but in the nation: NYC Guards Shane Rector & Dayshon Smith See Recruitment Rise.
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2012 RUMBLE IN THE BRONX RECAP (PART II)

By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

The Rumble in the Bronx got back into swing on Saturday at gyms all over the greater NYC area. I had the opportunity to take in the action at both Baruch College in the morning and John Jay College in the evening. While younger players in the 2014 and 2015 classes stole the show for much of the day it was still a member of the 2013 class who gets top billing for Saturday.

Top Performance of the Day:

Dayshon Smith (NY Lightning 2013) – Affectionately called “Scooch” by just about everybody, Smith is an old school New York City point guard. He uses spins, hesitation moves, crossovers, and herky-jerky head fakes to constantly work his way into the paint and make plays. Once inside he’s equally likely to use a soft floater, explode towards the rim, or whip a pass out to a 3 point shooter at any and all angles. While his physical skills are impressive it’s the mental side of the game where Smith truly separates himself from the competition. He has a unique understanding of when to get others involved and when to look for his own offense. In the first half of a Saturday night victory Scooch ran the show and got everyone else the ball in spots where they could be successful. Then down the stretch of the second half with the outcome still in the balance he took matters into his own hands and seemed to score on every possession down the floor. This is not the first time I’ve seen Smith master the balance of keeping teammates happy for 3.5 quarters and then closing the game out himself in the final moments. It’s unusual for players at the high school level to already understand that just because they can get their own shot any time doesn’t always make it the right decision. Scooch is ahead of the game in this area and it’s a mindset that will continue to serve him well at the next level.
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NYC GUARDS SHANE RECTOR & DAYSHON SMITH SEE RECRUITMENT RISE

by Alex Schwartz

ENGLEWOOD, N.J. – Shane Rector and Dayshon Smith are two of the top New York City natives in the class of 2013. Both point guards, Rector and Smith have different styles of play, but they each get the job done on the hardwood.

On Friday night, NBE Sports had the opportunity to catch up with both of the Big Apple floor generals while at City Sports for the first round of games in the 2012 Rumble in the Bronx.

Rector, who stands 6-foot-1 and attends St. Raymond’s (NY), listed scholarship offers from Providence and Hofstra. The Playaz Basketball Club standout also named Arizona, Iowa State, Georgetown, Pittsburgh, North Carolina State, Stanford, and UMass as programs involved in his recruitment.
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MAJOR CANADY HAS FOUR SCHOOLS STANDING OUT IN RECRUITMENT

Major Canady, a powerful and quick point guard measuring 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, from Kiski Prep near Pittsburgh (originally from North Carolina) has had a very good start to the AAU circuit playing with the Ohio Basketball Club. NBE caught him in action with OBC at the Under Armour Pittsburgh Jam Fest hosted by the Hoop Group. Canady and his teammates reached the event’s championship game in the 17U division before falling to a very talented Sports U club.

With the success during the key April evaluation periods Canady has seen his recruitment begin to pick-up. He has a variety of schools on his trail, but the list has lengthened since college coaches were able to be on the road for two weekends in April. With a head start in getting a look at this intriguing point guard, you can expect many schools to be very anxious to see him in action once again this summer.
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NIKE EYBL – OAKLAND (SUNDAY RECAP)

Parker vs. Randle highlights day

By Raphielle Johnson

Nike saved the “best” for its final regular season session of Nike EYBL, with the top two players in the class of 2013 facing off on Sunday afternoon. Jabari Parker and Mac Irvin Fire went toe-to-toe with Julius Randle and the Texas Titans, but a furious second half rally for the Chicago-based team fell just short. Behind 23 points and 13 rebounds from Randle and Matt Jones adding 19 and eight rebounds, the Titans won 63-59 to move into a tie for third in Division C with Mac Irvin.

That was a big win for the Titans from a Peach Jam standpoint as well, as the result guaranteed them a berth in the 24-team tournament to be held in July. A loss would have dropped them into a three-way tie with CPE and E1T1 Elite, and while all three would most likely advance (four at-larges join the top five in each division) it’s better to simply take care of business yourself instead of relying on help.

Jones had the assignment of guarding Parker in the first half while Jackson Forbes helped out in the second, and the nation’s top-ranked player seemed to settle for perimeter jumpers a bit too much. But he did guard Randle on the other end in the first half, and to be frank both seemed to be pressing in the first 16 minutes. But Randle’s teammates, most notable Jones, came up big as they led by as many as 18 in the first half.

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