Kentucky Recruiting

NERLENS NOEL IS THE NEXT TRENDSETTING SHOT BLOCKER AT KENTUCKY

By Erin Ashley, special to NBE Basketball Report

Now this is the story all about how, Nerlens Noel’s lift got flipped, turned upside down. I’d like to take a minute, just sit right there as I explain how Nerlens became the icon of Hi-Top Hair. Well, maybe not the icon of Hi-top hair, but in a day and age where it is uncommon to see this coiffed hair, Nerlens does certainly rock it!

For those who do not know the history of the Hi-top fade (better known as a Flattop) this sleek style originated during the 1980s when rappers like Schooly D and Doug E. Fresh bravely set the stage with the first version of the hi-top fade in hip hop. This fashion trend represented the “Golden Era” of a musical genre and a hairstyle, where in all its glory, the higher the peak the better the fade. But like any pop culture fad, this hairstyle faded away.
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NIKE EYBL SESSION #2 – BOO WILLIAMS (TOP PERFORMERS)

By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

Now that a couple of days have passed since the Boo Williams Invitational and I’ve had time to process all the basketball I watched, it’s time to evaluate which prospects performed best this weekend. Below are rankings by class of all the prospects I was able to watch down in Hampton. As always, these rankings are based strictly on performances from the weekend’s tournament and do not reflect my overall views on these players. It should also be noted that given the amount of talent playing at any given time I was unable to see every prospect in Hampton and thus some players miss out on this list because I didn’t evaluate them. Julius Randle, Theo Pinson, Bobby Portis, and Duane Wilson Jr. all played to rave reviews over the weekend and likely would have cracked these rankings if I’d had the chance to see it for myself. Andrew Wiggins was also the best player at the event by all accounts but happened to have his one modest performance the only time I was courtside and therefore he doesn’t squeeze into the rankings either. Enough setup, here’s who dominated in Hampton.

Class of 2013 Rankings:

1) James Young (The Family) – One of the nation’s elite scorers, Young put up points in bunches from all three levels with Kentucky’s John Calipari tracking his every move. In addition to the interest from UK, his admitted leader, Young mentioned scholarship offers from Michigan State, Ohio State and Providence to NBE over the weekend.

2) Jarquez Smith (Georgia Stars) – Smith’s stock arguably rose more than anyone else’s with his weekend performance as the 6’9” forward mixed deep 3 point range with electric above the rim finishes. Florida State and Georgia as the leaders for his services at this point.

3) Kameron Williams (Baltimore Elite) – One of the tournaments purest scorers, Williams dropped 30 in a thrilling comeback victory over King James by unleashing a brilliant shooting display.

4) Keith Frazier (Houston Hoops) – Another pure scorer, Frazier mixed NBA 3 point range with relentless attacking of the rim netting himself 16 free throw attempts in one outing. Arizona, Texas, Texas A&M, Providence, Tennessee, Kansas, Baylor, Marquette, and Kentucky along with local North Texas, were the schools mentioned by Frazier when asked about his recruitment.

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

By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

After a short day on Friday, the Boo Williams Invitational found its sea legs with a long day of hoops of Saturday. Action was fast and furious with the majority being the 17U Nike EYBL games with a little bit of 16U and 15U sprinkled in. Mobs of players had big performances in the star filled field and here are a few that NBE had the pleasure of viewing.

Top Performance of the Day:

Tyus Jones (Howard Pulley Panthers 2014) – Jones is the best point guard in America and showed all the reasons why in a masterful performance on Saturday night. A college head coach will be able to turn the ball over to Jones immediately as a freshman and be able to completely trust the young man. He plays with a maturity that is almost surreal for such a young player seemingly making the correct decision with the basketball every time down the floor. Jones can shoot it with range but only does so when the defense calls for it. He can slip passes into the tightest of windows on the money but only does so when the defense takes away an easier option. Perhaps most impressive was how every one of Jones’ passes seemed to land right in the hands of his teammate putting them in a position to score. Jones has a unique understanding of exactly where his teammates want the ball and he puts it right there. His recruitment with be crucial to the entire 2014 class because elite players are going to want to play alongside the elite playmaker. Tyus Jones is a bona fide stud.
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KENTUCKY CHECKS OUT JAMES YOUNG AT EYBL – BOO WILLIAMS

by Alex Schwartz

HAMPTON, Va. — In a 2013 class that is very strong at the top, James Young is one of the best of bunch. The 6-foot-5 small forward out of Troy (MI) is an elite scorer and he continues to develop as a player.

NBE Sports spoke with Young on Saturday at the Nike EYBL after he led The Family to a convincing win against the Tennessee Travelers.

Young only listed scholarship offers from just Michigan State, Ohio State and Providence, though he did note that there are a “couple others” he could not remember. Additionally, Young said he is receiving interest from Kentucky.

The Michigander grew up a fan of UK and said that Wildcats are his favorite right now.

“I love the offensive system,” Young said of what appeals to him about UK. “[John] Calipari is a good coach. I like the way they play offense and defense, and it’s a good educational school too.”

Calipari has only been in Lexington, Ky. for three years. So, why did Young like UK growing up even before Coach Cal got there?

“I must watched them growing up,” Young said. “I just always liked them. I liked how their offense is. They like to win [and] that’s something I like to do.”

Calipari was at Young’s game on Saturday night, something that did not go unnoticed by the athletic scorer.

“It means a lot, it’s a blessing,” Young said. “Not every kid gets that.”

Despite his interest in the reigning national champion, Young admits that there is some local pull to go to Michigan State.

“Yeah, I do [feel that],” Young said. “A lot of my friends, family, they want me to say home, attend Michigan State. I don’t know.”

Young, who compares his game to that of James Harden, spoke about the type of player he is.

“My strongest point is definitely getting to the hole,” Young said. “A lot of guys don’t know how to handle [me being left handed].”

Young said that his right hand is the weakest part of his game at this point.

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

By Brian Bosworth

The Boo Williams tournament got underway on Friday night and with it the second session of Nike’s EYBL circuit. The amount of sheer talent in the gym was almost overwhelming as all eight courts were filled with future division 1 players all night long. Even in a field loaded with star power some players managed to separate themselves from the pack and here is sampling of Friday night’s best.

Top Performance of the Night:

Tahj Shamsid-Deen (Southern Stampede 2013) – Shamsid-Deen made a name for himself last weekend as the EYBL circuit kicked off in Minneapolis and continued his strong play Friday night. The 5’10” lefty point guard was deadly pulling up from midrange going in either direction. He used a quick first step to create space and then elevated over defenders to get off jump shots from 8-18 feet. While impressive scoring the ball for the majority of the game, Shamsid-Deen showed his true worth in the final moments with his team trailing by a point and 15 seconds on the clock. Southern Stampede ran an iso set for Shamsid-Deen and as he had done all game he got a step on his defender and pulled up from 10 feet. The ball slipped through the net giving Southern Stampede a one point lead and ultimately a victory. Both his desire to take the shot and ability to make it in that big spot spoke volumes about Shamsid-Deen’s leadership and accountability at the point guard spot.
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THE HOOP GROUP’S PITTSBURGH JAMFEST: DAY TWO

By Brian Batko

A full slate of games on Saturday at the Hoop Group Pittsburgh Jam Fest meant a lot more players in action, a lot more eye-opening performances, and a lot more recruiting updates. Below is a rundown of all the players from various classes that NBE caught up with on Saturday at the Jam Fest:

Andrew Harrison (Houston Defenders, 2013, Travis HS) – Regarded as a top five player in 2013, Harrison did nothing to prove otherwise on Saturday. The 6’5” point guard handled the rock, showed off his nasty crossover and great vision, and was able to get his shot off whenever and wherever he wanted. He and his twin brother Harrison listed a top four of Kentucky, Maryland, Villanova, and Baylor but said that doesn’t mean that another school can’t still get into the picture with them.

Aaron Harrison (Houston Defenders, 2013, Travis HS) – Not quite as quick and smooth as his brother, Aaron prefers to play off the ball, spotting up for threes and also attacking the rim. He and Andrew are 100 percent a package deal at the college level, according to them, and whichever school ultimately lands this dynamic duo better have plenty of minutes to go around in the backcourt.
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ISAIAH WHITEHEAD HAS SYRACUSE ATOP HIS LIST, OTHERS IN HOT PURSUIT

Isaiah Whitehead, of the top guards in the Class of 2014, said that Syracuse is currently at the top of his list of schools.

Whitehead said that Arizona, Kentucky, Pittsburgh, St. John’s and UCLA are also very involved while Arizona, Pitt, St. John’s and UCLA have all offered.

The 6-foot-4, 190-pound guard cited Syracuse’s fan base, system and atmosphere when explaining why the school is currently his favorite. He added that he’s looking for a program with a good coach who is also a good teacher.

“I want a program that will be good down the road, not just good right now, because I won’t be in college next year,” he said.

As for style of play, Whitehead said he wants to play on a team that is uptempo, but that is also balanced because he likes to run through plays and screens.

While his list of schools stretches across the country geographically, he said that location will not be a deciding factor.

Whitehead added that he wants to make a decision by the end of his junior year.

Whitehead, who said he will play two-guard on college, averaged 18 points, five rebounds and five assists for Lincoln High School in New York City this season.

He said the strength of his game is his pull-up jumper, while he needs to work on driving to the basket under control.

Broad-shouldered and strong, Whitehead didn’t play particularly well on Saturday for the Juice All-Stars after earning high praise for his Friday night showing, but showed that he could get his shot off at will. He was impressive when driving to the basket, but often struggled to finish.

NJ PLAYAZ SPRING FLING REPORT — PART II

By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

After a small slate of games Thursday night the 2012 Spring Fling came back with a long, full day on Friday. Pool play wrapped up, playoffs began, and contenders were separated from pretenders. Here is a sampling of the incredible level of talent of hand.

Top Performance of the Day:

Kuran Iverson (NY Lightning 2013) – Iverson is a name that’s been on the recruiting front for a few years already and he’s developed a reputation as an elite talent who struggles with consistency and doesn’t always utilize his natural gifts. Today he was sensational. Name a high level play that can be made on a basketball court and Kuran Iverson made it today. He rebounded above the rim. He blocked multiple shots in the lane. He went coast to coast and dunked on a defender. He made 4-5 perfect no look passes. He beat defenders off the dribble and finished in the lane. He hammered down a couple ridiculous alley-oops. When Iverson plays with energy and effort as he did today, he is basically unstoppable. His perimeter shot is still inconsistent at best and he settles for it too often but when he’s in attack mode on both ends of the floor like today Iverson is special.
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WITH HIGH SCHOOL CAREER COMPLETE, ANTHONY BENNETT WILL TURN ATTENTION TO RECRUITING

The trend of high-end prospects in college basketball recruiting is to make their college decisions later and later in recent years. The Class of 2012 is taking that trend to new heights, so to speak, with as many as four of the top 10 players n the country still undecided as we move into April. One such prospect is Findlay Prep’s Anthony Bennett, a 6-foot-8 power forward and native of Brampton, Ontario.

Bennett, who ran on the summer AAU circuit with CIA Bounce, is an imposing force on the basketball court. He violently attacks the rim with strong finishes and his athletic ability is impressive for a player his size and strength. He has also shown the ability to hit from three-point range and his potential almost seems limitless at the power forward position at the college level. He continues to improve his skill level making him an even more dangerous offensive player.

This past weekend Bennett helped his Findlay Prep Pilots win the National High School Invitational in Bethesda, Md. with a thrilling 86-83 overtime win against Montverde. The Pilots trailed by as many as 18 points in the second half before rallying. Bennett, the tournament’s MVP, chipped in with 13 points and eight rebounds in the championship contest.
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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 TWO

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By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

The second day of the National Prep School Invitational featured nine games with tips starting bright and early at 9 AM. Things started off a bit slowly with the first couple of early morning games featuring sluggish, turnover prone play. Then at 1:30 PM everything changed when Notre Dame Prep took the floor against Canarias Basketball Academy. That’s when a 7 foot monster put his stamp on this tournament and in doing so earned top billing for the day from me.

Top Performer of the Day:

Steven Adams (Notre Dame Prep 2012) – committed to Pittsburgh – Adams was great in his team’s game on Thursday and nearly earned the top spot in my recap. He was noticeably better on Friday. Adams is a massive human being standing 7 foot, 240 pounds. Unlike most people his size though; he is an excellent athlete showing lateral quickness and powerful burst off the floor. Every time he got within five feet of the rim on Friday the back board was in jeopardy of being torn down. Adams dunks with such power whether he has time to set himself or has to go up quickly on an offensive rebound. The scary thing about the big kiwi is that he’s only scratching the surface of his massive potential. He still doesn’t understand the consistent aggression and energy that he can play with and the impact it will have on his game. Adams shows it in flashes and has incredible success every time he does but once a coach makes him realize that’s needed every play his impact will be off the charts. I don’t think I’m overstating it when I say that Steven Adams belongs in the discussion with the newly re-classified Nerlens Noel and Shabazz Muhammad for top player in the 2012 class.
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MONTVERDE ACADEMY INVITATIONAL – SATURDAY REVIEW

by Alex Schwartz

MONTVERDE, Fla. – Three teams from the Northeast and a squad from Georgia joined four schools from Florida for the 2012 Montverde Academy Invitational Tournament this weekend. NBE Basketball Report was on hand Saturday for the final day of the event and took in four quality games.

In the seventh place game, Monsignor Pace (FL) defeated Leesburg (FL) by a score of 66-58. In the other consolation bracket game, Shiloh (GA) knocked off Imhotep Charter (PA) by two, 44-42, to claim fifth place.

Mount Vernon (NY) used a strong fourth quarter to take an 82-72 victory over Roman Catholic (PA) in the third place contest. Finally, Montverde Academy (FL) won the championship of its tournament with a 49-40 defeat of local foe Orlando Christian Prep (FL).

Top Performance of the Day:

Joshua Doughty (Mount Vernon 2013) – Doughty is not going to be a Division I basketball player, but this kid can definitely play college ball in a couple years. Doughty turned in the best performance of the day on Saturday and was the main reason Mount Vernon pulled off the comeback victory. The 5-foot-8 point guard scored 23 points in the victory, more than any other player scored all day. He had 21 points in the second half, including five 3-pointers in the third quarter alone. Overall, he connected on six shots from beyond the arc and displayed an intense, competitive nature.

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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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ANTHONY BENNETT DISCUSSES FINAL FIVE

There is still plenty of high-end talent still on the board in the college basketball recruiting Class of 2012. One such prospect is Findlay Prep’s Anthony Bennett, a 6-foot-8 power forward and native of Brampton, Ontario.

Bennett, whop runs on the summer AAU circuit with CIA Bounce, is an imposing force on the basketball court. He violently attacks the rim with strong finishes and his athletic ability is impressive for a player his size and strength. He has also shown the ability to hit from three-point range and his potential almost seems limitless at the power forward position at the college level. He continues to improve his skill level making him an even more dangerous offensive player.

“I’m trying to improve my ball-handling and shooting the ball consistently from the three-point line,” said Bennett of the areas of his game he has improved upon the most. “I think I need to be a better defender because in college I’m going to be guard the three or four so I think I need to get quicker.”
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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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HOOPHALL CLASSIC 2012: SUNDAY RECAP

By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

While the action at the Hoophall Classic was terrific on Saturday, the overall atmosphere jumped to a new level on Sunday. College coaches who had been busy coaching their own teams in action Saturday were out in full force. John Calipari (Kentucky), Jim Calhoun (Connecticut), Steve Lavin (St John’s), Mark Gottfried (NC State), Ed Cooley (Providence) and Mick Cronin (Cincinnati) all made appearances along with assistants from Florida, Texas, North Carolina, West Virginia, Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Oregon, Utah and DePaul. These coaches witnessed a large collection of highlight performances none more impressive than that by a player with the nation’s best haircut.

Top Performer:

Nerlens Noel (Tilton School 2013) – Noel and his high top fade put on a show worthy of the #1 2013 ranking I dubbed him with in my preview podcast of the event. Long considered the top shot blocker in America, Noel proved to be that and more in his nationally televised showdown with Mitch McGary and Brewster Academy. His final stat line reads 22 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 blocks with just about everyone in attendance agreeing that the 7 blocks is an extremely conservative estimate. I had one longtime scout tell me that Noel is the best shot blocker he has ever evaluated on the high school level. While his defense was as amazing as ever, Noel’s offensive progression continued its steady climb from the past year. He drove baseline and made a floater over Mitch McGary. He used a spin move and finished a lefty hook in the lane. He hammered down multiple tip dunks flying from out of nowhere to grab them. He drew contact at the rim repeatedly eventually fouling out Jakarr Sampson. Noel put on a virtuoso performance which stands up against the absolute best I’ve seen from him in the past. He looks like a future all-American, future lottery pick, future NBA all-star.

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HOOPHALL CLASSIC 2012: SATURDAY RECAP

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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DUKE FLIRTATION WITH AMILE JEFFERSON TURNS TO FULL COURTSHIP

by Alex Schwartz

WEST CHESTER, PA – Amile Jefferson, a 6-foot-8 power forward out of Friends Central (PA), is one of the nation’s elite basketball players in the class of 2012. In addition, he is one of the few top flight players still uncommitted.

Although Jefferson’s recruitment seemed fairly clear recently in terms of final options and perceived frontrunners, one school is making a late play for the senior: Duke University.

NBE was on hand Tuesday night at Westtown School (PA) on Tuesday for the showdown between Jefferson and Villanova-bound center Daniel Ochefu. Also in the stands were Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski and assistant Chris Collins, sitting just a few rows behind the Friends Central bench.
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