NBE Basketball Report
Connecticut Recruiting

2013 NBPA TOP 100 HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL CAMP — FINAL RECRUITING NOTES

June 17, 2013 by · Leave a Comment 

By Matt Whitfield, Mid-Atlantic Recruiting Analyst

The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA)’s 20th Anniversary of the NBPA Top 100 High School Basketball Camp kicked off Wednesday at the University of Virginia’s John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville and concluded over the weekend. Media was allowed to begin attending sessions on Thursday and NBE was back on the road and in attendence.

The NBPA Top 100 High School Basketball Camp was created by the NBPA in 1994 to assist elite high school student-athletes in the development of their basketball and life skills. Throughout the last 20 years, the Camp has grown into one of the most highly touted and renowned camps of its kind and has seen hundreds of its participants go on to successful NBA careers. You can follow the camp on Twitter @Top100Camp and be sure to follow @NBESports for all of our updates as well.

To close our recruiting updates, NBE caught up with Craig Victor, Satchel Pierce, Khadeem Lattin, Abdul-Malik Abu, Brandone Francis, Skal Labissiere, Chinanu Onuaku, Kevon Looney, Trevon Blueitt and Trayvon Reed, which you can see below…

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2013 NBPA TOP 100 HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL CAMP — RECRUITING NOTES (PART I)

June 13, 2013 by · Leave a Comment 

By Matt Whitfield, Mid-Atlantic Recruiting Analyst

The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA)’s 20th Anniversary of the NBPA Top 100 High School Basketball Camp kicked off Wednesday at the University of Virginia’s John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville. Media was allowed to begin attending sessions on Thursday and NBE was back on the road and in attendence.

The NBPA Top 100 High School Basketball Camp was created by the NBPA in 1994 to assist elite high school student-athletes in the development of their basketball and life skills. Throughout the last 20 years, the Camp has grown into one of the most highly touted and renowned camps of its kind and has seen hundreds of its participants go on to successful NBA careers. You can follow the camp on Twitter @Top100Camp and be sure to follow @NBESports for all of our updates as well.

IN our first recruiting notebook we take a look at the latest from

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

January 25, 2013 by · Leave a Comment 

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 (1/14/2013): ACTION HEATING UP ON RECRUITING TRAIL

January 14, 2013 by · Leave a Comment 

by Alex Schwartz

After a long swoon during the holiday season, things have picked back up in a hurry on the recruiting trail. One of the nation’s best big men made his pledge and several, as did a top-notch junior guard and several other players.

Dakari Johnson of Montverde Academy (FL) became yet another part of the star-studded Kentucky recruiting class. The 6-foot-10 class of 2013 center picked the Wildcats over Georgetown and Syracuse.

Johnson had been ranked No. 3 in the NBE Sports Class of 2014 Post-July Top 75, but he has since reclassified up to 2013. UK already has four additional top-15 commits in the NBE Sports Class of 2013 Post-July Top 125, as John Calipari is putting together his, if not the­ best class yet.

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NEW YEAR’S JUMP-OFF EVENT RECAP

January 7, 2013 by · Leave a Comment 

by Alex Schwartz

HACKENSACK, N.J. – Eight teams made their way to Hackensack (NJ) High School on Sunday for the New Year’s Jump-Off. The quartet of games featured only teams from the Garden State, but there was a great deal of talent on display, including a few players headed to high-major programs.

TOP PERFORMER

Reggie Cameron of Hudson Catholic is the easy choice of who turned in the day’s best performance. The 6-foot-8 small forward dropped 30 points and may well have had more if he shot more the fourth quarter had the game been close. Cameron, ranked No. 62 in the NBE Sports Class of 2013 Post-July Top 125, also grabbed 12 rebounds, distributed the ball well and made his presence felt on defense. A big-time shooter from long range, the future Georgetown Hoya really had his shot going in this game. He has such a smooth stroke and possesses the size to get it off over most defenders. Cameron also scored from midrange and at the rim. The senior even displayed the ability to play the point, which is something he has not really done before. He blocked shots, found open teammates for buckets and was the best low post player in the game, despite being a three man. Cameron led his team to a 70-53 victory over Pope John XXIII and put on in absolute show in his home city of Hackensack.

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RECRUITING NOTEBOOK (12/20/2012): JABARI PARKER DECISION NEARING; DAKARI JOHNSON CUTS LIST TO THREE

December 20, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

by Alex Schwartz

There have not been many high-major commitments of late, but there has still been a fair amount of news in the high school hoops world lately. In addition, one of the nation’s top prospects is set to announce his choice today.

First off, Jabari Parker is set to announce his college choice today on ESPNU, as originally reported by Joe Henrickson of the Chicago Sun-Times. Parker is a 6-foot-8 small forward out of Simeon (IL) who is ranked No. 3 in the NBE Sports Class of 2013 Post-July Top 125. KSL.com’s Greg Wrubell quoted Jabari’s father, Sonny Parker, as saying, “I think it will probably be between Duke and Michigan State.”

Samford landed a commitment from Jordan Capps, per Scout.com’s Evan Daniels. Capps is a class of 2013 small forward prospect from Peachtree Ridge (GA) who has some solid size at 6-foot-6.

St. Peter’s dipped into the JuCo ranks for a 2013 commitment, according to Brad Winton of JuCoRecruiting.com. He reported that the Peacocks landed Tyler Gaskins, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard from Lawson State Community College (AL).

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2012 VILLA CLASSIC RECAP

December 17, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

by Alex Schwartz

GLENSIDE, Pa. – Five teams from New York City, four from Philadelphia and one from New Jersey made their way to Arcadia University yesterday for the sixth annual VILLA Classic. Although most of the games ended with lopsided scores, there was still some nice talent on display.

TOP PERFORMER

There are several players who could stake claim to this honor, but we are going to go with Brandon Austin. The future Providence Friar was not amongst the players who dropped 20+ points, but he turned in the best all-around performance. The versatile senior from Imhotep Charter (PA) is capable of playing multiple positions, but, as he showed on Saturday, he is best suited at the point guard spot. Austin is capable of both scoring the ball himself—he finished with 18 points against Lincoln (NY)—and facilitating things for others. He runs the offense quite adeptly and is a superb defender. The 6-foot-6 Austin locked up and forced steals, but he was also able to block shots around the rim. His combination of size, skill and length allows him to impact the game in multiple ways. Additionally, the No. 47 ranked player in the NBE Sports Class of 2013 Top 125 has a nice feel for the game.

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RECRUITING NOTEBOOK (10/22/2012): COMMITMENTS BEGIN TO SLOW

October 22, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

 

by Alex Schwartz

Commitments seem to have slowed down a bit over the past several days, but that does not mean we have been without any whatsoever.

In fact, while the total number may be smaller, a few superb seniors did take their names off the board since our last Recruiting Notebook. One Big 12 school landed a top-40 player, while a former Big 12 school also landed itself a top-40 player.

Jonathan Williams III was the top player to commit recently, and he is a huge pickup for the Missouri Tigers. A talented 6-foot-8 power forward, Williams is ranked No. 26 in the NBE Sports Class of 2013 Post-July Top 125. The Southwind (TN) star joins the long list of highly ranked 2013 prospects headed to SEC programs.

Baylor also picked up a major pledge, garnering a verbal commitment from Ishmail Wainright. The 6-foot-5 small forward was at one point briefly committed to Missouri, but then reopened his recruitment.

Wainright is a native of the Show Me State, but he transferred to Montrose Christian (MD) for his junior year and remains that for his final year of high school. He is ranked No. 32 in the NBE Sports 2013 Top 125. The news of his commitment was first reported by Alex Kline of TheRecruitScoop.com.

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RECRUITING NOTEBOOK (10/11/12) — COMMITMENT ROLL CONTINUES

October 11, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

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by Alex Schwartz

Major commitments have continued to roll in over the past few days and there does not appear to be an end coming in the near future.

The biggest commitment to come down since Monday’s Recruiting Notebook was that of Karviar Shepherd. Not only is Shepherd a high-level prospect, but he has a chance to be somewhat a program changer at his future institution.

Shepherd, a 6-foot-9 center out of Prime Prep (TX), ended his recruitment by pledging to in-state TCU, according to ESPN.com’s Reggie Rankin. The Horned Frogs are entering their first year in a BCS conference and are also under a first year head coach. However, Trent Johnson now has himself a player to build around in the Big 12, as Shepherd is ranked No. 14 in the NBE Sports Class of 2013 Post-July Top 125.

Shepherd showed at that 2012 Adidas Invitational last July his ability to score with both hands, make great passes from the post and refined footwork that most college big men would be jealous of. Shepherd also protects the rim and rebounds both ends of the floor at an elite level. NBE’s National Recruiting Analyst also wrote that Shepherd has the potential to be a dominant low post scorer at the college level after watching him perform in Indianapolis to kick off the July evaluation periods.
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Mernagh: Set up for Failure? Ollie’s History Suggests Otherwise

September 23, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

Kevin Ollie wanted a chance to coach his alma mater and now he’s gotten it…in the form of a one season contract.

Everyone has an opinion on the deal, and most fall somewhere within the range of he’s being set up to fail to the Husky roster isn’t nearly talented enough for him to succeed.

The problem with the first opinion, which seems to be the consensus, is that it completely fails to take the man into consideration. Kevin Ollie and his history suggest the opposite.

The second opinion is garbage.
But let’s start with the man in question, Kevin Ollie, and his history.

Ollie came out of Crenshaw High School in L.A., where he displayed a steely resolve to stay out of trouble off the court, but also a toughness on the court that made him an attractive recruit to then UConn assistant Howie Dickenman. Ollie was the unquestioned leader of three Husky squads before graduating. Most thought he would play overseas for a while, especially after not being drafted, before going into business or coaching. Ollie ignored the perception surrounding his hoops future and did what he’s always done. He went to work. First the CBA, and then incredibly, the NBA.

Below is the list of teams Ollie played for in his 13 year career.
97-98 Orlando
97-98 Dallas
98-99 Orlando
98-99 Sacramento
99-00 Philadelphia
00-01 Philadelphia
00-01 New Jersey
01-02 Indiana
01-02 Chicago
02-03 Seattle
02-03 Milwaukee
03-04 Cleveland
04-05 Philadelphia
05-06 Philadelphia
06-07 Philadelphia
07-08 Philadelphia
08-09 Minnesota
09-10 Oklahoma

That list represents a lot of 10 day contracts parlayed into full seasons and the value placed on Ollie’s kind of leadership inside NBA locker rooms. It’s a tale of Ollie receiving a lot of calls come spring or summer from GM’s offering employment, because they knew that Ollie’s ego was non-existent and that he’d do the job on the court when called upon. That’s being a highly respected pro. A team-first guy in a league that seems to acquire its fair share of me-first guys.

Ollie’s first year on the bench beside Jim Calhoun resulted in a national title. Talking with him in the bowels of the Garden after UConn beat Pitt on Thursday of that crazy week, I asked him if he thought that team – a team that finished ninth in the regular season – could win the Big East Tournament. He held my gaze for a second or two and responded, “I think we can win the whole thing!”

He was talking about the NCAA Tournament. And of course, they did win it all, reeling off wins on Friday and Saturday in NYC, followed by six more on their way to Jim Calhoun’s third title.

Eleven straight wins, and following the third of eleven, Ollie was already preaching that the impossible was possible.

Telling Kemba Walker he was the best player in the country. Telling Jeremy Lamb that he couldn’t be stopped. Telling Roscoe Smith that nobody could box him out. Telling Tyler Olander they needed big things from him. Telling Shabazz Napier that he was a key. Telling all of them that the workouts they’d gone through together were about to pay off. The list goes on but basically Ollie was preaching the gospel according to KO. A guy that turned one or two isolated and minute chances into a 13 year NBA career.

And about that dearth of talent?

Tyler Olander had offers from Florida, Notre Dame, Virginia, Wake and Rhode Island.

Ryan Boatright has proven he’s special and had Oklahoma, UNLV and WVU wanting him.

Napier’s played a key role on a championship team and seen what happened the following disappointing year.

DeAndre Daniels had lightweights like Duke, Kansas, Florida, and Kentucky after him and was a top-10 talent.

Phil Nolan had offers from a myriad of high majors despite a transient high school career.

Omar Calhoun had everyone offering except Kentucky and UNC.

The roster has three top 40 players, plus role players in Niels Giffey and RJ Evans.

Last year’s team had two lottery picks and went 9-13 after an 11-1 start. This team is thin upfront but so are most of the teams they’ll go to battle against. Ollie will put guys in position to score with a perimeter heavy lineup.

So what if Ollie wins the same amount of games as last year’s group or even a few less minus two lottery picks?

Who’s in a better position come April when his contract expires?

Manuel, a new AD whose signature program had success despite a coach under a 7-month contract who really couldn’t, in good faith, recruit over that time span (despite getting a miraculous in-home visit with Jabari Parker and family). All of a sudden he’s a guy who has to decide whether to extend the favorite son who everyone loves or roll the dice on someone wanting the job who’s better.

Or Kevin Ollie? A free agent coach who got a group of kids with no postseason prospects to ball out. Who now has high major head coaching experience, to go along with strong ties to the NBA, and roots on both coasts.

If Ollie has success, with his personality and experience, there will be strong interest in him.

So, you can go ahead and believe that Warde Manuel has set Kevin Ollie up to fail if you want. That’s your prerogative.
The belief here, until proven otherwise, is that this decision will end up costing UConn.

Hopefully for the Husky Nation, it will only cost them in the pocketbook when they have to dig deep to keep Kevin Ollie. Because the man’s history has proven it’s unwise to bet against him…and when you really think about it, that’s kind of what his boss has done.

CLASS OF 2013 POST-JULY TOP 125

August 14, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

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By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

With stops during the month of July at the Hoop Group Elite Camp, Adidas Invitational, Nike Peach Jam, Nike Invitational and Live in AC…NBE’s National Recruiting Analyst Brian Bosworth is ready to release his Class of 2013 National Top 125. The list has exanded from the Pre-July Period Top 75 and also includes a new #1 player in the class.

The Class of 2013 certainly flexed their muscles on the camp and AAU circuit all July. The class is widely regarded as one of the best in recent memory with a deep pool of talent, especially near the top.

Read on below to see the current rankings as we begin to prepare for the 2012-2013 prep and high school season which will be here before we know it!

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‘LIVE IN AC’ – FINAL REPORT

August 1, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

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By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

The inaugural “Live in AC” event came to close by crowning champions at the 15U, 16U and 17U levels last Friday afternoon. The youngster division was taken by Team Final (PA) after a championship game victory over the NJ Playaz. Team Takeover DC swept the two older divisions defeating Expressions Elite (MA) for the 16U crown and Sports U (NJ) for the 17U. Stars from all these programs and others stood out on the road to the title and here is our final report from the Nl Playaz hosted event in Atlantic City.

Top Performance of the Day:

Josh Hart (Team Takeover 2013) – Hart’s physicality and aggression from the wing fuel everything that Takeover wants to do. His constant motor and “whatever it takes to win” attitude are a perfect fit for the hardnosed program. Offensively Hart puts pressure on the opposition with straight line drives at the rim. He finishes with both hands and welcomes contact once in the paint. On the defensive side of the ball he often takes the challenge of the other team’s top scorer and has the ability to be a shut down type guy. Hart also rebounds extremely well for his position often starting the break after a defensive board.
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ORLANDO AAU REPORT — SUNDAY

July 30, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

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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

July 30, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

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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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‘LIVE IN AC’ HIGHLIGHTS – 16U EXPRESSIONS ELITE VS. JUICE ALL-STARS

July 28, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

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On Friday in Atlantic City one of the main attractions was the 16U battles between Expressions Elite and the Juice All-Stars. Sherwyn Cooper of BallasTV.com (subscribe to his Youtube channel here) was in Atlantic City and took some video of the action on Thursday for NBE Sports, just as he did when Philly Pride and Team Final went head-to-head the day before.

In Thursday’s featured contest, the main headliner entering the game was Juice All-Stars Isaiah Whitehead. However, it was Expressions Elite big man Abdul-Malik Abu who continued his national breakout summer and turned in a dominating performance. The video highlights both player’s performance and it also features Abu’s teammates Damion Smith and Alec Brennan. Check out the video below to see all of them in action and a little more down the page is the scouting report from NBE’s Brian Bosworth on Abu, Smith and Whitehead, who is also featured in a recruiting update as well (stay tuned for a full Expressions Elite Update before the weekend is up).

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‘LIVE IN AC’ REPORT — DAY II

July 28, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

Thursday at “Live in AC” featured a few big names playing up to their reputations but was mostly about under the radar guys getting a chance to shine. Here’s who caught NBE’s eye on the day.

Top Performance of the Day:

Abdul-Malik Abu (Expressions Elite 2014) – Abu is a big name in New England who deserves to be a big name on the national level. He was a physical force on the 16U level dominating the paint in both games I watched on Thursday. A strongly built 6’8” and 225 pounds, Abu can both post up and blow by defenders off the dribble. He loves contact once around the rim and finished while drawing fouls on multiple plays throughout the day. While Abu is a wide bodied post player, that doesn’t take away from his elite athleticism as both his first step off the dribble and explosion at the rim are of the highest level. He had some of the fiercest and most powerful dunks of the day both rising over defenders and finishing through them. Abu can play anywhere in the country at the college level and his recruitment is starting to show that.
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2012 PEACH JAM REPORT – DAY III (PART C)

July 21, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

Friday night at the Peach Jam is a session I will never forget. It featured a game between CIA Bounce and the Texas Titans that will be talked about in recruiting circles a decade from now as the nation’s best player made it clear he has no equal in high school basketball.

Top Performer of the Night:

Andrew Wiggins (CIA Bounce 2014) – Wiggins didn’t just have the best performance of the night or the best performance of the tournament, but rather had arguably the best single performance I’ve ever seen in an AAU game. Matched up head to head with one of 2013’s best in Julius Randle, Wiggins ended any lingering debate over who is the top prospect regardless of class. He finished with 28 points and 13 rebounds but those numbers don’t even do justice to the greatness that he showed. Wiggins is the freakiest of freak athletes consistently making plays above the rim that leave scouts who have been doing this 20+ years with their jaws on the floor. His CIA team was down double digits at the half and Wiggins came out after intermission with a focus and determination to change that. It took about two minutes for the standing room only crowd to realize what was happening and they soon exploded with every play Wiggins made. He attacked Randle time and again finishing outrageous play after outrageous play. Words and numbers don’t even do justice to the greatness that Wiggins showed on Friday night as he just operates on a different level from everyone else on the court. I said it during the end of the game and I’ll stand by it here; I believe Andrew Wiggins will become the best player in the NBA before his playing career is over. He is an unstoppable offensive force.
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2012 PEACH JAM REPORT – DAY III (PART B)

July 21, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

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By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

Friday afternoon in North Augusta brought 16U pool play at the Peach Jam along with a quick stop at the Nike Invitational. Here’s who managed to standout while NBE was watching.

Top Performer of the Afternoon:

Obi Enechionyia (Team Takeover 2014) – At 6’8”, the athletic forward showed off both an inside and outside scoring package. He flashed major bounce around the rim with a few ferocious dunks along with swatting away countless attempts at his own basket. While his work in the paint alone would have made Enechionyia a very intriguing prospect, he was also able to step out and make jump shots past the college 3-point line. The combination of owning the paint and being able to draw big men away from the rim by spacing the floor make it easy to project Enechionyia at the high major level for his college future. He needs to continue refining his ball handling and overall skill package and frankly could end up playing on the wing if his skills improve quickly enough.
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2012 NY2LA UNDER ARMOUR SUMMER JAM RECAP – PART II

July 20, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

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 JAM REPORT – DAY II (PART A)

July 20, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

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By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

After a fun sample of 16U action on Wednesday night, the 2012 Peach Jam kicked into full gear with 17U action taking center stage on Thursday morning. While plenty of players had standout performances, a trio of wings from the Oakland Soldiers squad separated themselves from the pack.

Top Performers of the Morning:

Aaron Gordon (Oakland Soldiers 2013) – After missing a large time of time this AAU season with a foot injury, Gordon seemed determined to erase any question marks about his health moving forward. He was better than ever before making plays from the wing that weren’t in his arsenal 12 months ago. Gordon flashed off the dribble skills that firmly project him as a SF going forward and make him an even more devastating player than I previously thought. In addition to his improved handle, Gordon remains the most electric finisher in high school basketball around the rim. He drew more than a few Blake Griffin comparisons after a series of ridiculous dunks in transition.
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