DePaul Recruiting

TROY WILLIAMS HAS GOOD TIME ON NORTH CAROLINA VISIT

Just like our earlier article on Davon Reed indicated, Troy Williams is another Class of 2013 prospect taking advantage of some free time to check out college campuses of schools that are recruiting him. Williams, who plays for his uncle’s Boo Williams AAU program, is a standout 6-foot-7, 200-pound forward from Hampton (VA) that is being recruited at the highest levels of college basketball. Last weekend he took the opportunity to visit North Carolina.

“It was really nice, I had a lot of fun,” Willaims told NBE last night of the visit. “Being able to play against the team in open gym [was the highlight].”

Williams is also planning to visit a couple more tradition-rich programs in the near future. He plans to make a swing to the Bluegrass State to check out both Kentucky and Louisville October 6th through the 9th and a trip to Georgetown is on the calendar for October 14th.

Williams told NBE late in the summer circuit that he holds offers from Texas, Georgetown, Virginia, Alabama, Virginia Tech, South Florida and DePaul with interest from North Carolina, Duke, Louisville, Miami and Northwestern.

Williams burst on the AAU scene this summer as a big time athlete at the wing position. He is at his best in transition where he can use his great speed to run the floor and then finish at the rim with impressive leaping ability. Williams has very long arms on his wiry frame and uses them along with his elite hops to be a high level rebounder from the wing. His jump shot needs work but his form appears to be solid so as long as Williams puts the work in he should be able to improve. He is a no doubt high-major wing and likely a top 25 player in the class when it’s all said and done and his list of offers and college interest will continue to soar.

Still, at this time, Williams is staying open in the recruiting process.

“I’m still open actualy. No favorites,” he said.

Williams has previously told NBE he will look to decide next summer and his recent visit has not changed that thought process. NBE will continue to follow his recruitment his development on the court as Troy Williams solidifies himself as one of the most highly coveted players in the Class of 2013 in the nation.

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DAVON REED ENJOYS SETON HALL VISIT; MORE TRIPS PLANNED

While much of the attention in recent weeks have been paid to the Class of 2012 prospects hitting college campuses for official visits, several 2013 prospects have also used their free time to see some schools for themselves. One player with a very busy visit schedule the next month is Davon Reed. The 6-foot-5, 190-pound shooting guard was able to fit in a BIG EAST visit last weekend.

“I really enjoyed my visit to Seton Hall last Saturday,” Reed told NBE yesterday. “The staff was really welcoming and they seem to be have a bright future for the program! It was an excellent visit!”

Reed was surprised that the campus was bigger than he thought. He was also able to see coach Kevin Willard’s squad hit the court for a preseason workout, which he singled out as the visit’s highlight.
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MANY SCHOOLS STILL INVOLVED WITH ANDREW WHITE

Playing this spring and summer with Team Loaded, Andrew White saw his recruitment explode with a series of strong performances on the AAU circuit. His recruitment has not slowed one bit as top college programs have already made their way to Charlottesville (VA) and the Miller School to visit the 6-foot-6, 205-pound small forward. More schools are expected this week as well.

“I have already received visits from Virginia Tech, NC State, West Virginia and Cincinnati,” White told NBE earlier this afternoon. “DePaul, UTEP, Kansas, Wake Forest and a couple others will visit me in the next couple weeks.”
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2013 F TROY WILLIAMS ADDS OFFER FROM TEXAS, INTEREST FROM KENTUCKY THIS SUMMER; LIKELY TO VISIT VIRGINIA TECH SOON

One of the top prospects in the Class of 2013 is 6-foot-7, 195-pound forward Troy Williams out of Phoebus High School and the Boo Williams AAU program out of Hampton (VA). The nephew of legendary program director and head coach Boo Williams, Troy is a big time athlete at the wing position. He is at his best in transition where he can use his great speed to run the floor and then finish at the rim with big time leaping ability. Williams has very long arms on his wiry frame and uses them along with his elite athletic ability to be a high level rebounder from the wing. His jump shot needs work but his form appears to be solid so as long as Williams puts the work in he should be able to improve. He is a no doubt high-major wing and likely a top 25 player in the class when it’s all said and done. Showing that type of ability has raised his recruitment over the summer.

“Texas has offered [and] Kentucky became interested,” said Williams when asked this week by NBE if new offers and interest since the July evaluation period.
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2011 ORLANDO AAU FINAL NOTEBOOK: RECRUITING NOTES & PLAYER EVALUATIONS

By Alex Schwartz

FLORIDA & ALABAMA LEAD FOR 2012 C HAUGHTON

Tyrone Haughton, a 6-foot-9 center out of Miami’s Dr. Krop High School, said he has offers from Western Kentucky, Alabama, Florida, West Virginia and Miami to go along with interest from Marshall.

As for his favorites, he said, “Florida or Alabama, either one.”

Haughton said Alabama, Florida and West Virginia are the three schools coming at him the hardest.

He has yet to take any visits, but plans to visit each of the schools on his list. Haughton plans to commit in the “fall this year” and will sign early.

Haughton would like to remain close to home for college.
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2011 ORLANDO AAU NOTEBOOK (PART 7): RECRUITING LISTS FROM AAU NATIONALS

By Alex Schwartz

The grind continues in Orlando as we move into the home stretch of the 2011 AAU National Championships. On Thursday NBE caught up with Malik Price-Martin, Kasey Hill, Duane Wilson Jr., Kobe Eubanks and Zacarry Douglas for the latest on their recruitment.

The action continues on Friday and through the weekend in Orlando and NBE will be on hand right through the conclusion. In the 16U level they have reached the FInal 8 of Pool Play. Match-ups late this morning include BABC/Garner Road, Ohio Varsity White/Rising Stars Gold, NY Gauchos/All-Ohio Red & Team Takeover/Ohio Hoopsters Cash. The semifinals will be played later this afternoon and the championship game is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon.

17U action has moved into championship bracket play with 32 teams left after early morning play. The field will be narrowed to 16 later today and then tomorrow the Final 8 will square off. Some big names remain and Albany City Rocks and Texas PRO square off today for a spot in the final 16. The Arkansas Wings, Florida Rams, CP3, All-Iowa Attack, PA Playaz, Wisconsin Playground Elite and others highlight the remaining teams.

Below you will find our recruiting updates from yesterday….

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2011 DESERT DUEL MEMORIAL FINAL DAY RECAP: NJ PLAYAZ STORM BACK FOR TITLE

By Raphielle Johnson

The only thing better than the two best teams in an event playing in the title game is those teams putting forth a game for the ages. And that’s exactly what happened when the Mac Irvin Fire and New Jersey Playaz 17U teams met in Tuesday’s title game at the Desert Duel Memorial. Despite trailing by as many as 26 points early in the second half the Playaz found a way back, ultimately winning the game in overtime by the final score of 70-62.

Things most certainly didn’t look good for the Playaz at the start as Mac Irvin jumped them out of the gate thanks to the combination of solid offensive execution and the Playaz’s inability to make shots. The squad from Chicago had everything rolling, especially 2013 stud Jabari Parker who hit just about any shot imaginable in the first twenty minutes.

Steve Taylor (2012) was able to slash to the basket, DePaul commit Billy Garrett Jr. (2013) and Derrick Randolph (2012) made plays in the backcourt and Aaric Armstead (2012) was also a factor. A dunk just before the halftime buzzer made the score 43-20, and a Parker three in the first minute of the second half pushed the lead out to 26. To say the least things did not look good for the Playaz was an understatement.

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2011 DESERT DUEL MEMORIAL – DAY ONE RECAP: COACHES GALORE ON HAND FOR ACTION

By Raphielle Johnson

With the second ten-day open period of the month on the back end it would have been easy for teams still playing to perform in a sluggish manner. But that didn’t happen on Wednesday, especially at the Desert Duel Memorial Tournament where a few games needed overtime to render a decision. One of those games was the matchup between Long Island Lightning Blue and Seattle Rotary Select, with the Lightning making up a four-point deficit in the final 30 seconds of regulation and going on to win by the final score of 69-65.

The guard tandem of Kareem Canty (2012; postgrad) and Melvin Johnson (2012) made crucial plays down the stretch with both being able to get to the rim off the dribble. Canty’s more of a scoring point who was also to make some nice passes to his big men after beating his man off the dribble, and the pull-up jumper he says he’s been working on was on display as well.

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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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LAS VEGAS AAU DAY 3 NOTEBOOK: UPSETS & CLOSE CALLS DEFINE SUNDAY’S ACTION

By Raphielle Johnson

On paper Sunday’s slate of games in both the adidas Super 64 and Las Vegas Fab 48 looked to be locks for the top teams. But many learned (once again) first-hand that games are played on the floor and not on some poster-sized sheet of paper in a gym lobby. The list of victims included the Oakland Soldiers, who dropped their first round playoff game to a Branch West Elite team that looked highly impressive in the first half against Play Hard Play Smart in the nightcap.

Also bounced from the Fab 48 were TP Elite and Team Loaded, both of whom fell victim to the Wisconsin Swing. Zak Showalter (2012) out of Germantown (WI), who scored 29 points in their 90-75 win over Team Loaded, can do a number of things on the floor from his guard position. He caught fire from deep but didn’t simply settle for those shots, also driving to the basket and setting up teammates for good looks as well. Ironically Showalter stated after the game that he’s working on becoming a better perimeter shooter, although he was referring to consistency as opposed to simply making the shot.

That matchup also featured a pair of excellent prospects in NC State commit Tyler Lewis (2012) and Andrew White (2012), who has many top programs after his services. When the ball was in Lewis’s hands things seemed to run smoother for Team Loaded, although the way in which Wisconsin Swing executed offensively it may have taken 100 points for Team Loaded to win the game.
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2011 ORLANDO AAU NOTEBOOK (PART 2): ACTION HEATING UP IN DISNEY

By Alex Schwartz

The action continues in Orlando with the AAU Super Showcase for the 15U and 16U heating up on Saturday. On Sunday the 17U division gets going stronger as well and more and more college coaches are arriving at the ESPN Wide World of Sports venue. In this afternoon’s notebook we take a closer look at the recruitment of standouts such as Kavon Stewart, Geno Thorpe, Davon Reed, Kendrick Nunn and we take a look at the impressive games of Dakari Johnson, Aquille Carr and Phil Booth. Read on below for the detail…

At 5-foot-11, NJ Playaz/Hudson Catholic point guard Kavon Stewart might not have elite height for a point guard, but what he does have is a fantastic feel for the game and the ability to lead a team. A pure point, Stewart gets others involved and has superb floor vision. He is able to find the open man and get him the basketball in a position to score. Stewart has a solid build, though he could add a bit of muscle. The 2013 prospect has a nice mid-range game which keeps the defense honest.
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LAS VEGAS AAU DAY 1 NOTEBOOK: JABARI PARKER SHINES, KRIS DUNN SPARKLES & MORE

By Raphielle Johnson

When a who’s who of the college coaching profession is on hand a show is expected. And 2013 prospect Jabari Parker provided that and then some in Mac Irvin Fire’s win over Worldwide Renegades in the evening session of the Las Vegas Fab 48 at Bishop Gorman. Parker showed off his vast array of skills in front of the likes of Dave Rose (BYU), Oliver Purnell (DePaul), Mike Krzyzewski (Duke), Bruce Weber (Illinois), Buzz Williams (Marquette) and Tom Izzo (Michigan State) among others.

Also playing well in the win for Mac Irvin were 2012 forward Steve Taylor and 2012 guards Aaric Armstead and Derrick Randolph. Taylor won’t be graded on the same level as Parker but make no mistake about it, the young man is skilled. Taylor showed off the ability to step out and attack the rim, doing a solid job of playing with contact and knocking down mid-range shots. Randolph, while he looks shorter than his listed height of 5’9”, is the kind of winning player that all successful teams tend to have.

Randolph was highly competitive at both ends of the floor, setting up teammates for easy baskets on quick drives to the basket and disrupting the Renegades defensively. Armstead may not have had the impact scoring-wise that some of the other players had, but he did the little things especially on the defensive end. And 2013 DePaul commit Billy Garrett Jr. proved to be a tough matchup due to his crafty handle and ability to knock down a variety of shots.
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2011 NIKE EYBL PEACH JAM REPORT (PART V)

By Brian Bosworth

Thursday marked the end of pool play at the Peach Jam and the last opportunity for teams to fight their way into the playoffs. For some teams who know they are going to be on the outside looking in it is the last opportunity to perform in front of college colleges this week. With the stakes raised the play became even more intense and some players will able to stand above the rest…

Brandon Ashley (Oakland Soldiers/2012) – Ashley has been having a monster work and continued that trend this morning. After dominating from the low block when I watched him on Tuesday night, Ashley showed off his face up game in this contest. He hit multiple 18 foot jumpers from the baseline and once he established that shot used a shot fake and a couple of dribbles to get to the rim. He was in attack mode throughout the game earning himself 12 trips to the free throw line and converting 9 of them. Ashley’s handle, while adequate, will need to get better as his game progresses. He can use 1 or 2 dribbles effectively but in the open floor sometimes becomes a bit wild if he has to put it down more than that.
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UA SUMMER JAM PRESENTED BY NY2LA SPORTS RECRUITING NOTES

By Alex Jesswein

While many across the country have turned their attention to the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League Championship at the Peach Jam in North Augusta (SC), Antonio Curro and his crew at NY2LASports.com have assembled another strong field for the 2011 UA Summer Jam. Some of the biggest names in the 2012 Class are in Wisconsin for the event, including Shabazz Muhammad, Isaiah Austin, Mitch McGary, Perry Ellis and more. Top AAU programs like Dream Vision, Texas Pro, SYF Players, DC Assault, Playground Elite, Team Loaded, and more are competing in the event.

NBE will have much more on the event as it moves to completion on the 15th. For now here are some recruiting notes that NBE has been able to compile in the first two days of action:

Duane Wilson, Class of 2013 point guard with the Playground Elite AAU program, listed Marquette (offer), Minnesota, Memphis, Washington, Virginia, Missouri, DePaul, Wisconsin, Illinois, Miami (FL), Florida State, and Florida. He has visited Kentucky, DePaul and Missouri unofficially recently.

As he heads into his next season, Wilson said he wants to work on getting stronger, playing better defense and hitting shots off of the dribble.
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2011 NIKE EYBL PEACH JAM REPORT (PART IV)

By Brian Bosworth

As Wednesday night rolled around in North Augusta, the haves started to separate themselves from the have nots. Plenty of players showcased their talents for the nation’s top coaches and tried to put their stamp of the week’s festivities. After a third viewing in two days, one thing became VERY clear on Wednesday night. Nerlens Noel is a stud and is making a strong case that he is the top player at this entire event.

Nerlens Noel (BABC/2013) – After flirting with a triple double in his morning game, Noel finished the job Wednesday night putting up 13 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 blocked shots against a very talented CIA Bounce front line. He is a human eraser at the rim and it doesn’t matter who is attacking him. Any shot taken within five feet against BABC belongs to Noel and as the game goes on opponents start taking wild attempts because they are scared of being embarrassed. He is the best defender in the country and proved it for a third time this week.

Prominent head coaches on hand to see Noel’s effort against CIA Bounce included Tom Izzo (Michigan State), Rick Barnes (Texas), Jim Calhoun (Connecticut), Jamie Dixon (Pittsburgh), Thad Matta (Ohio State), Jim Larranaga (Miami), Frank Haith (Missouri), Mike Anderson (Arkansas), Roy Williams (UNC), Jim Boeheim (Syracuse), and Mick Cronin (Cincinnati). The win kept BABC undefeated in the two days thus far. Memphis YOMCA and the Oakland Soldiers are also 4-0 after Wednesday night.

Wednesday’s Session 2 Scoreboard:
Georgia Stars 85, All-Ohio Red 68
Boo Williams 68, Indy Spiece 64
CP3 93, Cali Supreme 82
Mac Irvin Fire 82, All-Iowa Attack 78
Team Takeover 86, Houston Hoops 80
Oakland Soldiers 74, Baltimore Elite 70
Memphis YOMCA 63, NJ Playaz 47
BABC 58, CIA Bounce 55 (OT)
Arkansas Wings 65, Athletes First 62
Texas Titans 61, Louisiana Select 44
The Family 62, City Rocks 54
Howard Pulley 72, Meanstreets 67

Individual Stat Leaders:

Scoring Leaders:
Sulaimon,Rasheed………..23.3
Gathers,Ricardo…………20.0
Ashley,Brandon………….19.5
Parker,Jabari-B4…………..19.3
Smith-Rivera,D’Vauntes…….19.0
Anderson,Kyle…………..19.0
Zierdan,Isaiah………….19.0
Jones,Matthew…………..18.8
Barber,Anthony…………18.5
Goodwin,Archie………….18.0

Rebounding Leaders:
Gathers,Ricardo…………13.0
Poythress,Alex………….9.8
Parker,Tony…………….9.8
Johnson,Brice………….9.3
Parker,Jabari…………..9.3

Assist Leaders:
Rose,LJ………………..8.8
Purvis,Rodney…………..7.3
Anderson,Kyle…………..7.3
Robinson,James………….6.0
Clark,Stephen………….. 5.5

Shot Blocking Leaders:
Noel,Nerlens……………6.8
Johnson,Brice…………..4.8
Kingsley,Moses………….3.8
Morris,Shaquille………..2.5

More Player Evaluations:

Josh Fortune (Boo Williams/2012) – committed to Providence – Fortune had it working from deep in this game burying 3-4 from the behind the arc while getting great elevation on his shot and showing a smooth release. He has a well built 6’5” frame on the wing and doesn’t shy away from contact inside. Very aggressive with the ball in his hands, Fortune has a scorer’s mentality always thinking about putting the ball in the hole.

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Justin Anderson (Boo Williams/2012) – committed to Virginia – Anderson’s numbers didn’t jump off the page but his physical impact on a high school basketball game is really something to watch. He blocked a shot at the rim despite being near the free throw line as his opponent was taking off. He covered the ground in a flash, exploded off the ground, and sent the shot into the third row. Offensively, Anderson worked out of the post a lot in this game where he was far too physical and aggressive for any defender Spiece threw at him. Anderson plays with a ton of emotion on the court and while his passion is inspiring he lets it get the best of him at times and loses his cool. When in control, he is a physical force who can impact the game on both ends.

D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera (Indy Spiece/2012) – Smith-Rivera is a power point guard in every sense standing 6’3” and 205 pounds. He has tight handle and uses a strong front shoulder to stop defenders from trying to pick his pocket. Smith-Rivera shot the ball very well on this night going 4-6 from behind the arc along with getting to the basket and finishing in the paint. In addition to his physical attributes Smith-Rivera controls the action both vocally and by example for this Spiece group and is the unquestioned leader for his team out on the court.

AJ Hammons (Indy Spiece/2012) – In a word, Hammons is huge. He stands at 7’0”, 260 pounds and actually looks to be in much better shape than when I last saw him in April. His activity on both back boards stood out in tonight’s contest as he racked up 13 rebounds. Players of his immense size have a tendency to get complacent and think their body will get rebounds for them. Hammons was quite the opposite attacking the ball both in and out of his area and then whipping outlet passes ahead to Smith-Rivera to start the break.

Georges Niang (BABC/2012) – committed to Iowa State – Production, production, production. Prospects are often evaluated on potential of what they could do down the road but a balance between production and potential is what coaches really want to see. Niang produces every time he steps onto the floor and tonight was no different. An undersized 4 man standing at 6’7”, Niang uses a wide frame and outstanding footwork to give defenders fits down low. He knows how to create contact and can finish from all kinds of angles with either hand. College coaches sitting courtside were shaking their heads at every Niang finish inside as it never seems possible but he always seems to finish. The Big East let a good one sneak away to Big 12 country.

Anthony Bennett (CIA Bounce/2012) – Bennett is a beast. He is every bit of the 6’8” 220 pounds he’s listed at and uses his strength to dominate the paint. He loves contact and has no problem finishing right through it inside. Not just a banger, Bennett also has a clean jump out past the three point line, can put the ball on the floor, and runs in transition like a wing player. He has exploded on the national scene this spring and it’s easy to see why with his combination of power and skill. Bennett is only scratching the surface of his huge potential and is already drawing comparisons to the likes of Larry Johnson and Carmelo Anthony.

Andrew Wiggins (CIA Bounce/2014) – If I didn’t know Wiggins was a member of the 2014 class, I would never believe it. He has an advanced game at such a young age and can score the ball in a variety of ways from the wing. Wiggins has three point range although he is streaky from out there but is at his best attacking the basket. An elite athlete, Wiggins might be the only player I’ve seen all week finish in the paint with Nerlens Noel standing in his way. He had multiple put back dunks in this game and makes it look so easy when he elevates over opponents and hammers one down. Wiggins is squarely in the discussion for the top overall player in the 2014 class and reminds me of a young Paul Pierce.

Tyus Jones (Howard Pulley Panthers/2014) – Another one of the youngest players in the tournament, Jones plays like a seasoned veteran. Standing at 6’0” and manning the point for Howard Pulley, Jones has the ball on a string as he weaves his way up and down the floor. He always seems to make the right decision and doesn’t force things that aren’t there. Not only a facilitator, Jones showed off an impressive floater in the lane and a consistent jump shot going 3-3 from long range. Although it’s very early, Jones appears to be one of the elite point guards in the class of 2014.

Isaiah Zierdan (Howard Pulley Panthers/2012) – The 6’2” guard can really shoot the ball. I would go as far as to say that he is the best long range shooter I’ve seen this week and there has certainly been stiff competition. He made six from behind the arc in this contest which is just another day at the office for the long range sniper.

College Coaches in Attendance:

Boo Williams vs. Indy Spiece – Head coaches Brad Stevens (Butler), Stan Heath (South Florida), John Thompson (Georgetown), Ed Cooley (Providence), Tom Izzo (Michigan State), and Paul Hewitt (George Mason) were all courtside joined by assistants from Indiana, UNC, and Xavier.

BABC vs. CIA Bounce – Prominent head coaches on hand included Tom Izzo (Michigan State), Rick Barnes (Texas), Jim Calhoun (Connecticut), Jamie Dixon (Pittsburgh), Thad Matta (Ohio State), Jim Larranaga (Miami), Frank Haith (Missouri), Mike Anderson (Arkansas), Roy Williams (UNC), Jim Boeheim (Syracuse), and Mick Cronin (Cincinnati) with assistants from Duke, Gonzaga, and Xavier joining them.

Mean Streets vs. Howard Pulley – Tom Izzo (Michigan State), Sean Miller (Arizona), Paul Hewitt (Georgia Tech), and Patrick Chambers (Penn State) were on hand along with assistants from Ohio State, Depaul, and Xavier.

Recruiting Updates:

Wayne Selden – Only a rising sophomore, Selden confirmed that he already has offers from Kentucky, West Virginia, Connecticut, Boston College, and Pittsburgh.

Jaylen Brantley – The rising junior told me that since June 15th he’s been hearing from Florida, DePaul, Boston College (offer), Northeastern, and Louisville (offer).

HOOP GROUP ELITE TEAM CAMP FINAL RECAP & RECRUITING NOTES

By Alex Schwartz

READING, Pa. — Featuring over 60 high schools from seven different states, The Hoop Group Elite Team Camp drew numerous Division I coaches to Albright College. At least half of Big East was represented there Sunday, the second and final day of the camp.

Head coaches from both of New Jersey’s Big East programs, Rutgers and Seton Hall, were in attendance along with at least one assistant. NBE Basketball Report also spotted or was informed that assistants from Cincinnati, DePaul, Pittsburgh, St. John’s, Villanova and West Virginia were in Reading.

Amongst the attractions for the Big East schools were Kyle Anderson ’12, Nate Britt ’13, Reggie Cameron ’13, Hallice Cooke ’13, Will Ferguson ’13, Shep Garner ’14, Amile Jefferson ’12, Kris Jenkins ’13, Ja’Quan Newton ’14, Villanova-commit Daniel Ochefu ’12, Stanford Robinson ’13, Terrence Samuel ’13, Shamiek Sheppard ’13, Kavon Stewart ’13, Mike Young ’13, and more.
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HOOP GROUP ELITE CAMP: FRIDAY MORNING RECRUITING RECAP

By Matt Whitfield

After spending Thursday in Philadelphia for the Reebok Breakout Challenge NBE headed to Reading (PA) and the campus of Albright College to take in some action at the Hoop Group’s Elite Camp Session One. The massive camp is always entertaining and well run for players at all levels. NBE will stay in Reading through the day taking in playoff and all-star game action. Tomorrow we will remain on the Albright College campus for the Hoop Group Elite team camp which will certainly draw an impressive crowd from the college coaching community.

Rutgers head coach Mike Rice was on the scene early on Friday morning, checking out the action by 9 AM. Below are some notes from the early action this morning. More to come throughout the day….

Lennard Freeman, a 6-foot-7 forward out of St. John’s College HS in Washington (DC) seemed to have the attention of the Rutgers head coach this morning. Freeman, who plays on the AAU circuit in the Team Takeover program, mentioned DePaul, Washington, South Florida, Penn, Northwestern and Albany. He has also taken an unofficial visit to NC State.
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Transferring to Suffield Academy from Westminster Prep is Myles Marshall. The Class of 2013 prospect was a 2nd-team All-NEPSAC Class B selection last season at Westmnster. At this point he is hearing from Elon, Siena and Iowa.
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Class of 2013 shooting guard Stanford Robinson of Paul VI High School is one of the top prospects coming into the Hoop Group Elite camp and his recruitment certainly backs that up.

“I got an offer from Miami, Rutgers and UMASS,” said Robinson. “Xavier has been calling as well as Georgetown, Virginia Tech, Maryland, and a lot of ACC and Big East schools. I got some calls from Syracuse as well.”

Calls from schools in the BIG EAST and other major conferences keep Robinson pushing towards his goals and making him feel like the hard work is beginning to pay off, motivating him to keep pushing.

“The calls from Syracuse makes me feel like I’m an elite player and I need to keep working so I can have more of these schools like Syracuse keep calling.

My goal is to play at an elite [basketball] school.”

Robinson has been to NC State on an unofficial visit and will hope to take a few more trips in August.
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One of the players drawing the most attention this week in Reading is Geno Thorpe of Shaler High School near Pittsburgh (PA) and the NJ Playaz AAU program. Word spread on the internet that Thorpe could be making his college decision by September, but the 2013 recruit seemingly backed off that speculation this morning and gave the picture he is unsure of what he’s going to do regarding colleges.

When asked if he was going to make his decision in September. Thorpe responded, “Yeah, but I might reopen it.”

Thorpe mentioned he considers himself open at the moment.

“I’m just kind of open with everything,” he said.

There was speculation recently that Thorpe would be moving to New Jersey for his junior season, Blair Academy and Hudson Catholic being possible destinations, however a little more of an upgrades schedule will keep him at Shaler for now.

“I’m going to Shaler next year….they kind of upgraded the schedule a little bit.”

Currently the school list for Thorpe reads Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Seton Hall, Wisconsin, Kansas State, Baylor and Gonzaga. His relationship with the Pitt staff has been documented, but he also has a strong relationship with the Rutgers head coach, who was watching him this morning, as he has known Mike Rice for several years.

“I went to the Robert Morris Camp in 7th grade and that’s how we met up,” said Thorpe.

If a decision is to come in the near future, Pittsburgh and Rutgers look to be in very good shape.

REEBOK BREAKOUT CHALLENGE: THURSDAY RECRUITING ROUNDUP

By Matt Whitfield

The return to the summer basketball camp scene by Reebok has been well received. The competition and talent level is certainly solid at the Gallagher Athletic Center on the campus of Philadelphia University. NBE took in the action for the most part of the day Thursday and was able to touch base with many of the players to learn the latest on their recruitments. While the camp had a strong group of Mid-Major+ prospects, there was more than a fair share of players who will land at higher levels in college. Below is a rundown of who we caught up with yesterday.

Rysheed Jordan (Robert Vaux HS/Players Teaching Players)

There was a lot of hype centering Jordan entering the camp and many scouts, reporters and college coaches were anxious to get a look at him. He did not disappoint as the 6-foot-3, Class of 2013 point guard has all the look of a sure fire high major recruit. He has definitely noticed the increased attention of late.

“I think I’m blowing up,” said Jordan of the recent influx of recruiting attention. “I’m easing my way up.”
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LEBRON JAMES SKILLS ACADEMY RECRUITING FOCUS: STEVE TAYLOR

By Lauren Kirschman

About this time last year Steve Taylor was a mid-major-plus player who had the potential to be a high-level prospect. With good size and length, allowing him to be effective defensively as a result, Taylor was trying to find his position offensively. After a year of development with Simeon High School and an impressive spring on the AAU trail with Mac Irvin Fire he has realized the potential and has very much become a high-level prospect, coveted by two BIG EAST programs in the Midwest as well as many other programs.

Taylor’s inside-out game at the forward position is a tough match-up and he continues to develop into a classic small forward that has certainly drawn his share of observers at the Lebron James Skills Academy this week and one can be certain coaches will follow him throughout this July. Taylor spent some time with NBE this afternoon to give us his thoughts on his recruitment and game…

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LONG LIST OF LEADERS EMERGE FOR ’13 DAVON REED

Team Final is an AAU squad loaded with talent from the recruiting classes of 2013 and 2014. While the team may have taken their lumps playing against 17-U teams in the Nike EYBL regular season, this is a team to keep a very close eye on in the summer months and in the future. There is no doubt college coaches will be watching them in action this summer and 6-foot-4, 180-pound guard Davon Reed will be a big reason why.

Reed, who attends Princeton Day School in New Jersey, is known as a scorer and in addition to his ability to shoot the basketball he can also set teammates up and get to the basket. Reed told NBE earlier on the NIKE EYBL regular season tour that he would like to improve his decision-making and handle this summer to better round out his game for a place in the backcourt of a major college program in the future. Judging by the early phone calls he has received this month, many college programs will be following him this summer to see those improvements first hand.

Reed mentioned Baylor, Ohio State, Florida, Miami, Xavier, Virginia Tech, Syracuse, DePaul, Harvard and others as schools in contact with him since June 15th as well as mentioning he has received scholarship offers from VCU, St. Joseph’s, Temple, La Salle, Rutgers, Seton Hall and West Virginia. After playing well in the spring, Reed hopes to carry that over into the important month of July and show those that come to see him he will be a valuable addition to their program.
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