Louisville Recruiting

2011 CITY OF PALMS REPORT — TOP PLAYER PERFORMANCES

By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

Now that the 2011 City of Palms Classic has come to a close it’s time to put some measure on what I saw this week. Below are player rankings by class based on performances from this week alone. While they do impact my overall perception of these players, they are rankings strictly of what I saw in Florida this week.

Top 2012 Players:

1. Isaiah Austin (Grace Prep) – signed with Baylor – Austin was more committed to play inside on offense than he has been in the past and still rebounded and blocked shots at the highest level. He looked poised to challenge Shabazz Muhammad for top player in the class throughout the rest of the reason.

2. Shabazz Muhammad (Bishop Gorman) – It speaks to Muhammad’s talent that after a subpar week by his standards he still slots in at # 2. He was the most persistent scorer at the tournament, getting his points every way imaginable.

As for his recruitment, Muhammad told NBE on the opening day of the event that he has no timetable for a decision and sounds as though he’ll wait right up until the spring signing period to make his call. He listed an up-tempo style and a program that gets its players to the next level as the two most important factors in his decision making process. When the time comes Muhammad will be choosing from his final 6 of UCLA, Kansas, Duke, Kentucky, UNLV, and USC.
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CITY OF PALMS – DAY FIVE

By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

The 2011 City of Palms Classic came to a close on Wednesday night with a wild day of hoops culminating in an all Texas title game between Prestonwood Christian and Grace Prep. Local fans, scouts, and college coaches packed the gym to the rafters and created a high intensity atmosphere for these young players. Even legendary ESPN analyst Dick Vitale stopped by to enjoy the action offering a few words to the crowd before the championship game. Prestonwood Christian turned the final into a laugher prevailing 62-42 with stud junior forward Julius Randle taking home MVP honors. While Randle led the team throughout the week, it was a freshman who carried Prestonwood on his back tonight while the big man sat for much of the game in foul trouble.

Top Performance of the Day:

Mickey Mitchell (Prestonwood Christian 2015) – After viewing Mitchell for 4 games this week I feel very comfortable saying that he is in the running for top player nationally in the 2015 class. Offensively, Mitchell does a bit of everything as a 6’7” guard including making jumpers, exploding to the rim, making high level passes, and crashing the glass. While all this is very impressive, it was Mitchell’s defensive ability that left the biggest mark. Over the course of 3 days he defended 5 star wing Shabazz Muhammad, 4 star big man Ricardo Gathers, and 5 star point guard Emmanuel Mudiay. It speaks volumes that Prestonwood’s coaching staff chose to use their freshman as the defensive stopper against this wide array of players. As long as Mitchell continues to work hard (which is basically all he talked about in a post game interview) the sky is the limit.
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CITY OF PALMS REPORT — DAY THREE

By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

What a day at Bishop Verot High School in Fort Myers, Florida. We saw great games, great individual performances, and one great comeback. The nation’s consensus top player, Shabazz Muhammad, went off for 42 points in the final game of the night and that wasn’t even the most impressive showing of the day. Kentucky head coach John Calipari continued his borderline stalking of Nerlens Noel by planting himself underneath the baseline for much of the day which instantly ups the intensity in the gym. Enough setup, on to the recap of Monday’s action at the City of Palms Classic.

Top Performance of the Day:

Jordan Mickey (Arlington Grace Prep 2013) – Grace Prep trailed Mater Dei by 18 at the half after Mickey had spent the majority of the half on the bench with 2 fouls. He came out in the 2nd half and put on a clinic on the low block tallying 22 of his game high 29 points. Mickey scored all of his points by working for low post position and then powering through his defender and scoring over his left shoulder. He has great strength which he uses to setup his shots and then a soft touch to finish off plays. Grace Prep fed Mickey in the same spot time and again and he used the same moves over and over without being stopped. He does a great job of making a quick, decisive move after he catches it in the post so that a double team does not have time to arrive. Mickey’s monster 2nd half and overtime led Grace Prep all the way back from that 18 point halftime deficit and carried them into tomorrow’s semifinals. For a recruiting update on Mickey, see our report from Saturday: City of Palms Report — Day Two.
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NATIONAL HOOPS FESTIVAL RECRUITING REPORT

On Saturday, Matt Whitfield made the trip to Hyattsville (MD) and DeMatha High School for the 2011 National Hoops Festival event. The early season event is typically one of the favorite stops for NBE on the December schedule and this year did not disappoint with several powerhouse programs headlining the event with a very solid day of action on the court. Here is the scoreboard from Saturday’s contests:

–Bullis 62, Riverdale Baptist 59
–Episcopal 44, Benedictine 38
–Paul VI 65, West Charlotte 58
–Oak Hill 68, Grace Prep 59
–DeMatha 83, Jamesville-Dewitt 57

NBE was able to catch up with players such as Kennedy Meeks, Beejay Anya, Stanford Robinson, Jordan Mickey, RJ Curington, Emmanuel Mudiay and more. See below for the latest in recruiting updates form many of the top uncommitted players participating on Saturday…

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JAKARR SAMPSON RECRUITING UPDATE

Fresh off a strong performance over the weekend at the National Prep Showcase, Brewster Academy forward JaKarr Sampson easily made the list of 2011 National Prep Showcase Top Performers compiled by NBE’s National Recruiting Analyst Brian Bosworth. The 6-foot-8, 205-pound forward is a long and skilled specimen who made countless plays in and around the paint as Brewster defeated Fishburn Military Academy (91-75 on Sat) and Massanutten Military Academy (95-65 on Sun).

Sampson scored 20 points in each contest showing that he loves to face up after catching in the post at which point his first step is too quick for helpless defenders. Brewster Academy coach Jason Smith said this is an area that Sampson has improved upon in the last year.

“JaKarr has gotten stronger and has really improved his ball-handling, specifically his first step,” said Smith. “He has a very explosive first step, which allows him to beat a lot of forwards off the dribble.”

Sampson is also able to defend the rim with his supreme athleticism. One high-major college coach compared Sampson over the weekend to former UNLV star Stacy Augman, and listening to coach Smith describe and project Sampson that comparison definitely holds water.

“JaKarr is a hybrid forward,” said Smith. “He’s a match-up problem for a lot of people due to his explosive athleticism and quickness. In a year or two, JaKarr can become an elite level defender in college.”

Formerly committed to St. John’s in the 2011 class before being ruled ineligible Sampson has re-opened his recruitment and is one of the elite members of the 2012 class still left on the board and high majors are going to be fighting for his services all year. He told NBE over the weekend he now has a list of Kansas, Pittsburgh, Louisville, Providence, Baylor, Miami, and St. John’s remains in the mix. Coach Smith also mentioned Florida as a school they are hearing from in the recruiting process.

After the Naitonal Prep Showcase Sampson flew home to Ohio and took the opportunity of some downtime to go check out one of the schools on his list for an unofficial visit according to his coach.

“JaKarr flew home on Sunday for the Thanksgiving break,” said Smith. “He’s scheduled to drive to Pittsburgh for an unofficial visit. Pitt is one of many schools showing interest in JaKarr.”

After opting not to sign a letter of intent in the early signing period it is certain JaKarr Sampson will be a hotly contested recruit for many programs in the spring signing period for the Class of 2012. It is expected Sampson will take his time in the process and in the meantime he will hone his skills under Coach Smith at Brewster. This is his second season in the Brewster program and will play for a team that will content for a NEPSAC and National Prep title this season. We will closely follow the recruitment of Sampson and the season of Brewster as it promises to be an interesting storyline throughout the season.

BOSWORTH: NATIONAL PREP SCHOOL SHOWCASE WRAP-UP (TOP PERFORMERS)

By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

Now that the National Prep Showcase has concluded it’s time to take a moment and digest everything that I witnessed in New Haven this weekend. One thing that jumps out is that the talent level in New England is at an all time high. While many players are imports from other areas of the country a large part of rosters on New England prep times are made up of local talent. Most notably, Nerlens Noel in 2013 and Noah Vonleh in 2014 both have a chance to become the top player in their class nationwide. These two separated themselves from everyone else at this event both with their current production and with their long term potential.

Past those top two, Ricardo Ledo deserves more recognition for his performance on Friday night. Ledo’s ability to score has never been questioned but his intangibles and whether or not he is a winner have long been debated. Against La Jolla Prep he not only scored from everywhere on the floor but he proved to be the vocal leader of a talent rich South Kent team. He specifically seems to have taken on somewhat of a mentor role for talented junior Chris Thomas. According to South Kent head coach Kelvin Jefferson Ledo has been everything he could have asked for and more both on the floor and in the locker room. He has taken Thomas under his wing in a sense and has been an incredible positive influence. If this progression continues, Ed Cooley landed an even bigger star than already thought.
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Bosworth: Friday’s National Prep Showcase Breakdown

By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

The National Prep Showcase kicked off Friday morning at Albertus Magnus College in New Haven. One the premier prep events in America on a yearly basis, the showcase features the top prep teams from the Northeast along with a sampling of the strongest teams from around the country. This year had a little bit of added anticipation as it was announced approximately a week prior to the event that NBA scouts would be allowed to attend. If any were on hand Friday they witnessed a performance worthy of a future lottery pick selection.

Top Performer of the Day:
Ricardo Ledo (South Kent Prep 2012) – committed to Providence – There is no debate over the top performer of the day as Ledo put on an offensive clinic in a 20 point South Kent victory. He scored 37 points including 7 three pointers and did so with his usual freewheeling style. Ledo keeps the ball on a string and almost toys with defenders as he routinely broke ankles and got into the lane or used his patented step back move to create space and bury long range shots. At one point on the break Ledo even through it to himself off the backboard and hammered down a dunk contest worthy jam without breaking a sweat. His offensive talents are immense and they were on full display Friday night but perhaps even more impressive was the way Rick carried himself on the court. Often labeled a head case or a moody player, Ledo showed real maturity coaching teammates on the floor and still getting others involved despite that fact that he had it working so well. South Kent head coach Kelvin Jefferson told me after the game that Rick has really progressed as a leader both in the locker room and on the court and that was evident in his play on this night.

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ROBERT UPSHAW CONCENTRATING ON FINAL FOUR SCHOOLS

The pool of quality big men available in the 2012 recruiting class continues to shrink, however Fresno (CA) Memorial High School product Robert Upshaw remains on the board and will take his time as he sees the recruiting process through.

“Fresno State, Georgetown, Kansas State [and] Louisville,” replied Upshaw to an inquiry from NBE Sports on which schools he is currently considering that are actively recruiting him.

Upshaw replied “No” when asked if any school would currently be considered a leader or favorite.

Over the weekend Upshaw was one of several impressive prospects to take a visit to Louisville for the festivities kicking off the Cardinals 2011-2012 season. This trip was just the beginning of the visit process for the 7-foot, 2700pound big man.

“First school so far is Louisville,” Upshaw said of official visits. “Three more to go.”

At Memorial this season Upshaw is looking to take on a leadership role and he is having fun this fall as his senior year is underway. On the court expect the big man to continue to show his improvement as he continues to develop into one of the top big men in the class. This summer at the Pangos All-American camp Upshaw showed he has developed by leaps and bounds over the last two or three years. Upshaw combined a solid skill set inside with his determination to give max effort when out on the floor. Those traits should help him accomplish the goals he hopes to achieve this season at Memorial.

“School is great, [I'm] really enjoying taking on leadership and having fun,” he said, adding that “winning a section championship and going on to state” are the goals he is looking forward the most to accomplishing this season.

On his visit tour of his four finalists Upshaw will take in the full environment of each program as he carefully navigates the recruiting process to find the right fit. As one of the top big men still available in the class, expect the recruitment of Robert Upshaw to be closely watched and contested by the four finalists right to the end, which might not even come until the spring, possibly.

NOW AT VERMONT ACADEMY, DOMINIC WOODSON IS AN UNKNOWN COMMODITY NO MORE

by Alex Schwartz

Entering July, not many people outside of his part of Texas knew who Dominic Woodson was.

After breaking out during AAU Nationals in Orlando, Fla., the 6-foot-9 class of 2013 center is now a high-major priority.

Woodson transferred to Vermont Academy for his junior season. NBE caught up with Jesse Bopp, his coach at the New England prep school, to discuss Woodson’s recruitment, game and more.

“Vermont Academy was a great opportunity for him to be in a very controlled environment that resembles what life will be like for him as a college basketball player and he is a kid who talks about being the best and hopefully this environment gives him the opportunity at that,” Bopp said of why Woodson made the move, adding, “He has done a great job adjusting to all aspects of life here.”
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XAVIER RATHAN-MAYES HAS ‘AMAZING’ UCONN VISIT

Across the country college basketball programs hosted Midnight Madness events as they ushered in the beginning of another basketball season. At Connecticut the defending national champions had impressive line-up of recruits visiting this weekend to take in the festivities. One player, 2013 recruit Xavier Rathan-Mayes of Huntington (WV) Prep, made the trip and NBE caught up with him earlier today to get his thoughts on the visit.

“The visit was great! Had an amazing time,” said Rathan-Mayes. “The highlight was probably watching practice today and getting to know and shoot with Kemba Walker.”

Rathan-Mayes is another youngster from the CIA Bounce AAU program out of Canada exceling in America. Rathan-Mayes is a volume shooter and he can really fill it up when he gets on a roll. The 6-foot-4, 200 pound Class of 2014 guard has very high upside as a scorer.
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RECRUITING NOTEBOOK: 2013 GUARDS THORPE, LEWIS & SAMUEL CHECK IN ON RECRUITMENTS

NBE caught up with a trip of guards in the Class of 2013 as college coaches hit the road in September to get a look at prospects across the country. Geno Thorpe of Shaler Area High School near Pittsburgh and New York City guards Terrence Samuel of South Shore High School and Isaiah Lewis of Christ the King touched base late last week to give us the latest on their recruitment as the busy month of September unfolds.

THORPE SET TO VISIT KANSAS STATE; SCHOOLS COMING BY SHALER

Geno Thorpe had an impressive summer playing with the NJ Playaz 16U squad on the AAU circuit. The athletic 6-foot-3, 175-pound guard had toyed with the idea of transferring from Shaler Area High School to a few different programs in New Jersey, but he is staying put this season and looking forward to a big season in front of friends and family.
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RECRUITMENT OF ISAIAH WATKINS CONTINUES TO GAIN STEAM

There are a lot of new faces within the St. Benedict’s Prep basketball program in Newark (NJ) this season. From new head coach Mark Taylor to Class of 2015 must-see point guard Isaiah Briscoe and more new talent on the Gray Bees’ roster it is an exciting new era for the program in Newark. One player that still seems to be under the radar nationally is Isaiah Watkins, another member of the Canadian AAU program CIA Bounce that will look to excel this year for Taylor’s squad.

“What drew me to St. Benedict’s was the goal of becoming better,” Watkins told NBE earlier this evening. “Improving every day and hopefully being able to win at the highest level possible.”

The improvement of Watkins has been ongoing through the spring and summer according to Nolan Shulman, National Recruiting Analyst of Flagrant Fouls and Editor-in-Chief of the Ultimate Recruiting Handbook which is the authority on Canadian basketball prospects. Shulman also noted that Watkins will come to work every single day at St. Benedict’s, which should only enhance his goal of improving.
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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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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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SUMMER SHOOTOUT NOTEBOOK

By Alex Schwartz

ALLENTOWN, N.J. — Although the Summer Shootout is not necessarily well-known outside of New Jersey, the event is filled with quality teams and talented players on a yearly basis. The 2011 edition was no different, as NBE Basketball Report took in some of the action on Saturday and got to catch up with a handful of Big East recruits.

Isaiah Watkins, a 6-foot-8, 215-pound power forward, really saw his stock increase this summer. A class of 2013 prospect who hails from Toronto and is in his first year at St. Benedict’s (NJ), Watkins already lists a number of high-major offers.

Watkins said that Santa Clara, Missouri, Arkansas, Cincinnati and Virginia have all extended scholarship offers to him. In addition, he is hearing from Harvard, Ohio State, Georgetown, Michigan, Elon, Lafayette, Niagara, Villanova, Rutgers, Seton Hall, Temple, West Virginia, Kansas and more.
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FRANCHISE CLASSIC NOTEBOOK: UK, OHIO STATE & FLORIDA STRONG IN THE MIX FOR CHRIS WALKER; GREG MCCLINTON HAS VARIED LIST: JEVON THOMAS UPDATE

by Alex Schwartz

BRONX, N.Y. — Despite rain causing a delay of over two hours and a change of venue, NBE was still in attendance for the inaugural Franchise Classic.

Team New York defeated Team USA, 146-138. Connecticut-bound Omar Calhoun led the way with 34 while Kyle Anderson and Villanova-commit Savon Goodman added 28 and 26 respectively. For Team USA, Archie Goodwin poured in 46 points in the loss and Shaq Goodwin contributed 31 of his own.

After the game, which was held at the South Bronx Job Corps, NBE had a chance to catch up with a trio of players.

Holmes County (FL) star Chris Walker is a top 10 player in the class of 2013. The 6’9 power forward has three schools standing out to him at this point–Florida, Kentucky and Ohio State.

“That’s the three I’m really feeling right now,” Walker said of the Gators, Wildcats and Buckeyes.

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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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ANDREW WHITE TALKS ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA VISIT

Bob Huggins and his West Virginia Mountaineers are getting an early start on the 2011-2012 season with an overseas trip to Italy this coming week. With the trip the team is allowed to have 10 practice sessions to prepare for their upcoming games. Bob Huggins also used the time this weekend to bring in a key target of their 2012 recruiting efforts for an unofficial visit as Andrew White came to Morgantown to see things for himself.

“I took a visit to West Virginia the past two days,” White told NBE’s Matt Whitfield this afternoon. “It went real well.”

White had a great summer on the AAU circuit with Team Loaded and quickly became a top target of many programs.
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TERRENCE SAMUEL RECRUITING UPDATE: NEW HEIGHTS GUARD IN DEMAND AFTER SUCCESSFUL SUMMER

One of the more impressive team performances throughout July was put on by the New Heights 16U AAU club. Including their Adidas Invitational championship to kick off the early July evaluation period and a Summer Classic East title that included a thrashing of highly touted Team Final 16U, New Heights claimed five impressive tournament titles on the AAU circuit this spring and summer. One player very instrumental in their success was South Shore (NYC) High School guard Terrence Samuel who loved every minute of his time with New Heights.

“The best part of being with New Heights is the expierence [of] being able to travel the world for free,” Samuel told NBE this week. “And to play in front of college coaches.”

And college coaches have liked what they have seen out of the 6-foot-3, 198-pound (rising) junior (Class of 2013) guard who is very happy with how his recruitment is going at the moment.
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T.J. WARREN PICKS UP OFFER FROM NORTH CAROLINA ON VISIT; PLANS TO VISIT FLORIDA & KENTUCKY NEXT

As expected North Carolina extended a scholarship offer to T.J. Warren while he was on an unofficial visit to the Chapel Hill (NC) campus today. Warren, a 6-foot-7 small forward who will attend Brewster Academy this school year, made the trip with his parents and AAU coach and really enjoyed the visit.

“It was nice,” Warren told NBE tonight of the visit. “I really enjoyed sitting down face-to-face with Roy Williams with my family. He showed me everything around the basketball offices.”

Warren was able to tour the basketball offices, locker rooms, equipment rooms and all the facilities. However the highlight of the evening was during their face-to-face sit down with the UNC head coach.

“When he offered me a scholarship,” said Warren when asked of the trip’s highlight he is still thinking about. “It felt good. That’s probably the highlight of the night. It was a great feeling to hear Roy [Williams] say ‘I want you.’ He is a great guy, [I have] a lot of respect for him.”
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