Notre Dame

Mernagh: Nuggets From Weekend So Far

UCF and Marshall certainly made a good impression on the Big East leadership with their victories over UConn and Cincinnati.

Marcus Jordan was excellent, especially making plays down the stretch (while UConn’s D was already looking towards the next round apparently) to get UCF their biggest win in quite some time and probably ever. Marshall’s win over the Bearcats was one I expected as the Thundering Herd are for real this season and Cincinnati proved once again with their loss to Presbyterian, at least at this point, that they’re still very much pretenders. Another result that I thought might go the Mid-Major way was Ohio vs Louisville but, whether by kind whistle or not (and that’s exactly what one of my guys told me the Ville got down the stretch) Pitino’s crew managed to get the all-important Dub).

One interesting rumor that I’ve heard more than once is that Xavier is quietly trying to enter the Big East through the back door for basketball. If that were to happen it would be fascinating to see how the Mid-Major Plus dominoes would fall were X to leave the A-10 for a league with St. John’s, Seton Hall, Marquette etc. Would Butler then try to make a move to the A-10? One things for sure if X were to move — Cincinnati would not be happy at all! not sure how solid the rumor is but it’s definitely out there in the coaching/basketball community.

Players that have impressed thus far this week as I’ve caught random glimpses through the turkey/brisket induced-haze:

Evan Roquemore from Santa Clara is a 6’3 point that I raved about from seeing him in Milwaukee a few years back at the NY2LA event. He went for 27 5 and 4 against New Mexico in a win and then for 27 10 and 4 in a loss to Oklahoma. His Broncos take on Villanova next tomorrow at 6:30. Watch for this kid who pinned a much bigger guy hard while I was watching the New Mexico game but somehow didn’t get credited for the block. He’s the real deal obviously and he’s added some flamboyance to his usually understated style with a Mohawk. If he keeps going for 27 and 10 he can continue to pull that look off. The sophomore guard is averaging 17 6 and 4 for they year while shooting 53% from deep and 48% from the floor.

Keith Clanton from UCF. The 6’8″ Junior local kid (Orlando product) went for 20 in the Knights win over UConn while hitting 4-5 from the three-point line, hit all his free throws and collected 6 rebounds in 38 minutes. For the year Clanton is averaging 19 and 9 while hitting 59% from the floor and 49% from deep. He’s definitely been putting in work and doing it much more efficiently than any of his more-famous mates. Credit Jordan as I did in the opening graph but recognize Clanton’s game as well.

Just saw that Northeastern drilled St. John’s earlier today 78-64 as the Red Storm were again without coach Steve Lavin who’s recuperating and resting following recent surgery to remove cancer. Best wishes to Lav on his continued recovery and also to Notre Dame forward Tim Abromaitis who tore his ACL and is out for the year. Here’s hoping he can get a 6th year and ball out in 2012-13.

Khem Birch got his first start for Pitt and responded with 15 10 and 3 blocks. JJ Moore also contributed with 12 and 6 in 31 minutes with efficient play. Will be good to see tomorrow night how both handle some regular season success. IMHO Pitt needs both guys on the floor for good minutes to be the best they can be this year.

I’m in Dayton tonight as I’m visiting relatives for Thanksgiving and that will allow me a good look at A-10 squad Charlotte and Horizon opponent Wright State. I watched WSU practice yesterday and they’re a young group that has some really enticing pieces for the future. It will be interesting to see how they respond off the last few days which have been difficult for them. The Raiders played very well against Florida in a loss but then, as is common with young teams, forgot to show up a few nights later against North Florida and took a bad loss.

Charlotte is an athletic and long group from just watching some warm ups here so hopefully it will be another good game (I haven’t seen a bad one yet this season).

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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NATIONAL BASKETBALL EXPERIENCE NOTES – AROUND THE BIG EAST 11.16.2011

BIG EAST teams are a combined 31-2 in the early going this season, with both losses coming yesterday.

West Virginia got the day started off early for BIG EAST watchers with a 10 AM game hosting Kent State as part of the ESPN College Hoops Tip-ff Marathon. The young Mountaineers fell to one of the MAC pre-season favorites 70-60 in Morgantown.

WVU had a 5-point lead at the half, but it quickly disappeared and Rob Senderoff earned his first win as the new head coach of Kent Statet. A 19-4 run midway through the second half seized control of the game for the Golden Flashes. Bob Huggins did not want to use youth as an excuse.

“We throw the ball to them; we throw the ball to them for layups, we don’t get back and today it wasn’t just the freshmen,” said Huggins to msnsportsnet.com. “Today we had seniors who didn’t do their job.”
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HARVARD IN GOOD SHAPE WITH ’13 PF ALEX FOSTER

Chicago’s De La Salle High School has produced a number of talented players in recent years, most notably Michael Shaw last year. Current junior (Class of 2013) Alex Foster will look to take the reigns this season as their go-to player and lead them to his ultimate goal.

“My goal [this season] is simple and that’s to win a state championship…I want our team to prove everyone wrong,” Foster told NBE Sports.

The 6-foot-8 power forward has always been a player seen with a lot of potential. While he works on the physical aspect of his game, Foster is also working on the mental side of the game, hoping to believe in himself more.

“I believe I improved by having more confidence in myself that was what was holding me back,” he said. “I want to just keep getting better in the future.”

There have been many programs, mostly from the Midwest, to come by De La Salle this fall to get a look at Foster and his teammates. The list is so long that Foster did not even want to try to remember all the names. However, he did offer a big hint in the direction of his recruitment.

“Right now Harvard, Wake Forest, Notre Dame (tickets) and Tennessee are at me strong. There’s been so many schools that have been to De La Salle I honestly couldn’t name them all,” he said.

However, one school, and it may come as a surprise to many, is currently standing out.

“My favorite school is Harvard,” said Foster.

Although he has a favorite and he took a visit up to Boston earlier in the fall to check out Harvard, do not expect a decision in the too near future.

“I’ll make my decision by the end of this season or the end of the summer,” he said.

In the meantime there is business to attend to on the court…like winning a state championship. NBE will hope to check in with Alex Foster and his De La Salle teammates throughout the year to see if they accomplish their mission.

RANDOM BIG EAST REALIGNMENT RAMBLINGS

By Raphielle Johnson

Wednesday was a big day for the Big East Conference with Men’s Basketball Media Day being held at the New York Athletic Club with Madison Square Garden still being renovated. Of course the topic du jour had little to do with the upcoming action on the courts around the league but rather what the next step will be for a conference hit hard by realignment. Tuesday’s teleconference with commissioner John Marinatto, which was supposed to clear up matters and leave this stage to the players and coaches, did little in that regard.

Media from around the country wanted to hear directly from the coaches how the lack of stability is affecting them from a recruiting standpoint as well as what options may be available to them in the near future. Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey essentially said that regardless of what may happen (Big East expansion to 12 football-playing members or a Big 12 expansion that includes current Big East members) the Irish will be alright, which is to be expected of a school with such a storied football program.

Louisville head coach Rick Pitino minced no words on the subject, saying that while he couldn’t imagine the Big East without charter member Syracuse he could imagine the conference without Pittsburgh. And then came the unfortunate analogy that sparked numerous “pot meet kettle” reactions given the coach’s own issue a couple summers ago.
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BIG EAST COACHES’ POLL RESULTS

From the BIG EAST Basketball Men’s Media Day in NYC:

Big East preseason coaches’ poll (First place votes in parenthesis):

1. Connecticut (7) 209 points
(tie) Syracuse (5) 209 points
3. Louisville (3) 201 points
4. Pittsburgh (1) 188 points
5. Cincinnati 169 points
6. Marquette 155 points
7. West Virginia 132 points
8. Villanova 127 points
9. Notre Dame 114 points
10. Georgetown 104 points
11. Rutgers 75 points
12. St. John’s 71 points
13. Seton Hall 56 points
14. South Florida 43 points
15. Providence 40 points
16. DePaul 27 points

Preseason awards:

Big East Preseason Player of the Year: Ashton Gibbs, Pittsburgh

Big East Preseason Rookie of the Year: Andre Drummond, Connecticut

Big East Preseason First Team: Ashton Gibbs, Pittsburgh; Jeremy Lamb, Connecticut; Darius Johnson-Odom, Marquette; Tim Abromaitis, Notre Dame; Kris Joseph, Syracuse; Kevin Jones, West Virginia.

Big East Preseason Second Team: Yancy Gates, Cincinnati; Alex Oriahki, Connecticut; Peyton Siva, Louisville; Scoop Jardine, Syracuse; Maalik Wayns, Villanova.

Big East Preseason Honorable Mention: Andre Drummond, Connecticut; Shabazz Napier, Connecticut; Cleveland Melvin, DePaul; Jae Crowder, Marquette; Augustus Gilchrist, USF

Today is only media day, but you can get your 2012 BIG EAST Tournament Tickets for yourself or that special fan this upcoming holiday season. The tournament is certain to sell-out to the general public, but all season great seats at great prices will be available through our 2012 BIG EAST Tournament Page. You can begin browsing below:

MERNAGH: THIS BIG EAST MEANT A LOT…SO DON’T SAY IT DIDN’T

by Ray Mernagh

I’m not sure what to make of this feeling that’s come over me after allowing all this conference realignment mess to sink in. After all, my initial reaction (Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes) was so mature, so enlightened, that it made me feel what’s best described as false pride about how adult my response was. Then a funny thing happened on my journey to accepting this with a rational level of, dare I say, Bilas-like comportment — I got stuck.

I couldn’t write a damn thing about the upcoming season, completely paralyzed regarding any news coming out of the entire world of college basketball. In fact I think I conned myself into thinking it was just my extraordinary amount of work on other sports the last few weeks (freelance variety) that had kept me from my usual barrage of words this time of year.

But that was just me kidding myself.

Denial.

Then Thursday night, while watching college football of all things, it hit me.

This hurts.

I mean, it’s ridiculous to blow up this conference.

Nobody really knows what the end game will be here but one thing is obvious — the Big East that we’ve known for the last several years is soon to be no longer.
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ST. ANTHONY’S GUARD DUO DRAWING PLENTY OF INTEREST

As teammates with Sports U/Team Izod on the AAU circuit as well as with Hall of Famer Bob Hurley’s St. Anthony’s of Jersey City (NJ) program, Class of 2013 guards Hallice Cooke and Josh Brown have seen their recruiting profiles expand greatly over the last several months.

Brown exploded on the scene right before our eyes at the Rumble in the Bronx back in June. While many people took note of who did not show up at the Rumble, it was clear that Brown did show up and his play stood out. Brown showed he is a freak of an athlete and used his superior athleticism to make plays in all facets of the game. He’s a strong rebounder and once he grabs a defensive board it’s off to the races. An absolute blur in the open court, Brown is just as likely to dunk on an unsuspecting defender’s head as he is to make a simple bounce pass to a teammate for an easy score. In the half-court, he is simply devastating in pick and roll sets as he uses his speed to turn the corner and get to the rim and is also very adept at drawing the double team and whipping a pass to the screener for a layup.
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TYLER CAVANAUGH ENJOYS NOTRE DAME VISIT

It was a big weekend on South Bend (IN) with the Michigan State football team coming to town to face the Irish. Notre Dame (tickets) head basketball coach and staff took advantage of the big football weekend to host some key recruiting targets, including Jamesville-Dewitt (NY) High School forward Tyler Cavanaugh.

“The experience and environment on campus was amazing,” Cavanaugh told NBE’s Matt Whitfield by text this morning.

When talking about face-up four men in the Class of 2012, Cavanaugh is one of the first names that should come to mind. The 6-foot-7 power forward is a knockdown 3-point shooter with a smooth stroke and he is also a superb finisher around the basket. Cavanaugh has a great basketball IQ and rarely makes bad decisions with the ball. He is tough defensively and his motor is always running at full force. A good enough athlete, Cavanaugh can handle the ball and get to the hoop off the bounce. A great teammate who does all the little things, Cavanaugh is truly talented player. If he improves his quickness and agility, he could develop into a big-time player – traits that all have attracted the Irish staff and earned Cavanaugh a scholarship offer from Notre Dame (Irish Fan Gear).

“They say I am a basketball player not locked in a position at this time,” Cavanaugh said. “I was very impressed by the opportunity.”

Cavanaugh has also previously told NBE that he plans to take official visits to Wake Forest, George Washington and Davidson. Syracuse (tickets) also recently offered and he was expected to visit the Orange campus as well this fall. Next weekend Cavanaugh plans to take an official visit to Wake Forest.

There was some talk that the recent verbal by Jerami Grant could impact the recruitment of Cavanaugh with the Orange. Cavanaugh refuted that notion and is till very much considering the home town Syracuse (Orange Fan Shop) program.

“Yes, I am still considering SU because Jerami is a different player than I am,” said Cavanaugh. “We are players that could play beside one another.”

NBE will continue to closely follow the recruitment of Jamesville-DeWitt’s Tyler Cavanaugh as he continues the visit and recruiting process this Fall.

STEPHEN VASTURIA ENJOYS NOTRE DAME VISIT; PENN STATE TRIP UP NEXT

It might be tough to label Stephen Vasturia as a point guard or a shooting guard, but there is no mistaking the St. Joseph’s Prep High School standout as a sure-fire high major recruit in the Class of 2013 out of Philadelphia. This past Labor Day weekend Vasturia made an unofficial visit to Notre Dame, one of the schools that has been long on the trail of the 6-foot-4, 180-pound guard.

“I really enjoyed my visit to Notre Dame and learning more about the school and basketball program,” Vasturia told NBE Basketball Report last night. “The thing that made the biggest impression on me was the overall combination of success they have had over the years on the court and in the classroom.”

Vasturia, who won the Unselfish Player Honor at the Rasual Butler All-City Classic in Philadelphia this spring, is a very good long range shooter with nice form on his jumper and he can also hit shots from midrange. In addition he possesses a quality handle to go along with superb court vision, passing ability, feel for the game and overall basketball IQ. The consistency of his long-range jumper will improve with experience and his defense will also improve as his physical stature matures.

Mike Brey’s Notre Dame club has had a lot of success with similar backcourt talents in their system and Vasturia seems to be very interested in the Irish program and the visit only enhanced those feelings.

“Nothing about the trip really surprised me,” he said. “I was just really impressed with everything at the school.”

Notre Dame is just one of the schools currently involved in the recruitment of Vasturia. He will take another unofficial visit this coming weekend and continue to look at the other options that are coming available in his growing recruitment.

“I will be visiting Penn State this weekend,” Vasturia said. “Schools that are recruiting me are ND, Georgetown, Boston College, Villanova, Penn State, Northwestern and Temple.”

NBE will continue to monitor the development on the court of Stephen Vasturia this season at St. Joseph’s Prep High School in Philly and any recruiting developments off the court as the 6’4 guard is sure to be one of the most highly recruited backcourt talents in the 2013 class on the East Coast.

2011-12 BIG EAST CONFERENCE COMPOSITE MEN’S BASKETBALL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

The BIG EAST basketball conference released their 2011-2012 composite Men’s Basketball Schedule this afternoon. All 144 conference games will be televised either nationally or be ESPN regional. With an incredible 91 percent of all conference games in 2011-12 including a team that played in the 2011 NCAA Tournament, more than half of the league games will be televised nationally by ESPN or CBS.

It is the fifth consecutive season that all 144 league games will be televised.

“Last year’s historic success proved once again that the BIG EAST Conference continues to be among the most competitive conferences in the country from top to bottom,” said BIG EAST Commissioner John Marinatto in a statement released by the league today. “With a record 11 teams earning their way into last year’s NCAA Championship, our coaches and players reaffirmed the fact that BIG EAST basketball and excellence are synonymous. Our schools continue to take great advantage of the unparalleled media exposure they are afforded annually from both ESPN and CBS Sports – which is one of the reasons why we are confident that the 2011-12 season will be as exciting as any in our history.”

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2011-2012 BIG EAST TEAM CAPSULE: NOTRE DAME

Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Head Coach: Mike Brey (12th year at Notre Dame, 238-120 record)
2010-2011: 14-4 BIG EAST, 27-7 overall, NCAA 2nd Round

Returning Players:
- Sr. F Tim Abromaitis (15.4 ppg, 6.1 rpg)
- Sr. G/F Scott Martin (9.7 ppg)
- Jr. F Jack Cooley (3.7 ppg)
- Jr. F Mike Broghammer (1.8 ppg)
- Jr. G Joey Brooks (1.6 ppg)
- Jr. F Tom Knight (1.4 ppg)
- So. G Eric Atkins (5.8 ppg)
- So G Alex Dragicevich (1.4 ppg)
- rFR G Jerian Grant

Incoming Players:
- Fr. G/F Pat Connaughton (Arlington, MA)

Players Moved On:
- Ben Hansbrough (Graduation)
- Carleton Scott (NBA Draft)
- Tyrone Nash (Graduation)

Stat Notes:
- 2010-2011 was Notre Dame’s best regular season since Mike Brey took the helm over 10 years ago but they were upset by 10th seeded Florida State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
- The Irish lose 50% of their scoring from last season, 44% of their rebounding, and three of their top four leaders in minutes played.

Star Watch:
- 5th year senior Tim Abromaitis was second on the team in scoring and rebounding last year and will be the focal point for the Irish now with Ben Hansbrough graduating. Abromaitis is representing Notre Dame on the USA Men’s Basketball Team in the World University Games in China.

Newcomer to Watch:
- Brey doesn’t usually play true freshmen very often but Pat Connaughton, a 6-4 wing, may get a chance to crack the rotation with his solid outside shooting. Connaughton will likely play baseball for the Irish as well and was taken by the San Diego Padres in the 38th round of the MLB Draft.

Notes: The Fighting Irish will take on Maryland in the BT&T Classic (12/4), Indiana in the Crossroad Classic (12/17 in Indianapolis), and Gonzaga in South Bend (11/30). Mike Brey’s club is one of the four BIG EAST teams not participating in this year’s expanded BIG EAST/SEC Challenge. 6-10 center Garrick Sherman is ineligible this season after transferring into the program from Michigan State and Eric Katenda, a 6-8 forward from Bel Aire, Kansas who was a member of the 2011 recruiting class, likely will not play this year after sustaining a severe eye injury in a summer pick-up game.

– team capsule compiled by Brian Batko

2013 C/PF CHINONSO OBOKOH SEEING MORE COLLEGE INTEREST; PLANNING VISITS

One of the intriguing big men in the Class of 2013 is Rochester (NY) product Chinonso Obokoh. The 6-foot-10, 220-lb center attends Bishop Kearney High School where he plays for coach Jon Boon. He is still a relative unknown in many recruiting circles since he only came to the United States from Nigeria in the spring of 2010 and has had limited exposure on the AAU circuit the last two summers. In the early July evaluation period he attended the Hoop Group Team Camp with his Bishop Kearney teammates and drew a lot of attention from scouts and coaches anxious to get a look at him on the floor.

Obokoh saw some time with the City Rocks AAU program and his highlight of the summer was getting the chance to play against another highly touted big man in the Class of 2013.

“Playing against Nerlens Noel of BABC,” said Obokoh of his highlight of the summer. “I thought I held my own.”
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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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REGGIE CAMERON ENJOYS RECENT BIG EAST VISIT

Reggie Cameron has seen his recruitment pick up over the summer months. The 6-foot-7 sweet-shooting wing out of Hudson Catholic (NJ) High School has been a mainstay on the NJ Playaz AAU program. Their highly successful 16U squad had a large number of basketball coaches following them from event to event during the July live evaluation periods that recently concluded.

“I picked up offers from Villanova and Northwestern, and I picked up interest from Florida, Tennessee, Notre Dame and some others,” said Cameron of new recruiting developments for him over the summer.

Cameron mentioned other schools that have been maintianing contact with him through the summer months include Seton Hall, Xavier, Penn State, UMass, West Virginia and Marquette.

Cameron recently found the time to visit one of the schools most involved in his recruitment: Seton Hall. He visited the school with AAU and high school teammates Kavon Stewart and Mike Young and liked what he saw.

“Yes,” Cameron responded when asked if he recently visited Kevin Willard’s program. “I had a really good time. I was impressed of how much my ex-Paterson Catholic teammate Fuquan Edwin was improving his game.”

Cameron mentioned that all the schools mentioned are active in his recruitment. With no currently favorites he is hoping to have the chance to see more schools with unofficial visits in the fall.

“I don’t have anything planned yet but I would like to get out to a couple of thoose schools in the fall [for unofficial visits],” he said.

Over the summer on the AAU trail the 16U Playaz had many high points and Cameron impressed with his play. However, when asked what was the highlight of the summer period he will remember the most was not even from a game he played in.

“The biggest highlight was probobly not my game, but watching our 17u team come from 26 down to beat Mac Irvin Fire in the championship of the Desert Duel in Pheonix,” Cameron said.

Cameron hopes one of his next highlights is a state championship with Hudson Catholic in the season ahead. In the meantime, NBE will hope to catch Reggie Cameron and his talented NJ Playaz teammates in action at events such as the Fall Jam Fest put on by the Hoop Group and the always exciting IS8 Fall League in NYC. Stay tuned to NBE for future updates on Cameron as he will be closely monitored by many high-major programs in the coming months.

FOUR SCHOOLS IN THE MIX FOR ’12 PG JAMES ROBINSON

Over the last couple years DeMatha High School and Team Takeover DC have won a lot of basketball games. While many of the players in each program have moved on from one year to the next and several others spend time playing for both programs, there has been one common denominator for the Takeover 17U team and the DeMatha Varsity the last two years: James Robinson.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound point guard has not only established himself as one of the best basketball players in the Class of 2012, but one of the biggest winners in the class as well. The most accurate description one can offer Robinson as a basketball player is a winner. In the 2010 Nike EYBL championship run of Team Takever Robinson was a scorer. Robinson saw his stock explode with a 24-point, 8-reboiund performance in the championship game win over the St. Louis Eagles in a game televised by ESPN U.

James Robinson '12

This year Robinson played the role of distributor throughout much of the AAU season and Robinson may have had one of the most impressive stat lines of the weekend during the EYBL stint in Los Angeles in late May in a win over Seattle Rotary as he finished with 16 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists and just one turnover. Robinson has excellent floor vision and can do just about anything on the floor. He’s the kind of lead guard that makes it possible for teams to win a number of games and plays both ends of the floor. He is an aggressive and physical defender who uses his strength to create problems for opponents.

Now with his AAU career behind him Robinson will try and focus on his recruitment and currently has a short and tidy list he is working from.

“Pitt, Miami, UVA (Virginia) and Notre Dame,” said Robinson when asked what schools he was considering that are actively recruiting him.

While he has not decided or planned any official visits, he will be checking out one of the two BIG EAST schools on his list in the coming weeks with an unofficial visit.

“[An] unofficial visit to Pitt [is] set up towards the end of the month,” Robinson told NBE this afternoon.

Robinson claims no leader at this point in the recruiting process and, in general terms, hopes to come to a decision in the not too distant future.

“No set timetable [for a decision, but] hopefully soon,” he said.

Whichever program is the lucky recipient of a Letter of Intent from James Robinson is certain to have a winner entering their program. NBE will continue to follow the story as Robinson’s recruitment winds down…

2011 ORLANDO AAU NOTEBOOK (PART 9): BRANNEN GREENE, TYLER CAVANAUGH, LANDRY NNOKO & THEO PINSON

By Alex Schwartz

BRANNEN GREENE SETS LOUISVILLE VISIT; PLANNING OTHER TRIPS

Pushing 6-foot-7, Brannen Greene is a mismatch on the wing due to his height and refined skill set. The Monroe (GA) native is a solid athlete with a good build who can do quite a bit with the ball in his hands. Greene has a high basketball IQ and good court vision, allowing him to hit the open man in position to score. His handle is superb and he can get through the defense on the way to the rack. Greene finishes pretty well at the rim and is crafty down low against the big bodies. He has nice form on his jumper, though he has yet to become a truly consistent shooter from deep. Greene puts in effort at the defensive end and can cause problems on the perimeter due to his length.

Greene has seen his stock explode as much as anyone in the Class of 2013 this summer and he a school list to prove it. He said that he has offers from Louisville, Georgia Tech, Georgia, Alabama, Marquette, Florida State, Florida, Connecticut, Kansas, Ohio State, Memphis, South Carolina, the equivalent of such from Harvard as well as “a lot more.”
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2011 ORLANDO AAU UPDATE (PART 6): HOUSTON DEFENDERS TAKE 17U SHOWCASE TITLE

By Alex Schwartz

It was a busy day in Orlando on Wednesday as the 17U AAU Super Showcase came to a close. The Houston Defenders earned the crown with an impressive 55-45 victory over BABC. Class of 2013 twins Aaron and Andrew Harrison led the Defenders as Aaron scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while Andrew finished with eight points and 10 assists. Earlier in the afternoon the Defenders got past Team Takeover, rallying from a halftime deficit to advance to the championship game. For their part, BABC survived a stiff challenge in the semis from Hoop Heavan Elite out of NJ to advance to the televised championship game.

Now the full focus will shift to the AAU National Championships. The 16U is in full swing and the 17U championships are also getting going in pool play as well. Still plenty of basketball left these next four days as the second July live evaluation period closes out.

Below we have some additional player evaluations and recruiting information from yesterday’s action with a heavy concentration on the Houston Defenders (Derrick Griffin), Team Takeover (Jerami Grant), BABC (Jaylen Brantley, Jake Layman, Goodluck Okonoboh) and more (Bobby Portis)…

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2011 ORLANDO AAU UPDATE (PART 5): CHAMPIONSHIP DAY FOR 17U SUPER SHOWCASE AHEAD

By Alex Schwartz

It is championship day at the 17U AAU Super Showcase in Orlando on Wednesday afternoon. At noon, Team Takeover DC will meet the Houston Defenders in one semifinal match-up while BABC will take on Hoop Heaven Elite at 3 PM in the other semifinal. The winners will meet in the Showcase ttile game scheduled for 7 PM and it will be televised by ESPNUI.

Last night ESPNU had a made-for-TV ‘highlight’ game in Orlando putting Texas PRO and the Georgia Stars on display for television viewers. NBE caught up with some of the top names from the highlight game, including Alex Poythress, Danuel House and Danrad ‘Chicken’ Knowles, to get the latest in their recruitment. Also a pair of 2013 guards, Stephen Vasturia and Allerick Freeman, are profiled in today’s report…

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2011 ORLANDO AAU NOTEBOOK (PART I): SELDEN, WILBEKIN, HAYES STANDOUT

By Alex Schwartz

The second July live evaluation period kicked off on Friday and the place to be over the 10-day period looks to be Orlando (FL). With AAU Super Showcases along with AAU National Championships being at the top age groups the action will be heating up like much of the summer weather our nation is currently seeing. In this first notebook, NBE chats with elite 2014 prospect Wayne Selden about his recruitment and covers the play and recruitment of Nigel Hayes, Mitchell Wilbekin while also getting a look at Marial Shayok, Che Bop and Jeremy Miller as well with the younger age groups taking center stage first. Read on below for the details…

Wayne Selden said he has offers from Kentucky, Boston College, Connecticut, West Virginia and Pittsburgh. He has interest from Ohio State, Arizona and Providence. He noted, “A lot more other schools in the Big East, ACC.”
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