Providence Recruiting

NEW HEIGHTS AAU RECRUITING NOTEBOOK

Jermaine Sanders, Corey Edwards could keep New Heights AAU to Big East/D-1 pipeline flowing

by JEFF BORZELLO

Branden Frazier was the just the latest in a long line of New Heights prospects to commit to Division-I schools, joining Jayvaughn Pinkston (Villanova), Devon Collier (Oregon State), Ashton Pankey (Maryland) and Malik Thomas (Boston University) as committed seniors.

Naturally, the trend will continue in the next couple of years, as there are plenty of talented players in the New Heights program.

Frazier picked Hofstra recently and Tom Pecora may have gotten his next under-the-radar future Pride star.

“Tom Pecora did an excellent job recruiting him, and Branden liked the idea of playing in front of his family and friends,” said Kimani Young, the director of New Heights, Frazier’s AAU program. “It was the best place for his development.”

Frazier chose Hofstra over Southern Illinois, Fordham, La Salle and Kent State.

“At the end of the day, he’ll be a 1200-1500 point scorer at Hofstra,” Young said. “[Pecora] was excited, he knows how important it is recruiting New York City.”

many other college programs in the United States are also aware of the importance of recruiting New York City talent and Young’s New Heights program will certainly be one to watch this spring and summer once the AAU season gets underway. Young recently filled in NBE with the latest in the recruitment of 2011 prospects Jermaine Sanders and Corey Edwards, who are high on the radar of several Big East schools, as well as some new names that schools like Hofstra, Drexel, Delware, Siena and others are tracking early in the process.

You can sign up for NBE Premium access and SUBSCRIBE (HERE) to read on below for the latest on recruiting notes on the New Heights AAU program provided by Kimani Young recently…

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NATIONAL PREP CHAMPIONSHIP RECRUITING NOTES

Lost in the shuffle of last week’s excitement with the Big East Tournament was the National Prep Championships that were held at Albertus Magnus College in New Haven (CT). Eight of the top prep schools in the country came together to battle it out over the course of two days last week and the action culminated with Brewster Academy taking the title with an overtime victory of Northfield Mount Hermon.

Big East coaching staffs were represented throughout as Villanova assistant Jason Donnelly was on hand Tuesday and Wednesday saw Rutgers’ Fred Hill and Darren Savino make the trip along with Connecticut’s Pat Sellers and Providence’s Pat Skerry.

2010 Big East commits in action included Isaiah Epps (Pittsburgh/Hargrave Military Academy), Gerard Coleman (Providence/Tilton), Ron Giplaye (Providence/Notre Dame Prep), CJ Fair (Syracuse/Brewster), Austin Carroll (Rutgers/Brewster) and Markus Kennedy (Villanova/Winchendon) and several potential spring targets of Big East schools in the class of 2010 were also in action. NBE has recruiting updates on Cleveland Melvin, Bryon Allen, Maurice Walker, who now has a list of six favorites out of the Big East and is looking to set up visits to three of them, and Majok Majok along with underclassman Naadir Tharpe.

To see the latest you can sign up for NBE Premium access and SUBSCRIBE (HERE) to read on below…

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NATIONAL PREP CHAMPIONSHIP – FINAL DAY RUNDOWN

by PAT STEVENS – A pair of Big East recruits capped off their seasons with a New England championship and now a national title as CJ Fair and Austin Carroll helped Brewster Academy defeated Northfield Mount Hermon in the finals of the National Prep Championships.

Brewster would rally from down 15 points in the first half and trade the lead in the second half before heading to overtime where they pulled away for the 79-76 win.

BIG EAST SIGNEES IN ACTION

CJ Fair (Syracuse/6-7 WF/Brewster Academy) – Fair saved his best for last as he scored a number of big baskets in key moments. He’s a zone-buster for the Brewster team with his ability to operate consistently in the gaps and finish around the rim. Often times he elevated over the defense for scores with his high, slingshot release that goes well with his lift and size. However, most impressive is his effort. Considering he’s fit to be a wing but with his skills to serve as an undersized-four man inside, he’s gone to work and gives the team what it needs consistently when we’ve seen him this year. He scored 13 and 11 in the prior two victories and finished with 19 in his last game with his family also on hand.

Austin Carroll (Rutgers/6-3 SG/Brewster Academy) – He had the chance to win the game when Will Barton couldn’t get enough space for a step-back jumper and got caught in the air, dropping it off to him nearby in the corner. It was a tough spot to make something happen and he nearly scored on a runner that would have been the game-winner. His first two games were tough outings from beyond the arc but he hit several in key stretches come the championship. He made a difference as a help defender and in team defense, showing both good anticipation and timing with a number of strips around the basket along with stepping in for several charges throughout the two days. Rutgers’ head coach Fred Hill and assistant Darren Savino watched him in the championship alongside his family.

Isaiah Epps (Pittsburgh/6-2 PG/Hargrave Military Academy) – Epps has a necessary weapon for the point guard package and it’s a reliable long ball, which he used for two big hoops in Hargrave’s second half rally that eventually fell short against NMH. His toughness shined through down the stretch with will to take and make those big shots. He was a tough cover for the slower guards and finished with a game-high 20 points along with some active defense in the press that forced a number of turnovers during their comeback attempt.

Ron Giplaye (Providence/6-7 PF/Notre Dame Prep) – Giplaye had an average outing in the opening round loss to NMH. A signature rebounder, getting back on defense was an issue for he and his teammates. Offensively, a bright spot was his ability to go to both hands in a crowd. Gerard Coleman stuck around to watch him. He had nine points in the opening round loss to Northfield Mount Hermon.

Gerard Coleman (Providence/6-4 SG/Tilton) – Coleman played within the flow of the offense in the first half but Hargrave jumped Tilton and took a big lead into the half of the opening round matchup. The second half he was more aggressive with the floor opening up and allowing for plenty of his typical scores in transition, but he got plenty of hoops taking his man off the dribble as well. While a majority of the second half both teams pushed the ball off both misses and makes, his drive game was superb when in the half court. Inside, he avoided contact with his ability to change direction on the bounce or adjust mid-air. A quick spin move into a leaner/push shot is in his repertoire. More often than not though, he would get himself all the way to the rim and either convert or head to the free throw line. His jump shot is still a work in progress. Several were short when the defender (quick guards of similar build Mardracus Wade and Lorenzo Brown) was able to get a hand up but he also knocked down a contested pair as well. Condition-wise he’s in great shape for a track meet like the game turned into but the mental of giving so much on offense and essentially trading baskets in a big comeback attempt probably took away from his active defense he’s capable of. He did his best to overcome a slow start as a team and finished with 43 points, 29 coming in the second half.

BIG EAST COACHES IN ATTENDANCE

Rutgers’ Fred Hill and Darren Savino were on hand along with Connecticut’s Pat Sellers and Providence’s Pat Skerry.

*Our premium section will have a few recruiting notes from the Prep Championship later tonight for subscribers…

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MIKE TAYLOR BASKING IN PSAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Boys & Girls junior guard shines on MSG floor with 25 points leading ‘Roos to first title since 1979

They have been close before, but this time the Boys & Girls High School Kangaroos finished the job with a 55-50 victory over Cardozo to give the Brooklyn high school their first PSAL championship since 1979. It was their third trip in the last four years to the AA finals and the win made Ruth Lovelace the first female coach to lead a PSAL team to the boy’s title.

Junior (2011) guard Mike Taylor led the ‘Roos with 25 points and was named the game’s Most Valuable Player. The 6-foot-3 shooting guard, who is being pursued by the majority of the Big East, understood the historical aspects of the win, relaying the weight of the accomplishments to NBE last night while returning to Madison Square Garden to take in the 2010 Big East Tournament as a fan.

“It was a good win on Saturday,” said Taylor. “We were down 10 at halftime, we just came out halftime and played hard. The last time we won was in 1979, so it was a 31 year drought. This was Coach Ruth Lovelace’s first championship.”

For more on Taylor’s thoughts on the PSAL championship and an update from him on his recruitment, you can sign up for NBE Premium access and SUBSCRIBE (HERE) read on below…

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NATIONAL PREP CHAMPIONSHIP OPENING DAY

by PAT STEVENS

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Gerard Coleman (Tilton/Providence) had the day’s high of 43 points as the fourth annual National Prep Championships are underway, this year from Albertus Magnus College.

Big East signees Isaiah Epps (Pittsburgh), CJ Fair (Syracuse) and Austin Carroll (Rutgers) all helped their teams to victories that have them slated for Wednesday’s semifinals and potential championship game.

Epps and No. 1 seed Hargrave Military Academy meet No. 5 Northfield Mount Hermon and Fair and Carroll lead No. 2 seed Brewster Academy against No. 6 St. Thomas More, with the championship set for 7:30 p.m.

Read on for more on the opening day of the National Prep Championship, including recruiting updates on Cleveland Melvin, who has plenty of Big East interest and plans a Big East visit in the near future, and Bryon Allen, who is likely to take a Big East official visit this spring. Both were previously Big East verbal commitments and still might land in the conference next season. To see the latest you can sign up for NBE Premium access and SUBSCRIBE (HERE) to read on below…

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NEPSAC CHAMPIONSHIP NOTES

BY PAT STEVENS — C.J. Fair (Syracuse) helped Brewster Academy to a NEPSAC Class A Championship as they knocked off Winchendon School and Markus Kennedy (Villanova), 72-69 on Sunday’s season finale at Endicott College. Brewster’s Will Barton (Memphis) was named MVP with 28 points. Naadir Tharpe (2011) added 14 points. Winchendon’s Khem Birch (2012) had 11 points and several key blocks.
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Gerard Coleman (Providence) scored 20 points as Tilton School won its third straight Class B Championship beating Marianapolis, 69-61. Ryan Canty (2011) added 12 points.
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Shabazz Napier (2011) scored 23 points to go with six assists and several steals for Lawrence Academy, who finished the season undefeated at 23-0 with its Class C title win over St. Mark’s, 55-43. Nate Lubick (Georgetown) had 15 points and 13 rebounds for St. Mark’s. Alex Murphy (2012) scored 11.
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Georgetown head coach John Thompson III, Providence head coach Keno Davis, Connecticut assistant Pat Sellers and Rutgers assistants Craig Carter and Darren Savino all made the trip.

Alabama head coach Anthony Grant also watched Shabazz Napier.
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Next Up:

National Prep Championship 2010
March 9th & 10th, 2010
Albertus Magnus College – New Haven, Connecticut

Quarter-Finals – Tuesday, March 9th

2pm – #1 Hargrave Military Academy vs. #8 Tilton School
4pm – #4 Notre Dame Prep vs. #5 Northfield Mount Hermon School
6pm – #2 Brewster Academy vs. #7 Westwind Prep
8pm – #3 Winchendon School vs. #6 St. Thomas More School

Semi-Finals – Wednesday, March 10th

11am – 1/8 winner vs. 4/5 winner
1pm – 2/7 winner vs. 3/6 winner

Finals

7:30pm – Championship
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The Big East Tournament tips off this week and be sure to visit our 2010 Big East Tournament & Tickets page for the links needed for Big East basketball fans to purchase tickets to any or all of the 2010 Big East Tournament sessions. The Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden is an event Big East fans must experience when they have the opportunity and here is your chance to get your tickets early before they become harder, and more expensive, to find. Stub Hub and the Big East conference have teamed up to provide fans with quality tickets and you can get tickets to ANY Big East conference or non-league game by following this link: StubHub.com – The Safe Way to Buy & Sell Tickets Online

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NIA PREP ON THE RISE ON THE PREP SCHOOL SCENE

Jamir Hanner headed to Seton Hall; Kelvin Amayo & Shaquille Thomas lead next group of NIA Prep prospects

By Matt Whitfield

The New York tri-state area is a hot bed for high school basketball. With perennial powers St. Anthony’s, St. Benedict’s, St. Patrick’s, Paterson Catholic, Rice, Lincoln and others, it is no surprise a plethora of talented high school players graduate to play in college and then sometimes at the highest level. Despite being such a breeding ground for talent the area also sees many talented players leave the area for stops at prep programs in New England such as Winchendon Prep, South Kent Prep, and others, to pepare them for college on and off the court. A rising program aims to begin to change the migration of talented NYC/NJ-area players to New England and keep them in the tri-state area as Alif Muhammad’s NIA School in Newark (NJ) has put itself on the prep basketball map this season. With the addition of former Bishop Loughlin head coach Rudy King to the coaching staff at NIA School, NIA Prep is posied for bigger things in the future.

NIA Prep’s basketball program is in it’s second season on the court and in it’s first year under Coach Rudy King. The team is 29-11 as of Monday and according to school President Alif Muhammad had it’s best stretch to date in late January/early February when they beat Mack Academy and then went up to Rhode Island for the National Prep Showcase and beat Westwind Prep and Brewster, all of who were ranked high amongst the ESPN top prep school schools. The school has taken on a national schedule this season, playing a mix of traditional New England prep powers as well as the top programs in New Jersey, including Paterson Catholic and St. Anthony’s. NIA Prep owns a two-game season sweep over a loaded Brewster Academy team, which recently captured the NEPSAC Class A championship.

The team right now has several Big East caliber players with the best of those right now being Jamir Hanner, according to Muhammad.

Read on for more on NIA Prep, including recruiting updates on 2011 prospects Shaquille Thomas and Kelvin Amayo who are both highly coveted by Big East programs. To see the latest you can sign up for NBE Premium access and SUBSCRIBE (HERE) to read on below…

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NEPSAC PLAYOFF NOTES

by PAT STEVENS (patstevensbasketball.com)

It will be No. 1 vs. No. 2 as Brewster Academy faces Winchendon School with Big East signees C.J. Fair (Syracuse) and Markus Kennedy (Villanova) leading their teams into the NEPSAC Class A Championship on Sunday. Fair and Brewster beat St. Thomas More, 92-61, while Kennedy and Winchendon topped Northfield Mount Hermon, 91-77, on Friday in the semi-final match-ups.

In the Class B final, Gerard Coleman (Providence) leads top-seed Tilton in its championship defense when it faces Marianopolis. Coleman scored 32 points in Tilton’s semi-final win over Hotchkiss, 76-65. Marianopolis knocked off St. Andrew’s and Michael Carter-Williams (2011 Syracuse commit), who scored 23 points in the 58-48 loss.

In Class C, Nate Lubick (Georgetown) and St. Mark’s will meet Lawrence Academy and Shabazz Napier, one of the country’s top point guards in the junior class. Lawrence won the team’s lone head-to-head match-up back in mid-December, 76-72 at home.

The three championships take place at Endicott College in Beverly, Mass and begin at 2pm with Class C.

ANGEL NUNEZ IMPRESSED WITH SYRACUSE VISIT, TALKS RECRUITING

2011 forward prospect has checked out several Big East schools, wants to see Pitt, Kentucky, UL and UConn

by JEFF BORZELLO

A record crowd was in the Carrier Dome last Saturday night to watch Syracuse knock off Villanova and take control of the Big East standings.

The electric atmosphere that was heightened by the ESPN Gameday crew and an NCAA on-campus crowd of 34,616 added to the excitment and the Orange staff took full advantage by using the festivities as a recruiting tool bringing in several highly touted recruits.

One of those in attendance was 2011 prospect Angel Nunez, a 6-7 native New Yorker now playing at Winchendon Prep (Mass.).

“It was fun. The atmosphere was overwhelming,” Nunez said. “I went with [Winchendon teammate] Khem Birch.”

Nunez talked to NBE last night about his trip to Syracuse and his thoughts on recruiting, which included his interest in visiting other schools such as Pitt, Kentucky, Louisville and UConn in the future and what he will be looking for in his future college home. To see the latest you can sign up for NBE Premium access and SUBSCRIBE (HERE) to read on below…

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BIG EAST NEWS & NOTES (3/4/2010)

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There was one lone Big East game on the Wednesday Night schedule and it was an important meeting in South Bend (IN) between UConn and Notre Dame. Riding Tory Jackson, the Irish picked up another resume padding late-season win while UConn is dealt a critical blow to their NCAA Tournament chances. Tonight, Pitt looks to lock down the final double bye into the 2010 Big East Tournament quarterfinals when hosting Providence and the Seton Hall/Rutgers rivalry commences for round two in nine days.

Austin Freeman returned to the practice floor for Georgetown on Wednesday, but the Hoya junior also released the news he has developed diabetes. It will not impact his long-term basketball career, but the immediate impact is still to be determined in regards to his availability on the court in upcoming Georgetown games of the next week or so.

Also, Pat Stevens updates us on some of the happenings in the NEPSAC playoffs with several Big East commits and targets looking to extend their seasons. Finally, Rutgers to the Big 10 looks like a possibility and a good fit for the Scarlet Knights if an offer is extended to them in the future.

It is now less than a week away, so be sure to visit our 2010 Big East Tournament & Tickets page for the links needed for Big East basketball fans to purchase tickets to any or all of the 2010 Big East Tournament sessions. The Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden is an event Big East fans must experience when they have the opportunity and here is your chance to get your tickets early before they become harder, and more expensive, to find. Stub Hub and the Big East conference have teamed up to provide fans with quality tickets and you can get tickets to ANY Big East conference or non-league game by following this link: StubHub.com – The Safe Way to Buy & Sell Tickets Online

Now, onto today’s News & Notes around the Big East…

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UNCOMMITTED 2010 SF OFFICIALLY VISITING GEORGETOWN THIS WEEKEND

The Hoyas will host an unsigned 2010 small forward for final weekend of 2009-2010 regular season

One of the busier teams on the spring recruiting trail recently has been the Georgetown Hoyas. Despite not having a scholarship senior on their roster, the Hoyas have four openings in their class of 2010. Two of those scholarships were filled during the early signing period by Markel Starks of nearby Georgetown Prep and Nate Lubick of St. Mark’s School in Massachussets. The Hoyas also face the reality that Saturday could be the final regular season game with Greg Monroe as the 6-foot-10 sophomore center is a likely lottery pick in the 2010 NBA Draft his coming June, adding to the Hoyas desite to add depth to their roster.

We have previously profiled in our premium section the recruitment of 2010 spring Hoya big man targets Maurice Walker and Moses Abraham while today we take a look at a 2010 small forward that has been on the Big East radar for more than a year and has an official visit scheduled to Georgetown for this weekend…

To see the latest on see the latest on the Hoyas’ recruiting efforts and the scoop on this weekend’s visitor you can sign up for NBE Premium access and SUBSCRIBE (HERE) to read on below…

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BUZZ WILLIAMS’ FRIEND/COACHING SCUTTLEBUTT/COREY EDWARDS UPDATE

by RAY MERNAGH

Marquette’s Biggest Fan

Last night after Marquette blasted Louisville, I noticed some of the players pointing out a man to Buzz Williams.

Williams and the players made a dramatic left turn towards the scorers table and greeted the man, who was even more excited than they were (and if you saw them last night that’s pretty damn excited). I had to get the story and asked Williams about it this morning when we were texting back and forth.

I figured he might have been the father of a player or a long-lost buddy. Turns out it was a man that Williams has had an ongoing friendship/dialogue with for some time. The man pops up all the time to visit Williams and the two talk about every day stuff while at the same time building some trust with each other. “It’s the craziest deal,” wrote Williams, “he knows when we play out of town and he’s waiting when our bus gets back to the office so he can say hello to me. He was so fired up last night, I wasn’t even sure he would show up because I knew he would be nervous in public. Our kids are the ones that saw him come out of the stands to see me.”

Williams said that Jimmy Butler was especially surprised. “Coach,” said Butler, “look, he came!” And if you saw the joy on the faces of the players at the moment they saw the man, it tells you a lot about Marquette, their kids, the program they’re building, and Williams. The players know the man’s homeless. They also know that he, like them, has built up some trust by following through on certain “suggestions” Williams makes to help himself and his situation. The education they’re getting at Marquette, even while immersed in basketball and away from the traditional “classroom” is truly in the Jesuit tradition. Williams and his players are definitely helping each other grow in mind, heart and spirit.

In the world of big-time college basketball that’s unbelievably huge…and so, so rare.

Coaching Scuttlebutt

While there are reports saying interim coach Jared Grasso thinks he’ll be back next season in a full time role at Fordham, and it could happen, it’s not what Fordham wants to happen…

To see the latest on the Fordham job search, including their #1 target, as well as some other major college assistant coaches that could be getting looks, you can sign up for NBE Premium access and SUBSCRIBE (HERE) to read on below…which also includes a Corey Edwards recruiting update as the Christ the King 2011 point guard is up to three Big East offers…

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TARIQ CAREY UPDATE; LAWHORN DECIDES, HANNER CLOSE

by JEFF BORZELLO

One of the more underrated players nationally in the class of 2012 is New Jersey product Tariq Carey.

College coaches know all about the 6-foot-1 sophomore guard, though.

Carey is getting plenty of early attention from Big East schools and he has a ‘dream school’ out of the ACC showing him interest. NBE gets the latest update from the 2012 prospect that is sure to become a well-known name in recruiting circles in the near future…

Also, Danny Lawhorn contacts NBE about his commitment and a source updates Jamir Hanner who might be closing on on his…

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UNSIGNED 2010 UPDATE: MAURICE WALKER

Brewster Academy big man keeping options open in Big East with Pitt’s lack of scholarship available

Every spring college basketball coaches seem to scour the nation trying to find size to add to their recruiting classes in the late signing period. This year is no exception as several big man recruits uncommitted in the class of 2010 are hot commodities among top programs across America.

Standing 6-foot-10 inches tall and weighing in around 300 pounds, Brewster (NH) Academy senior center Maurice Walker certainly has plenty of the size college coaches crave. What Walker also has that makes him more intriguing is a nice set of hands and touch around the rim and the knowledge of how to use his size to make an impact on the boards and in the paint at the highest prep level in the country with Jason Smith’s Brewster program.

It has long been assumed that the massive Canadian native would end up in the Big East playing at Pittsburgh. However, Jamie Dixon’s program does not currently have a scholarship available in their 2010 class, so Walker is keeping his options open and looking to visit a couple Big East schools in the near future.

“I’m keeping my options open and I’m staying open to recruitment,” Walker told NBE yesterday.

Right now, per Walker, those options seem to be in the Big East…read on to see what else Walker said about his recruitment as the native of Toronto (Ont.) was very gracious with his time in giving NBE a full update on his recruitment and how he is looking at things as the spring signing period is less than two months away…

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UNSIGNED 2010 UPDATE: MIKE POOLE

St. Benedict’s G/F has earned Big East offers with an impressive senior season for coach Dan Hurley

Mike Poole has been a name that has been on and off the high-major recruiting radar several times the last couple of years. Coming up through the NYC AAU ranks, Poole was a highly regarded youngster but as other players grabbed the spotlight, not much was heard from Poole. Now as a senior with St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark (NJ), Poole is back on the map as a high-major prospect, picking up impressive offers from schools out of the Big East, ACC, SEC and PAC 10 while turning in a solid season for coach Dan Hurley and the Gray Bees.

NBE watched Poole in action this season in high-profile showcase vents like the HoopHall Classic against Bishop O’Connell, against De La Salle (IL) High School in the Newark Invitational and again against Lakewood in the Primetime Shootout and in each outing Poole displayed his versatility and improved perimeter jumper that makes him an intriguing option for high-major programs looking for a late recruiting period addition to their 2010 class of recruits.

NBE caught up with Poole earlier today to get an update on his recruitment and also talked recently to Dan Hurley about Poole’s solid senior season…

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2011 BIG EAST TARGET: JARROD DAVIS

2011 G/F getting a lot of interest from SHU staff and likes up and down style of PC, MU, SJU, etc in Big East

At the recent Primetime Shootout, Lakewood High School faced the difficult task at Kean University of taking on national power St. Benedict’s of Newark (NJ). It was a long night for Lakewood, especially in the second half, when St. Ben’s shook off the rust of nine days of inactivity because of cancelations due to the weather. The Gray Bees took complete control of the game in the third quarter when they outscored their overmatched Ocean County opponents 30-7 to stretch a 38-22 halftime lead to 68-29 after three quarters on their way to an 82-38 victory.

lakewood was able to keep somewhat within striking distance over the first 16 minutes with a patient offense and a strong half by junior Jarrod Davis, who scored nine of his team-high 15 in the first half. After the game, Alex Schwartz caught up with Davis to get an update on his recruitment. Davis, a 6-foot-5 G/F, is getting plenty of attention attention from college coaches and counts four current offers from Big East programs. Davis talked about his recruitment and what he likes about the Big East schools currently recruiting him…

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NATIONAL CHRISTIAN ACADEMY CLASSIC RECRUITING NOTES

BY JEFF BORZELLO

FORT WASHINGTON (MD) – With state playoffs starting around the country, there are not many inter-state tournaments left in the season. However, one under-the-radar event left to play was the NCA Classic at National Christian Academy in Maryland. The set-up was three high schools from North Carolina coming up to play three high schools in Maryland – Progressive Christian (Md.) vs. Mt. Zion Academy (N.C.), Princeton Day School (Md.) vs. Christian Faith Center Academy (N.C.) and National Christian (Md.) vs. Kestrel Heights (N.C.). Although it did not receive much attention, there were plenty of talented and highly-touted players at the event.

Players at the event gave NBE school lists that included Georgetown, Seton Hall, West Virginia, Providence, Connecticut, Pittsburgh as well as schools from the ACC, Big 12, SEC, PAC 10, Big 10 and more. Read on for scouting reports and recruiting updates from many of the top players that performed this weekend…

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2011 NYC G/F JERMAINE SANDERS LIKES THE BIG EAST

And the Big East is liking him back with several school offering a scholarship

While Rice (NYC) High School junior Jermaine Sanders does not seem to have a big reputation nationally, that is not the case in the northeast among high-major college coaches.

Sanders is a 6-foot-5 swing man/small forward that can simply score the ball in a lot of different ways. Against Westchester (CA) High School last month at the Primetime Shootout in Morgantown (WV), he was deadly from beyond the three-point line. He’s also a solidly built kid who should continue to get stronger and shows the ability to share the ball and defend within a team concept.

Last weekend at the Primetime Shootout in Trenton (NJ), NBE’s Matt Whitfield caught up with the rising star in the 2011 recruiting class to get his thoughts on his recruitment…

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BIG EAST OFFER EXCITES TAVON SLEDGE

This past weekend in the 2010 Primetime Shootout a Sunday afternoon contest between Christ the King of New York City and Half Hollow Hills West of Long Island drew a lot of interested observers. With recently named McDonald’s All-American and 2010 Tennessee commit Tobias Harris saddled with foul trouble, it was junior point guard Tavon Sledge stepping up his play to hold off a Christ the King rally to lead HHHW to a 73-69 win at the Sun National Bank Center in Trenton (NJ).

Sledge scored 23 points in the win and used his speed and quickness with the dribble to shoft through the defense for his points and drop dimes to open teammates. For his efforts, Sledge was named the co-Most Outstanding Player, along with Harris, for HHHW as he shot seven of 14 from the field, nine of 12 from the foul line and added four assists and four steals. Afterwards, Matt Whitfield caught up with Sledge to get a school list and NBE also got an update earlier this morning as his sparkling performance this past weekend has led to a Big East school making a scholarship offer to the 2011 guard prospect.

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PRIMETIME SHOOTOUT PLAYER & RECRUITING NOTES (PART I)

Matt Whitfield spent Saturday and Sunday of this past weekend at the Sun National Bank Center in Trenton (NJ) for the 2010 Primetime Shootout. Once again the field was loaded with talented teams and some of the top high school prospects in America put their games on display.

In today’s update, NBE catches up with LaQuinton Ross and Dion Waiters of Life Center Academy as Ross updats his recruitment since his move from Mississippi to New Jersey and Waiters had his tremendous talents on display as a preview to what fans will see in the Big East. Also, Kamari Murphy and Shaquille Stokes of Lincoln HS update their recruitment and Davontay Grace discusses the status of his verbal commitment.

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