Providence Recruiting

2012 NATIONAL PREP SCHOOL INVITATIONAL — TOP PERFORMERS

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By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

Now that the National Prep School Invitational has come to close and I’ve had a few days to process all the basketball I watched it’s time to rank the performances from the weekend. Below are player rankings by class based on this past weekend’s performance only. These are not an overall opinion on these players but rather a snapshot based on how they played at Rhode Island College over the weekend. The top spot in 2012 came down to the nation’s two best big men and is a decision I agonized over before finalizing it.

Be sure to check out our daily coverage from a great weekend of hoops at the 2012 National Prep School Invitational:
’12 NPSI – Day Four Report
’12 NPSI – Day Three Report
’12 NPSI – Day Two Report
’12 NPSI – Day One Report

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2012 NATIONAL PREP SCHOOL INVITATIONAL — DAY FOUR

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By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

The first three days of the National Prep School Invitational were dominated by Steven Adams and his Notre Dame Prep squad. The 2012 big man from New Zealand erased any concerns after his foul-plagued showing at the Hoop Hall Classic and cemented his status as one of 2012’s top players. On Sunday it was time for another 2012 big man to steal the show and make his case for the #1 overall ranking in the senior class. With the gym buzzing and filled to a capacity that it saw at no other time all weekend the Tilton School and REDA (Ontario) took the floor at 1:30 PM. Nerlens Noel jumped center for the Tilton School sporting his trademark bright pink Nikes and his high top fade and put on the best show of the weekend.

Top Performance of the Day:

Nerlens Noel (Tilton 2012) – This was Noel’s first national appearance since announcing his intentions to graduate this year as a member of the 2012 class early Thursday morning. Providence fans packed the gym to see him as they made the cut of his seven final schools along with Kentucky, Syracuse, Connecticut, Florida, Georgetown and North Carolina. Dominance doesn’t even begin to describe the defensive effort put forth by Noel as he tallied 10 blocks to go along with countless more altered shots. It reached a point where REDA coaches could be heard screaming at their players who even attempted to challenge the big man as a shot in the lane against Noel was basically a turnover. Perhaps the most telling statistic of his dominance was on the scoreboard. Noel played the majority of the game’s first 29 minutes at which point REDA had only scored 19 points. At that time Nerlens went to the bench in a blowout victory and in the remaining 11 minutes REDA was able to put up 29 points. His defensive prowess is certainly nothing new but Sunday’s was a particularly stunning performance even by his high standards. Offensively Noel looked better than ever and as crazy as it sounds was literally playing point guard for his Tilton team during the 2nd half. He brought the ball up the floor every time and got his team into their offense sometimes breaking his man down off the dribble and other times running a play for someone else. I’m not suggesting that Noel is making a drastic position change but it was an indicator of how far along his ball handling and passing skills have come in the last year. Once only a defensive standout, Noel’s offense is catching up seemingly by the day.
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2012 NATIONAL PREP SCHOOL INVITATIONAL — DAY TWO

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By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

The second day of the National Prep School Invitational featured nine games with tips starting bright and early at 9 AM. Things started off a bit slowly with the first couple of early morning games featuring sluggish, turnover prone play. Then at 1:30 PM everything changed when Notre Dame Prep took the floor against Canarias Basketball Academy. That’s when a 7 foot monster put his stamp on this tournament and in doing so earned top billing for the day from me.

Top Performer of the Day:

Steven Adams (Notre Dame Prep 2012) – committed to Pittsburgh – Adams was great in his team’s game on Thursday and nearly earned the top spot in my recap. He was noticeably better on Friday. Adams is a massive human being standing 7 foot, 240 pounds. Unlike most people his size though; he is an excellent athlete showing lateral quickness and powerful burst off the floor. Every time he got within five feet of the rim on Friday the back board was in jeopardy of being torn down. Adams dunks with such power whether he has time to set himself or has to go up quickly on an offensive rebound. The scary thing about the big kiwi is that he’s only scratching the surface of his massive potential. He still doesn’t understand the consistent aggression and energy that he can play with and the impact it will have on his game. Adams shows it in flashes and has incredible success every time he does but once a coach makes him realize that’s needed every play his impact will be off the charts. I don’t think I’m overstating it when I say that Steven Adams belongs in the discussion with the newly re-classified Nerlens Noel and Shabazz Muhammad for top player in the 2012 class.
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2012 NATIONAL PREP SCHOOL INVITATIONAL — DAY ONE

By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

The National Prep School Invitational kicked off Thursday morning at a new venue of Rhode Island College after a number of years at the University of Rhode Island. The shift was made due to new NCAA rules not allowing tournaments of this nature to take place in Division-I gyms but the always well run event didn’t miss a beat. Eight games filled the schedule on Thursday with the nation’s No. 1 team Brewster Academy facing off against St. John’s Northwest Military Academy in the headliner. Two players faced off head to head in that matchup and they share top billing today after fantastic performances.

Co-Headliners of the Day:

Jakarr Sampson (Brewster Academy 2012) – Sampson played as well as I’ve ever seen from him in Brewster’s victory this afternoon. He has always been potent using a couple dribbles to attack the rim and showcase his absurd athleticism. Today, Sampson punished defenders for playing off him by consistently knocking down mid range jumpers from 12-18 feet. When that shot is falling he becomes basically unguardable because combined with his driving ability leaves defenders to pick their poison. On top of all his impressive offense, Sampson was the catalyst for Brewster defensively playing the top of their full court press. His length and quickness caused turnover after turnover often leading to rim shaking dunks. Undefeated Brewster was frankly in a bit of trouble before going to the press and letting Sampson wreck havoc. He made it obvious why he is one of the most sought after uncommitted players remaining in the 2012 class.

Aaron Ross (St. John’s Northwest Military Academy 2012) – A onetime Arkansas commit, Ross played like one of the nation’s bet forwards against the loaded frontline of Brewster. He tallied 30 points and 9 rebounds by mixing 3 point shots (3-7) with hard drives to the basket. Ross has the quickness to take his man out on the perimeter but also the strength to go to work on the low block. This combination gave Brewster fits all day as they tried various defenders to slow down the big man. Only Jakarr Sampson had any success but even he gave up his share of hoops against Ross. Finding balance between inside and outside will always be important for Ross as he doesn’t want to hunt jumpers and ignore his physical advantages. He also needs to be more committed defensively and will have to define a roll on that end. He is a little bit between a 3 and a 4 right now but needs to be a 4 defensively in my mind. Regardless of position he’s a beast and showed that off today.

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CLASS OF 2013 INTRO: BO ZEIGLER

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While already well known in the Midwest, Detroit (MI) Community High’s Byron ‘Bo’ Zeigler is poised to make a big name for himself nationally this spring and summer on the recruiting trail. The 6-foot-6, 191-pound small forward, according to our friends at Hoops Window, is a rubberband man on the floor, offensively and defensively and utilizes a speed burst dribble and glide towards the hoop with ease, it doesn’t matter from which side of the court, Zeigler is effective with both hands. On defense, Hoops Window compares Zeigler to a smaller Hakim Warrick when he throws up his long arms to block a shot.

Zeigler told NBE this weekend that he is continuing to work on his ball-handling as well as his on-ball defense this season. With the spring AAU season approaching quickly, he is also looking forward to hitting the circuit with his Michigan Hurricane teammates.
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HOOPHALL CLASSIC 2012: WEEKEND’S TOP PERFORMERS

By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

Now that the 2012 Hoophall Classic has come to a close and I’ve had a few days to process all the basketball I saw it’s time to compile player rankings from the weekend’s performances. Below you will see players ranked by class based solely on their performance from the Hoophall Classic. These rankings are not an opinion on players overall game or potential but rather on the way they performed in Springfield.

2012 Player Rankings:

1) Shabazz Muhammad (Bishop Gorman) – Muhammad only strengthened his place as the top overall player in the 2012 class for his efficient 37 point performance.

2) Kaleb Tarczewski (St Mark’s) – signed with Arizona – In an event loaded with top big men Tarczewski stood out as the top low post offensive option.

3) Katin Reinhardt (Mater Dei) – signed with UNLV – The future Runnin’ Rebel put on an offensive show knocking down nine 3 pointers en route to 35 points in a blowout victory.

4) Kyle Anderson (St Anthony) – signed with UCLA – Anderson’s fingerprints have been all over every one of St Anthony’s 44 consecutive victories and Monday was no different as he compiled 18 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 steals.
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HOOPHALL CLASSIC 2012: SUNDAY RECAP

By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

While the action at the Hoophall Classic was terrific on Saturday, the overall atmosphere jumped to a new level on Sunday. College coaches who had been busy coaching their own teams in action Saturday were out in full force. John Calipari (Kentucky), Jim Calhoun (Connecticut), Steve Lavin (St John’s), Mark Gottfried (NC State), Ed Cooley (Providence) and Mick Cronin (Cincinnati) all made appearances along with assistants from Florida, Texas, North Carolina, West Virginia, Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Oregon, Utah and DePaul. These coaches witnessed a large collection of highlight performances none more impressive than that by a player with the nation’s best haircut.

Top Performer:

Nerlens Noel (Tilton School 2013) – Noel and his high top fade put on a show worthy of the #1 2013 ranking I dubbed him with in my preview podcast of the event. Long considered the top shot blocker in America, Noel proved to be that and more in his nationally televised showdown with Mitch McGary and Brewster Academy. His final stat line reads 22 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 blocks with just about everyone in attendance agreeing that the 7 blocks is an extremely conservative estimate. I had one longtime scout tell me that Noel is the best shot blocker he has ever evaluated on the high school level. While his defense was as amazing as ever, Noel’s offensive progression continued its steady climb from the past year. He drove baseline and made a floater over Mitch McGary. He used a spin move and finished a lefty hook in the lane. He hammered down multiple tip dunks flying from out of nowhere to grab them. He drew contact at the rim repeatedly eventually fouling out Jakarr Sampson. Noel put on a virtuoso performance which stands up against the absolute best I’ve seen from him in the past. He looks like a future all-American, future lottery pick, future NBA all-star.

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HOOPHALL CLASSIC 2012: SATURDAY RECAP

After two days filled with local contests and a sampling of girl’s games, the Hoophall Classic took to the national stage on the boys side Saturday. Traditional powers like Oak Hill Academy, Gonzaga College Prep, St. Patrick’s and DeMatha Catholic headlined the action at Blake Arena in Springfield. Many players improved their stock on Saturday but none more than an undersized big man from Gonzaga College Prep.

Top Performer:

Kris Jenkins (Gonzaga 2013) – Jenkins had a breakout performance on national TV a week ago at the Cancer Research Classic in Wheeling, West Virginia and backed it up today at the Hoophall Classic by dominating an individual matchup with Riverside’s Ricardo Gathers. Jenkins is 6’6” at best but still has great strength for the power forward position. This allows him to hold his own defensively while causing all kinds of problems for opponents on the offensive end. He did the majority of his damage on midrange jumpers but showed that his range extends to the 3 point line knocking down a pair of triples. Jenkins was productive from the opening tip until the final whistle not even allowing an errant Ricardo Gathers elbow to the face to slow him down. After scoring at will on top 10 sophomore Jahlil Okafor and top 30 senior Ricardo Gathers in the past week, it’s safe to say that Jenkins can contribute at the high major level.
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PLENTY OF BIG EAST SCHOOLS & OTHERS FOLLOWING REGGIE CAMERON

On New Year’s Day the NJ Playaz AAU Basketball Club hosted the ‘The New Year’s Jump-off’ at Hackensack (NJ) High School. The event’s headline game featured St. Anthony’s and St. Benedict’s, but an exciting undercard was also included as part of Sunday’s four-game schedule. The main appetizer was a Garden State battle between Plainfield (NJ) High School and Hudson Catholic High School.

Senior-laded Plainfield built a 47-36 lead through three-quarters over a younger Hudson Catholic club. However the fourth quarter proved to be an exciting finish as Hudson Catholic outscored the Cardinals 19-8 to tie the game at 55-all in the final minute. Plainfield would regain control, scoring the next four points, and a last second Hudson Catholic score would provide the final score in a 59-57 win for Plainfield.

The key to to the Hudson Catholic comeback effort was the outside shooting of Reggie Cameron, a 6-foot-7 junior combo forward who is one of the top Class of 2013 prospects on the East Coast. Cameron was strong throughout the game, finishing with 23 points and 6 rebounds. He connected on eight of 16 field goal attempts for the game, including five of 10 from beyond the three-point arc. Cameron provided some clutch shooting as he connected on three treys in the fourth quarter.

Cameron is a very intriguing prospect in the Class of 2013 as he has elite size for a wing player standing at a well-built 6-foot-7. Shot making is Cameron’s greatest strength at this point as he has range well past the 3-point line, as he showed once again over the weekend. Cameron is also very efficient on midrange pull-ups or on turnarounds from the post when matched-up against smaller players. He struggles at times to get all the way to the rim because he lacks ideal foot speed for a wing player but he makes up for it with a high basketball IQ and the ability to make shots from a variety of angles. NBE’s Brian Bosworth has compared Cameron to former Boston College star Jared Dudley on the offensive end of the floor in the sense that he doesn’t wow you with athletic plays but he produces against high level competition and consistently makes good decisions.

Over the weekend Cameron spoke to Alex Schwartz about his recruitment, which is picking up speed with many BIG EAST programs and other schools involved. Cameron said Sunday that he holds scholarship offers from Villanova, Seton Hall, Northwestern, UMass, Rutgers, DePaul, Providence, Cincinnati, Miami and Xavier and he is also hearing from Florida, Notre Dame, Boston College, SMU and Marquette.

Thus far he has taken unofficial visits to Rutgers, Seton Hall and Villanova. He is planning to get out on some more trips, but has none planned.

“Not yet, but I will,” Cameron told Schwartz. “Soon as the season is over I plan to get to a bunch of places.”

Cameron, who said he does not have any favorites right now, talked about when he plans to make his decision.

“I mean, I would love to get it done maybe in September,” Cameron said. “I’d like to get it done then, maybe on my birthday . . . September 10th.”

Cameron also talked about some of the factors he is taking into consideration as he looks for a school.

“Just a place where I think I feel comfortable with the coaching staff,” Cameron said, “where I think I feel comfortable playing basketball and going to school there and [with the] . . . coaches and a good school.”

Cameron, who noted that location is “not at all” a factor, talked about whether he wants to play in the Big East or if his list being littered with Big East schools is more of a coincidence.

“I don’t think it really makes a difference, wherever fits me,” Cameron said, adding, “Wherever me and my family are happy at.”

It is a pretty good bet that plenty of schools will be hoping that Reggie Cameron and his family find themselves happy on their campus and can add the sharpshooting wing to their 2013 recruiting class. NBE will continue to follow Cameron with Hudson Catholic during the season and with the NJ Playaz this spring and summer as he works his way towards his college decision.
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The 2012 BIG EAST Tournament promises to be one to remember. As usual, tickets will sellout, but fans can get yours early at the best prices by following the links below and get that special holiday gift for YOURSELF that you did not receive from your loved ones. Also, buy with our relationship with TicketNetwork and .

PLAYAZ NEW YEAR’S JUMP-OFF HIGHLIGHTS

By Alex Schwartz

HACKENSACK, N.J. – The New Year’s Jump-Off at Hackensack High School featured four games to bring in the year 2012. Included were some of the Garden State’s perennial powers and NBE Basketball Report was on hand for two-plus contests.

In addition to taking in the action, we were able to catch up with a couple of standout juniors for recruiting updates.

GAME RECAPS & STANDOUT PERFORMERS

NBE caught the end of the Teaneck/St. Patrick’s game, in which the Highwaymen knocked off the Celtics in overtime. Junior guard Joel Hernandez hit a buzzer beating three for Teaneck to send it to OT and knocked down two of three free throws in a tie game with one second left in the extra session. He and St. Patrick’s junior wing Jared Nickens were named co-MVPs.
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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 TWO

By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

Day 2 at the City of Palms Classic featured national powerhouses Mater Dei (CA), Arlington Grace Prep (TX), and Miller Grove (GA) in action for the first time. Despite these big names the game of the day was St. Raymond’s (NY) come from behind overtime victory over Trinity (KY) in which they trailed by 15 in the 4th quarter. Through sheer force of will and a couple of standouts outlined below they stormed all the way back and then overcame another 5 point deficit in overtime. It highlighted a fun day of big time competition with quite a few monster individual performances.

Top Performer of the Day:

Isaiah Austin (Arlington Grace Prep 2012) – signed with Baylor – Austin is often criticized for floating on the perimeter and not using his 7 foot frame to score inside. If today’s performance is any indication, he has heard the critics and made an adjustment. Matched up against future Ohio State defensive end Adolphus Washington, Austin went to work in the lane and stayed there all day. He dominated the paint on both ends of the court finishing with 20 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 blocks. While still a finesse player, Austin seems to have learned to use his extreme length to get into easy positions to score and then use his soft touch to finish plays. He even initiated contact with the 6’6” beast of man Washington and worked his way to the free throw line. On the defensive end, Austin basically sent back every shot attempt within 6 feet and caused opponents to settle for jumpers because of his presence. Today’s performance was one that makes it clear why Austin has as much long term potential as any member of the 2012 class.
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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: SUNDAY’S NATIONAL PREP SHOWCASE BREAKDOWN

By Brian Bosworth, National Scouting Analyst

The National Prep Showcase was back in full swing on Sunday with top teams like Brewster Academy, New Hampton Prep, and the Tilton School all in action. While the rosters of most prep schools in this event are dominated by seniors and post-graduate players it was a pair of underclassmen that stole the show on Sunday.

Co-Headliners of the Day:

Nerlens Noel (Tilton School 2013) – With college coaches such as John Calipari (Kentucky), Steve Lavin (St. John’s), and Ed Cooley (Providence) on hand to watch him play Noel put on quite a show Sunday night. Having already established himself as the premier defensive big man in America during the summer with BABC, Nerlens showcased an expanding offensive game that brings his upside to a new level. He played on the wing for much of the first half and repeatedly used a deadly right to left crossover to attack the rim and finish with his left hand. Despite being right handed he seems to prefer using his left to finish around the basket and did so with startling efficiency in this game. If Noel can continue to develop his offensive skills to complement his defensive brilliance he will give Jabari Parker a serious challenge for the spot of #1 overall player in the class of 2013.
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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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EARLY SIGNING PERIOD CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS – BIG EAST

By Brian Bosworth, National Recruiting Analyst

The early signing period for college basketball got underway last Wednesday and runs into next week. Here is a look at the highlights from the BIG EAST conference in this early period.

Top 5 Recruiting Classes in BIG EAST:

1) Providence
Commits – Kris Dunn (PG), Ricardo Ledo (SG), Joshua Fortune (SG)
–In his first class at Providence Ed Cooley has landed two prospects in Dunn and Ledo that enter with more fanfare than anyone the previous regime was able to sign.

2) Pittsburgh
Commits – Steven Adams (C), James Robinson (PG)
–After landing McDonald’s All American Khem Birch in the 2011 class, Jamie Dixon has another of the nation’s best big men coming to Pittsburgh in New Zealand native Steven Adams.

3) Syracuse
Commits – DaJuan Coleman (C), Jerami Grant (SF)
–After considering national powers Kentucky and Ohio State, DaJuan Coleman decided to stay home in Syracuse and play his college ball for Jim Boeheim.
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FALL IS8 CROWNS 2011 CHAMPIONS

By Brian Bosworth

The IS8 Fall Semifinals took place on Saturday afternoon and the gym was buzzing from the opening tip of game number one. A standing room only crowd was entertained by two terrific contests featuring some of the most talented 19 and under players in the greater New York City area as well as a few imports from around the country. An environment unlike any other IS8 features a small cramped court with fans right on top of the action, a courtside announcer giving play by play and color commentary, and two referees who swallow their whistles and allow the players to decide the games.

Saturday Semifinal Scores:
The Playaz 73, Mount Vernon 66
The Panthers 77, Our Savior New American 76

As a player at IS8, you know you’ve arrived once the announcer has branded you with a nickname and the first five players outlined below received that honor.

Chris “The Game Changer” Obekpa (Our Savior New American / 2012) – Standing 6’9” 200 pounds, Obekpa is the premier shot blocker in the 2012 class. He has long arms, explosive leaping ability, and outstanding natural instincts which allow him to have complete control of the paint on the defensive end of the floor. Easily eclipsing double figures in rejections for the game, Obekpa altered or blocked every shot taken within 10 feet. By the second half the opposition entered the paint solely looking to pass because challenging Obekpa at the rim was a completely fruitless effort. Offensively, Obekpa currently relies only on dunks and layups, can’t put the ball on the floor, and has little or no back to the basket game. He is a beast in transition because of his athleticism but in a half court set put backs are his only scoring chances. Even without an offensive game, I would still consider Obekpa a top 25 player nationally in the 2012 class because he is so dominant defensively. He should be able to step in and be a top class shot blocker and paint enforcer at the high major level immediately.
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CONRAD CHAMBERS IMPRESSED BY RUTGERS TRIP

With the Team Scan AAU program this summer much of the attention was centered around Class of 2014 forward Chris McCullough, who quickly cemented himself as one of the top players in the country in the sophomore class. When one thinks of Friends Central in Philadelphia currently, the name of one of the elite players in the Class of 2012, Amile Jefferson certainly comes to mind.

However, Chester (PA) native Conrad Chambers is a player that is quickly building his own reputation as well, even if he is in the shadows with both programs. So far this fall, after a successful run over the summer with Team Scan, Chambers is happy with how things are looking at Friends Central and looking forward to a fun season.

“Things have been going well at school [and] the team is looking good,” said Chambers. “What I feel is best about the program is our coaching staff, how hard our team plays and how we are all like a family.”
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