Earlier today the NBE Basketball Report got the chance to check in with Robert Jackson, Founder/President of the DC Blue Devils Grassroots Basketball Program, to learn a little more about their program. Mr. Jackson was also kind enough to provide an update on one of their players from last season, Frank Ben-Eze, who is currently one of the most highly sought after unsigned players among the class of 2008.

Read on for more on the recruitment of Ben-Eze and the DC Blue Devils program…

Last fall Frank Ben-Eze, the 6’10, 230 lb Center from Arlington, Virginia’s Bishop O’Connell High School, shocked many followers of college basketball recruiting by choosing Harvard over major college scholarship offers from Virginia Tech, Marquette and others. However, this sprig, Ben-Eze has re-opened his recruitment and as a result the big man is a very coveted commodity as we head towards spring signing period beginning in mid-April.

“He has narrowed his choices down to Pitt, UConn, Rutgers, USF, Stanford, and Georgia Tech”, Robert Jackson of the DC Blue Devils tells the NBE Basketball Report.

“He has contacted each school and is in the process of schedule home visits with the perspective schools. Frank has a strong interest in studying Engineering while attending college, so that would be a big consideration with his final decision, continued Jackson.”

Ben-Eze is a native of Nigeria and is still developing as a basketball player. Some of that development has been slowed as he dealt with a stress fracture in his leg this past season. The injury woes continues as Ben-Eze suffered an ACL injury that will require surgery in the next to last game of the season.

Still, high major programs from the Big East, ACC and Pac 10 are all over the 6’10 big man who is a strong rebounder that plays with a high level of intensity. He has also shown the ability to connect on face-up jumpers out to the perimeter.

This year’s version of the DC Blue Devils will be a team drawing plenty of interest from a variety of high-major college coaches when they embark on the AAU trail this spring. The first half of the AAU touring season will have the 17-U squad at such national events as the Playaz Spring Fling, Boo Williams, Pittsburgh Jam Fest and King James Classic.

Their head coach Riley Inge has a talented core of players led by 2010 recruit Markel Starks, a 6’1 PG out of Georgetown Prep. Starks plays for former Georgetown Hoya Dwayne Bryant and has excellent tutoring year round as he develops into one of the finest guards in his class. Strong, aggressive forward Josten Thomas o Preogressive Christian (6’7, 225 lbs), big men Talib Zanna (6’9, 215 lbs) from Bishop McNamara and 7’0 African native Brian Okam of Montrose Christian are among several others who are likely to find some Big East coaches laying eyes on them this spring.

The DC Blue Devils are no strangers to producing Big East talent. In recent years, players such as Jerome Dyson (UConn), Dante Cunningham (Villanova), Billy Edelin (Syracuse), Jonathan Flowers (WVU), Roy Hibert (Georgetown), Kene Obi (DePaul), Ricky Shields (Rutgers), Michael Sweetney (Georgetown) as well as Kevin Durant and Stevie Francis, among others, have spent time wearing the DC Blue Devil uniform.

“Our program (DC Blue Devils) has a rich 20 plus history of providing youth opportunities in the Washington area,” Mr. Jackson proudly stated about the program he has founded and continues to lead. “Our vision to continuing the enrichment of our youth members lives by assisting with their college endeavors.”

For more on the program, visit their website (http://www.bluedevilsbasketball.com) for more information on current teams, events, history and alumni.

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 27th, 2008 at 4:07 am and is filed under Connecticut Recruiting, Pittsburgh Recruiting, Rutgers Recruiting, South Florida Recruiting. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.