Alex Schwartz, Drexel Recruiting, Fairfield Recruiting, Georgetown Recruiting, Harvard Recruiting, Iowa Recruiting, Kansas Recruiting, LaSalle Recruiting, Loyola Marymount Recruiting, Marist Recruiting, Maryland Recruiting, Miami Recruiting, Penn State, Rice Recruiting, Rutgers Recruiting, St. Joseph's Recruiting, Syracuse Recruiting, Temple Recruiting, Villanova Recruiting, Virginia Recruiting

HOOP GROUP ELITE CAMP: TUESDAY RECAP

by Alex Schwartz

READING, Pa. – The July Live Evaluation period kicks off today, but NBE Basketball Report’s coverage of the month began yesterday with the first day of Hoop Group Elite Camp. With players from 25 states (plus DC) as well as 14 foreign countries, there is talent from all over the map at Albright College this week.

One of the top young players at camp is 2014 star Ja’Quan Newton, a 6-foot-1 point guard out of Neumann-Goretti (PA). Newton said he is already garnering interest from Villanova, Syracuse, Rutgers, Temple, Kansas, Miami, Penn State, St. Joseph’s, and others.

Newton said that he is unsure of his offers, but does have a few schools standing out, saying, “Top three [are] Syracuse, Rutgers and Villanova,”

Why are those Newton’s favorites right now? “Villanova, I like Jay Wright and how he coaches his team,” he said. “Maalik Wayns had a play where something went wrong, he took him out to talk to him and put him back in. Rutgers, Mike Rice [has] passion for the game [and] . . . Syracuse, I like [Jim] Boeheim, I like the zone.”

The rising sophomore, who has already visited Rutgers, St. Joseph’s and Temple, is looking forward to improving during the Live period.

“I’m just trying to work on my game and get better, that’s it,” Newton said. “Work on my game and get better every day.”
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Kethan Savage, a 6’3 shooting guard out of Episcopal (VA), is one of the top 2012 prospects at Hoop Group Elite. The athletic wing said he holds offers from Towson, Duquesne, Farifield, and Loyola Marymount. In addition, he is hearing from Penn State, Virginia and Iowa.

Asked if he has any favorites, Savage replied, “No, I’m just going through this [Live] period.”

At this point, Savage has taken trips to Virginia, Towson, Duquesne and Loyola Marymount.

“I might be going to Penn State in the near future and that’s probably about it,” Savage said of upcoming trips, adding that he may visit Virginia again as well.

Savage is looking forward towards one specific part of July, the EYBL Finals with his Team Takeover DC squad.

“Well, the highlight is probably gonna be Peach Jam,” Savage said. “Our 17s won that last year [and we are] trying to defend that. Right now [we’re ranked] number one, trying to defend that [too].”
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Speaking of winning championships, 6-foot-6 small forward Jeremiah Worthem of Math, Civics & Sciences (PA) is coming off a PIAA Class A state title this year. The class of 2013 standout is another one of the talented players at Albright this week.

Worthem said he holds offers from Temple, La Salle, Drexel, Rice, and St. Joseph’s. Other schools showing interest are Marist, Georgetown, Maryland, Penn State, Rutgers and Harvard.

The Philadelphian lists Temple and St. Joseph’s as his favorites right now. He has visited both of those schools as well as La Salle. The only other trip he has in the works is one to Rutgers.

“I was supposed to go before the Live period, but something had come up so probably after,” Worthem said of when he will visit the Big East program.

On what he is looking for in a school, Worthem remarked, “Somewhere that fits my game and I can play right away.”

Worthem, who fielded calls from Temple, St. Joseph’s, Harvard, Drexel and La Salle on June 15th, has an idea of when he will be making his commitment.

“Probably about this time next year,” he said. “Before the Live period starts next year I’m gonna make a decision.”

As for this Live period, Worthem is hoping to get his name out there to some schools and develop his reputation.

“Just to get some exposure, play in front of lots of colleges and make a bigger name for myself,” Worthem said of what he is looking forward to in July.
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For 6-foot-3 shooting guard Mike Taylor, the Boys & Girls (NY) graduate was expecting to be in college this fall, having signed with Rutgers as a 2011 prospect. However, he is instead headed to prep school and back on the summer circuit, with Hoop Group Elite as one of his stops.

Taylor is back on the market and is open in his recruitment. He has yet to formulate a list and has not heard from any schools at this point. He was expected to attend Christian Life Center (TX) for his post-grad year, but will instead be going to NIA Prep (NJ).
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In addition to Newton, Savage, Worthem, and Taylor, there are many other quality players at Hoop Group Elite. Other top prospects in attendance include Anrio Adams ’12, Brian Bernardi ’12 (feature story on Bernardi here from last night), Myles Davis ’12, Quenton DeCosey ’12, Davontay Grace ’12, Jermaine Lawrence ’13, Goodluck Okonoboh ’13, Shane Rector ’13, Davon Reed ’13, Stanford Robinson ’13 and Geno Thorpe ’13.