Arkansas Recruiting

BUSINESS AS USUAL FOR ISAIAH WATKINS ON SPRING AAU TRAIL

This weekend starting Friday evening colleg coaches will hit the road for AAU events across the country. Stops in Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and areas far and wide will be popular destinations for Division 1-A head coaches and assistants as they are allowed to evaluate talent for the first time in the busy April AAU schedule in a few years. While the intensity of the action is likely to be ratcheted up a few nothches, CIA Bounce big man Isaiah Watkins is taking it all in stride.

The 6-foot-8 Watkins attends St. Benedict’sPrep in Newark (NJ) and performing in front of college coaches is a regular event for him and his Gray Bees teammates. It was one of the reasons why he chose to attend a school like St. Ben’s and play with a powerful AAU program like the Canadian CIA Bounce program, which participates in Nike’s Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL).

Yet, Watkins is looking forward to showcasing his improvement as a player, but also has goals for himself to continue to impove against the top flight competition he will be facing.
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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 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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RECRUITING UPDATE: ISAIAH WATKINS OF ST. BENEDICT’S PREP

Isaiah Watkins has seen his game grow tremendously in the past year and his recruitment has followed the same growth curve. The Class of 2013, 6-foot-8, 215-pound forward should be expected to see a continued increase in attention as he gets ready to hit the season with St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark (NJ), one of the most high-profile prep programs in the country. Watkins was drawn to the Gray Bees program, where he will play for coach Mark Taylor, for the opportunity to improve every day and play against the toughest competition possible at the prep level. Even with a daunting schedule ahead for the Newark school, Watkins has set his sights very high for the season.

“I’m really looking forward to playing in big games against the top teams in the nation,” Watkins told NBE over the weekend of what he is most looking forward to this season. “I want to help St. Benedict’s achieve something great, collectively I [want] us to become the top ranked team in [the] nation this year.”

Watkins is certainly willing to put his individual accomplishments to the side and do what it takes to help the Gray Bees win. The native Canadian seems to understand that winning will take care of everything when it comes to exposure and the importance of playing for a winning program in the eyes of college recruiters.
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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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RECRUITMENT OF ISAIAH WATKINS CONTINUES TO GAIN STEAM

There are a lot of new faces within the St. Benedict’s Prep basketball program in Newark (NJ) this season. From new head coach Mark Taylor to Class of 2015 must-see point guard Isaiah Briscoe and more new talent on the Gray Bees’ roster it is an exciting new era for the program in Newark. One player that still seems to be under the radar nationally is Isaiah Watkins, another member of the Canadian AAU program CIA Bounce that will look to excel this year for Taylor’s squad.

“What drew me to St. Benedict’s was the goal of becoming better,” Watkins told NBE earlier this evening. “Improving every day and hopefully being able to win at the highest level possible.”

The improvement of Watkins has been ongoing through the spring and summer according to Nolan Shulman, National Recruiting Analyst of Flagrant Fouls and Editor-in-Chief of the Ultimate Recruiting Handbook which is the authority on Canadian basketball prospects. Shulman also noted that Watkins will come to work every single day at St. Benedict’s, which should only enhance his goal of improving.
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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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2011 ORLANDO AAU NOTEBOOK (PART 10): ELIJAH MACON, KALE ABRAHAMSON & MARTAVIOUS NEWBY UPDATES

By Alex Schwartz

MARYLAND OFFICIAL VISIT THE PLAN FOR ELIJAH MACON

If you are looking for a big man to rebound and defend in your Class of 2012 recruiting efforts, 6-foot-9 power forward Elijah Macon could be your man. Yes, he can also finish around the cup and is by no means a major weakness offensively, but his offensive skill set down low is still developing. However, what Macon does do quite well is rebound and defend, two things that are very important. A well built post player with a strong frame, Macon, for the most part, understands his strengths and weaknesses and does not force things. He plays solid interior defense and is an overall sound player who does a lot of the little things.

Miami, West Virginia, Iowa, South Florida, Cincinnati, Xavier, USC and Dayton were the offers listed by Macon this past weekend while playing in the AAU National Championships for the All-Ohio Red program in Orlando. He also mentioned Memphis, Maryland, Georgetown, Kansas and Florida, noting that he has more offers and interest.
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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 4): ARCHIE GOODWIN UPDATES RECRUITING, MCGARY, NOEL CONTINUE TO DOMINATE & MORE

By Alex Schwartz

Ian Baker, a native of the DC-area now attending Arlington Country Day School in Florida, told NBE he has a top five school list he is working off of.

“I’d say my top four are Miami, South Carolina, Providence and Tennessee and you could say Marshall,” he said in Orlando where he is playing in AAU Super Showcase. “That’s my top five.”

Baker said Miami is his leader right now with South Carolina second and Tennessee third.

Baker has offers from four of his top five schools, with Tennessee as the only one who has not offered.

Asked if that is definitely his final five he cut his list to, Baker replied, “That’s about it. I wanna see how it’s gonna be after the tournament, who’s interested, who’s not, but as of now that’s how it’s gonna be.”

At one point Providence was his co-favorite with Miami, but Baker said he has not heard from PC as much of late and noted, “I’m not sure if I’m a top priority to them or not.”
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LAS VEGAS AAU DAY 4 NOTEBOOK: WILD, WILD WEST IN VEGAS

By Raphielle Johnson

By the end of the last college basketball season it was best to simply expect the unexpected. The same could be said for this weekend in Las Vegas, which has produced an unexpected champion in the Kansas City 76ers. The 76ers won the Las Vegas Fab 48 by beating Team Breakdown (Florida) in Monday night’s title game.

While the stands weren’t filled to brim as they were last summer (Oakland Soldiers tend to bring out the crowds), there were a few college programs represented in the coaches area with 2013 wing Ishmail Wainright the primary focus.

Ben Howland (UCLA) and Steve Lavin (St. John’s) were both there to watch Wainwright, who considers Earl Watson (who has connections to both as he played at UCLA under Lavin) to be an older brother and mentor. Other programs represented include Western Illinois, George Mason, Kansas, Missouri, UC Irvine, South Florida, Cal Poly, Nebraska, UM-KC and Creighton.

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UA SUMMER JAM PRESENTED BY NY2LA SPORTS RECRUITING NOTES

By Alex Jesswein

While many across the country have turned their attention to the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League Championship at the Peach Jam in North Augusta (SC), Antonio Curro and his crew at NY2LASports.com have assembled another strong field for the 2011 UA Summer Jam. Some of the biggest names in the 2012 Class are in Wisconsin for the event, including Shabazz Muhammad, Isaiah Austin, Mitch McGary, Perry Ellis and more. Top AAU programs like Dream Vision, Texas Pro, SYF Players, DC Assault, Playground Elite, Team Loaded, and more are competing in the event.

NBE will have much more on the event as it moves to completion on the 15th. For now here are some recruiting notes that NBE has been able to compile in the first two days of action:

Duane Wilson, Class of 2013 point guard with the Playground Elite AAU program, listed Marquette (offer), Minnesota, Memphis, Washington, Virginia, Missouri, DePaul, Wisconsin, Illinois, Miami (FL), Florida State, and Florida. He has visited Kentucky, DePaul and Missouri unofficially recently.

As he heads into his next season, Wilson said he wants to work on getting stronger, playing better defense and hitting shots off of the dribble.
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RUMBLE IN THE BRONX REPORT - PART II

By Brian Bosworth

In the stands at Manhattan College on Saturday, spectators were consistently grumbling about who wasn’t in attendance for this years’ Rumble in the Bronx. Multiple high profile players chose not to make the trip to New York with their respective teams headlined by Andre Drummond and Kris Dunn of CBC, Omar Calhoun and Jason Boswell of the New York Gauchos, Kuran Iverson and Nkereuwem Okoro of the Long Island Lightning, Noah Vonleh of Mass Rivals, and Clyde Smith of New Heights. Despite missing all these future college stars, the tournament rolled on with plenty of guys stepping up in their absence. The top performances from Saturday at Manhattan College are documented below.

Ricardo Ledo (Expressions Elite 2012) – Ledo struggled mightily offensively throughout the majority of his teams’ early morning contest with the Riverside Hawks but showed down the stretch why he’s considered one of the nation’s best players. With his team trailing by 7 late in the second half, Ledo buried three consecutive NBA range 3 pointers each one deeper than the last to spark a 15-0 run and lead his team to victory. He is truly an elite scorer and only struggled today because he settled for the long ball too often. When Ledo is aggressive attacking the basket and takes 3 pointers in rhythm, he is completely unstoppable offensively.

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CHICAGO BEST BUY CLASSIC SCOUTING REPORTS/SCHOOL LISTS

By Doug Ferguson

Last weekend the Joy of the Game facility in Deerfield (IL) hosted the Best Buy Chicago Classic. The 17U crown went to Terry Porter Elite and their 2013 stud Deonta Burton led the charge. NBE will have more on Burton this weekend. For today, Doug Ferguson takes a look at some of the stand out performers, including some visitors from Texas as the Texas PRO and Houston Hoopsters were must-see teams. Indiana Elite, TP Elite and others also showed well at the event…

Isaiah Austin/C/7-1/215/Texas PRO
School List: Committed to Baylor

It is hard to be at any event and where all eyes aren’t on Austin. His size/skill/athleticism combination is truly one of a kind. At one point in this event he had three possessions in a row that resulted in dunk, three-pointer, dunk (and the next possession was an assist). He runs the floor at an elite level for a seven footer and as most would guess is a world class shot blocker. There isn’t much Austin doesn’t do well and he is a seven footer to boot which makes it easy to see why many rank him number one in his class.
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Marlon Johnson/F/6-9/220/Illinois T-Wolves
School List: Unknown
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NIKE EYBL - LOS ANGELES: SATURDAY RUNDOWN

By Raphielle Johnson

The third round of the Nike EYBL tipped off on Saturday, and there’s an awful lot on the line for many of the 40 teams taking part. The top 24 following the three rounds move on to the Nike Peach Jam in early July, making the games at Hangar Athletic Xchange that much more important.

The big matchups of the day wouldn’t come until the evening session of Saturday’s action, with a battle between BABC and Mac Irvin Fire kicking things off. The game provided an opportunity to watch 2013 big man Nerlens Noel and 2014 prospect Jahlil Okafor go head to head, and while there’s only a year’s difference between the two it was rather apparent which one was more prepared for the moment.

Noel, a rangy big man who at this stage in his development is better as a defender, got the better of this matchup in BABC’s 66-54 win. Noel finished with 13 points while also blocking a number of shots and sparking a late first-half run with a thunderous dunk over Okafor. BABC led by seven at the half, and thanks to solid performances from Iowa State commit Georges Niang (20 points) and 2012 guard Domonique Bull (12 points) were able to withstand Mac Irvin’s second half charge.

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2011 BOB GIBBONS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS: DAY ONE

by Alex Schwartz

RALEIGH, N.C. – The 2011 Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions tipped off on Friday night. While the field is not as strong as it has been in the past in large part due to new NCAA regulations that caused last minute changes, there are still a number of talented players in attendance.

NBE Basketball Report will have coverage of all three days of the event. Here is part one of our coverage of the TOC, which features both recruiting updates and player evaluations.

Carlos Morris, a 6-foot-5 wing in the class of 2012, is part of a three-headed monster for the U17 Dwight Howard Warriors. The Arlington Country Day (FL) standout teams with fellow high-major recruits Ian Baker ’12 and Solomon Poole ’13 on the Sunshine State squad.

Morris is garnering interest from a number of Big East programs at this point. He lists offers from Cincinnati, Providence, Miami, South Carolina, Georgia and South Florida. The other schools on his list are Florida, Seton Hall, Missouri, Arkansas, and VCU. Morris lists Cincinnati and Georgia as his favorites at this point.

When 6-foot-8 power forward Jordan Goodman played with the Dwight Howard Warriors last weekend, he was committed to the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. A teammate of Morris at ACD, Goodman has since reopened his recruitment. Although Goodman was not in attendance this weekend, Dwight Howard Warriors coach and ACD assistant Antwain Tennell provided an update on the class of 2012 standout’s recruitment.
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NATIONAL PREP SCHOOL INVITATIONAL RUNDOWN

by PAT STEVENS

Kingston, R.I. - It was a busy weekend starting Thursday and finishing up just before Superbowl XLV on Sunday last at Keaney Gymnasium on the campus of the University of Rhode Island as the 13th annual National Prep School Invitational took place. Featuring 33 games with programs spanning the United States and from Spain, including six televised contests, it was another successful run of the annual event.

Syracuse signee Michael Carter-Williams of St. Andrew’s was named Most Outstanding Player for the second straight year while other Big East signees Maurice Harkless (St. John’s/South Kent), Jakarr Sampson (St. John’s/Brewster Academy) and Shaquille Thomas (Cincinnati/NIA Prep) were named to the 12-man All-Tournament team for their performances over the weekend.

Pat Stevens, who is instrumental in running the event, took the time to break down the players who signed with BIG EAST programs this fall and their performances in the event. Also, staff members, including head coaches from Marquette, Providence and Seton Hall, and assistants from Louisville, Providence, Rutgers, St. John’s, South Florida and West Virginia stopped by during a busy weekend of action to check in on players already committed to their programs and targets they are currently chasing. Pat Stevens has all the details below in our subscriber section…

You can log-in or sign up for NBE Premium access by SUBSCRIBING (HERE) for as low as $2.08 a month with our annual membership to read Stevens complete coverage from the NPSI last weekend for NBE. Also, any of our Premium Content Articles & Event Coverage is available to subscribers.

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HOOP HALL CLASSIC - - DAY THREE

BY JEFF BORZELLO

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Monday of the Hoop Hall Classic is annually the most loaded day of games, complete with a quartet of games on ESPNU. This year, the quality on Martin Luther King Day isn’t as high, but there are still some big-time contests. Prior to the television match-ups, Anthony Davis and Perspectives (Ill.) and Patrick Connaughton and St. John’s Prep (Mass.) got things kicked off. The first ESPNU game was Christ the King (N.Y.) vs. Westchester Country Day School (N.C.), sans an injured Quincy Miller. Following that was a battle between arguably the top players in the classes of 2011 and 2012 with Michael Gilchrist and St. Patrick (N.J.) taking on Bishop Gorman (Nev.) and Shabazz Muhammad. LeBryan Nash and Dallas Lincoln (Tex.) played Findlay Prep (Nev.) and then Academy of the New Church (Penn.) faced Boys and Girls (N.Y.).

In our Hoop Hall Classic - - Day 1 report, Jeff Borzello broke down the performances of BIG EAST commits Myles Mack, Wayne Blackshear, Mikael Hopkins and Jabarie Hinds. There were also scouting reports and recruiting updates on Kris Dunn (’12 PG), Kyle Anderson (’12 G/F), Jordan Adams (’12 SG), Kevin Johnson (’11 PF), C.J Blackwell (’11 SF), Billy Garrett, Jr. (’13 G) as well as a recruiting update on Evan Nolte (’12 SF) and more on Ben McLemore (’11 SG) and Damien Wilson (’12 SG). Hoop Hall Classic - - Day 2 coverage was more of the same with BIG EAST commits John Johnson, Michael Carter-Williams and Amir Garrett in action as well as top-level recruiting prospects such as Alex Murphy (’12 PF), DaJuan Coleman (’12 C/PF), Nik Stauskas (’12 G/F), Landen Lucas (’12 C), Kaleb Tarczewski (’12 C), Andre Drummond (’12 PF) and more…

You can log-in or sign up for NBE Premium access by SUBSCRIBING (HERE) for as low as $2.08 a month with our annual membership to read more of the coverage from the Hoop Hall Classic as Jeff Borzello completes his coverage with top player evals and recruiting updates from the standouts such as Omar Calhoun (’12 G), Isaiah Lewis (’13 G), Shabazz Muhammad (’12 SF), Rosco Allen (’12 SF), Winston Shepard (’12 SF), Anthony Bennett (’12 F) and BIG EAST commits such as Patrick Connaughton and Keton Miles. Also, any of our Premium Content Articles & Event Coverage is available to subscribers.

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