Northstar Basketball

NEW SITE:

2008-08-16T22:21:00.000-04:00

NORTHSTAR BASKETBALL HAS MOVED-

FOR ALL THE LATEST AND GREATEST BASKETBALL RECRUITING AND SCOUTING NEWS, GO TO NORTHSTAR BASKETBALL'S NEW AND IMPROVED BLOG SITE:
http://blog.northstarbball.com/

Northstar Basketball Milestone & Thank You

2008-07-07T14:03:00.002-04:00

July 4th is always a big day for Americas, and this year it was a huge day for Northstar Basketball as well. On Friday, Northstar Basketball got over 2,000 hits in one day for the first time ever. I'd like to thank all of the readers of Northstar Basketball for helping to make it a successful site. Without all of you, the information is useless. Thank you all very much!

Hoop Group Elite Camp Day Two Overview- July 6, 2008

2008-07-07T13:48:00.004-04:00

Day two at The Hoop Group Elite Camp involved a nice blend of playing five-on-five games, drill work and instruction, and listening to a renowned guest speaker. Rain yet again altered the setup of the day, but that was not nearly enough to keep away throngs of college coaches from schools such as Pitt, Rutgers, St. Joe’s, Temple, UMass and Providence. These six were amongst the THREE HUNDRED or so universities represented today at the camp. Here are the players that I saw who thrived under the spotlight and had nice showings:

Ishmael Kalilou ‘10, Windsor (CT)
LeBrent Walker ‘12, Lincoln (NY)
Prince Okoroh ‘11, Eleanor Roosevelt (NY)
Jimmy Louissaint ‘09, Robeson (NY)
Trevor Cooney ‘11, Sanford (DE)
Mario Monroe ‘10, North Cambridge Catholic (MA)
Kelvin Amayo ‘10, Hillside (NJ)
Rico Winston ‘09, Jericho Christian Academy (MD)
Aaron Brown ‘10, St. Benedict’s (NJ)
Zackary O’Brien ‘09, Watchung Hills (NJ)
Jay Bowie ‘10, Tampa Prep (FL)
Naufall Folahan ‘10, Massanutten (VA)
Given Kalipinde ‘09, Episcopal Academy (VA)
Derrick Wilson ‘11, Hotchkiss School (CT)
Markus Kennedy ‘10, St. Patrick’s (NJ)
Ed DiRugeris ‘09, Pennsbury (PA)
Diyaaldin Kelley ‘09 PG, Mariana Bracetti School (PA)
Ryan Hill ‘10, Steelton Highsprire (PA)
Dalton Pepper ‘09, Pennsbury (PA)
Kyle Anderson ‘12, Paterson Catholic (NJ)
Dondre Whitmore ‘10, Trenton Catholic (NJ)
Kamil Parzch ‘10, Lindenhurst (NY)
Josiah Woodruff ‘09, Jericho Christian Academy (MD)
Blake Bozeman ‘10, Paul VI (VA)
Justin Crosgile ‘09, DePaul Catholic (NJ)
Theo Boyomo ‘10, The Kent School (CT)
Omi Ogolo ‘09, James Madison (VA)
Marcus Hebron ‘09, Laurel (MD)
Stephen Spinella ‘09 PG, The Nia School (NJ)
Nick Goff ‘09, St. Francis DeSales (OH)
Kellen Cade ‘09, Hotchkiss School (CT)
Cameron Baker ‘09, Columbus Academy (OH)

The single most impressive one-game performance I saw today was easily that of 6′0 Justin Crosgile in his team’s win during the after set of games. Although official stats aren’t kept, Justin probably dropped around 20 or 25 points in a come-from-behind victory. The Saint Joseph’s commit almost single-handedly brought his team back into the game, against a quality squad featuring Trevor Cooney. Crosgile got it done on both sides of the ball, getting steals and boards on defense, while hitting jumpers, getting to the hole, rebounding, and getting his teammates involved. Crosgile is one of the best point guards in the class of 2009, and games like he had this afternoon are proof of just that.

Some of the young guns went to work today - giving everyone a preview of the talent in the classes of 2011 and 2012. LeBrent Walker, a 6′1 rising freshman had a solid showing in his squad’s final game of the day. Walker got to the basket with ease and had some tough finishes around the rim. LeBrent’s teammate, 6′3 rising sophomore Prince Okoroh also performed well in the team’s last game on day two. Prince showed off a nice all-around game and a knack for getting to the rack. Another youngster who had a solid showing was 6′0 Derrick Wilson, a rising sophomore from out of The Hotchkiss School (CT). Despite not playing up to his potential for much of his team’s first game, Wilson came through when it mattered most. With his squad down one and only eight seconds to go, Derrick drove the length of the court for a layup to put his team out front 53-52, and it would stay that way after 6′4 Aaron Brown of St. Benedict’s missed a shot from about 14 feet out at the buzzer. Last but not least of the underclassmen who had impressive showings on Sunday was Kyle Anderson of Paterson Catholic (NJ), a 6′5 rising freshman. Anderson is one of the most highly-touted players in the class of 2012 nationally, and although he was not outstanding, Kyle more than held his own on the court. The Playaz (NJ) AAU program member showed nice court vision and stellar passing skills - his biggest asset is his fantastic basketball IQ. If these five kids are any indication, the talent level at The Hoop Group Elite Camp will not be falling off any time soon, as there are some gems in younger classes.

SCHOOL LISTS-
Derrick Wilson: Xavier, Texas, Arizona, Duke, and Stanford
Offers: Xavier
Favorites: Texas, Arizona, and Duke; those are his top three
Note- Xavier, Texas, Arizona, and Duke are “highly interested” and “are the main schools” recruiting him

Zackary O’Brien: Central Florida, Stanford, Fordham, Penn St., Niagara, Rider, Auburn, Missouri, James Madison, and St. Joseph’s
Offers: Stanford, Fordham, Niagara, James Madison, and St. Joseph’s
Favorites: Central Florida, Stanford, Niagara, and St. Joseph’s
Note- he says that Rider is “going to offer in [around] two weeks.”

Dalton Pepper: West Virginia, Villanova, Temple, Wake Forest, and Miami
Offers: All five
Favorites: None, “I’m not sure yet.”

Myles Mack ‘11, Paterson Catholic (NJ): Florida and Georgetown
Offers: Georgetown
Favorite: Florida
Note- “That’s all I know right now,” he said of the schools recruiting him, indicating that there are likely more schools involved

Russ Smith ‘10, Archbishop Malloy (NY): Jacksonville, Arkansas, Louisville, George Mason, Ohio, Rutgers, Iona, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Wright St., Miami, St. John’s, Minnesota, Virginia, and South Carolina
Offers: Iona and Rhode Island
Favorites: n/a
Note- he said that “it looks like [Virginia and South Carolina] will offer” him a scholarship

Mike McFadden ‘09, Technology (NJ): Utah, Maryland, Providence, Penn St., LSU, and George Mason
Offers: Utah
Favorites: None, “not really”

Dondre Whitmore: Rider, Iona, Fordham, Robert Morris, St. John’s, and Kent St.
Offers: Rider, Iona, Fordham, and Robert Morris
Favorites: None, “I really don’t have any.”

DeOliver Davis ‘10, Hun (NJ): Dartmouth and Yale
Offers: None
Favorites: n/a
Notes- he is being recruited by “a lot of Ivy [League schools],” has a GPA of “about 3.6,” and said, “I like American, I like Lafayette, . . . I like the Patriot League.”

Trevor Cooney: Delaware, St. Joseph’s, Villanova, Rutgers, West Virginia, Virginia, Notre Dame, and Wake Forest
Offers: Delaware, St. Joseph’s, and Rutgers
Favorites: Delaware, St. Joseph’s, Rutgers, West Virginia, Notre Dame, and Wake Forest
Notes- on his top three, he said they are “probably the ones that have offered me [a scholarship], . . . [and] probably Notre Dame is up there too.” If signing day were tomorrow, he would sign with “Notre Dame maybe,” but of the schools that have offered, he would pick “probably Delaware.”

LeBrent Walker: Arizona, Tennessee, Baylor, Fordham, and St. John’s
Offers: None
Favorites: Kansas St., North Carolina, and UCLA
Note- his favorite of the schools that he has interest from is St. John’s

Prince Okoroh: UMBC, Hood College, and he visited a “small church school” in North Carolina
Offers: None
Favorite: UMBC, “I’d like to go to UMBC out of those ones.”

Sunday was a great day at The Hoop Group Elite Camp, and Monday should bring more of the same, so make sure you check back later for more information.

For more info on Hoop Group Elite Camp, including how to register for camp, please visit: http://www.hoopgroup.com/hoopgroup/eibc_traditional.php.

For more info and updates on both this event and others from the world of high school and AAU basketball check out http://www.hoopgroup.com/hoopgroup/index.php.

Hoop Group Elite Camp Day One Overview- July 5, 2008

2008-07-06T14:20:00.003-04:00

The Hoop Group Elite Camp kicked off today with numerous high-DI prospects, as well as many other DI, DII, and DIII players in attendance. With slightly over 700 kids, this four day camp is the biggest that The Hoop Group has ever had. I was fortunate enough to be able to see quite a few of the top players in action, and a number of ballers were kind enough to chat with me. Without further ado, here’s the overview of the first day of the The Hoop Group Elite Camp.
First off, here is a short sampling of the well-known and/or highly-regarded prospects at the event:

Tyreak Johnson ‘09, St. Raymond’s (NY)
Justin Crosgile ‘09, DePaul Catholic (NJ)
Aaron Brown ‘10, Roman Catholic (PA)
George Harper ‘10, Academy of the New Church (PA)
Rakeem Christmas ‘11, North Catholic (PA)
CJ Aiken ‘10, Abington (PA)
Tyreek Duran ‘10, Neumnn-Goretti (PA)
Adrian Satchell ‘09, Windsor (CT)
Shannon Givens ‘09, Academy of the New Church (PA)
Markus Kennedy ‘10, St. Patrick’s (NJ)
Khalif Wyatt ‘09, Norristown Area (PA)
Kyrie Irving ‘10, St. Patrick’s (NJ)
Egheosa Edomwonyi ‘09, Hun (NJ)
Andre Gillette ‘09, Neumann-Goretti (PA)
Trevor Cooney ‘11, Sanford School (DE)
Rakeem Brookins ‘10, Roman Catholic (PA)
Jayon James ‘10, Paterson Catholic (NJ)

In addition, there will be a few high-quality players who will be coming tomorrow, such as Dalton Pepper ‘09 of Pennsbury (PA) and Mike McFadden ‘09 of Technology (NJ). Despite the U-18 tryouts going on in Virginia and the Rbk U camp taking place in Pennsylvania, The Hoop Group Elite Camp is not lacking talent at all.

As I walked around The College of New Jersey today surveying the games, I took the time to watch some particular players. Along the way, a handful of other kids caught my eye. Some of the top players that I saw on Saturday were the aforementioned Aaron Brown, Rakeem Christmas, Shannon Givens, Markus Kennedy, Khalif Wyatt, Rakeem Brookins, and Jayon
James. The following guys also stood out to me:

Julian Watson ‘09 PG, Arundel (MD)
Kellen Cade ‘09, Hotchkiss School (CT)
Karon Abraham ‘09, Paterson Eastside (NJ)
Azfar Kahn ‘09, East Meadow (NY)
DeOliver Davis ‘10, Hun (NJ)
Lasan Kromah ‘09, Eleanor Roosevelt (MD)
Hayden Palozej ‘09, Stafford (CT)
Reginald Lewis ‘09, Beford (OH)
Jevoy White ‘09, North Plainfield (NJ)
Paris Grant ‘09, Imhotep Charter (PA)
Chase Plummer ‘10, St. Patrick’s (NJ)
Bilal Kelly ‘09, Mariana Bracetti School (PA)
William Harrison ‘09 PG, Wadleigh (NY)
Kevin McGaughey ‘10, Broad Run (VA)
Rico Winston ‘09, Jericho Christian Academy (MD)
Aaron Brown ‘10, St. Benedict’s (NJ)
Keith Brown ‘09, Malboro (MA)
Devon Saddler ‘09, Aberdeen (MD)

SCHOOL LISTS-

William Harrison: George Mason, Binghamton, Marist, St. Joseph’s, and Stony Brook
Offers: None
Favorite: George Mason

Shannon Givens: Seton Hall, Drexel, Harvard, Stanford, Quinnipiac, LaSalle, and Rutgers
Offers: Drexel, LaSalle, Rutgers
Favorite: None

Bilal Kelly: Princeton, Rider, and UConn
Offers: None
Favorite: Rider
Note- Kelly is considering transferring to “either ANC [Academy of the New Church] or Solesbury,” both of which are in Pennsylvania

Rakeem Christmas: Memphis, Kansas, and Virginia
Offers: None
Favorite: Memphis

Rico Winston: Rutgers, St. John’s, and Clemson
Offers: None
Favorite: None
Note- Winston said that he gets “a lot of letters from Clemson.”

Khalif Wyatt: Temple, St. Joseph’s, Delaware, James Madison, New Hampshire, Siena, Niagara, and Rider
Offers: Delaware
Favorite: None, “I can’t say right now.”

Rayner Moquette ‘09, Our Savior New American: Davidson, Virginia Commonwealth, Princeton, Holy Cross, Manhattan, NJIT, and Bucknell
Offers: None, but said that Davidson and VCU contacting him the most and are “about to” offer him a scholarship
Favorites: Virginia Commonwealth and Davidson
Note- has a “3.5″ GPA

Reginald Lewis: Oregon St., Northwestern, Indiana, and Cleveland St.
Offers: None, “no one right now.”
Favorite: Oregon St.

Devon Saddler: TCU, Quinnipiac, Towson, and Drexel
Offers: TCU
Favorite: TCU

Rakeem Brookins: Georgetown, Texas, Virginia, Providence, Delaware, UPenn, Penn St., Clemson, St. Joseph’s, Temple, George Mason, George Washington, Princeton, Brown, and Buffalo
Offers: Delaware and UPenn
Favorites: Georgetown, Texas, Providence, and St. Joseph’s
Note- has a “3.5″ GPA

Keith Brown: Yale, Bucknell, Lehigh, Brown, Army, Navy, Holy Cross, and Quinnipiac Offers: None, “no one right now.”
Favorites: Navy and Quinnipiac, ”probably Navy or Quinnipiac.”

Dominique Raney ‘11, Putnam City (OK): Wichita St. and a DII school in Oklahoma
Offers: None
Favorites: n/a

The best part of the day came in the last set of games. Inclimate weather forced the NCAA (class of 2011 kids) into the main gym, where basically everyone was at that time. During one of the games, there was a roar from the far court . . . then another . . . and another . . . and so on. I made my way over to the court just in time to see Dominique Raney make a crossover, get to the hole, sky and jam. Apparently, Raney had been putting on a show. There was a massive crowd around all four sides of the court, and people were literally on that court as well as the one next to it. Raney’s display of athleticism and hops summed up the quality of this event.

The NBA East Draft was a great event. The draft took about five hours total, and despite the length was an enjoyable part of the camp for those involved. Things began with the selection of centers. The top choice at this position was a kid playing up, Rakeem Christmas, a 6′9 rising sophomore from North Catholic (PA). Massanutten (MA) 6′10 rising senior Mouphtaou Yarou went second, and was followed up by 6′8 Daryl McCoy, a rising senior from Hartford (CT). After the centers came the point guards. Another Rakeem went first in this cateogry: 5′10 rising junior Rakeem Brookins of Roman Catholic (PA). After Brookins was Notre Dame Prep (MA) rising senior, 6′1 Antoine Allen. Shannon Givens, a 5′11 rising senior from Academy of the New Church (PA) went third. After the floor generals came the small forwards, and the top choice was never in doubt, as arguably the camp’s best player is a 3. Dalton Pepper, a 6′5 rising senior from Pennsbury (PA) was selected first. Bishop O’Connell (VA) 6′5 rising senior Kevin Jones was chosen after Pepper. Rounding out the top three at the 3 was 6′6 soon-to-be post-grad Mike Burwell from South Kent (CT). The power forwards were slated to go next, and 6′6 rising senior Mike McFadden of Technology (NJ) led the way. Jordan Allen, a 6′5 rising sophomore from Bay Shore (NY) was picked in the two spot. Jamee Jackson, a 6′7 rising senior at St. Anthony’s was chosen third amongst power forwards. Last but not least were the shooting guards. The two-guard is one of the most stacked positions at the event, and 6′2 rising senior Devon Saddler of Aberdeen (MD) was the first 2 picked. Shane Southewell, a 6′5 rising junior from Rice (NY) went second, and 6′2 rising junior Jermaine Pert of Paterson Catholic (NJ) went third. The NBA East Draft may have taken a while, but it turned out well.

Stay tuned for more from The Hoop Group Elite Camp!

For more info and updates on both this event and others from the world of high school and AAU basketball, check out http://www.hoopgroup.com/hoopgroup/index.php.

Notice:

2008-07-06T02:08:00.003-04:00

Throughout the month of July I will be quite busy, including working at many of The Hoop Group's camps. My work for The Hoop Group began yesterday, July 5th, at the Hoop Group Elite Camp. I will be doing their daily blogging of events, and I'll also be posting information here on Northstar Basketball. The Hoop Group's website is http://www.hoopgroup.com/hoopgroup/index.php. I would like to say, though, that I may need some patience regarding article posts, as I will be covering basketball almost non-stop. I'll definitely do my best to get up articles, but please bear with me. Thanks!

Update on . . . Austin Rivers

2008-07-04T23:38:00.002-04:00

It seems that I got to Austin Rivers at just the right time. The rising sophomore from Winter Park (FL) pulled the trigger on his recruitment recently. The 6'3.5 guard, the son of the Boston Celtics' Head Coach Doc Rivers, has committed to Florida. I spoke with Austin today to discuss his decision. "I felt real comfortable with the coaches [and it's a] . . . beautiful campus," said the up-and-coming class of 2011 stud. Rivers is one of the few committed players in his class, with superstar Aaron Ross (Arkansas) being another. I inquired of the young Rivers whether he was always planning on committing so early, and he told me this: "I really didn't know at first. . . . I knew I should look at some other schools, . . . [but there is] no way a college could be any better." Picking a school at such an early age will make it so that Rivers won't be able to fully enjoy the recruiting process. I asked if if he wishes that he would have had the opportunity to do so, and he told me this: "No, I . . . think it'll be a lot easier doing what I'm doing. . . . [It feels like a] weight has been lifted from my shoulders." I found it interesting that Austin committed to UF, as he had told me that he planned on visiting Memphis, as well as some other prestigious basketball schools. I asked Rivers what he story was on this, and he told me that he "ended up not doing it' because "when it comes down to it, it's going to be the same," adding that he "didn't need to look at the other places in [his] mind." To give you an idea of how great it felt for the young guard to commit, he informed me that "it was more exciting" than when his dad won the NBA Championship with the Celtics. His reasoning was that his "dad won," and not him, whereas he was the one who committed. Austin Rivers is a player to watch down the road, and I'll make sure you can keep track of him right here on Northstar Basketball.

Update on . . . Lance Stephenson

2008-07-03T18:54:00.003-04:00

If you recall, I recently posted an interview with the father of 6'6 swingman Lance Stephenson '09. In the talk, Mr. Stehenson mentioned Memphis, Kansas, St. John's, UCLA, and USC as his son's finalists. The Lincoln (NY) star apparently has another school on his mind, though. Adam Zagoria of http://www.zagsblog.net/ has an article on his site, in which he reports that the younger Lance said that Kansas, Memphis, and Tennessee are his favorites. Making it in more interesting is that Mr. Stephenson informed me that UCLA is his current favorite, yet the Bruins are not in Lance's top three. Stephenson is a player to keep in an eye on, and I'll do just this for you.

Note- This is the link to the article on ZagsBlog.net with Stephenson's school list: http://www.zagsblog.net/2008/07/03/usa-u18-cuts-to-14-players/

Update on . . . DeAndre Liggins and Michael Peck

2008-07-03T18:45:00.003-04:00

I spoke to Findlay College Prep (NV) Head Coach Michael Peck within the hour and received some good information regarding the up-and-coming prep power as a whole, and one of its top outgoing players. Coach Peck told me that he is looking into a player from Puerto Rico who thinks "may be a good fit for the program," but that the transfer is not finalized. The graduating player that I discussed with Coach Peck is 6'6 guard DeAndre Liggins '08, a Kentucky-signee. Liggins' eligibility for next year is up in the air, so I inquired of Coach Peck whether or not his star senior had qualified, to which he told me: "We're still waiting to hear." Findlay's head man does not know when he will find out about the outcome of DeAndre's situation. The top-notch guard did receive his test scores and all the information is in the hands of the NCAA. I will keep you updated on Liggins' status.

Chase Plummer- Filling the Holes

2008-07-02T21:19:00.005-04:00

The St. Patrick's Celtics (NJ) are one of the best high school teams in America ever year. At the Hoop Group Showcase, Kevin Boyle's squad was missing a number of its star players. Jermel Jenkins and Quintrell Thomas are gone to graduation. Dexter Strickland '09 was in Africa for adidas Nations, Michael Gilchrist '11 and Paris Bennett '09 were at the NBA Top 100 camp. Rising sophomores Shaq Stokes and Derrick Gordon also missed the event. This left the opportunity for a number of Celtics to step up and many of them rose to the challenge. One of these players was 6'5 junior-to-be forward Chase Plummer. I caught up him after the team narrowly beat New Rochelle (NY) by a score of 75-72.

NB: What happened out there for [the team]? You had a big, 30-point lead at the half, [and it] slipped away. What went wrong?
CP: The refs were killing us out there, . . . calling no fouls. I got my head taken off under the rim. It was wild, wild out there.

NB: What did you guys do [as a team] to let that game slip away?
CP: We didn’t finish. The second half I wasn’t rebounding, we [were] missing shots, just couldn’t complete . . . down the stretch.

NB: What do you consider to be the strongest point of your game?
CP: I don’t know. My game in general? . . . I rebound, I score. I can score, finish. That’s my big thing when comes to my game.

NB: What’s the weakest point of your game?
CP: Passing, passing really. I got to become a better passer.

NB: What schools are you considering?
CP: I got looks from LaSalle [and] St. Joe’s. That’s really about it right now.

Unfortunately I did not have much time to speak with Plummer, as Coach Boyle wanted to speak with his players. Chase is a talented ball player with a bright future. It is impressive that he was able to step in and be a key contributor at the event, despite not seeing all that much varsity playing time in the past. This is definitely a kid to keep an eye on, as Plummer might be a kid who makes some major strides as a senior, much as departing senior Quintrell Thomas did at St. Pat's.

Scouting Report on Plummer's game vs. New Rochelle:

Chase had an impressive showing against the squad from the Empire State. The 6'5 class of 2010 forward was one of the two best players on the court for the Celtics, along with rising junior 6'1 guard Kyrie Irving. Plummer was impressive in his ability to draw fouls down low and get to the line. The problem, though, is that Chase was not as good when it came to hitting his shots from the stripe. One thing that really stood out about Plummer was his rebounding prowess, especially on the offensive glass. In fact, at one point in the game against New Rochelle, Plummer snatched an offensive board, and then Jeff Borzello of http://marchmadnessallseason.com/ and I both said "oh wow." Chase is big, and seems a bit bigger than his listed height of 6'5. He has long arms, and not surprisingly is a good shot blocker. Plummer will either need to get bigger so that he can really be a 4, or extend his range and his overall game farther from the hole. Right now, Chase is a 'tweener, but a talented one.

Aaron Brown- A Key Part of the Gray Bees' Future

2008-07-02T13:22:00.007-04:00

Aaron Brown plays on a high school team full of superstars at St. Benedict's (NY), which features Lamar Patterson '09, Tamir Jackson '09, Tristan Thompson '10, and Myck Kabongo '11 as its prime stars. Other well-known players include Mike Poole '10, Tavon Sledge '11, and Myles Davis '11. The first four of those players did not participate in the Hoop Group Showcase due to the NBA Top 100 camp in Virginia. Thus, Brown and the Gray Bees' other youngsters had a chance to shine. Aaron, a 6'4 forward in the class of 2010, was easily the best player the squad had at the event. I spoke with him after after his squad eked out a win over PCTI (NJ).

NB: You hit the winning shot. How’d it feel?
AB: It felt good. I think we should have still won by about 20 points. We let them come back into the game, and it felt good though, [to] hit the winning shot.

NB: How’d that happen? How’d you guys let that lead slip away?
AB: It came in with the subs. When [the coach] brought in some subs, . . . a couple kids from JV. They [are] not used to varsity basketball. So, they [are] just getting a feel for it for their first time, so [they] probably were a little nervous.

NB: What’s your outlook for [the] season next year at St. Benedict’s? You guys are . . . unexpectedly losing Greg [Echenique]. You guys are losing Samardo [Samuels]. How are you going to rebound from that?
AB: We got a couple big-time guards coming in, and I think we got one big man [too]. So this year, like last year, our goal is to get number one in the country, so I think we can do it this year.

NB: What are some of your other goals?
AB: By the end of the year, for me to commit to a school. Other goals, . . . have a good record like we did last year and the reputation going for the school.

NB: What schools are currently recruiting you?
AB: Providence, Michigan, Kentucky, Marist, Virginia Tech. I got some other schools, but I don’t remember [them] off the top of my head.

NB: Have all those schools offered you a scholarship?
AB: Providence did, Marist did, Kentucky did, I got Harvard did. I got a couple Ivy League schools, they all offered me. . . . I’m keeping my mind open, I don’t know what I’m going to do yet.

NB: What’s your Grade Point Average [GPA]?
AB: 3.6.

NB: Do you have a favorite right now, [a] top school?
AB: No, I don’t have a favorite right now. I’m looking at everybody.

NB: Do you have a dream school?
AB: Dream school? Florida.

NB: If Florida offered, would you commit on the spot?
AB: I think so, yeah.

NB: What makes Florida standout to you?
AB: I [have] always liked them. Even before they won the National Championship, since I was little.

NB: What do you consider to be the strongest point of your game?
AB: Going to the hole.

NB: What [is] . . . the weakest [point of your game]?
AB: Weakest? Probably shooting off the dribble.

NB: What are you doing to work on that?
AB: I’m in the gym everyday with one of the coaches, working on my game, so [I’m] working on the jump-shot, going to the hole, trying to polish up my game.

NB: What AAU team to you play with?
AB: [The] Metro Hawks 16 and Under [team].

NB: What’s it like for you to put on that St. Benedict’s jersey? [It’s] such a prestigious [basketball] school.
AB: It feels good, we’re respected all around the country, so every time we put it on, you got to come to play.

Aaron Brown is a superstar in the making. He will likely always be overshadowed by Tristan Thompson, arguably the best player in the country in the class of 2010, but that doesn't mean Brown can't make a name for himself. In fact, it's likely that Aaron will indeed become a commonly known player in the high school basketball world, as he has a great deal of talent. Tell your friends about the rising star now, and in a few years when Brown is starring for Danny Hurley, you'll look like a genius for seeing it in advance.

Scouting Report on Brown:

Brown is just 6'4, but he looks a bit bigger. He can bang down low and player either forward position, though he'll need more height to be a full-time 4. Right now has a nice game, but needs to develop a better shot and extend his range. Aaron is a player with whom what you see is what you get, and might not have a vast amount of potential, though a major growth spurt would change that. Brown plays well in big games and in major moments, evidenced by the fact that he hit the game-winner against PCTI (NJ) and led his team in points against both PCTI and St. Patrick's (NJ), one of the Gray Bees' major rivals. Overall, Brown is a gifted player, who just needs to refine his game as a whole.

Note- photo is from http://scouthoops.scout.com/

Update on . . . Lance Stephenson- A Father's Perspective

2008-07-01T21:45:00.007-04:00

Lance Stephenson has been the talk of America in the high school basketball world for quite some time. The class of 2009 6'6 superstar swingman at Lincoln (NY) has been talked about in New York City for much longer though. Yet even before the NYC circle began to discuss Stephenson, his father saw something in him. Lance Stephenson, Sr. has seen his son progress from a youngster all the way to one of the best players in America. I spoke with Mr. Stephenson at the Steve Nash Skills Academy, where he was taking in the action.

NB: What schools [are] Lance really considering?
LS: UCLA, Kansas, USC, and St. John’s . . . [and] Memphis.

NB: What do you think Lance needs to work on the most?
LS: A little bit of everything. He has an all-around game, . . . so he’s got to keep brushing up on everything, all his tools. . . . It’s not that one thing that I can say he needs to work on, just everything, just keep getting better.

NB: What do you see as the strongest point in his game?
LS: His strength, his agility, he’s real quick, he [has] got good lateral movement, he’s explosive, he’s got the complete package right now.

NB: What do you think helped him get to where he is right now? Other than just having the natural ability.
LS: Just working out, [a] lot of push-ups. . . . It’s a little bit of a mix of everything, natural ability, a lot of hard work, push-ups, pull-ups, dips, . . . a whole lot of advice, information, so he [has] known how to make the right plays from an early age.

NB: When Lance was young, did you see him having the potential to be such a talented player?
LS: Yes, yeah, from day one, I knew that he was going to be a real talented player, just like my other son.

NB: Other than you two, who’s going to be involved in the decision process for college?
LS: My wife, that’s about it. . . . His high school coach [Dwayne “Tiny” Morton of Lincoln (NY)] has a little bit on influence as well.

NB: Is Lance going to eventually make the final decision, or is it just going to be a group choice?
LS: I would say he [is] going to make the final decision. We [are] just going to give him all the information and let him decide what he wants to do.

NB: Is there a school . . . that you favor, that you think Lance should go to right now?
LS: Right now my favorite school is UCLA.

NB: What makes the Bruins standout to you?
LS: Well, the tradition, the conference, the style of play, they let the guards play pretty free.

NB: If not for the NBA age limit, would Lance be going pro next year?
LS: I think if you asked me that question . . . when that times [I would have a better idea], but an educated guess, I would say ‘yeah,’ he’s definitely got all the skills, and after looking at [Thursday’s NBA] Draft, all of those kids, all of the freshman that went, he’s playing against or with before, so we pretty much know some of the good players.

NB: You mentioned all the freshmen. Do you think Lance is a lock to be a one-and-done [player in college]?
LS: No, nothing is a lock, . . . he got to play the games. I wouldn’t say he’s a lock, he still has a lot of work to do.

NB: With all the attention that he’s been receiving since eighth grade, do you ever see it getting to him, kind of . . . bringing him down a little bit, having all that focus on him?
LS: No, nothing [is] bringing him down, he’s still rising. Heading into his senior year he has a lot . . . of accomplishments that he’s already done, wining three [New York] City [championships], two state [championships]. He’s still rising, next year I think will be the icing on the cake.

NB: What are you most proud of Lance for?
LS: Just staying with it, and really not folding, he’s kept the same . . . demeanor all the way through . . . high school. He’s kept the same demeanor, he hasn’t let the media change his game, he still has his attitude, he still has his . . . aggressiveness, and that’s really what I’m most proud of him [for]. He designed his game, and he’s sticking with it.

NB: What [are you most proud of him for] . . . outside of basketball?
LS: What am I most proud of him . . . [for] outside of basketball? I’m proud that he’s my son. I’m proud that he’s healthy. I’m proud that he’s [a] pretty good student in school.

NB: What are Lance’s plans for July during the evaluation period?
LS: He’ll be trying out for the USA . . . 18 and Under team.

The younger Lance Stephenson was by far the most impressive player at the Steve Nash Skills Academy. His play in the five-on-five scrimmage to end the event was fantastic. Lance's father certainly knows of the talent and potential that his son possesses. He definitely is proud of Lance's game, and he should be, as Lance is one of the best player in the United States. I'll make sure that I keep you updated on how things are moving along for the younger Lance Stephenson.

Scouting Report on Stephenson:

Lance Stephenson may well be the best player in America. He has a fantastic all-around game. The Lincoln (NY) stud is even talented enough that his teammates deferred to him at the Steve Nash Skills Academy to run the point in the scrimmage, despite being the only non-point guard on his team. Stephenson '09, a 6'6 swingman, can shoot the rock, with range that extends out to the three-point line. Lance can also get to the hole and has a solid handle. He is a spectacular athlete with great hops, and well-chiseled frame. The NYC phenom seems to have a good work ethic, as he chose to shoot around during the water break in the scrimmage at the Nash Academy. At times, Stephenson can be a bit too flashy. As well, his attitude is something that he needs to work on. He gets frustrated with lesser teammates when they make mistakes and is a bit cocky. Yet, that may well be from being "the man" in the Big Apple for so long. A change of scenery for college may be quite helpful for the gifted ballplayer. Attitude aside, Lance might have the most complete game of anyone in America, including graduating seniors from the class of 2008. Lance Stephenson is the real deal.

Note- photo is from http://scouthoops.scout.com/

MAJOR BREAKING NEWS!!! Update on . . . Isaiah Armwood

2008-07-01T17:24:00.015-04:00

A source close to the Villanova program has informed me that 6'8 forward Isaiah Armwood of Montrose Christian (MD) has committed to the Wildcats. Northstar Basketball is the FIRST site to report this commitment. Again, Isaiah Armwood has committed to Villanova. He will pair with Maalik Wayns of Roman Catholic (PA) in what is looking like an amazing recruiting class. It will be interesting to see if the top-notch Big East programs can keep the commitments rolling in. I just got off the phone with Armwood. He told me that he officially committed "yesterday," and that “the past week . . . [he] wanted to get it done.” The Montrose Christian star told me this regarding the commitment: “Basically it’s one of the biggest decisions I’m ever going to make.” I asked Isaiah why he chose the Wildcats, to which he responded by saying that he reached his decision by “looking at how it was going to affect [him] in the long run and set [him] up for the future.” Armwood and Wayns already have a close relationship, so the two may well have great chemistry at the college level . "[We are] kind of like brothers. . . . [We] talk to each other all the time. We really have a good relationship because we talk so much,” is what Isaiah said about his relationship with Wayns. “Yeah, it’s possible, I don’t see why not. . . . I’m going to try to talk to them and see if I can have an impact on . . . [their] decision,” was what Armwood told me regarding whether he would try to convince players such as Montrose teammates Tristan Spurlock '09 and Terrell Vinson '09 to commit to Villanova. It seems that Vinson might be a good option for Armwood, as he told “I know Terrell a lot, we’ve played together all our lives,” though he did say, "I don’t think I can totally convince nobody." Regarding the timing of the commitment, I inquired of the stud forward whether he was always planning on committing the summer after his junior year, or if the timing just felt right this week: “I always told myself I was going to commit sometime during the summer, . . . [but I] didn’t know it would be this early.” Isaiah Armwood is a fine talent, and Jay Wright and Co. must be quite happy to have him headed their way.

Steve Nash- Not Your Average NBA Star

2008-07-01T16:35:00.005-04:00

The Steve Nash Skills Academy was a fantastic Nike-run event. A big part of the success of the 2008 event was the man for whom the camp is named, Steve Nash. The Phoenix Suns point guard, a two-time NBA MVP, did not just put his name on the event and then not participate in the workouts. Rather, Nash was active in coaching the campers, both the college and high school players. The superstar, was kind enough to talk to the reporters at the event on Friday, and we had the opportunity to ask him some questions.

CSN: You see a guy like Stephen Curry, he comes here, a guy who has a major profile already, but what does that mean that he wants to take the time and have the opportunity to come and work out with you?
SN: Well, it’s great that he’s so humble and hard-working. I think, obviously, that’s why he is where he is, and that’s why he has such a high profile. So, those are the tools that I try to impress on these guys, that it’s your attitude, your effort, your commitment, and how good a teammate you are that are just as important as how fast you are or how well you can shoot, so they’ve demonstrated a great propensity to work and to listen, and I think that’s going to take them a long way.

CSN: This camp’s in two parts, there’s high kids and college kids. What is the biggest difference between the two?
SN: Well, I think and strength and experience. The college kids are a little stronger, they’ve been lifting weights with their programs, and also just been growing as men, become men, rather than boys. So, there is a physical difference, and then I think also mentally. The play in difficult environments, and the play with more pressure, and against better players, has given them a lot of experience.

CSN: There’s a kid here, a high school kid, Maalik Wayns, [who is] already going to go to [Villanova]. . . . You get to know these kids through the week. . . . Somebody like him, what specifically do you see in a guy like that?
SN: It’s so exciting to see the talent these kids have, and the spark they have for the game. So, . . . it’s exciting to see them at this stage, to be able to follow him at Villanova, and watch how he’s able to take the lessons and the competition he has at a camp like this, and allow that to propel him into succeeding at the next level, and I just love seeing the talent, and the excitement, and them listening, these coaches being assembled here. That makes me feel good because then I feel like the kids got a chance.

PS: Is there a big ‘wow’ factor for you seeing some of these kids, and just saying you can’t believe how good they are at such a young age?
SN: Of course. Some of them are so young and so talented already, you feel like you have to check their birth certificates, they’re clever, and it’s great to see. It’s a beautiful thing to see that the game is still strong, and that kids are still excited and passionate about it.

CSN: People have trashed basketball in North America, in saying the European skill levels and their development programs are so much better. Is this the kind of thing that . . . North American basketball, Canadian and US, is using to combat that?
SN: I think so. You know, . . . it’s true, the world has caught up in some areas. I think to come here and to really put players in a camp just for their positions, just for the skills it really takes to succeed at that position is a way to give these kids an opportunity to make steps that maybe they wouldn’t make if they didn’t have this opportunity. So, maybe it is a response to the . . . growth the game has seen around the world, and I think with camps like this, the rebuttal will be strong.

AZ: A couple of the high school kids, Lance Stephenson and Dexter [Strickland] are going to try out for Under-18 USA team, competing against college kids. Do you think some of these kids could play on a U-18 team of college kids, and do you think there’s renewed pride to try to play for USA since the Americans have suffered a little bit?
SN: I don’t know about the renewed pride. . . . They may not be as good, or not all of them will be as good right now, but they’re capable of playing with them, and I think a few of them will fit right in.

CSN: X’s and O’s-wise what are the most important things you try to teach to these kids in this kind of setting?
SN: Well, I think the biggest thing that we’re trying to teach the at the Point Guard Academy is [the] pick-and-roll. . . . Pick-and-roll’s such a huge part of basketball, . . . and it’s also one of the most difficult things for a young player to learn, and it takes years and years, and you always are getting better at it, and I think we only give them the tools so they give themselves a chance to get better at it every year, because I think it’s something that I think I’m still improving at, and hopefully if we can give them the tools and the insight, that they can continue to improve and make rapid gains.

KA: With the high school guys especially, change of speed and using speed to your advantage, not always going 100 miles an hour, is that something you notice with some of these guys, that they’re trying to get some things done too quickly?
SN: Yeah, I think it’s a trait of a lot of young players is that they rush a little bit, they’re in a hurry. You want to allow them to slow down a little bit, use their speed to their advantage, and I think that once you got at full speed all the time, you’ve just given away all the time, the defense can key in on you, but if you change pace, change speeds, change directions, you give yourself a chance to really allow your speed to be an advantage.

CSN: [The] NBA Draft [was on Thursday]. Since you’re here, talk about what you guys did and what you saw in the draft in general.
SN: All I heard is that we got Robin Lopez [from Stanford]. So, I’m excited about that, it’s nice to have some size and athleticism. . . . I think he’s an intelligent kid, so it’ll be a great addition to our team, but I didn’t see what happened after that, so, sorry.

NB: Are there any kids in specific here that have stood out to you as some of the top players?
SN: Not really. It’s really hard in this setting to acknowledge that because it’s not five-on-five. So, I couldn’t really.

PS: Talk about how Steve Nash at the same age might have fared, in high school, at this camp.
SN: Well, I think I would have done okay because I was a hard worker, I had good skills, and I was creative, but I think physically, I think . . . these were ahead of me, and when I went to Santa Clara [for college], it took me a little while to catch up to the level and the speed of the game. . . . I think these kids, physically, are ahead of me [from] when I was there age, it took a little time to catch up.

CSN: Excuse me for not knowing, but are you playing in the Olympics this summer?
SN: No.

AZ: Talk [about new New York Knicks Head Coach Mike] . . . D’Antoni. What can he bring to the Knicks?
SN: I think Mike’s going to be great for them, for the Knicks, and the city, it’s kind of the center of basketball in many ways, this is such a great basketball city, and the struggles the Knicks have had have been painful for the fans. I think Mike’s going to be fantastic, they’re going to play a little bit different style than they’re used to here in New York. It’s probably been a few years since they got up-and-down [the floor] the way he’ll want him to, but he’s such a talented and intelligent coach. I think he can’t help but have a great impact on the team.

CSN: How is that going to change what you guys do out there too? You have to now . . . adapt to a new coach, and a new style, and a new system.
SN: Well, we’re lucky to have a great coach. We’re sad to lose Mike, but to be able to replace him with Terry Porter, someone we all respect and admire, is going to be a lot of fun, and hopefully we can win some games, tweak some things, and be a better team.

CSN: Is it disappointing the way this year ended? I know when you got Shaq [O’Neal], you had, certainly, major expectations.
SN: [It was] very disappointing. We wanted to win a championship. To lose in the first round hurt a lot.

PS: Speaking of New York, in the past you’ve played soccer in the summers, you’ve made it your home in the summer. Are you playing this summer?
SN: Yeah, . . . same as always.

PS: Which team are you playing with?
SN: I play on an Italian team and I play on a team sponsored by Phoebe’s.

NB: What drew you to this camp to be a part of it, and [led you] run your own point guard camp?
SN: Well, Nike just asked me if I’d be interested, and I thought it was a great opportunity for these youngsters, and if I could help, I’d be happy to.

NB: What types of players will thrive in Coach D’Antoni’s system? . . . Do you think [he will be able to] . . . co-exist with Stephon Marbury?
SN: Of course he can. I think Steph’s an extremely talented player, and if he and Mike enjoy working together, he’ll flourish. There’s no doubt in my mind.

CSN: Will you miss [D‘Antoni]?
SN: Yeah, . . . we’ll miss Mike. It’s really sad to see him go. . . . We had a lot of success together, and everyone enjoyed playing for him, so it’s sad to see him.

KA: In terms of footwork, and just like you said, pick-and-roll being one of the biggest things, what can you teach them in this short time about using footwork?
SN: I just wanted them to . . . dictate what they wanted to do and not let the defender dictate it, for them to get to the places on the floor [where] they can operate, and stay away from places on the floor where it [is] . . . difficult for them, and setting their man up, getting their man on his heels when they come off pick-and-rolls so they can create space for themselves. It opens up passing lanes and shot opportunities.

It's clear that Steve Nash really does care about helping young basketball players. He is able to not only focus on his game, the Suns, the NBA as a whole, but also on being a good role model and teacher for some of the premiere high school school and college guards in America. It seems that being a two-time MVP has not gotten to Nash's head, as he is still a down-to-earth person. Next time you see Steve Nash lighting it up on TV, don't forget all the good he is doing for players who will one day be in his shoes, especially if he's playing against your favorite team. It will help you to not get mad at the kind-hearted Canadian as he makes the players you root for look silly.

Note- CSN=Comcast Sports Net, PS=Patrick Stanwood, AZ=Adam Zagoria of http://www.zagsblog.net/, KA=Kevin Armstrong of http://sportsillustrated.com/, and NB=Northstar Basketball

Note- photo is from http://www.nba.com/

Austin Rivers- Making a Name for Himself

2008-06-30T20:56:00.002-04:00

In the basketball world, Rivers is a big-time last name right now, as Doc Rivers just coached the Boston Celtics to the NBA title. The head man in Beantown has another star in his family. Doc's son, 6'3.5 guard Austin Rivers of Winter Park (FL), was one of just two players in the class of 2011 at the Steve Nash Skills Academy, along with Tony Wroten. Rivers, Wroten, Michael Gilchrist, LeBryan Nash, and LaQuinton Ross will likely be battling for the top spot in their class as time progresses. I had a chance to speak with Austin after he finished up his final workout at the Nash event.

NB: What was it like watching your dad coach the Celtics to the NBA Championship?
AR: Man, it didn’t really sink in until the next day. It was crazy, it was probably the craziest thing, probably the best day of my life so far. [It] was crazy.

NB: Do you kind of felt a weight off of his shoulders, finally winning that title, getting that playoff [series] win and all that?
AR: Yeah, I think he can actually relax now, now that he’s at least won one and he has none of that pressure about having all those great players and not succeeding, so I think he’s more relaxed now.

NB: What’s it been like for you being around NBA players all the time, with your dad always being around those guys?
AR: It’s different. . . . It’s helped me a lot because they teach you a lot of stuff. I don’t train with them or play with them that much, I just go in my backyard and play, but it’s a lot different. They teach you stuff and it’s fun.

NB: You’ve really come on strong during the spring and summer. What’s went into that for you?
AR: It’s been good so far. I’ve been working, I think I’ve been playing a lot better because I’ve been getting a little bit . . . stronger, and . . . I’m trying to get a lot more stronger, and I just can’t wait until the Peach Jam.

NB: What’s the biggest strength in your game?
AR: I’d say my jump-shot because it can open me up, and when they have to play close, I think I [am] quick enough to go by a lot of people, and I can penetrate or score. . . . Just, the jump-shot, I think [it] opens me up.

NB: What’s your biggest weakness?
AR: I’d say my strength. Compared to these dudes, these dudes are pretty big. You got Lance [Stephenson] and Tommy [Mason-Griffin] over there [that] look like football players. . . . I need to get a little bit . . . bigger. I think that’s my weakness, strength.

NB: What schools are you currently considering?
AR: Florida, right now. . . . University of Florida, that’s most likely.

NB: Is that your dream school?
AR: It’s one of them. I’ve always liked them and Texas, and North Carolina, and Kansas. Those are the . . . four right there.

NB: Who do currently have an offer from?
AR: Florida, [Central Florida], and . . . I’m going to try to go visit Memphis, Kansas, and Texas.

Austin Rivers is not only a nice and genuine kid, he is a talented ball player. That's evident merely from the fact that the rising sophomore was invited to the Steve Nash Skills Academy, a top-notch Nike event. Rivers is a player with a of potential, as he is still young and lanky. Once he begins to fill out his frame, Rivers will be a load for any defender to handle. Austin was one of just three or four players who kept shooting around during the water break in the scrimmage I saw him. His work ethic will take him a long way, and it will help him to be more than just Doc's son.

Note- photo is from http://scouthoops.scout.com/

Tony Wroten- The Best in the Class of 2011? He Says "Yes"

2008-06-30T16:42:00.012-04:00

The Steve Nash Skills Academy featured some of the best players in America. The invitees included Lance Stephenson '09, John Wall '09, Tommy Mason-Griffin '09, Maalik Wayns '09, Doron Lamb '10, and Trae Golden '10. One of the biggest names at the event, which was full of superstars, was class of 2011 big-timer Tony Wroten of Garfield (WA), a 6'4.5 guard. After the last workout of the event, I had the opportunity to catch up with Wroten, one of only two players in his class at the event.

NB: What schools are you currently considering?
TW: Man, there’s a lot. I got long [list]. . . . It’s Louisville, Syracuse, [Villanova], Memphis, Maryland, Seton Hall, [and] Washington. I can go on and on. . . . I don’t even know what my top five [is] yet.

NB: How many offers do you have at this point?
TW: I only got one.

NB: From who?
TW: Washington

NB: What’s it like for you getting so much attention? You’re . . . going to be a sophomore next year, yet you have so much national attention.
TW: It’s great because . . . a lot of people come to your games, all eyes are on you, but then again, . . . I can’t think all about me, it’s about my team, and then my game will follow. So, it’s a nice privilege to have people come see me [and] have [my] games [be] packed.

NB: What’s the strongest point of your game?
TW: My vision. . . . I’m an all-around player. . . . I’m like Magic Johnson basically.

NB: What’s the weakest point of your game?
TW: Right now, I’d say, my opposite hand, my right hand.

NB: Are you the best player in the class of 2011?
TW: Yes, by far. . . . I’m not saying that to be cocky, I’m just saying it to be confident. The reason why is because I can do it all, shoot, dribble, go to the hole, play defense. I always want to guard the best player on the . . . opposite team, that’s why a few days ago I wanted to guard Lance . . . Stephenson and John Wall [because] they [are] the best. That’s why I think I’m the best in [the] class.

Wroten is certainly confident, and rightfully so. The young guard has a bright future ahead of him, and it appears that he has many options as to where he wants to go in his future. Wroten's cousin, Nate Robinson of the New York Knicks, can likely give him some secrets to success and some tips on how to handle pressure. Tony Wroten is a player that you will be hearing much more about as his years in high school move along.

Scouting Report on Wroten:

Tony Wroten was the second tallest player at the camp, behind Lance Stephenson '09, who is actually a swingman. Tony has a nice build and a big frame. The star from Washington is a top-notch athlete. It was this aspect of the the class of 2011 guard's game that made him stand out the most. He is a great dunker and has great hops. Wroten's size, athleticism, and overall talent will take him a long way.

Note- photo is from http://scouthoops.scout.com/

Update on . . . Khalid Lewis El

2008-06-30T15:17:00.002-04:00

Class of 2011 swingman Khalid Lewis El just finished up a big weekend in San Diego, California. The 6'3 star from Trenton Catholic (NJ) was at the adidas Phenom 150 event in the Golden State. He had a big-time weekend and busted out in a major way. Khalid was ranked by http://www.hoopscooponline.com/ as the number three player at the camp, which had around 360 kids in the rising 10th graders division. Lewis El was the top ranked wing forward, and the highest finisher of all players from the New Jersey/New York/Pennsylvania basketball powerhouse area. I'll keep you posted on how things are coming along for the TCA soon-to-be sophomore.

Tavon Sledge- Young Speedster Wants to Improve

2008-06-29T23:07:00.003-04:00

St. Benedict's (NJ) seemed to have the game in lock during their matchup with PCTI (NJ) at the Hoop Group Showcase. The Gray Bees, who led by 14 at halftime, and were up by double digits for most of the contest, let the squad from PCTI slowly creep back into the game. The game was all tied up with under a minute to go and PCTI had the ball, but was unable to convert. St. Ben's took advantage of the opportunity and hit a close-range shot as time expired. During the hard fought contest, Tavon Sledge, a 5'10 point guard, stood out as one of the premiere players for either side. I had the opportunity to chat with the class of 2011 star after the win.

NB: What happened with [the team] out there? You guys had a big lead, [but] fell apart. You guys had to win it on the last second shot. What went wrong?
TS: We just got too ahead of ourselves, started throwing turnovers. We weren’t settled. We were trying to rush our shots, and just [did] not listen to the coach really.

NB: How did you personally contribute to the letdown at some point during that game?
TS: I threw some crucial turnovers, too. I tried to push the issue and tried to get my team involved when we weren’t supposed to, and that’s pretty much it.

NB: How did you then help your team rebound and get the win?
TS: I tried to stay down low as much as possible and try to double down on the big man because he started killing us at the end and started getting more rebounds.

NB: What do consider to be the strongest point of your game?
TS: My speed and my ability to score.

NB: What’s the weakest point of your game?
TS: My jump-shot.

NB: What are you doing to improve your jump-shot?
TS: I’m working a lot on my jump-shot with my trainer, . . . so I’m trying to get to him as much as possible every week and work on the shot.

NB: What do you see as some of the similarities between playing in a high school game during the summer and an AAU event during the summer?
TS: AAU is more of a run-and-gun game. [In] high school [games] you got to be smart and listen to the coach because [in] AAU, coaches don’t really coach, they just let you play. [In] high school [games] you got to run sets and just follow what the coach is saying because if you don’t listen he’ll take you out.

NB: Which one do you prefer?
TS: High school.

NB: Which one do you think you play better in?
TS: I think I play better in AAU.

NB: Then why [do] you prefer high school [basketball]?
TS: Because I think it’s going to get me better more [than AAU is] in the future. . . . I like to run a lot and play, but high school teaches me how be smart as a point guard and play . . . [like] the coach is telling me to.

NB: You brought up the future. What are some of the colleges you’re considering right now?
TS: I don’t even know yet.

NB: Have you been receiving any interest?
TS: I got letters from Marquette, Seton Hall, Villanova, . . . Syracuse, and that’s pretty much it.

NB: Are you interested in . . . [at] some point playing in the Big East?
TS: Yeah.

NB: Do you have a dream school?
TS: Not really.

NB: Is the Big East the conference that you want to play in though?
TS: Yeah.

NB: What are you looking for in a college?
TS: Something just to get me better, to be a smarter student. . . . That’s pretty much it.

NB: How important will academics be in your decision?
TS: Very important.

It's evident that Tavon, a speedster with great hops, wants to improve his game. The floor general will definitely get some playing time for the Gray Bees this year, despite the crowded point guard situation. With seasoning and practice Tavon Sledge may well become one of the best point guards in his class. It seems that getting him to practice won't be an issue, as the St. Benedict's guard is a baller who wants to become as good as he can.

News & Notes-

2008-06-28T12:30:00.004-04:00

Here are some quick tidbits of information for you:

- Prior to the NBA Draft officially starting, I asked Jerryd Bayless if he knew where he was going to get pick, and he responded by saying, "I have no idea." It seems that the players really do have to wait in the dark.

- Duke's Greg Paulus was injured at the Steve Nash Skills Academy. He hurt his ankle and ended up on crutches. Paulus did not go to the gym for camp activities on Friday, the last day of drills and workouts.

- Dexter Strickland of St. Patrick's (NJ) apparently has a pulled hamstring. The injury, which he seems to have suffered either just before adidas Nations in Africa or during the event, kept him out of the Steve Nash Skills Academy, and he did not even come on Friday.

- The Steve Nash Skills Academy really is a "skills academy." The players do drills, work on fundamentals, get quality coaching, play some games, and work hard. Nike is doing a great job trying to help these players improve their games. As well, Steve Nash was not only at the event, but he really did do coaching. It wasn't as if the Phoenix Suns star just stood around and watched the camp go on. He took an active role in helping the kids get better. The camp was well-run an well organized. Kudos to Nike!

Upcoming Interviews:

2008-06-28T12:22:00.003-04:00

I'm sorry I was unable to post any articles yesterday. I had a very busy 24 hours that included attending the Steve Nash Skills Academy at Kean University in Union, New Jersey. These are the college players that participated in the event that I spoke to: Stephen Curry of Davidson, Jai Lucas of Florida, Eric Maynor of Virginia Commonwealth, Levance Fields of Pitt, and Tyrese Rice of Boston College. I caught up with two of the event's high school players, class of 2011 stars Tony Wroten, Jr. and Austin Rivers. As well, I took the chance to chat with some members of the crowd: Brandon Costner of North Carolina St. and Lance Stephenson's father. Finally, I had the opportunity to ask some questions of Steve Nash along with a few other reporters. Besides these 10, I got contact information for a number of other players, including John Wall, Kenny Boynton, and Jack McClinton, and will speak to those guys sometime in the near future. For now, stay tuned in for these interviews, as well as many of the ones I conducted at the Hoop Group Showcase. Thanks!

2008 NBA Draft My Way

2008-06-26T15:13:00.006-04:00

Here's a rundown of how the first round of the 2008 NBA Draft would go if I were the GM of all 30 teams. Basically, I'm saying what I think the team should do with each pick.

Pick. Team: Name, Position, Grade/Age, College/Country
1. Chicago: Michael Beasley, F, Fr, Kansas St.
2. Miami: Derrick Rose, G, Fr, Memphis
3. Minnesota: Kevin Love, F, Fr, UCLA
4. Seattle: OJ Mayo, G, Fr, USC
5. Memphis: Brook Lopez, C, So, Stanford
6. New York: Jerryd Bayless, G, Fr, Arizona
7. Los Angeles Clippers: DJ Augustin, G, So, Texas
8. Milwaukee: Danilo Gallinari, F, 19, Italy
9. Charlotte: Eric Gordon, G, Fr, Indiana
10. New Jersey: Anthony Randolph, F, Fr, LSU
11. Indiana: Russell Westbrook, G, So, UCLA
12. Sacramento: Mario Chalmers, G, Jr, Kansas
13. Portland: Brandon Rush, G, Jr, Kansas
14. Golden State: Joe Alexander, F, Jr, West Virginia
15. Phoenix: Donte' Green, F, Fr, Syracuse
16. Philadelphia: DeAndre Jordan, C, Fr, Texas A&M
17. Indiana: Robin Lopez, C, So, Stanford
18. Washington: Darrell Arthur, F, So, Kansas
19. Cleveland: Kosta Koufos, C, Fr, Ohio St.
20. Charlotte: Alexis Ajinca, C, 20, France
21. New Jersey: Chris Douglas-Roberts, G, Jr, Memphis
22. Orlando: JJ Hickson, F, Fr, North Carolina St.
23. Utah: Roy Hibbert, C, Sr, Georgetown
24. Seattle: Marreese Speights, C, So, Florida
25. Houston: Jason Thompson, F, Sr, Rider
26. San Antonio: Nicolas Batum, F, 19, France
27. Portland: Nathan Jawai, F/C, 21, Australia
28. Memphis: Bill Walker, F, Fr, Kansas St.
29. Detroit: JaVale McGee, C, So, Nevada
30. Boston: Courtney Lee, G, Sr, Western Kentucky

Note- the sites I used as sources are: http://espn.go.com/, http://www.draftexpress.com/, http://hoopshype.com/, http://www.mynbadraft.com/2008-NBA-Mock-Draft, and http://nbadraft.net/

2008 NBA Mock Draft

2008-06-26T14:39:00.008-04:00

I'm heading off to the NBA Draft soon, but before I leave, I want to just give my mock draft, of what I think will happen tonight at the WaMu Theater in New York.

Pick. Team: Name, Position, Grade/Age, College/Country
FIRST ROUND
1. Chicago: Derrick Rose, G, Fr, Memphis
2. Miami: Michael Beasley, F, Fr, Kansas St.
3. Minnesota: OJ Mayo, G, Fr, USC
4. Seattle: Russell Westbrook, G, So, UCLA
5. Memphis: Kevin Love, F, Fr, UCLA
6. New York: Danilo Gallinari, F, 19, Italy
7. Los Angeles Clippers: Jerryd Bayless, G, Fr, Arizona
8. Milwaukee: Joe Alexander, F, Jr, West Virginia
9. Charlotte: Brook Lopez, C, So, Stanford
10. New Jersey: Eric Gordon, G, Fr, Indiana
11. Indiana: Anthony Randolph, F, Fr, LSU
12. Sacramento: DJ Augustin, G, So, Texas
13. Portland: Alexis Ajinca, C, 20, France
14. Golden State: Brandon Rush, G, Jr, Kansas
15. Phoenix: Donte' Green, F, Fr, Syracuse
16. Philadelphia: Robin Lopez, C, So, Stanford
17. Indiana: Kosta Koufos, C, Fr, Ohio St.
18. Washington: Darrell Arthur, F, So, Kansas
19. Cleveland: DeAndre Jordan, C, Fr, Texas A&M
20. Charlotte: JJ Hickson, F, Fr, North Carolina St.
21. New Jersey: Marreese Speights, C, So, Florida
22. Orlando: Courtney Lee, G, Sr, Western Kentucky
23. Utah: JaVale McGee, C, So, Nevada
24. Seattle: Roy Hibbert, C, Sr, Georgetown
25. Houston: Chris Douglas-Roberts, G, Jr, Memphis
26. San Antonio: Nicolas Batum, F, 19, France
27. Portland: Mario Chalmers, G, Jr, Kansas
28. Memphis: Ryan Anderson, F, So, Cal
29. Detroit: Jason Thompson, F, Sr, Rider
30. Boston: Nathan Jawai, F/C, 21, Australia

SECOND ROUND
1 (31). Minnesota: DeVon Hardin, C, Sr, Cal
2 (32). Seattle: Bill Walker, F, Fr, Kansas St.
3 (33). Portland: Serge Ibaka, F, 18, Spain
4 (34). Minnesota: DJ White, F, Sr, Indiana
5 (35). Los Angeles Clippers: Ante Tomic, C, 21, Croatia
6 (36). Portland: Jamont Gordon, G, Jr, Mississippi St.
7 (37). Milwaukee: Nikola Pekovic, C, 22, Serbia
8 (38). Charlotte: Kyle Weaver, G, Sr, Washington St.
9 (39). Chicago: Omer Asik, C, 21, Turkey
10 (40). New Jersey: Richard Hendrix, F, Jr, Alabama
11 (41). Indiana: Damjan Rudez, F, 22, Croatia
12 (42). Sacramento: Joey Dorsey, F, Sr, Memphis
13 (43). Sacramento: Sonny Weems, G, Sr, Arkansas
14 (44). Utah: Trent Plaisted, F/C, Jr, BYU
15 (45). San Antonio: Goran Dragic, G, 22, Slovenia
16 (46). Seattle: JR Giddens, G, Sr, New Mexico
17 (47). Washington: George Hill, G, Jr, IUPUI
18 (48). Phoenix: Gary Forbes, G/F, Sr, UMass
19 (49). Golden State: Mike Taylor, G, 22, NBDL
20 (50). Seattle: Semih Erden, C, 21, Turkey
21 (51). Dallas: Malik Hairston, G/F, Sr, Oregon
22 (52). Miami: Sasha Kaun, C, Sr, Kansas
23 (53). Utah: Bryce Taylor, G, Sr, Oregon
24 (54). Houston: James Gist, F, Sr, Maryland
25 (55). Portland: Pat Calathes, F, Sr, St. Joseph's
26 (56). Seattle: Shan Foster, G, Sr, Vanderbilt
27 (57). San Antonio: Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, F, Jr, UCLA
28 (58). Los Angeles Lakers: Mantas Kalnietes, G, 21, Lithuania
29 (59). Detroit: DeMarcus Nelson, G, Sr, Duke
30 (60). Boston: Reggie Williams, G, Sr, VMI

Note- the sites I used as sources are: http://espn.go.com/, http://www.draftexpress.com/, http://hoopshype.com/, http://www.mynbadraft.com/2008-NBA-Mock-Draft, and http://nbadraft.net/

Poll- My Choice

2008-06-25T22:00:00.002-04:00

In one of the polls last week, I asked you to pick the best program right now between the St. Anthony's Friars (NJ), the St. Benedict's Gray Bees (NJ), and the St. Patrick's Celtics (NJ). The programs, led by Bob Hurley, Danny Hurley, and Kevin Boyle respectively, are three of the best in America. Now to me, the "best program right now" would mean that overall, the program, not just the current team, is the best. That means that it's done well in the recent past and poised to do well in the not-too-distant future. All three have a rich history, so that criteria is out the window, though St. Ant's probably does have a bit of a leg up up. Anyway, it's so hard to pick between the three because of just how amazing all of them are. I'm going to rule a teams out, to start, thus narrowing the choices down to just two. I'll get rid of the Friars first. Yes, the team won the national title last year and went undefeated, but other than that it hasn't been all fun in the sun for Bob Hurley's boys. Prior to last year, St. Anthony's was certainly the third of the three in terms of how well the squads were doing, specifically during the 21st century. As well, the future doesn't look great for the Friars, as their starting lineup next year will lack a quality point guard, and whoever does start at that spot, will likely be not even close to the level of the other 14 starters the schools will have. The Friars will start Ashton Pankey '10, Devon Collier '10, and Dominic Cheek '09, all of whom are superstars. Jamee Jackson '09 will start as well, but he is not quite up to the level of the other three. I really don't even know who Bob Hurley's fifth starter will be. Let's move on to the final two, the Gray Bees and the Celtics. It's so hard to choose between the two. There is no right choice, as both of them, and St. Ant's, can have a powerful argument for the spot. I'm going to go with St. Patrick's. The Gray Bees were better than them last year, beating them at the Prime Time Shootout, and finishing with only one loss, but prior to that it was a lot of push and shove between the two, with St. Pat's usually pushing a little bit harder. As for next year, the Celtics seem to have a better roster from top to bottom. Not only will they be deeper, they will be just flat-out better. Thus, I'm putting aside the Gray Bees' better season from last year, and giving the nod to St. Patrick's.

Northstar Basketball's Top Three Programs in New Jersey Right Now:
1. St. Patrick's Celtics
2. St. Benedict's Gray Bees
3. St. Anthony's Friars

Player Diary: Stevie Taylor '11

2008-06-25T21:52:00.002-04:00

Since my last entry I’ve been to a lot of camps and AAU tournaments. First I would like to talk about the Bob Gibbons TOC in North Carolina. My dad and I took a plane to North Carolina and as soon as we landed I told my dad that I was going to make the all- tournament team. I did! The first game I had 15 points and 5 assists, and when we went up by 20, they had to stop the game with 4 minutes to go in the 4^th quarter. Throughout the whole tournament we were blowing teams out by 20 points.

In the championship game we played the M33M Memphis, which also was the team we played in the U-14 AAU Nationals last summer. I’m happy to report that we beat them by 15 points for the second time in a row. In that game I had 23 points and 6 assists. The experience was unbelievable, and all of the universities that we played at were top notch. We played at Duke, North Carolina, and NC State. Me personally, I liked North Carolina the best because it was so big and everything was painted baby blue. I have to say, the Gibbons was the best tournament I’ve been to ever.

A few weeks back I attended the Xavier Elite Camp in Cincinnati. At Xavier, I played really well. The first game I played on the main court against some top players. The coach at Xavier spoke to me at the camp and told me he liked my game and was going to start recruiting me really hard. I like Xavier a lot and I hope they keep watching me.

I had to leave early on Saturday morning because I had to go play with my high school team at Ohio State. The Ohio State Team Camp was another great experience for my team and I. We went 2-2 the first day and we got the 5^th seed going into the playoffs. We won the first game on Sunday, but then we lost the next game.

This past weekend I played in the RBK Breakout Underclassmen Camp in Chicago, Illinois. The breakout camp was invitation only and everybody there could play. I played really well in every game. In the first two games I went for 20 points each game. There were a lot of individual match-ups that people wanted to see and most of them turned out really well and were fun to watch. I got hurt the last game on Saturday so that kept me from playing in any games on Sunday, including the all-star game. The Reebok Camp was great and I think I made a big impression.

During the last couple of weeks I have been playing in a summer league that features pro and college level athletes. Last week I led my team in scoring with 12 points, but we kind of got blown out. Next week is a big showdown between my squad and my brother’s team. I hope my thumb is better because I plan on going at my brother for real.

I was supposed to be attending the Cincinnati Elite Camp this week but I didn’t make it because of my thumb injury. However, I will be going down to the UC Team Camp on Friday with my high school team. I was hoping to get an offer from UC but that may be tough now that I missed the elite camp.

Well that’s all for now. Look for my next entry in the next couple of weeks. The next time we talk I will tell you what went down at the Adidas Take Five Classic in Cincinnati, the Adidas Super 64 in Vegas and of course the NCAA First Team Program in early August. See ya.

Poll Results:

2008-06-25T15:34:00.002-04:00

It seems that many of the readers are either St. Patrick's (NJ) fans or just people who don't buy into to rankings as the end all and be all. The first poll last week asked whether St. Pat's, St. Benedict's (NJ), or St. Anthony's (NJ) was the best program right now. The results were somewhat surprising, especially after the undefeated season that the St. Ant's Friars had last year, which included a win over St. Pat's. The Celtics of the Elizabeth school, St. Patrick's, were chosen as the best program of the three right now, getting 22 of the 49 votes. Kevin Boyle's program edged out Bob Hurley's group, the Jersey City school, in St. Anthony's. The Friars got 17 votes. Danny Hurley's team, the Gray Bees from Newark, finished third with 10 selections. As for the other poll, asking you to pick the best player in New Jersey/New York/Pennsylvania in the class of 2009, the winner was a shocker. Dexter Strickland, the point guard for St. Patrick's, grabbed 41 of the 104 votes. Lance Stephenson, the most well-known player in America, a swingman at Lincoln (NY), received 36 selections. It's interesting that he did not win, as he was the player that you picked in a previous poll as the best player in America as a whole in the class of 2009. After these two was a major drop off, and Dominic Cheek, a shooting guard at St. Anthony's, came in third with 12 votes. Maalik Wayns, a point guard from Roman Catholic (PA), came in fourth with nine votes. Lamar Patterson, an incoming shooting guard at St. Benedict's, tied with "Other" for fifth place, as each of them was chosen three times. As for the players who could have received the "Other" vote, I'd think that it was likely for one of the following guys: Omar Lawrence, Durand Scott, Tamir Jackson, or Zeke Marshall. The other guys with a chance may have been Sherrod Wright, Dane Miller, Dalton Pepper, Brandon Triche, and Lamont Jones. Please comment with your choice and why you selected the player and/or team that you did.

Tyreek Duran- Working Out Pays Off

2008-06-24T12:22:00.004-04:00

Tyreek Duran, a 6'2 guard for Neumann-Goretti (PA), was his team's top player in its win over Brick Memorial (NJ) at the Hoop Group Showcase. Duran showed off his nice ability to get to the rack, and translated it into a 17-point performance. Although his teammate Tony Chenault '10 is more highly regarded than him, Duran is definitely working to improve his game. I spoke with Tyreek after his team's win in the game over Brick.

NB: In the first half, . . . you had fifteen points, [but] only two in the second half. Why [did] you cool off so much?
TD: Just to slow the game down. [I] didn’t have to do as much in the second half, so I just got other people involved.

NB: What were you doing in the first half to keep on scoring?
TD: Just putting pressure on the guards, easy opportunities leak out, and just run the offense basically.

NB: What do you consider to be the strongest point of your game?
TD: My dribble drive.

NB: What [is] . . . your weakest [point]?
TD: Probably my jump-shot.

NB: What are you doing to . . . try to improve your jump-shot?
TD: Just work out like two, three times a week?

NB: Do you have a specific routine that you use when you work out?
TD: Not really. . . . It depends on who I’m working out with.

NB: Do you prefer to work out by yourself or with other people?
TD: With other people.

NB: Who are some of the people that you’ve worked out with?
TD: Tony Chenault [and] Dion Waiters.

NB: What’s it like for you working out with some of those other guys, either teammates [such as Chenault] or non-teammates [such as Waiters]? What can they add to your game?
TD: It’s just different styles. I see how they workout, and it’s like motivation for me to work out harder.

NB: What schools are you currently considering?
TD: Right now, Providence, Georgetown, and I think Robert Morris. They [contacted] me the other day.

NB: Have all three of those schools offered you a scholarship?
TD: Not yet, . . . so far I haven’t [received an offer]. I think Miami is supposed to offer me a scholarship.

NB: Miami-Florida or Miami-Ohio?
TD: Florida.

NB: What are some other schools that have shown interest in you?
TD: St. Joe’s, and that’s about it off the top of my head that I can name.

NB: Do you have a dream school?
TD: Probably Georgetown.

NB: Why Georgetown?
TD: Because Allen Iverson [went there].

NB: Is Allen Iverson your favorite player?
TD: He’s one of them.

NB: What do you as some of the similarities between your game and his game?
TD: His ability to get in the lane with ease.

NB: Who are some of your other favorite players?
TD: Kobe Bryant.

NB: What are some of your similarities with him?
TD: None really, he’s just a crazy player, too good.

NB: When you watch Iverson and Bryant, do you try to emulate some of what they do and use that in your game, or do you just try to play the way you play?
TD: Just play the way I play. I look at it as, you can only play your game, you can’t really play like anyone else.

NB: Talk about your game. What exactly is [your] game?
TD: Just fast-paced, never slowing down, one speed.

NB: Where does you loved for basketball come from?
TD: Probably just the city of Philadelphia. I grew up playing.

Duran, a good ball handler with a smooth crossover, is evidently trying to make himself a better ballplayer. Working out with high-caliber players such as Chenault and Waiters will only improve his game. Chenault has been considered one of the premiere players in his class even before reaching high school, while Waiters has already committed to Syracuse. The two class of 2010 star guards will be key parts in the development process for Duran. The Neumann-Goretti guard will continue to work on his game during his high school career, and before you know it, Tyreek Duran just might be one of the best guards in the Northeast.

Andre Gillette-Heading to the Atlantic 10?

2008-06-23T17:24:00.004-04:00

Neumann-Goretti (PA) was missing its biggest star, Tony Chenault '10, over the weekend at the Hoop Group Showcase, but its number two guy was in attendance. The team's tallest player, class of 2009 power forward 6'8 Andre Gillette is the secondary player on the Philadelphia basketball powerhouse. The big man came late to his team's game against Brick Memorial (NJ), but the game was already well in hand at that point, despite it still being the first half. I chatted with Andre, who scored four points in the game all of which were in the first half, after his team knocked off the Jersey public school by a score of 61-31.

NB: What schools are you currently considering?
AG: Schools in the [Atlantic] 10.

NB: Such as?
AG: St. Joe’s, Xavier, [and] Temple

NB: What about some other schools? Is there . . . anyone outside of the A-10 that you’re thinking of?
AG: Not really, I’m just focused on right now, but there’s a couple schools in the Big East like Syracuse [and] Marquette [that are] recruiting me.

NB: What do you consider to be the strongest point of your game?
AG: Facing up, catching it in the post, facing up. I can create off a few dribbles.

NB: What’s the weakest point of your game?
AG: Strength, probably.

NB: What are you doing to work on that?
AG: I’m in the weight room for like three days a week.

NB: What do you prefer to play . . . during the summer, high basketball in these team events or AAU ball?
AG: The traveling, it gets crazy, but I don’t know, I like AAU. I like both.

NB: What about overall as a whole, . . . just the game, do prefer playing a high school style game or the AAU [game], more of the running-and-gunning?
AG: I like to run, but either way, I . . . think my game is more running.

NB: Can you give me one word to sum up your game?
AG: Finesse.

NB: What schools do you currently hold an offer from?
AG: Like I said, mostly the [Atlantic] 10.

NB: Those schools have all offered you a scholarship?
AG: Yes.

NB: Do you have any leaders at this point? . . .[Are there any] schools at the top of your list?
AG: Those who are recruiting me hardest, [which right now] would be Xavier.

NB: What do you think the chances are [that] you end up at Xavier?
AG: Seven out of ten.

NB: Do you have a dream school?
AG: I like the Big East, any school in the Big East, like Syracuse or one of them.

NB: If you could pick one school to play for, who would it be?
AG: I would like a school that’s not too big, so I would like St. Joe’s, or Temple, or Xavier.

NB: What type of coach do you want to play for?
AG: One that’ll help me individually, work on me. . . . Yeah, that’s it.

NB: What’s your favorite part of playing basketball?
AG: Favorite part of playing basketball? A team, just playing with a team, . . . team effort, I just like playing with a team.

Gillette seems to be highly interested in the Atlantic 10, and many of those schools are in Pennsylvania, and close to Philadelphia. Thus, he may not have to go far away from home for college. Despite the fact that it's not in Pennsylvania, Gillette seems to be favoring Xavier, an Ohio school. Regardless of exactly where the big man ends up, it appears that the school will likely be in the A-10.

Scouting Report on Gillette’s Game vs. Brick Memorial:

The 6’8 big man needs to add some weight to his lanky frame, and much of it will likely need to be in the form of muscle. Right not, Andre Gillette just is not big enough, though he certainly has some time to get bigger. Adding about 15 pounds would work nicely for Andre. The class of 2009 power forward is long and does a solid job of blocking shots. He is powerful and aggressive despite his lanky build. On defense, there were some times when smaller players would get offensive rebounds over him. Gillette needs to develop into more of a scorer, but he does have talent and length.

Note- photo is from http://scouthoops.scout.com/

Update on . . . Markese Tucker, Wayne Newsom, Dondre Whitmore, and Frantz Massenat

2008-06-23T16:52:00.002-04:00

The offers are continuing to pour in for Dondre Whitmore, Frantz Massenat, Wayne Newsom, and Markese Tucker. All four of them were offered by Iona today, with official offers coming within the past few hours. Tucker, Massenat, and Whitmore all play for the Trenton Catholic Iron Mikes (NJ), while Newsom is a member of the Piscataway Chiefs (NJ). All four are in the class of 2010, and their lists should continue to grow over the summer. Massenat is currently leading the bunch with five offers.

Sterling Gibbs- Hard Work Could Make Him a Star

2008-06-23T13:33:00.006-04:00

Seton Hall Prep (NJ) is losing one Gibbs, but has another one that seems to have a bright future. Ashton Gibbs will be heading to Pitt next year, leaving the squad to his younger brother Sterling Gibbs, a rising sophomore. The younger of the two is a 6'1 point guard, and is a well thought of player. At the Hoop Group Showcase this weekend, I had the opportunity to see the younger Gibbs play. I also was able to speak with Sterling after his team defeated Lakewood (NJ).

NB: What do you consider to be the strongest point of your game?
SG: Playmaking, getting everybody involved, getting everybody in the flow of the game.

NB: What’s your weakest point?
SG: My strength, quickness, and just [my] pull-up jump-shot.

NB: What are you doing to work on those three attributes of your game?
SG: Oh, just working out everyday at Sports University with players like Andre Barrett and different big-time players to try to get stronger and better.

NB: What’s it like for you [to be] working out with those guys, being just a freshman . . . [and] now a soon-to-be sophomore, working out with some big names?
SG: Oh, it’s good. They mentor, they just the stuff that I’m doing wrong, and then at the same time it gets you confidence up, that when you play against kids your age, then you just kind of dominate.

NB: Do you ever work out with your brother [Ashton Gibbs ‘08, a Pitt-signee]?
SG: Oh yeah, I . . . work out with him all the time.

NB: What do you see as some of the similarities and differences between your game and his?
SG: I don’t really think that we play anything alike. He’s more of a spot-up shooter, he’ll shoot it in your face, but I’m more of a playmaker, and then mainly I hit the shot if I’m open.

NB: What colleges are you currently considering?
SG: Pittsburgh, Seton Hall, Rutgers, Florida, and Maryland.

NB: Have any of them offered you a scholarship?
SG: Oh no, I haven’t had any scholarship offers yet.

NB: Is Ashton being at Pittsburgh going to impact your decision in any way?
SG: I can’t really say yes to that question because I won’t know until the time comes around.

NB: Will the way he performs at Pittsburgh have an impact in what you think of the school?
SG: No, I can’t say yes because we don’t play anything alike, . . . his style of play is different than mine.

NB: Do you have a dream school?
SG: My dream school . . . would be Arizona because they’re more of a guard-based school.

NB: If the Wildcats were to start getting involved with you and down the road they did offer you a scholarship, is that the kind of thing that you’d jump at on the spot?
SG: I would have to measure the decision because I would have to see how many guards they have, how many guards [I would be] coming in with, and different things like that.

NB: Does all the turnover in their program worry you at all, . . . with [it] being your dream school?
SG: Not really, not really, I can’t really say yes to that.

NB: Have you received a letter from them or anything of that matter?
SG: Oh yeah, that was my first college letter that I received, in eighth grade that I received from them.

NB: What was that like for you?
SG: Oh, it was exciting, it was exciting. I got it in the mail and then told my dad about it. Everybody got excited.

NB: What are you looking to accomplish throughout your high school career?
SG: Win a TOC [Tournament of Champions] Championship. That’s the main thing I want to do.

NB: What about personally?
SG: I don’t really have any personal goals. I just want to win the TOC Championship, and that would be good for me.

The Seton Hall Prep (NJ) point guard is clearly a talented player with the ability to put the ball in the hoop. Yet, it is also clear that he has a lot left to work on to be the player that he can be. Right now, he is just a solid guard, though it is hard to fully judge his playmaking and distribution skills as he is not on a particularly great team. Gibbs will be a player to keep an eye on. It should be interesting to see how he develops and what type of player he becomes.

Scouting Report on Gibbs:

Park (NJ) in a 61-39 win, finishing with 20 points, 14 of which came in the first half. Gibbs scored almost a third of his team’s point in the game, yet did so somewhat quietly and The class of 2011 point guard was so-so and inconsistent at the Hoop Group Showcase. I caught the majority of two of his team’s game. Gibbs, who is listed at 6’1, but looks at least two inches below that, had a solid showing when his Seton Hall Prep (NJ) squad manhandled Ridgefield (NJ), yet didn’t do anything all that special to standout. He certainly displayed some fine qualities in his game, such as driving strong to the hole, good court vision, and nice quickness, all of which are important are important in a modern day point guard. I did notice a few attributes in Gibbs’ game that will require some work. When heading down the court for offense, he would occasionally break early, though many times he would lag behind the play. When he did catch up to the play, there were times Gibbs would stay behind the three-point line standing around. Sterling, who has nice hops and takes contact well, did seem a bit awkward on the court at times, though part of that may have been a result of him running slowly at times, rather than actual awkwardness. He rarely went down low on either offense or defense, unless he was driving to the rack. Gibbs is the type of player who would likely need to play on a team that utilizes zone defense, as when his man went down low, Gibbs seemed lost. He needs to be able to hang up top, where he seemed quite comfortable. In fact, Sterling would actually play D well above the three-point line on some possessions. In a zone defense, Sterling could certainly excel as a premiere defensive player. Against St. Patrick’s (NJ) in the other game I saw him play, Gibbs had a rough game, dropping just eight points, half of which came at the line, where he was 4/6. He seemed frustrated for much of the game, as the Celtics ran all over them to a 54-41 win. Overall, Gibbs is a player with talent and potential. He needs two or three inches, a more developed all-around game, especially on offense, and needs to give full effort at all times. Assuming he does what he can to improve, Gibbs has a great shot of making some noise throughout his high school career and taking his game to the high DI level.

Update on . . . Markese Tucker, Wayne Newsom, Dondre Whitmore, and Frantz Massenat

2008-06-23T00:44:00.006-04:00

The Team New Jersey ABC U-16 AAU squad just had a big week offer-wise. Four of the team's main 10 players received a scholarship offer last week. Markese Tucker, a 6'5 forward in the class of 2010 at Trenton Catholic (NJ), got his first offer, and it was from one of the top teams in the NEC, Robert Morris. The Colonials also gave 6'7 forward Wayne Newsom '10 of Piscataway (NJ) his first scholarship offer. In addition, the team offered Dondre Whitmore '10, a 5'9 point guard from Trenton Catholic, as did Fordham, an A-10 school that has been aggressively recruiting New Jersey players. The ligtining-quick point guard has been previously offered by Rider, so his total stands at three right now. Another player who already has an offer from Rider is class of 2010 6'4 guard Frantz Massenat of Trenton Catholic. Recently, Massenat has picked up offered from both Fordham and Robert Morris, in addition to another A-10 school, LaSalle, so he has four offers as of now. I've spoken with Wayne and Frantz, and both of them are quite happy about the recent developments in their recruitment. I'll definitely keep you posted on how the recruiting process is coming along for these four quality players.

Scouting Report on Mike Spence

2008-06-22T23:32:00.005-04:00

The Nia School (NJ) had two teams at the Hoop Group Showcase this weekend. Mike Spence, a 6'10 power forward who played with the school's Blue team, was easily the squad's best player in its game against Lakewood (NJ). In the first half, Spence dropped 10 points, and his team was in a commanding lead, that went up to as much as 18 in the second 16 minutes of play. Although Nia Blue did blow its lead, Spence still performed well. The big man was strong in the post and always took the ball up with using his strength, yet the most noticeable part of his game had nothing to do with his talent. Rather, it was his extreme intensity. Spence was vocal, and got hyped up whenever he'd score, especially when the game got tight. Some people may take this as a negative, but I definitely saw it as a psotive, as Spence was really into the game. At points, Spence did seem a big awkward on the court, but he more than made up for it with his play. Physically, the soon-to-be post grad player was lanky with long arms. He is a pure low-post player without much of an outside game. Spence isn't juts big, he is smart on the court. He post ups prior to getting the ball to get into good position, and he is aware, specifically of the three second rule. Rebounding-wise, the Nia big man was solid on the offensive glass. Defensively, Mike was, not surprisingly, a quality shot blocker, as he utilized his size and long arms well. Spence's 13 second half points gave him 23 in the game as a whole. The 6'10 post player does not seem to be particularly raw, so its likely that he may not improve all the much in his season at Nia. I'd say that Mike would nice at a low-major DI school, but only time will tell.

Ranking of the Top 30 Players at the Hoop Group Showcase

2008-06-22T20:12:00.006-04:00

I'd like to provide you with a quick list of the top players at the Hoop Group Showcase based solely off their performance at the event. Many of the major superstars, such as Michael Gilchrist '11 of St. Patrick's (NJ), Tristan Thompson '10 of St. Benedict's (NJ), and Dominic Cheek '09 of St, Anthony's (NJ), were at the NBA Top 100 Camp. Nonetheless, there was still a lot of talent that did participate in the vent. Two studs from St. Patrick's lead my rankings.

Rank. Name, Height, Position, Class, High School (State)
1. Kyrie Irving, 6'1, guard, 2010, St. Patrick's (NJ)
2. Markus Kennedy, 6'8, power forward, 2010, St. Patrick's (NJ)
3. Isaiah Epps, 6'2, guard, 2010, Plainfield (NJ)
4. Tyrone Johnson, 6'3, guard, 2011, Plainfield (NJ)
5. Adrian Satchell, 6'7, forward, 2009, Windsor (CT)
6. Aaron Brown, 6'4, forward, 2010, St. Benedict's (NJ)
7. TJ Clemmings, 6'6, forward, 2010, Paterson Catholic (NJ)
8. Fuquan Edwin, 6'5, swingman, 2010, Paterson Catholic (NJ)
9. Chase Plummer, 6'5, forward, 2010, St. Patrick's (NJ)
10. Keith Lumpkin, 6'8, center, 2011, St. Peter's Prep (NJ)
11. Myles Mack, 5'9, guard, 2011, Paterson Catholic (NJ)
12. Tavon Sledge, 5'10, guard, 2011, St. Benedict's (NJ)
13. John Calcaro, 6'3, guard, 2009, New Rochelle (NY)
14. Antoine Mason, 6'3, guard, 2o10, New Rochelle (NY)
15. Tyreek Duran, 6'2, guard, 2010, Neumann-Goretti (PA)
16. Shaq Thomas, 6'7, swingman, 2010, Paterson Catholic (NJ)
17. Josh Daniell, 6'6, small forward, St. Patrick's (NJ)
18. Akeem Wilson, 6'6, forward, Susquehanna Township (PA)
19. Mike Spence, 6'10, power forward, The Nia School Blue (NJ)
20. Sterling Gibbs, 6'1, point guard, Seton Hall Prep (NJ)
21. Anthony Baskerville, 5'8, guard, Plainfield (NJ)
22. Matt O'Brien, 6'4, guard, Brick Memorial (NJ)
23. Doug Soutar, 6'3, guard, 2009, Windsor (CT)
24. Kevin Boyle, Jr., 5'7, guard, 2010, St. Patrick's (NJ)
25. Ryan Delaire, 6'6, forward, 2010, Windsor (CT)
26. Lance Brown, 6'3, guard, 2009, Paterson Catholic (NJ)
27. Jayon James, 6'6, small forward, 2010, Paterson Catholic (NJ)
28. Jarell Lane, 5'10, guard, 2011, St. Patrick's (NJ)
29. Justin Harris, 6'6, forward, 2o11, Paramus Catholic (NJ)
30. Jimmy Burke, 5'11, guard, 2009, Seton Hall Prep (NJ)

Note- rankings re based soley off this event alone, and only includes players that I either saw play and/or whose point totals I saw

Hoop Group Showcase Day Two- The Month of the Celtics

2008-06-22T18:30:00.017-04:00

First the Boston Celtics, and now the St. Patrick's (NJ) Celtics. The men from Beantown wrapped up the NBA Championship just several days ago, while today the kids from Elizabeth took home the title at the Hoop Group Showcase. Maybe St. Patrick's Day should be moved to mid-June because it seems that the luck of the Irish is quite far-reaching around then. Today was, for the most part, about St. Pat's, though a few other teams did make some nice impressions.

In the first game I saw, St. Patrick's manhandled Seton Hall Prep (NJ) and won by 13, 54-41. The game was not nearly as close as the score would indicate. Seton Hall's class of 2011 stud Sterling Gibbs, a 6'1 guard, struggled mightily in the loss. He had just eight points, half of which came from the free throw line, where he shot 4/6. Jimmy Burke '09, a 5'11 guard, showed off his nice shooting touch, scoring nine points, all of which came one threes. Markus Kennedy and Kyrie Irving, both class of 2010 stars, led the way for the Celtics. Kennedy, a 6'8 power forward, scored 22 points, 16 of which were first half, when he team had 30 total, giving him over half their points through the first 16 minutes. The big man was 4/5 at the line. Irving, a 6'1 guard, hit his only two free throws and knocked down two treys, finishing with 14 points in the win. After the Celtics' win, I caught the end of the final game played by Linden (NJ). The Tigers, a quality public school squad, lost the game, and finished 0-3 on the weekend.

After the Linden game came a match-up that many people were excited for: St. Patrick's against St. Benedict's (NJ). Although most of the star players on each team were not playing (Michael Gilchrist '11, Paris Bennett '09, and Dexter Strickland '09 for St. Pat's and Lamar Patterson '09, Tamir Jackson '09, Tristan Thompson '10, and Myck Kabongo '11 for St. Ben's), the game was still a drawing card. The Gray Bees, though, were thoroughly over-matched by St. Patrick's, and took a crushing defeat, losing 61-35. Aaron Brown '10, a 6'4 forward, was the standout for St. Benedict's all tournament, and the semifinals game was no different, as he led the way with 12 points, knocking down two three-balls, and went 2/5 at the line. Tavon Sledge '11, a 5'10 guard, added seven points on 4/6 shooting at the stripe and a three pointer. The Gray Bees may well have been tired after their overtime victory over Neumann-Goretti (PA) earlier in the morning in the quarterfinals. Kyrie Irving was phenomenal again for the Celtics, scoring 18 points, hitting two threes, and making all four of his free throws. Markus Kennedy added 17 points and hit his lone shot at the stripe. Kevin Boyle, Jr. '10, a 5'9 guard, scored 12 points and was 2/3 from the free throw line.

The semifinals game between Windsor (CT) and Plainfield (NJ), two powerhouse public schools, for the right to play St. Pat's in the finals was the best game of the day, and maybe of the whole event. Windsor's players had to coach themselves, as Connecticut state rules prohibit a team's coach from being on the bench. Plainfield, a squad that features two superstars in 6'3 guard Tyrone Johnson '11 and 6'2 guard Isaiah Epps '10, as well as under-the-radar Anthony Baskerville, a 5'8 guard in the class of 2009, trailed 48-35 at the half. The game got interesting, as Epps and Johnson led the charge and the Jersey boys began to eat away at the lead. At the 3:45 mark, Plainfield had stormed all the way back and had taken the lead, 80-78. After the two teams exchanged buckets, Tyrus Weaver '10, a 5'11 guard, knocked down a three with 2:10 remaining to put his Windsor team ahead. Tyrone Johnson answered with two free throws allowing his side to re-gain the lead, 84-83 with two minutes on the clock. Johnson went to the line again with 0:53 showing on the clock, and he hit the first of two shots, stretching Plainfield's narrow lead out to two points. Windsor then took a timeout with 35 seconds left. After play resumed, Windsor wasted some clock, and then class of 2010 member, 6'6 forward Ryan Delaire got to the rim and even up the score with around 12 seconds left. Plainfield was unable to score at the other end, and a long-range shot from Windsor went way off, ending regulation with the sore knotted up at 85. Plainfield won the top to start the two minute overtime period, and Isaiah Epps quickly put the ball in the hole, before 10 seconds had even gone by. Kingsley Boothe '09, a 6'3 forward, answered for Windsor, tying the score with 1:38 left. Plainfield then hit another deuce, re-taking the lead with 1:19 left on the clock. Windsor then hit one of two at the stripe with 1:11 left, cutting the lead to 89-88. Anthony Baskerville got to the line with 51 ticks left and missed the front end of a one and one. The score stayed 89-88 until there was 20 seconds remaining, when Steven Samuels '09, a 6'5 forward, scored a bucket on a drive to the rack. Plainfield then missed a shot on its attempt to get to the hole, and the rebound bounced around, until 6'7 forward Adrian Satchell '09 grabbed hold of it and got fouled with five seconds left. The big man knocked down bot hshots, putting his squad ahead 92-89. Isaiah Epps then took the inbounds pass and drove past his man along the left side of the court and passed the rock to Anthony Baskerville. The junior's three-point attempt from the left corner, rimmed in and out, and Windsor grabbed the win by a final of 92-89. Leading the way for Plainfield was Isaiah Epps, who scored just four points in the first half, but finished with 28. He hit three threes and three free throws on his way to the team high points total. A close second in that race was Tyrone Johnson, who dropped in 27 points, including nine from the line. Baskerville, whose shot was off all game long, scored 12 points. For Windsor, Adrian Satchell poured in a whopping 34 points, scoring 18 of them in the first half. He hit two threes and two free throws. Doug Soutar, a 6'3 class of 2009 guard, added 23 points, including two three pointers and four free throws. Ryan Delaire dropped 13 in his own right, with five of them coming at the stripe. Tyrus Weaver's big three near the end of regulation accounted for his lone points in the contest, but they sure were huge in the high scoring affair.

The beatdown the St. Patrick's handed St. Benedict's doesn't even compare to the one they gave Windsor in the title game. Not only did the Celtics win by even more, they did so in much more convincing fashion. The squad jumped out to a quick 10-4 lead after 3:30 of play. Markus Kennedy injured his knee at about the 10 minute mark, iced it and had it looked at by the trainer, and was then good to go. With seven minutes left in the half, the game was still somewhat close, with Windsor trailing 19-6. Three minutes later, the difference was still 13 points, 22-9. Windsor did not hit double digits until 14:40 into the game, when they hit a deuce to give them 11. At the half, the scored favored St. Patrick's 27-13. Kyrie Irving led the way for the Celtics in the half with 11 points, including a three pointer and 4/5 shooting at the line. Ryan Delaire led Windsor in the half, scoring four points. Things started to get ugly in the second half. The St. Pat's lead was 33-15 with 12 minutes to go, then 41-17 with eight minutes left. The margin had grown to 30 points, 47-17, with about 5:30 left, and that's around when the team put in many of its rarely used/JV-only players, such as 5'10 guard Richard Dobin '1o who scored two points, and 5'7 class of 2009 guard Berdy Cadet who hit a three. At the two minute mark, the Celtics were ahead 54-17, and that was the game's final score. St. Patrick's held Windsor to just four points in the second half and kept the scoreless for the final eight minutes, the equivalent of a full quarter in regulation high school ball. For St. Patrick's, Chase Plummer '10, a 6'5 forward, scored 12 points, all in the second half, and was 2/4 at the line. Kyrie Irving finished the game with 17 points, scoring three deuces in the second half. Markus Kennedy had 11 points, and was 3/5 at the line. For Windsor, Adrian Satchell was the leading scorer, finishing with six points, including 2/2 shooting at the charity stripe. Ryan Delaire had four points, and missed his only two shots at the line. Attah Agymand '09, a 5'7 guard, scored two points, and Steve Samuels had three, hitting his only free throw.

The wonderful showing that St. Patrick's had today can be summed up by going over the box scores from their three double-digit victories. They scored 50+ in all three games, while holding opponents to no more than 41. In total, they outscored their opposition 169-93, a 76-point margin. Markus Kennedy (50 points) and Kyrie Irving (49 points) outscored Seton Hall Prep, St. Benedict's, and Windsor combined. The Celtics averaged 56.3 points per game, while their opposition averaged just 31, for a wide 24.3 average scoring differential. My tournament MVP award would go to Kyrie Irving. The 6'1 rising junior guard was unstoppable, seemingly scoring at will. He hit threes, got to the rack, made the majority of his free throws, and just dominated whoever he was matched up against. Irving, a transfer from Montclair Kimberly Academy (NJ) is the real deal.

Congratulations to St. Patrick's on their win in the 2008 Hoop Group Showcase.

Note- photo on the top left is of Markus Kennedy, photo on the bottom left is of St. Patrick's (NJ), and photo on the bottom right is of Windsor (CT)

Note- photo in the middle on the right is of Isaiah Epps, and is from http://playazbasketball.org/

Player Diary: Steve Rennard '10

2008-06-22T17:47:00.002-04:00

So here’s a normal schedule in my life. School just ended a few weeks ago and I’ve been working hard with my high school and AAU teams. My AAU team (Team NJABC) has been very busy these past couple months. We’ve been in a number of big tournaments such as the the Playaz Spring Fling, a couple of Hoop Group Jam Fests, and the Rumble in the Bronx. Coming up we have the West Virginia Jam Fest, Hoop Group Reebok Summer Classic, and the Super Showcase in Florida. We decided to do the Super Showcase this year instead of the Main Event in Las Vegas, but both are very competitive. Last year we made it to the elite eight in the Main Event, but lost on a buzzer beater to Houston Hoops. I’m definitely looking forward to the traveling and playing the best teams from all over the country.

For my high school team (St. Joe’s Metuchen, NJ), starting this week we have league games in Elizabeth and Linden on Mondays and Wednesdays. The rest of the week we have individual skills training and weight lifting at St. Joe’s. We go through our lifting program for an hour and then have skills training with Coach Turco and Coach Dolan. We are also going to team camps at a few colleges and at Eastern.

St Joe's just signed up to do a speed and agility training program at the Basketball Shooting Academy (TBSA) in Edison. I usually get there an hour early to get some shots up before we start. Then afterwards I stay and run some games with the guys there.
Last weekend (June 15 – 17) I was at Princeton Elite Camp. I thought the new coach there (Coach Johnson) really knew what he was doing. He is trying to give the kids on his team more freedom to create, and I like his coaching style. We are definitely going to keep in touch. I am going to attend the Temple elite camp in Philadelphia in a few weeks. Supposedly the competition there should be tough so I’m looking forward to it. The Headliner tryout camp held in Rebounds just passed also. From that camp I got invited to the Breakout camp in Chicago.

One thing that I also enjoy doing when I’m not playing basketball is drawing for a new company that my friend and I started up. We sell mostly T-Shirts and hoodies, and it’s really starting to take off. I just designed a T-Shirt for two DJs and I am working on another one for a new Ice Coffee drink that is going to be hitting the stores soon called “Mojava”. Oh yea, you can check out some of the stuff on http://uniiqz.com/.

Well it’s been, and still going to be, a very busy summer. The summer after sophomore year is an important time to start thinking about college, and it’s been exciting so far. I have to keep working hard if I want to get to the level where I want to play. It’s been a good experience, and I’ll keep you updated as time goes on.

More Upcoming Interviews:

2008-06-22T16:36:00.002-04:00

Today, the second and final day of the Hoop Group Showcase gave me the opportunity to speak with a few more quality players. I took some time talk to seven guys: Myles Davis '11, Markus Kennedy '10, Isaiah Epps, '10, Tyrone Johnson '11, David Bruce '09, Dean Kowalski '09, and Doug Soutar '09. Both Bruce and Kennedy have already been featured on Northstar Basketball. I will be posting these interviews, along with the 13 that I conducted yesterday, over the next few weeks. I'll get them up as quickly as my busy schedule will allow. Make sure you check back soon.

Hoop Group Showcase Day One- "Pandemonium in Piscataway"

2008-06-21T23:40:00.016-04:00

It seems that Chris Carlin's call of "Pandemonium in Piscataway" does not only relate to Rutgers football. Today at the Hoop Group Showcase, there was pandemonium abound from start to finish. The madness began during the very first set of games in a match-up between The Nia School (NJ) Blue and Lakewood (NJ). The Eagles of TheNia School were coasting along, stretching their lead to 18 at one point, but Lakewood would not go away. Nia had no subs, and that may well have hurt them. Regardless of the reasoning, Lakewood stormed back to pick up a 70-69 win. Mike Spence, a senior for Nia, was one player who caught my eye during the game. I'll have a scouting report on the 6'10 senior up on the site sometime within the next few days.

At 12:30, the craziness continued on as a tournament heavyweight lost in its first game. The Linden Tigers (NJ) fell to the "other" St. Joseph's (Montevale, NJ) by 14 points. Linden's 6'10 big man--and star player--David Bruce struggled throughout. Also at 12:30, Monmouth (NJ) knocked off basketball powerhouse Bloomfield Tech (NJ) in a surprising upset. At 1:45, the first big game of the day turned into an interesting one. St. Benedict's (NJ) sans Tristan Thompson '10, Myck Kabongo '11, Lamar Patterson '09, and Tamir Jackson '10, narrowly beat PCTI (NJ). The Gray Bees led 36-22 at halftime, and seemed to be in full control of the game. PCTI, though, wouldn't die easy and made it into a game. The boys from the Passaic County evened up the score in the final 1:30 of play. Then, with less than a minute, PCTI elected to run the clock down, but not hold for the last shot, as a shot was put up with about 14 seconds to go. Tavon Sledge '11 of St. Benedict's drove the ball downcourt and missed a layup, but Aaron Brown '10 grabbed the rebound and put it back up and in with only two seconds to go, giving the Gray Bees the victory by a final score of 63-61. Brown was the superstar for his team, finishing with 24 points. The 6'4 forward was 6/9 at the charity stripe. Sledge, a 5'10 guard added 12 points and was 1/2 from the line. In an upset, Don Bosco (NJ) was defeated by Freehold Boro (NJ) during the 1:45 games. At 3:00, St. Peter's Prep (NJ) lost a tight one to Newburgh Free Academy (NY) in a contest that came down the wire.

In one of the day's two craziest games, St. Patrick's (NJ) and New Rochelle (NY) met at 4:10 in a game that was changed to the main court, allowing more people to see the Celtics showcase what they had. In the first half, it was all about Kevin Boyle's squad, as the Celtics took a commanding 43-13 lead into the half, despite 6'8 power forward Markus Kennedy '10 not playing for much of the half. Chase Plummer '10, a 6'5 forward , filled the void left by Kennedy, and scored 12 points. Kyrie Irving '10, a transfer from Montclair Kimberly Academy (NJ) scored 15 points in with first 16 minutes of play, as the 6'1 guard was easily the best player on the court. Superstars Michael Gilchrist '11 and Dexter Strickland '09 were not in attendance for St. Pat's, nor were Paris Bennett '09, Derrick Gordon '11, and Shaq Stokes '11. The Celtics' 30-point lead did not stay all that big for long, as New Rochelle (NY) hit shot after shot to cut the lead all the way down to seven, 54-47, with nine minutes left in the game. Leading the way for squad from the Empire State were John Calarco '09, a 6'3 guard, and Antoine Mason '10, also a 6'3 guard, both of who were deadly shooters from beyond the arc. With the clock showing 6:50, the lead was six, 59-52. About two minutes later, with only 4:40 to go, New Rochelle had fought all the way back to within one point, and trailed 62-61. The teams then began to exchange buckets and after two more minutes had gone by, St. Patrick's led 66-64. The Celtics then began to take over, leading 73-64 with a minute left. At this point, the game seemed all but over. With the clock reading 0:10, the Celtics were ahead 75-69, and a three-ball with a few ticks left cut the lead to three. Josh Daniell '10, a 6'6 forward, used some heads-up thinking and did not inbound the ball, sealing the win for his St. Patrick's squad. Daniell also had a big block and a key bucket in the final minutes.

At 7:45, the undefeated "national champion" St. Anthony's Friars (NJ) took the floor against The Nia School (NJ) White. Bob Hurley's squad did not have its three best players: Dominic Cheek '09, Ashton Pankey '10, and Devon Collier '10. The only member of the team's core players for next season that was there was Jamee Jackson '09, a 6'7 forward. The rest of the squad was quite inexperienced. It was evident how thin the team will be next season depth-wise, as Nia knocked them off in a close, low scoring affair.

On paper, the Paterson Catholic (NJ) and Susquehanna Township (PA) contest did not look like it would be a good game at all. For the first half, that was completely true, but not in the way one would expect. The Keystone State team was ahead 41-23 at the half, despite PC jumping out to a quick 8-0 lead. The team pushed its lead up to as much as 30 points during the second 16 minutes of play before Paterson Catholic started to fight back. The game stayed in the twenties for a while, yet as time progressed, PC slowly chipped away at the lead. Fuquan Edwin '10, Shaquille Thomas '10, Jayon James '10, and Myles Mack '11 were the main members in the comeback. Before you knew it, Susquehanna's lead was in single digits. It grew back up to 10+ in the final two minutes and it seemed that PC was as good as done, but they did not give up, chopping the lead all the way down to three. With four seconds left, Susquehanna hit one of two at the stripe, making it a four point game. Myles Mack shot far to early and from from way to far away, and the shot missed, giving Susquehanna Township a huge upset win.

The day's games at the Hoop Group Showcase were crazy, and tomorrow will hopefully be just as good. Both St. Patrick's and St. Benedict's will have tough games in the quarterfinals. The Celtics will meet Seton Hall Prep (NJ) and the Gray Bees will face Neumann-Goretti (PA). If both Jersey teams do win, though, they will meet in the semifinals. On the other side of the bracket, a spot in the title game is up for grabs as both of the favorites have been eliminated. Windsor (CT) and The NIA School White will meet in one quarterfinal game, while Susquehanna Township will face the winner of tonight's Plainfield (NJ)/Christian Brothers Academy (NJ) game in the round of eight. This tournament may well have a surprise champion, it's just as matter of who that champ will be.

Note- photo on the top left is of David Bruce and the photo on the top right is of Aaron Brown; both are from http://scouthoops.scout.com/

Note- photo in the mid-right is of Jamee Jackson and is from http://www.nj.com/

Note- photo on the bottom left is of Myles Mack and is from http://hstrial-spulliam.homestead.com/

Upcoming Interviews:

2008-06-21T23:28:00.002-04:00

I was at the Hoop Group Showcase all day today, and while there got to see some great basketball and speak with some great players as well as a phenomenal coach. Here is a list of the players I spoke with: Sterling Gibbs '11, Andre Gillette '09, Tyreek Duran '10, Tavon Sledge '11, Aaron Brown '10, Chase Plummer '10, Kyrie Irving '10, Josh Daniell '10, Jarell Lane '11, Shaquille Thomas '10, Fuquan Edwin '10, and Kyle Anderson '12. In addition, I caught up with Kevin Boyle, the head coach of St. Patrick's (NJ). I'll be getting these interviews up over the next few weeks, so be sure to check back!

Jordan Hamilton- "Smooth"

2008-06-20T22:43:00.003-04:00

The LA Dream Team (CA) had a sub-par performance in their loss in pool play at the Rumble in the Bronx. Jordan Hamilton, Renardo Sidney, and Co. were knocked off by the NY Panthers and were outplayed from start to finish. Hamilton, a junior swingman from Dominguez (CA) did what he could in the second half to keep his team in it, but his shot just would not go in. Although he didn't have great showing, his talent was obvious. Following his squad's defeat at the hands of the NY Panthers, I caught up with the highly-regarded offensive weapon.

NB: What do you think went wrong . . . out there for you guys? Why weren’t you guys able to pick up the win?
JH: Well, we [are] not used to this heat . . . [in] California, but that’s no excuse. We still should have come out an executed. We came to the game late also, but we just came out [and] they played harder. I don’t think they were the better team, but they did play much harder?

NB: Why wasn’t your shot falling today? Was it something in your motion?
JH: As a matter of fact, I hurt my shoulder in the last game. . . . I banged it up pretty bad, but I’m going to come back tomorrow, and I think we are going to pull out the tournament [for a win].

NB: Do you have a diagnosis on that shoulder [of] what the injury is, or is it just hurting?
JH: Oh, no it just happened [in the] last game. . . . I didn’t really feel pain after the game, but as I was playing, as I was raising it up, I kind of felt it.

NB: What do you consider to be the strongest point of your game?
JH: My strongest point is coming off the dribble, pushing it up court. Most guys wouldn’t think I would push it up court, but sometimes I can run the one, let my guards get out on the wings and I can kick it out to them so they can get open shots and get layups.

NB: What [is] . . . your weakest point?
JH: My weakest point right now is just guarding smaller people and guarding quicker people because usually I’m used to guarding the post, but I’m trying to get up there, and I’m trying to guard the wing.

NB: What position to you feel most comfortable at?
JH: The three and the two. . . . Most definitely, yeah.

NB: What schools are you currently considering?
JH: Texas, Syracuse, UConn, Kansas, Cal, and USC.

NB: A lot of people have been saying that you’re a big Texas lean. What’s the truth on that?
JH: Well, my options are still open. I . . . didn’t commit or anything like that, but I do like Texas. It’s [in] a great city. I had a chance to take an unofficial [visit] and I thought the coaches were great. The players were great, and they have a very young team, and I think . . . if I was to go there, I would make a big impact.

NB: When do you plan on starting to take official visits?
JH: I’m going to start [in] maybe December, October, and November probably.

NB: When do you think you’re going to end up committing? Is there a timetable?
JH: Right, I’m not exactly sure what I’m going to do yet, but . . . when I do, I’ll let you know.

NB: What are some of the goals that you have for your senior season?
JH: Right now, just wining our league, winning our tournaments that we play in, winning CIS section, and then wining states.

NB: What’s it like for you putting on the jersey at that school [Dominguez in California]? It’s a prestigious high school basketball program. What’s that like for you?
JH: Well, Tyshaun Chandler and Tayshuan Prince came out of there, Bobby Jones, Kenny Brunner, Brandon Jennings went there for a while. I just think that they have great guys that go there, and I just think that I can be the next big thing coming out.

NB: Do you ever feel there’s too much pressure on you because of that, or do . . . you to deal with all that?
JH: Not at all, I like to live up to the hype and I’m going to live up to the hype, keep on working on my game, executing, and I’m [going to] do have to do what I have to do.

NB: Who would you compare your game to?
JH: Most people say Carmelo Anthony and Josh Shipp.

NB: What do you say?
JH: I’ll say Carmelo Anthony.

NB: Since he went to Syracuse, is that something that may bring you to Syracuse as well?
JH: Well, I like Syracuse a lot. [The school has a] great coach, Hall of Fame coach, and if I was to go there, I was told that I could make a great impact. They have a young team also, and they have great players.

NB: Give me one word to sum up your game.
JH: I would have to say smooth.

I completely agree with the word that Hamilton chose: "smooth." The junior is extremely athletic and quite flashy. He has a nice shooting motion and just an overall pretty game. Even though he struggled in the loss, you could sense that there was something special about him. His game is "smooth" and he has great talent and athleticism. Jordan Hamilton may be a star in the making.

Scouting Report on Hamilton’s Game vs. NY Panthers:

Although Hamilton definitely had an off game against the NY Panthers, it was evident why people are so enamored with the junior swingman. Although Jordan was lazy getting back on defense, and was even lazy points when he was back, it was evident that his has the ability to more than make up for that at the other end of the floor, though the defensive issues are still somewhat troubling. On offense, he attacked the basket quite well and displayed a nice handle. Some of Hamilton’s passes were overly flashy, and he is a big fan of the alley-oop, whether it be on the passing or catching end. Jordan has good height and length, and his extreme athleticism was apparent. He has nice ups, aggressiveness, and just that “it” factor that you can’t really pinpoint, though it certainly relates to his supreme athletic ability. Hamilton complained to the refs at different points during the game, and also did not always jump for rebounds. Although his shot was off from start to finish, he demonstrated a nice stroke. As well, he continued to shoot even when he kept missing, a positive trait in a quality shooter and scorer. Hamilton struggled at the free throw line, though that, like his shooting from the field, may have been a result of his injured shoulder. Hamilton did not do anything outstanding, yet due to his phenomenal athleticism, he clearly has great potential.

Note- photo is from http://scouthoops.scout.com/

Renardo Sidney- What's All the Fuss About?

2008-06-20T22:30:00.006-04:00

The award for the most disappointing player that I saw play at the Rumble in the Bronx would definitely go to Renardo Sidney, a junior power forward from Fairfax High School (CA). Sidney teamed up with Jordan Hamilton on the LA Dream Team (CA) to form one of the tournament's favorites. The squad, though, did not even win its pool. Sidney had a poor performance against the NY Panthers in what amounted the pool's championship game, and his sqaud was defeated. According to http://www.rivals.com/, the team did win the Silver Bracket title, though that's likely not what the boys from the Golden State were looking for when they arrived in New York. After the disappointing loss to the NY Panthers, I caught up with Sidney, one of the most highly touted players in the class of 2009.

NB: What do you think went wrong for [the team] . . . out there?
RS: We just came out and just played lazy and . . . the referee got in our head. We [are] from LA, [so] we don’t get no-- . . . they [are] in home cooking.

NB: What got you in foul trouble?
RS: Dumb fouls in front of [the] referee. I put my hands straight up and they call a foul on me. . . . I did wrong, on some plays there [were] some stupid fouls.

NB: What do you consider to be the strongest point of your game?
RS: Right now, I got to work on . . . losing weight and just going down there in the post and being . . . big.

NB: What do you think you need to work on the most? What’s the weakest point of your game?
RS: Conditioning, once I get in condition and lose some . . . pounds, I’ll be . . . good.

NB: What do you think makes you stand out against some other big men in the country?
RS: I’m quick, I got good footwork, I’m smart, well sometimes I’m smart, and I play hard.

NB: What schools are you currently considering college-wise?
RS: Kansas, Louisville, USC, UCLA, Texas, Texas A&M, [and] Florida.

NB: What do you think the chances are that you and [your AAU teammate] Jordan [Hamilton] end up going to college together?
RS: Oh, that’s a big chance. . . . Jordan [and I] just talked the other night and we got one more year in high school, [and] we [will] just go [and] probably just make the decision together.

NB: What are you looking for in a college?
RS: I just want a team that . . . plays my style of basketball, up-and-down.

NB: What type of coach are you looking to play for, someone who is very vocal or someone who is kind of more laid back?
RS: A coach that’ll get on me when I’m . . . not doing [anything], that pushes me.

NB: With the NBA age limit, if that were something that wasn’t in place, would you consider making the jump straight to the pros [after next year]?
RS: Yes, I’d definitely make that jump because high school, . . . school-wise it’s just . . . hurting me, but I’d like to go to college, get that one year.

NB: Who are you saying might be a part of that package deal [that you are trying to work out with colleges]?
RS: Antonio Bigelow, Kawad [Leonard], . . . Eric [Swoopes], me, Lance [Stephenson], and then we got to find another big [man], oh and Jordan [Hamilton], might be Jordan.

NB: What are the schools recruiting all of you?
RS: Everybody . . . actually is recruiting us, but we just got to come as one and then pick the school we want to go to.

NB: What do you think the likelihood of that [package deal] happening is?
RS: I really don’t know right now. . . . Catch me next year.

Renardo's game against the NY Panthers did not lead me to believe that he should be thought of as even close to one of the best players in his class. The junior big man play lazily for most of the contest, and quite frankly, didn't do much. He could certainly develop into something special, as he has great height, and if he loses some weight he could be more affective. As of now, though, I'd consider Renardo Sidney to be one of the most overhyped players in the nation.

Scouting Report on Sidney's Game vs. NY Panthers:

After watching Renardo Sidney play, I was left wondering what makes him so special, as he did basically nothing against the NY Panthers. Yeah, he grabbed a few boards and scored some points, but he was not even close to dominant, and was not even remotely close to backing up his reputation, which is about as large as he is. Speaking of size, Sidney either needs to shed 15 or 20 pounds or just work on his endurance, stamina, and agility. The junior big man didn’t run back to play defense all that often, and even when he did, he seemed lazy and at some points uninterested. At points, he didn’t even jump for rebounds. As well, Sidney complained about referees’ calls, appeared tired even during the first half, fouled a lot, was even at halfcourt for free throws sometimes. In the second half, after Sidney fouled out, I didn’t even notice that the big man was off the floor, though that may be hard to believe. That explains just how nonexistent he was throughout the contest. There were some positives that the highly regarded big man did display in the game against the NY Panthers. First off, Sidney is a good free throw shooter and puts a lot of arc on his shots from the stripe. His has a solid handle and a stellar form on his jumper. Renardo was certainly aggressive at times, and even dove on the floor for the ball at least once. In the second half, for the little bit that he was in, the Fairfax High School star seemed to play better, as he was jumping more, and thus grabbed more rebounds. Overall though, Sidney wasn’t even one of the two best players on the floor . . . for his own team.

Note- photo is from http://scouthoops.scout.com/

Update on . . . Justin Crosgile

2008-06-19T22:57:00.005-04:00

If you will recall, back on April 28th, I first featured Justin in article entitled "Justin Crosgile- Soon to be St. Joe's Hawk?" It appears that I was right, as I first read on http://blog.zagsblog.net/ last night that 6'0 junior guard Justin Crosgile of DePaul Catholic (NJ) had committed to St. Joseph's. Also last night, I caught up with the future St. Joe's baller and discussed his decision with him. "Well, it's a great school, not too far from home, it's a guard school, it has my major, and I think it's a perfect fit for me," said Crosgile of why he picked the school, adding, "I feel comfortable with my decision. I'm happy and excited to be a Hawk. The coaching staff is great and I love everything about the school." I inquired of Justin what he planned on his major being: "Computer science or business and marketing." I asked the DePaul Catholic guard when he actually committed and when he really did make his decision, and he told me that he officially committed yesterday, but "decided about two weeks ago." After hearing that he waited two weeks to commit, I questioned Crosgile about the reason for the wait, to which he said: "My coach wanted to talk it over, and my mother wanted to a little bit after my brother's graduation." Justin, who told me that "family" helped him along the way to a decision informed me that his other finalists were "Virginia, Miami and [he] was looking at Indiana." I will keep you posted on Crosgile as he completes his high school career and continues off to St. Joseph's.

Northstar Basketball Milestones & Thank You Again

2008-06-19T19:32:00.003-04:00

Well, this has been a big couple of days for Northstar Basketball. Yesterday, the site crushed its previous record for hits and topped 1,000 hits in a day for the first time. As well, today I posted the 200th article on the site, the one just below this, on Omari Lawrence. I would once again like to to thank all of my readers as well as other sites that I have worked in collaboration with. This sites can been seen below under "Northstar Basketball's Favorites." Once again, thank you all very much. Northstar Basketball will keep Leading the Way in the Search for Excellence Both on and off the Hardwood!

Omari Lawrence- Helping the NY Panthers Enter the Spotlight

2008-06-19T17:52:00.006-04:00

The NY Panthers are sometimes over shadowed by other AAU programs in New York, such as the NY Gauchos, New Heights, Metro Hawks, and Juice All-Stars. Over the weekend, the NY Panthers' U-17 team thrust their name near the top of the list of the best programs in the Empire State with an impressive showing at the Rumble in the Bronx. Led by 6'4 junior guard Omari Lawrence of St. Raymond's (NY), the squad pulled off an upset over one of the the tournament favorites, the LA Dream Team (CA), a squad featuring Renardo Sidney and Jordan Hamilton. Lawrence paced the Panthers from start to finish in the game, keeping them out front almost the whole contest. Prior to the big win, I had the chance to speak with Omari.

NB: What do you consider to be the strongest point of your game?
OL: My leadership and driving to the basket.

NB: What [is] . . . your weakest point? What are you going to need to work on the most?
OL: Extending my range.

NB: Do you have any goals for your senior year in high school?
OL: My goal is [to] hopefully become a McDonald’s All-American and just winning a championship, a national championship.

NB: What schools are you currently considering?
OL: Right now, I’m considering Marquette, UConn, West Virginia, Memphis, [and] Arizona. Schools like that.

NB: Have all those schools offered you scholarships?
OL: Yes.

NB: Is there a leader that stands out to you right now?
OL: No, nobody stands out to me right now. I’m just wide open still.

NB: Is there any school that you’ve always dreamed of playing at?
OL: No, I don’t have [any] dream school right now.

NB: When do you plan on starting to take . . . visits?
OL: I’m taking an unofficial [visit] next month to Marquette, and to UConn.

NB: When are you going to start taking official [visits]? Do you know?
OL: The beginning of my next year, before my season begins.

NB: Do you have a timetable for when you plan to commit?
OL: No, I don’t. . . . I’m just waiting for the perfect fit for me.

NB: What [is your team] . . . looking to accomplish in the tournament here?
OL: We [are] trying win it, win the whole thing, like everybody else.

Although the NY Panthers did not win the Rumble 2008, the team did make it to the title game before falling to the NY Gauchos. In addition, the team knocked off a New York squad, the Juice All-Stars, in the semifinals. As well, they were the only team to defeat the LA Dream Team, who would go on to take the Silver Bracket crown. A big part of the squad success was certainly Omari Lawrence. He is a player with a great game, major goals, and a bright future.

Scouting Report on Lawrence’s Game vs. LA Dream Team:

Omari Lawrence is a fantastic talent, certainly one of Big East caliber. The 6’4 junior guard is a bit lanky, quite skinny, and appears somewhat awkward on the court, as he has an odd shooting motion, which is evident on his free throws. As well, he even seems to dribble somewhat awkwardly, but it’s definitely working for him. Lawrence has solid athleticism: nice ups, quickness, aggressive, and some muscularity. As for his actual game, Omari has a solid crossover and attacks the basket extremely well, which is helped by his stellar head fake. At times, the St. Raymond’s (NY) stud appeared to be a bit too fancy. On a court of superstars (Kevin Parrom, Sterling Gibbs, Renardo Sidney, Jordan Hamilton), Lawrence may well have been the best player of them all. This NY Panther is destined for success.

Note- tournament info is from http://www.rivals.com/

Note- photo is from http://scouthoops.scout.com/

Kevin Parrom- What's Done is Done

2008-06-19T15:22:00.006-04:00

Kevin Parrom has had an interesting past few months. The former St. Raymond's (NY) star was involved in an altercation with his coach (See http://njmg.typepad.com/zagsblog/2008/05/parrom-decks-an.html for details), and it seemed that Parrom was going to have to make some changes. Well, he has done so, and he was with his U-17 NY Panthers squad at the Rumble in the Bronx, where the team had a great showing. I spoke with the 6'4 junior forward before his team met and defeated the LA Dream Team (CA) in pool play.

NB: Could you discuss a little bit about the incident that happened with you recently, or do you not want to talk about that?
KP: It just happened. It could have been . . . handled a different way, but it happened. Everything happens for a reason, [I’ve] just got to move on from this.

NB: Are you and [St. Raymond’s Head] Coach [Oliver] Antigua on better terms now? Have you guys spoken since then?
KP: I haven’t spoken to him.

NB: Is that something you want to try to do, or no?
KP: I don’t want [any] bad blood with nobody, but if he wants to speak, I’ll speak. It . . . doesn’t really matter.

NB: What school are you planning on attending next year?
KP: South Kent.

NB: What went into that choice for you to go to South Kent?
KP: [Pause] It’s like a college campus. It’s going to help me get ready for college, so that was a main point. [It will be] my senior year [and it will] help me get ready for college.

NB: You mentioned colleges, what are some of the schools that you’re considering right now?
KP: Xavier, St. John’s, Pittsburgh, Clemson, Marquette, [and] South Carolina

NB: Have all those schools offered you a scholarship?
KP: Yes. . . . There are more, I just don’t feel like naming them right now.

NB: Do you have any leaders? Any top three of four schools?
KP: I plan on chopping my list down during the summer, but I . . . don’t have [any] leaders at this time.

NB: Do you know how much you’re going to cut it down, to about how many schools?
KP: I don’t know, I’m going to just decide on that during the summer, probably during August.

NB: Do you have a dream school [of] someplace you’ve always wanted to go?
KP: No, no dream school, just . . . to go to college.

NB: What do you consider to be the strongest point of your game?
KP: My versatility, to be able to go in and out.

NB: What [is] . . . your weakest point?
KP: Defense on the perimeter, I need to improve on that.

NB: What are you looking to accomplish [during] your senior season?
KP: Become a better player every game, everyday I play, just get better over the summer.

Kevin appears to be past his struggles with Antigua. Although the situation is unfortunate, Parrom did sat that "everything happens for a reason," so maybe there will be some positive results. Evidently, Parrom had nothing blocking his concentration at the Rumble 2008, as http://www.rivals.com/ selected his a one of the event's top performers (http://basketballrecruiting.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=818601). Kevin Parrom is clearly talented, and as long as none of these occurrences happen again, he is poised for big things.

Scouting Report on Parrom’s Game vs. LA Dream Team:

Flat-out, Kevin Parrom didn’t show the crowd all that much in the game I saw him play. He didn’t stand out at all. The 6’4 junior was almost non-existent in first half, when he scored just three points and was only 1/3 at the free throw line. In the second 16 minutes of play, Parrom was a bit better. He drove to the hoop and was aggressive. Overall, though, this was a poor performance for Kevin, and not a great game to judge him on.

Note- photo is from http://www.rivals.com/

Lance Stephenson- Where is he Headed?

2008-06-18T19:04:00.002-04:00

After Lincoln (NY) defeated Rice (NY) at the Prime Time Shootout in February, I caught up with Lance Stephenson. I spoke with Lincoln's 6'6 junior swingman again this past weekend at the Rumble in the Bronx and I just got off the phone with him about 20 minutes ago. Stephenson's Raising Champions team had an extremely dissapointing performance at the Rumble 2008, and according to http://www.rivals.com/, the team did not even win a game. The squad featured Stephenson, Karron Johnson, Roberto Nelson, CJ Leslie, and Christian Kabongo, yet could not even pick up a win. Lance just told me this about the reasoning for the dissapointing showing: "I didn’t think we had the team chemistry, we never really practiced with each other. It was . . . our second time seeing each other." Despite the poor performance of the team, I still took the opportunity to chat with Lance on Saturday.

NB: There’s been a lot of reports lately about what colleges you’re considering. Can you just clear up the air and let me know what schools you are officially considering?
LS: UCLA, USC, and Kansas.

NB: What about Kentucky?
LS: Oh yeah, I like Kentucky, [it’s] a good school. I’m looking at every school, so if I just tell you a name of a school, that doesn’t really mean I’m actually going to really go there, I’m just looking at them real hard right now.

NB: Are there any other schools that are a little bit further behind . . . that you’re also considering? Anyone in particular?
LS: Memphis, St. John’s, [Pause] Indiana, and North Carolina.

NB: Does St. John’s have a bit of an edge in some ways because [it] is the home state school?
LS: Oh yeah, I was really looking at St. John’s. I think I can bring New York back [to prominence], so I’m really looking at that right now.

NB: What are going to be some of the factors in your decision?
LS: [A] good place surrounding and a good coach.

NB: You mentioned USC. What do you think about the whole OJ Mayo situation right now?
LS: I think that it’s real messed up, but [Pause] somebody did the wrong thing around him and I don’t think that should have happened, but . . . I don’t think I’m going to be in his league. I’m just focused on school and basketball right now.

NB: What do you consider to be the strongest point of four game?
LS: Down low in the post.

NB: What [is] . . . your weakest point?
LS: I don’t think I have one. Right now, it’s my attitude, that’s it, but I can change that.

NB: What are you trying to do to work on that?
LS: Just relax, but sometimes it doesn’t go my way and I get real upset. . . . I’m trying to work on it now.

Since Saturday, it seems that Lance's list has changed a little bit. "USC, St. John's, Kansas, UCLA, and Tennessee," are the schools that Stephenson just told me he is considering. I asked if North Carolina, Memphis, Kentucky, and Indiana were out of contention, and he told me that they are not: "I’m still looking at [those] schools, but I’m more focused on the other [first five] schools, then I’m going to focus on the others." As for a favorite: "I don’t have a leader right now," said the New York superstar. The only schools that Stephenson mentioned upon first questioning both times were USC, UCLA, and Kansas, so it seems that although he won't publicly say it, they may well be the favorites right now.

Note- photo is from http://scouthoops.scout.com/

Poll- My Choice

2008-06-18T15:46:00.004-04:00

I can't really provide you with insight on one of the poll questions, as it merely asked what conference you would want to play in if you were a big-time basketball recruit, so I'll skip that one. As for the other poll, which asked what the most important factor in an NBA Draft prospect is, I can certainly provide you with my insight and opinion. You selected basketball IQ as the key factor, and while I do think that is important, I would not put it at number one. A player may have a great IQ on the hardwood, but that can't completely make up for a lack of size, speed, or even skills for that matter. At the same time, I don think that height is one of the most overrated attributes in basketball, except when it applies to pure big men. To me, great speed is not 100% vital either, as some teams primarily use halfcourt offenses. I agree with you that defensive ability is not number one either, as you didn't even give it a vote. Who plays defense in the NBA anyway other than a few select players (Shane Battier, Bruce Bowen, Marcus Camby, etc.)? Character and leadership qualities are important, but they can't be number one, because that means you would take the player with the best character or leadership qualities the highest, but what if he isn't that talented. This leaves two options from my poll: college/overseas production and scoring ability. The latter of the two, scoring ability, is important, but the NBA already has so many scorers that to me, it's not number one. Thus, I'm saying college/overseas production is tops amongst factors to consider in NBA Draft prospects. This view is certainly debatable, as many people would argue that just because a player was successful in college or in Europe does not mean he can succeed in the League. This is certainly true, but does have great size or basketball IQ guarantee success? No, nothing does. That's why, to me, players who have produced are the guys who should be taken the highest. I'm not saying that the competition a player played against should not be factored in, and nor should physical attributes. Rather, I'm just saying that if you have produced once and been successful, you can do it again. Guys like Brandon Rush who have been completely dominant, are in my opinion, premiere prospects over players such as Anthony Randolph who have size and potential. Production is the key!

Northstar Basketball's Top Five Factors in an NBA Draft Prospect:
1. College/Overseas Production
2. Basketball IQ
3. Playmaking Ability
4. Size (for big men)
5. Potential

Justin Anderson- Eighth Grader Has a Monster Game

2008-06-17T23:50:00.002-04:00

Boo Williams (VA) always has some of the premiere players in America on its AAU rosters, and right now there are a number of young players within the program to keep an eye on. One of them, Justin Anderson, a 6'5 forward, is not even in high school yet. Anderson, who recently complete middle school at Spotsy Middle School (VA), is one of the best eighth graders in the US. Anderson's U-15 Boo Williams Summer League team took home the Gold Bracket title, defeating Team Phenom (NJ) by a wide margin. After the win, I caught up with the gifted youngster.

NB: What’s it like winning the championship?
JA: It feels great. We just, we did what we had to do and we got it done.

NB: What would be one word that sums up exactly how you’re feeling right now?
JA: Great. We’ve been wanting this for a long time, we’ve been going to tournaments, [and] we’d been coming in second place, and we just all knew . . . we had to go all out this tournament and we went all out, and we got a victory.

NB: How are you guys able to keep on getting to these championships at every tournament you go to? You guys are always playing for the championship. How [does the team] . . . maintain that focus every single weekend?
JA: Well, because we come out . . . like we’re always down by 10 points in the fourth quarter. We come out strong, we come out with intensity, so therefore we strive and we work hard until we get to the end, and if we finish, we finish, if we don’t, we don’t.

NB: What’s it like for you playing with all high school kids, playing up a year [on the AAU level], while you’re just in eighth grade?
JA: Oh, it’s definitely a different experience, it’s a different experience, but it feels great, it feels great.

NB: How do you think it helps you to be able to play with those kids that are a year older than you?
JA: It helps me, it gets me stronger mentally [and] physically. It teaches [me], I learn a lot every game. I’m always learning something every game.

NB: Have you been receiving any college interest at this point?
JA: Villanova and Virginia, yes.

NB: Is there a school that you’ve always dreamed of playing for?
JA: When I was younger I liked Texas a lot, so right now I like Texas a lot.

NB: If Texas were to start showing you interest, and down the road, if they were to offer you a scholarship, is that something you would just jump at on the spot?
JA: Oh no, no, because I have four more years left. I have to leave all my options open.

NB: Where do you plan on attending high school?
JA: I’m not sure yet. There’s a lot [of options]. . . . [It’s] between Bishop O’Connell [in Virginia], Montrose Christian [in Maryland], and Courtland High School [in Virginia], so I’m not sure yet.

NB: What do you consider to be the strongest and weakest point of your game?
JA: My strongest point is definitely attacking the rim. . . . My weakest point, what I have to work at, is getting better defensively because . . . if you can’t defend, then you can’t get your scoring on offense.

Anderson repeatedly dunked on the overmatched Team Phenom squad, which was missing one of its star players, 6'3 freshman Juan'ya Green from Archbishop Carroll (PA). Anderson displayed greats hops and natural athleticism, evidenced by the fact that he is already dunking in eighth grade. Right now, Anderson is a bit lanky and putting on some pounds would be good. He definitely has time for that, as he has not even started high school. This monster eighth grader is one to keep an eye on, so don't forget the name Justin Anderson, and I'm sure you won't as he will be ranked amongst the best players in the class of 2012.

Note- photo is from http://www.rivals.com/

Karron Johnson- Durham for High School and College?

2008-06-17T00:45:00.004-04:00

Mt. Zion Christian Academy (NC) is one of the top prep school basketball programs in America. The school currently has a superstar on its hands in 6'7 junior forward Karron Johnson. Mt. Zion, which produced current Houston Rocket Tracy McGrady, is located in Durham, the same town as Duke University. This is interesting for Johnson, as that is the school he grew up rooting for. I learned this from the man himself when we spoke at the Southern Jam Fest after Karron's Richmond Squires (VA) U-17 team was knocked out of the event.

NB: Playing at a school, Mt. Zion [Christian Academy], that Tracy McGrady came out of, what is that like for you?
KJ: It’s okay. . . . It’s kind of hard playing in Tracy McGrady light, but [I] make it work.

NB: Do you ever think about that? Or do you just worry about yourself and your game?
KJ: I try to just worry what I got to do, what I got to take care of [and] get it done.

NB: What led you to playing with the Richmond Squires, going out-of-state [from your high school] for an AAU program?
KJ: Well, actually I’m from Richmond, Virginia. So, . . . I [have] been playing with them since I was like 13 or 14, and we just made the transition to Mt. Zion . . . for private school.

NB: What went into that decision?
KJ: It was kind of my AAU coach Tony Squire to get me out of Richmond because it’s a bad situation in the city of Richmond, so [I ]had to get out of there.

NB: What are some of the colleges you’re currently considering?
KJ: Syracuse, Kansas, USC, Miami, UVA, Seton Hall, Georgetown, Memphis, Maryland, it’s a lot.

NB: Do you have offers from all of those [schools]?
KJ: The majority.

NB: What are some of the schools that are showing interest in you, but have yet to offer?
KJ: Well, during the high school season, Duke was actually at a couple [of] our games, but I’m not really sure where that’s going. That’s about the only big school.

NB: Is that a school that you’d be interested in possibly going to, or because their not showing interest now, it’s kind of fallen off your radar?
KJ: No, I’m wide open right now, anything’s possible right now.

NB: Do you have any schools at the top of your list?
KJ: No sir, no sir. I’m wide open, anything can happen.

NB: Is there a school that growing up you’ve always dreamed of going to, when you were a little kid that you always rooted for them and they were always your favorite school?
KJ: Duke.

NB: What did it mean to you then, to have them come to actually watch your games and know that the school you’ve always rooted for was watching you play?
KJ: That was big for me, I was very excited, and I also had a good game, so I was happy.

NB: What do you consider to be the strongest point of your game?
KJ: Being that I’m big and I can put the ball on the floor. If you’re smaller, I can post up, if you’re bigger, I can dribble.

NB: What [is] . . . your biggest weakness?
KJ: Jump-shooting.

NB: How are you trying to work on that?
KJ: I have been working out with Kent Greenway, who I’ve been working out with since I was 14, and we work on a lot of jump-shots, and shooting off the dribble, and off of screens, and stuff like that.

NB: What current NCAA or NBA player would you compare your game to?
KJ: Oooh, hmmm, maybe a David West.

NB: What makes you pick him?
KJ: Because he . . . has a nice mid-range game, and if you’re too slow, he can go past you.

NB: Who would you consider to be your favorite player?
KJ: Carmelo Anthony.

NB: Why Carmelo?
KJ: Because he’s just . . . an animal. I just love the way he plays. He plays in the post, shoots the jumper, goes past you, . . . however you want it.

NB: What’s your team looking to accomplish over the rest of the AAU season?
KJ: Hopefully get some tournament wins, hopefully, and get some guys into some schools.

NB: What exactly are you looking for in a college that’s going to make it your choice [as a] destination?
KJ: Well, of course, playing time, and also how the school is academically, and what kind of programs they offer. . . . I would like to take up business of something like that, so programs like that.

Duke certainly fits the mold of a quality academic institution, so should Mike Krzyzewski choose to offer Johnson a scholarship, it would be interesting to see if he would jump at the offer, considering that it's his dream school. Being so close to Mt. Zion will allow for Coach K to observe Johnson quite frequently and analyze whether he wants the 6'7 forward to be a Blue Devil. Even if he does, it's by no means a lock that Karron would stay in Durham. It would certainly be an interesting story, though, should Johnson decide to stay in the same town for high school and college.

Note- photo is from http://scouthoops.scout.com/

Reggie Bullock- North Carolina in his Blood

2008-06-16T20:38:00.004-04:00

Kinston High School (NC) star guard Reggie Bullock won't be traveling all that far to get to college. The 6'5 sophomore superstar has already committed to Roy Williams' North Carolina Tar Heels. Bullock, who is regarded as one of the premiere players in the class of 2010, was at the Southern Jam Fest with his U-17 CP3 All-Stars (NC) team. Reggie and Co. were the Gold Bracket Champions. I spoke with Bullock after one of his games at the University of Virginia, where the tournament was held.

NB: What went into your decision to choose to attend North Carolina?
RB: Just, [it’s] been one of my favorite schools growing up and it’s just a place like home. [It] has a good, winning record, good coaches [and] they treat you like home when you go there.

NB: Does their situation talent-wise in the two classes preceding you [with] guys like John Henson, Dexter Strickland, Larry Drew, [and] the Wear twins [Travis and David] . . . worry you at all about playing time?
RB: No, it don’t worry at all. I know if I just work hard I [will] get my playing time that I usually get anywhere I usually play basketball.

NB: What were some of the other schools that you were considering?
RB: Wake Forest, I was considering UCLA, Ohio St., [and] Florida.

NB: Was your plan primarily that you did want to stay in-state? Is that why North Carolina had the edge?
RB: Yeah, I wanted to stay in-state close to home so my family can be able to come see me play any time basically [that] I can get them tickets. That’s why I picked [North] Carolina.

NB: What do you consider to be the strongest point of your game?
RB: Rebounding, crashing the boards, getting rebounds, going back up with the shot and shooting.

NB: What [is] . . . the weakest point of your game?
RB: Probably my pull-up jumper.

NB: What have you been doing to work on that?
RB: Just staying in the gym after practice working on it. . . . The players at my high school [and I are] just working on our jumpers, our pull-up jumpers off the dribble.

NB: What’s it like for you playing up in the AAU level? You’re playing with mostly juniors. Do you think that gives you . . . added motivation or added competition? What does that do for you?
RB: It makes me play even harder just to get my name out there even more [with] the classes of 09 [and] 08 [to] just let them know who I am. I don’t care who I play, basically, so [I] just let them know who I am.

NB: Do you ever . . . kind of lack motivation in some ways because you’re already committed, because you already have everything setup? Do you ever kind of feel like you don’t need to work as hard?
RB: No, I never think like that. I just know [that] . . . my goal is to make it to the NBA, so I know I got to work hard to be able to get there, so I never lack motivation.

NB: You [have] got CP3 on your jersey. What does it mean to you to have [an affiliation with] Chris Paul [and] play for that program, . . . having the year that he [had and being] the player that he is? What does that mean to you personally?
RB: Oh, it means a lot. I know he went to Wake Forest [and] I was considering Wake Forest too, and they offered me a scholarship. . . . Chris Paul is a good dude, he [is real], very down to earth, and I just like him as a person, and I like his game too.

NB: Who would you compare your game to?
RB: Kevin Durant.

NB: Why Kevin Durant?
RB: That’s one of my favorite players. . . . Basically when the Texas coach came down and [asked] me if there’s anybody I take my game after, and I told him Kevin Durant is my favorite player. He said ‘he’s a good person, down to earth, willing to talk to anybody, and he just works hard in the gym.’

Reggie Bullock is on the right path right now, as he has a heck of a basketball game and a bright future at Chapel Hill ahead of him. It's clear just how good Bullock is when you look at http://www.hoopgroup.com/hoopgroup/hg_southern.php and see that he was the MVP of the U-17 tournament. That's quite an accomplishment for Reggie, especially considering that most of the players in the U-17 division were juniors. The sophomore stud is all about North Carolina, as his high school, AAU team, and future college are all in the Tar Heel State. Only time will tell how his far his time in North Carolina will take him, but if he keeps working, his talent will certainly keep him ready for whatever comes his way.

Note- photo is from http://scouthoops.scout.com/

Poll Results:

2008-06-16T13:05:00.002-04:00

It seems that many of Northstar Basketball's readers are fans of either the Big East or the Big 12. In the most heavily voted-on poll since I started the polling, these two conferences combined for 70 of the 95 votes cast on what conference you would want to play in if you were a big-time basketball recruit. The Big 12 was the winner, grabbing 37 choices, while the Big East was a close second with 33 votes. The Pac-10 finished in a distant third with eight votes, and the ACC was just behind it with seven choices. In a tie for fifth place were the CAA and SEC with three votes each. Then, in a four-way tie for seventh, the Atlantic-10, Big Ten, C-USA, and Patriot League all grabbed one selection. "Other" did not get any votes. In the other poll, asking which factor was the most important in an NBA Draft prospect, basketball IQ was the winner getting six of the 17 votes. Character, leadership qualities, scoring ability, and speed/quickness finished tied for second with two votes a piece. Size and college/overseas production both received a single vote, as did "Other," while defensive ability was shut out. It seems that you feel intelligence on the court surpasses everything else.

Update on . . . Paris Bennett

2008-06-15T19:17:00.004-04:00

Paris Bennett, a 2009 standout from St. Patrick's (NJ) has been drawing interest from some new schools recently. Yesterday, Paris informed me that George Mason, Rice, Boston University, and Siena are "starting to get in the mix." In addition, Bennett told me that "all" of them have offered him a scholarship. Paris, who will "be at the NBA camp next week," let me know that he is "not even sure" who his leaders are at this point in the race for his services. The 6'6 junior swingman runs with Team New Jersey ABC on the AAU circuit, and will continue to showcase his abilities with the NJABC team as the season progresses. I'll keep you informed on how Bennett's recruitment is shaping up.

Northstar Basketball Accomplishment & Thank You

2008-06-15T12:20:00.003-04:00

After receiving a hit from a reader in Billings, Montana yesterday, Northstar Basketball achieved a major milestone. That hit gave my site a view from each and every state in America, including Alaska and Hawaii. I would like to thank you the support of all of YOU, the readers of Northstar Basketball. Without you, this information would just be floating around cyberspace. So, once again, thank you to all of the readers here at Northstar Basketball. I appreciate your support and look forward to providing you with information as time moves on!

Dion Waiters- It's All About the Orange

2008-06-14T23:23:00.003-04:00

South Kent Prep (CT) constantly produces premiere basketball players, and it's got a number of them right now. One of them who stands out is rising junior Dion Waiters, a 6'3 guard. The class of 2010 stud has already committed to the Syracuse Orange, and he quite excited for the opportunity to play for Jim Boeheim at SU. I spoke with Dion at the Southern Jam Fest after his Team Final (PA) U-17 team picked up a win in Gold Bracket play.

NB: What led to your decision to commit to Syracuse?
DW: First because, I just want to play for a Hall of Fame coach, and he lets the guards go, so I feel comfortable in the offense.

NB: [Does] their lack of postseason success over the last two years concern you at all?
DW: No because that’s why I feel as though I can go there and . . . make the [NCAA] Tournament and yeah, I just want to play with Syracuse.

NB: Is there any truth to the [rumor] that you’re going to head back to Roman Catholic [in Pennsylvania] next year?
DW: Roman? No, I . . . got options, but Roman [is] up there, but I don’t know yet, I [am not] focused on that right now.

NB: Are you definitely not going back to South Kent?
DW: That’s my last option, but if I got to go back, I’ll go back.

NB: What led to that happening, to you choosing that you don’t want to be back there?
DW: [Raphael] Chillious was a great coach, and the program, it’s not really . . . like that [way it was] with Chillious [anymore]. . . . Chillious was a great coach for me, [and it was a] good experience for me, but first year of [high school] basketball. When he left, the team just fell apart.

NB: What do you consider to be the strongest point of your game?
DW: I can do everything: rebound, pass, score, [get] my teammates involved. I can do it all.

NB: What are you going to need to work on the most over the next two years?
DW: Moving without the ball.

NB: Were you always planning on committing in your sophomore year, a little bit earlier on, or is that something that just kind of happened?
DW: It just happened honestly. . . . I don’t know how it happened, but it happened.

NB: What were some of the other schools you were thinking about?
DW: I don’t even know.

NB: It was always Syracuse [that you were thinking about]?
DW: No, I had some [other] schools, but . . . I didn’t really care, I wasn’t paying attention [to] the schools, and plus, no coach came to me and told me that other schools [are] looking at me, and when I went to Syracuse’s camp in like seventh grade, it was crazy, it was awesome. I really . . . enjoyed it.

NB: What do think the difference is going to be between playing at the prep level and if you do [end up] attending a regular high school next year?
DW: Prep school is a lot [more] physical and [of] course [because of] . . . prep players. It was a good experience for me, though. It helped my game out a lot, like [with] my weakness, what I had to work on.

NB: What’s it like for you playing up a year on the AAU level?
DW: It’s great, I love AAU. You go everywhere and you [are with] your teammates all day. It’s fun.

I caught up with Dion yesterday and he told me that he is still unsure of what high school he will attend next year. Regardless of where he ends up, Waiters will showcase his game in front of throngs of onlookers coming to see the next star at Syracuse. Dion will need to continue to progress over the next two seasons to be successful in the Big East, and he likely will do so, as it appears he will head a quality basketball school no matter what. Waiters is ready to be a part of Syracuse lore, and the Syracuse program is excited to be getting a star in the backcourt.

Note- photo is from http://scouthoops.scout.com/

Upcoming Interviews:

2008-06-14T23:19:00.002-04:00

I was at the Rumble in the Bronx for a bit last night and was there today for a few hours as well. During this time, I had the opportunity to talk with as well as scout some quality basketball players. I interviewed Omari Lawrence '09, Kevin Parrom '09, Renardo Sidney '09, and Jordan Hamilton '09. In addition, I interviewed Lance Stephenson '09 once again. I will be getting these interviews up over the next week or two. Be sure to check back for the interviews with some of the best players in America from the class of 2009.

Dante Taylor- Rising Senior is a Rising Star

2008-06-13T23:09:00.004-04:00

Dante Taylor, a 6'9 junior forward from National Christian Academy (MD), has been one of the players who has boosted his stock during this AAU season. Taylor has shined on the grassroots circuit with his NCA team, and colleges are certainly taking notice. I saw bits and pieces of one of his team's games at the Southern Jam Fest. After the game, Dante was kind enough to take a few minutes to chat with me.

NB: What do you consider to be the strongest point of your game?
DT: Probably my quickness and rebounding.

NB: What [is] . . . the aspect of your game that you’re going to need to work on the most?
DT: Probably playing with my back to the basket.

NB: What is it like for you [to be] playing with this National Christian Academy program in the way that it’s set up?
DT: Oh, it’s good because we pretty go to all the big tournaments. . . . It’s for me to show everybody our team and how I play, and plus, it’s a good environment for me.

NB: Is [NCA] . . . a high school that [has] you guys playing on the AAU level as well?
DT: Yeah.

NB: What is that like for you? . . . Not only do you play basketball with these guys, you go to school with them.
DT: Oh, that’s good because we maintain a friendship [and] relationship with each other, and we all [are] used to playing with each other on the court, so we know how each of us work on the court and what our strong points are on the court and what our weaknesses are on the court.

NB: How do you think it helps you guys to relate off the court as well?
DT: [It’s] good because . . . when we [are] off the court, we [are] in the classroom or walking down the hallways [and] we keep each other in line, make sure nobody gets in trouble.

NB: What made this school this school stand out to you over some of the other programs that do similar things, like IMG Academy?
DT: Pretty much because it was . . . a Christian school.

NB: Is that something you’re looking for in a college as well, a Christian background, . . . [like a school such as] Villanova?
DT: Yeah, it’s not really that important for real.

NB: What are some of the schools that are showing interest in you?
DT: Kansas, Pittsburgh, Villanova, Syracuse, UConn, Maryland, Georgetown, Seton Hall, [and] West Virginia.

NB: Who have you received a [scholarship] offer from?
DT: West Virginia, Pittsburgh, Maryland, UNC-Charlotte, [and] UConn.

NB: Do you have a leader at this point?
DT: No, not really.

NB: Do you have any schools that are at the top of your list, three or four maybe, that you’re the most highly considering?
DT: No, not really, pretty much everybody is [at] the same level.

NB: When do you plan on starting to take official visits?
DT: I don’t really know, probably the beginning of next year or something like that.

NB: Do you know where you want to visit?
DT: No, not really.

NB: Is there a school you’ve always dreamed of playing [at]?
DT: When I first started playing basketball, I wanted to go to UConn, but now since everybody’s looking at me, I pretty much don’t have a . . . favorite right now.

NB: A lot [has] been written about you during this short AAU season thus far. What has that been like for you . . . to have the national attention that you’ve been receiving?
DT: That’s good because then that gives all the coaches the opportunity to . . . see how I’m doing when they [are] not at the games, . . . and gives them the opportunity to see me, my name everywhere, so they know I’m making noise out here.

NB: What’s your favorite part about playing basketball?
DT: Offense.

Taylor is not only a rising senior, he is one of America's biggest risers on recruiting charts. His National Christian Academy squad as a whole has been making some noise as well. The team was the runner-up in the Gold Bracket at the Southern Jam Fest and will likely continue to win game throughout the summer. The team features numerous stars, including Taylor '09, Antonio Barton '10, William Barton '10, and Wilbur O'Neal '08. Taylor's stock may well continue to rise, and his recruitment will only heat up as his final year of high school ball comes and goes.

Note- photo is from http://scouthoops.scout.com/

Keith Lumpkin- An Athlete who Just Loves to Play

2008-06-13T22:53:00.005-04:00

St. Peter's Prep (NJ) has a solid big man from the class of 2011 on its hands right now, in forward Keith Lumpkin, and he shines on the gridiron as well. The 6'8 big man is a top-notch football player. Keith was with the Playaz Basketball Club at the Southern Jam Fest recently, and I saw his U-17 squad take on the Petersburg Elite Stars (VA) in Gold Bracket play, a game that they won. I spoke with the two-sport phenom after the contest.

NB: What do you think [are] some of the ways that your football and basketball abilities help you to compete in both sports?
KL: It makes you work harder. In basketball, you got to sometimes foul a person hard, and in football you’re always going hard, so . . . the aggressiveness kicks in in both sports.

NB: What position do you play on the football field?
KL: I play defensive end and right tackle.

NB: Which one do you prefer?
KL: Defensive end.

NB: Why is that? . . . Is it hitting people rather than blocking [that you prefer], is that what it is?
KL: Yeah, I like to hit people instead of blocking them.

NB: What do you plan on playing in college? Is it something you’ve thought about?
KL: I’m not sure, I’m not even sure. I’m just going to weigh my options.

NB: Are there schools that are recruiting you specifically for one sport or for both sports, or is that not something that you’re even thinking about?
KL: I’m not even thinking about that right now.

NB: What schools have been showing you interest?
KL: Penn St. for football, . . . and [also] West Virginia for football.

NB: What are your opinions on those two programs?
KL: I would go there, yeah, definitely.

NB: Do you have any offers at this point?
KL: I’m not even sure.

NB: Is there a school you’ve always dreamed of playing [at] for either sport that you’ve always just wanted . . . to go to?
KL: I would have to say probably Syracuse.

NB: For [which sports]?
KL: For both sports.

NB: What makes the Orange stand out to you?
KL: I [have] always wanted to play in the Carrier Dome.

NB: What do you consider to be the strongest point of your basketball game?
KL: My drop step.

NB: [What is] your weakest point?
KL: My jump shot and my dribbling.

NB: [What is] your strongest . . . point [in] football?
KL: I’m stronger than everybody, so I’m able to blow past everybody on the line and I like to hit people.

NB: What [is] your weakest point [in] football?
KL: I’m probably a little too slow, and I got to stay low, so that’s really it.

NB: What sport do you prefer to play?
KL: I’m not sure, I like to play both. I love, just love playing both of them.

It's evident that Lumpkin just loves sports. He is the type of kid who genuinely enjoys athletics, and isn't just in it for money somewhere along the line, publicity, or popularity. Since the Southern Jam Fest, I caught up with Keith, and it seems that his recruitment has begun to heat up. Rutgers, Boston College, Pitt, Florida, Nebraska, West Virginia, UConn, North Carolina, Illinois, Penn St., and Notre Dame are all showing interest in him for football. As for basketball, Lumpkin is being looked at by Baylor, Penn St., Rutgers, Seton Hall, West Virginia, St. Joseph’s, UCLA, Notre Dame, Tennessee, and Boston College. The 6'8 freshman claimed offers from Rutgers, Boston College, Pitt, Florida, Nebraska, West Virginia, UConn, North Carolina, and Illinois for football. It does seem unlikely, though, that such prestigious programs would offer a freshman a scholarship. I think it's possible that Keith may have just misinterpreted the recruitment of these schools. Either way, Lumpkin is primed for a successful career in whichever sport, or sports, he chooses, and I'm sure he will love every minute of it.

Update on . . . Lance Stephenson

2008-06-13T22:46:00.003-04:00

Here is a quick and simple update for you on Lance Stephenson of Lincoln (NY). The stud junior is playing AAU ball with Raising Champions at the Rumble in the Bronx this weekend. I watched a little bit of his squad's game tonight, and witnessed a scary moment for the class of 2009 stud. Lance drove to the rack and laid it up, came down, and tripped on a rug that was sticking up from the floor. He writhed on the floor for a bit, grabbing his ankle, yet walked--rather, limped--it off and stayed in the game. Although Lance Stephenson appears to be fine, it will be something to keep an eye on.

Sherrod Wright- New to the Playaz, Not New to the Spotlight

2008-06-12T23:33:00.002-04:00

Playaz Basketball Club (NJ) is one of the premiere AAU programs on the east coast, and the organization added a star junior recently. Sherrod Wright of Mt. Vernon (NY), a 6'3 guard, began playing with the Playaz, and he will only help their already stacked U-17 team that features players such as Dominic Cheek of St. Anthony's (NJ) and Brian Oliver of Oak Hill Academy (VA). I had a chance to speak with Wright at the Southern Jam Fest, and took the opportunity to discuss his game, his recruitment, and more.

NB: What led you to play for the Playaz this weekend? Have you been playing for them [for] all [of the] AAU season?
SW: Oh yeah, I just started [the] . . . AAU season. I was playing with [the] Metro [Hawks] first for one tournament, and then something happened, so I just decided I’m going to play with [the Playaz] for good now.

NB: Why the Playaz over some of the other AAU programs? What made them stand out to you as the best possible option?
SW: Oh no, I always wanted to play with the Playaz before because “Cheeks” [Dominic Cheek] . . . [and I are] good friends, and he was always like ‘Oh, come play for the Playaz,’ but I was loyal to the Westchester Hawks, but our team went down this year, the last couple years and we didn’t have a strong team, and I was like ‘I want to win championships this year,’ so I decided I’d come play with “Cheeks.”

NB: What do you think you add to the team?
SW: [A] little bit of everything, yeah, basically a little bit of everything. I bring more slashing ability [and help] . . . from the perimeter, stuff like that, I [am] . . . another two-guard, really.

NB: What do you consider to be the strongest point of your game?
SW: My mid-range [game] and my slashing ability, my ability to create for my other teammates and for myself.

NB: [What is] your biggest weakness?
SW: I’d say my handle [is] my biggest weakness and [my] long-range [game] a little bit, but . . . mainly [my] handle, but I’m getting stronger with that, but basically [that].

NB: As of now, have you committed to a college, and if . . . not, what schools are you considering?
SW: Right now, I’m open with any schools, really. Virginia offered me, that’s why I came down here this weekend. Georgia Teach offered me [a scholarship], [as well as] Xavier and UMass. The rest of them just got interest [for me], so I’m just open mainly. [I’m not] committed to any college, . . . I’m just going to see how it is, see a couple campuses, [find out] academic-wise how the school’s going, and just go from there.

NB: What are some of the other schools that are recruiting you and showing you interest?
SW: Marquette, Syracuse, Pitt, Wake Forest, [North Carolina] St., Florida, Rutgers, Seton Hall, [and] Wisconsin. That’s all I can think of right now.

NB: Do you have a leader at the point? . . . A top choice?
SW: No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no top choices yet.

NB: Do you have a dream school, someone you’ve always wanted to play for?
SW: My dream school was North Carolina because I was born there.

NB: If they were to start showing you interest in you, . . . what would your opinion on that be?
SW: I don’t know really. . . . If they [are] not going to show interest really, then I’m not going to really ride it like that, but if they do, then we’ll see how it goes.

NB: Do you have a timetable for when you plan to commit?
SW: Oh no, no. . . . I think I’m most likely, knowing me, I’m going to commit late.

Sherrod may be a new member of the prestigious Playaz organization, but he is certainly not new to the spotlight that comes with being a part of a quality basketball program. Playing for the famous Bob Cimmino at Mt. Vernon has likely has prepared him for the pressures that will come with not only being a member of the Playaz, but for the college game as well. It seems that Wright will likely end up in the Big East, ACC, or A-10. He will have to continue to work on his game to be successful in the NCAA. I'm sure, though, that playing with Mt. Vernon and the Playaz will only help him to succeed.

Note- photo is from http://scouthoops.scout.com/

Update on . . . Brandon Jennings

2008-06-12T22:01:00.002-04:00

Within the last half hour, I spoke with Arizona-commit Brandon Jennings. I asked him if he is considered with the current state of the program, and whether all the turnover--all three assistant coaches are gone and two players have de-committed--worries him. He told me that he is not concerned and and is still planning on heading to Arizona, unlike fellow Wildcat-commit Emmanuel Negedu who was released from his Letter of Intent. Jennings told me that he did not have much of a relationship with the big man, and had not even heard of the player who de-committed from the class of '09, Abdul Gaddy. As well, I asked Jennings whether or not he has heard about his eligibility for next year, which was in question after his test scores were flagged. He informed me that he has not yet heard the result on the matter, yet expects to find out next week. If he is not eligible, he is not sure what he will do next year. The Jennings situation will be an interesting one to watch, and I'll keep you posted on it.

Christian Leach- 2011 Baller is a Flat-Out Scorer

2008-06-12T17:06:00.004-04:00

Christian Leach, a 6'1 guard for National Christian Academy (MD), is a talented basketball player, and the freshman knows how to put the ball in the hoop. I saw part of Leach's U-15 NCA squad's wins against D-One Sports (NC) and the Fairfax Stars (VA) in pool play at the Southern Jam Fest. In both contests, Leach had 20+ points, dropping 27 against D-One and 20 versus Fairfax. Clearly, the rising sophomore is a talented offensive player. I spoke with him after his team's win over Fairfax.

NB: Where does your scoring ability come from? [You have scored] . . . 20+ points in two straight games. How do you have that ability just to put the ball in the hoop?
CL: Well, I try to get my teammates involved first, but . . . it just comes naturally I guess.

NB: What do you consider to be the strongest point of your game?
CL: My ability to score.

NB: What do you think you need to work on the most?
CL: Defense.

NB: With the defense, what specifically is it? Is it more of the perimeter defense, down low with the bigs, . . . what specifically is it that you have to work on so you can help out on both sides of the court?
CL: Staying up close with my man.

NB: Have you been receiving any college interest at this point in any form?
CL: No, not yet.

NB: Do you have a school that you’ve always dreamed of going to?
CL: [The] University of Connecticut.

NB: Why UConn? What puts [it] at the top of your list?
CL: [Pause] Well, the amount of players that go to the NBA that come through that school, . . . and I [have] just always dreamed of going there.

NB: Do you have a player that you compare yourself to skills-wise in the way you play either in the NBA or in the NCAA?
CL: No, I don’t [have one].

NB: Do you have a favorite NBA team as well that you also watch and [and whose players] you try to emulate some of the guys on that team?
CL: [The] Los Angeles Lakers.

NB: Who are some of the players that you try to [emulate and] pick up some of their moves and try to use that in your game?
CL: Kobe Bryant.

NB: What makes basketball . . . an enjoyable sport for your to play? What makes it appealing for you to just go out and play basketball, . . . get to all these tournaments [and] take up your spring [and] summer and just play basketball?
CL: Oh man. [Pause] . . . Just [to] work hard. I [have] always dreamed of playing since I was young, [and] my father . . . brought basketball in my life.

NB: If you had to give me one word to sum up your game what would it be?
CL: Shooter.

It is good to see that Leach knows he needs to work on his defense, and assuming he does so, he may well develop into one of the top guards in his class. The scoring ability is already there for Christian, and once he develops a more well-rounded game on both ends of the floor, he will be a scary player. It's hard to tell right now whether or not he will become a UConn-caliber player, but every team needs a scorer. Christian Leach is just that, a flat-out scorer.

Update on . . . Markus Kennedy

2008-06-11T22:36:00.002-04:00

Markus Kennedy, a 6'9 power forward from St. Patrick's (NJ) has picked up a number of scholarship offers since my last post on the talented sophomore. Kennedy, who plays with Team New Jersey ABC on the AAU circuit has added offers from Arizona, St. John's, and most recently Xavier. Along with these three, the big man has been offered by Rider, Michigan St., Villanova, Ohio St., and Rutgers. Penn St. is apparently close to extending him an offer, and Syracuse has picked up the heat since my last post Kennedy. He will be in action this week at the Nike Hoop Jamboree in St. Louis, Missouri, along with some of the nation's other top ballers, including stud sophomore Jeremy Tyler. Markus Kennedy has a quartet of offers right now, and that number will only continue to grow, as he improves his game over the next two years. I will definitely keep you posted on Kennedy's recruitment right here on Northstar Basketball.

Poll- My Choice

2008-06-08T15:11:00.006-04:00

In my choice on the other poll on who should be the top choice in the '08 NBA Draft, my answer was simple: Kansas St. freshman forward Michael Beasley. When I have to pick who I think will be the number one pick, though, the selection is not as easy to make. There are pros and cons to both possible choices, Beasley and Derrick Rose, a freshman point guard from Memphis. There is an issue, that may well affect the draft grade of Beasley. It is his supposed attitude problem, which is displayed by the fact that he bounced around to numerous high schools. He did keep his "attitude" in check in his single season at KSU. The Chicago Bulls, who have the top choice in the June 26th Draft, will likely just take whichever player they think will be more valuable to them. Both would add a new element to the Bulls' game, regardless of who is coaching this proud franchise. Chicago certainly needs interior firepower, as the team lacks a true post presence on offense. Right now, the squad's big men are average at best, and it's unclear what 2007 first round pick Joakim Noah will turn into. Their guard situation is interesting as the Bulls have Chris Duhon, Ben Gordon, and Kirk Hinrich already. Duhon clashed with management last year and is dispensable. The production of both Hinrich and Gordon has progressively dropped off during their time in the Windy City, and adding another guard may be useful. Reinsdorf and Co. to pass up on. My opinion on the matter may well change in the next few weeks as the draft gets closer and closer, but as of now, I'm saying Derrick Rose will be the first overall choice in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls.

Robel Hurui- Seven Footer is Only a Freshman

2008-06-07T22:17:00.002-04:00

Robel Hurui of National Christian Academy (MD) is in the class of 2011. The freshman, though, already checks in at 7'1. Hurui doesn't play much for NCA becasue he is rail thin and likely lacks the stamina to play for an extended period of time. Hurui reminds me of current SMU Mustang Bamba Fall when I saw him play as a member of Oak Hill Academy (VA) a few years ago; tall, thin, and lacking stamina. I caught up with the lanky big man at the Southern Jam Fest after his team knocked off D-One Sports (NC) in pool play.

NB: How do you feel that being so tall at such a young age has both helped you and hurt you basketball-wise?
RH: Well, it helped me . . . [because] it’s a big advantage in basketball. . . . It’s hurt me because [Pause] . . . I’m not used to . . . I don’t know.

NB: What do you consider to be the strongest point of your game?
RH: Probably in the middle, [at] center.

NB: Do you feel more comfortable playing offense or defense?
RH: Really, defense.

NB: Why defense?
RH: Because I’m not that good on offense. . . . I’m still in the process of getting better.

NB: What do you consider to be the weakest point of your game?
RH: [Pause] Offense.

NB: When did you first start playing basketball?
RH: About a year ago, in middle school.

NB: And what led you to choose to start playing then and not earlier, or what led you to choose to start to play in the first place? . . . Why did you pick up the ball and start playing?
RH: Back in my country, . . . I was playing with my friends and . . . I liked it and I just started playing.

NB: And where is that? What country?
RH: Atria, it’s in east Africa.

NB: And when did you come over to America?
RH: In 2000.

NB: Playing at National Christian, with this program, . . . how do you think it helps you to develop your basketball game?
RH: [Pause] It’s a really good school, I like it. . . The coach really helps me a lot, . . . and I’ve gotten a lot better since I started going there.

NB: What do you like most about the game of basketball?
RH: In basketball, [Pause] you got to use all [of] your body, . . . you got to run, and I like that. . . . It’s really challenging.

NB: Have you been receiving any college interest yet?
RH: Oh no, not yet.

NB: Do you have a dream school that you’ve always wanted to go to?
RH: Not really.

NB: [Are] there some goals that you’ve developed for yourself? Whether it be what you want to do in college, . . . what you want to accomplish at the high school level [or at the] AAU [level]?
RH: Well, it’s to be good [at] basketball [and] hopefully play pro [ball] one day.

NB: Do you have a favorite team?
RH: [The] Lakers.

NB: [Who is your] favorite player?
RH: I’d say Kobe [Bryant].

Hurui was correct in his assessment that right now his offensive game is not where it needs to be. I saw part of a couple of NCA's game at the Southern Jam Fest, and in those two, he managed just two points in total, scoring both against D-One Sports. In addition, stamina was evidently a problem for him. The offensive skills will come with time for Hurui, and his stamina will also improve as the years progress. The big man will likely play college ball regardless of how fast that progression comes along, because, as they say, "you can't teach height." Robel Hurui will be a name to keep an eye out for over the next few years.

Poll- My Choice

2008-06-07T19:42:00.002-04:00

To me, the question of who should be the top pick in the 2008 NBA Draft is quite a simple one. My choice would absolutely be Kansas St. freshman forward Michael Beasley. You can tell me all you want about Memphis' freshman point guard Derrick Rose and how high-caliber floor generals are so hard to come by. I just don't think it even matters because Beasley is THAT good. The KSU superstar set the Big 12 single-game rebounding record in his first ever game as a Wildcat. "B-Easy" is a physical specimen with tremendous athleticism to go along with a quality shooting touch. His all-around game may make him best suited to play the 3 in the NBA, and that will allow him to also take advantage of smaller defenders by posting up on the blocks and also by grabbing rebounds. Beasley is a player that the Chicago Bulls could really use, especially with the inconsistency, lack of offensive ability, and recent run-in with the law of their 2007 top choice, Joakim Noah. You can bring up Beasley's "attitude problem" as a concern with the superstar, but what exactly is involved in that description of him? He is a guy who definitely had some troubles in high school, yet it's hard to pinpoint exactly what the dilemma was, and also, he was fine while playing for Frank Martin. Michael Beasley is the real deal and will be a superstar for over a decade in the NBA and will be one of the League's top five ballers within five years, and deserves to be the number one pick in the 2008 NBA Draft.

Poll Results:

2008-06-07T18:28:00.002-04:00

It's all about Beasley. You voted the Kansas St. one-and-done superstar as the player who will should be the NBA Draft's top pick, and also as the player who should be in NBA Draft's top pick. In the poll on who will be the top choice, the freshman forward picked up 16 of the 29 votes. The other player with a legitimate chance at being taken by the Chicago Bulls as the choice is Memphis freshman point guard Derrick Rose, who got 10 votes. Stanford big man, sophomore Brook Lopez got one votes, as did USC freshman guard OJ Mayo. The option of "Other" picked up one vote as well. Arizona freshman combo guard Jerryd Bayless was shut out in this poll's voting. In the voting on who should be the top pick, B-Easy as he is known, grabbed 10 of the 23 votes, and was followed by Rose who was picked seven times. "Other" was chosen four times, while Lopez and Mayo again got one vote each and Bayless was shut out. We'll have to see if the Chicago Bulls agree with you all and make Michael Beasley the number one overall selection in the 2008 NBA Draft.

FYI:

2008-06-07T13:06:00.002-04:00

I would like to apologize for the delay, in not getting any articles up on Thursday or Friday as I had posted that I would. Due to unforeseen problems, I was unable to not only post articles but also inform you of the delay. I am sorry for the hold up, and appreciate you patience. Posting will resume today. Thank you.

Notice:

2008-06-01T21:54:00.000-04:00

I would like to inform all the Northstar Basketball readers in advance that I will be unable to post any article from Monday, June 2nd through Wednesday, June 4th due to prior engagements. Posting on Northstar Basketball will resume with regularity on Thursday, June 5th. Thank you very much for your understanding.

Beware of TCA in 2008-09

2008-05-30T23:39:00.006-04:00

If you will recall, back in late January, I posted interviews with four members of the Trenton Catholic (NJ) basketball team, and also wrote an article on the squad. Well, I'm writing another becasue I think the Iron Mikes will be one of the surprise teams in the hoops hotbed of New Jersey/New York/Pennsylvania. Led by Head Coach Fred Falchi, TCA finished ranked #23 in the Garden State on http://www.maxpreps.com/ with a 23-7 record. The squad will not be losing any players to graduation, and its returning members will have another year of maturity under their belt. The Iron Mikes' class of 2009 includes 6'3 forward Daquan Basnight, a guy who plays well above his height and 6'5 power forward Lafayette Smith, a bruising big man. Along with these is 5'7 guard Reggie Coleman, a solid outside shooter, and two others. The team's class of 2010 is phenomenal: 5'9 guard Dondre Whitmore, 6'5 forward Markese Tucker, and 6'4 gaurd Frantz Massenat. Whitmore is a great floor leader with a nice shot from beyond the arc. If Dondre had three more inches on him, he may well be considered one of the best point guards in the class of 2010. Tucker is another kid who, if he had another few inches--two in his case--would be regarded as one of the premiere players in his class amongst forwards. Right now, Tucker can play the 3 or the 4, and although he is built like a power forward, his height and shot make him more suited for the 3. Markese is the definition of a 'tweener, yet the talent is definitely there for the star forward. As for Massenat, he has a stellar all-around game; Frantz can shoot lights-out, run the point, and has solid hops. Frantz is the type of unbreakable baller that every team needs. TCA's class of 2011 isn't too loaded, but one of its members is a star in the making: Khalid Lewis El. The 6'2 guard can shoot, get to the rack, play D, and he is vocal on the court. "Leader," as he is called by his AAU teammates on Team New Jersey ABC, is one of the best class of 2011 players in the tri-state area. Trenton Catholic has the pieces in place to finish in the top 10 in the state, and a top 15 finish is a near lock. The Iron Mikes will dominate the rest of Mercer County and will breeze through their conference schedule, much as they did in 2007-08, when they finished 9-1 in the Burlco League. The only thing the team truly lacks in a dominant big man who stands 6'7+, but Smith, Tucker, and Basnight should be able to make up for that. The team will be experienced, talented, and ready to play, so the rest of New Jersey had better watch out for the Trenton Catholic Iron Mikes.

Note- information on the team's 2007-08 season is from http://www.maxpreps.com/

Billmeier & Nardi Skills Camp 2008

2008-05-30T20:31:00.005-04:00

Grant Billmeier and Mike Nardi were two fine Big East basketball players in the 21st century. Nardi was a part of the Villanova team that made a fantastic run to the Elite Eight of the 2006 NCAA Tournament. Billmeier was a two-year captain at Seton Hall. The two attended St. Patrick's (NJ) at the same time and played under one of America's best high school basketball coaches, Kevin Boyle. This summer, Nardi and Billmeier will be coming together after a year of professional ball overseas to run a basketball skills camp in Pennington, New Jersey at Timberlane Middle School. The event will run from July 28 to August 1 and will take place from 9:00am to 3:00pm daily, though campers can be dropped off at 8:00am for no extra charge on top of the $275 camp fee. Grant's brother, Brad Billmeier, a former standout at Hopewell Valley (NJ) who went on to play at Gettysburg College, will also be helping out. The camp will be for boys entering grades four through nine, and food will be provided for those in attendance. There will hopefully be a number of big names that stop by the camp, as guest speakers will be a part of the event. "As of right, it’s [Villanova Head] Coach [Jay] Wright and [Rutgers Head] Fred Hill. They have said that they are going to come down for the camp. . . . I now that [St. Patrick's Head Coach] Kevin Boyle was going to [come as well]. . . . Right now, I’m working on having Randy Foye [who is currently on the Minnesota Timberwolves] come down,” said Nardi of who expects to fill the roles of guest speakers. The ex-Villanova Wildcat did say that “this stuff is not written in stone. . . . College coaches do get busy, and stuff does pop up.” Assuming Hill is able to attend the camp, Nardi expects him to talk about "a couple stories on when he watched Larry Bird work out,” amongst others things. As for Boyle: “I know Kevin will definitely talk about . . . Grant [and I] and what we did in high school.” To sum it up, Nardi told me that “everybody will talk about their experiences with basketball and their knowledge.” Despite the big names that will hopefully be in attendance at Nardi and Billmeier's camp, their goal is not for it to be a huge camp right away said Nardi, who shed some light on the camp's goals for the summer of 2008: “For this first year, we’re just trying to get kids in there, all levels of kids. . . . [There are already camps for] soccer, lacrosse [and other sports]. . . . We’re just trying to get a basketball camp going, . . . and also try to make it fun for them, because nowadays there’s not as many serious basketball players. . . . [We will be] keeping it fun and keeping it structured for the kids. . . . We have to think about the age group. we’re going from fourth to ninth grade. . . Guy that are going to come in, have fun, and also love the game.” That brings up the question of how the duo would deal with a player with little to no experience with basketball, and that is something that I asked Grant about: “We’ll just continue to work with him. Hopefully he’ll just continue to get better. . . . Hopefully by the end of the camp . . . he’ll have gone to a new level.” Grant, who went to The Pennington School (NJ) as a freshman, said that he chose to have the camp located in Pennington because he “ just thought it was a great way to give back," adding, "I know my basketball beginning started in fourth grade at the YMCA. . . . I'm not sure if there’s really a camp in this area that really works on trying to get kids better.” I inquired of Nardi how the mix between scrimmages and drills would work: “It’s going to be a mix of both [scrimmages and drills. On] a regular day we’ll probably start out with stations and drills, . . . just breaking down the game in little parts so they can get a feel for college workouts," and in addition saying, "After that, we’ll have sessions of games, . . . and [in] the afternoon we’ll have games, . . . and the teams that aren’t playing we will probably have [doing] drills, and probably mix in some knockout.” Clearly, the focus is not on having kids running around bouncing basketballs, but rather on them enhancing their skills. In fact, helping players enhance skills is something that Grant Billmeier hopes to do in the future as well: “When I’m doing playing, I definitely want to get into coaching, . . . start at the college level as an assistant and hopefully work my way up to the head coach." Nardi and Billmeier wil likely work well together, as the former said that he "and Grant, we’ve been best friends since high school." As for why the two chose to run a camp together, Nardi said this: "Basically, it’s our first year of being professional [players] and we just wanted to so some basketball stuff.” The pair will definitely involved in the basketball workouts: “[Grant and I] are basically running the camp. We’ll be interacting with the kids, running stations, . . . mainly coaching and doing drills with the kids. . . . We’re not trying to just use our names and then have guys with no experience running drills,” said Mike. Grant mentioned that for drills, the two will "definitely come up with everything [they] do together.” Billmeier, who stands 6'10, realizes that “Most kids we’ll get are generally going to be guards, [so] . . . most things we’ll do are going to be ball handling [and] breaking down a shooter." Although right now the camp is meant as a local event for kids who just want to play basketball and meet some big names along the way, I asked Nardi about whether or not he wants the camp to develop into a big-time event: “Over the years , anything can happen, . . .but for the first year we’re not trying to go out and press people . . . We’re really just focusing on keeping it simple right now. . . . If it does turn into something like that, . . . great.” Grant Billmeier and Mike Nardi, with the help of Brad Billmeier, appear to be heavily invested in this camp and really want to make it work. Thus, it should be a good experience for young ballers who want have some fun and hone their skills along the way. For more information on the Billmeier & Nardi Skills Camp 2008, either call (609)-462-8412, e-mail basketballskillcamp@gmail.com, or check out www.hopewellbasketball.net/8.html.

Note- camp and player information is from the camp's brochure

Note- photo on the left side is of Mike Nardi, and is from http://villanova.cstv.com/

Note- photo on the right is of Grant Billmeier, and is from http://www.eurobasket.com/

James McAdoo- A BWSL Star

2008-05-29T21:40:00.004-04:00

James McAdoo is 6'9, and he's only a freshman. That will grab anyone's attention, and it appears colleges are already starting to take notice of the class of 2011 star forward from Norfolk Christian (VA). McAdoo plays for the Boo Williams Summer League (VA) U-15 team, a squad that won the Gold Bracket Championship at the Southern Jam Fest a few weeks ago. On the second day of the event, I spoke with James after his team's big win over the Delaware Sharks.

NB: What does it mean to you to play for the Boo Williams Summer League team, one of the most highly-regarded programs in the country?
JM: It means a lot. . . . It just shows you how hard work can really pay off. If you work for what you can get and you set goals, hopefully if . . . God looks out for you, you’ll get there.

NB: Do you ever feel [that] there’s too much pressure on you, being a freshman and having the national attention that is already on you? Is that ever too much to handle?
JM: No, no, I just go out there and play for myself, just go out there and try to play. God has given me the ability to play ball, so I just go out there and do . . . what He gave me [the ability to do], just go out there and play.

NB: What colleges have been showing interest in you thus far?
JM: Clemson, Duke, . . . Florida, North Carolina, [North Carolina] St., [and] UCLA, that’s it.

NB: Do you have a dream school, someplace that you’ve always wanted to go?
JM: I’ve always wanted to play at North Carolina I’d say.

NB: If they were to eventually offer you [a scholarship] down the road, would that be something that you would just jump at and [accept] on the spot?
JM: It depends the program [is] because the programs are up and down all over the nation, so it depends on . . . how the team’s doing at that point.

NB: Is there an coach . . . that you most admire? Whether . . . it’s [because of] the way that his players play, whether it’s his tenacity, whatever it might be, . . . which coach [at] the NCAA level would you say is the one you most admire?
JM: I would say the head coach for Florida, . . . Billy Donovan. I really like the way he coaches [and] how his relationship with the kids [is].

NB: You said Florida [has] been showing interest in you. When Billy Donovan and his team did show that interest in you, what was that like for you? Was that . . . extra-special for you?
JM: Yeah, that was a big surprise, that he would come and see me after they had just won those two National Championships, but it actually showed my how down-to-earth he was, and how they [are] just ballplayers just like us.

NB: Do you have a timetable for when you plan to commit?
JM: Not really. . . . I haven’t thought about that yet.

NB: What do you consider to be the biggest strength of your game?
JM: Probably my ability to handle the ball and shoot the jumper at my height, being a big man, . . . and being able to run the floor.

NB: [What is] your biggest weakness?
JM: Probably my strength, I got to get stronger [and] be able to go up stronger with the ball.

NB: What do you plan on doing to work on that?
JM: I [have] been lifting weights ever day [and] working on my agility to increase my strength.

I caught up with James last week, and he mentioned four more schools that are showing him interest: Old Dominion, Virginia, Wake Forest, and Virginia Tech. He told me that "they all [have] expressed a lot of interest, but [I have] no real offers." In addition, the big man told me that "his leaders are Florida and North Carolina,” which makes sense considering that he is an admirer of UF Head Coach Billy Donovan and lists UNC as his dream school. McAdoo is just a freshman, so you may not have heard of him yet, but he is making some noise on the AAU circuit, and you will be hearing his name a lot in the future.

Update on . . . Dontae Johnson

2008-05-29T20:48:00.003-04:00

It appears that I featured 6'3 sophomore forward Dontae Johnson of The Pennington School (NJ) at just the right time. Just two weekends ago, the two-sport star was selected as the defensive back MVP at the Lincoln Park Combine that he attended. Johnson, a wide receiver/safety on the gridiron, attends the same high school that just produced current Maryland Terrapin safety Dominique Herald, a sophomore-to-be. Johnson, who ran a 4.65 in the 40-yard dash and 4.40 in the shuttle, felt that he could better overall at the combine: “Even though I was named defensive back MVP at the Lincoln Park Combine on May 17th, I still feel as if I can improve. I’m very happy that I won the award, yet I’m looking forward to doing better at the Invite Ultimate 100 Camp.” Part of his reasoning for this thinking is that Johnson says he has run a 4.49 40-yard dash, which means he was .16 seconds slower in his run at the event. Should Dontae run a sub 4.50 40, his recruitment would likely blow up, as he would have a rare blend of height and speed that is uncommon in safeties at any level. Johnson, who "just got invited to the Under Armour Combine in Baltimore on June 3rd, but will unfortunately be unable to attend due to final exams in school,” says that he is "excited for [his] next camp, whenever that may be." Johnson's aggressive nature on the basketball court for both Pennington and his AAU squad, Team New Jersey ABC, is a good illustration of why he is so good at football, as he is fearless and draws lots of contact. The stud athlete says that “since winning the MVP award, more colleges, such as Miami (FL), have showed interest in [him].” Dontae is the type of kid who not only excels in athletics, but also is phenomenal in the classroom, with his GPA consistently staying above the 3.5 mark. Thus, Johnson may end up and not only a prestigious athletic university, but a mighty fine academic institution as well. I will be sure keep you informed on how Dontae Johnson's recruitment is coming along.

Note- 40-yard dash and shuttle times are from http://www.rivals.com/

Update on . . . Ryan Pearson

2008-05-29T18:56:00.002-04:00

Soon-to-be George Mason Patriot Ryan Pearson was one of the top players in New York this past season. Pearson, a 6'5 senior from Christ the King (NY), has a terrific inside-outside game that will lead him to eventually become one of the best players in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). In my opinion, Pearson is one of the most underrated ballers in the nation. In fact, I asked Ryan how he would respond if someone were to call him America's most underrated player. Pearson said he wasn't sure because he hadn't heard that before, so I asked him what he thought after hearing it for the first time: "I don't feel I am the most underrated. . . . I feel I am underrated to a certain extent." The CTK star is right that he may not be the most underrated baller in the US, bit he's also correct in saying that he is underrated. Ryan Pearson is a kid that will have a major impact for GMU and will make some noise on a national level. I asked Pearson if he had been worried about George Mason Head Coach Jim Larranaga taking the job at Providence: "I was when I first heard about it, but then he kept me posted the whole time [and] told me [that] he wasn't going [anywhere]." Pearson is a player who will thrive at the mid-major level, and he will do well under the tutelage of Larranaga. Although he likely won't bring the Patriots back to the Final Four, a few CAA titles and some NCAA Tournament wins are strong possibilities for Pearson and Co. while he is at George Mason. Remember the name: Ryan Pearson.

Update on . . . Antoine Allen

2008-05-29T17:52:00.005-04:00

Last week, I caught up with Antoine Allen of the Cecil Kirk (MD) AAU program. Allen, who plays at the U-17 level, and is a 6'2 junior guard. As of now, Allen says that he is garnering interest from Auburn, Rhode Island, Rutgers, Quinnipiac, Robert Morris, and Towson. In addition, Antoine said that there are "some others that like me, but I’m not sure how serious they are." Allen, who says that "most have offered," also told me that he has "no leaders." Thus, the chase for the class of 2009 member seems to be open right now. If you recall, when I posted my feature interview on Allen, he mentioned that he was going to transfer to a prep school for his senior year, yet was not entirely sure what school he would be heading to. Well, now he is sure, and it will be Notre Dame Prep (MA) that will be getting him. I will be sure to keep you updated on how the recruitment of Allen is progressing.

Poll- My Choice

2008-05-29T16:30:00.005-04:00

When asked who the best recruiter is of all current NCAA head coaches, the answer is not easy. There are so many coaches who can make the case for that title. In the poll here at Northstar Basketball, I picked eight of the best for you to choose from: Memphis' John Calipri, Florida's Billy Donovan, UCLA's Ben Howland, Michigan St.'s Tom Izzo, Duke's Mike Krzyzewski, Ohio St.'s Thad Matta, North Carolina's Roy Williams, and Villanova's Jay Wright. There are countless other head coaches that you could make a viable argument for, as well. I'll provide you with my top five right here. Number five- Jim Calhoun: The head man at UConn consistently brings in top-notch recruiting classes. This year, for example, Calhoun will be getting two of America's best ballers in Ater Majok and Kemba Walker. His eight-man class from 2006 was fabulous, and included Hasheem Thabeet, Curtis Kelly, Jerome Dyson, Stanley Robinson, and Doug Wiggins. In '04, Calhoun brought--amongst others--AJ Price and Rudy Gay to Storrs, and they were preceeded by players such as Charlie Villanueva, Josh Boone, and Marcus Williams. Coach Calhoun has also found diamonds in the rough, like in 2002 when he brought in Hilton Armstrong and Denham Brown. Other players that Calhoun has gotten include Emeka Okafor and Emeka Okafor. As well, in '05, Calhoun inked Andrew Bynum, but the big man elected to go straight to the NBA. Jim Calhoun has not only gotten quality players to come to UConn, he has gotten a lot of them, and has done so over a long period of time. Number four- John Calipari: To build a national powerhouse in a mid-major conference is quite impressive, and Coach Cal has done just that with Memphis in the C-USA. This year, Angel Garcia, Tyreke Evans, Matt Simpkins, and Wesley Witherspoon will all be taking their game to Memphis. Last year, the Memphis coach brought in Derrick Rose and Jeff Robinson. In addition, he signed Marcus and Markieff Morris, who would eventually choose to go to prep school and then Kansas. In 2005, Calipari got Shawne Williams, Antonio Anderson, Chris Douglas-Roberts, and Robert Dozier, along with a few others. In '04, Cal brought in Darius Washington, Jr. Kendrick Perkins signed with the Tigers in 2003, but jumped straight to the League, and in 2002, underrecruited Rodney Carney chose the Tigers. The recruiting job that John Calipari has done at Memphis is nothing short of fantastic. Number three- Thad Matta: In ranking Ohio St.'s head coach this high, I am basically taking into consideration just the three most recent classes he has brought to Columbus. In 2006, Matta inked what some people have called the best recruiting class ever, in Greg Oden, Daequan Cook, David Lighty, Othello Hunter, and Mike Conley, Jr. Matta did not let up the next year, when he signed Kosta Koufos, Jon Diebler, Evan Turner, and Dallas Lauderdale, and a few more players as well. This year's class for the Buckeyes is also wonderful, as Matta will be getting BJ Mullens, William Buford, Walter Offutt, Anthony Crater, and a couple more for good measure. Assuming Matta keeps this up for an extended period of time, he may well develop into the NCAA's premiere recruiter. Number two- Ben Howland: UCLA's class this year may well be the best in the land, as Ben Howland has signed Jerime Anderson, Drew Gordon, Jrue Holiday, Malcolm Lee, and one-time LSU-signee J'Mison Morgan. Last year wasn't bad for Howland either, as he got Kevin Love and Chase Stanback to come to Westwood. In 2006, underrecruited Russell Westbrook landed at UCLA, as did James Keefe. Howland's signees in 2005 included Alfred Aboya, Darren Collison, and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute. In 2004, Coach Howland may have gotten his best class of them all, when he signed Arron Afflalo, Jordan Farmar, Lorenzo Mata, and Josh Shipp. Although, like Matta, Howland has not been bringing in top-notch classes for that long of a time, he has certainly gotten some of America's best high school basketball players to bring their talent to UCLA. Number one- Roy Williams: Dating back to his days at Kansas, Roy Williams has always been one of the NCAA's finest recruiters. In 2003, while still at KU, Williams signed JR Giddens, David Padgett, and Rodrick Stewart. After heading to Chapel Hill to take over the Tar Heels, Williams' recruiting skills were clear to everyone. In '04, Williams got Marvin Williams, Quentin Thomas, and JR Smith, although the last of the three chose to go right to the pros. UNC's class of 2005 was phenomenal: Bobby Frasor, Marcus Ginyard, Tyler Hansbrough, and Danny Green. In 2006, though, Williams went above and beyond, and inked a class that I think was even better than Matta's group at OSU the same season. That year, Roy Williams brought in Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington, Brandan Wright, Alex Stephenson, William Graves, and Deon Thompson. This year, UNC was the only team to sign three McDoanld's All-Americans, in Tyler Zeller, Larry Drew, and Ed Davis. Williams also signed Justin Watts from the class of '08. Roy Williams' recruiting ability is the best of all head coaches right now, and your voting shows that you agree.

Northstar Basketball's Top Five Current NCAA Head Coaches for Recruiting:
1. Roy Williams (North Carolina)
2. Ben Howland (UCLA)
3. Thad Matta (Ohio St.)
4. John Calipari (Memphis)
5. Jim Calhoun (UConn)

Note- recruiting information is from http://www.rivals.com/

Poll- My Choice

2008-05-29T14:28:00.006-04:00

Who has been the best college basketball program of the 21st century? That's a tough question to answer because there have been so many dominant programs, including UCLA, North Carolina, Michigan St., Florida, and UConn. Those five as well as Duke, Kansas, and Maryland were the options for my poll asking this question. I'll give you my top five and my reasons why right here. Number five- Duke: The Blue Devils have consistently been highly seeded in the NCAA Tournament and have made the Tournament every year this century. The Blue Devils have made two Final Fours (2001, 2004). Mike Krzyzewski's squad was the National Champion in 2001. Although the teams have struggled to get past the Sweet 16 a few times despite having great teams and have had down years the past two years, the Blue Devils are always near the top of the NCAA rankings. Number four- UCLA: The Bruins are an interesting case. The boys from Westwood have not won a National Title this century, but have made three consecutive Final Fours (2006, 2007, 2008) and appeared in the Finals in 2006. The Bruins struggled prior to '06, but their trio of Final Fours is so impressive, that the team has got to be this high up, at least in my view. If UCLA had one Championship, they just might be numero uno. Number three- North Carolina: The Tar Heels have been extremely inconsistent this century, but their play from 2005 on puts them this high on the list. UNC has made three Final Fours (2000, 2005, 2008) and have had loaded rosters almost every season. UNC won the polling based off your votes, and putting them number one would not be too much of a stretch, but the team will have to be more consistent to get that high up in my book. Number two- Michigan St.: Tom Izzo is one of the best coaches in America, and his team has made the NCAA Tournament every year this century. The Spartans have made three Final Fours (2000, 2001, 2005) and won the Championship in '00. Michigan St. is almost always in the Sweet 16 and has been extremely consistent, and that's a key factor for me. Number one- Florida: The Gators have not only won back-to-back National Championships (2006, 2007), but also were the National Runner-up in 2000, giving them three Final Four appearances this century. Billy Donovan and Co. are the only repeat Champions this century and the only team since Duke (1991, 1992) to win consecutive National crowns. Although Florida had a bad year in 2008, the Gators' overall accomplishments over the past nine seasons cannot be overlooked. The Florida Gators are, thus far, the team of the century.

Northstar Basketball's Top Five NCAA Programs of the 21st Century:
1. Florida Gators
2. Michigan St. Spartans
3. North Carolina Tar Heels
4. UCLA Bruins
5. Duke Blue Devils

Note- Final Four and Championship information is from http://wikipedia.org/

Markieff Morris- Rasheed Wallace Without the Temper?

2008-05-28T22:39:00.004-04:00

Markieff Morris, a 6'10 post-grad forward from APEX Academies, is the taller of the twin brothers who will be heading to Kansas next season. Markieff is a talented player with a solid all-around game, and--like his brother--is one of the premiere post-grads in the nation. Morris' Stan Jones, Inc. AAU squad was at the Providence Jam Fest a few weeks ago. As Markieff and his teammates were waiting around for their game, I took the opportunity to sit down with the big man and discuss basketball, his game, and more.

NB: What has driven you to continue playing AAU basketball? You’ve already signed with a school, . . . you’re set for college, [so] why continue playing?
MarkM: I just [get] bored, really. I work out a lot, and I . . . just wanting to get away, anticipating . . . our rival at school, so I just [am] playing, just to play.

NB: What are some of your interests outside of basketball?
MarkM: Girls, [and] I [am] with my boys all the time. That’s it really.

NB: What do you consider to be the strongest point of your game?
MarkM: I would say my post play, but I can shoot the three real [well, also]. So, I would say my post play.

NB: What [is] . . . your biggest weakness?
MarkM: Getting up and down the floor all the time.

NB: How are you going to try to work on that at Kansas?
MarkM: I [will] just run, get up in the morning, get up in the morning and run miles [and] run sprints, and do that everyday to get my body in shape so I can be ready.

NB: How do you and Marcus maintain that teammate bond and that brother bond at the same time?
MarkM: Well, we [have] been playing together . . . since we started [playing], so it always was there, so it’s nothing really.

NB: Who would you compare your game to out of all current college or NBA players?
MarkM: Rasheed Wallace.

NB: Why Rasheed [Wallace]?
MarkM: Because he can shoot the three, and he can post-up real [well].

NB: When you’re watching him play, do you try to emulate him [and] watch what he’s doing and try to do that in your game, or do you just think that your [game is] just comparable?
MarkM: I try to imitate him a little bit, but Rasheed [has] got [a] real bad temper, so I try not to lose my temper on the court, but . . . I [have] met him a couple [of] times. He’s a great role model, and that’s who I try to imitate.

NB: What was it like for you to meet him the first time?
MarkM: It was kind of big, but it was kind of [a] good way to meet him, but . . . I was really in school, so I just surprised that he was there, and I liked him.

NB: Give me one word to sum up your game.
MarkM: [Pause] Do-it-all.

Markieff clearly likes Rasheed Wallace, and he is a good player to play like. 'Sheed is one of the top forwards in the NBA, and has helped lead the Pistons to the top of the Eastern Conference in the 21st century. As Morris noted, Wallace does does have a temper problem, though. As long as Markieff Morris keeps his temper in check and keeps playing like Rasheed, he might just follow him to the League.

Note- photo is from http://scouthoops.scout.com/

Update on . . . Erving Walker

2008-05-28T19:45:00.004-04:00

Erving Walker, a soon-to-be Florida Gator, was kind enough to take some time to talk with me last week and give me an update on how he is doing. Walker is undersized for a basketball player--he stands just 5'8--but the Christ the King (NY) senior makes up for it with his talent on the court. I asked Erving about how he thinks playing for UF Head Coach Billy Donovan, a small guard in his own right when he played, will help him: "I think that it [will] help me a lot . . . [and he will be able to] give me tips." Points guards such as Walker love to have big men to throw the ball to down low, and Walker will certainly have a load of those by his sophomore year in Gainsville. Billy Donovan is putting together a monster recruiting class for the class of 2009 that includes Georgetown transfer and former high school star 6'9 Vernon Macklin, 6'10 Erik Murphy, and 6'9 DeShawn Painter. In addition, Donovan's 2008 haul includes 6'8 Allan Chaney, 6'10 Kenneth Kadji, and 6'10 Eloy Vargas. I asked Walker what he thought about the big man commitments that Donovan has already received from the class of '09 studs: "I think that [is] great, especially [for] me, being a little guy, you can never have too many big men. . . . I already have a relationship with Erik Murphy." Along with these six bigs, the Gators already have sophomore-to-be Alex Tyus on the roster. Florida will not be hurting for height while Walker is there. Walker won't have to worry about carving out some playing time from all the big men, but he will need to try to fit in the guard rotation, and with sophomores-to-be Jai Lucas and Nick Calathes there, playing time may be scarce for Walker as a freshman in 2008-09. "Coach [Donovan] told me [that] the playing is there. I just have to come in and work hard," is what Walker said when I asked him what he thinks his playing time will be like his first year at UF. Some big news about the Gators a few months ago was Billy Donovan's punishment of the squad, which included not allowing them to wear UF gear or use the practice facility. I inquired of Walker what he thought of the steps that his future coach used for his team: "At first, I though thought it was pretty harsh, but I thought, 'Coach, he knows what he [is] doing." So, it appears that Erving will be able to handle whatever Donovan throws his way. Walker will be one of the Player Diary writers here, so you will get to know him a lot better as time progresses.

Note- player information is from http://www.rivals.com/

Poll Results:

2008-05-28T19:27:00.003-04:00

It appears that many of you are either Duke haters, North Carolina fans, or just honest voters who put aside their loyalties. The UNC Tar Heels won the poll on the best program of the 21st century, while Duke got only one vote, and UNC's Roy Williams was chosen as the best recruiter amongst active head coaches, while Duke's Mike Krzyzewski picked up a single vote. In the best program poll, North Carolina received nine of the 28 votes. Florida and "Other" tied for second place with five votes apiece. UCLA came in fourth with three votes, and UConn finished fifth with a pair of selections. Duke, Kansas, Maryland, and Michigan St. all got just one tally in the balloting. I would think that some of the "Other" votes went to Syracuse, the lone 21st century NCAA National Champion that I left off the ballot. Some of the other choices for "Other" may have been for schools such as Memphis, Kentucky, and Louisville. Please comment and express your opinion. Moving right along to the poll on the best recruiter of NCAA head coaches, North Carolina's head man Roy Williams received 10 of the 32 votes. Memphis' John Calipari was next with six votes, after which was Villanova's Jay Wright with four selections. Thad Matta of Ohio St. and "Other" tied for fourth with three votes each. Tom Izzo, the head honcho at Michigan St., tallied two votes, while Florida's Billy Donovan, UCLA's Ben Howland, and Duke's Mike Krzyzewski all were chosen just once. My thinking on the "Other" choices is that they went to coaches such as Louisville's Rick Pitino, Tennessee's Bruce Pearl, UConn's Jim Calhoun, Syracuse's Jim Boeheim, and West Virginia's Bob Huggins. Again, please comment on your selection.
In addition, I would like to inform you all that starting with these two polls, I will be writing an article that expresses my opinion on the matter. Check back for my first article on the topic, as it will be up either later tonight or tomorrow.

Marcus Morris- You Can Call Him the "Better" Brother, but He Won't

2008-05-28T18:24:00.007-04:00

Marcus Morris, a 6'9 post-grad forward from APEX Academies (NJ), and his twin brother Markieff will both be heading to Kansas next year to play for the NCAA Champions The two originally signed with the Memphis Tigers, but elected to take the prep school route prior to heading off to college. Both of them are fine talents, but Marcus is generally regarded as the better of the two, and here is some evidence that that's the thought:

http://www.rivals.com/: Marcus- #29 in class of '08
Markieff- #50 in class of '08

http://scouthoops.scout.com/: Marcus- #2 post-grad
Markieff- #7 post-grad

http://hoopscooponline.com/: Marcus- #3 post-grad
Markieff- #5 post-grad

Those are three well thought of websites, all of whom rank Marcus ahead of Markieff. The "better" brother, though, does not look at it this way. I know this, as I was able to talk with Marcus at the Providence Jam Fest a few weeks ago, where he and his brother were playing with Stan Jones, Inc. in the Open Division.

AS: You’re wearing all your Jordan Classic stuff, what did it mean to you to get selected to play in that game?
MarcM: It was a good game, it was a good honor. Somebody noticed that we [my brother Markieff Morris and I are] . . . good, so we just played in it and [I] got MVP, actually.

NB: What went into the decision for you [and Markieff] . . . to go to APEX, rather than going to Memphis, the school you’d originally signed with?
MarcM: We just thought we needed another year of prep school to get better and stronger, and just [to work on our] all-around game.

NB: What went into you guys eventually choosing to sign with Kansas?
MarcM: The style of play and the atmosphere, . . . and the coaches.

NB: Was Memphis a school that you two just didn’t consider after attending APEX?
MarcM: Yeah, yeah, . . . that’s about right.

NB: Was there ever any doubt in your mind that you weren’t going to go to college with Markieff?
MarcM: No, . . . since we were going to college, we knew we were going together.

NB: Was it, with schools, you guys were telling them ‘it’s a package deal, both or none?’
MarcM: Yeah.

NB: Why is it so important to you to be playing with your brother? . . . Does it . . . elevate your game?
MarcM: Yeah, it makes us better, playing together with each other, so we always know where each other at on the floor, and we just play a lot better with each other.

NB: How do you think that all the exits that Kansas is . . . having this year, with Brandon Rush [and other underclassmen] leaving? . . . How is that going to affect you two coming in as freshman?
MarcM: I think it’s going to affect us [well]. I just think it’s just a great opportunity to step in and play right away, so I just think that’s going to be a great opportunity for us, me and my brother.

NB: Watching Memphis play Kansas in the [NCAA] National Championship, the school the you originally signed with vs. the school you’re going to, what was that experience like for you?
MarcM: That was a great experience. . . . I actually thought about it. . . . It was a coincidence that the two schools I was going to [were] playing each other, and all I thought in my mind was [that whichever one] . . . wins is the school that I’m supposed to be at.

NB: With all the talk of ‘Bill Self [and] Oklahoma St., he’s going to Oklahoma St.,’ what was your thought on all that? Were you worried or was--?
MarcM: Bill actually called me. Coach Self actually called me and told me that he was going to stay and I didn’t have nothing to worry about. So, I thought it was just a great opportunity, and I knew, and I trusted in what he was saying.

NB: Do you ever compare yourself to your brother? Do you ever look at it that way?
MarcM: No, I never [do that]. We never compare ourselves, we just [are] both great players, and great all-around players.

NB: What do you consider to be the forte of your game, your strongest point?
MarcM: I think . . . I have a pull-up jumpshot, a great pull-up jumpshot, and I can . . . get to the hole very easily, and I can play good defense.

NB: What do you think you’re going to have to work on the most . . . in the college game?
MarcM: Playing harder, I think, getting up and down the floor.

NB: What went into your decision to go to APEX? There’s a lot of prep schools out there, [with] APEX [being] one of the lesser known schools. Why APEX?
MarcM: I just trusted in the owners, and I knew that they would get me better, and . . . just left it at that, so I put my career in their hands, and they made it happen.

NB: Do you have any goals for your college career? If so, what are they?
MarcM: I got every goal like everyone else thinks, I want to make it to the NBA, but if it don’t work out, . . . just get a degree, and maybe get a good job, a well-paying job.

NB: Do you plan on going for all four years?
MarcM: I hope not. If I have to I will, but I hope . . . I don’t have to, and if I play hard, I don’t think I will [have to].

NB: Do you have a plan for how many years you’re going to come out after?
MarcM: No, I just say ‘whatever time is good for me to come out, that’s when I [will] come out.’

For the brothers, it clearly isn't about being the better sibling. Rather, it's about being the best possible basketball players they can be. If it was all about being better, would the two be choosing to go to college together rather than making their own names at different schools? Scouting services, websites, fans, and others may think that Marcus is the better one of the Morris twins, but his mentality says otherwise. Marcus doesn't compare himself to his brother. As long as Marcus Morris keeps up this mindset and tries to be as good as he possibly can, he may well have a bright future on the hardwood.

Note- photo is from http://scouthoops.scout.com/

Update on . . . Stevie Taylor

2008-05-27T21:58:00.003-04:00

Class of 2011 stud Stevie Taylor is one of the Player Diary writers here at Northstar Basketball, and his first entry can be seen if you check the archive. Last week, I caught up with the 5'8 guard from Ohio. Taylor, a member of the Ohio Basketball Club U-15 team informed me that he is being recruited by Cincinnati, Dayton, Georgetown, Tennessee, Ohio St., Akron, and St. Joseph's. As for scholarship offers, Taylor has one thus far, from the Zips. "Akron offered, but the leaders are Georgetown, Tennessee, [and] Cincinnati," said Stevie. I asked Taylor if Akron has a shot at eventually landing him: "I [don't know] because they offered [another] pg in my class." As for his reasoning on why the Hoyas, Volunteers, and Bearcats are in the lead: "[They are] the leaders because they [are] showing the most interest in me." I will keep you updated on Steve Taylor's recruitment, and hopefully he will as well in his Player Diary entries.

Update on . . . Jayon James

2008-05-27T19:28:00.004-04:00

Jayon James, a 6'5 sophomore swingman for Paterson Catholic (NJ), is a member of the high-powered Playaz Basketball Club (NJ) U-16 squad that has been making some noise on the AAU circuit this season. Early last week, I caught up with Jayon, and we discussed his recruitment and his status as a member of the Playaz. James informed me that he is being recruited by "Xavier, Fordham, Rhode Island, Seton Hall, La Salle, [and] Rutgers," adding "that's all of the schools that I know about so far." The highly-regarded class of 2010 baller said that "all of them offered," and stated that he does "not have a leader at the moment." It appears, from that list, that Jayon will likely end up in the Atlantic-10 or the Big East. There had been some rumors circulating that some of the Playaz U-16 ballers were considering switching to other programs, so I inquired of Jayon the validity of these rumors, first asking him if he planned on leaving the Playaz: "I'm not leaving the Playaz any time soon." I then asked if he knew whether anyone else such as Fuquan Edwin was contemplating a switch: "[No], none of us are leaving this year." That comment, with the "this year" on the end, left the door open for future years, and I thus asked James about the possibility of some of his teammates moving around next season: "Not that I know of." Should the Playaz U-16 team stay intact, and it appears they will,the squad will continue to wreak havoc on the grassroots basketball scene.

Update on . . . Derek Elston

2008-05-26T22:14:00.004-04:00

If you recall, I recently reported that I got in touch Derek Elston's mother, who informed me that her son was "in recovery from surgery." She also told me that her son, a 6'8 junior, had his surgery on his "meniscus." On Saturday, I got in touch with the Indiana-commit himself. Derek told me that he was "feeling pretty good," but did not "remember a lot from the surgery." He informed me that his injury occurred "last Saturday [5/17/08] at [the tournament run by] Speice." Elston, who said the diagnosis was a "torn meniscus," got hurt "making a spin move [when he] just lost balance." Interestingly, Speice is actually the AAU program that the future-Hoosier plays for. His surgery was "Wednesday [5/21/08] at [about] 5:30," and he will be out of action for three months, meaning that he is "done for the year," on the grassroots circuit. Being the teammate that he is, though, Elston is "still going to go the [tournaments]."
Moving on to other news regarding Elston, I discussed the future of IU hoops with him and his part in that. I started by asking him what he thinking about new Indiana Head Coach Tom Crean bringing in so many new recruits in such a short time, and I specifically mentioned Maurice Creek. Derek had this to say: "Oh man, . . . Creek [and I] are good, we talk on facebook, getting to know each other, so I like him a lot. Plus, he's a real good player." Elston also said this: "I like [the new recruits], and [Tom Crean] has changed the program and put it in the right direction, and I can't wait to get there." Clearly, Elston has no worries about the IU program. I inquired of the class of 2009 stud whether or not he and Crean talk, and if so about what: " Yeah, just to talk and get to know each other, and lately about my knee." Derek informed me that it was he who made first contact with the new head honcho for Hoosier basketball, and not the other way around. "We talk all the time. I went down there to visit him and I call them a lot to talk, but now [since] . . . it was just recent, . . . [that I] just did hurt my knee, [we talk about that]," said Elston. The soon-to-be senior is doing physical therapy, and I will let you know how he is progressing. Derek may even be telling you himself, as he will be one of Northstar Basketball's Play Diary writers.

Player Diary: Stevie Taylor '11

2008-05-24T23:23:00.003-04:00

Hey whats up? This is a day in my life. Each day I start my day off the same way. First, I wake up figuring out what I’m about to wear to school in the morning. After that I get a ride to school with my brother (Robbie). At school for me its fun because I get to see my friends and get to further my education. Everyday during my lunch period I go in the coach’s office to get a basketball and go in the gym to get some shots up by myself. While I’m there I work on free throws, pull up jumpers from both wings. After that I put my school clothes on and go to class.

My daily basketball schedule has been crazy the last couple of weeks. Normally, after school, I lift weights then Coach Vic picks me up from school and I work out at the local YMCA for a couple of hours with some of the other top guys around Columbus. We work on lots of shooting drills from every spot on the court and then we play one-on-one, three-on-three or some other games. After that, we usually go to an open gym where we get a good run for a couple of hours. After that, my brother and me either work out with Coach PJ, or my dad works us out at the high school. Because my dad has a key to the high school gym, we workout almost every day. We do skills and drills for a couple of hours then I go one-on-one with my brother a little bit. Oh yea, I’m beating my older brother now, but not all the time just yet.

I have been real busy so far this AAU season. I just got back form a tournament in Italy a number of weeks ago. We finished second and I got the tournament MVP. My team, the Ohio Basketball Club, won the Pittsburgh Jam Fest a few weeks ago and I made the all-tournament team. We lost in the elite eight the last two tournaments, then we took a two-week break from tournaments.

Tomorrow [Friday 5/23/08] we are heading down to the Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions in North Carolina. The competition is going to be crazy and we have some really tough teams in our pool. It looks like we got Rich Soil in our pool with my boy Najee Whitehead who played with me on Team Phenom last summer. They also got D. Grace and Tavon Sledge so you know it’s going to be hot. We get to play at Duke, NC State and maybe North Carolina.

Yesterday [Wednesday 5/21/08] my dad took me and my brother down to an open gym at the University of Dayton and we ran with the team. Those guys did not give me the basketball that much but my shot was falling when I got it. The rest of the summer is real busy. I’m going to team camps with my high school at the University of Cincinnati and Ohio State, plus some elite camps at UC, West Virginia and Akron. I may get an invitation to the Reebok Underclassmen Camp in June then I go to the NCAA First Team event in Arizona sometime in August.

Now you know whats up with my crazy schedule but you know I have to do it to make it. Well that's all for now. I will get back at you soon. Keep ballin y'all.

New Feature:

2008-05-24T21:23:00.002-04:00

I will be starting a new feature here for Northstar Basketball. Player diaries will now be a part of the site. Basically, I'll be having different kids writing "journal entries" that I will then put on the website. My hope is to get players from all over America, and have them be from numerous classes. As of now, I have five players lined up, one from every class between 2008 and 2012:

2008: Erving Walker, NY, University of Florida
2009: Derek Elston, IN
2010: Steve Rennard, NJ
2011: Stevie Taylor, OH
2012: Justin Anderson, VA

I will also try to get some other kids, and have already been in contact with a few regarding the subject. Most of the players will not be starting until they finish up the school year, although
at least one, Taylor, is starting prior to the end of the school year. In fact, I have already received Stevie's first entry, and it will be posted tonight. Be sure to keep checking back to see Northstar Basketball's new feature and get an inside look at some of the nation's best ballers.

More Upcoming Updates:

2008-05-22T21:03:00.004-04:00

In addition to the updates that I informed you all about on Monday, I caught up with a few more players, and their updates will be going up on the site as well. You have already seen two of them posted: Steve Rennard '10 and Derek Elston '09. In addition to these two are Reggie Bullock '10, Maalik Wayns '09, and Calvin Thompson '08. My interview with Bullock will also come up shortly. As well, I did get in touch with Dontae Johnson '10 and Ryan Pearson '08 like I said I would try to do. Thank you!

Donyell Marshall- NBA Veteran is a Helping Hand to Young Ballers

2008-05-22T20:44:00.004-04:00

People don't always think of NBA players as nice guys these days, but the Seattle Superonics' 6'9 forward Donyell Marshall, a 14-year veteran and former second team All-Rookie choice, bucks that trend. The former UConn Husky runs Donyell Marshall Foundation (PA), a quality AAU basketball organization. Donyell's program participated in the Providence Jam Fest, and the NBA baller was there himself. He kindly took a few minutes of his time to chat with me after one of his team's games.

NB: What’s it like for you, coming out here and [being with your] . . . AAU team? There’s a lot of guys in your status who have a team named after them, but don’t actually show up at the games. What inspires you to actually go out and [be with the team]?
DM: Well, . . . I like to just sit back, . . . but I like being here. I think it gives the kids inspiration and they know that I’m not the one . . . just to put my name on it. I actually care about the kids. . . . One day, we always go out to eat. I talk to the kids and just let them know that I’m a normal person. I think it actually . . . inspires them. They hear about us not being good guys, or not being friendly and stuff like that, but for them to be able to just talk to me and see that I’m there cheering them on and giving them advice is always a good thing, knowing I’m not just putting my name on a jersey.

NB: What led you to get involved with AAU basketball?
DM: Well, I never had the chance to play AAU basketball. I didn’t really go to basketball camps when I was younger, either, and I just wanted to get these kids the opportunity to be able to do something that I was never able to do, and I think it really helps them out, especially where I’m from. It gives a lot of kids a chance to get and see different parts of the country that I know that they would never see [otherwise].

NB: What’s been the best moment of your basketball career?
DM: For me, obviously playing in the [NBA] Championship last year [with the Cleveland Cavaliers], but also with a lot of these kids, I have [had] kids on my team that are in the NBA now [such as] Royal Ivey, [who] is one guy to name that played on my team and is in the NBA now. So, . . . some of those things are the most important in my life, . . . the most fun part of my career.

NB: Do you still keep in contact with any of those guys, and if so, what do you talk to them about?
DM: When I see them I just ask them how they [are] doing. I’ve sent a lot of kids to college, and right now it’s just very difficult obviously, with my schedule and their schedule, but [when] I see them, I just ask them how they [are] doing, and keep wishing them well.

It is evident that Donyell Marshall is not in the AAU basketball business for money or publicity. Rather, the number four selection in the 1994 NBA draft is involved with grassroots hoops because he genuinely cares about the kids on his DMF teams. Marshall is a positive influence for the players to look up to, and is someone who can guide them along the right path on the hardwood. Donyell Marshall is truly one of the NBA's good guys.

Note- photo is from http://www.nba.com/

Note- information on Marshall's career is from http://www.basketball-reference.com/

Update on . . . Derek Elston

2008-05-21T22:07:00.003-04:00

Here is some interesting news for you all on Derek Elston. I contacted the 6'8 junior, and was informed by his mother that he is currently "in recovery from surgery." I had not heard that the Indiana-commit was to have surgery, so I inquired about what the surgery was on and how he is doing. Elston's mother let me know that he is "doing well." In addition, she informed me that her son's surgery was "on his meniscus." That is all the information that I have as of now on the matter. If I find out anything else on the topic, I will certainly let you know. As of now, all we can do is wish Derek the best.

Update on . . . Steve Rennard

2008-05-21T20:07:00.005-04:00

Yesterday, I caught up with another member of Team New Jersey ABC's U-16 team. Steve Rennard, a 6'2 guard from St. Joseph's (NJ), is the team's primary go-to shooter, and for good reason, as the sophomore shoots lights-out from long range. Rennard informed me that he is currently being recruited by UPenn, Princeton, Columbia, Brown, St. Joseph's, Notre Dame, Richmond, Marshall, Xavier, and Bucknell. Four of those schools are in the Ivy League, and that means that half of that conference--the country's most prestigious academically--is recruiting Steve. The reasoning is simple: Rennard is a quality ballplayer, and says that he has an "average GPA [of] 4.0." That will certainly get you some Ivy League looks. Although Rennard says he has "not yet" received a scholarship offer, he has unofficially visited both "UPenn and Princeton." He informed me that he “visited UPenn a while ago and watched them practice.” Steve's visit to Princeton was more recent, and he enjoyed his time on the Tigers' campus. Steve Rennard is the real deal when it comes to student athletes, and he will thus have a wealth of top-notch academic institutions after him as well as some quality basketball programs. A blend of the two would be a great fit for Rennard, and I will keep you informed on how Steve is handling his recruitment.

Keith "Tiny" Gallon Correction

2008-05-21T19:27:00.003-04:00

Upon reading on http://www.hoopscooponline.com/ and http://www.rivals.com/ that Keith "Tiny" Gallon was considering Mississippi St., I inquired of the Oak Hill (VA) 6'9 junior whether that was the case, or if it was indeed just Mississippi. He informed me that it was Mississippi St., so I would like to correct that. Thus, I want you all to know that Gallon is considering the Mississippi St. Bulldogs, and not the Ole Miss Runnin' Rebels, as previously reported. Sorry for the mistake, and thank you.

Update on . . . Harold Spears, Wayne Newsom, and Markus Kennedy

2008-05-20T20:04:00.002-04:00

Team New Jersey ABC's U-16 squad has been making some noise on the AAU circuit this year, and even was the subject of the feature article on http://njhoops.rivals.com/ at one point last week. The team reached the Gold bracket quarterfinals at the Pitt Jim Fest, won the Silver bracket at the Providence, and made the Gold bracket semifinals at the Southern Jam Fest. The group has compiled an impressive 14-4 record thus far, and its lengthy list of future DI players is a main reason for the success. Included on that list are 6'4 small forward Harold Spears of Faith Christian Academy (PA), 6'7 power forward Wayne Newsom of Piscataway (NJ), and 6'9 power forward Markus Kennedy of St. Patrick's (NJ), all of whom are sophomores. Spears will be transferring, and will play ball at The Pennington School (NJ) next season. These three players have all been receiving DI interest in varying degrees from different levels of schools. Spears informed me that he is currently drawing interest from Providence, Lafayette, Indiana, Vilanova, St. Joseph's, and Temple. He did mention that he has yet to receive a scholarship offer. The team's head coach, Matt Pauls, informed me that Newsom is being looked at by Rider, Robert Morris, Siena, and Iona. He also told me that Kennedy, who made the 16 & Under All-Tournament team at the Providence and Southern events, is being recruited by programs such as Villanova, Rutgers, Michigan St., Ohio St., and Syracuse. Assuming their NJABC squad continuing to light it up on the grassroots circuit, the number of looks the players are getting will continue to rise, and they will all be getting more and more interest. I will keep you informed on how the recruitment of these three class of 2010 forwards plays out.

Update on . . . Keith "Tiny" Gallon

2008-05-20T19:40:00.003-04:00

Keith Gallon, a 6'9 forward, is anything but tiny, though that is his nickname. "Tiny" is a member of the class of 2009 and played with the powerhouse Oak Hill (VA) Warriors last year. There had been some speculation on http://www.hoopscooponline.com/ that Gallon would be leaving the school, but I got in touch with Keith himself, and he cleared the air. “No, I’m staying at Oak Hill,” is what his comment on the topic was. Thus, Head Coach Steve Smith will have his big man in the middle next year, and will not have to worry about replacing him. As for Gallon's college options, he mentioned the following six schools as his possible destinations: Arizona, Baylor, Cal, LSU, Mississippi, and USC. "Tiny" says that all six have offered him a scholarship, and he puts Mississippi, Baylor, and Arizona at the top of his list. It will be interesting to see how the recruitment of Keith "Tiny" Gallon plays out, and I'll be sure to keep you posted on how it's coming along.

Update on . . . Julian Diaz

2008-05-20T19:34:00.003-04:00

Here is a quick update on 6'3 senior Julian Diaz for you. If you'll recall, the Notre Dame (NJ) baseball star and Villanova-signee was considering attempting to walk-on to Jay Wright's basketball squad at Villanova. Yesterday I inquired of Diaz what his decision on the matter is. He told me this: “I was thinking about it, but I made my decision to not try and walk on there because it would be too hard to balance two sports and schoolwork.” Thus, don't expect to see Diaz suiting up for the Wildcats when basketball season rolls around.

Poll Results:

2008-05-20T17:12:00.002-04:00

The most recent polls were on complete different ends of the spectrum when it comes to final results. One of the polls was a tight race, whereas the other had a runaway winner. The first poll asked which was the best prep school basketball program in America, and the winner was not a shock. Hargrave Military Academy (VA) took in nine of the 34 votes to pick up the top spot. In second was "Other" with eight votes, followed by South Kent (CT) with seven selections. After that was Patterson (NC) with four and Notre Dame Prep (MA) with three. Harmony (OH), Findlay College Prep (NV), and Brewster (NH) were all left without a vote. I would guess that the eight "Other" votes were for schools such as New Hampton (NH), Our Savior New American (NY), Winchendon School (MA), and American Christian Academy (PA). I left off ACA because they are leaving the prep ranks, and according to http://njmg.typepad.com/zagsblog/ the school may even be closing. The next poll asked you to choose the best team from a mid-major conference during the 21st century, and the winner here was also not a shocker. The NCAA runner-up from the 2007-2008 season Memphis Tigers took in 17 of the 37 votes. Gonzaga finished a distant second with seven votes, and then came Xavier with six. After the Musketeers were St. Joseph's and Butler, with five and two votes respectively. Nevada, Southern Illinois, and all did not receive any votes. In you opinions, Memphis' recent success of three straight Elite Eight appearances clearly outweighed the long-term success of schools such as Xavier and Gonzaga.

Upcoming Interviews and Updates:

2008-05-19T22:45:00.003-04:00

In addition to numerous interviews from the Providence and Southern Jam Fests which I will be getting up over the next few weeks, I will be providing a number of updates on players, as well as featuring a few new ones all of whom I caught up with today. Those players are Wayne Newsom '10, Keith "Tiny" Gallon '09, Jayon James '10, Markus Kennedy '10, Harold Spears '10, Antonie Allen '09, Keith Lumpkin '11, James McAdoo '11, Julian Diaz '08, Ashcraf Yacoubou '11, Stevie Taylor '11, Sam Givens '08, Dee Bost '08, Erving Walker '08, Lance Goulbourne '08, and Chris Fouch '08. Of these players, three have yet to have feature articles on Northstar Basketball: Lumpkin, McAdoo, and Fouch. Interviews with Lumpkin and McAdoo will be up sometime soon, and my conversation with Fouch will be the introduction to him. In addition, I will be talking with Dontae Johnson '10 and Ryan Pearson '08 again soon, and hope to get in tough withe three more people: Dalton Pepper '09, Brandon Triche '09, and Shannon Givens '09. Please keep checking back over the next few weeks, as these updates and interviews will be going up as my time allows. Thank you!

Update on . . . Chris Braswell

2008-05-18T13:39:00.005-04:00

Georgetown will have to wait an extra year to get Hargrave Military Academy (VA) forward Chris Braswell. The stud senior big man will post-grad for a year prior to heading to the NCAA. The gentle giant will stay at the same school, and his reasoning for choosing to post-grad is just to "better [himself] for another year." The decision, which was made "about two weeks ago," included input from Chris "mom, [AAU coach] Steve Stevens, and [his] grandmother." Fans of the Hoyas have nothing to worry about, though, as Braswell still plans on playing for John Thompson III for his college ball. In fact, I asked whether other players committing there in the class of 2009, such as recent commit DaShonte Riley, would impact his decision: "I'm going there, period. It don't matter if anybody else [is] going there. . . . Nobody else [is] going to change my mind on what school I want to go to." As for JT III's opinion on Chris' decision, Braswell told me that the coach thought "it would be kind of better for me . . . become more prepared for college, . . . doing another year here wouldn't really hurt me." While at Hargrave, Chris is mainly planning on getting "more moves in . . . [the] low post, stepping out a little bit. . . mid-range [game] . . . work on [his] handling." Hargave won the Prep National Championships this season, and will have a legitimate chance at repeating the feat next year, and another undefeated season may not be out of the question either. Although the squad will lose a few players, including Mississippi St.-bound Dee Bost, Head Coach Kevin Keatts' squad will be bringing in at least a couple of impact transfers: DeShawn Painter and, according to Braswell, recent Indiana-commit "Maurice Creek," will being playing in Chatham next year as well. Next season, Chris wants to "hopefully get another ring." I inquired of Braswell how it would be playing down on the post with Painter, a stud member of the class of 2009, and he told me this: "[I] can't pre-determine it too much, but it'll be a good low post area. . . . We'll make it work, we'll start becoming a family." The team certainly has the capability to repeat as national champs, and Chris Braswell will be a main part of the team's ability to do so. Then, he will try to help the Georgetown Hoyas make a run for a national title. Although Chris Braswell's choice to wait an extra year before going to college, he will only be stronger, bigger, and flat-out better.

Northstar Basketball's Top 15 in the Class of 2008

2008-05-16T14:26:00.011-04:00

I would like to take some time and provide you my personal rankings of the 15 best players in the class of 2008. For this, I will be basing it solely on a player's game, and not how I project them to succeed in the NCAA or the NBA. I will not include post-grads and fifth year players such as Devin Ebanks and John Riek. Well, here it is:

Rank. Name, Position, High School (State), College
1. Brandon Jennings, PG, Oak Hill Academy (VA), Arizona
2. Samardo Samuels, PF, St. Benedict's (NJ), Louisville
3. Greg Monroe, PF, Helen Cox (LA), Georgetown
4. Tyreke Evans, G, American Christian Academy (PA), Memphis
5. Jrue Holiday, G, Campbell Hall (CA), UCLA
6. Demar DeRozan, SG, Compton (CA), USC
7. Willie Warren, G, North Crowley (TX), Oklahoma
8. Scotty Hopson, SG, University Heights (KY), Tennessee
9. Al-Farouq Aminu, SF, Norcross (GA), Wake Forest
10. BJ Mullens, C, Canal Winchester (OH), Ohio St.
11. Kemba Walker, PG, Rice (NY), UConn
12. Ed Davis, PF, Benedictine School (VA), North Carolina
13. Elliot Williams, SG, St. George's (TN), Duke
14. Jamychal Green, PF, St. Jude (AL), Alabama
15. Delvon Roe, F, St. Edward (OH), Michigan St.

Here is a summary of the players by state and NCAA conference, of those with multiple players:
CA: 2
OH: 2
VA: 2

ACC: 3
Big East: 3
Pac-10: 3
Big 10: 2
SEC: 2

I think Brandon Jennings is far and away the best player in America. Although this class does not have the major star power as the 2006 and 2007 classes, there is a nice group of talent. These 15 players are, in my opinion, the best in the nation. Look for them on a national stage in the years to come, as they have all the skills to succeed.

Note- information on high schools, positions, etc. is from http://www.rivals.com

Note- photo is of Brandon Jennings, and is from http://oakhillhoops.com/

DeJuan Blair- A Lot Left to Accomplish and a Lot of Time to Do It

2008-05-15T22:44:00.008-04:00

DeJuan Blair, a 6'7 power forward for the University of Pittsburgh, was the Big East Freshman of the Year this past season. The stud big man helped lead Pitt to a Big East Tournament Championship as well as a four seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Panthers had a solid season in 2007-2008, going 27-10 and reaching the second round of the NCAA Tournament, before being defeated by the Michigan St. Spartans. DeJuan Blair was a key member of Jamie Dixon's squad, despite being a rookie at the NCAA level. At the Pitt Jam Fest, I caught up with the Big East superstar.

NB: So, you guys had a big season this year. What was it like for you to go . . . and win the Big East Tournament?

DB: It was a big step up . . . for us because [of] all our downfalls during the season, and we just came back, we popped back as a team, and everybody came together and we did an excellent job on that.

NB: Did [the team] pay any attention to Bobby Knight picking you to win [the NCAA Tournament], or was that not you were even bothering to think about?

DB: No, it was . . . nice, but obviously we [did not] take it up, but that was nice that he did it, but we just . . . got to come back harder next year.

NB: What do you think the team will be capable of accomplishing next season?

DB: A lot of things, [with] everybody coming back, and plus the recruits we [are] getting in. We [will] just keep working hard. . . . I believe they picked us to be third in the nation, so that’s a big honor for us, so we just got to keep going.

NB: How did you decide on Pittsburgh?

DB: [I] just [wanted] to stay home. . . . Why not play DI at the highest level at home?

NB: Do you have any goals for your college career, things that you want to accomplish personally or team-wise?

DB: Hopefully one day get the Player of the Year in the nation, and the obviously get a National Championship.

NB: Are you planning on staying [in college for] all four years [of your eligibility]?

DB: Hopefully I do, but if anything comes together, that would be great.

NB: What was it like for you guys to go down to Madison Square Garden this year and beat Duke on . . . such a big national stage?

DB: Oh, that was fun. Just doing that, and [having] everybody watching. It was . . . a huge game, and I came up big in that [with] 20 rebounds [and] 15 points. It was good, playing against them, [a] high-major team, that was excellent.

NB: How were you able to perform so well this season as a freshman?

DB: Just coming in and playing my game. That’s just me, I didn’t look at it [as] being . . . a freshman and all that, it was just me.

NB: What do you consider to be the strongest point of your game? DB: Rebounding. NB: What about your biggest weakness, that you’ll have to work on?

DB: Shooting.

DeJuan Blair is destined for success in his remaining time at Pitt. Assuming he does stay for three more seasons, the big man has a legitimate shot to win National Player of the Year and also lead the Panthers to an NCAA title. Although Blair may never been considered a top-notch NBA prospect due to his height, his pure talent and rebounding ability will likely land him on an NBA squad. In addition, Blair is a genuinely nice guy, and that is something that NBA coaches are going to like about him. The League may be a long way away for DeJuan Blair, though, as he's got three years to accomplish his goals as a Pitt Panther.

Note- photo is from http://www.philly.com/

Dontae Johnson- Football Star's Got Game on the Court Too

2008-05-14T21:51:00.004-04:00

Dontae Johnson, a 6'3 sophomore from The Pennington School (NJ), is a stud on the gridiron, and isn't too shabby on the court either. Johnson is a safety and wide receiver in football, and a forward in basketball. During the AAU basketball season, Dontae plays with Team New Jersey ABC, while also getting his name out for football, which is his primary sport. At the Pitt Jam Fest, a tournament in which his NJABC team made the Gold bracket quarterfinals, I caught up with the two-sport star.

NB: What do you see as some of the similarities . . . between playing basketball and [playing] football?
DJ: Well, just being tough all-around. Basketball, even though . . . it’s not a contact sport, you still have to be tough with it and [be] physical. So, . . . it helps me to be tougher on the football field.

NB: What makes you interested in continuing to play basketball [when] you feel your future lies in football? What makes basketball appealing to you?
DJ: Well, I just love the game, just being around people. . . . I just love being around the sport, . . . [it’s] a good environment, and it keeps you in shape for football, so that’s why I do it.

NB: Over the summer, how are you planning on [ balancing football] combines against AAU [basketball] tournaments, and getting both sports in?
DJ: It’s going to be hard, but I’ll plan on just going to basketball [events] when I’m not doing football, but if football comes up, I’m there first, that’s my number one [sport], . . . but otherwise I’m [going to] be here with the team and just having fun.

NB: What are the chances you play both football and basketball in college?
DJ: I don’t know, it probably is going to be [hard], but I don’t know right now, so hopefully it’s just going be football, but if it’s both, I’ll play both.

NB: What are some of the schools that are currently showing you interest?
DJ: For football . . . you have Memphis, . . . Maryland, Michigan St., Ohio St., Florida, and you got Villanova.

NB: What about for basketball?
DJ: For basketball, . . . probably Rutgers [and] Rider, just local [schools, not really nothing big.

NB: Is there a school that you’ve always wanted to go to, that you’ve grown up rooting for and saying ‘I want to . . . play football for them?’
DJ: Yeah, it would be the Virginia Tech Hokies because my family [is] from Virginia, and I like it down there, and then being that . . . I know Marcus and Michael Vick have went through there, I would like to go through the program as well.

NB: If [Virginia Tech Head Coach] Frank Beamer and his team were to start getting involved with [recruiting] you, how would that change your focus on the recruiting? Would that be the type of school that they offer you and you commit, or [would] you still have to be weighing your options?
DJ: I would still weigh my options, but that would just be at the top of the list with . . . all my other offers, so it’s going to . . . be hard to make that decision at the end, but they’re pretty high on my list right now.

NB: What are the things you’re looking for in a school that you want to see in your [future] college?
DJ: Just being able to grow as the years go on, and by my senior year be [part of] a talented young program, and have young recruits come in, and be able to show them that it’s a good program, and also being able to accomplish academics, so that’s what I’m looking forward to.

NB: Who are some of the people that are going to be helping you to make your decision and [will be] helping you along the recruiting process?
DJ: [Team New Jersey ABC Head Coach] Matt [Pauls] for one, he’s like my father in this right now, and then my head [football] coach Jerry Eure from Pennington.

NB: Growing up, . . . was football always your favorite sport? Was it the sport you were always better at? Or is that . . . something that’s changed as you’ve reached the high school level?
DJ: No, football’s always been my number one [sport], just for the fact that [there is] the contact. I love the sport, and then it’s just exciting, you never know what’s going to happen in football, so that’s why I love the sport.

NB: What position are you most likely going to be playing at the . . . college level?
DJ: Either wide receiver or defensive back, so I’m not sure right now.

NB: What do you prefer to play?
DJ: Defensive back, . . . it’s easier for me, . . . and on top of that, it’s fun just to hit people instead of getting hit.

NB: What is your favorite thing about any sport, just about sports in general? If you had to pick one thing that was just your favorite about sports, what would it be?
DJ: Just the intensity, . . . and the vibe that you get from playing the sport, and the passion that you have for it, so I would probably say intensity because it’s just . . . a lot of atmosphere for basketball and football, which makes me want to play harder to prove to other people that your . . . right and your supposed to be playing this game.

NB: If you had to compare your game of football to . . . a current player in either the NCAA or the NFL, who would it be?
DJ: For wide receiver, I would have to go with . . . Reggie Wayne from [the] Indianapolis Colts, . . . And for defensive back, . . . I don’t know who I would go with, but just know that coming out to hit you, hit you hard too.

NB: What about for your basketball game, who would you compare your game to?
DJ: One of those intensity guys, the guys that come off the bench to bring the spark, not a . . . main player, or a go-to player, just basically a role player, just to help to get the team up and going, and . . . a strong defensive player as well.

NB: What are you looking to accomplish next year, both on the football field and the basketball court, at the high school level?
DJ: Actually, just to improve from last year, that’s all basically. That’s all it is, you [are] trying to improve every year, get better and better every year, so that’s all that I’m trying to do.

Johnson clearly knows what he has to do in order to succeed in the athletic world, and that is just keep working on his game. Dontae has a nice support system with Matt Pauls and Jerry "Chief" Eure, one for each sport, and he has the game to go along way. The NJABC wing player is destined for a nice career at the high school and NCAA level (and the NFL?), as the talent is clearly there for him. Johnson has a strong and chiseled frame, athleticism, and physicality. All the remains is some fine tuning, and you will be seeing Dontae Johnson playing football on Saturdays.

Southern Jam Fest Recap

2008-05-13T20:38:00.018-04:00

Over the weekend, I went to Charlottesville, Virginia for The Hoop Group's Southern Jam Fest, and was able to watch some of the east coast's best teams in action. The tournament had U-15, U-16, and U-17 age groups. Here is the list of winners and runner-ups:

U-17 Gold Champ: CP3 All-Stars (NC)
U-17 Gold Runner-up: National Christian Academy (MD)
U-17 Silver: Squash All Beefs (DC)
U-17 Silver Runner-up: PA Pride
U-16 Gold Champ: Team Final (PA)
U-16 Gold Runner-up: Boo Williams (VA)
U-16 Silver Champ: BWSL Team Virginia
U-16 Silver Runner-up: NC Raptors Select Blue
U-15 Gold Champ: Boo Williams (VA)
U-15 Gold Runner-up: Team Phenom (PA)
U-15 Silver Champ: Team New Jersey ABC
U-15 Silver Runner-up: Delaware Sharks

I'll and fill you in on the 12 squads that made finals appearances team by team, and I will also give you some other information from the event. I'll begin with the U-17 winners, the CP3 All-Stars, a bunch that features 6'5 Reggie Bullock '10, a North Carolina commit. The standout sophomore lead his squad in scoring against Playaz Gold (NJ) in the quarterfinals, yet managed a measly four points in the title game and grabbed only six rebounds. Meanwhile, 6'5 senior Wendell "CJ" Williams, a North Carolina St.-signee--who for some reason was allowed to play in the event, despite not being recruitable for the 2009 season--had a solid game in the championship, scoring 10 points, to go along with two boards, a steal, an assist, and a block. As for the boys from National Christian Academy, who were defeated byCP3 by a score of 70-50, their big name is Dante Taylor, a 6'9 forward. He had a rough outing in the title game, finishing with six points and five boards. Wilbur O'Neal, a 6'7For those of you that do not know, the Gold division is for teams the finished first in their pools, while the Silver division is for those that came in second place in their pools. It bears mentioning that of the six championship games, Boo Williams had a team in three of them, both U-16 games and the U-15 Gold game. The program from Virginia may well be the best in America, when senior, had a tremendous showing against CP3, shooting 5/7 from the field and 4/5 at the line to total 14 points. In addition, the uncommitted senior had 14 rebounds, two assists, and three steals, though he did pick up five fouls. In the U-17 Silver championship, 6'8 junior Thomas Robinson dropped 19 points on 9/10 shooting from the field, while hitting his only free throw and also had 11 boards for Squash All Beefs. Phillip Wood, a 6'3 junior who plays at basketball powerhouse Montrose Christian (MD), had 10 points and eight rebounds in the title game, as well as two assists and three steal for the DC-based AAU program. As for the PA Pride, who lost 71-58, 6'0 junior Nick Novak had 18 points, five rebounds, and three assists. Junior Paul Weatherly, who checks in at 6'4, had 14 points, four boards, and two blocks for his team.
Moving right along to the U-16 level, the championship game was one for the ages. Team Final (PA) and Boo Williams (VA) are two of the most highly regarded AAU programs in America, and for good reason. Both are loaded with talent, and the U-16 title game was a fantastic battle. In the semis, Boo defeated the Westchester Hawks (NY) by two points, while Team Final beat Team New Jersey ABC by 13. In the finals, Boo Williams was in control throughout the first half, but in the second 16 minutes, Team Final battled back. The Pennsylvanian group climbed on the back up its superstar, freshman phenom Michael Gilchrist, a 6'7 forward from St. Patrick's (NJ), who would finish the game with 29 points, 10 rebounds, and three steals. Gilchrist shot 11/18 from the field, though did not connect on any of his three attempts from beyond the arc. In addition, the class of 2011 stud was 7/13 at the stripe. Gilchrist, despite scoring nine more points, did not shoot as well against Boo Williams, as he did against NJABC in the semis, when he was 7/11 from the floor, 2/2 on three pointers, and 4/6 at the line. American Christian Academy (PA) 6'6 sophomore forward George Harper also had a stellar performance in the finals, scoring 13 points on 5/8 shooting from the field and 3/4 at the line, grabbing 10 boarding, and blocking a shot. The most apparent thing about Harper was his attitude problem, though. The talent is clearly there for the linebacker-esque big man, as he can jump, shoot, score, board, etc., but he is just not at the same level with his attitude. Harper talks a lot of trash, even to people watching the game. In fact, George was jawing with some Boo Williams fans while on the blocks during a free throw. In addition, Harper was called for a technical foul during the game for hanging on the rim after a dunk. The ACA baller has the game to play high major ball, but until he puts it all together mentally and attitude-wise, he may not be much of a success. Trevor Cooney, a 6'4 freshman guard also had a stellar game for Team Final, notching 16 points on 5/9 shooting from the floor, including 1/3 on threes, and went 5/7 at the charity stripe. Cooney, a terrific shooter, also had two boards, an assist, and a steal. DJ Irving, a 5'10 sophomore guard, added 10 points, shooting 3/6 on threes, and not attempting a deuce. Irving also knocked in his only free throw. For Boo Williams, 6'5 sophomore Travis McKie was one of the standouts, dropping 17 points on 7/15 shooting, and also had six rebounds. Dadrian Collins, a 6'5 junior, had 17 points on 7/13 shooting, including 2/3 beyond the arc, though he hit just one of four at the line. Collins also added a half dozen rebounds. Sophomore Brandon Britt, who stands 5'9, had 13 points on 5/9 shooting, with seven of his shots--three of which he made--being from three point land. Britt also had a board, an assist, and a steal. Team Final pulled away in the end, knocking down key free throws, including icers by Cooney, and won the game 76-72. The fans packed the sidelines to watch the game, and it was well worth it, as the contest was phenomenal. In the U-16 Silver title game, BWSL Team Virginia defeated the NC Raptors Select Blue squad 61-46. BWSL, a Boo Williams team, was led by 6'7 sophomore Davante Gardner's 16 points. He shot 8/8 at the line and 4/9 from the floor. Derek Wright, a 6'1 sophomore, scored 12 points, had three assists, and grabbed seven rebounds. Sophomore Jay Copeland, who is 6'6, added 11 points on 5/7 shooting from the floor and 1/2 shooting at the line. He also had four boards and two steals.
Going to the U-15 level now, Boo Williams (VA) knocked off Team Phenom (PA) in the Gold championship. Leading the way for Boo were 6'9 freshman James McAdoo and 6'5 eighth grader Justin Anderson, who had 11 points, and displayed amazing athleticism and hops. For Team Phenom, two freshmen led the way: Aaron Brown had 17 points, Devin Coleman had 17, including three threes. In the U-15 Silver contest, NJABC 6'0 freshman Anthony Gaffney had 24 points on 10/15 shooting from the floor and 4/6 shooting at the stripe. Bruce Brittingham, a 6'0 freshman, added 14 points on 7/10 shooting, and also pulled down five boards and dished out two assists. Freshman Khalid Lewis El, who is 6'2, had 12 points, six rebounds, four assists, and two steals. Chandler Fraser-Pauls, a 5'11 freshman, had 12 points and six assists. For the Delaware Sharks, who fought back from a late 15-point deficit and forced overtime only to lose 83-80, Devon Dorsey had 17 points on 5/10 shooting from the field, 1/2 on threes, and a nice 6/7 on free throws. Dorsey also grabbed 11 boards and had two blocks. Freshman Andrew Merlo, who is 5'10, had 16 points on 6/10 shooting, 3/6 beyond the arc, and 1/3 on free throws. He also had six rebounds, an assist, and a steal. Harold Hayes, a freshman who checks in at 5'7, fouled out with 11 points on on 5/8 shooting from the floor, hitting his lone free throw. He also had an assist and a steal. The Sharks as a team were an impressive 80% from the free line in the game, going 12/15.
An interesting tidbit is that Chris Braswell, a Georgetown commit, played on the Triple Threat (DC) U-17 squad, and appears to be headed to the post-grad route, rather than to John Thompson III's team. Playaz Gold (NJ) was yet again bounced early in a tournament, losing in the the quarterfinals of the Gold bracket to the eventual champion CP3 All-Stars. Team Jersey Elite (NJ) had a less than stellar showing by their standards, not winning their pool, and then being defeated by the PA Pride in the opening round of the Silver bracket. The Petersburg 14U (VA) team made a nice run to the Gold semifinals, before being ousted by Boo Williams. All in all it was a quality tournament that was well run by The Hoop Group.

Poll Results:

2008-05-12T20:59:00.006-04:00

Lance Stephenson and Doron Lamb evidently have more in common then both playing in New York. You selected those two as the best players in their respective classes. Stephenson dominated the voting on the class of 2009, picking up 24 of the 53 votes. Dominic Cheek finished a distant second with 10 votes. He was followed up by Kenny Boynton, who picked up six, after whom came John Wall, who grabbed five selections. DeMarcus Cousins and "Other" tied with three votes, and then Derrick Favors and Xavier Henry were knotted up with one vote each. Suprisngly, Renardo Sidney, the number one player on http://www.rivals.com/, did not receive any votes. I know that at least one of the "Other" votes was for Maalik Wayns, who is a top-notch point guard. As for the polling on the class of 2010, Doron Lamb's 10 votes barely nudged Tristan Thompson's eight votes, as the two combined for nearly half the choices, totalling 18 of the 37. Kendall Marshall and "Other" tied for third place, grabbing five votes each. Next up were DeShaun Thomas and Brandon Knight with four, followed by KC Ross-Miller with one. Jared Sullinger was not selected, and neither was Jeremy Tyler, who is ranked number one in the class of 2010 by both http://www.rivals.com/ and http://scouthoops.scout.com/. Thus, Rivals' number one player in both 2009 and 2010 did not get any votes. Interestingly, the site's recently chosen top player in the class of 2008, BJ Mullens, was shut out in the voting on that class, which took place a number of weeks ago. Is there something you have against Rivals? Whether you do or do not, these polls illustrate the talent in the Big Apple, and support you choice in a previous poll of New York as the state that produces the best talent.

Upcoming Interviews:

2008-05-12T12:05:00.005-04:00

This past weekend, I was at the Southern Jam Fest in Virginia. Thus, I was unable to get any posts up. I will, though, be getting up a number of interviews over the next few weeks. In addition to those of Dontae Johnson, DeJuan Blair, Donyell Marshall, Marcus Morris, and Markieff Morris, I conducted 10 more interviews at the tournament this weekend. The players who I spoke with were Justin Anderson '12, Robel Hurui '11, James McAdoo '11, Christian Leach '11, Keith Lumpkin '11, Reggie Bullock '10, Dion Waiters '10, Dante Taylor '09, Karron Johnson '09, and Sherrod Wright '09. Please check back for these interviews, which will be going on the site in the upcoming weeks. Thank you.

Wayne Newsom- Call Him a Leader

2008-05-08T22:28:00.008-04:00

Wayne Newsom, a 6'7 sophomore forward for the Piscataway (NJ) Chiefs, is a player who loves to win. The big man plays for Team New Jersey ABC on the AAU circuit, and has had a stellar season thus far. Newsom's U-16 NJABC squad made it to the quarterfinals of the gold bracket at the Pitt Jam Fest. Early on in the event, I had the chance to chat with Wayne about his future, his love for the game, and more.

NB: So, [with] your season at Piscataway this year, what did you think you . . . accomplished as a team?
WN: As a team about two years back, we were 4-20, so we accomplished a lot, we went . . . 25-3, I mean that’s a big accomplishment, from going from 4-20, a lot of work from Coach [Guy] Genson, our head coach, he put in a lot of hard work for us, and just made us remember [to] stay humble [and] focused.

NB: What did it mean to you, . . . as a team to be able to play at the Prime Time Shootout, and to be playing against an opponent like Oak Hill [Academy in Virginia]?
WN: Well , we played against Oak Hill [and] it was pretty interesting. Everybody [else] was going into the game [saying] ‘you guys . . . are crazy, why are you playing Oak Hill? They’re going to beat you.’ We lost . . . by like 40. We lost by like 40, but it was a good experience because . . . we don’t have any DI players going out this year, [and] we were on the court with about seven or eight Division I players, so it felt good playing against DI players, and just having that experience [was great]. [We played against] a future NBA player [in] Brandon Jennings, [and] just going up against him, . . . playing physical, and just seeing what it takes to be the elite player [and] an elite team [was great].

NB: Was there any sort of awe-factor when [the team] stepped on the court of ‘wow, we’re on the same court as Oak Hill,’ or was it something that you guys didn’t think about?
WN: No, we just really . . . looked at them like ‘it’s a team, we play against teams everyday, . . . they got five players, we got five players. They got five brothers, we got five brothers.’ That was the [mindset that] we wanted to go into that game with. . . . We knew it was going to be a tough game, but we were also going to have fun, as young men, and just take it to another level, but it felt good playing against them.

NB: How does playing against this AAU competition . . . with Team New Jersey [ABC] help you to play against some of the higher-quality [high school] opponents both in New Jersey and out-of-state?
WN: Playing against AAU players, it’s a good experience, it’s a lot of talent out here, a lot of top prospects coming out of the class of 2010. . . . it’s a good . . . situation to see . . . what you [are] going to face [at] the college level, the elite players. [At] Team New Jersey [ABC], we have a lot of elite players coming up this year, we just got to keep working hard, . . . listen to [U-16 Head] Coach Matt [Pauls] and stay focused.

NB: You mentioned college, what are some of the schools that are currently showing interest in you?
WN: Rhode Island, I have a couple . . . of DII schools, . . . Felician, [and] a couple other schools.

NB: What school would you say right now is at the top of your list.
WN: I can’t even tell you, . . . I’m really going to focus on . . . playing basketball [and] just having fun right now. When the time comes, I’ll sit down with my family and Coach Matt and discuss what’s going to be my best decision for college.

NB: Do you have a goal to play high DI [basketball], or do you just want to find the right fit, whether it’s DIII, whether it’s a mid-major, or whether it is a high-major?
WN: I want to play college ball [at a school that is] . . . going to pay for my education, and [where I will be able to study] . . . what I want to study. . . . I would like to play high DI [basketball], high-major, low-major, I would like to do that, but it depends on me, it depends [on] if I keep working hard. . . . So, whatever Coach Matt . . . and my family feel is best for me, that’s what I’ll do.

NB: You mentioned . . . about your field of study, and [that] you want to go someplace that has that. Do you know what you’re interested in doing as of now, or is that something that you’re going to think about later?
WN: I want to be pediatrician, I want to help kids, I like helping kids. My mom always tell me ‘give back to your community . . . once you succeed in life,’ and . . . I think that . . . I’m going to succeed, I’m around positive people, positive people are around me, so I think I want to give back to my community by helping kids out.

NB: Being with Team New Jersey [ABC] and getting the workout that you guys do [get], all the practices. . . . What’s your opinion on all that? . . . A lot of AAU programs don’t do as much work as you do. What makes it appealing to you to play for the program that does do all that?
WN: Well, Coach Matt, he works hard on us. . . . Coach Matt is more than just a coach, he’s like a father figure to everybody. So, . . . when we have practice, that’s what we want to do, we want to get to practice, we want to work hard for not just us, but for Coach Matt too, and our families. Just . . . getting better, getting competitive, the practices that we have [are] competitive. You won’t find that in any other AAU program, [they are] real competitive.

NB: In practice [recently], you really were showing your mentality of wanting to win, and wanting to try hard, and wanting to be in the game, even in practice. . . . Where does that mindset come from, of always wanting to be a part of the action, be a part of that winning team?
WN: It’s just in any boy’s nature, any boy who loves playing basketball, that loves . . . doing anything with sports, football, basketball, soccer, baseball, name it, you just always want to win, no matter where you are, if you’re, [even] if you’re . . . on the bench, you always want to win, you just want to win. It’s just that mean streak about something, like ‘Oh, I got to win.’ . . . The word ‘lose,’ or ‘I lost,’ shouldn’t be in anybody’s vocabulary, it shouldn’t be, that’s just . . . a plain simple fact, it shouldn’t be in [anybody’s] vocabulary. [That’s] because if you don’t . . . want to win, if you don’t want to be the best at what you can be, then why try?

NB: What do you think that Piscataway is going to be able to accomplish over your final two seasons there?
WN: We brought a sectional championship home this year. Next year, it’s step-by-step, brick-by-brick. We . . . have a saying at our school . . . in our locker room, saying ‘brick-by-brick,’ and then when we say ‘brick-by-brick,’ it’s [supposed to mean] keep working. . . . Whatever comes, it goes by how hard we work, if we work hard, we succeed. If we don’t, then we won’t, so we have to keep working hard, and I think that we can be the best . . . in the state of New Jersey. That’s just up to us.

NB: What are some of your goals?
WN: Some of my goals as a teammate [are] to help my teammates get better, and another goal is to be a better leader, off the court and on the court. I would like for some of my teammates to come to me and talk to me. Some of them, they [already do] come to me and talk to me, . . . just about family. I would also . . . get an offer by the end of this season. If not an offer, an offer or two, . . . and I would just like to become a better man in general, and . . . become more focused [on] what I want to do and what my goals are.

NB: What do you consider to be the strongest point of your game?
WN: No doubt rebounding, rebounding and defense because . . . I like to play the bad guy because when you play the bad guy on defense, it’s just that you have a mean streak to you like, ‘yeah, he’s not doing this.’ . . . I also would like to be the vocal leader, I’m a vocal leader. . . . When I say something, the team usually reacts on it, so I . . . think one of the my strongest [aspects] is [that I am] a vocal leader.

NB: What do you think is your biggest weakness?
WN: I would have to say [Pause] consistency. I have more consistent. . . . I have to have at least good games back-to-back, if not doing something good like scoring, doing something good like rebounding. . . . . I have to be more consistent because if you’re not a consistent player, college coaches [will not like you as much, and] that . . . lowers your stock, and that’s one of things I would like to improve on.

NB: Give me one word to sum up basketball, . . . what the game of basketball means to you.
WN: Love, no doubt.

It is evident from this question and answer session that Wayne Newsom has what it takes to play ball at the college level, at least mentally. The forward loves basketball and he sure knows how to play it. Wayne is the type of "glue guy" that many teams need to succeed. Newsom will need to fine tune his game a bit, but he has two years to do so, and in that time he will wreak havoc at the high school and AAU levels. Wayne is a kid that low-major college teams may want to take a look at due to his mentality and solid game. If Newsom grows two or three more inches, high mid-major or even BCS conference ball may not be out of the picture. One thing is for sure, no matter where he ends up, Newsom will bring his leadership qualities, and people will be drawn to him right away.

Scouting Report on Newsom:

The 6'7 sophomore is a beast on the offense glass, and can do work on the defensive boards as well. Wayne routinely wows his teammates and crowds with highlight reel dunks, displaying his phenomenal ups and athleticism. He could certainly use some more range on his jumper, and that will hopefully come with time. As well, some more post moves would be a welcome addition for Newsom. The leadership abilities that Wayne possesses are evident. He takes charge of his NJABC team, whether he is on the court or on the sidelines. This may well be Wayne's best attribute. Every single team in every sport from pre-teen squads all the way up to the pro ranks need someone who has a presence, and that is something that Newsom certainly has.