Poll- My Choice

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

Poll Results:

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.

Poll- My Choice

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

Poll Results:

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.

Poll- My Choice

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.

Poll- My Choice

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:

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.

Poll- My Choice

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

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/

Poll Results:

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.

Poll Results:

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.

Poll Results:

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.

Poll Results:

It seems you feel that AAU ball for juniors is as big as it gets. In the most recent poll results, "AAU Game" was chosen as the best single way to evaluate a player, as this option received 24 of the 41 votes. A not-so-close second place was "High School Game," which took in 11 votes, which was followed up by "Camp Game" and "AAU Practice," with two votes a piece. Behind those two, in a tie for fifth place, were "High School Practice" and "All-Star Game." Those both picked up a single vote, while "All-star Practice," "Camp Practice," and "Other" came up empty. The voting shows that you favor player evaluations being done during games instead of practices. As for the other poll, in which I asked when the best time for a player to commit is, the option of "Summer after Junior Season" was the winner, with 12 of the 30 votes. Next up was "Early Signing Period," with eight votes, after which was, surprisingly, "Summer After Freshman Season," which picked up three votes. In a three-way tie for fourth place with two votes each, were "During Junior Season," "During Senior Season," and "Regular Signing Period." Finishing behind these three was "Other," with a single vote. "During Sophomore Season" was the only choice not to receive a vote. The selection of "Other" is interesting, as it would appear that the person was thinking either during freshman year or prior to high school even starting was the appropriate choice. Please comment on this article to express your viewpoint, especially if you are the one who chose "Other" or one of the three who picked "Summer After Freshman Year." To sum it up, assuming AAU games are the best way to conduct an evaluation and the summer after your junior year is the best time to commit, then those players in the class of 2009 had better give it their all on the grassroots circuit this summer.

Poll Results:

The latest polls closed last night, and apparently the thinking is that the east coast is where the best ball is played. In the poll asking which state produced the best talent, New York finished first, picking up 20 votes, while New Jersey ended up in second, collecting 14 selections. Those 34 votes combined for over half of the total votes, 62. The option of "Other" finished in third place, with 12 votes. My hunch is that many of those votes would have gone to Pennsylvania, had it been an option. If that is the case, it means that the Northeast, is hands-down the best area for high school hoops in the nation. California finished in a far-away fourth place, with 6 votes. Apparently the Cali duo of Jrue Holiday and Demar DeRozan didn't help the Golden State to earn respect, in comparison to New York and New Jersey. Indiana came in fifth place with four votes, and those in the Hoosier State probably aren't too happy with the weak finish. Just behind Indiana was Ohio, which grabbed three votes, and then came Georgia with a pair of selections. After the Peach State was Illinois with one vote, and then Florida which did not receive any choices. Please comment on this article to explain your vote. If you are one of the 12 people who chose "Other," then a comment from you would be fantastic.
As for the other poll, asking what attribute was the most important in a high school player/recruit, Basketball IQ was the run-away winner, receiving 14 of the 32 votes. Overall Athleticism was a distant second with seven votes, followed by Handle, which was chosen four times. Next up were Size and Defensive Ability, which both had two votes. Shot grabbed one vote to finish in seventh, and then Passing Ability finished in last place, getting shut out, as was "Other." It appears that smarts aren't only needed in the classroom.

Poll Results:

Apparently you can not only tell the future, but have a basketball mind similar to that of Tyreke Evans'. You, the readers of Northstar Basketball, selected Memphis as the American Christian Academy (PA) star's college destination, giving it 38 of the 53 votes, for a whopping 70%. Villanova picked up 13 selections, Seton Hall got two, Texas received one, and UConn was left with none. Meanwhile, in the poll on what school would be best for Tyreke, you also selected Memphis, as the school picked up 26 of the 46 selections, good for 56%. Villanova was somewhat close in second place with the Wildcats getting picked 17 times. UConn, which was shut out in the other poll, picked up a pair of votes in this one, while Seton Hall grabbed one choice, and Texas none. You went two-for-two, even picking Evans' second choice school correctly. Congratulations to all of you who correctly chose Tyreke Evans' future school.

Poll Results:

The results of last week's polls were quite interesting. The winners in the voting for the biggest McDonald's All-American Game snub were West Virginia-bound Kevin Jones and future Ohio St. Buckeye Terrelle Pryor, both finishing with eight of the 32 votes. Behind those two were soon-to-be Memphis Tiger Angel Garcia and Florida-signee Eloy Vargas, each of whom had five votes. Behind those two was the option of "Other," which received three selections. Ty Walker (Wake Forest), J'Mison Morgan (LSU), and Kenny Kadji (Florida) all got one vote apiece. DeAndre Liggins, who will play for the Kentucky Wildcats next year, was shut out in the voting. Pryor and Jones were intriguing selections, as it shows that people believe in the hype about the two. Jones was one of the best unsigned players heading into the early signing period, and his selection of Bob Higgins' squad made a lot of noise. Also, playing in New York can't really hurt a player when it comes to getting publicity. Terrelle Pryor was widely regarded as the best football player in America, and was the consensus number one quarterback. In addition to that, Pryor's hoops game is absolutely phenomenal, and he actually committed to Pitt a few years, before his football stock blew up. He was also a hot commodity at the signing period, though it was football's signing period for this superstar. The road leading up to Pryor's selection of Ohio St. was heavily publicized and the quarterback/forward got a tremendous amount of national attention from both the basketball and football worlds. Again, the voting for the biggest McDonald's Game snub ended with Kevin Jones and Terrelle Pryor finishing in a tie.
The other poll was specifically about Terrelle Pryor, asking what sports you felt he should play in college. Only two of you felt that he should just play hoops at OSU, while nine said Pryor should stick to football, while 11 people selected the option of Pryor being a dual-sport athlete, playing both basketball and football for the Buckeyes. It appears that Terrelle will give up basketball to focus on the gridiron, so although 13 of the 22 votes were for him playing either both sports or just b-ball, Pryor will likely just toss around the pigskin. It's unfortunate that we probably won't see this star don a basketball uniform in college, but all you NCAA football fans should get ready for the next great Big 10 quarterback.

Note- photo of Terrelle Pryor playing football is from http://internetservices.readingeagle.com/blog/drago/
Note- photo of Terrelle Pryor playing basketball is from http://pghsports.com/

Poll Results:

The results of Northstar Basketball's first two polls were certainly interesting. The voters selected Memphis as the future 2008 NCAA Champion, with the Tigers receiving nine of the 23 votes. The North Carolina Tar Heels came in a close second, with eight votes. The UCLA Bruins picked up five votes, while Kansas was selected just once. Well, I guess poll results don't predict actual results, as the Kansas Jayhawks were the national champs.
The other poll was asking you to pick the best player in the nation in the class of 2008. Tyreke Evans was the winner, with 13 of the 50 votes, while Brandon Jennings picked up second place, with 10 votes. Behind Jennings was the option of "Other," which was chosen nine times. Next up were Greg Monroe and Jrue Holiday, both receiving six votes and tying for fourth place. Recent Tennessee-commit Scotty Hopson ended up in sixth, with three votes, and Samardo Samuels tallied just a pair of votes. Surprisingly, Demar DeRozan was selected just once, and BJ Mullens got absolutely no love, as not one of the 50 votes went to the future Buckeye. Clearly, you all feel that there's nothing better than a playmaking point guard, evidenced by Evans and Jennings finishing one-two in the voting. We'll see how the class of 2008 fairs at the college level next.

Last Day to Vote

Today is the last day to vote in the poll on top player in the class of 2008, and on who you think will win the NCAA Championship. Be sure to do so if you haven't done so yet. As well, feel free comment on the previous mini-article called "Who is the Best?" to explain your selection on the best senior in America. Thank you!