Brooklyn's Delroy James, Doing his Thang

URI’s James has reclaimed his hoop world Journal / Glenn Osmundson

SOUTH KINGSTOWN —The University of Rhode Island’s media guide tells you the facts. It says that Delroy James is a 6-foot-8 junior forward from Brooklyn. It says that he played in 20 games last year for URI.

It says he came to URI from Laurinburg Prep in North Carolina. It says he also attended three other schools before he ever got to Laurinburg.

In short, it tells you the hits, runs and errors of his basketball life. But it doesn’t tell you his story.

And James is an amazing basketball story, both for his perseverance and for the fact that it’s also a snapshot of today’s college basketball world.

And it starts in Brooklyn, back there in a place called East New York, where he was one of eight kids.

He has three older brothers who played basketball, so it’s not surprising that he came of age around the game, introduced early to the New York City AAU world, where kids with potential are paraded around the country like show cattle.

He played for a team called the Juice All-Stars, where two of his teammates were Sebastian Telfair and current Brooklyn high school supernova Lance Stephenson.

He played for the Student-Athlete Broncos, then coached by AAU legend Doc Nocelli.

“I was around guys who had their heads on their shoulders and I was holding my own,” he says. The point is, James was in the basketball pipeline early, exposed to great players, already on the assembly line to big arenas and big cheers, part of a world that now seemingly has little to do with playing for your local high school and everything to do with getting kids with potential into situations where they can get better competition and more academic instruction.

So when he was just a sophomore in high school, he left Robeson High in Brooklyn in the middle of the year.

He went to National Christian Academy outside of Washington, D.C., where one of his teammates was Kevin Durant. The next year?

The next year he went to Florida Prep, outside of Tampa. And the next year?

That was Laurinburg, the small, black prep school in the woods of North Carolina, the place where Providence College greats Jimmy Walker and Dexter Westbrook went in the early 1960s.

James was on a team that went 24-1 and was called the fifth-best prep school team in the country by Scout Sports.com.

He was called the 17th-best small forward in the country by the same group.

Laurinburg was coached by Billy Reed, a onetime URI assistant for Jerry DeGregorio, and as James says, “There were so many New York kids on the team it felt like home.”

So by the time he got to URI, in the fall of 2006, he had been on the circuit for nearly three years, away from home, chasing the game, running and dunking toward a future far away from the streets of East New York.

“I was never homesick because I knew what I was doing was bettering myself,” he says. “And I learned that you have to create your own home wherever you are.
Have to create your own life.” But that fall he was not academically cleared to play at URI, finding out on the day before the first exhibition game of the year.

So his basketball world that year consisted of shooting around by himself in one of the school’s auxiliary gyms, barred from being around the team.

The following fall he was declared ineligible after going to summer school, and went back home to Brooklyn. “I made a bad decision in the classroom,” he says. “It was my mistake. I felt more disappointed for the coaching staff, because they had depended on me.”

Once again, a season was going on without him. Only this time he was back in Brooklyn, wondering what he was doing with his life. No basketball. No nothing.

“It makes you realize how important something is to you when it’s taken away from you,” he says. In many ways, it was a lost year.

He followed the team on GoRhody.com. But in many ways he felt like an exile, out of sight, out of mind as the basketball world rushed by without him.

So when he came back last winter, joining the team for the second semester, it was with a different attitude. No longer was the game something he just took for granted, something that always had been there and always would be. No longer did he assume that he was going to have success for the simple reason he always had had success.

He played in 20 games, had some moments when his potential all but jumped out at you, when you could see the athleticism, but it was a veteran team, roles already defined, and his playing time was spotty.

Still, he was finally playing college basketball, and James treasured it. And now? “I don’t take anything for granted,” he says. “I can’t ever take anything for granted.”

For he sees three of his brothers playing professional basketball — one in Israel, one in Japan and one in Mexico. He knows that the game can take you places, change your life. And he also knows how fragile it can be — here one minute, gone the next, as ephemeral as a jump shot in the wind.

“Basketball is my life,” he says quietly.

“If I didn’t have basketball, I wouldn’t be here. I don’t know where I’d be.

So I’ve got to work until I’m tired to the bone.” “So you’re ready?” he is asked. “Like no other,” says Delroy James.

breynold@projo.com

Just like Derrick Rose, Tyreke Evans adapts quickly to college level play

By Dan Wolken
Memphis Commercial Appeal

When the University of Memphis basketball team was in Puerto Rico last week, coach John Calipari heard from someone uniquely qualified to comment on the early struggles of freshman phenom Tyreke Evans.

"I got a call from Derrick Rose," Calipari said. "He said, 'Tyreke's as confused as I was to start.'"

Though it might not register in anyone's memory, given how Rose has looked like an NBA All-Star during the first month of his rookie season, his first five games with the Tigers last year were among the most difficult times he ever faced on a basketball court.

Playing against a higher level of competition, Rose often forced shots. He played out of control at times. He was a liability on defense. And because he wasn't comfortable with the offense, he was not inclined to act as a distributor early on.

Some of those same critiques could apply early on to Evans, who, like Rose, was a McDonald's All-American and a consensus top-five recruit. And while the experience of struggling on a basketball court is a new one for Evans, he has responded in much the same way Rose did.

The night after the No. 18 Tigers returned home from Puerto Rico following a 63-58 loss to Xavier, Evans was back in the gym shooting 500 jumpers to help get his confidence back.

"Coach told me, he said, 'Don't worry about it. Derrick had the same problem when he came, but he got better,'" Evans said. "I'm disappointed in the loss, but I'm not disappointed in myself. I had a bad game, but I'll come out the next game and play hard."

Though it wouldn't be beyond Calipari's reach to embellish a story for the sake of boosting his star player's self-esteem, he really doesn't need to in this case.

In fact, going strictly on the numbers, there is little difference between how Rose and Evans performed in their first five games. Though Rose averaged one bucket per game more (16.6 points to 14.6), Evans has actually had more assists (3.8 per game to 2.8) and steals (2.6 to 0.8). They are running essentially even in turnovers, rebounds and field-goal attempts.

The only significant difference is shooting percentage -- Rose was making 46.7 percent at this time last year while Evans is at 38.5. Evans has made up the difference at the foul line, where he's making 84 percent to Rose's 71.9 percent.

But that doesn't even tell the entire story. Evans has been handicapped early on by an injury to his right ankle, which kept him out of every practice but one for the two weeks leading up to Memphis' opener.

Calipari said he had "kind of thrown (Evans) to the wolves" in Puerto Rico to see how much the 6-6 guard could get done on his own and will now begin more targeted coaching as the Tigers (4-1) prepare for a Tuesday home game against Marist.

"He's such a coachable player and so talented, he's going to be fine," Calipari said. "I did him a disservice. I did it with Derrick early too a little bit, and they were talking on TV like he was out of control, that he wasn't a point guard, saying he was awful. So I'll regroup on this kid."

Despite Evans' outside shooting issues -- 2-for-16 from 3-point range -- he has been effective when he's aggressively attacked the rim. It became harder in the Xavier game, however, because the Musketeers backed off defensively and essentially let him shoot jumpers, which were not going in (he went 4-for-16 from the field).

Though Evans has never been regarded as an outstanding shooter, he knows his game will open up significantly if he can bury a few.

"I hadn't been in the gym since I messed my ankle up," Evans said. "I went out there thinking I'd have everything I (wanted), and I didn't. I was hesitating, I was thinking too much. I didn't have any confidence. I have to get back to catch-and-shoot; when guys sag off, let it go. Then when they start playing me, my ability to get to the rack, I can do that any time."

One of Evans' primary defense mechanisms on the basketball court is to use a crossover dribble to shake a defender and then shoot a fadeaway jumper, a move he went to numerous times in Puerto Rico without any success.

Calipari began working individually with Evans on Tuesday to get his shots off quicker and correct the fundamental flaw in his jumper.

"He's developed an awful habit of fading way, and it's always been OK," Calipari said. "It's not OK any more. And the other thing is, now they're not even (guarding) him and he got flustered with that and his (move) was to pull the ball back and dribble. Well, again, I can't be upset with him because we didn't talk about it, we didn't drill it, we didn't go over it. Now we will."

Etc.: Freshman guard C.J. Henry is starting intense individual workouts this week for the first time since Oct. 7 surgery to repair a broken foot. The former pro baseball player, who has been out of organized basketball for three years, could play against Marist.

But Calipari wants to be especially cautious with Henry, which is why he won't start out as a point guard.

"I want to play him off so he can score the ball, just get used to playing," Calipari said. "I don't want to say, 'You haven't played for three years, you haven't run for three months -- now go run our team.'"

A Big Man, A Big Buzz (John Henson)

By JOEY JOHNSTON | The Tampa Tribune

T AMPA - Meet John Henson, the 6-foot-10, 200-pound basketball player from Sickles High School, all arms and legs, a full-court attraction.

The Next Big Thing? You bet. With size-16 sneakers and a wingspan that measures 7-4, it's mind-blowing to think about what he might become, when he finally stops growing, when that frame fills out. According to several scouting services, Henson is the third-ranked prep player in America. Already, he has signed with the University of North Carolina.

But he moved here from Texas just a few months ago, after his father got a new human-resources job, so on-court Henson sightings have been UFO-like. Who could really separate hyperbole from reality? Monday night, formal introductions were in order.

Not bad, kid.

Henson had 16 points, five rebounds and six blocked shots - all on a bum right ankle - in Sickles' 63-27 season-opening win at Freedom. Normal fans were overrun by curiosity seekers, who filled up one side of the gym, leaving only standing room along the wall.

"Of course, people wanted to see him," Freedom coach Randy Grenon said.

"Hey, we wanted to see him, too."

He's just getting started around here, but already, people are saying Henson could leave as the finest basketball player Hillsborough County has ever seen.

That's jumping to the head of a pretty good group - modern-era names such as Charlie Bradley, Toney Mack, Horace Broadnax, Joey and Stephen Graham, Russell Evans, Dwayne Schintzius, Ricky Gallon, Desmond Allison, Casey Sanders and Nick Smith still resonate - but Henson's game suggests that potential.

"I've seen most of the great ones to come through here, even played with a few of them," said Sickles coach Renaldo Garcia, a former All-State player at Tampa Catholic who was starting point guard on the University of Florida's first SEC championship team in 1989. "The big men from here - Dwayne Schintzius, Casey Sanders and those guys - they were different types of players.

"John can do more. The game has changed. This is a different kind of player, a different kind of athlete."

Hyperbole? OK, we'll play along. Think about the NBA. Visualize Kevin Garnett, running the court like a point guard. Picture Kevin Durant, driving to the hole or shooting from long-range with equal confidence. Those are the flashes you see from John Henson.

His first shot, of course, was a thunderous dunk. He followed with a silky-smooth 15-foot jumper, and the ball barely made a ripple through the net. Later, he displayed a sweeping left-handed baby hook, which originated from another area code.

"That is a complete offensive game," said David Zimroth, a former assistant coach at Florida State University and the University of South Florida, who squeezed into the crowd. "His skills are off the charts."

Later, there were a flurry of blocked shots, a no-look pass that resulted in a layup for his wide-open teammate and a particularly memorable missed field-goal attempt. He quickly skied for the rebound, dunking it home.

And to think he almost didn't play Monday night.

Last week in practice, he rolled his right ankle. Garcia didn't want any risks - particularly because Sickles will leave on Thanksgiving for a prestigious national tournament in Peoria, Ill. - but he was mindful that fans clamored to see Henson's game.

"I'm definitely not 100 percent," said Henson, 17, who expects to play in tonight's home opener against Hillsborough. "I know some people probably came here looking for a show. I just wanted to win, play my game. It's not just me. This was a good program before I got here. I just want to contribute."

That attitude already has endeared Henson to his teammates and classmates.

It wasn't exactly the opener he had in mind. For one thing, the bus never showed up and Sickles players waited about two hours before finding transportation. The late arrival forced cancellation of the junior-varsity game. Then the scoreboard didn't work.

None of it mattered.

"John is just a great kid," Sickles assistant coach Sam Jones said. "When we heard there was this great 6-10 player moving to Tampa, and he might be coming to us, we thought it was a joke. Those things don't happen. At first, we didn't believe it."

Believe it. And he's only getting started.

Knicks suspend Stephon Marbury

BY FRANK ISOLA AND PETER BOTTE
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITERS

The Knicks finally took action against disgruntled point guard Stephon Marbury by suspending him for one game for "refusing to play when called upon" in Wednesday's loss to Detroit.

The suspension - one game without pay - plus a fine of another game's pay for sitting out against the Pistons will cost Marbury approximately $400,000 of his $21.9 million salary and is expected to lead to the team sending Marbury home indefinitely or releasing him.

"A player's central obligation is to provide his professional services when called upon," Knicks president Donnie Walsh said in a statement.

"Because he refused the coach's request to play in the team's last game, we had no choice but to impose disciplinary action."

A Player's Association official said Friday that the union will appeal the suspension. According to the official, who did not wish to be identified, Marbury claims that he never refused to play. Marbury says that he informed Knicks head coach Mike D'Antoni that his "preference" would be not to play because he hadn't played all season. The union says that Marbury would have played had D'Antoni ordered him to play.

Marbury will not be allowed to attend Saturday's home game against the Golden State Warriors. The Knicks will re-evaluate his status on Monday. The next time Marbury would be eligible to play is Monday against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Garden.

Last Friday, Marbury dressed but declined to play against the Milwaukee Bucks. The Knicks needed Marbury in uniform because they only had eight available players.

On Wednesday, D'Antoni considered sending Marbury home after speaking to Marbury about playing that night. The Knicks were down to two healthy guards - Chris Duhon and Anthony Roberson - against Detroit and could be in a similar predicament on Saturday.

Marbury has made it clear he no longer wants to be part of the team and a majority of his teammates would prefer it if he stays away. On Wednesday, Quentin Richardson said that he doesn't consider Marbury a teammate.

The union is representing Marbury in his buyout talks with the Knicks. However, Walsh has given Marbury no indication that a buyout is forthcoming.

The Knicks had only seven healthy bodies in practice Friday - including center Jerome James, who has not appeared in a game this season - as they prepared for Saturday's game against Jamal Crawford and Golden State.

"I think I've already said what happened and (Marbury) said what happened and now we'll just let it play out," D'Antoni said. "It's a regrettable situation for everybody. Nobody wants to be in this spot, but we'll play it out to the best of our ability. I'm concentrating on the Knicks and we have a job to do Saturday. We have to get back winning."

Brooklyn Basketball Preview: Boys & Girls, Jefferson in pursuit of Lincoln (NY Daily News)

BY MARK LELINWALLA
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

DeCrescenzo for News

The core of (l. to r.) Darwin Ellis, Lance Stephenson and James Padgett keep champion Lincoln as team to beat in the PSAL.

The road to the PSAL championship continues to roll through Coney Island and Lance Stephenson's stomping grounds at Lincoln. The lights will continue to shine bright on Stephenson during his senior year, as he looks to lead Lincoln to its fourth straight city title and perhaps even snap former Railsplitter Sebastian Telfair's all-time league scoring record.

Stephenson has the most clout, but he's far from the only one to watch in Brooklyn this season. Jefferson thinks this season could be the year that it seriously throws enough rocks to knock the Railsplitters off their throne, while Boys & Girls aims to prove that is it still in the conversation and maybe the city's second-best team.
In the CHSAA, Jayvaughn Pinkston looks for a monster year while leading Loughlin, while Xaverian believes it has enough pieces to make serious strides in the league.

Here's a look across the field in what's bound to be an action-packed year on the hardwood:

LINCOLN (13-1)
A shirtless Lance Stephenson split two defenders with a crossover, spun in the lane and kissed the ball high off the glass for a bucket during a recent practice at Lincoln. The nationally ranked recruit then flexed his biceps as he hustled back to the other end.

Entering his senior season, Stephenson looks to close out his high school career by leading the Railsplitters to their fourth straight PSAL title, which would make seven in eight years for the Coney Island power. Stephenson was friendly enough when approached by a reporter, but declined to speak about the upcoming season.
"I don't want to talk," Stephenson said. "Just want to play."

And Stephenson will get to play with fellow seniors Darwin Ellis and James Padgett, returning the core that powered the Railsplitters to their second straight state championship last season.

Padgett, who has committed to Maryland, is the only one of the three who is set for college. Stephenson and Ellis have yet to square away their college plans, and Lincoln coach Dwayne (Tiny) Morton said he's more concerned about one of them.
"Buddha," said Morton, calling Ellis by his nickname. "He's doing better on the court than in the classroom, and he has to qualify.

"I messed up freshman year," Ellis added, "but I'm working hard, catching up, and I'm going to make sure I'm eligible."

Morton also said he's leaving it up to Stephenson to understand what's at stake.

"This is it," Morton said. "Lance realizes that senior year is supposed to be your best year. He understands that."

Lincoln assistant Kenny Pretlow said that Stephonson knows just what's at stake. "I've never seen Lance this focused," Pretlow added.

"He's not talking much, just going about his business."
Joining the aforementioned trio will be 6-6 senior power forward Davon Walls, whom Lincoln could pair with 6-8 Padgett up front.

Lincoln also has high-energy junior swingman Raymond Oloughlin and sophomore guards Codion Becker and Shaquille Stokes, whom Morton and Ellis have been grooming at the point.

"He reminds me of me, when I was new here," Ellis said of Stokes, a transfer from St. Patrick in New Jersey. "We're deeper and ready."

BOYS & GIRLS (13-1)
There's an alert coming out of Bedford-Stuyvesant, one the Kangaroos hope to broadcast throughout Brooklyn.
"Don't sleep," said assistant coach Elmer Anderson. "This group is just quirky enough to do great things."

Fresh off back-to-back trips to the PSAL championship game, the Kangaroos return a smaller, quicker squad, this one equipped with marksmen.

Senior guards Lamont Samuels and Anton Dickerson are confident shooters from all over the floor. Same goes for sophomore Mike Taylor, who averaged nearly 23 points per game as a freshman on JV last season.

Recruiting expert Tom Konchalski said Taylor could become the best player ever to play under Kangaroos coach Ruth Lovelace.
"When I heard (Konchalski) say that, I was like, ‘Are you sure, Tom?" Lovelace said. "But as I see him grow, I know why he said that."

JEFFERSON (9-5)
The Orange Wave is tired of having to endure growing pains. With its core of Keith Spellman, David Coley, Joel Wright and Davontay Grace intact, Jefferson understands it's now or never - championship or bust.

"Anything less than getting to the championship will be a disappointment," coach Lawrence Pollard said.

Pollard's players agree.

"He's 100% right," Spellman said. "The talent's there."

Spellman isn't the only one saying that.

"They have the second-best talent pool in the city," recruiting analyst Tom Konchalski said.

Jefferson came within 12 minutes of upsetting Lincoln in the PSAL semifinals last season, a memory that's been tough to wash away.

"We were a quarter and a half away from beating them," said Grace, who enters his sophomore campaign 15 pounds lighter than he was last year. "It's a proving year for us."
That includes Spellman, whose season-to-season growth has been questioned despite the fact that he's averaged 20 points per game through his first three years. This season, Spellman says he wants to shed all doubts.

"I learn from my mistakes," Spellman said. "When I get double-teamed, I know I'm going to need to be a lot more aggressive. If that means me hitting a stop-and-pop, I'll do that. I think I should get better as a player."

ROBESON (8-6)
The Eagles finished fourth in Brooklyn ‘AA' last year, and Robeson coach Todd Myles says he thinks the Eagles can improve.

"I think we have a chance to be as good or better than we were last year," Myles said.

Robeson is led by 6-6 senior forwards Gavin Scott and Jared Ridges, and Myles predicts that sophomore guard Darrel Lucky will be the "next great guard out of Robeson."

CANARSIE (6-8)
Coach Tommie Allen says it will take a total team effort to replace the scoring and leadership lost to graduation last spring. The Chiefs return a stronger Vernell Blackman - son of former Knick Rolando - in the backcourt and gained a senior, Samuel Haigler, who transferred from Bishop Ford.

GRADY (3-11)
Mark Seltzberg's back in Brighton Beach.

The longtime Falcons coach cited medical reasons for relinquishing his post last February, but after receiving an unsatisfactory review, he filed a grievance against the school in June and won back the coaching job last month.

"I'm back doing what I love," Seltzberg said.

Three-point threat Omari Trebusse and 6-6 junior forward Mandrell Jeffries have Seltzberg loving what he's seen.

Those feelings may be temporary; the Falcons play their first league game at defending-champion Lincoln.

SOUTH SHORE (0-14)
The season hasn't even started and already South Shore is undermanned.

Five Vikings have already been declared academically ineligible.

"Guys screwed up," South Shore coach Mike Beckles said. "It sure doesn't help, but we still have to go out with what we have and play. It's going to be a total group effort."

Beckles is optimistic that he'll be able to string together an eight-man rotation.
"Kids have to take responsibility and take care of class work," said Beckles, "or you end up in a situation like this."

TRANSIT TECH (14-0 Brooklyn A)
The Express becomes the new vehicle on the block in place of Banneker, which steps down in class after playing a combined 5-23 since the inception of the ‘AA' division two seasons back.

"They all understand there's no nights off with Lincoln, Boys & Girls, Canarsie and Jefferson," said Express coach Mike Perazzo, whose team won the PSAL ‘A' championship last spring. "We're looking forward to it."

Senior point guard Joshua Lambert and 6-5 forward Barry Posey (13 ppg) lead the Express.

OVER THE VERRAZANO

CURTIS (14-0)
Staten Island is often referred to as the forgotten borough, but avid observers are sure to remember what Curtis did last season, and what it could be capable of this year.
The Warriors went undefeated in Staten Island and picked up a No. 6 seed in the PSAL playoffs, but bowed out to Edison in the first round. Perhaps the city will take the Warriors more seriously if Halil Kanacevic can lead them further. The 6-8 forward probably won't amaze with pure athleticism, but has a deft shooting touch as a senior this year.

CHSAA: BORO HAS A NEW LION KING

LOUGHLIN (10-3)
As an assistant at Loughlin for the past five seasons, Rudy King helped former coach Khalid Green lead the Lions to last year's CHSAA citywide semifinals.

Green left to work as a scout for the Nets, and now it's King's court at the school in Fort Greene.

"I'm still implementing some of the stuff Green had working," King said. "It doesn't make sense to change it too much."

But without high-scoring junior guard Doron Lamb, who transferred to Oak Hill (Va.) Academy, Loughlin will place heavier emphasis on a frontcourt that includes 6-6 Jayvaughn Pinkston and 6-7 Trevon Hamlett. "It's more of a big-man team, but we still have young guards ready to play, like Brandon (Frazier)," Hamlett said.

That said, don't be surprised to see Pinkston hovering on the wing or even driving the ball up the court.

"We're going to give Jayvaughn looks at the three (small forward)," King promises. "We got to get him ready for the next level."

To that Pinkston smiles. He knows that he and his teammates have an opportunity to do something special this season.

"We have a chance to go far this season," Pinkston said. "We want to go to the final."

BISHOP FORD (15-2)
Now that he signed an official letter of intent with Hofstra, Chaz Williams can enjoy a pressure-free senior season.

"A huge burden was lifted off my chest," said Williams, who gave a verbal commitment to the Pride as a sophomore and formalized the arrangement a few weeks back. "Now I can just play my game, have fun with my friends and help lead the team to another championship."

Williams, a 5-8 guard, led the Falcons to an 18-game winning streak last season.

XAVERIAN (5-7)
Having Rasheem King back for his senior season has longtime Xaverian coach Jack Alesi feeling pretty good.

"From top to bottom it's hard to find another player better than Rasheem in our league," Alesi said of the 6-4 swingman. "He's that type of player. Very few players are like that."

Jamel Fuentes, a wiry 6-3 guard, should help generate open looks for King, as well as create them for himself.

On Fuentes, Alesi says: "He has a great feel for the game."

The Clippers will be playing small, with four or five guards on the court at all times. Still, Alesi remains optimistic that his team can get back among the league's elite.

The Big Apple Basketball Challenge

Pictured: Thomas Jefferson's Keith Spellman

The Big Apple Basketball Challenge is a two day basketball event to showcase the top high school public league and catholic league teams. The BAB Challenge is designed to show the supremacy of New York City’s public or catholic leagues on the basketball court. The games are played at a very high level with bragging rights at stake. The 2008 BAB Challenge features 18 of the top New York City boys’ public and catholic high school teams.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2008 @ ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY, JAMAICA-QUEENS, NY

2pm - Holy Cross (CHSAA-Queens) vs. Thurgood Marshall (PSAL-Manhattan)

3:45pm - St. Raymond (CHSAA-Bronx) vs. Campus Magnet (PSAL-Queens)

5:30pm - St. Peter's (CHSAA-Staten Island) vs. Wings (PSAL-Bronx)

7:15pm - Christ the King (CHSAA-Queens) vs. Boys and Girls (PSAL-Brooklyn)

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2008 @ BARUCH COLLEGE, NYC

12pm – Curtis (PSAL-Staten Island) vs. Mt. St. Michael (CHSAA-Bronx)

1:45pm – John F. Kennedy (PSAL-Bronx) vs. All Hallows (CHSAA-Bronx)

3:30pm – Thomas Edison (PSAL-Queens) vs. Xaverian (CHSAA-Brooklyn)

5:15pm – Forest Hills (PSAL-Queens) vs. Bishop Ford (CHSAA-Brooklyn)

7pm – Thomas Jefferson (PSAL-Brooklyn) vs. Bishop Loughlin (CHSAA-Brooklyn)

5TH ANNUAL
BIG APPLE BASKETBALL CHALLENGE
NYC PUBLIC LEAGUE VS. CATHOLIC LEAGUE

ADMISSION
$10 - GENERAL ADMISSION
$5 - STUDENTS W/ ID
$3 - CHILDREN UNDER 12
$2 - KIDS UNDER 5
Www.bigapplebasketball.com

Rangers meet pre-season challenges head on (Fiveborosports.com)

By Zachary Braziller
Fiveborosports.com

Ben Chobhaphand didn’t want to give his team a false sense of security by beating up on cupcakes. Instead, the fifth-year coach threw Forest Hills into the deep end of the pool.

The message: sink or swim.

The Rangers will scrimmage two-time state champion Lincoln, Rice, Wadleigh, Jefferson and Thurgood Marshall before the league season starts next week and opened up their non-league schedule at Bishop Loughlin, one of the early favorites in the CHSAA. They’ll also meet PSAL Bronx power John F. Kennedy on Sunday at York College.

“I wanted to see where they are,” he said. “We had to get ready. Our November schedule is ridiculous. In Queens, we’re not going to see this.”

The Rangers performed well in several of those scrimmages and lost to Loughlin, 88-67, on Tuesday night. But their confidence remains high. In their first season in Queens AA, Hills finished fourth and went to the PSAL Class AA second round. Chobhaphand returns four starters: Andre Armstrong, Alex Hall, Chris Larmond and Damir Beharovic.

“The sky is the limit,” Armstrong said. “The only thing that can stop us is us.”

It is the newcomers that could turn the Rangers into a legitimate city contender, starting with sophomore Maurice Harkness, a versatile 6-foot-7 forward that can play inside and out. He led Hills with 18 points, fearlessly going up against the Lions’ Jayvaughn Pinkston and Trevon Hamlet, two of the best inside players in the city. On one play, he went coast-to-coast, dribbling behind the back twice before softly scoring off the glass with his left hand.

“I feel he’s one of the best sophomores in the PSAL,” Chobhaphand said.

Freshmen Rudy Collins and Mukeba Kadisha will add depth to a talented group that will be led by Armstrong, a 6-foot-3 sharp-shooter who has received interest from Division I programs such as Hofstra, Quinnipiac and LIU. It is an interesting blend of seniors and talented underclassmen.

“(Our success) depends on how much we mature,” Chobhaphand said. “Our young guys need to learn.”

Against Loughlin, the Rangers played tough, hanging with the Brooklyn Catholic school, although they were outmanned. But this wasn’t a game Chobhaphand necessarily expected to win. The plan is to face such high-caliber opponents that once the league season starts, Hills will be prepared.

"It will help us go deeper in the playoffs,” Armstrong said.

Hall, the 6-foot-4 senior forward, took it a step further. He called this the best group he had been associated with in his four years at Forest Hills. And he expects that to show in the standings.
“Queens,” he predicted, “is ours. I expect this team to go to the Garden. We have the talent to do it.”

zbraziller@fiveborosports.com

Realscout.net Pre-Season PSAL Preview 2008/09

The PSAL Basketball League is one of the Biggest in the country.Here are the best players, in the Biggest League in the Country. Over 150 teams battle it out in various conferences trying to reach "that" one mission of playing in Madison Square Garden

Real Scout.net Pre-Season *Player of The Year 2008/09: SG-Lance Stephenson 6'5 Lincoln H.S.
(Brooklyn NY)

Real Scout.net Top Five Preseason PSAL Teams
#1 Lincoln (Brooklyn, NY)
#2 Jefferson (Brooklyn, NY)
#3 Boys & Girls (Brooklyn, NY)
#4 Wings (Bronx, NY)
#5 Thomas Edison (Queens, NY)

Honorable Mention: Wadeligh (Harlem, NY), Forest Hills (Queens, NY), Curtis (Staten Island, NY), Thurgood Marshall (Harlem, NY)

RealScout.net Pre-season PSAL 1st Team
PG- Darwin Ellis 5'8 Lincoln H.S. (Sr.)
SG- Andre Armstrong 6'2 Forest Hills (Sr.)
SG- Keith Spellman 6'3 Jefferson HS (Sr.)
F- Joel Wright 6'7 Jefferson HS (Sr.)
F- James Padgett 6'8 Lincoln (Sr.)

RealScout.net Pre-Season PSAL 2nd Team
PG- David Coley 6'2 Jefferson (Jr.)
SG- Lamount Samuels 6'3 Boys & Girls (Sr.)
SG- Dashawn Wiggans 6'2 Wings Academy (Jr.)
SG- Isiah Stokley 6'2 Thomas Edison (Sr.)
PF- Halil Kanocevic 6'8 Curtis (Sr.)

RealScout.net Pre-Season PSAL 3rd Team
PG- Shaquille Stokes 5'11 Lincoln (Soph.)
SG- Mike Buffalo 6'2 Wings Academy (Jr.)
SG- Ronald Baker 6'2 Wings Academy (Sr.)
SG- Davontay Grace 6'1 Jefferson (Soph.)
F- Maurice Harkless 6'7 Forest Hills (Soph.)

RealScout.net Pre-Season PSAL 4th Team
PG- Reynaldo Walters 5'11 Cardozo (Jr.)
SG- Trevor Dillard 6'0 Thurgood Marshall (Sr.)
SG- Sasha Clarida 6'2 Campus Magnet (Jr.)
SG- Mike Taylor 6'2 Boys & Girls (Soph.)
F- Terrance Henderson 6'4 Wadeligh (Sr.)

NIKE TO PRESENT THE NIKE SUPER 6 SHOWDOWN

Pictured: St. Patrick's Michael Gilchrist

Six high school teams battle it out for the title of the top basketball team in the New York City area

BEAVERTON, Ore. (November 11, 2008) —Nike will once again invite some of the nation’s best high school basketball teams to New York City’s premier high school basketball event – the Nike Super 6 Showdown. The event serves as a pinnacle moment in the New York City hoops scene showcasing top, up and coming talent from five New York City area teams as well as one Minnesota team.

The Nike Super 6 Showdown will take place Friday, February 13, 2009 at Fordham University’s Bronx campus in the Rose Hill Gym. The 2009 games include 5 of the top 30 ranked high school basketball teams, according to the ESPN Rise Boys Basketball Pre Season Poll: 15th ranked Rice High School (NYC), 28th ranked Paterson Catholic High School (NJ), 3rd ranked St. Patrick’s High School (NJ), 8th ranked Abraham Lincoln High School (Brooklyn, NY), Thomas Jefferson Campus High School (Brooklyn, NY) and 25th ranked Hopkins High School (Minnetonka, MN).

Three of the six teams have competed in the invitational before. This is Rice High School’s fifth year, and both St. Patrick’s High School and Patterson Catholic High School have competed once before.

The games kick off with Paterson Catholic vs. Rice at 5:00 pm, followed by St. Patrick’s vs. Abraham Lincoln at 7:00 pm, and closing the event is the Hopkins vs. Thomas Jefferson game at 9:00 pm.

Tickets will go on sale December 15, 2008. Ticket prices are $10 and $15 and are available at www.ticketweb.com.

National Prep Showcase: Day Three

Jerry Meyer
Rivals.com Basketball Recruiting Analyst

SMITHFIELD, R.I. - Brewster Academy got back on the winning track at the National Prep Showcase behind a big effort from big man Andrew Fitzgerald .

Academy 71, Stoneridge Prep 66

Brewster Academy struggled again on Sunday but managed to pull off a win against Stoneridge. Oklahoma signee Andrew Fitzgerald was the main man for Brewster. Although he struggled at times against the shot blocking prowess of 7-foot-2 center Youssoupha Mbao. On multiple possessions Fitzgerald had to rebound his blocked shot before he scored. He finished with 27 points on 13 of 29 shooting and grabbed 14 rebounds.

Brewster's sophomore point guard Naadir Tharpe had an impressive eight assists to only one turnover to go along with 11 points.

Kansas signee Thomas Robinson scored eight points and grabbed nine rebounds.

Wyoming signee Amath Mbaye led Stoneridge with 16 points and also grabbed eight rebounds. Center Youssoupha Mbao nearly posted a triple-double with nine points, 11 rebounds and eight blocks.

Tilton School 75, Maine Central Institute 62

The big three for Tilton were on their game Sunday night. UConn signee Jamal Coombs-McDaniel took home scoring honors with 22 points. Coombs hit 3 of 6 from behind the arc and also grabbed nine rebounds, but it was the strong inside play of fellow UConn signee Alex Oriakhi that dominated the game. On 7 of 11 shooting Oriakhi scored 20 points and snagged 16 rebounds.

2010 four-star prospect Gerard Coleman was impressive as well with 21 points on 10 of 18 shooting.

Mitchell Rolls led MCI with 17 points which included three three-pointers.

Northfield Mount Herman 78, Champlain St. Lambert 50

2010 forward Laurent Rivard paced Northfield Mount Herman with 19 points, and Louisville signee Mike Marra added 11 points with 3 of 5 shooting from behind the arc.

Champlain St. Lambert's Yann Charles scored 18 points and grabbed siven rebounds.

Lee Academy 72, New Hampton Prep 71

Fordham signee Chris Gaston's monster game of 20 points and 20 rebounds wasn't quite enough to bring home the victory for New Hampton Prep.

UMass 2010 commitment Maxie Esho led Lee Academy with 14 points and nine rebounds.

Patterson School 53, South Kent Prep 36

Point guard Vincent Council was Patterson's lone double digit scorer with 12 points. Rice signee Arsalan Kazemi and Georgia State signee Rashanti Harris both grabbed a team high eight rebounds.

Xavier signee Kevin Parrom was the South Kent standout with 13 points and eight rebounds.

Blair Academy 78, St. Andrew's 74

Rutgers signee Austin Johnson put up an impressive double-double for Blair Academy with 30 points and 12 rebounds. Johnson shot 12 of 21 from the field and 6 of 7 from the line.

Junior point guard Hakeem Harris also had a strong game scoring 14 points and dishing out three assists without a turnover.

St. Andrew's two promising sophomores Michael Carter-Williams and Michael Laplante made a strong imprint on the game. Carter-Williams hit five three-pointers on nine attempts for his 15 points. Most of those makes came down the stretch while St. Andrew's was coming back from a double digit deficit. Laplante scored 12 points and hit a couple three-pointers himself.

Scouting observations and recruiting news

Although he is on the thin side, Gerald Coleman has put on around ten pounds since the spring and continues to improve his jump shot. On Sunday he impressed with his slashing and his passing off the dribble. Right now Connecticut, Louisville, Providence and Boston College are his top four schools. Marquette, Kansas and Florida State have also offered.

Amath Mbaye of Stoneridge Prep seemed to get better by the minute during the event. At 6-foot-7 he is comfortable shooting the wing three and is active on the boards.

According to Stoneridge coach Babacar Sy, UCLA is making a strong push to land combo guard Mohamed Koita. Sy said that Koita is an academic qualifier but still has work to do academically to reach UCLA standards.

Stoneridge's center Youssoupha Mbao has only been in the United States for around two months but numerous schools are beginning to actively recruit him. According to Coach Sy, Connecticut, Kentucky and USC is the short list, but the list will get longer before it gets shorter.

2011 power forward Lionel Gomis is a prospect to keep an eye on. He didn't log a lot of minutes playing behind Rutgers signee Austin Johnson and a couple other upperclassmen, but Gomis is long and full of potential.

Not sure if Miami signee Lisandro Ruiz-Moreno has the size and athleticism to standout in the ACC, but there is no denying his high level passing ability.

Bogues Bringing Game to B’More’s City College

Ron Bailey, Publisher
i95Ballerz.com

Tanodrio ‘Nardie’ Bogues has moved from Columbia, MD to Baltimore, and as such will suit up for City College High School, a frontrunner not only to win the battle for Charm City supremacy, but a school also on the short list of schools with legitimate state title chances. In addition to shooting, ball handling and passing skills, Nardie, a senior, also brings a distinct B’More hoops pedigree to City College.

“My uncle is Mugsy Bogues” shared Nardie recently: In Baltimore, for those that don’t know, Mugsy is a legend, one that despite being 5’3” carved out a 13 year NBA career, at 136 pounds mind you. A ball pressure, push man dynamo, Mugsy also starred on Dunbar High School’s early to mid ‘80’s team, one that is still talked about nationally to this day.

Nardie Bogues is primed for a big year at City College High School. He plays travel team ball with the Baltimore Stars. (pictured provided by Bogues)

Mugsy is involved with Nardie’s development and life, something the young man values. “I get a lot of respect” due to his uncle, shared Nardie, himself a 5’8”, 150pound point guard. “A lot of people would look at me differently if I wasn’t his nephew”.

Of course that entails a certain level of pressure, which Bogues embraces. Of further advantage is the time Mugsy spends with his nephew: “He always works with me all the time…We work on ball handling, situations and other skills. He still has those skills”.

When not drilling with a former NBA pro, Nardie shared he practiced solo this summer; overall he worked “almost everyday”, which included developing is “strength, and ability to finish”.

City College’s head coach, Mike Daniel, believes Bogues will make an impact on his team – a squad loaded with six talented guards. “I think he’s going to be huge in what we do” said Daniel today, of his expectations for Nardie, who is battling for a starting job. Whether he earns that role immediately or not, Daniel is sure “eventually, he’s going to make some noise at point guard”.

Given the big adjustment between Howard County and Baltimore City hoops of which Daniel noted “It’s a lot more physical in the City” it may take time for Nardie to get his ‘sea legs’, but get them he will. When that occurs, expect both City College and himself to prosper, with other schools besides Xavier (New Orleans) and Quinnipiac providing looks.

While you can’t expect Nardie to be his uncle, the young guy shared “I’m just trying to do my thing”. And that’s pretty good itself.

Funsport Week 4 Results: Brooklyn Ballers Overcomes C-3 Elite

Written By Tippy Mcternan

In the lone showdown of unbeaten teams in week 4 of the Funsport Junior Pros, the Brooklyn Ballers-A dominated the fourth quarter against C-3 Elite to post a 39-32 victory. Five other teams remain undefeated as the regular season concludes following the Thanksgiving break on Sunday, December 7th.

After a lane pullup by C-3's Matthew Xie with six seconds left in the first half made it 16-16 at the break, the Elite moved in front 27-22 with a third-quarter run highlighted by a three-pointer by Kyle Menard. The Elite lead was 29-25 entering the final period before the Ballers took control.

The Ballers regained the lead for good with 4:24 left on a feed from Terrance Samuels to Alick Ashley made it 30-29. An ensuing three-pointer by Chaz Watler concluded an 8-0 run for the Ballers, who outscored the Elite 14-3 in the decisive fourth quarter. In the low-scoring affair, Samuels and Watler scored 7 points apiece for the Ballers (4-0) while Rachard Moody had a game-high 9 points for the Elite (3-1).


Brooklyn USA-1 remained unbeaten after Jelani Deas converted a pass from Iran Duncan with 12 seconds left, lifting USA (4-0) to a 58-56 decision over the NY Patriots. USA received a game-high 22 points with 7 assists from Lamel Faison, followed by Duncan with 18 points and Deas with 13. The Patriots (1-3), who led 31-29 at the half and 37-32 in the third quarter, got double-doubles from Davonne Ragin (21 points, 17 rebounds) and Patrick Merez (16 points, 10 rebounds), while John Dewey dished for 9 assists.


Two other unbeaten teams had to overcome third-quarter deficits to move to 4-0. Starrett City fell behind the NJ Pirates 29-25 on a three by Elijah Torres with 4:52 left in the third. But Starrett soon regained the momentum and pulled away with a 7-0 run late in the final period en route to a 60-50 victory. Timothy Quashie, whose three-pointer climaxed the run, led four Starrett scorers in double figures with 14 points. The Pirates (2-2) stayed close behind the inside play of Rakwan Kelly (19 points, 12 rebounds) and Will Joyce (16 points, 18 rebounds).

And Jordan Washington put on another dominating one-man show, outscoring (14-6) and outrebounding (9-8) the LI Lightning himself in the fourth quarter to lift the Panthers to a 53-43 victory. The Lightning had built a 37-32 advantage late in the third quarter but it wasn't enough to survive Washington's fourth quarter onslaught, which included a pair of and-1's in the final minute as he finished with 27 points and 29 rebounds for the game. Johnathan Severe topped the Lightning (2-2) with 24 points and 11 boards.


In other results: The Brooklyn Patriots scored the first four points but it was all Gauchos after that as Chris Robinson had 16 points and 20 rebounds to spark the Gauchos (4-0) to a 62-38 triumph. Ishmael Knight recorded 12 points and 15 rebounds for the Patriots (0-4). . . The Assassins built a 36-16 halftime margin en route to a 67-49 win over the Metrohawks. Shaquille Davis led the way with 27 points and 24 rebounds while Isiah Louis added 24 points for the unbeaten Assassins (4-0). Joel Hernandez had the high for the Metrohawks (1-3) with 23 points. . . Mike Bourke knocked down 3 three-pointers in the early going and New Heights-Blue went on to defeat Almighty Force 44-32. Malik Harmon scored 14 points and Kindell Kinloch grabbed 11 boards for New Heights (3-1). Charlie Sumpter topped all scorers with 15 points for Almighty Force (1-3). . . Team Underrated evened its record at 2-2 as Chris Davis had 13 points and Tighe Oberg had 17 rebounds in a 45-43 decision over Team Excel (1-3), which received a game-high 14 points from Jahlil Hayes. . . Peter Townsend dropped 14 points as Next Level (1-3) got its first win, 45-27 over Brooklyn USA-2 (0-4).

Top Thanksgiving Tournaments in Illinois

Pictured Lenzelle Smith

Written by Illinois Prep Bulls-eye

The only thing that is more enjoyable during Thanksgiving week than a turkey dinner with all of the trimmings is the glut of Thanksgiving tournaments that span the entire state of Illinois and mark the official start of the high school basketball season. From Chicago to Decatur and beyond, there is plenty to whet the appetite of any basketball junkie. With that in mind, here is a look at what we consider to be the top Thanksgiving tournaments in the state this season.

Lane Tech Tournament

Dates: November 24-26, 28-29
Location: Lane Tech H.S.--Chicago
Top Teams: Zion (Zion-Benton), Chicago (Mt. Carmel), Evanston (Township)

Not as deep overall as it was last year, but still plenty of talent at the top. The top matchup will be on Wednesday, November 26 as last year's class 4A state tournament runnerup Zion-Benton, led by 6'4 class of 2010 prospect and Ohio State commit Lenzelle Smith does battle against Mt. Carmel and 6'0 point guard Tracy Abrams , who is one of the top prospects in the state from the class of 2011.

Dan McGovern Classic

Dates: November 24-26, 28-29
Location: St. Rita H.S.--Chicago
Top Teams: South Holland (Seton Academy), Chicago (Lincoln Park),Chicago (Payton), Chicago (St. Ignatius)

Seton Academy is expected to be the top team in the state in class 2A and there is no question that they will be tested against quality competition right off the bat. Plenty of D1 prospects on hand at this tournament, including 5'9 class of 2009 point guard D.J. Cooper ( Ohio University) , 6'5 shooting guard Tony Nixon ( Northern Illinois) , 6'6 class of 2009 wing Jordan Walker (undecided) 6'5 class of 2009 shooting guard Chris Eversley ( Rice ), 6'5 class of 2009 wing Cortney Bell
(undecided), 6'7 class of 2010 post Mike Gabriel and 6'3 class of 2010 shooting guard Greg Tucker . St. Ignatius will be without their top two players--6'3 Mario Knezovic and 6'8 class of 2011 post Nnana Egwu --due to injuries. However, if there is anyone who can rebound from it it is St. Ignatius head coach Rick Kehoe , who we believe is one of the best coaches in the state.

Billy Schnurr Thanksgiving Classic

Dates: November 24, 26, 28
Location: Niles West H.S.--Skokie, IL
Top Teams: Lake Forest (H.S.), Northbrook (Glenbrook North), Richton Park (Rich South)

A possible championship game on November 28 between Lake Forest and Glenbrook North would be an absolute dandy. If it happens, it would see Lake Forest's 6'4 shooting sensation and Michigan commit Matt Vogrich do battle against 6'6 class of 2010 shooting guard Alex Dragicevich. Rich South's back court tandem of Kendrick Morse and Macari Brooks is also one to watch.

Chicago Heights Thanksgiving Classic

Dates: November 24-26, 28-29
Location: Marian Catholic H.S.--Chicago Heights, IL
Bloom Township H.S.--Chicago Heights, IL
Top Teams: Country Club Hills (Hillcrest), Park Forest (Rich East),Chicago Heights (Bloom), Chicago Heights (Marian Catholic)

This tournament has a bit of a different look this year, but still remains the top Thanksgiving tournament in Chicago's south suburbs. Hillcrest and Rich East appear to be the favorites, but either one of the hometown schools (Bloom or Marian Catholic) are capable of disrupting the apple cart.

Decatur Thanksgiving Tournament

Dates: November 25-26, 28-29
Location: Stephen Decatur Middle School--Decatur, IL
Top Teams: Bolingbrook (H.S.), Harvey (Thornton), Decatur (Eisenhower), Mt. Zion (H.S.), Springfield (Lanphier), Peoria (Central)

As one can see, there is hardly a weak team in this field and it is absolutely loaded with individual talent as well. An opening night matchup between Bolingbrook and Peoria Central will be a huge drawing card, as it will see 6'3 guard and Wisconsin commit Diamond Taylor go up against 5'10 freshman point guard sensation Antonio "Bobo" Drummond (our #1 ranked prospect in Illinois from the class of 2012). Other top players participating in this tounament include 6'0 class of 2010 guard Reggie Smith , 5'9 class of 2011 point guard Jay Parker , 6'3 class of
2010 guard Jarod Oldham , 6'7 Brock Van Nordeck , 5'11 twins Caleb and Colby Long , 6'6 Wisconsin-Green Bay commit Troy Snyder , 5'10 Loyola-Marymount commit Lawrence Thomas , 6'2 class of 2010 point guard Karl Madison and 6'5 class of 2011 wing Travis Kellum .

Lincoln Thanksgiving Tournament

Dates: November 26, 28-29
Location: Lincoln H.S.--Lincoln, IL
Top Teams: Champaign (Centennial), Peoria (Manual), East St. Louis
(Senior), O'Fallon (H.S.), Lincoln (H.S.)

This tournament features an outstanding balance of teams from top to bottom. An especially good array of underclass talent will be on display, including 6'3 class of 2010 wing Rayvonte Rice , 6'1 class of 2011 guard Keonta Minor and 6'4 class of 2011 wing Charles Joy . In addition, you have a pair of quality prospects from the class of 2009 in 6'1 Ohio University commit James Kinney and 5'11 point guard Paris Gulley . Peoria Manual is expected to battle Seton Academy all season long for the honor of being the top-ranked team in the state in Class 2A. And Lincoln teams are always well-coached and guaranteed to compete.

Trusted Choice Tournament Of Champions

Dates: November 26-29
Location: Washington H.S.--Washington, IL
Eureka College--Eureka, IL
Top In-State Teams: Chicago (De LaSalle), Lake Forest (Academy), Washington (H.S.), Bartonville (Limestone)
Top National Teams: Kinston (H.S.) NC, Fayetteville (Fayette County)
GA, North Richland Hills (Richland) TX, Tampa (Sickles) FL

There isn't another Thanksgiving tournament in the state that does a better job of bringing together top high school teams from Illinois as well as attracting top national talent. For all of the information regarding schedules, matchups and starting times, we encourage everyone to visit the Trusted Choice web site at
http://www.trustedchoicetofc.com/ .

Waukegan Thanksgiving Tournament

Dates: November 26, 28-29
Location: Waukegan H.S.--Waukegan, IL
Top Teams: Waukegan (H.S.), Gurnee (Warren Township), Bartlett (H.S.)

We are still awaiting word on whether 6'5 class of 2011 prospect Jacob Williams will be ruled eligible at Bartlett after transferring there from St. Patrick, but this shapes up as a quality tournament regardless, with any of the four participating teams capable of winning it. A pair of University of Illinois commits will be on hand in 6'3 class of 2009 prospect Brandon Paul from Warren and 6'7 class of 2010 prospect Jereme Richmond from Waukegan. Those two will do battle versus one another as Warren takes on Waukegan the night of November 29.

Teel out for Season

LMU Basketball star Vernon Teel broke his foot on Friday's contest against Notre Dame. Teel was avg over 19ppg 9rpb as a soph.

Real Scout and the whole family, would wish vernon a speedy and safe recovery.

In other News

*David "Pepe" Joseph is at Zion Lutheran Academy in FL. While the team has started out 0-2, the Real Scout Express 2010 PG is avg 23ppg, 6.5apg, and 4rpg.

*Shouts to Anthony Ervin from Brooklyn, the cousin of Gary Ervin. Anthony is at Fork Union, read about him in the National Prep day one & day two posts.

*I went to Columbia university last night to watch Quinnipiac Freshman James Johnson play. He played great in a losing team effort. Going through a tough freshman year on campus, Johnson still pulled out all-tournament honors in this pre-season event.

*After scoring 20 points in 13 minutes on Friday, Charlie Villanueva had 15 points, eight rebounds and four blocks in Saturday's win over the Bobcats.

National Prep Showcase: day two

Pictured Sean Kilpatrick

Jerry Meyer
Rivals.com Basketball Recruiting Analyst

SMITHFIELD, R.I. - The second day of the National Prep Showcase had a barn burner of a game between Findlay and St. Mark's with Nate Lubick and Avery Bradley coming up big for their respective teams.

Bradley is a unigue talent at the shooting guard position. Findlay 80, St. Mark's 76

In the game of the event thus far, Findlay held off a mad rush by St. Mark's down the stretch to hold onto a four point victory. Texas signee Avery Bradley carried Findlay throughout the game with 28 points on 12 of 17 shooting, 2 of 2 from three. From the opening tip off where he broke away for a dunk to the finish, Bradley was the man for Findlay.

There was a stretch, however, in the second half where 2010 prospect Cory Joseph was the x-factor for Findlay. He hit three straight three-pointers late in the game and came up with an athletic steal on an up the court pass that would have resulted in an Erik Murphy lay-up to give St. Mark's the lead with under a minute to go. For the game Joseph scored 19 points on 6 of 9 shooting, 3 of 5 from three and 4 of 4 from the line and also had a team high seven rebounds.

With Murphy in early foul trouble, Georgetown commitment Nate Lubick was the go-to guy for St. Mark's, scoring 27 points on 12 of 19 shooting. Lubick also grabbed a game high nine rebounds.

Like Lubick, Murphy, who has signed with Florida, played well in the paint for St. Mark's. He finished with 21 points on 8 of 16 shooting.

Fork Union Military Academy 64, Brewster Academy 45

Fork Union pulled off the upset of the event over Brewster Academy, who shot an abysmal 12 of 64 from the field. On the other hand, Fork Union took advantage of open looks from three against Brewster's pressing defense, making 11 of 24 attempts. Wing player Anthony Ervin led Fork Union with 16 points.

Kansas signee Thomas Robinson grabbed 12 rebounds but could never get it going from the field or the line, going 0 for 9 from the field and 2 of 8 from the line. Oklahoma signee Andrew Fitzgerald managed nine points on the inside. Baylor signee Givon Crump and Reggie Moore each had a team high of ten points.

South Kent Prep 60, Stoneridge Prep 37

Stoneridge Prep struggled once again losing big to South Kent. Jackie Carmichael paced South Kent with 14. Xavier commitment Kevin Parrom played a strong game, slashing to the basket for seven points and grabbing a team high eight rebounds. He also had a team high three assists. 2010 prospect Majok Majok was solid for South
Kent with nine points and six rebounds.

For Stoneridge wing prospect Amath Mbaye hit a couple threes for a total of eight points. Post player Youssoupha Mbao scored eight points as well.

Hargrave Military Academy 77, Winchendon School 59

Freddie Riley led Hargrave in scoring with 19 points despite going 4 of 13 from beyond the arc. Maurice Creek (Indiana signee), Chris Braswell (Charlotte signee) and Luke Hancock (George Mason signee) also hit for double figures. Braswell also had nine rebounds.

Hofstra bound guard Yves Jules paced Winchendon with 16 points as their only double figure scorer.

Lee Academy 66, St. Thomas More 61

UMass commitment Maxie Esho led a balanced Lee Academy attack with 13 points while Marist signee Anell Alexis paced St. Thomas More with 15 points. West Virginia bound big man Dan Jennings had a strong stat line with 12 points, eight rebounds and five
blocks.

Notre Dame Prep 77, Massanutten Military Academy 52

2010 prospect Mohammad Lee had a big game for Notre Dame Prep scoring 16 points and grabbing eight rebounds. Cincinnati signee Sean Kilpatrick slashed to the basket for 15 points while Kenny Stewart knocked down a couple three-pointers on the way to his 15 points. Between the three Notre Dame players, they shot a combined 19 of 26 from the field.

Massanutten got 15 points from Rashadd Lucas and 13 points from Josh Humphrey .

Patterson 62, Maine Central Institute 47

No one for Patterson reached double figure in a game that was more lopsided than the final score indicates. Hassan Whiteside continues to impress even knocking down a three-pointer on the way to nine points. Rahanti Harris struggled scoring the ball, finishing with only two points, but he did work the boards for ten rebounds.

Standing out for MCI was Memphis native Martino Brock who finished with a game high 21 points.

Bridgton Academy 65, Chaplain St. Lambert 46

On 6 of 9 shooting Jamal Crook led Bridgton with 12 points. Chaplain St. Lambert was paced by Yann Charles' 15 points.

Scouting observations and recruiting news

What more can you say about Avery Bradley . His quiet intensity carried his team, and his stroke from the midrange is unmatched in the 2009 class.

Cory Joseph has as pretty a shooting stroke as you will see. He has also been solid at the point guard position during this event and has displayed an effective all around game. In other words, he isn't just a shooter. With his brother at Minnesota, the Golden Gorpers have a great shot at landing him. He is also hearing from Kansas, Florida, Texas, Texas Tech and Virginia Tech.

Nate Lubick showed a lot of spunk and a skilled game as well. It looks like Georgetown is a place which will maximize his talents.

Erik Murphy was automatic when he turned to his left shoulder in the post for his jump hook. He also had some nice drives to the rim but had trouble finishing on the move. Look for him to be quite a productive player at Florida after a year of work in the Florida system.

St. Mark's 2010 post player Melsahn Basabe is a player to keep an eye on. He brought energy off the bench and provided a dose of athleticism.

Arsalan Kazemi impresses with his strong motor and all around game. He hasn't shown much in regards to shooting range, but he impacts the game in every other way. Look for Kazemi to make a major impact in Conference USA for Rice.

Vincent Council , who has impressed with his point guard play for Patterson, is on the verge of a college decision. The New York City native is choosing between Providence and Rutgers.

Martino Brock is no longer committed to Southeast Missouri State. Nebraska has recently called on him, but his recruitment is virtually starting all over again.

Mohammad Lee , who runs with the New York Gauchos during the travel season is getting interest from Louisville, Pittsburgh, Xavier, Fordham, Rutgers, Seton Hall and Marquette. Louisville, Pittsburgh and Xavier are at the top of his list. Lee is a physical, undersized shooting guard in the mold of an Avery Bradley type. A midrange scorer, Lee also defends both guard positions effectively.

A strong athlete, Sean Kilpatrick is best in the open court when he can get a head of stream going towards the rim.

Johnnie Lacy will score going right.

Naadir Tharpe is an intriguing 2011 point guard prospect. In an upset loss to Fork Union Tharpe displayed the physical skills. The big question is if he can develop the leadership skills to prevent a collapse to a less talented team as happened to Brewster Academy on Saturday.

Thomas Robinson rebounded at a high level Saturday but struggled to get the ball in the basket, especially from the free throw line.

Givon Crump specializes in scoring buckets. The question is whether or not he can find a position he can defend at Baylor.

National Prep Showcase: day one

Jerry Meyer
Rivals.com Basketball Recruiting Analyst

SMITHFIELD, R.I. - In a day marked by blow outs at the National Prep Showcase, Freddie Riley hit a buzzer beater from deep to rescue Hargrave Military Academy in the day's one close game, and Louisville signee Mike Marra was the leading scorer of the day.

Northfield Mt. Hermon 91, Fork Union Military Academy 63

Louisville signee Mike Marra had the hot hand from deep, sinking 6 of 12 three-pointers in route to a game high 25 points. California transplant Hector Harold also shot 50 percent from behind the arc, scoring a total of 18 points.

Fork Union was led by Anthony Ervin's 20 points

Hargrave Military Academy 76, Bridgeton Academy 74

UMass signee Freddie Riley drained a contested NBA range three-pointer with less than a second left in the game to give Hargrave the win. Riley finished with 11 points. Fellow wing Maurice Creek , who is headed to Indiana, had 13 points which included 3 of 6 shooting from three. But the main man for Hargrave was Charlotte signee Chris Braswell who poured in 21 points.

Malik Stith played a strong second half for Bridgeton, finishing with a team high 19points for the game.

Patterson 81, Notre Dame Prep 56

Patterson dominated Notre Dame Prep with a balanced attack that saw five players scoring double figures. Georgia State signee Rashanti Harris , Washington signee Clarence Trent and Hunter McClintock each scored 11 while DeAndre Kane and Arsalan Kazemi , who has signed with Rice scored 10 points.

Point guard Vincent Council played a strong floor game for Patterson dishing out six assists to only two turnovers. Kane also dished out seven assists.

For Notre Dame James Southerland , who is committed to Syracuse, scored 13 points, and Providence signee Johnnie Lacy and Cincinnati signee Sean Kilpatrick scored 10 points each. Kilpatrick struggled from behind the arc, however, going 0 for 9 from three.

Winchendon 63, Stoneridge Prep 34

UMass signee Sampson Carter led Winchendon with 10 points in a grossly lopsided affair. The top performer for Stoneridge was point guard Mohamed Koita who scored 10 points.

Findlay 81, St. Andrew's 50

St. Andrew's was no match for the powerful Findlay squad. Top ten prospect and Texas signee Avery Bradley put up a game high 19 points. Four other Findlay player joined Bradley in double figures including Willie Hankins with 14, Victor Rudd with 11, Cory Joseph with 10 and D.J. Richardson (Illinois signee) with 10. Carlos Lopez , who is headed to UNLV added nine points.

St. Andrew's has a couple promising 2011 prospects in combo guard Michael Carter-Williams and wing player Michael Laplante . Both players scored ten points in the loss.

Massanutten Military Academy 74, St. Thomas More 62

Small forward Adrian Powell led the way for Massanutten with 16 points including 3 of 6 shooting from behind the arc.

West Virginia bound big man Dan Jennings paced St. Thomas More with 16 points and some strong work on the boards. Future Marist forward Anell Alexis had 15 points.

Scouting observations and recruiting news

Look for Mike Marra to get minutes at Louisville as a long range shooting specialist. He has a sweet stroke with range and gets it off quickly and with elevation. Marra isn't the quickest player or the best off the bounce, but he is certainly one of those players whose shot you expect to go in. I don't think he missed one shot to the side on Friday night.

Freddie Riley 's twisting 25+ foot jumper at the buzzer was no fluke. He specializes in hitting tough wing jumpers on the move.

Liked the effort that Charlotte signee Chris Braswell played with throughout the game. Expect him to have a very successful college career.

Maurice Creek didn't have his best game, and in fact was a defensive liability for Hargrave during a stretch in the second half, but the Indiana signee has an economical approach to his game that is refreshing to watch. He makes a variety of shots, is strong with the ball, rebounds his position and sees the floor well.

Rashanti Harris is built like a man and rebounds like a man. The next step for him is to develop a way to score other than off put backs.

DeAndre Kane reiterated that he has not committed to Pittsburgh, but is down to Pittsburgh and Connecticut. Kane is a legit high major shooting guard who has a feel for the game and a burst of explosiveness. He showed great anticipation on defense. Kane said that academics are not an issue.

Hunter McClintock said that TCU wants him to visit next weekend. He also said he recently heard from Washington State and Arizona State and that Hawaii has been calling.

2010 prospect David Nyarsuk was quite productive in his minutes backing up Rashanti Harris . He was quick to the basketball and ran the floor well to go along with his tremendous length. He listed Tennessee, Kentucky and Indiana as schools recruiting him, but the 7-footer said he has no offers yet.

Marshall struck gold signing Hassan Whiteside . He plays well above the rim and has the potential to be a scorer. What he does in the weight room will likely dictate the course of his career.

James Southerland , who signed with Syracuse last year, affirmed his commitment to attend Syracuse next year.

Look for point guard Vincent Council to be a spring signing priority for a number of schools. Council was solid throughout the game as his team's quarterback, and there just aren't a lot of quality point guards left in the 2009 class.

Assistants from Kansas State, Arkansas, Louisville, Cincinnati, Minnesota, UNLV, California, Iowa, South Carolina, Arizona State, Rutgers, UMass (head coach Derrick Kellogg), Vanderbilt, Providence, Northern Iowa and New Orleans were some of the coaches spotted in the gym.

Vernon Teel is coming home

Monday Nov 24th Vernon Teel and his Loyola Marymount University (CA) squad will be playing against Wagner University at 7pm.

Teel who played AAU Basketball for NYC Finest, Real Scout, and the NY Panthers. Playing for LMU this season for 1st yr coach Bill Bayno, Teel is averaging 19ppg and 9rpg, for the 0-2 Lions.

Tonight LMU hosts #8 ranked Notre Dame and Big East star 6'9 Luke Harangody.

Teel has participated in a host of Real Scout Events including Real Scout All-American Camp and Real Scout High Major Classic 2007.

Seton Hall defeats No. 19 USC 63-61

Courtesy of The Associated Press

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Jeremy Hazell scored 17 points and Eugene Harvey sank a free throw with five seconds remaining to help Seton Hall upend No. 19 USC 63-61 in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off on Thursday night.

After Harvey missed his second free throw, USC's Daniel Hackett missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer to seal the win for Seton Hall

Harvey scored 16 and added a team-high five assists for the Pirates (3-0), who overcame a 43-28 halftime deficit to pull off the upset. John Garcia notched a double-double, scoring 11 points and grabbing 18 rebounds. It was his second double-double of the season.

Taj Gibson led the Trojans (2-1) with 19 points and 18 rebounds, and Dwight Lewis chipped in 12. Donte Smith hit a game-high three 3-pointers in the loss.

With the game tied at 17 midway through the first, the Trojans went on a 12-1 run which helped give them a comfortable cushion at the half. The Pirates came out of the gate on a similar run in the second, scoring 10 points before the Trojans got their first bucket of the period. The teams traded baskets the rest of the way before Hazell's dunk and subsequent 3-pointer with less than two minutes to play put Seton Hall ahead for good.

Harvey scored 13 of his 18 points in the second half to help lead his squad to the win.

Both the Pirates and the Trojans shot 41 percent from the field for the game, but the Seton Hall defense stepped up in the second half, holding USC to just 18 points. USC shot 62.5 percent in the first half compared to just 21.4 percent in the second, and also lost the turnover battle 19-15.

The 18-rebound mark, notched by both Garcia and Gibson, set a single-game tournament record.

Seton Hall faces No. 13 Memphis in the next round of the Puerto Rico Tip-Off Friday at 7:30 p.m.

Hokies Land Oak Hill Guard, Lamont Jones

Written By TechHoops.com

The Hokies have added a fifth member to their 2009 Recruiting Class , picking up a verbal commitment from Lamont Jones. Jones is listed at between 5′11″ and 6′ and around 170-175 pounds (ie: me about 15 years and 1,200 Quarter Pounders ago).

Jones currently plays for Coach Steve Smith at powerful Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, VA. Jeff Allen spent his senior season there. Lamont is a kid that can play either guard spot, and based on the way the Hokies have started this season, they can usually any help they can get there. Erick Green and Ben Boggs are also guards in this class, with Green more of a point guard and Boggs more of a slashing wing.

Lamont is rated as a 3-star by both Rivals.com and Scout.com . He originally hails from New York, NY, as does Seth Greenberg.

Since Jones missed the early signing period, he now must wait until April to ink with the Hokies. The other four members of the 2009 Class have all given Tech their John Hancock.

By my count, this puts VT at 15 scholarship players next season. The NCAA only allows 13. Terrance Vinson may not return for his redshirt-senior season, but another player would have to leave the program, or a recruit attend a post-grad year or drop out to get to the legal limit.

Wyoming Holds Off Prairie View A&M, 80-75

LARAMIE, Wyo. (AP) -- Afam Muojeke (Pictured) scored 23 points as Wyoming held off Prairie View A&M in the final seconds of an 80-75 win Wednesday night.

Tyson Johnson added 20 points and Brandon Ewing scored 14 for the Cowboys (2-0).

Wyoming led 34-31 at the break, and the game stayed close throughout the second half. The Cowboys, who led 76-75 with 1:30 remaining, sealed the win in the final seconds on two free throws and a put-back basket by Johnson.

Darnell Hugee led the Panthers (1-4) with 19 points. Derek Johnson finished with 13, and Christopher Jones and Tim Meadows scored 12 apiece.

Wyoming committed 17 turnovers, but shot better from the field--hitting 46 percent of its shots compared to 39 percent by Prairie View A&M.

Durand Scott Chooses Miami

By MANNY NAVARRO
mnavarro@MiamiHerald.com

If they can get past the first round, Frank Haith's 17th-ranked Miami Hurricanes could have a huge date with former Big East rival Connecticut on Sunday night at the Paradise Jam.

Wednesday, though, Miami already managed to get a leg up on Jim Calhoun's Huskies, winning a heated recruiting battle with UConn and Pittsburgh for one of the nation's best high school shooting guards, New York City star Durand Scott.

The 6-4, 187-pound senior at Manhattan Rice High School made his announcement on SNY Television and said he picked UM because it was the best fit.

''When I took my visit to Miami, I knew it was the place I wanted to be,'' Scott said. ``The players around me were people I would like to relate to, people I can have fun with.''

UM, which left South Florida for the Virgin Islands on Wednesday night, has yet to formally announce Scott as one of its three early signing period signees. But it's a huge get for the Canes, whose signing class is expected to ''easily vault into the nation's Top 25 rankings'' according to Scout.com national recruiting director Dave Telep.

Scott is a consensus Top 50 national player -- rated 27th by Scout.com, 41st by Rivals.com and 43rd by ESPN.com.

''I can't say enough about what this means for Miami,'' Telep said. ``It's an enormous addition. And it comes to this, they won a long national recruiting battle with some of the nation's best programs. Durand is a guy that can really come in and shape the identity of their backcourt. It's a big deal. They played their cards right.''

At one point, the Huskies were believed to be the front-runners for Scott. His former high school teammate, Kemba Walker, is a freshman at UConn. But Scott reportedly developed a close bond with UM assistant Jorge Fernandez during the recruiting process and has a deep friendship with recent arrival Malcolm Grant, another New Yorker who is sitting out this season per NCAA rules after transferring from Villanova last summer.

''He's a very good defensive player,'' Telep said of Scott. ``He takes a lot of pride in that and in high school that's a rare treat. He's a streaky shooter, so he's got to improve that. But he's got a lot of gifts. He can be a secondary ball-handler who shifts in, rebounds and passes -- a Jack-of-All-Trades wing player. But at the end of the day, what makes Durand special is he is wired to win.''

Last week, UM inked two Top 150 national players in 6-8 forward Donnovan Kirk from Detroit and 6-5 swingman Garrius Adams of North Carolina. Telep said Scott's addition to the class, coupled with the arrival of DeQuan Jones (a consensus Top 25 freshman), has laid the foundation for the Hurricanes to remain one of the best teams in the country.

Miami will lose All-ACC guard Jack McClinton, point guard Lance Hurdle, swingman Brian Asbury and power forward Jimmy Graham to graduation after this season.

''Miami basketball is relevant,'' Telep said. ``If you look at Miami's basketball program right now, you see a program on the rise. It's not a one-hit wonder. It's built for long-term. Today, is just another chapter in Frank Haith's book.''

USA Today Top 25 Boys Rankings

Pictured: Renardo Sidney
By Jim Halley, USA TODAY

1. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (35-1)
Returning starters: Four. Outlook: Loaded. With their lineup nearly intact and a year older, the Monarchs will have a chance to repeat as state Division II champions. The addition of transfer G Tyler Lamb gives a little more juice to a lineup that has brothers Travis and David Wear, two post players who have signed with North Carolina, standout junior G Gary Franklin, who has committed to Southern California, and versatile F Andy Brown, a Stanford recruit. Mater Dei has a schedule that includes No. 6 St. Benedict's Prep (Newark), No. 17 Whitney Young (Chicago) and The City of Palms Classic in Fort Myers, Fla. Opens: Dec. 1, Loara Tournament.

2. Duncanville, Texas (35-2)
Returning players: Two. Outlook: The Panthers have five starters who could be big-time contributors at Division I colleges, including three seniors that signed last week. F Roger Franklin (14 points, eight rebounds a game) and G Reger Dowell are going to Oklahoma State and G Shawn Williams (17 points, nine rebounds a game) is headed to Texas. C Perry Jones and F Julian Washburn, both juniors, give Duncanville plenty of height. Tough games include No. 12 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), No. 3 Lincoln (Brooklyn, N.Y.), No. 25 LeFlore (Mobile, Ala.) and Scott County (Georgetown, Ky.). Next: Tuesday vs. Plano.

3. Lincoln, Brooklyn, N.Y. (30-4)
Returning starters: Three. Outlook: If All-USA G Lance Stephenson (23.3 points 7.2 rebounds a game) can stay healthy, the Railsplitters could three-peat as state Federation 2A champions. C James Padgett (nine points, 9.3 rebounds a game) and G Darwin Ellis (12.4 points, 3.4 assists a game) return. The schedule includes a tough game at No. 2 Duncanville, Texas, the HoopHall Classic in Springfield, Mass., The City of Palms Classic, No. 5 St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.), Prime Time Shootout vs. Paterson Catholic (Paterson, N.Y.) and No. 15 Westchester (Los Angeles) and at No. 6 St. Benedict's Prep (Newark). Opens: Dec. 2 vs. Grady (Brooklyn).

4. Findlay College Prep, Henderson, Nev. (32-1)
Returning starters: One. Outlook: This year's team doesn't feature any post-graduate players but has a schedule composed mostly of difficult tournaments. The team is led by Texas signee G Avery Bradley (26.7 points, seven rebounds a game), who was the MVP of the Nike Global Challenge; G D.J. Richardson (20 points, three assists a game), an Illinois recruit; F Carlos Lopez (8.8 points, 4.5 rebounds a game), a UNLV commitment; and junior PG Cory Joseph from Canada (18 points, six assists a game). Next: Saturday vs. St. Andrew's (Middletown, Del.) at Fowler, Mich.

5. St. Patrick, Elizabeth, N.J. (25-5)
Returning starters: Three. Outlook: North Carolina-bound G Dexter Strickland, George Mason signee F Paris Bennett, G Kevin Boyle Jr. (coach's son) and sophomore F Michael Gilchrist return. They added talented transfer G Kyrie Irving from Montclair Kimberly. Irving had 48-point and 47-point games last season. Opponents include No. 3 Lincoln, No. 6 St. Benedict's Prep (Newark) and No. 12 Oak Hill (Mouth of Wilson, Va.). Opens: Dec. 20 in The City of Palms Classic vs. either No. 8 Word of God (Raleigh, N.C.) or American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.).

6. St. Benedict's Prep, Newark (24-1)
Returning starters: Two. Outlook: Junior F Tristan Thompson and G Tamir Jackson, a Rice signee, are returning starters. There's plenty of talent, including Pittsburgh signee F Lamar Patterson, sophomore PG Myck Kabongo and F Gil Biruta, a Lithuanian junior national team starter. Opponents include No. 17 Whitney Young (Chicago), No. 7 Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.), No. 5 St. Patrick and Rice (New York). Opens: Dec. 1 vs. Edison Academy (Edison).

7. Wheeler, Marietta, Ga. (30-3)
Returning starters: Four. Outlook: F Richard Howell, a North Carolina State signee, and Wake Forest signee G Ari Stewart, are the top returnees from a state runner-up team. By the time the playoffs roll around, the Wildcats will be tested as they play Dominguez (Compton, Calif.), No. 6 St. Benedict's Prep and Callaway (Jackson, Miss.). Opens: Dec. 2 vs. Coolidge (Washington, D.C.).

8. Word of God Academy, Raleigh, N.C. (30-3)
Returning starters: Two. Outlook: The Rams return PG John Wall, the No. 1 recruit in the country, according to Rivals.com, and F Calvin Leslie, a shot blocker with a nice touch around the basket. They also landed talented transfer G Bishop Daniels from Leesville. The schedule includes the Glaxo Smith Kline tournament, The City of Palms Classic and two games against in-state power Ravenscroft. Opens: Dec. 3 vs. St. David's School (Raleigh).

9. Detroit Country Day, Beverly Hills, Mich. (21-5)
Returning starters: Three. Outlook: The Yellow Jackets are big with 6-11 senior C DaShonte Riley (10 rebounds a game), 6-8 senior F Donnavan Kirk (11 points, seven rebounds a game), 6-6 G Jordan Dumars (nine points, four rebounds a game) and plenty of size off the bench. Besides Dumars, the son of Pistons general manager Joe Dumars, the Jackets gained a transfer with NBA bloodlines in G Ray McCallum Jr. Tough games include Arthur Hill (Saginaw) and Bloomington South (Bloomington, Ind.). Opens: Dec. 12 vs. Pioneer (Ann Arbor).

10. Montrose Christian, Rockville, Md. (21-4)
Returning starters: Three. Outlook: The Mustangs are led by two Villanova signees, 6-10 C Mouphtaou Yarou and 6-8 F Isaiah Armwood. Other key players include F Dadrian Collins and G Dominic Milburn. The schedule includes the Iolani Classic in Honolulu, the Flying to the Hoop Classic, the Primetime Shootout, No. 12 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) and T.C. Williams (Alexandria, Va.). Opens: Dec. 2 vs. Jericho Christian (Landover).

11. De La Salle, Concord, Calif. (28-4)
Returning starters: Two. Outlook: The Spartans have eight seniors returning. The top newcomer is Georgetown-bound Hollis Thompson, a 6-7 transfer from Loyola. Thompson and 6-7 senior Jefferson Powers, a Denver signee, give De La Salle punch underneath. California-bound G Brandon Smith is another key returnee. The team also will benefit from 6-7 F Zach Payne and 6-4 G Max Pitts, both of whom missed their junior years with injuries. Big games include No. 24 McClymonds (Oakland) and Dominguez (Compton). Opens: Tuesday vs. Pittsburg.

12. Oak Hill Academy, Mouth of Wilson, Va. (34-4)
Returning starters: Four. Outlook: The Warriors lost All-USA G Brandon Jennings to graduation but might be deeper because of New York transfers PG Lamont Jones and G Doron Lamb. C Keith "Tiny" Gallon, F Glenn Bryant and G PeShon Howard are the top returnees. The schedule includes games against two Chicago teams, No. 17 Whitney Young and Simeon, plus South Atlanta (Atlanta), No. 2 Duncanville and Christ School (Arden, N.C.). Opens: Today vs. Laurinburg Institute (Laurinburg, N.C.).

13. Fairfax, Los Angeles (27-6)
Returning starters: Three. Outlook: The Lions have two top-50 seniors coming back in C Renardo Sidney (23.5 points, 12.5 rebounds a game) and F Solomon Hill (18.5 points, 8.5 rebounds a game), plus All-City G Lance Bailey (nine points, seven rebounds a game) and G Jordan Weathers (7.5 points a game). Besides typically tough city foes Taft and No. 15 Westchester, Fairfax will play No. 1 Mater Dei, No. 17 Whitney Young (Chicago) and in the Iolani Classic and the Les Schwab Invitational in Hillsboro, Ore. Opens: Dec. 12 at Hamilton (Los Angeles).

14. St. Anthony, Jersey City (32-0)
Returning starters: One. Outlook: The Friars, No. 1 in last season's final Super 25, will rebuild behind G Dominic Cheek (15 points, seven rebounds a game). F Derrick Williams (20 points, 15 rebounds a game), a transfer from Life Academy (Burlington), will help. Two other impact transfers: 6-8 F Ashton Pankey from Archbishop Molloy (Briarwood, N.Y.) and 6-7 F Devon Collier from All Hallows (Bronx, N.Y.). The Friars play Putnam City (Oklahoma City), No. 17 Whitney Young (Chicago) and Academy of the New Church (Bryn Athyn, Pa.). Opens: Dec. 19 vs. Create Charter (Jersey City).

15. Westchester, Los Angeles (29-5)
Returning starters: Three. Outlook: Junior G Jordin Mayes, junior F Dwayne Polee, a Southern California recruit, and senior G Dominique O'Connor give the Comets a solid nucleus. The schedule includes No. 3 Lincoln, No. 13 Fairfax and Olympia (Orlando). Opens: Dec. 1 at Westchester Tip-Off Classic.

16. Montverde Academy, Montverde, Fla. (24-6)
Returning starters: One. Outlook: The Eagles have three Division I recruits, including 7-0 C Ruslan Pateev, an Arizona State signee. G James Bell committed to Villanova, 6-10 F Rob Chubb signed with Auburn and 6-8 F Nick Diatta is headed to Towson. The schedule includes The City of Palms Classic and the HoopHall Classic. Opens: Monday vs. Life Academy (Kissimmee).

17. Whitney Young, Chicago (27-6)
Returning starters: Three. Outlook: The Dolphins are led by Purdue signee F Anthony Johnson, along with Michael Jordan's youngest son, G Marcus Jordan (11 points, six rebounds a game) and G Chris Colvin (14 points a game). C Stan Brown, a 6-8 senior, and 6-6 sophomore F Sam Thompson are solid. Their schedule might be the toughest of any public school in the country, including games against No. 1 Mater Dei, No. 6 St. Benedict's Prep, No. 12 Oak Hill Academy, No. 13 Fairfax and No. 14 St. Anthony. Opens: Dec. 6 vs. St. Benedict's Prep in the Marshall County Hoopfest (Benton, Ky.).

18. Mount Vernon, N.Y. (23-4)
Returning starters: Four. Outlook: The Knights have won their biggest battle — getting funding for the season. With 11 returning players, Mount Vernon, a state semifinalist, should improve. Senior Sherrod Wright, G Jabarie Hinds and G Jordan Lessane are the top returning starters. The Knights will play No. 16 Montverde Academy, St. Raymond (Bronx, N.Y.) and at the Les Schwab Invitational. Opens: Dec. 16 vs. Roosevelt (Yonkers).

19. Bloomington South, Bloomington, Ind. (19-2)
Returning starters: Four. Outlook: Top returnees include G Jordan Hulls (16 points a game), an Indiana recruit; G Spencer Turner (10 points a game); C Chaz Cooper; and Dee Davis (12 points a game). More is expected from 6-8 F Erik Fromm. The schedule includes No. 9 Detroit Country Day and Lawrence Central (Indianapolis). Opens: Nov. 29 at Seymour.

20. Arlington Country Day, Jacksonville (26-6)
Returning starters: Three. Outlook: The Apaches are looking to win a fifth consecutive state 2A title behind three Division I players, Kansas State signees 6-10 F Wally Judge and G Rodney McGruder and Florida International signee G Emari Bailey. The schedule includes Roman Catholic (Philadelphia) and No. 25 LeFlore (Mobile, Ala.). Opens: Nov. 28 in Raines Tip-Off (Jacksonville).

21. Franklin, Seattle (24-3)
Returning starters: Five. Outlook: The Quakers drop from Class 4A to 3A but return a strong nucleus: Louisville signee G Peyton Siva (19.1 points a game), Eastern Washington signee G Chris Holmes (15.6 points a game) and Pacific signee Sterling Carter (12 points a game). Juniors F Freddy Wilson and G Anrio Adams return. Tough foes include Rainier Beach (Seattle) and Garfield (Seattle). Opens: Dec. 9 vs. Bishop Blanchet (Seattle).

22. Hopkins, Minnetonka, Minn. (27-2)
Returning starters: Four. Outlook: Royce White, a 6-7 senior forward, transferred from De La Salle (Minneapolis) and signed with Minnesota. Other possible Division I players: G/F Ray Cowels, a Santa Clara signee; Arizona State recruit G/F Trent Lockett; Notre Dame recruit Mike Broghammer; and G Marcus Williams. Opens: Dec. 9 at Patrick Henry (Minneapolis).

23. Tulsa Memorial, Tulsa (24-5)
Returning starters: Four. Outlook: The defending state champs should contend again, led by junior C Cameron Downing (17 points, 16 rebounds a game) and senior F Dominick Cornelius (13 points, nine rebounds a game). Senior G Brian DeBose (seven points, five assists a game) adds stability. Tough games include Booker T. Washington (Tulsa), Union (Tulsa) and Putnam City (Oklahoma City). Opens: Today vs. Tulsa Noah Homeschool.

24. McClymonds, Oakland (32-0)
Returning starters: Three. Outlook: While the Warriors lost G Frank Otis to graduation and have a new coach in Brandon Brooks, they return senior F Damon Powell and G Will Cherry, key players from last season's Division I state title team. The schedule includes games vs. No. 11 De La Salle and the Bishop Gorman Holiday Classic in Las Vegas. Opens: Nov. 29 vs. San Leandro.

25. LeFlore, Mobile, Ala. (30-3)
Returning starters: Three. Outlook: Start with 6-9 DeMarcus Cousins (19 points, 10 rebounds a game), a top recruit. The Rattlers also can rely on guards J.J. Watkins and D.J. Woods. Alabama at Birmingham recruit F Kentari Nettles gives LeFlore size inside at 6-8. The Rattlers' schedule includes No. 2 Duncanville and No. 20 Arlington Country Day. Opens: Saturday at Citronelle.