Dante Anderson – (SG) Eastside High School – May 21, 2007

Dante Anderson one of the top junior prospects in the country, was killed in a one car accident on Saturday morning. His car crossed the median and crashed into a palm tree there were three other passengers in the vehicle, also killed was Curtis Hampton Jr. 16. The other two passengers are still in critical condition at the hospital. Dante was the top prospect in Florida for the class of 2008; he averaged 25 ppg and 7 rpg last year at Eastside High. He had already received scholarship offers from VT, Miami, FSU, Missouri and Mississippi. Others showing interest were UConn, FL, Wake Forest and Kansas.

Willie Warren – 6’4 (SG) Team Texas – May 21, 2007

Willie has decided that he will transfer to Oak Hill Academy in Virginia for his senior season. He said that his recruitment is still wide open.

2007 ARIZONA CACTUS CLASSIC ALL TOURNAMENT SELECTIONS - May 21, 2007

 Brandon Jennings - Belmont Shore
 Demar DeRozan - Belmont Shore
 Roberto Nelson - Belmont Shore 
 Jordan Theodore - New York Gauchos
 Chris Fouch - New York Gauchos
 Jeremy Tyler - California Supreme
 James Rahon - Double Pump Elite
 Jordan Hamilton - Lamar Odom I-Can All-Stars
 Matt Carlino - Arizona Premier
 Malcolm Lee - Inland Reebok 1
 Oliver McNally - Bay Area Hoosiers
 Jeremy Green - Houston Hoops
 Peyton Siva - Seattle Rotary Select
 Nick Markovich - Arizona Stars
 Jrue Holiday - Pump N' Run Elite
 Larry Drew - Pump N' Run Elite
 Reeves Nelson - Pump N' Run Elite
 Hank Thorns - Las Vegas Dogcatchers
 Luke Babbit - Las Vegas Prospects
 Terrence Jennings - Play Hard Play Smart
 Isaiah Thomas - Play Hard Play Smart 
 Daniel Orton - Compton Magic
 Steve Tchiengang - T-Mac All-Stars
 DJ Seely - M33M Magic
 Hollis Thompson - West Coast All-Stars
 Jamil Wilson - Wisconsin Playground Warriors

 Johnny Lacy - Wisconsin Playground Warriors

2007 Arizona Cactus Classic – May 21, 2007

This event has become one of the best of the west in just a short year. The tournament just finished its second year this past weekend. The tournament brought in the top teams from the west and a few teams from the east coast. Once again the tournament was a huge success with great play all weekend long. The New York Gauchos came out the champions when it was all said and done they finished 8-0. In the title game the Gauchos defeated Belmont Shore’s 102 to 96. The leaders for the Gauchos were Kemba Walker with 24 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists, Chris Fouch 21 points and 4 rebounds, Kevin Phillips 19 points and 9 rebounds, Darryl Bryant 15 points and Durand Scott 12 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. On the Belmont Shore’s, Roberto Nelson had 27 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists, Demar DeRozan 26 points and 6 rebounds and Brandon Jennings 24 points and 9 rebounds. Kemba Walker was named the tournaments MVP after having an outstanding weekend.

The tournament had many outstanding players in attendance. Here is a list of players who performed well this weekend.

Brandon Jennings – 6’1 (PG) Belmont Shore, Brandon showed again this weekend why he is such a special talent. He had an outstanding weekend playing with a different team at this tournament. The team his was going to play with wasn’t able to make it this weekend. He is a tremendous scoring point guard with great floor vision who makes a lot of flashy plays. He had totals of 28pts, 17pts, 27pts, 30pts, 44pts, 36pts, 21pts and 24pts. He finished the tournament averaging 28.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 2 apg and 1 spg.

DeMar DeRozan – 6’5 (SG) Belmont Shore, DeMar continues to take his game to a new level this spring with another outstanding tournament. He started the tournament off with a bang helping his squad to a huge win over Pump N Run Elite. In that game he was very impressive. He has shown a lot of improvement to his game so far this spring. He had totals of 29pts, 23pts, 24pts, 33pts and 26pts. He finished the tournament averaging 19.3 ppg, 5.6 rpg and 1 apg.

Reeves Nelson – 6’9 (PF) Pump N Run Elite, Reeves has had a great spring and really opened some peoples eyes to what type of player he is. He is tremendous on the boards and is very effective on the inside. Reeves Nelson is just a hard nose player that plays hard from the beginning to the end. He had a good tournament this weekend. He had totals of 11pts, 29pts, 16pts, 18pts and 14 pts. He finished the tournament averaging 17.6 ppg and 6 rpg.

Jordan Hamilton – 6’7 (SF) Lamar I-Can All-Stars, Jordan has really showed why he is an elite prospect in the class of 2009. He has had a couple of impressive tournaments already this spring, Jordan played well this weekend. He is a very athletic wing that can really make an impact in the open court. He had totals of 27pts, 25pts, 11pts, 20pts and 20pts. He finished the tournament averaging 20.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg and 1 spg.

Steve Tchiengang – 6’8 (SF) TMAC All-Stars, Steve had a very impressive tournament this weekend. He is a very athletic wing that has a nice jumper and finishes well in the open court. He had totals of 16pts, 22pts, 29pts, 25pts and 30pts. He finished the tournament averaging 24.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg and 2 apg.

Kemba Walker – 6’0 (PG) New York Gauchos, Kemba earned the MVP of the tournament. He had a very consistent tournament helping lead his team to the title. He has excellent court vision. He had totals of 14pts, 6pts, 15pts, 10pts, 13pts, 23pts, 20pts and 24pts. He finished the tournament averaging 15.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.4 apg and 1 spg.

Jrue Holiday – 6’4 (SG) Pump N Run Elite, Jrue is a tremendous talent that is able to dominate a game in so many different ways. He is one of the top combo guards in the country who has lived up to all of the hype so far this spring. He played well this weekend. He has a high basketball IQ and excellent court vision he can score at will with his slashing ability. He had totals of 27pts, 12pts, 23pts, 10pts and 11pts. He finished the tournament averaging 16.6 ppg, 5 rpg, 4 apg and 1 spg.

Patrick Patterson – (PF) – Huntington (WV) – May 17, 2007

The most anticipated college announce finally came to when standout Patrick Patterson picked Kentucky over Florida and Duke. This signing came as a little bit of a surprise after earlier in the week when Jai Lucas signed with Florida, most thought it was a done deal for Patterson to land at Florida. The wildcats now have a true post presence that can come in and contribute from day one. Patrick is a top 10 player in the class of 2007; he is a strong inside force with a nice touch and a high basketball IQ.

Jai Lucas – (PG) – Bellaire (TX) – May 14, 2007

The wait is finally over Jai announced today that he will sign with Florida over Kentucky and Oklahoma State. This decision ends one of the most anticipated school announcements this year. He was the top unsigned point guard in the country and now gives Florida a chance to run an offensive with two players with pg abilities with Lucas and Calathes. This also gives them a chance at landing the # 1 recruiting class of 2007 if they can now land top 10 post player Patrick Patterson. Patrick is set to announce his decision later on this week. Jai is a true point guard who will be able to step in right away to contribute to a team that lost so much from there back to back national title teams. The future continues to look bright for the Gators.

K.C. Ross-Miller – (PG) – Team Texas – May 9, 2007

K.C. a top prospect from the class of 2010 has been having a very impressive AAU circuit so far playing for Team Texas 17U team. He has been averaging 12 points and 6 assist per game for Team Texas. In the past two weeks Team Texas has gone 10-2.

Xavier Henry – (SG) – Putnam City (OK) – May 9, 2007

Xavier continued his string of top performances this past weekend at the Jayhawk Invitational. He is one of the top prospects from the class of 2009. He showed this weekend his ability to score from anywhere on the court. He lists Kansas, UNC and Memphis as his early leaders. Ohio State and Louisville are trying to make a push to join the others near the top.

Tyler Zeller – (C) – Washington High (IN) – May 9, 2007

Tyler visited Kentucky on Monday and came away impressed with the program. Tyler has seen his recruitment take off in the past few weeks with outstanding performances so far on the AAU circuit. The other schools on his list include Purdue, Notre Dame, Indiana, Butler, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Michigan and Tennessee. If he continues to have the type of performances we have seen lately from him look for his offers to grow even larger.

Al-Farouq Aminu – (PF) – Norcross (GA) – May 9, 2007

Kentucky has increased there recruitment of the star forward since the hiring of new coach Billy Gillespie. Other schools on his list include UNC, Florida and Georgia Tech. Aminu is a top 5 player in the class of 2008 and has shown the ability to dominate both on the inside and on the outside. At 6’8 has a tremendous upside to his game with his ball handling abilities.

Brendan Lavender – (PG) – Mt. View High (AZ) – May 9, 2007

Brendan a point guard from the class of 2008 has verbally committed to Arizona. He picked Arizona over Kansas and UNC. He will join fellow junior Emmanuel Negedu who verbally committed last week.

Drew Gordon – (PF) – Archbishop Mitty (CA) – May 9, 2007

Drew is a top 25 player in the class of 2008; he has decided to attend UCLA. He made this decision on Monday, picking the Buins over Arizona, UNC and Washington. He said “I am excited for the recruiting phase to be over for me, and I can’t wait to get to UCLA, even though I have another year of high school,” At the end of the day UCLA just felt right as a player and person for Gordon.

Jai Lucas – (PG) – Bellaire (TX) – May 9, 2007

Jai the top unsigned point guard in the country has narrowed his list of school’s down to three. The list includes Florida, Kentucky and Oklahoma State. He is set to make his announcement next week at some point. He has let it be known that he would like to have a chance to play with Patrick Patterson in college.

Patrick Patterson – (PF) – Huntington (WV) – May 9, 2007

Patrick is one of the top players in the class of 2007, and is still undecided on where he will attend next fall. The recruiting saga for Patterson looks to nearing an end with the announcement of a news conference set for Wednesday, May 16th at 3:45 p.m. This news conference is where he will decide between Florida, Kentucky and Duke.

Angelo Johnson – (PG) – Stoneridge Prep (CA) – May 9, 2007

Angelo had originally committed to play for USC with the class of 2008, but now will be part of the class of 2007 heading to USC. This additional will give coach Tim the chance to play more guards together.

Devin Ebanks – (SF) – St. Thomas More School (CT) – May 9, 2007

Devin is one of the top prospects in the class of 2008. He has listed Miami as his leader for his services; the list also includes Indiana, Rutgers and Texas.

Michael Sanchez – 6’8 (PF), Har-Ber (AR) – May 4, 2007

He has had a great start to the AAU circuit, having some very impressive showings. The way he has been playing lately has him rethinking his decision to attend prep school next year and reclassify. There have been some big programs to get in on his recruiting this spring. He has listed Kentucky, Wake Forest, Arkansas and Louisiana State. He is set to visit both Wake Forest and Kentucky in the coming week.

Emmanuel Negedu – 6’7 (PF), Brewster (NH) – May 4, 2007

He is an outstanding player with a lot of upside. Emmanuel verbally committed to Arizona last week. He picked Arizona over Ohio State, Florida, Kansas and Tennessee. Coach Olson had been recruiting Emmanuel from the moment he landed in the states from Nigeria.

Kenny Boynton – 6’2 (SG), Blanche Ely (FL) – May 4, 2007

Kenny is a standout guard who is a very explosive player. He has a very good all around game and has started the spring off very well. After another stellar weekend tournament he has received a scholarship offer from Louisville coach Rick Pitino.

Henry Sims – 6’11 (C), Mt. Saint Joseph (MD) – May 4, 2007

He has verbally committed to play for Georgetown in 2008-09. Henry picked Georgetown over Boston College, Florida and Maryland. This signing will definitely help ease the loss of Roy Hibbert on the inside.

Beas Hamga – 6’11 (C), Decatur Christian (IL) – May 4, 2007

Beas has decided to petition the NCAA to be reclassified into the class of 2007. He is waiting to hear if his transcript from Cameroon is approved. He had been committed to Iowa before the coaching change, now he is considering New Mexico, Kentucky, UNLV and Indiana. The rumor is Kentucky is way ahead of the rest of the school’s to gain his services. 

Brandon Jennings – 6’1 (PG), Oak Hill Academy (VA) – May 4, 2007

Brandon has added two new schools to his list of potential suitors, Kansas and Kentucky. His coach at oak hill academy Steve Smith said that the leaders on Brandon’s list are Arizona and Uconn. The other school on the list for Jennings services is USC, who he had verbally committed.

Delaware Sharpshooters 16U team goes 2-1 at Pitt Jam Fest – April 23, 2007

The sharpshooters beat JJ Hoops (NJ) 55 – 44 and Blessed IJN (IN) 74 – 72 to win there pool. In the first round of the playoffs they faced Boo Williams (VA) and lost 72 – 68. The leaders for the sharpshooters this weekend were Isaiah Philmore who averaged 24 points and 14 rebounds per contest, and Tyshawn Bell who also averaged double figures for the tournament. In the playoff game Isaiah Philmore had a dominating game finishing with 28 points and 17 rebounds. Others that played well this weekend included Reggie Burly and Trevor Cooney. The Sharpshooters will play in Coaches vs. Cancer event this weekend in Philadelphia, PA.

Playaz 16U team Wins Title at Charlie Weber in the 17U Division – April 23, 2007

Brian Oliver led the team to the title with 20 points and 4 blocks in the championship game. The Playaz defeated the Florida Elite in a close game by 2 points.

Jarrett Mann Impressive at Pitt Jam Fest – April 23, 2007

Jarrett had a very impressive weekend. The Playaz finished in 8th place at Pitt Jam Fest this weekend. Jarrett was watched closely by many coaches this weekend. He has gain some new schools showing interest in Duke, Notre Dame and N.C. State. Stanford head coach Trent Johnson was one of the coaches watching every game Jarrett played in this weekend. It has been know now for awhile that Stanford is very high on the combo guard from Middletown (DE). Virginia Tech is supposed to visit Middletown High today. The recruitment of Mann will just continue to increase in the coming months.

Alex Legion has decided on a school – April 23, 2007

It has been reported by a source close to the situation that Alex will sign with Kentucky on Tuesday. This means that new coach Billy Gillispie has already done what Tubby Smith couldn’t do in his time at Kentucky land a top prospect.

Jordan Brand All-American Game Review – April 23, 2007

This was a great event for the fans to see some of the elite players from around the country. It also was a showcase for local talent that played before the national game. The game also brought out some NBA players to watch the action Rudy Gay, Andre Iguodala, Chris Paul and Charlie Villanueva. Rap artist Fabulous was in attendance to watch the game. In the first game of the night the City Team outlasted the Suburban Team 114 – 112 for the victory. Some of the impressive players in the game included Michael Glover 19 points and 11 rebounds, Matthew Bryan-Amaning 24 points and 10 rebounds and Alex Wangmene 21 points. This game went back and fourth all night and was a nice showcase for these local players. In the night cap the yellow squad defeated the royal squad 127 to 119. The MVPs were Donte Greene for the royal team 20 points and Corey Fisher for the yellow team 12 points and 10 assists. The game had a real nice flow to it with each team making runs at each other. Some of the impressive players were Derrick Rose 12 pts, 10 rebs, 5 ast and 2 stl, Eric Gordon 16 pts, Donte Greene, Corey Fisher, Kyle Singler 17 pts, 6 rebs and 3 stl, Patrick Patterson 12 pts, 12 rebs and 3 blks and Jerryd Bayless 17 pts, 4 rebs and 3 ast. Other player performances from the yellow team, Austin Freeman 16 pts, Jeff Robinson 17 pts, Chris Wright 10 pts and 10 rebs, Blake Griffin 8 pts and 8 rebs, Jai Lucas 9 pts, 4 rebs and 4ast and Gary Johnson 11 pts and 3 rebs. The rest from the royal team, Kosta Koufos 14 pts and 8 rebs, Chris Wright 14 pts and 9 ast, Jeffrey Jordan 9 pts 2 stl, Chandler Parsons 11 pts, 4 rebs and 4 ast, Nick Calathes 9 pts and 5 rebs and Durrell Summers 8 pts and 2 rebs. This brings to close the class of 2007 high school careers in what was a great event for everyone involved. I am looking forward to seeing these players progress in the near future in college. Recruiting notes Jai Lucas said that he could have an announcement on his college plans early next week. Patrick Patterson still looks like he will wait till the end of May to announce any plans on his future. Jeffery Jordan is looking at Valparaiso and Davidson along with some schools in the Big Ten. I will be posting pictures from the game later on this week.

2007 Jordan Brand Region Teams - April 20, 2007

City Team

No. Name Pos. Hgt. Wgt. High School (School Location) College
50 Darion Benbow C 6-9 195 St. Raymond’s High School (Bronx, NY) Lafayette
3 Malik Boothe PG 5-8 160 Christ the King High School (Middle Village, NY) St. John’s
5 Mike Cavataio SG 6-4 190 St. Francis Prep (Fresh Meadows, NY) St. John’s
10 Gerald Colds PG 6-0 160 St. Raymond’s High School (Bronx, NY) Drexel
42 Jabari Edwards C 6-10 200 St. Benedict’s Prep (Newark, NJ) G. Washington
21 Andrew Gabriel PF 6-6 195 Christ the King High School (Middle Village, NY) Undecided
14 Mike Glover SF 6-8 220 American Christian School (Aston, PA) Seton Hall
23 Jamie Harris PG 6-0 165 Wing’s Academy (Bronx, NY) Drexel
1 Nathaniel Lester SF 6-4 185 Canarsie High School (Brooklyn, NY) Hofstra
11 Zamal Nixon SG 6-2 170 Boys & Girls High School (Brooklyn, NY) Undecided
0 Devon Peterson SG 6-2 175 Abraham Lincoln High School (Brooklyn, NY) Hofstra

Head Coach: Oliver Antigua, St. Raymond’s High School (Bronx, NY)
Assistant Coach: Ruth Lovelace, Boys & Girls High School (Brooklyn, NY)

Suburban Team

No. Name Pos. Hgt. Wgt. High School (School Location) College
24 Rashad Bishop SG 6-6 215 St. Benedict’s Prep (Newark, NJ) Cincinnati
11 Matt Bryan-Amaning PF 6-9 235 South Kent Prep (South Kent, CT) Washington
12 TJ Carey SG 6-2 175 St. Dominic High School (Oyster Bay, NY) Harvard
1 Corey Chandler PG 6-2 185 East Side High School (Newark, NJ) Rutgers
21 Mike Coburn PG 6-0 195 Mount Vernon High School (Mount Vernon, NY) Rutgers
3 Rashon Dwight PG 6-3 175 Bloomfield Tech High School (Bloomfield, NJ) Iona
42 Pat Hazel PF 6-7 220 Blair Academy (Blairstown, NJ) Marquette
33 Idris Hilliard SF 6-7 210 The Hun School (Princeton, NJ) St. Joseph’s
15 Corey Raji SF 6-6 205 Westwood High School (Washington Twp., NJ) Boston College
32 Chris Smith SG 6-3 185 St. Benedict’s Prep (Newark, NJ) Undecided
4 Alex Wangmene PF 6-9 230 Blair Academy (Blairstown, NJ) Texas

Head Coach: Phil Colicchio, Linden High School (Linden, NJ)
Assistant Coach: Raphael Chillious, South Kent School (South Kent, CT)
( Teams courtesy of www.JordanBrandAllAmerican.com )

2007 Jordan Brand All-American Game Preview – April 20, 2007

This game brings an end to another high school basketball season with a last look at the class of 2007 till next season in college. The game will take place in the famous Madison Square Garden in New York City on April 21, 2007. There will be two games that night with the first being the Regional Game at 6:30 p.m. followed by the National Game at 9:00 p.m. on Espn 2. This event brings together some of the top players from across the country to perform on a grand stage for the whole nation to see. There was a Dunk and 3 point contest hosted yesterday by Boost Mobile, in the Dunk contest Donte Greene won with two perfect scores and a 49 and in the 3 point contest Nick Calathes outlasted Kyle Singler in double overtime to win the contest. Each year this event continues to grow bigger and bigger, it always draws some star power to the event including in the past L.L. Cool J, Spike Lee, Warren Sapp, T.O., Kanye West, T.I., Floyd Mayweather, Al Harrington and Vince Carter. Some of the top past performers have been LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire, Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, Tyler Hansbrough, Brandan Wright and Thaddeus Young. I have listed the rosters for each team on my news section of the site. I will be covering this event, so look for a review of the game and pictures on the site by Monday.

2007 Kingwood Classic Preview – April 19, 2007

The Kingwood Classic is set to begin this Friday, in Houston, TX. It once again is the largest tournament on the circuit with a record 753 teams in the field this year. The tournament will take place on over 70 different courts across northern section of the city. This is a must-see event on the AAU circuit every year; this tournament is loaded with individual talent and top teams. Some of the top teams this year include defending champion Southern California All-Stars, Pump N’ Run Elite, Meanstreets, Atlanta Celtics, Louisiana Select, Houston Hoops, EBO/EA Sports, Athletes First, Indiana Elite, M33M Magic, King of the Court, Georgia Stars and many other elite squads. Vision Sports and Hal Pastner do a great job putting on a event that is second to none. 

Individual Talent – Class of 2008

Greg Monroe – Louisiana Select
Brandon Jennings – SCA
Troy Guillenwater - SCA
Jrue Holiday – Pump N’ Run
Larry Drew – Pump N’ Run
Delvon Roe – King of the Court
Al-Farouq Aminu – Georgia Stars
Drew Gordon – Oakland Soldiers
Howard Thompkins – Atlanta Celtics
Chris Singleton – Atlanta Celtics
Malcom Lee – Inland Reebok
J’Covan Brown – T-Mac All-Stars
Emmanuel Negedu – Indiana Elite
JaMychael Green – Alabama Challenge
Scotty Hopson – Mid State Ballerz
Willie Warren – Team Texas
Rotnei Clarke – Team Texas

Class of 2009

DeMarcus Cousins – Birmingham Storm
Derrick Favors – Atlanta Celtics
Xavier Henry – Athletes First
Kyle Hardwick – Athletes First
Daniel Orton – Athletes First
Travis Wear – Pump N’ Run
David Wear – Pump N’ Run
Stephan Van Treese – Indiana Elite
Shawn Williams – Team Texas
Jordan Hamilton – Lamar Odom I-Can All-Stars

2007 Pitt Jam Fest Preview – April 19, 2007

This is the second year of this tournament held in Pittsburgh, it kicks off on Friday. The Hoop Group has brought together another talented field for this year’s event, which includes some of the top AAU teams on the east coast. This year the event has had a lot of last minute teams trying to get into the event since the Crab City Classic didn’t get NCAA sanction approved. The event has 96 teams in the tournament that will play on 26 courts around the area. Some of the top teams include Boo Williams, Playaz, Metro Hawks, Southeast Elite, DC Assault, Ohio Basketball Club, Team Final, Juice All-Stars, Team Breakdown and many others.

Individual Talent – Class of 2008

Ed Davis – Boo Williams
Ty Walker – Boo Williams
B.J. Mullens – Ohio Basketball Club
Yancy Gates – Ohio Basketball Club
Samardo Samuels – Metro Hawks
Sylven Landesberg – Metro Hawks
Tyreke Evans – Team Final
Romero Osby – Southeast Elite
Courtney Fortson – Southeast Elite
Terrelle Pryor – Pitt Jots
Darius Miller – D1 Greyhounds
William Buford – D1 Greyhounds
Jarrett Mann – Playaz
Travon Woodall – Playaz
Mike Rosario - Playaz

Class of 2009

Lance Stephenson – Juice All-Stars
Dexter Strickland – Team NJ Elite
Kenny Boynton – Team Breakdown
Isaiah Philmore – Delaware Sharpshooters

Drew Gordon – Archbishop Mitty (CA), 6’8 (PF) - April 19, 2007

He visited Arizona this weekend and came away very happy. He said the visit went well and has named them in his top 5 list of schools UNC, Duke, Arizona, UCLA and Washington.

2007 EA Sports All American Teams – April 19, 2007

EA Sports POY – O.J. Mayo – Huntington (WV), 6’5 (SG)
EA Sports POY JR. – Delvon Roe – St. Edward (OH), 6’8 (PF)
EA Sports POY SOPH. – Lance Stephenson – Lincoln (NY), 6’5 (SG)
EA Sports POY FRESH. – Brandon Knight – Pine Crest (FL), 6’3 (PG)

First Team

Jerryd Bayless – St. Mary’s (AZ), 6’3 (SG)
Nick Calathes – Lake Howell (FL), 6’5 (PG)
John Deibler – Upper (OH), 6’7 (SF)
Corey Fisher – St. Patrick (NJ), 6’1 (PG)
Johnny Flynn – Niagara Falls (NY), 5’11 (PG)
Austin Freeman – DeMatha (MD), 6’4 (SG)
Eric Gordon – North Central (IN), 6’4 (SG)
Blake Griffin – Oklahoma Christian (OK), 6’9 (PF)
James Harden – Artesia (CA), 6’5 (SG)
J.J. Hickson – Wheeler (GA), 6’8 (PF)
Taylor King – Mater Dei (CA), 6’8 (SF)
Gani Lawal – Norcross (GA), 6’8 (PF)
Kevin Love – Lake Oswego (OR), 6’10 (C)
Patrick Patterson – Huntington (WV), 6’8 (PF)
Derrick Rose – Simeon (IL), 6’3 (PG)
Kyle Singler – South Medford (OR), 6’9 (SF)
Nolan Smith – Oak Hill Academy (VA), 6’3 (SG)
Corey Stokes – St. Benedict’s (NJ), 6’5 (SG)
Chris Wright – St. John’s (MD), 6’1 (PG)

Second Team

Cole Aldrich – Bloomington (MN), 6’11 (C)
Chris Allen – Meadowcreek (GA), 6’3 (SG)
James Anderson – Junction (OK), 6’7 (SF)
DeJuan Blair – Schenley (PA), 6’7 (PF)
Kenny Boynton – Ely (FL), 6’2 (SG) – Soph.
Ed Davis – Benedictine (VA), 6’8 (PF) – JR.
Malcom Delaney – Towson Catholic (MD), 6’3 (SG)
Drew Gordon – Archbishop Mitty (CA), 6’8 (PF) – JR.
Donte Greene – Towson Catholic (MD), 6’10 (PF)
Corperryale Harris – Redford (MI), 6’5 (SG)
Senario Hillman – Wilkinson County (GA), 6’3 (SG)
Jrue Holiday – Campbell Hall (CA), 6’3 (SG) – JR.
Brandon Jennings – Oak Hill Academy (VA), 6’1 (PG) – JR.
Gary Johnson – Aldine (TX), 6’7 (SF)
Jeff Jones – Monsignor Bonner (PA), 6’4 (SG)
DeAndre Jordan – Christian Life (TX), 6’11 (C)
Harper Kamp – Mt. View (AZ), 6’7 (PF)
Kosta Koufos – GlenOak (OH), 7’0 (C)
Greg Monroe – Helen Cox (LA), 6’10 (PF) – JR.
E’ Twaun Moore – Central (IN), 6’3 (SG)
Herb Pope – Aliquippa (PA), 6’8 (PF)
Anthony Randolph – Wilson Woodrow (TX), 6’10 (PF)
Delvon Roe – St. Edward (OH), 6’8 (PF) – JR.
Renardo Sidney – Artesia (CA), 6’10 (PF) – Soph.
Tyrone Shelley – Crawford (CA), 6’8 (PF)
Chace Stanback – Fairfax (CA), 6’8 (SF)
Lance Stephenson – Lincoln (NY), 6’5 (SG) – Soph.
Durrell Summers – Covenant (MI), 6’5 (SG)
Darquavis Tucker – Arthur Hill (MI), 6’5 (SG)
Bradley Wanamaker – Roman Catholic (PA), 6’4 (SG)

Alex Legion – Oak Hill Academy (VA), 6’5 (SF) – April 19, 2007

He said that his lists of schools that have shown interest are Kansas, Kentucky, UConn and Michigan. The plan is to visit these schools to see where he would fit into there plans of the future.

JORDAN BRAND ALL AMERICAN TEAMS - April 19, 2007

Madison Square Garden • New York City • April 21, 2007

2007 Jordan Brand All-American Team

Yellow Jerseys (Away)

No. Name Pos. Hgt. Wgt. High School (School Location) College
1 Derrick Rose PG 6-3 194 Simeon High School (Chicago, IL) Memphis
11 Corey Fisher PG 6-0 175 St. Patrick’s High School (Elizabeth, NJ) Villanova
6 Jai Lucas PG 5-10 160 Bellaire High School (Houston, TX) Undecided
23 Eric Gordon WG 6-4 204 North Central High School (Indianapolis, IN) Indiana
5 Austin Freeman WG 6-4 185 DeMatha Catholic High School (Hyattsville, MD) Georgetown
33 Kyle Singler WF 6-8 210 South Medford High School (Medford, OR) Duke
34 Chris Wright WF 6-7 202 Trotwood-Madison High School (Trotwood, OH) Dayton
15 Blake Griffin C 6-9 230 Oklahoma Christian School (Edmond, OK) Oklahoma
2 Gary Johnson PF 6-7 220 Aldine High School (Houston, TX) Texas
41 DeAndre Jordan C 7-0 240 Christian Life Center (Houston, TX) Texas A&M
32 Jeff Robinson SF 6-5 195 St. Patrick’s High School (Elizabeth, NJ) Memphis

Head Coach: Kevin Boyle, St. Patrick High School (Elizabeth, NJ)
Assistant Coach: Dennis Murphy, South Medford High School (South Medford, OR)
Assistant Coach: Rob Smith, Simeon Vocational (Chicago, IL)

Royal Jerseys (Home)

No. Name Pos. Hgt. Wgt. High School (School Location) College
32 Jerryd Bayless WG 6-3 193 St. Mary’s High School (Phoenix, AZ) Arizona
33 Nick Calathes WG 6-5 195 Lake Howell High School (Winter Park, FL) Florida
20 Donte Greene PF 6-9 217 Towson Catholic High School (Towson, MD) Syracuse
9 Jeffrey Jordan PG 6-0 165 Loyola Academy (Wilmette, IL) Undecided
31 Kosta Koufos C 7-0 252 Glen Oak High School (Canton, OH) Ohio State
1 Kalin Lucas PG 6-0 165 St. Mary’s Prep (Orchard Lake, MI) Michigan St.
23 O.J. Mayo** PG 6-5 215 Huntington High School (Huntington, WV) Southern Cal
25 Chandler Parsons WF 6-8 190 Lake Howell High School (Winter Park, FL) Florida
54 Patrick Patterson PF 6-8 228 Huntington High School (Huntington, WV) Undecided
15 Durrell Summers WF 6-6 195 Covenant High School (Redford, MI) Michigan St.
3 Chris Wright PG 6-0 190 St. John’s College Prep (Washington, DC) Georgetown
** Selected for the Jordan Brand All-American Team, but unable to participate in the game

Head Coach: Steve Smith, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, VA)
Assistant Coach: Norm Persin, Oak Hill High School (Oak Hill, OH)
Assistant Coach: Willie West, Crenshaw High School (Los Angeles, CA)
( Teams courtesy of www.JordanBrandAllAmerican.com)

USA Today’s All-USA Team – April 19, 2007

First Team

Kevin Love – Lake Oswego (OR), 6’10 (C)
O.J. Mayo – Huntington (WV), 6’5 (SG)
Eric Gordon – North Central (IN), 6’4 (SG)
Kyle Singler – South Medford (OR), 6’9 (SF)
Derrick Rose – Simeon (IL), 6’3 (PG)

Second Team

Michael Beasley – Notre Dame Prep (MA), 6’9 (PF)
Donte Greene – Towson Catholic (MD), 6’10 (SF)
Patrick Patterson – Huntington (WV), 6’8 (PF)
Jerryd Bayless – St. Mary’s (AZ), 6’3 (SG)
Kosta Koufas – GlenOak (OH), 7’0 (C)

Third Team

Anthony Randolph – Wilson Woodrow (TX), 6’10 (PF)
Nolan Smith – Oak Hill Academy (VA), 6’3 (SG)
Corey Fisher – St. Patrick (NJ), 6’0 (PG)
Nick Calathes – Lake Howell (FL), 6’5 (PG)
Austin Freeman – Dematha Catholic (MD), 6’4 (SG)

Alex Legion – Oak Hill Academy (VA), 6’5 (SF) – April 16, 2007

He has been released from his letter of intent to U of Michigan. This lets him re-open his recruitment and makes him one of the biggest prospects still available.

Kris Joseph – Archbishop Carroll (DC), 6’7 (SF) – April 16, 2007

He has ended his recruitment and will play in the Big East at Syracuse. He said that Syracuse was his dream school, so when they offered it was a done deal.

Adidas Kentucky Derby Festival Classic – April 16, 2007

The black squad defeated the gold squad 140 to 117. This event was a chance for some of the elite players in the class to face off against each other in another all star game. This was also a chance for some local school’s recruits to show off for the fans of Kentucky and Louisville. Michael Beasley showed once again why he is considered the most dominating player in the class of 2007. He returned to the state of Kentucky, where he earned the MVP at the McDonald’s All American game a couple of weeks earlier. He got another MVP award in Kentucky in this event finishing the game with 23 points, 16 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 blocks for the black team. The gold team MVP went to DeAndre Jordan who received one of the biggest cheers from the crowd in player announcements. He had been rumored to possible be following Coach Billy Gillispie to Kentucky. He has announced that he will honor his commitment to Texas A&M. He totaled 18 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks. Some other players who really played well were Nolan Smith with 18 points, Senario Hillman with 17 points and Anthony Randolph with 21 points.

Ed Davis – Benedictine (VA), 6’8 (PF) - April 16, 2007

He has received a scholarship offer from the University of North Carolina.

Yancy Gates – Withrow (OH), 6’8 (PF) - April 15, 2007

He will announce his college destination tomorrow according to his AAU club, the Cleveland Basketball Club. It has been confirmed he will choose Cincinnati over Georgetown, Indiana and Florida.

University of Southern California lands 3 players – April 15, 2007

Tim Floyd received verbal commitments from three players from the class of 2008. The players were Angelo Johnson – Stoneridge Prep (CA), Demar DeRozan – Compton (CA) and Romeo Miller – Beverly Hills (CA). These commitments come right after Brandon Jennings; the number one point guard in the class of 2008 re-opened his recruitment after verbally committing to USC.

Herb Pope – Aliquippa (PA), 6’8 (SF) – April 13, 2007

He has been released from the hospital after having two surgeries, one was to reconstruct his wrist.

Delvon Roe – St. Edward (OH), 6’7 (PF) – April 13, 2007

He had been rumored to be a lock for UNC, but it looks like he changed his mind and will attend Michigan State. He has set up a press conference to announce his decision on Tuesday.

Al-Farouq Aminu – Norcross (GA), 6’8 (SF) – April 13, 2007

It has been confirmed that he has received a scholarship offer from the University of North Carolina. Other schools on his list include Georgia Tech, Georgia, UConn and Florida.

Vision Sports – Las Vegas Easter Classic – April 9, 2007

List of Champions

17 Under – Platinum Division Champion
SoCal All-Stars defeated Branch West Team Reebok

Gold Division Champion
Team Jones defeated Bay Area Hoosiers Seniors

Silver Division Champion
Branch West Red Seniors defeated Impact Basketball

Bronze Division Champion
Chinese Chickens defeated Southwest Rebels Elite

16 Under – Platinum Division Champion
Net Gain Sports defeated SF Rebels

Gold Division Champion
Team Jones defeated Sacramento Raiders

15 Under – Platinum Division Champion
Houston Hoops defeated Compton Magic

Gold Division Champion
Quick Shot 14s defeated Utes

Mike Rosario - (SG), St. Anthony (NJ) Class of 2008 - April 9, 2007

He has verbally committed to Rutgers. 

Delaware Sharpshooters at Boo Williams Invitational – April 9, 2007

The Sharpshooters 16U team went 2-1. They were in a three way tie in there pool which they ended up losing by two points to a team they had beat. They showed this weekend they are capable of playing with the elite programs in the country. The two wins came against Illinois Rising Stars 78 to 71 (Marcus Jordan team) and Birmingham Storm by 13 points. In the second victory they held top 5 prospect DeMarcus Cousins from the class of 2009 to just 8 points. This was a good event for the Sharpshooters to measure themselves against top competition and to help them get ready for the rest of the summer circuit.

The Sharpshooters 15U team went 0-3. They showed a lot of fight not backing down at all from some tough teams. They lost to the Metro Hawks by 12, The Family by 7 and Birmingham Storm by 10. This team really hasn’t had a chance to gel yet, they came to this event without even having a practice yet. They put on a nice showing hanging right there with some elite teams. The main thing this squad is missing is size if they could get a couple of big bodies it would really help. The bright spot of the weekend for this team was the play of Trevor Cooney an 8th grade star. He had a great weekend averaging around 22 ppg. He put up 28 points on The Family squad.

Brandon Jennings – 6’1 (PG) – Oak Hill Academy (VA) - April 9, 2007

This weekend Brandon announced he is re-opening his recruiting backing off of his verbal commitment to Southern California. Brandon is the # 1 (PG) in the class of 2008, before he verbally committed to Southern California he was being heavily recruited by UCONN and Arizona and some others. He said he is why open but those to school’s are near the top of his list.

Boo Williams: Day Three - April 9, 2007

Boo Williams squad won their 8th straight title at the Boo Williams Event for the 17U group. They beat the Mean Street Express on a last second basket from standout Ed Davis. He had an outstanding weekend and showed why he is an elite player in the class of 2008. In the title game he finished with 12 points, 8 rebounds, 5 blocks and 3 assists. He had a lot of help in the championship game from his teammates stepping up big in the clutch. In an earlier game Ed Davis faced off against the number 1 player in the class of 2008, Greg Monroe from Louisiana Select. This was the biggest individual match up of the weekend and it lived up to the hype. Each player totaled 21 points in the game. Davis totaled his on 10-13 FG and added 6 rebounds. Monroe was 9-21 FG and added 12 rebounds. Ed Davis and his Boo Williams teammates prevailed in the end to move on in the tournament. Greg Monroe had a bunch of different guys defending him and it looked like it had some effect on him. These to players are both outstanding prospects and impact players at the college level when they arrive on campus.

BABC team defeated Playaz Basketball Club in the 16U title game 64 to 58. BABC had a balanced attack in the title game getting key performances from Alex Oriakhi, Jamal Coombs, Daryl Bishop and Ron Giplaye. The UConn commits Oriakhi and Coombs combined for 21 points in the game. In the loss the Playaz Basketball Club had the best player on the floor that day in Dominic Cheeks who totaled 21 points looked in control the whole game. Another prospect that showed a nice game in the title game was Brian Oliver a 6’6 wing that contributed 11 points and 7 rebounds. He is an athletic wing that has a nice outside game with a lot of confidence.

Boo Williams All-Tournament Team

Ed Davis – Boo Williams, MVP
Reggie Johnson – Boo Williams
Matthew Humphrey – Mean Streets Express
Michael Dunningan – Mean Streets Express
Dexter Strickland – Metro Hawks
Samardo Samuels – Metro Hawks
Sean Mosley – Team Melo
Xavier Henry – Athletes First
Greg Monroe – Louisiana Select
Draymond Green – The Family
Delvon Roe – King of the Court 

2007 PARADE Magazine All Americans - April 9, 2007

FIRST TEAM
Kevin Love - Lake Oswego, Ore. 6’10” - UCLA
O.J. Mayo - Huntington, W.Va. 6’5” - Southern Cal
Kyle Singler - South Medford, Ore. 6’9” - Duke
Eric Gordon - North Central, Ind. 6’4” - Indiana
Derrick Rose - Simeon Career Academy, Ill. 6’3” - Memphis
Austin Freeman - DeMatha Catholic, Md. 6’5” - Georgetown
Donte Greene - Towson Catholic, Md. 6’10” - Syracuse
Nolan Smith - Oak Hill Academy, Va. 6’3” - Duke
Nick Calathes - Lake Howell, Fla. 6’5” - Univ. Florida
Jerryd Bayless - St. Mary’s, Ariz. 6’4” - Univ. Arizona

SECOND TEAM
Patrick Patterson - Huntington, W.Va. 6’8” – Undecided
Corey Stokes - St. Benedict’s Prep, N.J. 6’6” - Villanova
Gani Lawal - Norcross, Ga. 6’9” - Georgia Tech
Jonny Flynn - Niagara Falls, N.Y. 6’0” - Syracuse
Cole Aldrich - Jefferson, Minn. 6’11” - Kansas
J.J. Hickson - Wheeler, Ga. 6’9” - NC State
Jai Lucas - Bellaire, Tex. 5’10” - Undecided
Chris Wright - St. John’s College, D.C. 6’1” - Georgetown
Taylor King - Mater Dei, Calif. 6’8” - Duke
James Harden - Artesia, Calif. 6’5” - Arizona State

THIRD TEAM
Kosta Koufos - GlenOak, Ohio 7’2” - Ohio State
Blake Griffin - Oklahoma Christian, Okla. 6’9” - Univ. Okla
Greg Monroe - Helen Cox, La.6’10” - Junior
James Anderson - Junction City, Ark. 6’7” - Okla. State
Gary Johnson - Aldine, Tex. 6’7” - Texas
E’Twaun Moore - Central East, Ind. 6’3” - Purdue
DeAndre Jordan - Christian Life Center Academy, Tex. 6’11” - Texas A&M
DarQuavis L. Tucker - Arthur Hill, Mich. 6’5” - DePaul
Brandon Jennings - Oak Hill Academy, Va. 6’2” - Junior
Jrue Holiday - Campbell Hall N., Calif. 6’4” - Junior

FOURTH TEAM
Alex Legion - Oak Hill Academy, Va. 6’4” - Michigan
Senario Hillman - Wilkinson County, Ga. 6’2” - Alabama
Corey Fisher - St. Patrick, N.J. 6’1” - Villanova
Tyreke Evans - American Christian, Pa 6’6” - Junior
Rick Jackson - Neumann-Goretti, Pa. 6’9” - Syracuse
Delvon Roe - St. Edward, Ohio 6’8” - Junior
Durrell Summers - Covenant, Mich. 6’5” - Michigan State
Herb Pope - Aliquippa, Pa. 6’9” - New Mexico State
Anthony Randolph - Woodrow Wilson, Tex. 6’10” - LSU
Jon Diebler - Upper Sandusky, Ohio 6’7” - Ohio State

Vision Sports Las Vegas Easter Classic – April 9, 2007

SoCal All-Stars vs. Team Texas

This game was one of the biggest match ups of the weekend in Las Vegas. Each of these teams has a number of elite players on their rosters. SoCal All-Stars are led by Brandon Jennings (USC), he is the # 1 point guard in the class of 2008. Malik Story (USC), a deadly shooter from deep his range is endless. Other key players for them are Dememtrius Walker and Troy Gillenwater (OKS). The standouts on Team Texas are Willie Warren and Rotnei Clarke. Another key player is class of 2010 point guard K.C. Ross-Miller. The game wasn’t very close at all from the start with Team Texas coming out and taking it to SoCal All-Stars. They dominated the first half of the game in every aspect. Willie Warren led the attack with 15 points in the half helping his team to a 20 point half time lead. Brandon Jennings really had a bad first half; he didn’t show why he is the top point guard in the class of 2008. He finished the half with only 7 points. He is know for being able to get everyone involved in the offense and attacking the basket, he didn’t do either in the first half. Troy Gillenwater led SoCal All-Stars with 9 points in the half. At the beginning of the second half Team Texas came out and buried a 3 point basket. Then it seemed like a light went on in Brandon Jennings head that said it’s time to take over the game. He started to dominate the game on both ends of the floor helping his team get back into the game after being down by 23 points. He continued to take the ball to the whole time and time again. The SoCal All-Stars cut the lead to 9 points mid-way through the second half. In the end Team Texas won the game 85 to 78. The standouts for Team Texas were Willie Warren who had 29 points and Rotnei Clarke who finished with 24 points. For the SoCal All-Stars Brandon Jennings came back to finish with 30 points and Troy Gillenwater totaled 24 points. This loss was the first one for SoCal All-Stars who finished last years AAU circuit with a perfect record of 41-0 and had maybe one of the greatest AAU teams ever assembled.

Boo Williams: Day Two – April 9, 2007

The big men dominated on day two at Boo Williams. Some of the players who had good performances on Saturday were Ed Davis, JaMychal Green, Greg Monroe, Samardo Samuels and Kyle Hardrick.

Ed Davis – took his game to another level against a big front line from Alabama Challenge on Saturday. He made everything he did on the court look so easy connecting on his first six shot attempts in the first half. He was able to dominate the paint with his dominant left hand finishing the day with 16 points and 7 rebounds. On his recruiting news, Davis said Virginia and UConn are at the top of his list right now with many others not to far behind.

JaMychal Green – stepped up to the challenge in Hampton, VA against other elite big men. In the loss to Boo Williams squad he seemed to struggle against 7 footer Ty Walker on the offensive end, even though he wasn’t scoring he contributed by crashing the boards harder then anyone else on the floor collecting 12 rebounds. In his game against Athletes First, he showed his entire all around game having an impact on both ends of the floor. Overall he was one of the most physical players in the tournament this weekend. He really did a lot this weekend to cement himself as an elite big man. He said his recruiting has picked up lately with Alabama, Auburn, GT, Florida and Virginia.

Samardo Samuels – continues to be a force on the inside with another great performance before getting leg cramps against Team Melo. In the first he led the Metro Hawks with 22 points and 8 rebounds in only a half of play. He was unable to go in the playoff round against The Family and his Metro Hawks lost. He is listing UNC, Georgetown and Florida high on his list of schools right now.

Greg Monroe – has played absolutely great this weekend at Boo Williams. It continued on Saturday when his Louisiana Select squad defeated Team Florida. He dominated the inside play against Team Florida didn’t have any answer for him in his 22 point effort. He again played out on the wing some but today instead of shooting the jumper, he continued time and time again to get Team Florida players off there feet and drove past them.

Other highlight players on Saturday:

Matt Gatens – is a very solid player who has really opened some people’s eyes this weekend at Boo Williams. He will have an impact from the start when he arrives at Iowa, since his basketball IQ is so high. He is a hard working player who plays with toughness and a competitive fire.

Dexter Strickland – really stepped up for the Metro Hawks when Samuels went down due to injury. He is able to do so much on the court for his team, whatever you need from him he can do. He is mature beyond his years on the court something you don’t usually see from a player his age. He is a very special talent who I believe will really blossom next year at St. Patrick (NJ). He is one of the truly elite players in the class of 2009.

Tyreke Evans – bounced back from some so-so performances earlier in the weekend. To show that he is still the elite player that everyone knows he is with a great performance in a come-back victory. In the win he totaled 24 points on 9-17 FG, 6 rebounds, 5 steals, 4 assists and 3 blocks.

Sean Mosely – out of Baltimore has stepped into the leader role with Team Melo nicely this weekend. He had a great game against the Metro Hawks, finishing with 18 points on an array of shots. He listed Maryland, FSU, Clemson, Syracuse, Virginia and Virginia Tech on his short list of schools.

Sylven Landesberg – has been described by many as a smooth player. He showed why against Team Melo in the first half not missing a FG and scoring 13 points. In the second half he disappeared only taking two shots and not scoring. It is evident that the kid knows how to score though. He listed Kentucky, Texas, Florida, Virginia, GT and St. John’s as schools he is hearing from the most.

Kendall Marshall – is a 6’2 point guard who plays for the elite Boo Williams squad for whom he runs the show on the court. Boo Williams said “Kendall Marshall will be the best point guard in the country in two years.’’ He has showed great confidence well playing with this group of older players. He had a great game against Alabama Challenge squad finishing with 10 points on 4-6 FG and 6 assists. He didn’t force anything just played within him. He is going to be a player to watch for in the upcoming years.

The Athletes First have a super trio of the class of 2009 in Xavier Henry, Kyle Hardrick and Daniel Orton on there team.

Xavier Henry – is a 6’6 shooting guard who could be the best shooter in the class of 2009. He makes the game look so easy and possesses tremendous confidence in his skills. He has the total package to become an elite scorer in college. The list of schools for his services is down to three Kansas, UNC and Memphis all of which jumped on this prospect early.

Kyle Hardrick – is an early commit to Oklahoma. He has been very impressive this weekend, so far with dominating performances against Martin Brothers 14 points and 14 rebounds. Also against the Alabama Challenge he totaled 18 points and did a nice job on the boards.

Daniel Orton – is only 15 years old but isn’t afraid to throw his big body around against these older players. He isn’t as skilled yet as his elite teammates but is really close behind. He is learning a lot playing with those to guys.

Nike Hoop Summit Review – April 8, 2007

This game gave fans a chance to see some of the future stars of tomorrow on display. The U.S.A. has dominated the past games the last victory for the World team came in 1998. This year was nothing different with the U.S.A. getting out and running from the start they took this game over with their defense. The U.S.A. dominated the boards on both ends of the floor. At the beginning of the game you could tell that defensive pressure was the key for them to blow the game out. It was a balanced attack for the U.S.A. team with everyone scoring and contributing with equally time. The World team just seemed to really have a problem with physical play and pressure but they fought back in the second half to cut the lead in half. In the end the U.S.A. defeated the World squad 100 to 80. Here is the stats and player review for the game.

Player Stats:

U.S.A. Team

Kyle Singler - 8 points and 5 rebounds
Kevin Love – 13 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks and 1 steal
Michael Beasley – 8 points, 9 rebounds and 2 blocks
Derrick Rose – 8 points, 5 rebounds, 4 steals and 3 assists
O.J. Mayo – 20 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds and 2 steals
Johnny Flynn – 2 points, 10 assists and 3 steals
Jerryd Bayless – 15 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assists
Nolan Smith – 4 points, 4 rebounds and 2 steals
Donte Greene – 10 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assists and 1 block
Patrick Patterson – 12 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assists, 1 block and 1 steal

World Team

Nicolas Batum – 23 points, 4 rebounds, 4 steals and 1 assists
Omri Casspi – 14 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 block
Nemanja Aleksandrov – 14 points, 14 rebounds and 2 steals

Boo Williams: Day One – April 7, 2007

This event is one of the premiere events on the AAU circuit; it kicks off the season every year in Virginia. The event draws the top Nike sponsored teams with other elite level teams each year. This year is no different with six of the top 10 players in the class of 2008 in attendance. Some of the big name prospects faced off on opening night with Tyreke Evans from Team Final vs. Delvon Roe from King of the Court team. Tyreke Evans is number two in 2008 and Delvon Roe is number six in 2008. In there game King of the Court just had too much size for Team Final. In the end they defeated them 82 to 60. The two standouts each had good games. Tyreke finished with 24 points which isn’t a surprise since he has always been a pure scorer but he sometimes makes plays on himself more difficult then need be. Tyreke also had the highlight of the game when he dunked on 6’7 Damian Eargle in the open court. Delvon Roe finished with 18 points in the game despite his foul trouble. He showed the ability to convert on the inside almost without any problem. Delvon said he will announce his college decision on Thursday at his high school, he is choosing between Michigan State and UNC. In the second set of big time prospects games the number one player in 2008, Greg Monroe was on display as his Louisiana Select team defeated South Carolina Ravens 82 to 78 in OT. In the game Greg looked a little out of it at the beginning but turned it up in the clutch moments of OT. He was an absolute monster on the boards and showed how dominating he can be on the inside. He seemed to try and float on the outside a little too much during the game. After his game the number four prospect Al-Farouq Aminu played, his Georgia Stars team fell to the Mean Streets Express squad. Aminu didn’t have a good showing at all; he was never really able to get anything going offensively and really was a non factor in the game besides on the boards.

2007 Roundball Classic Review – April 7, 2007

On Tuesday night the West team defeated the East team 144 to 123. This game had some special performances from top talent. Oj Mayo really bounced back from his poor showing at McDonald’s All American game to prove his ability of being an elite player. He had an outstanding game finishing with 27 points, 6 assists and 3 rebounds this performance earned him MVP honors for the East team. The other standout MVP performers came from the West team who had three players earn the award. Kevin Love continued his steady performances with a dominating game on the inside. He finished with 21 points, 16 rebounds and 6 blocks and showed everyone that he will be a force in college next year. Corey Fisher showed why he is one of the best guards in the country and should have been in the McDonald’s All American game. He was able to get everyone involved with his great floor vision and basketball IQ. Corey had 13 points, 16 assists, 3 steals and 3 rebounds in just 26 minutes. The last MVP for the West team was J.J. Hickson who has really stepped his game up on the All American game circuit. He continued he great play in the Roundball Classic with 24 points and 8 rebounds. He has really taken his game to a whole new level since last summer; Hickson will be an impact player next year at N.C. State. Other key players at Roundball Classic were Anthony Randolph who had 21 points, 5 rebounds and 3 blocks, Johnny Flynn finished with 8 points, 13 assists and 5 rebounds, Nyal Koshwal totaled 19 points and 5 rebounds and James Harden quietly had 16 points and 6 assists.

O.J. Mayo, Huntington (WV) - April 2, 2007

O.J. Mayo has decided to attend the Roundball Classic on April 3 in Chicago, IL instead of playing in the Jordan Brand All American game on April 21 in New York, NY.

Star Basketball Player Herb Pope Seriously Injured in Shooting Incident - April 1, 2007

On Saturday morning Herb was shot four times after attending a party. The shooting happened around 3 a.m. his injures are not life threatening. The shooter is unknown; this incident happened just hours before Herb was suppose to leave for the Roundball Classic in Chicago, IL.

The Inaugural Adidas Nations Workout – April 1, 2007

The Adidas workout was a camp for 23 of the best players from the classes of 2008 and 2009 to polish there skills. In this camp the players were taught the fundamentals by an excellent staff, the camp was about skill learning more than just playing ball. This camp was really refreshing to see basketball played but elite players the right way.The next Adidas workout camp will be on May 4, when the players travel to San Francisco, where they will work out at the EA Sports complex. Then, in June, the teams will take part in the Rose City Challenge in Portland on the 15th. The 2008 team will play the 2009 team in the event. In August, the teams will be in New Orleans where they will play teams from Latin America, Asia and Europe from the 3rd to the 7th. Some of the players that adapted to this form of camp the best were, Jrue Holiday, Larry Drew, Travis Releford, B.J. Mullens, Chris Singleton and Korie Lucious in the class of 2008. In the class of 2009 standouts were Derrick Favors, Dexter Strickland, Lance Stephenson, Noel Johnson and G.J. Vilarino.

Reebok Delaware Sharpshooters 15 under & 17 under team profiles - March 31, 2007

The sharpshooters also have a standout on there 15 under team in Trevor Cooney. He is a 6’2 (G) from the class of 2011. This year he was a starter on varsity at Sanford (DE), he is a top 40 player in his class. He has an outstanding shooting ability and a high basketball IQ. This summer he will play part time for the sharpshooters. The upside on this kid is very high if he continues to work on his skills. Other key players for this squad are Jeff Boyd 5’7 freshmen (PG) at A.I. Dupont (DE) who is a skilled guard with a lot of potential, Marques Jones 5’8 freshmen (PG) at Milford (DE) who is a big time scorer, Anthony Miles 6’3 freshmen (SG) at Polytech (DE) who has a deadly jumper and Dominic Wright 6’3 freshmen (SG) at Elkton Christian (MD) a very athletic wing who can finish in the open floor with flash. This will be the first year the Delaware Sharpshooters run a 15 under team and the schedule is very competitive.

The sharpshooters 17 under team are a solid squad that can put points up but lacks size on the inside. The squad has a couple of potential mid-major Div I prospects who will be key players for the team. They are AJ Spencer a 6’2 (G) who is headed off to prep school, Charles Fontaine a 6’4 junior (G) Mardela (MD) he is a big time scorer, Kory Bell a 6’6 junior (PF) Sussex Tech (DE) who is the best post man in DE right now and made Honorable mention all state. He may attend prep school. The last prospect is Kyan Andrews a 6’4 junior (PF/SF) who is transferring to Woodbridge (DE). He needs to develop his skills to become a mid-major recruit but he is a good rebounder. Kyan Andrews is still enrolled at Seaford High, the transfer isn't final yet.

Adidas Playaz AAU Team in New Jersey - March 30, 2007

The Playaz have 2 of the best players in Delaware playing for their AAU teams again this year. Jarrett Mann a 6’4 (SG) from Middletown (DE) and Brian Oliver a 6’6(SF) from William Penn (DE). Each of these players is a high major prospect. Jarrett Mann is a smooth combo guard from the class of 2008; he has the ability to get his own shot and is also one of those guys that make everyone around him better. He has a strong mid-range game, also can step outside and knock down the 3. He earned 1st team all state honors in DE this year after averaging 21.5ppg, 9.4rpg and 8apg. Jarrett is a top10 shooting guard in the country and is also an excellent student. He will be able to play either guard position in college. He had an excellent summer last year on the circuit his play really made a name for himself on the national level. I expect he will have another outstanding summer. Brian Oliver is a very athletic wing in the class of 2009; he is a great outside shooter with the ability to hit consistently from 21 feet. He is able to defend both small and big depending on the situation, also he can play facing up or with his back to the basket equally. The main point of his game that he is working on the most right now is his handle. He earned 3rd team all state honors in DE this year after averaging 16ppg, 7rpg, 3bpg, 2.5spg and 2apg. Brian said that he is hearing from schools in the Big10, Big12, ACC, Big East and SEC so far. This summer will definitely give him a chance to gain even more exposure on the national level and continue to improve his already advanced game. The Playaz once again will be one of the top AAU programs on the circuit and play a top level schedule across the country.

Reebok Delaware Sharpshooters AAU – 16 Under team profile - March 30, 2007

The Delaware Sharpshooters have a very talented 16 under team this year. They have a roster loaded with talented kids from the eastern shore. The roster has 3 high major prospects on it Tyshawn Bell a 6’7 sophomore (WF) from Caesar Rodney (DE), Isaiah Philmore a 6’7 sophomore (WF/PF) from John Carroll (MD) and Erique Gumbs a 6’8 sophomore (PF/C) from Caravel (DE). Tyshawn Bell is a very skilled combo forward that is solid on the boards and has a great jumper from the outside and has a strong mid-range game. He was a top 10 player last summer at Reebok Camp next. The main thing with him is he needs time in the weight room to put muscle on his frame. Isaiah Philmore is an exceptional athlete and has a motor that doesn’t stop on the court. He has range out to 20 feet on his jumper and can handle the rock in the open floor to make plays. The same as Bell his main thing is getting stronger and tougher on the inside. This season he was named All Baltimore MIAA conference, All Baltimore Met Team and also earned All Tournament Team at Chick Fil-A Classic, Benedictine Christmas Classic and Montverde Tournament. He also attended Reebok Camp next last summer where he was top 5 player. Erique Gumbs is the best kept secret in Delaware right now he is very light on his feet and his body is still developing, his doctors have projected him to be 7’1. He can shoot it out to around 17 feet and has a great upside. Other key players for the 16 under team are Reggie Burley a 5’8 sophomore (G) Howard HS (DE), Davon Gale a 6’1 sophomore (G) Wicomico HS (MD), Darryle Dennis a 6’0 sophomore (G) Pocomoke HS (MD), Dockery Walker a 6’6 sophomore (WF) Polytech HS (DE) and Denzell Timmons a 6’6 sophomore (PF) Pocomoke HS (MD). The 16 under team has a very competitive schedule this summer going to major events Boo Williams, Bob Gibbons TOC and Reebok Summer Championship.

Corey Fisher, St. Patrick (NJ) - March 29, 2007

The super senior has been named to the 1st team all state along with winning POY honors in NJ. In his senior campaign he averaged 22 ppg, 5.5 apg and 2.5 spg. He had a tremendous career at St. Patrick (NJ) and will be taking his game to Villanova next year.

Dexter Strickland, St. Patrick (NJ) – Class of 2009 - March 29, 2007

The standout sophomore has been invited to attend the Steve Nash Point Guard Academy near the end of June. This will be the first year that Nike will hold individual skills camps instead of there traditional All American camp. Along with Steve Nash camp there will be a Kobe Bryant, Vince Carter and Amare Stoudemire camp, and then the best from each camp will be invited to Lebron James U.S. Skills Camp in July.

2007 McDonald’s Game Review - March 28, 2007

The McDonald’s All American game was played tonight in Louisville, KY. This game is the main all star game for high school seniors, it attracts the top talent from across the country. The unique thing with this all star game is that it’s not all about the basketball, during the week the players visit the local Ronald McDonald’s house to visit with the kids. The game was very competitive from start to finish with the West team squeaking out a 114 to 112 victory. The MVP award went to Michael Beasley of the West team. The players that really stood out were Michael Beasley who is headed to Kansas State and Kevin Love who is off to UCLA they both were on the West team. Michael Beasley had 23 points and 11 rebounds, Kevin Love totaled 13 points and 6 rebounds. The standouts for the East team were Gani Lawal headed to Georgia Tech and Nick Calathes going to Florida. Gani Lawal had a double-double 12 points and 12 rebounds, Nick Calathes totaled 13 points and 6 assists. The game came down to the wire with standout senior O. J. Mayo attempting the game winning 3 pointer and missing. He had an off night and was pressured on every shot attempt finishing with 12 points on 4-of-17 shooting. It was a great game for the fans to watch everyone played within the flow of the game no one was playing for themselves. The next all star game on the list is the Roundball Classic in Chicago, IL on April 3. 

2007 Nike Hoops Summit Roster - March 28, 2007

Jerryd Bayless G Arizona
Michael Beasley F Kansas State
Jonny Flynn G Syracuse
Donte Green F Syracuse
Kevin Love C UCLA
O.J. Mayo G USC
Patrick Patterson F undecided
Derrick Rose G Memphis
Kyle Singler F Duke
Nolan Smith G Duke

2007 Adidas Derby Festival Roster - March 28, 2007

Chris Allen G Michigan State
Michael Beasley F Kansas State
Austin Daye F Gonzaga
LaceDarius Dunn G Baylor
George Goode F Louisville
Senario Hillman G Alabama
Jamelle Horne F Arizona
Rick Jackson F Syracuse
Antonio Jardine G Syracuse
DeAndre Jordan C Texas A&M
Herb Pope F New Mexico St.
Ty Proffitt G Notre Dame
Anthony Randolph F LSU
Tyrel Reed G Kansas
Jeff Robinson F Memphis
Rakim Sanders F Boston College
Nolan Smith G Duke
Chace Stanback F UCLA
A.J. Stewart F Kentucky
Julian Vaughn F Florida State
Mike Williams C Kentucky

Playoff Update – March 24, 2007

CIF Division III State Title – Artesia (CA) vs. Oakland Bishop O’Dowd (CA)

This game was dominated from the beginning by defending state champion Artesia. At the end they had earned a 91 to 64 victory and a 2nd straight state title. The Pioneers of Artesia were heavy favorites coming into the title game, they proved everyone was right. Artesia has one of the most talented trios of players in the country, Senior James Harden, Junior Malik Story and Sophomore Renardo Sidney. In this game it seemed like Artesia got a little bored or lack luster with Bishop O’Dowd, and let them back into the game in the 3rd quarter just to turn around and blow it wide open in the 4th quarter. The Pioneers were led by their trio in the title game, James Harden had 24 points, Renardo Sidney totaled 18 points and Malik Story finished with 14 points. The victory gave Artesia there 5th State Title in school history. This was the final game for standout senior James Harden who went out on top, he is one of the top players in the country. He is taking his all around game to Arizona State in the fall. This game also means the end of the trio with Harden graduating and Junior Malik Story announcing he will transfer to power house Oak Hill Academy for his senior season. The question now remains will the # 1 sophomore in the country who transferred into Artesia this year stay or move on also.

The leaders for the Dragons of Oakland Bishop O’Dowd were Brandon Walker who had 24 points and Shawn Lewis who totaled 18 points. The Dragons were just overmatched in this contest they didn’t have the athletes to compete with Artesia. Each team have great season.

Playoff Update – March 24, 2007

CIF Division II State Championship, Mater Dei (CA) vs. Archbishop Mitty (CA)

In this title game it was a match up of Monarchs, pitting Mater Dei against Archbishop Mitty. This was Mater Dei 3rd straight state title appearance and Archbishop Mitty first appearance. The title game was the last chance for California legend Taylor King to claim a state title in his career. In the past too trips Mater Dei has failed to win the title. This game was very close from start to finish going back and fourth throughout regulation and into overtime. In the end Mater Dei was able to earn a hard victory 69 to 64 over Archbishop Mitty. The win gave Mater Dei there 6 State Title in school history. Taylor King finished up one of the best high school careers in California history on top with the title victory. Taylor is the only player in California history to finish his career with 3,000 plus points, 1,400 plus rebounds and 300 plus three pointers. He also finished 4th all time in scoring with 3,216 points. He will be taking his smooth shooting game to the east coast to play in front of the Cameron crazies at Duke University next year. He is part of one of the top recruiting classes next year which includes Kyle Singler of South Medford, OR and Nolan Smith of Oak Hill, VA. In the title game he stepped up big for his team with a great performance totaling 29 points, 15 rebounds and 4 blocks in his final high school game. Other key performers for Mater Dei were David Wear 10 points and 7 rebounds, Travis Wear 6 points and 2 blocks and senior Kamyron Brown 9 points, 3 steals, 2 rebounds and 1 assist in his final game.

The Archbishop Mitty Monarchs reached the title game after upsetting the #1 team in Jesuit (CA) in the regional final. They are led by there standout junior Drew Gordon who is consider by most recruiting experts a top 10 prospect in the class of 2008. He is able to take over a game on both ends of the floor. The Mitty team played a great game they never stopped scrapping for lose balls. In the end they came up just a little short. In the game they were led by juniors Colin Chiverton 20 points and Drew Gordon 17 points, 13 rebounds and 3 blocks. They are a young team and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them back in the title game next year.

Playoff Update – March 19, 2007

Lincoln (NY) – The Lincoln Railsplitters defeated Boys & Girls (NY) 77 to 50 in the PSAL AA Division Title Game. Lincoln was led by super sophomore Lance Stephenson he had 29 points in the game. This was the railsplitters fourth PSAL AA Division Title in the past five years.

Playoff Update – March 19, 2007

2007 A.C.I.T. Tournament

Championship Game – Roman Catholic defeated Neumann – Goretti 70 to 50

3rd Place Game – DeMatha Catholic defeated Towson Catholic 58 to 56

All – Tournament Teams

1st Team – Rick Jackson – Neumann – Goretti
Bradley Wanamaker – Roman Catholic
Donte Greene – Towson Catholic
Austin Freeman – DeMatha Catholic
Chris Wright – St. John’s

2nd Team – Jeff Peterson – DeMatha Catholic
Malik Wayns – Roman Catholic
Malcolm Delaney – Towson Catholic
Kevin Estes – Benedictine
Ed Davis – Benedictine

Tournament MVP – Bradley Wanamaker – Roman Catholic
Tournament MOP – Chris Wright – St. John’s

Playoff Updates – March 18, 2007

Huntington (WV) – The highlanders of Huntington High won their 3rd straight ClassAAA state title on Saturday night. They defeated South Charleston (WV) 103 to 61. This was the final game for six special seniors who grew up together in Huntington and led there school to 3 state titles in 4 years. O.J. Mayo finished his spectacular high school career on a high note recording a triple-double in his last game. He totaled 41 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds. Patrick Patterson another one of the seniors finishing up his career on this night had a nice going away game with 14 points, 13 rebounds and 7 blocks. He is the top unsigned prospect left from the class of 2007, in the beginning of April he cut his list of suitors down to 3 schools. Huntington highlanders placed four players on the all tournament ClassAAA team, O.J. Mayo, Patrick Patterson, Chris Early and Jamaal Williams. The highlanders finished the season with a record of 25-2.

Mater Dei (CA) – The Monarchs won the CIF Southern California Regional Division II title on Saturday, after defeating Redondo Union 70 to 62. This win gives them another chance to return to the state title game for the 3rd time in a row. In the past two title games the monarchs lost both of them. Mater Dei was led by their senior standouts Taylor King 29 points and 9 rebounds, Kamyron Brown 15 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists. The monarchs will face Archbishop Mitty of San Jose (CA) in the state title game.

Artesia (CA) – The Pioneers won the CIF Southern California Regional Division III title on Saturday, after blowing out La Canda (CA) 79 to 54. This victory advances Artesia to its second straight CIF State Division III title game. The Pioneers were led by there big three, Renardo Sidney 18 points and 16 rebounds, James Harden 17 points and 6 assists and Malik Story 12 points. Artesia will face Bishop O’Dowd in the state title game.

St. Patrick’s (NJ) – In the semifinals of the NJ Tournament of Champions St. Patrick’s defeated Seton Hall Prep 72 to 43. The game was in St. Patrick’s control from start to finish. They got great games from Jeff Robinson 23 points, 5 rebounds and 3 blocks, Corey Fisher 19 points and 7 assists and Quintrell Thomas had 12 points and 9 rebounds. This win advances St. Patrick’s back to the NJ Tournament of Champions title game for the second straight year. St. Patrick’s will face Bloomfield Tech in the title game.

Bloomfield Tech (NJ) – In the other semifinal game of the NJ Tournament of Champions Bloomfield Tech defeated # 1 seed Linden on a half court shot to give them a 59 to 56 victory. Wesley Jenkins led Bloomfield Tech with 21 points and Rashon Dwight added 13 points and 14 rebounds. Bloomfield will take on St. Patrick’s in the title game.