Basketball Recruiting Report Blog
College Basketball Recruiting

Posted on: 10/10/2011 - By: Jason Hickman

Death jolts Norcross basketball program

Darrian George, a senior basketball player at Norcross (Ga.), was killed along with three family members in a car accident near Ocala, Fla., over the weekend.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, George was driving the vehicle when it lost control and overturned several times. The crash also claimed his stepmother and two young children.

The Norcross basketball program issued a statement Saturday afternoon via social media outlets.

"We lost a wonderful young man last night. Even though he had only been with us for a few short weeks it seemed like he had been here forever. Rest in peace Darrian George. You were an unbelievably talented basketball player but an even better person. You will be greatly, greatly missed. Hold it down on Heaven's courts until we see you again."

George's basketball career was on the rise. He played at Fort Dorchester as a junior and transferred to Norcross over the summer. The Blue Devils have captured state titles in four of the past six seasons and produced stars like Al-Farouq Aminue, Gani Lawal and Jodie Meeks.

Posted on: 10/6/2011 - By: Jason Hickman

St. Patrick's dramatic 2010-11 season coming to HBO

Kevin Boyle's final season at St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.) will be chronicled in the documentary Prayer For A Pefect Season, which will air Oct. 25 on HBO.

Now the head coach at Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.), Boyle led St. Patrick to a 26-1 record. The Celtics captured the prestigious City of Palms Classic in dramatic fashion and spent five weeks as the nation's No. 1-ranked team.

Directed by Marc Levin, the documentary culminates with one of high school basketball's most highly-anticipated games ever. Eventual national champion and rival St. Anthony (Jersey City) handed St. Patrick a bitter defeat to end its season short of a state title.

The 2011 Celtic squad was led by Kentucky signee Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Western Kentucky signee Derrick Gordon.

Boyle, a fiery mentor who was often the center of controversy during his run at St. Patrick, left the school earlier this year to coach at Montverde Academy, an independent powerhouse that has drawn players from all over the globe in past years.

Posted on: 10/3/2011 - By: Jason Hickman

Huntington Prep, Tilton headline State Farm TOC

Details have been announced for the sixth annual State Farm Tournament of Champions, one of the nation's premier early-season talent showcases. The event is scheduled for Nov. 22-26 at Washington Community High School and Illinois Central College in Washington, Ill.

The Tournament of Champions will feature 22 teams from eight states, including upstart national power Huntington Prep (Huntington, W. Va.), defending Indiana 2A state champions Park Tudor (Indianapolis) and Tilton School (Tilton, N.H.), featuring five-star 2013 center Nerlens Noel.

Teams will compete in four separate brackets with a champion crowned in each. Last year's event was highlighted by Academy of the New Church (Bryn Athyn, Pa.) knocking off Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) to take the crown in the Team Works National Classic.

Past TOC participants already in the NBA include Jerryd Bayless (Arizona/Raptors), Ed Davis (North Carolina/Raptors), Donte Greene (Syracuse/Kings), DeAndre Jordan (Texas A&M/Clippers), DeAndre Liggins (Kentucky/Magic) and Tristan Thompson (Texas/Cavaliers).

Here's a breakdown of the four-pronged event along with players to watch:

DriveChevy.com Shootout Series
Participating teams: Illini West (Carthage, Ill.), Illinois Valley Central (Chillicothe, Ill.), Marquette (Chesterfield, Mo.), Midland (Varna, Ill.), Richwoods (Peoria, Ill.), Troy-Buchanan (Troy, Mo.)

Methodist Medical Center Invitational
Participating teams: East (Belleville, Ill.), Carver (Montgomery, Ala.), Central (Champaign, Ill.), East Peoria (East Peoria, Ill.), Notre Dame (Peoria, Ill.), Proviso East (Maywood, Ill.), Springfield (Springfield, Ill.)

Team Works National Classic
Participating teams: Huntington Prep (Huntington, W. Va.), Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.), Tilton School (Tilton, N.H.), Trent Internationale (Sugar Land, Texas)

Uftring Auto Group Invitational
Participating teams: Gallatin County (Junction, Ill.), Imagine College Prep (St. Louis, Mo.), Limestone (Bartonville, Ill.), Park Tudor (Indianapolis, Ind.)

Players to Watch
Trevon Bluiett, So., Park Tudor
Sterling Brown, Jr., Proviso East
Dominique Bull, Sr., Tilton (Rhode Island verbal commitment)
Keith Carter, Sr., Proviso East (Loyola-Chicago)
Kevin "Yogi" Ferrell, Sr., Park Tudor (Indiana)
Buddy Hield, Sr., Sunrise Christian Academy
Malcolm Hill, Jr., Belleville East (Illinois)
Elijah Macon, Sr., Huntington Prep (West Virginia)
Georges Niang, Sr., Tilton (Iowa State)
Nerlens Noel, Jr., Tilton
Wayne Selden, So., Tilton
Craig Sword, Sr., Carver (Mississippi State)
Negus Webster-Chan, Sr., Huntington Prep
Andrew Wiggins, So., Huntington Prep

Posted on: 9/30/2011 - By: Jason Hickman

Rodney Purvis picks Pack

One of the more dramatic recruiting sagas in the 2012 class came to an end Friday afternoon when five-star point guard Rodney Purvis of Upper Room Christian Academy (Raleigh, N.C.) committed to North Carolina State during a short announcement ceremony.

The 6-foot-3, 185-pound point guard is ranked No. 14 overall in the MaxPreps Class of 2012 Top 100. After re-classifying from the 2013 class prior to the 2010-11 season, Purvis averaged 25.4 points per to earn Junior All-American honors. He played on the summer circuit with the Chris Paul-sponsored CP3 All-Stars.

Purvis' recruitment has been a bit of a wild ride. There was a commitment and subsequent de-commitment from Louisville. Missouri seemed like a likely destination for a time after assistant Tim Fuller left Rick Pitino and the Cardinals for Frank Haith and the Tigers.

Powerhouse programs like Duke and Kentucky were reported to be in the picture but never seemed to apply the full-court pressure. Baylor, Connecticut, Memphis, Missouri, North Carolina Central and Virginia Commonwealth were also involved.

Purvis is the second five-star guard to play at a Raleigh school in recent years. John Wall played at Word of God Christian Academy from 2007-09 before signing with Kentucky and becoming the top overall draft pick for the Washington Wizards.

North Carolina State has a commitment from another Top 100 point guard, four-star Tyler Lewis of Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.).

Posted on: 9/21/2011 - By: Jason Hickman

Perry Ellis chooses Jayhawks

Arguably the most accomplished high school player in his class, Wichita Heights (Wichita, Kan.) star Perry Ellis announced Wednesday he will stay close to home and play for the Kansas Jayhawks.

"I just felt comfortable at KU," Ellis said of the decision during a press conference held in Wichita Heights' gymnasium.

The 6-foot-8, 225-pound power forward is a four-star prospect ranked No. 26 in the MaxPreps Class of 2012 Top 100. Ellis picked Kansas over Kansas State, Kentucky and Wichita State. He is KU's second 2012 verbal commitment, joining 6-9 Texas post man Zach Peters of Prestonwood Christian (Plano).

"All these schools were real close to me. They have been there for three or four years now," Ellis said. "I love being around my family. I just felt real comfortable at KU. It's right here."

Ellis is in the midst of a historic run at Wichita Heights. The Falcons have captured three-straight state titles and will enter the 2011-12 campaign riding a 44-game winning streak. Since Ellis entered the program as a freshman in 2008-09, Heights is 72-3 and he has earned Gatorade Player of the Year honors in Kansas each season.

The Falcons went 25-0 a year ago and finished No. 11 in MaxPreps.com's Xcellent 25 national rankings. Ellis averaged 22.1 points and 7.9 rebounds per game while allowing teammates like Evan Wessel and Terrence Moore to also carve out significant roles. Younger brother Brae also saw some action as a freshman in 2010-11.

Ellis burst on the scene at Heights as a freshman, averaging 19.2 points and 11.7 rebounds per game that winter. Already near 6-8, his advanced physique, impressive stats and team success put the spotlight on him at an early age.

While Kansas was regarded as the favorite by some insiders, Ellis kept his circle tight and left everybody guessing until the announcement Wednesday afternoon.

Posted on: 9/21/2011 - By: Jason Hickman

Calipari, Kentucky finally on the board in 2012 with Archie Goodwin

It was a bit of a shocker that college basketball's reigning recruiting king – John Calipari and the Kentucky Wildcats – were without a single verbal commitment just two months before the start of the early signing period.

The wait ended Wednesday when five-star prospect Archie Goodwin of Sylvan Hills (Sherwood, Ark.) delivered a verbal pledge to the Wildcats. Goodwin, a 6-foot-5, 185-pound guard, is ranked No. 5 in the MaxPreps Class of 2012 Top 100. He is the second Top 10 selection to come to a decision this week as No. 3 overall Kyle Anderson picked UCLA late Monday.

"There was a lot of drama involved in this," said Mike Charles, Goodwin's club coach with Arkansas Wings Elite. "He told me it was a business decision. What that means to me is that he probably thinks he is a one-and-done and he thinks he has a better shot of doing that at Kentucky than Arkansas."

As a junior at Sylvan Hills, Goodwin helped the Bears go 27-3 and reach the Class 5A state championship game by pouring in 28.3 points per game. He earned several state player of the year honors and Junior All-American status from MaxPreps.

"Archie is extremely athletic and has great explosion. I think he can be exceptional," said Charles, who wouldn't turn down the idea that Goodwin could have the same type of impact as other recent Kentucky one-and-done guards like John Wall and Brandon Knight.

Goodwin chose Kentucky over Arkansas and Memphis. If not for his effervescent personality, the decision to head to Lexington could make for an akward senior year at Sylvan Hills, just outside the Razorback enclave of Little Rock.

"The kind of kid he is, he won't catch a lot of grief," Charles said. "He has the kind of personality that carries over. As avid as Razorbacks fans are, I don't think they will be real tough on him."

Kentucky will be looking for a second dose of good news later today when Perry Ellis of Wichita Heights (Wichita, Kan.) decides between the Wildcats, Kansas, Kansas State and Wichita State. Ellis, a 6-8 power forward, is No. 26 in the MaxPreps Class of 2012 Top 100.

Posted on: 9/19/2011 - By: Jason Hickman

UCLA lands five-star prospect Kyle Anderson

Class of 2012 No. 3 overall prospect Kyle Anderson of St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) announced via Twitter late Monday night that he is headed to UCLA, picking the Bruins over a strong bid from Seton Hall.

"Had a great family meeting. I've decided to be a UCLA BRUIN!!" Anderson posted at 11:30 p.m. EST.

At 6-foot-7 and 215 pounds, Anderson is a unique prospect with his ability to play the point guard position at that size and ability to control games despite not possessing superb athleticism.

Anderson earned third team All-American honors from MaxPreps as a junior after posting 14.4 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game for St. Anthony, leading the Friars to a 33-0 record and the No. 1 national ranking.

As a sophomore at now-defunct Paterson Catholic, Anderson contributed 10.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists for a team that went 28-1 and won the prestigious City of Palms Classic in Florida. He is a member of the powerhouse Playaz Basketball Club, which has been among the best on Nike's Elite Youth Basketball League circuit over the past two years.

Anderson joins a UCLA recruiting class that already features wing Jordan Adams of Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) and point guard Dominic Artis of Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) – both four-star, Top 100 prospects. The Bruins are also considered a strong contender for Las Vegas shooting guard Shabazz Muhammad, the nation's No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2012.

Florida, Georgetown and St. John's also figured prominently into Anderson's recruitment before UCLA and Seton Hall emerged as the favorites late in the summer.

Posted on: 9/14/2011 - By: Jason Hickman

Hawkeyes hook Top 100 7-footer

Roy Williams' recent run of success with Iowa prospects ended Wednesday night as Sioux City East center Adam Woodbury picked the University of Iowa over the Tar Heels at an announcement ceremony in the school's gym.

Woodbury, a 7-foot, 230-pounder ranked No. 39 in the MaxPreps Class of 2012 Top 100, averaged 18.7 points, 12.2 rebounds per game as a junior at Sioux City East. The Black Raiders, who feature one of high school basketball's tallest front lines with 6-11 Mading Thok and 6-8 Dillion Godfrey, went 19-6 and reach the Class 4A quarterfinals.

"I grew up a Hawkeye fan," Woodbury told a crowd of family, friends, teammates and media. "I want to be part of rebuilding the program."

The rebuilding process for the Hawkeyes is gaining momentum under second-year head coach Fran McCaffery, who has assembled a solid 2012 recruiting class. Iowa also has commitments from four-star guard Mike Gesell, Indianapolis standout Patrick Ingram and 6-10 Georgian Kyle Meyer.

North Carolina, which signed Harrison Barnes of Ames in the 2010 class and has a verbal commitment from four-star 2013 point guard Marcus Paige of Linn-Mar (Marion), saw its luck end in the Hawkeye State with Woodbury's decision.

Woodbury is expected to take an official visit to the Iowa City campus this weekend.

Posted on: 9/12/2011 - By: Jason Hickman

Georgia lands third in-state prospect

Miller Grove (Lithonia) small forward Brandon Morris became the third 2012 Peach State prospect to make a verbal commitment to Georgia on Monday.

The 6-foot-7 small forward will head to Athens next fall along with guards Kenneth Gaines of Whitefield Academy (Mableton) and Charles Mann of Milton – both summer circuit teammates at one time or another.

"They were recruiting me to fill that small forward slot," said Morris, who is eyeing an architecture major. "It is right up the street, so that is really nice. I want my family to share the experience."

Morris averaged 9.3 points and 7.8 rebounds per game as a junior, helping Miller Grove land its third-straight Class AAAA state title. The Wolverines will be the favorite to win another championship this season with nine returnees, including five-star post man Tony Parker.

"It was important for me to make my decision so I wouldn't be hung up on where I'm going," Morris said. "Now I can focus on my grades and helping Miller Grove win another state title."

The Wolverines will play a fierce schedule in 2011-12, featuring a trip to the City of Palms Classic in December along with showcase showdowns against Mann and Milton, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), Simeon (Chicago, Ill.) and defending national champion St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) at the Spalding Hoophall Classic in January.

Morris has experience with both of his fellow Bulldog pledges, playing alongside Mann with the Southern Kings and Gaines with the Georgia Stars.

Posted on: 9/12/2011 - By: Jason Hickman

House, Knowles signal Houston recruiting revival

In one of the more significant recruiting developments since the days of "Phi Slama Jama" at the University of Houston, a pair of Top 100 seniors delivered verbal commitments Sunday to new Cougar head coach James Dickey.

Danuel House of Fort Bend Hightower (Missouri City, Texas) and Danrad "Chicken" Knowles of HCYA North (Houston) became the first members of Houston's 2012 recruiting class, rewarding Dickey for his focus on local talent.

"I think it signals a real positive direction for the program," said Marland Lowe, the duo's club coach with Texas PRO. "James Dickey has made a point to concentrate on the city of Houston unlike the previous coaching staffs."

House, a 6-foot-6, 190-pound wing, is rated No. 36 in the MaxPreps.com Class of 2012 Top 100. The four-star prospect helped Hightower go 28-8 and reach the Class 5A state semifinals as a junior. He posted 13.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.

"He brings lots of energy," Lowe said of House. "He is an electric guy and does a lot of little things. He's a special kid."

Knowles, a 6-10, 190-pound forward, was one of the summer's biggest success stories, going from a virtual unknown to No. 78 on the Top 100 since the end of the high school season in March.

"He is making a lot of progress but his best years are still way ahead of him," Lowe said of Knowles, a native of The Bahamas. "He is learning to play at a high level all the time. He just needed the court time and he is getting that now."