Official Signings

Oak Hill Academy vs D1 Teams: Who Wins?

Paul Elkins — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 08:31:56 -0800

Is Oak Hill Academy better than your average low-level D1 team? Paul Elkins debates his brother on this question:

Last week, as we watched the lowly Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils, a team with only one victory in eleven tries, get dominated by #11 Wisconsin, my brother and I engaged in a rather lively debate.

My brother contended that the nation’s #2-ranked high school team, Oak Hill Academy, would beat Mississippi Valley State, if given the chance. Oak Hill, my brother argued, features five players whom will play for elite level Division 1 programs next year, namely NC State, Georgetown, Purdue, UCLA, and Memphis**. He reasoned that a team with so much talent would simply outplay the lesser talented players of Mississippi Valley State. If these Oak Hill players are good enough to play for elite level colleges next year, he believed, they were good enough players to outplay the likes of the MVSU players right now.

After watching Oak Hill defeat Miller Grove of Atlanta, another national high school power, I am now convinced that Mississippi Valley State, or any Division 1 team for that matter, would have their way with Oak Hill. What stood out to me in watching the Oak Hill / Miller Grove game was not so much the outstanding offensive potential and skills displayed - it was the lack of both defensive intensity and overall physicality as compared to what is displayed in a Division 1 men’s game. While Oak Hill’s players have more potential and individual talent than those on some Division 1 teams, the collective effort of a marginally talented Division 1 team would prevail over that of a high school team, even a supremely talented team like Oak Hill. Let me tell you why.

College teams are comprised of men who have dealt with the adversities inherent in playing college basketball - living away from home, practicing 20 hours a week, competing intensely to get playing time, strength training and conditioning relentlessly in the offseason, and playing under a coach whose very livelihood is at stake. Meanwhile, Oak Hill is a loose collection of talented individuals who coast to victory in most games, are not threatened for playing time, and do not invest in the game or their team nearly to the extent that Division 1 players do.

Division 1 teams spend the entire year together. The players live together, study together, and eat together. They are like a family. The players start out in spring with individual workouts and intense weightlifting and conditioning. Their seasoning continues into the summer, with most players competing in elite level leagues against collegiate and ex-collegiate players. The fall is comprised of intense practices in preparation for a grueling winter season.

The Division 1 lifestyle makes men out of boys. Even the Oak Hill prodigies will have to make the adjustment. It is the grind that makes diamonds from the coals. And it is this very grind that forms a team out of those individuals who invest the most and compete the hardest - a team that competes with discipline, pride, and intensity on both ends of the floor. Such a team would overwhelm a group of high profile high school players who have yet to learn how to truly compete on the defensive end, lack strength and power, and have not yet learned many of the nuances to thrive in a more cutthroat environment.

What it boils down to is this - Oak Hill academy is a talented group of boys, while MVSU is a lesser talented group of men. In the end, men will beat boys any day of the week.

** Oak Hill features the #22 prospect D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera (Georgetown), #55 Tyler Lewis (NC State), #74 Jordan Adams (UCLA), #90 Damien Wilson (Memphis), and #123 AJ Hammons (Purdue)

College Basketball Twitter: Dashboard

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 17:14:19 -0800

The latest tweets from college basketball's most insightful twitter users. The tweets update live so you can sit back and follow the action in real-time.

McDonald's All-Americans Currently in College Basketball

Jon Teitel — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 17:14:18 -0700

Projected lineups for all 30 teams with McDonald's High School All-Americans on their rosters,
Plus 4 teams whose All-Americans will no longer be with their prior team (updated 4/8/11)
(All-American year in parentheses)
Incoming 2011 All-Americans in Bold
Underclassmen who have declared for draft
TRANSFERS IN UPPERCASE

NORTH CAROLINA (8)
G: Kendall Marshall (2010)
G: Dexter Strickland (2009)
F: Harrison Barnes (2010)
F: Tyler Zeller (2008)
F: John Henson (2009)
BENCH: Reggie Bullock (2010), PJ Hairston (2011), James McAdoo (2011)
KEY LOSSES: LARRY DREW II (2008)

KENTUCKY (7)
G: Marquis Teague (2011)
G: Darius Miller
F: Terrence Jones (2010)
F: Michael Gilchrist (2011)
F: Anthony Davis (2011)
BENCH: Kyle Wiltjer (2011), Doron Lamb (2010)
KEY LOSSES: Josh Harrellson, Brandon Knight (2010), DeAndre Liggins

DUKE (5)
G: Austin Rivers (2011)
G: Quinn Cook (2011)
G: Seth Curry
F: Mason Plumlee (2009)
F: Ryan Kelly (2009)
BENCH: Marshall Plumlee (2011), Mike Gbinije, Andre Dawkins
KEY LOSSES: Kyrie Irving (2010), Nolan Smith (2007), Kyle Singler (2007)

OHIO STATE (5)
G: William Buford (2008)
G: Aaron Craft
F: Deshaun Thomas (2010)
F: Jared Sullinger (2010)
C: Amir Williams (2011)
BENCH: Shannon Scott (2011), Trey McDonald, LaQuinton Ross, Sam Thompson
KEY LOSSES: Jon Diebler, Dallas Lauderdale, David Lighty

UCLA (4)
G: Lazeric Jones
G: Jerime Anderson
F: Reeves Nelson
F: David Wear (2009)
C: Josh Smith (2010)
BENCH: Travis Wear (2009), LARRY DREW II (2008), Norman Powell
KEY LOSSES: Malcolm Lee (2008), Tyler Honeycutt

FLORIDA (4)
G: Kenny Boynton (2009)
G: Mike Rosario (2008)
G: Erving Walker
F: Erik Murphy
C: Patric Young (2010)
BENCH: Bradley Beal (2011), Scott Wilbekin, Walter Pitchford
KEY LOSSES: Vernon Macklin (2006), Chandler Parsons, Alex Tyus

LOUISVILLE (3)
G: Wayne Blackshear (2011)
G: Peyton Siva (2009)
G: Kyle Kuric
F: Chane Behanan (2011)
F: Gorgui Dieng
BENCH: Chris Smith, Jared Swopshire, Rakeem Buckles, Elisha Justice, Zach Price, Angel Nunez
KEY LOSSES: Preston Knowles, Terrence Jennings

SYRACUSE (3)
G: Scoop Jardine
G: Brandon Triche
F: Rakeem Christmas (2011)
F: Kris Joseph
C: Fab Melo (2010)
BENCH: Michael Carter-Williams (2011), Dion Waiters, C.J. Fair, Baye Moussa Keita, DaShonte Riley, James Southerland
KEY LOSSES: Rick Jackson

VILLANOVA (2)
G: Dominic Cheek (2009)
G: Maalik Wayns (2009)
G: Tyrone Johnson
F: Isaiah Armwood
C: Mouphtaou Yarou
BENCH: Markus Kennedy, Maurice Sutton, Achraf Yacoubou, Darrun Hilliard, James Bell
KEY LOSSES: Corey Stokes (2007), Corey Fisher, Antonio Pena

PITTSBURGH (2)
G: Travon Woodall
G: Ashton Gibbs
F: Dante Taylor (2009)
F: Nasir Robinson
C: Khem Birch (2011)
BENCH: Durand Johnson, Lamar Patterson, Malcolm Gilbert, John Johnson, Talib Zanna, J.J. Moore
KEY LOSSES: Brad Wanamaker, Gilbert Brown

MICHIGAN STATE (2)
G: Keith Appling (2010)
F: Branden Dawson (2011)
F: Draymond Green
F: Delvon Roe
C: Adreian Payne
BENCH: Brandan Kearney, Dwaun Anderson, Travis Trice, Derrick Nix
KEY LOSSES: Kalin Lucas, Durrell Summers, GARRICK SHERMAN

CONNECTICUT (1)
G: Jeremy Lamb
G: Shabazz Napier
F: Roscoe Smith
F: Tyler Olander
C: Alex Oriakhi (2009)
BENCH: Ryan Boatright, Niels Giffey, Enosch Wolf
KEY LOSSES: Kemba Walker (2008)

FLORIDA STATE (1)
G: Michael Snaer (2009)
G: Deividas Dulkys
F: Terrence Shannon
F: Bernard James
C: Xavier Gibson
BENCH: Jon Kreft, Ian Miller, Luke Loucks, Okaro White, Antwan Space, Aaron Thomas, Terry Whisnant
KEY LOSSES: Derwin Kitchen, Chris Singleton (2008)

TEXAS (1)
G: Myck Kabongo (2011)
G: Jai Lucas
G: J'Covan Brown
F: Alexis Wangmene
F: Matt Hill
BENCH: Sheldon McClellan, Jonathan Holmes, Julien Lewis
KEY LOSSES: Dogus Balbay, Gary Johnson, Tristan Thompson (2010), Jordan Hamilton, Cory Joseph (2010)

WASHINGTON (1)
G: Abdul Gaddy (2009)
G: Tony Wroten, Jr.
G: CJ Wilcox
F: Darnell Gant
C: Aziz N'Diaye
BENCH: Terrence Ross, Hikeem Stewart, Jernard Jarreau
KEY LOSSES: Isaiah Thomas, Matthew Bryan-Amaning, Justin Holiday, Venoy Overton,

MISSISSIPPI STATE (1)
G: Dee Bost
G: Jalen Steele
F: Rodney Hood
F: Renardo Sidney (2009)
F: Wendell Lewis
BENCH: Brian Bryant, D.J. Gardner, Deville Smith, Roquez Johnson
KEY LOSSES: Ravern Johnson, Kodi Augustus, Riley Benock

ALABAMA (1)
G: Trevor Releford
G: Andrew Steele
F: Tony Mitchell
F: Nick Jacobs
F: JaMychal Green (2008)
BENCH: Levi Randolph, Charles Hankerson Jr., Rodney Cooper
KEY LOSSES: Senario Hillman, Charvez Davis, Chris Hines

BAYLOR (1)
G: AJ Walton
F: Fred Ellis
F: Quincy Acy
F: Anthony Jones
C: Perry Jones (2010)
BENCH: Deuce Bello, Quincy Miller, J'Mison Morgan, Nolan Dennis, GARY FRANKLIN
KEY LOSSES: LaceDarius Dunn

CLEMSON (1)
G: Andre Young
G: Tanner Smith
F: Milton Jennings (2009)
F: Devin Booker
F: Bryan Narcisse
BENCH: Bernard Sullivan, K.J. McDaniels, Daniel Sapp, Devin Coleman
KEY LOSSES: DeMontez Stitt, Jerai Grant

DETROIT (1)
G: Ray McCallum (2010)
G: Chase Simon
G: Jason Calliste
F: Nick Minnerath
C: LaMarcus Lowe
BENCH: Alvin Boutte, Chris Blake
KEY LOSSES: Eli Holman

NC STATE (1)
G: Lorenzo Brown
G: C.J. Williams
F: CJ Leslie (2010)
F: Scott Wood
F: Richard Howell
BENCH: Tyler Harris, Jaqawn Raymond, Joseph Uchebo
KEY LOSSES: Tracy Smith, Javier Gonzalez, RYAN HARROW

LSU (1)
G: Andre Stringer
G: Ralston Turner
F: Storm Warren
F: Malcolm White
F: Johnny O'Bryant III (2011)
BENCH: Aaron Dotson, Garrett Green, John Isaac
KEY LOSSES: None

OKLAHOMA STATE (1)
G: Keiton Page
G: Ray Penn
F: LeBryan Nash (2011)
F: JP Olukemi
F: Darrell Williams
BENCH: Cezar Guerrero, Reger Dowell
KEY LOSSES: Marshall Moses

GEORGIA (1)
G: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (2011)
G: Gerald Robinson
G: Dustin Ware
F: Marcus Thornton
C: Tim Dixon
BENCH: Nemanja Djurisic, Connor Nolte, John Florveus
KEY LOSSES: Travis Leslie, Trey Thompkins, Jeremy Price

INDIANA (1)
G: Verdell Jones III
G: Jordan Hulls
G: Maurice Creek
F: Cody Zeller (2011)
F: Christian Watford
BENCH: Austin Etherington, Tom Pritchard, Victor Oladipo
KEY LOSSES: Jeremiah Rivers

MISSISSIPPI (1)
G: Trevor Gaskins
G: Nick Williams
F: Jelan Kendrick (2010)
F: Terrance Henry
F: Reginald Buckner
BENCH: Ladarius White, Jarvis Summers, Aaron Jones, Dundrecous Nelson
KEY LOSSES: Chris Warren, Zach Graham

GEORGIA TECH (0)
G: Glen Rice, Jr.
G: Mfon Udofia
G: Jason Morris
F: Brian Oliver
F: Daniel Miller
BENCH: Julian Royal, Bobby Parks Jr.
KEY LOSSES: Iman Shumpert (2008), Maurice Miller

KANSAS (0)
G: Elijah Johnson
G: Tyshawn Taylor
G: Travis Releford
F: Thomas Robinson
C: Jeff Withey
BENCH: Naadir Tharpe, Ben McLemore
KEY LOSSES: Marcus Morris, Markieff Morris, Josh Selby (2010), Brady Morningstar, Tyrel Reed

OREGON (0)
G: Garrett Sim
G: Jabari Brown
G: Johnathan Lloyd
F: EJ Singler
F: Jeremy Jacob
BENCH: Tyrone Nared, Brett Kingma, Bruce Barron, Austin Kuemper
KEY LOSSES: Joevan Catron, Jay-R Strowbridge, Malcolm Armstead

ILLINOIS (0)
G: DJ Richardson
G: Brandon Paul
G: Crandall Head
F: Mike Shaw
C: Meyers Leonard
BENCH: Crandall Head, Tracy Abrams, Nnanna Egwu, Mycheal Henry, Devin Langford
KEY LOSSES: Jereme Richmond (2010), Demetri McCamey, Mike Davis, Mike Tisdale

GEORGETOWN (0)
G: Jason Clark
G: Markel Starks
F: Hollis Thompson
F: Nate Lubick
C: Henry Sims
BENCH: Mikael Hopkins, Jabril Trawick, Tyler Adams, Greg Whittington
KEY LOSSES: Austin Freeman (2007), Chris Wright (2007), JERELLE BENIMON, VEE SANFORD

KANSAS STATE (0)
G: Rodney McGruder
G: Will Spradling
G: Nick Russell
F: Jamar Samuels
C: Jordan Henriquez-Roberts
BENCH: Adrian Diaz, Martavious Irving, Shane Southwell, Thomas Gipson, Angel Rodriguez
KEY LOSSES: WALLY JUDGE (2009), Curtis Kelly, Jacob Pullen

TENNESSEE (0)
G: Skylar McBee
G: Cameron Tatum
G: Trae Golden
F: Jeronne Maymon
F: Kenny Hall
BENCH: Renaldo Woolridge, Jeronne Maymon, Chris Jones
KEY LOSSES: Brian Williams, Steven Pearl, Scotty Hopson (2008), Tobias Harris (2010)

Tennessee Signs Top 5 Forward Tobias Harris

Press Release — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:02:19 -0800

Tennessee added its third basketball signee of the early signing period recently when Tobias Harris signed a National Letter of Intent to attend UT and play for the Volunteers starting with the 2010-11 season. The 6-8, 220-pound forward from New York made his decision public Thursday during a live announcement at the ESPN Zone in Manhattan's Times Square that was televised live on ESPNU.

Harris is rated by Rivals.com as the nation's best forward in the class of 2010 and the country's No. 5 overall prospect. And on the ESPNU Top-100 list, Harris is ranked as the nation's third-best power forward nationally.

"I really had a great relationship with (UT head coach Bruce) Pearl and (associate head coach Tony) Jones," Harris said during his nationally televised announcement. "It's just a family atmosphere down there. I got along with the players real well, and it's just a great opportunity and fit for me."

With the signing of Harris, Tennessee's 2010 recruiting class is now ranked fourth nationally by Rivals.com.

"(This is) huge for our program to get not only a quality player like Tobias, but also a quality young man," Pearl said, "He's a great kid from a great family. He's the kind of guy that's going to help your program on and off the court. On the floor not only can he be a dominant player, but he also makes everyone around him better.

"My coaching staff did a tremendous job. Tony Jones was really outstanding with his recruitment of Tobias from start to finish."

Like fellow early-period Tennessee signees Jordan McRae and Trae Golden--both guards from Georgia--Harris plans to enroll at UT next summer.

"(Tobias) was really impressed with the Sports management program," Pearl said. "That was a big factor for him. He loved that major and could really see himself being successful academically at Tennessee."

As a junior last season at Long Island Lutheran High School, Harris averaged 25 points and 12 rebounds per game while leading the Crusaders to the New York state Class A championship.

He is currently a senior at Half Hollow Hills West High School in Dix Hills, N.Y., where he is coached by Bill Mitaritonna.

Already a high-profile prospect, Harris garnered even more national praise this past summer when he turned in outstanding performances at the LeBron James Skills Academy and the NBA Players Association Top 100 camp.

"He liked our style of play, he liked our campus, the things that we do, but I think our kids were a big factor for Tobias," Pearl said. "I think it makes a statement about our players. Tobias wanted to come and play here in large part because of the teammates he was going to have. We have good character kids and that was important to Tobias."

Harris' father, Torrel, played collegiately at Duquesne and Murray State. And Tobias' older sister, Tesia, plays basketball at the University of Delaware. He also is a cousin of Phoenix Suns center Channing Frye.

-- http://www.utsports.com

St. John's Signs Ronald Roberts

Press Release — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:30:50 -0800

QUEENS, N.Y. - St. John's head men's basketball coach Norm Roberts announced the signing of Jersey City, N.J., forward Ronald Roberts to a National Letter of Intent (NLI) to join the Red Storm basketball program for the 2010-11 season.

"Ronald will be a great addition to our program. He is an outstanding young man who will give us versatility at the power forward and small forward positions," said Norm Roberts, now in his sixth year at the helm of the Red Storm. "Ron has a great upside, and he comes from a terrific basketball family."

"I can't wait to get to St. John's," said Ronald Roberts. "When I visited the campus, I loved the coaches, the players, the atmosphere and the facilities on campus. I also really liked that St. John's is in the best conference in the country, the BIG EAST."

Ronald Roberts is a 6-7, 210-pound forward from Saint Peter's Prep in Jersey City. He led the Marauders in scoring (17.4 points per game), rebounding (11.0) and blocked shots (3.0) as a junior last season. He was selected as a first team all-county and all-league performer in 2008-09 for a Saint Peter's squad that finished 23-3 as county champions and ranked seventh in the state.

Ronald Roberts is a tremendous athlete with a great motor and an already-polished face-up game. The small forward/power forward has also shown the ability to play with his back to the basket as he enters his second year with the Marauders.

Ronald Roberts has an incredible basketball pedigree, as both of his parents played at a high level on the hardwood. His father, Ron Roberts Sr., was a standout in the mid-1980s for Billy Tubbs' Oklahoma Sooners. His mother, Dania Santos Roberts, played for the Dominican Republic national team.

"St. John's is getting a guy that just began his journey to becoming a very, very good basketball player," said St. Peter's Prep coach Mike Kelly. "He has played one year of high school basketball, so he is a guy that has been under the radar. This will be a situation that turns out great for all involved."

-- http://www.redstormsports.com

Marquette Signs PG Reggie Smith

Press Release — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:44:59 -0800

Milwaukee – The Marquette University men’s basketball program has signed prep point guard Reggie Smith (Harvey, IL/Thornton Township HS) to a National Letter of Intent, head coach Buzz Williams announced Thursday afternoon.

Smith, a 6-0, 175-pounder, will arrive on campus this summer and have four years of eligibility with the Golden Eagles.

“We are excited to add Reggie to our 2010 recruiting class,” Williams said. “He is another player that addresses our needs on the perimeter. His athleticism and toughness will contribute to our current class and also help replace what we lose with the departure of our seniors.”

He is ranked 105^th overall and 26^th among point guards in the 2010 class by Rivals.com, 121^st by HoopScoopOnline.com and is tabbed the 35^th-best point guard in the class by Scout.com.

Smith helped Thorntown Township HS, under the direction of head coach Troy Jackson, to a third-place finish in the state tournament in 2008-09. The Wildcats finished the campaign 29-1 overall, only falling to eventual state champion Whitney Young (Chicago) in the tourney semifinals. Smith concluded the year contributing 17.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.

The Wildcats claimed the regional and sectional titles in 2008-09 en route to their state tournament run and Smith was tabbed to the all-conference squad. He has been nominated as a McDonald’s All-American entering his senior year.

A two-time team most valuable player, Smith has been a member of the varsity squad since his sophomore campaign. He averaged 11.0 points per game in 2007-08 and helped the Wildcats to an overall record of 21-7.

On the AAU circuit, Smith competes for the highly respected and very successful Mac Irvin Fire program. Led by head coach Nick Irvin, the team is annually among the top rosters in the nation.

“He plays for one of the best high school and AAU programs in the Midwest and he has won at a very high level every step along the way,” Williams said. “He has been on campus multiple times over the last couple of years and is completely familiar with our players and staff and the culture we function in.”

Northwestern Signs JerShon Cobb

Press Release — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:49:06 -0800

EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern head men's basketball coach Bill Carmody announced the signing of JerShon Cobb (Decatur, Ga./Columbia) to a National Letter of Intent.

"JerShon will be a welcome addition to our program," Carmody said. "With his versatility and ability to score, I think JerShon is capable of stepping in and helping us right away. He is a highly ranked recruit who comes from a region that produces some of the top basketball talent in the country."

Cobb was a first-team Class AAA all-state selection in the state of Georgia after averaging 17.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game last season as a junior. He is ranked as a four-start recruit and the No. 90 collegiate prospect in his class by Rivals.com.

JerShon Cobb
6-5 • 175
Guard
Decatur, Ga./Columbia

High School: Rated as a four-star recruit and the No. 90 national collegiate prospect by Rivals.com ... First-team all-state selection of the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Georgia Sportswriters Association and also Georgia Hoops as a junior ... Averaged 17.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 2 steals per game during junior season ... Team MVP ... Scored 35 points against nationally ranked Pinewood Prep (S.C.) ... Named to Kingdom of the Sun all-tournament team ... Member of Class AAAA state championship team as a sophomore ... Has helped Columbia High to a 105-6 record through first three prep seasons ... Team captain ... Three-year letterwinner ... Honor roll student ... Member of BETA Club .... Played AAU ball for the Atlanta Express ... High school coach is Phil McCary.

Personal: Born JerShon Keion Cobb on 11/30/91 ... Son of Jerran and Kesia Cobb ... Columbia High alums include Chris Tucker (actor) and Gail Devers (track and field athlete) ... Chose Northwestern over Cincinnati, Mississippi, Clemson, Marshall, Alabama and Florida.

Poll: Who Locked Up the Best 2010 Recruiting Class?

Shawn Siegel — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:16:58 -0800

Auburn Finalizes Impressive 6-Man Class

Press Release — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:47:01 -0800

AUBURN - Shawn Kemp, a 6-foot-10, 215-pound center from Canton, Ga.; Heath Houston, a 6-foot-7, 225-pound forward from Powder Springs, Ga.; Jalen Steele, a 6-foot-2, 180-pound guard from Knoxville, Tenn.; Anthony Salter, a 5-foot-11 point guard from Tallahassee, Fla.; Allen Payne, a 6-foot-6, 205-pound forward from Cincinnati, Ohio; and Adrian Forbes, a 6-foot-8, 230-pound power forward from Spanish Town, Jamaica; have signed national letters of intent to attend Auburn University and play basketball in 2010-11, head coach Jeff Lebo announced Wednesday.

"I think we really helped ourselves in some areas," said Lebo, whose class has been ranked fifth nationally by HoopScoop magazine. "Obviously, we lose a lot of players so this is going to be a big class for us. We lose guys who played a lot for us so we are looking for some immediate impact from this class.

"We feel really good about our class. They come from winning programs and are used to winning. They are tough kids, and you hope that they come in and contribute right away. That is why you recruit them. This is a big class for us. There is no doubt about it."

Kemp attends Hargrave Military Academy where he scored 21 points, making 9-of-12 shots from the field in a recent scrimmage against prep school power Oak Hill Academy. Playing his high school basketball at Cherokee County High in Powder Springs, Ga., he is the son of former NBA All-Star Shawn Kemp. He averaged 12 points and eight rebounds and had 78 blocks as a senior for Cherokee County in 2008-09.

"Shawn Kemp has tremendous upside," said Lebo. "He is 6-foot-10, can shoot the ball from the perimeter and has a legitimate low post game. Shawn is a kid who has really unlimited potential to go certainly to the next level with his play. He can block shots. He can run. He has size. He is already 6-foot-10 and long at Hargrave this year and can really, really run the floor. He is just on the first step of becoming a very good basketball player. He will bring tremendous inside help to us."

Victoryland

Houston is a four-year starter at Hillview High and is a face-up power forward with 20-foot range. He plans to major in aerospace engineering.

"Heath Houston is a very strong inside player," said Lebo. "He is kind of an undersized player who can play the four and the three for us. He is big, strong, has a tremendous upside and is explosive around the basket area."

Steele averaged 21 points, seven rebounds and almost five assists per game as a junior last year in leading Knoxville Fulton High to back-to-back state championships as he was named the Class 2A State Tournament MVP in 2009. Steele, who made 100 three-pointers last season, has led Fulton to a 58-8 record the last two seasons.

"Jalen Steele is a kid who is a winner,* said Lebo. *He has won two state championships already. He is one of the top perimeter shooters in the country. He will be a guy with the loss of Tay Waller, who is going to be able to come in and shoot the ball from the perimeter for us. He has been very well coached in high school and will be able to make the transition to college very well."

Salter is ranked as the No. 3 overall junior college player in the country by Rivals' JUCO Junction on Nov. 12. He was an All-Region selection last year as a freshman at Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, Iowa, where he averaged 15.4 points and 3.8 assists while shooting 48 percent from the field. He was a Class 4A All-State selection at Tallahassee (Fla.) Rickards High after averaging 19 points, six assists and four rebounds per game as a senior in 2007-08.

"Anthony Salter may be the top junior college point guard in the country," said Lebo. *He is very good in transition. He is very quick, can score, can shoot the three and is very good at the mid-range stop and pop area. He played at Iowa Western, which is one of the top junior college programs in the country. He is from Tallahassee (Fla.) so he is excited about coming back close to home.*

Payne averaged 15 points and eight rebounds at Cincinnati*s Winton Woods High School as a junior last season.

"Allen Payne is a small forward, and he has a very good upside," said Lebo. "He's trying to make the transition from a post guy in high school to a perimeter-type player in college. He has good athleticism on the wing and can run and play inside and out."

Forbes, who is ranked as the No. 10 overall junior college player in the country by Rivals* JUCO Junction on Nov. 12, averaged 6.3 points and 5.4 rebounds last season as a freshman at Trinity Valley Community College in Athens, Texas. He also played for the Jamaican National Team over the summer.

"Adrian Forbes is a big junior college player who has a lot of potential and has played for a very good junior college program," said Lebo. "He is big and strong at 6-foot-8 and 230 pounds to help us inside."

-- http://auburntigers.cstv.com

Stanford Finalizes Deep 5-Man Class

Press Release — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:19:18 -0800

STANFORD, Calif.- Stanford men's basketball head coach Johnny Dawkins has announced the signing of five incoming student-athletes to national letters of intent. The group will join the Cardinal for the 2010-11 campaign.

The class is recognized as one of the best in the country, currently ranked as high as No. 8 in the nation by Rivals.com and No. 13 by Scout.com. According to Rivals.com, Stanford's recruiting class ranks as the best in the Pac-10.

The class includes: Aaron Bright, a 5-11, 175-pound guard from Bellevue, Wash., (Bellevue HS), Anthony Brown, a 6-7, 190-pound guard/forward from Huntington Beach, Calif. (Ocean View HS), John Gage, a 6-10, 210-pound forward/center from Vashon Island, Wash. (Vashon Island HS), Josh Huestis, a 6-8, 210-pound forward from Great Falls, Mont. (C.M. Russell HS) and Dwight Powell, a 6-10, 215-pound forward from Bradenton, Fla. (IMG Academy).

"We are excited about these five individuals and their families joining our basketball family and the Stanford community," said second-year head coach Johnny Dawkins. "During the recruiting process, we built great relationships with this group as players, but even more importantly as people. They will represent Stanford University in a first-class manner both on and off the court. They all have an amazing support system. This class will certainly provide a strong foundation and become an integral part of our program's success."

Bright is currently ranked as the No. 135 player overall by Rivals.com and offers the Cardinal a true floor general. A four-year letterwinner, he guided Bellevue High School to a third-place state finish as a junior, earning first team all-state and league MVP honors. Bright was also named team MVP last year, averaging 18.0 points and 7.0 assists per game. He was tabbed a first-team all-league selection and all-state honoree as a sophomore, following up a second-team all-league freshman campaign.

"Aaron is the type of point guard that everyone would love to have the fortune to play with and call him a teammate," said Dawkins. "He has a magnetic personality and makes everybody around him better. Aaron is also a very good long range shooter who has the ability to stretch a defense."

"The chance to play for Coach Dawkins attracted me to Stanford," said Bright. "I felt that the coaching staff would help take my game to the next level. And at the end of the day, I would have the opportunity to earn a Stanford degree."

Brown checks in as the No. 7-ranked small forward, No. 41 player overall and a four-start recruit by Scout.com. A three-year letterwinner, Brown was named CIF Southern Section Player of the Year and a first-team all-state pick as a junior. In 2008-09, he guided the Seahawks to a CIF Southern Section championship and state runner-up finish. Brown averaged 14.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game last year, while being named league MVP. A first team all-league recipient as a sophomore, he led Ocean View High School to a quarterfinal finish.

"Anthony is a versatile perimeter player who we believe fits perfectly with our style of play," said Dawkins. "With Anthony's size and skill set, he can contribute at all three perimeter positions. We are really looking forward to working with Anthony and his continued development."

"I expect to work hard, on and off the court," said Brown. "I am excited to be part of this great class. It's a dream to play Pac-10 basketball at Stanford."

The third member of the 2010 class, Gage is ranked No. 17 among centers by Scout.com and will add depth to the Stanford frontcourt. A three-year letterwinner, Gage led Vashon Island High School to a state championship as a junior, averaging 16.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game. Along the way, he garnered league MVP and team MVP honors while being named a First-Team All-1A State selection. One year earlier as a sophomore, Gage was honored as the league MVP.

"John has great potential and is actually a year young for his class," said Dawkins. "He has a weapon in that he is a tremendous shooter, especially for his size. John hasn't played nationally to the extent of a lot of other high school players, and we believe him to be a big sleeper as a result."

"The opportunity to receive a first-class education and be a part of this great recruiting class attracted me to Stanford," said Gage. "I am excited to be a part of next year's team."

Listed as the No. 21-ranked small forward by Scout.com, Huestis is another impressive post player who is expected to contribute at either the 3 or 4 positions. As a junior, Huestis averaged 15.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 4.5 blocks per game to lead C.M. Russell High School to a 21-2 record and the Class AA state title. Named the Gatorade Player of the Year for Montana and tabbed the state tournament MVP, Huestis also earned AA All-State and Great Falls Tribune Super State honors. During his sophomore season, he earned first team all-conference, all-AA tournament and second team East All-State honors.

"We started recruiting Josh later in the process, but he has been somewhat of a late bloomer and flew under the radar nationally," said Dawkins. "He is very athletic, and we believe his best basketball is ahead of him. Josh is developing into more of a perimeter player, and we look forward to helping him make that transition."

"Stanford was the perfect fit for me," said Huestis. "It presents the perfect blend of academics and athletics, and both are very important to me. I am proud to be a part of this class, and look forward to playing with such great players."

The impressive class is rounded out by Powell, ranked by Rivals.com as No. 7 among power forwards, No. 23 overall and rated as a five-star prospect. Originally from Toronto, Powell made the move from Canada to Bradenton, Fla., where he has prepped at IMG Academy the past three years. This past summer, Powell was one of two high school players invited to train with the Canadian National Team.

"Dwight is a very versatile forward that we also believe fits perfectly with our style of play," Dawkins said. "With his ability to play all over the court, he can be a constant matchup problem for opposing teams. Dwight reminds me of some of the most versatile players I have been able to coach, and we are excited to utilize and enhance his talents."

"Everything about this decision felt right, so I knew Stanford was the perfect fit for me," said Powell. "The combination of world-class athletics and academics was too hard to pass up. I liked the environment and felt comfortable with the coaching staff."