Josh Selby

The 6-2 senior point guard from Baltimore (Md.) Lake Clifton lists Kansas, Kentucky, Arizona and UConn as his final four, but Tennessee coaches Bruce Pearl and Steve Forbes recently went to watch him play.

“At one time Josh was going to announce his decision when he finished his visits,” Selby’s mother, Maeshon Witherspoon, told Rivals.com. “Now we are waiting ’til the Jordan Game, so we can see how all the teams play in the tournament. It has nothing to do with us being concerned with what Brandon [Knight] is doing.”

The 6-3 Knight is the nation’s No. 1 recruit according to Rivals and lists  Kansas, Kentucky, UConn, Florida and Miami.

His father, Efrem, told me Sunday his son still hadn’t decided but would do so over the next few weeks.

Dave Beckerman, Knight’s coach at Fort Lauderdale Pine Crest, said he expected many of the top players to discuss their options with one another during the McDonald’s All-American Game March 31 in Columbus, Ohio.

Selby, Knight, Cory Joseph and Doron Lamb — the top four unsigned guards in the nation — will all be together and presumably will talk about their college options.

That group will also reconvene April 17 in New York, when Selby will announce.

Coast to Coast Recruiting & Season Updates

By Alex Kline

The high school hoops season is coming down to the wire and what a great few months it has been. With April signing periods creeping up on recruits, visits are being made and decisions are coming. In this article we will profile some players who are weighing their options all around the country.

Perry Ellis, 2012, Heights (KS)

Perry’s Mom, Fonda Ellis, On Her Son’s Offers and List: He has six offers. In order by who offered first Kansas, Memphis, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Wichita State and Kansas State. The others that stay in close touch are UNC, Oklahoma State, Stanford, Arizona. They all stay in touch with coach.  He has over 40 colleges sending him info; not any order just started making a list.  I did the same thing for my daughter.

Fonda Ellis On When Her Son Might Commit: He said when he is ready. It could be his junior year or the beginning of senior year.

Fonda Ellis on Whether Location Would Be a Factor: We have family in S.C. that would love him to go on the East Coast.  He really doesn’t say anything about location he just wants the right fit for him.

Kadeem Jack, 2010, Rice (NY)

On His Current List: Arizona, Arkansas, UConn, Georgetown, Providence, Miami, Florida, Kentucky, UCLA, California, Seton Hall, and West Virginia. All of the schools have offered except for Kentucky.

On Rumors That Arizona Is His Favorite: I wouldn’t say it’s my favorite. It’s the only school I have visited. As of now they kind of have the edge over other schools.

On His Only Visit to Arizona: It was a great experience. The fans and the whole environment was great.

On other possible visits: I’m not really sure yet. I’m still in the process of figuring it all out.

On When He Will Commit: I will most likely commit to a school in April.

To read the Q&A in its entirety, go here.

Todd Mayo, 2010, Germantown (TN) Memphis Grizzlies Star OJ Mayo’s Younger Brother

On His Current List: Memphis, Tennessee, Missouri, and West Virginia

On When He Will Commit: I will commit at the end of the season.

Myles Davis, 2011, St. Peter’s Prep (NJ)

On His Current List: UConn, George Mason, Georgetown, Rutgers, Providence, Seton Hall, Wake Forest, Virginia, Maryland, UMass, St. Joe’s, Marquette, and some more. There is no favorite.

On The Storybook Season: It’s going good for now. I mean, we got this far and were trying to go farther. So the job isn’t done yet. The season is still going on so I don’t wanna curse anything yet.

On Potential Visits: Not yet. I haven’t really done anything about the schools. I’m thinking more about States. That’s the main focus.

On When He Will Commit: I will probably commit before my senior season.

Dwayne Polee, 2010, Westchester (CA)

On His Current List: Georgia, Gonzaga, Arizona, USC, Rutgers, and UNLV with no favorite.

On When He Will Commit: I plan on making my commitment in late March or early April.

Gorgui Dieng, 2010, Huntington Prep (WV), Soon To Be Louisville Commit

On His Intentions of Committing to Louisville: I like the people, Coach Pitino, Walter McCarty. He was like 17 years old when he was being recruited by Pitino; now they work together. That shows it can improve a friendship and family at Louisville.

On When He Will Commit: I will not commit until March 15^th. I will most likely commit then.

For more on Gorgui’s potential commitment, go here.

Nigel Williams-Goss, 2013, Findlay Prep (NV)

On His Current List: UConn, Mississippi State, Washington State, UNLV, Oregon, Oregon State, Arizona, Hawaii, Washington, and Tulane.

On If He Has Plans To Commit Despite His Age: No I’m just taking it one step at a time. I’m more focused on winning now.

St. Patrick’s Seniors Reflect upon Abrupt Ending

Chase Plummer, 2010, UMBC Commit: It is unbelievable. I didn’t think that a great season and my high school career would end like that.

Kyrie Irving, 2010, Duke Commit: It’s sad because all these guys are family and we here at St. Patrick’s are built on brotherhood. This season was really special because although it was my senior season, I’ve become so close with all my teammates. It’s heartbreaking the way the season had to end but now all of the seniors can move on to their endeavors that are waiting for them. I love St. Patrick’s, from the coaching staff teachers and my brothers.

**Also check out this recent interview with Kyrie below.

(Photo courtesy Baltimore Sun)

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Josh Selby

Selby’s mother, Maeshon Witherspoon, told the site that her son wasn’t emotionally up for the trip after losing a heartbreaker Thursday in the Maryland state playoffs.

The 6-3 Selby continues to list Arizona, Kansas, Kentucky and UConn. He also failed to make a recent trip to UConn due to “car trouble.”

Kentucky hosts SEC rival Florida at noon on Sunday on CBS.

(Photo courtesy Baltimore Sun)

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Brandon Knight of Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Pine Crest on Wednesday told the Orlando Sentinel he plans to announce “sometime soon.”

The 6-foot-4 Knight lists Florida, Kentucky, Kansas, UConn, and Miami as his final five.

“I’m pretty ready. I want to make sure I make the right decision,” Knight told the Sentinel after scoring 25 points in a 77-63 victory over Williston in a Florida Class 3A semifinal.

His father, Efrem Knight, recently told me there was no leader among the schools.

“Nobody’s leading. Brandon can flourish at any one of the schools that he’s going to,” Efrem Knight said by phone. “It still where it’s been. He’s considering all the same schools.”

Knight is part of a group of elite senior guards who has yet to  announce a school.

Fellow McDonald’s All-Americans Cory Joseph, Josh Selby and Doron Lamb remain uncommitted.

“I’ve never seen anything like this,” one Division 1 assistant coach said. “It’s just odd because all these guys are point guards.”

The coach said he believed Knight’s delay in announcing was holding up the other guards, who are waiting to see what he does.

“My thing is this, if you want to go to Kentucky then say you’re going there,” the coach said. “[Kentucky coach John] Calipari really wants Brandon Knight and I think Coach Cal is holding everyone up.”

Kentucky will lose John Wall to the NBA Draft and could lose fellow freshman Eric Bledsoe as well, meaning he would need at least one elite guard to  come in. Calipari recently went to scout Joseph at Henderson (Nev.) Findlay Prep, but Joseph’s top five schools remain UConn, Villanova, Texas, UNLV and Minnesota.

Lamb is considering UConn, Kansas, Kentucky, Arizona and West Virginia.

Selby lists Kansas, Kentucky, Arizona and UConn.

Knight, Joseph and Lamb have all taken their five official visits, but none has committed.

“Everyone’s looking at what [Calipari] does,” the coach said.

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“Yeah, pretty much. I don’t see why not,” said Damian Leslie, Jack’s mentor.

“Aside from it being in a nice environment and having a winning tradition, he visited the school so you would have to say that’s what it is.”

Jack visited Arizona in January and then came home and led Rice to the SNY Invitational title at LIU-Brooklyn.

Coaches from Providence, St. John’s and Miami came to watch Jack in that event, when he earned MVP honors.

Leslie also listed Arkansas, UCLA, UConn, Florida and Seton Hall and said Jack would take additional visits after the season ends.

“After the season,” Leslie said.

Jack and the Raiders play Xaverian Friday in the Catholic League playoffs and are aiming to defending their New York State Federation Class AA championship.

“Right now he’s just focused on ball,” Leslie said.

The Arizona Daily Star reported that the Wildcats have just one scholarship remaining for 2010 and 2011, yet they are involved with Jack, Baltimore’s Josh Selby, New York’s Doron Lamb and Michigan’s Ray McCallum.

A source close to the Arizona program said Selby, Lamb and Jack remain the program’s “highest priorities.”

(Photo courtesy Daily News)

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“Everything is going well and yes everything is on for UConn,” Maeshon Witherspoon, Selby’s mother, told Alex Kline of BoxofMess.com.

The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Selby is down to four schools: Arizona, Kansas, Kentucky and UConn.

He had initially cut the Huskies from his list but now they are back on.

“Actually, we had a relationship with UConn first,” Witherspoon told the Baltimore Sun. “They were on the list. We kind of had some miscommunication, so we talked about it and worked it back out.”

A McDonald’s All-American, Selby is averaging more than 30 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists for Baltimore (Md.) Lake Clifton.

UConn is also involved with senior guards Brandon Knight, Cory Joseph and Doron Lamb.

WRIGHT LEAVES FRIARS

Kyle Wright, a 6-6, 215-pound junior from Hartford, Conn., is leaving the Providence basketball team, according to the Providence Journal.

Wright was averaging 2.8 points and 1.7 rebounds, while shooting just 36 percent from the floor.

He said his lack of playing time combined with his academic workload motivated him to leave the team. He is pursuing a double major in business management and sociology.

“I was required to take more credits than any other student,” Wright told the Providence Journal. “They accepted 70 credits and it normally takes 116 to graduate. I need 140 credits. It would be possible (to graduate and keep playing basketball), but I was in a position where I had to do everything perfectly. I had to fit everything in perfectly.”

Providence has three players committed for next season and now has an extra scholarship to use.

The Friars are involved with 6-3 point guard Bryon Allen of St. Thomas More; 6-9 forward Kadeem Jack of Manhattan Rice; 6-6 Joel “Air Jamaica” Wright, who previously committed to Fordham; 6-4 shooting guard Trey Ziegler of Michigan Mount Pleasant; and 6-9 power forward Jon Horford of Michigan Grand Ledge.

STOKES APOLOGIZES FOR INCIDENT

Corey Stokes apologized to his Villanova teammates after getting a citation for public urination early Thursday morning.

“It’s embarrassing,” Stokes said, according to Terry Toohey of the Delco Times. “I apologized and I learned from my mistakes.”

Villanova coach Jay Wright said he wasn’t certain whether he would punish the 6-5 junior by not playing him against Syracuse in Saturday’s Big East tilt. It sounds like Stokes will play, but may not start.

“I’m still thinking about it,” Wright said, according to the DelcoTimes. “He’s fine with me and the team. He apologized to the team. It was a simple college student’s mistake. He was not drunk and so with me he’s fine. It’s just a matter of what I think about with the team, but he’s playing and it’s just going to be a matter if we make a little decision. It’s not a major deal to me or the team.”

The original story was first reported Thursday afternoon by ZAGSBLOG.COM, and credited by USA Today and Deadspin.

(Photos courtesy Baltimore Sun, Providence Athletics, Villanova Athletics)

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“The doctor said he would be out about a week,” a source with direct knowledge said.

The Pirates play at West Virginia Saturday before hosting Rutgers Tuesday.

Hazell reportedly received eight stitches Wednesday night and is scheduled to visit the doctor again on Friday.

“He’s going to see him tomorrow [Friday] morning. Then we will know more,” the source said.

The second-leading scorer in the Big East at 22.4 points per game, Hazell left at the 8:21 mark of the first half and did not return.

Senior guard Eugene Harvey also did not play in the game because of a bone bruise on his right wrist.

RECRUITING RUNDOWN

Having secured a verbal commitment from 6-8 power forward Eugene McCrory, the Pirates are in the market for one or two other power forwards and centers. Seton Hall is also involved with 6-9 senior Moses Abraham of Temple Hills (Md.) Progressive Christian; 6-8 senior Jonathan Graham of Baltimore Calvert Hall; 6-10 Maurice Walker of Brewster (N.H.) Academy, the No. 12 center in the Class of 2010; and 6-8 Jamir Hanner of Newark (N.J.) Nia Prep.

The Pirates are also involved with Manhattan Rice senior forward Kadeem Jack. Arizona assistant Book Richardson was in New York on Thursday to watch Jack at practice.

Jack said Georgetown, Kentucky and Louisville “are my new schools.”

Arizona is also pursuing Oak Hill senior guard Doron Lamb and Lake Baltimore (Md.) senior guard Josh Selby.

Lamb is down to Arizona, UConn, West Virginia, Kansas and Kentucky, while Selby is mulling Arizona, UConn, Kansas and Kentucky.

(Photo courtesy AP)

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Josh Selby’s

Indiana and Syracuse have been eliminated and the 6-foot-2, 180-pound Selby is only considering Arizona, UConn, Kansas and Kentucky, according to a report by Scout.com.

A source close to the situation says Selby will end up at one of these two schools: “Kansas and Arizona.”

A newly-minted McDonald’s All-American, Selby visited Arizona Jan. 9 and went to Kansas Feb. 13 for the Iowa State game. His mother, Maeshon Witherspoon, told Scout Kansas wants either Selby or Brandon Knight to replace the graduating Sherron Collins.

He plans to visit UConn for the Louisville game (Feb. 28) and Kentucky (March 7-8). The Wildcats host Florida March 7.

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UNION, N.J. — Doron Lamb’s

And that is good news for the schools still in the mix for the 6-foot-4 Oak Hill Academy senior guard.

The newly-minted McDonald’s All-American from Queens, N.Y. scored 18 points, including the game-winning foul shot with 9.4 seconds left, to lift the Warriors to a dramatic 79-78 victory over Elizabeth (N.J.) St. Patrick in an ESPNU game at Kean College’s Harwood Arena. 

“We’ve been thinking about this game for like two weeks now because it was on ESPNU, so we just had to come out here and play ‘D’ and win off of the offensive rebounds and defensive rebounds. We lost that today but we finished out strong at the end. I made clutch foul shots,” Lamb said.

He broke a 78-all tie with 1-of-2 foul shots for the final points of the game.

St. Patrick junior guard Derrick Gordon missed two free throws with .4 seconds left.

That capped a traumatic day for St. Patrick, winner of three of the last four New Jersey Tournament of Champions titles.

Earlier in the day, the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association banned St. Patrick from the state tournament and suspended head coach Kevin Boyle three games for holding out-of-season workouts last October.

Lamb was named a co-MVP in front of his parents and friends, and then said his college list now consists of five schools.

“I got Kansas, Arizona, Kentucky, UConn and West Virginia right now,” Lamb said.

Lamb had recently listed only the four schools besides UConn, but confirmed the Huskies were now in the mix.

UConn also has a verbal commitment (but no signature) from Lamb’s 6-8 teammate Roscoe Smith. who scored 14 of his 18 in the second half. UConn assistant Pat Sellers was at the game, one day ahead of head coach Jim Calhoun’s return from medical leave to coach against Cincinnati. UConn has also offered a scholarship to 6-6 St. Benedict’s Prep senior guard Mike Poole, who scored 12 points in an 82-38 rout eof Lakewood.

A New York native, the Big East would seem to make sense for Lamb. If he chose either West Virginia or UConn, his family could watch him play numerous times each year in the New York area.

Still, he’s open to all five schools.

“It doesn’t really matter if it’s close to home. I just want to go somewhere that it fits me and fits my family and it’s the best decision for me. That’s where I’ll go,” Lamb said.

Lamb visited West Virginia last month when Oak Hill played in the state.

“It was a good visit. I talked to Bob [Huggins], he told me a lot about how I’d fit in the offense next year and that it will be a great look for me next year. So I have to sit down, wait until spring break and talk to my family because I don’t really talk to them that much at Oak Hill. So I’ll wait…and make a decision in April,” he said.

Lamb also visited Arizona in January, just before Lake Baltimore (Md.) guard Josh Selby hit the desert.

“We talk about [playing together] sometimes but Arizona only has one scholarship left so it’s gotta be one of us that goes there,” Lamb said.

Lamb played for the New York Gauchos, the same AAU program that produced Arizona assistant Book Richardson and Arizona freshman guard Lamont “Momo” Jones. A fellow New Yorker, Jones played alongside Lamb last year at Oak Hill.

“I went out there, had a good time with Coach Book, coach of the Gauchos, and Momo played with me last year and Kevin Parrom played AAU basketball with me. I know a couple of the players  on the team, but I had a great visit out there. And the weather’s nice. And the coaching staff. Sean Miller, he knows how to coach. He just told me that I’ll fit into the system next year and I’ll play a lot as a freshman. He said if you play a lot as a freshman, you could do a lot of things and you maybe can go pro early,” Lamb said.

Lamb is one of four elite uncommitted 2010 guards, along with Selby, Brandon Knight and Cory Joseph.

Kansas, Kentucky, Arizona and UConn are in the mix for at least one of those players, but Lamb says he won’t be influenced by their decisions.

“No, I’m not even going to worry about them right now. I’m just worried about where I’m going and where it fits me the best,” he said.

“Everything’s open right now.”

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The source said Arizona would lose the scholarship for the 2011 class and would still theoretically have enough room for all three players should they elect to come play for the Wildcats.

The 6-4 Lamb (pictured), a Queens, N.Y. native playing at Oak Hill Academy, recently cut his list to Arizona, Kansas, Kentucky and West Virginia. A McDonald’s All-American, Lamb is expected to announce after the NCAA tournament.

The 6-2 Selby, out of Lake Baltimore (Md.) Clifton, is considering several schools, including Arizona, Syracuse, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky and UConn. Sources indicate Arizona and Kansas lead.

The 6-9 Jack from Manhattan Rice is still in the early stages of his recruitment, but recently took his first official visit to the Arizona campus.

FoxSports.com reported that Arizona is expected to self-impose sanctions that include the loss of a future scholarship and a reduction of recruiting days in July and in on-campus official visits. An official announcement could come Friday, FoxSports.com reported.

The violations are connected to an AAU basketball tournament known as the Cactus Classic, held in May 2008 at Arizona’s McKale Center.

The school reported the possible NCAA recruiting violation by coach Lute Olson, who called it “an unfortunate and regrettable error,” in September 2008.

Olson had sent a letter to basketball boosters asking for a donation to the Cactus Classic. NCAA rules prohibit institutional representatives or boosters from arranging financial assistance for potential recruits.

Olson denied knowledge of the letter being sent and later issued a retraction, saying he had not seen or approved the document.

“This is an unfortunate and regrettable error,” he said in a statement. “We have always prided ourselves on operating within NCAA rules and regulations.”

(Wire services contributed)

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After Jack returned Friday night from an official trip to Arizona, he proceeded to lead Rice to the title at the 3rd annual SNY Invitational with back-to-back wins over Boys & Girls and Cardozo at LIU-Brooklyn.

Over the two games, Miami assistant Jorge Fernandez, Seton Hall assistant Scott Adubato, St. John’s assistant Fred Quartlebaum and Providence assistant Rodell  Davis were all on hand to watch Jack.

“I tell the coaches now that every day a new big-time coach is calling for him,” Hicks said. “And I tell them that his upside is great.”

And why not?

Jack, who spent 10 years of his childhood in Trinidad & Tobago, has only been playing ball for four years, yet he has tremendous upside. He’s a natural shot-blocker and rebounder and his ability to score around the basket is still improving. If he can develop a face-up game and improve his foul shooting, look out.

“Kadeem hasn’t been playing basketball for a long time,” Hicks said. “I think it’s a great thing because you can teach him. He doesn’t have the bad habits. As soon as you tell him to do something he does it right away. He’s a kid that loves to play and I think his upside is tremendous.”

***

If Jack opts to attend Arizona, he would join Westchester (Calif.) High School senior combo guard Jordin Mayes, who committed on Monday.

“Jordin always liked Arizona because he grew up watching Damon and Salim,” Darryel Mayes, Jordin’s father, told the Arizona Daily Star . “He understands a lot of guards did well at Arizona.”

Darryel played at UNLV and knows former Arizona players Damon and Salim Stoudemire.

With the addition of the 6-foot-1, 170-pound Mayes, it is unclear what is in store for Arizona’s recruiting.

The Daily Star reported that the Wildcats have just one scholarship remaining for 2010 and 2011, yet they are involved with Jack, Baltimore’s Josh Selby, New York’s Doron Lamb and Michigan’s Ray McCallum.

A source close to the Arizona program said Selby, Lamb and Jack remain the program’s “highest priorities.”

(Photo courtesy Daily News)

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