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“It’s a conflict [of interest] either way, from college or from the NBA, I just don’t understand why it wouldn’t be,” Boeheim, the head coach at Syracuse and an assistant with Team USA, said after Tuesday’s practice at John Jay College. “You know, you’re a college coach involved with kids and the NBA wants your players or evaluations of your players.

“It seems like it’s kind of a conflict a little bit that you’re coaching kids and then recommending them to pro guys.”

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The 6-foot-3, 175-pound Turner is currently considering seven schools as options for 2011.

“I’m at seven schools,” he said by phone from the Nike Global Challenge in Portland, Ore., where Team USA lost to France Friday night.

“Kansas, UConn, Louisville, Oregon, Oklahoma, UCLA and Arizona.”

Turner has just one official visit set.

“I’m going to Louisville on Sept. 4,” he said. “I don’t have any others planned.”

Turner said he also planned to take an unofficial to see Isiah Thomas‘s Florida International team.

“I’m gonna go on an unofficial to FIU,” he said.

His mother, Doris Ward, also told the Louisville Courier-Journal that she is setting up a visit to UConn and said her son will also likely visit Arizona and Kansas.

Turner reiterated that he has no favorites.

“I don’t have any  leaders or favorites,” he said. “That’s my top [schools].”

He says he won’t decide until “after I go on my officials.”

The Soldiers had a tremendous summer, winning tournaments in Las Vegas (Fab 48)  and Anaheim (Pumps), the latter without Turner.

Wherever he goes, Turner says he’ll bring “a point guard that can score.”

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Rakeem Christmas

As first reported here Tuesday, Christmas and his aunt, Amira Hamid, visited Rutgers earlier this week.

Now it appears that the 6-foot-8 Christmas, who had earlier cut his list to five schools, is wide open in his recruitment.

“His recruiting is open again. No list,” said Kevin Givens, head coach at Academy of the New Church.

Christmas had cut his list to Georgetown, Florida, Florida International, Texas and Oklahoma, but Rutgers is now trying to break into the mix.

Associate head coach David Cox recruited Christmas for two years at Georgetown and has a strong connection with Christmas and his aunt.

Rutgers may or may not end up getting Christmas, but his recruitment is now open to new suitors.

(Photo courtesy Courier Journal)

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The Scarlet Knights hosted Rakeem Christmas, a 6-8 center ranked No. 1 in the Class of 2011 at his position; Jermaine Sanders,  a 6-5 wing from Manhattan Rice; Greg Lewis, a 6-9 center from Baltimore St. Frances ranked No. 10 at his position; Kevin Smith, a 6-1 point guard from Baltimore Huntington Prep; and Aaron Brown, a 6-5 wing from Penn Wood (Pa.) High.

Christmas, out of Academy of the New Church in Bryn Athyn, Pa., visited with his aunt, Amira Hamid, from 11-2 p.m, but did not run with the team.

Christmas had cut his list to Georgetown, Florida, Florida International, Texas and Oklahoma, but Rutgers is now trying to break into the mix.

Associate head coach David Cox recruited Christmas for two years at Georgetown and has a strong connection with Christmas and his aunt.

Christmas and ANC coach Kevin Givens weren’t immediately available for comment.

As for Sanders, he played ball with Lewis, Smith and the Rutgers players a day after visiting Seton Hall.

“It was great for him to come out and run with the guys and spend some time with Mike Rice and Van [Macon],” said New Heights director and Rice assistant Kimani Young. “They have a great staff. Coach has a great energy. I think these guys are going to do good things here.”

Young said Sanders also enjoyed his Seton Hall visit and said both New Jersey schools were “viable options” for him.

“He went to Seton Hall yesterday [Monday],” Young said. “He worked out with Jordan Theodore over there. He had a great tour of the campus and spent some time with Coach [Kevin] Willard and Shaheen Holloway. Seton Hall is a viable option for Jermaine.”

Sanders heads to Villanova Wednesday.

(Photo courtesy Courier Journal)

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The Pirates are involved with Torgrim Sommerfeldt, a 6-foot-6 shooting guard from Norway, and Ozan Dilik, a 6-4 point guard from Turkey.

Sommerfeldt visited the South Orange, N.J. campus last weekend and will likely choose from among Seton Hall, Rutgers, FDU and Florida International in the coming weeks.

“It looks like Rutgers or Seton Hall,” said Matt Fisher, Sommerfeldt’s Baltimore-based mentor. “He had a great visit at Seton Hall. They blew him away. Those guys are pretty impressive.”

Sommerfeldt is currently back at NTG Sports Academy in Oslo, where he’s doing a prep year and is coached by Fisher’s brother, Ty.

The 6-6, 205-pound Sommerfeldt previously committed to Wake Forest but never landed at the ACC school.

“They wanted him to redshirt,” Matt Fisher said. “We both decided to go back and revisit things.”

Sommerfeldt had surgery in late 2008 on both knees, but still hasn’t fully recovered.

Still, numerous schools have called, but Fisher said Rutgers and Seton Hall lead the list, with FDU coach Greg “Shoes” Vetrone getting in the mix recently. Sommerfeldt also visited FIU and head coach Isiah Thomas during his American visit.

As for Rutgers, Fisher said, “We’re waiting to see who the coach is going to be at Rutgers.”

Dilik is a 6-4 point guard from Turkey who plays at Huntington (West Va.) Prep. He visited Cincinnati last weekend and is trying to set up visits to Seton Hall and Oregon soon.

“He’s a very physical point guard,” Huntington Prep coach Rob Fulford said. “He gets to the basket any time he wants to. He’s a great shooter, a good pick-and-roll player, a very aggressive point guard.

“He needs to work on his foot speed, but he’s physically imposing on smaller guards.”

(Photo courtesy SBNation.com)

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Sterling Gibbs, a point guard out of Seton Hall Prep pictured at left, Myles Mack of Paterson (N.J.) Catholic and Tyler Harris of Half Hollow (N.Y.) Hills West were all behind the Pirates bench at the Prudential Center.

“It was a good game,” Mack said. “Seton Hall pulled it out. I love the atmosphere but when the student body gets back it’s going to be better.”

The 5-10 Mack has not officially been offered yet by Seton Hall, but sources said head coach Bobby Gonzalez planned to offer him. He has led Paterson Catholic to a Top 10 ranking nationally.

Asked if he had any favorites, Mack said, “Not really, no favorites.”

**Gibbs says his current list includes Seton Hall, Providence, Indiana, Pittsburgh, Maryland, Virginia, Rutgers, Villanova, Florida and Wake Forest and that he hopes to visit Florida and Wake Forest soon.

“Florida and Wake Forest are involved. Providence recently got involved,” Panthers coach Gary Charles said. “No dates are set. Everything right now is unofficial.”

**The 6-8 Harris holds offers from UConn, West Virginia, Seton Hall, Hofstra, Fordham and  Delaware and interest from Syracuse, Georgia Tech, Maryland and South Florida. He and his father plan to attend Wednesday’s Syracuse at Rutgers game to check out the Orange.

**6-3 Plainfield junior point guard Tyrone Johnson did not make the game but plans to visit Virginia Tech and West Virginia, in addition to Rutgers, Seton Hall and Villanova, when he has a break in his schedule.

**Seton Hall is also involved with 6-10 center Maurice Walker of Brewster (N.H.) Prep.

“He’s hearing from a lot of schools right now, such as Pitt, Seton Hall, Oklahoma, Marquette, Kansas, LSU, etc.,” Brewster coach Jason Smith wrote by text. “He’s from Toronto. He will take visits in the spring after the Final Four.”

**In other recruiting news, the Arizona Daily Star reports that Rice forward Kadeem Jack will visit Arizona Jan. 26-27.

Jack holds offers from St. John’s, Seton Hall, Florida and Arizona, and Florida International coach Isiah Thomas has called, Rice coach Moe Hicks said.

“He has no favorite right now,” Hicks said. “He’s not going to do anything until late.”

**Duke-bound point guard Kyrie Irving dropped 30 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists Sunday as St. Patrick downed Trenton Catholic, 78-52, in the Scholarship Fund for Inner-Children Festival at Kean University’s Harwood Arena in Union, according to The Star-Ledger. The Celtics continue to play without junior Mike Gilchrist, out two weeks with a right knee strain.

Markeese Tucker had 17 and Frantz Massenat 15 for TC.

**St. Bonaventure-bound PG Elijah Carter dropped 19 points and Richmond commit Derrick Williams had 12 points and 7 boards in the same event when St. Anthony beat NIA Prep, 62-51. The Friars continue to play without 6-8 Oregon State-bound F Devon Collier (academics) and 6-8 Maryland commit Ashton Pankey (shin splints).

**Texas-bound junior guard Myck Kabongo of St. Benedict’s dropped 19 points, including three 3-pointers, and Rutgers commit Gil Biruta added 18 as the Gray Bees crushed Our Saviour, 95-63. Mike Poole added 17 points and Arizona commit Sidiki Johnson had 7.

**St. John’s-bound forward Ronald Roberts scored a game-high 20 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists to lead St. Peter’s Prep over Hudson Catholic, 77-42.

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Grasso landed a double-dip of guards Monday night when Jayon James, a 6-foot-5 guard from Paterson (N.J.) Catholic, and 6-2 guard Sean Armand, a Brooklyn native spending a postgrad year at Central Jersey Each One Teach One (CJEOTO) in Jersey, both orally committed to the Rams.

“I feel I had the best relationship wth Coach Grasso and the players that’s already there,” said James, who comes off the bench for the No. 9 team in the PrepNation.com poll. “I’ve been keeping in contact with them the most out of any other schools that I had.”

Grasso has been recruiting James since he was in the eighth grade and it paid off. A regular at the Reebok All-American Camp every July in Philadelphia, James said he chose Fordham over interest from La Salle, Rice, Canisius and Ivy League schools Columbia, Brown and Harvard.

A tall, cerebral guard who has battled weight issues in the past but has slimmed down to 225 pounds, James could play a point forward position for Fordham, currently 2-10 on the season.

“He said I would be the point forward,” James said of Grasso. I  would be the playmaker, get everybody on my team better.”

Fordham already features former PC guard Lance Brown, and that factored into James’ decision.

“He’s like a big brother ever since I came to PC,” James said. “And I also know [Fordham freshman] Chris Gaston.”

PC coach Damon Wright said he was very happy for James, and that Fordham was landing a very smart, talented player.

“He’s going to defend, he’s going to be a point forward, he’s going to be a winner,” Wright said. “He’s going to be a player that brings  a lot of IQ to the team.”

PC has cracked the Top 10 in several national polls after winning the City of Palms Classic in Florida, beating Austin Rivers and Winter Park (Fla.) in the final. Since then, the Cougars beat Huntington (West Va.) Prep in West Virginia and St. Peter’s Prep in Teaneck on Sunday.

“It’s been pretty exciting,” James said. “We were never able to be in the Top 10 in any of the polls. To win all these independent games is great so far. It’s good to beat some of these best teams in the country.”

James will be joined at Fordham next year by Armand, a 6-foot-2, 180-pound combo guard from Brooklyn who also orally committed Monday.

“Yes, five minutes ago,” Armand, pictured at left courtesy Jay Gomes, NJHoops.com, said by phone.

Armand said he had interest from La Salle, St. Joe’s, Rutgers, Arkon and Houston. St. Bonaventure also offered.

“I was about to go visit Houston,” he said.

Armand said he developed a close bond with Grasso and assistant Steve Trefilletti.

“I was close to him,” he said of Trefilletti. “The way I way I felt about my high school coach, that’s the way I feel with him.”

Armand averaged over 25 points and 12 rebounds as a junior at Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis High School in Manhattan and then dropped 44 points in one game there last season.

Josh Hoffman, Armand’s AAU coach with the New Jersey Trail Blazers, said Fordham is getting a steal.

“He can flat out score the ball,” Hoffman said. “He’s got NBA range on the jumper, can go to the hoop. He’s quick. He’s a high-character young man who will work his tail off and play defense and score. He’s under the radar, played at a no-name New York high school.”

“If he played for the New York Gauchos or the New Jersey Playaz, everyone in the nation would know who he was.”

Armand said he’s aware that Grasso is an interim coach and feels confident in his decision.

“I trust Coach Grasso and what he told me about the situation,” Armand said. “That he’s confident that he’s going to have his job. I’m going to take his word.

“He was loyal to me. I’m loyal to him.”

Added Hoffman: ”If Sean were my son I would feel comfortable sending him to play for Jared. They made him feel comfortable.”

FLORIDA AFTER KADEEM JACK

Rice coach Maurice Hicks said Florida coach Billy Donovan and assistant Rob Lanier will be up this week to visit 6-8 senior forward Kadeem Jack (pictured courtesy NewYorkGauchos.com).

“Everybody’s coming,” Hicks said. “Billy Donovan is coming in this week.”

Jack holds offers from St. John’s, Seton Hall, Florida and Arizona, and Florida International coach Isiah Thomas has called, Hicks said.

“He has no favorite right now,” Hicks said. “He’s not going to do anything until late.”

Jack and teammates Shane Southwell, who committed to Kansas State on SNY.tv, and junior wing Jermaine Sanders, who has interest from several Big East schools, will play in the SNY Invitational Jan. 29-30 at NYU.

“He’s a high-major player,” Hicks said of Jack. “He’s really developed into a power player. He just turned 17. His upside is great. I think he can be a high-major four or five.”

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John Calipari

Is Brandon Knight next in line at Kentucky?

The 6-foot-3 Knight, the top prospect in the Class of 2010, has narrowed his list to four schools — Kentucky, Kansas, UConn and Florida — and will sign in the spring.

Considering Kentucky freshman John Wall will likely be the top pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, does it make sense that Knight will end up following in Wall’s foosteps?

“Is he John Wall’s replacement,”  Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Pine Crest coach Dave Beckerman asked rhetorically.

“I don’t think Brandon Knight is anybody’s replacement. He’s a true natural point guard. He has his own game.”

Calipari has proven to have a special touch with point guards.

Derrick Rose was the NBA Rookie of the Year last year with the Chicago Bulls.

Tyreke Evans is having a fine rookie campaign with the Sacramento Kings.

Calipari coached both at Memphis.

And Wall has led No. 3 Kentucky to a 10-0 record and has people talking about a potential Final Four appearance.

Just last week he dropped a season-high 25 points and 6 steals (together with 7 turnovers) on UConn in the SEC/Big East Invitational at Madison Square Garden.

When I asked Calipari where Wall compared to Rose and Evans, he answered: “He is a little bit ahead in what we are running on offense.”

Of course Kentucky won’t be the only program losing a point guard to the NBA.

Kansas will lose senior Sherron Collins and UConn could lose sophomore Kemba Walker.

Both teams, along with Florida, would love to land Knight, who boasts a 4.2 GPA, has already won two MVP trophies this season and was one of 10 high school players  named to the Naismith Trophy Boys’ High School Player of the Year watch list on Friday.

Beckerman said Knight will watch all the teams this season and then decide after the high school season ends.

“He wants to see how schools do,” Beckerman said. “What recruiting classes are so that he can look in and find his spot and enroll at the right school.”

Of course if he ends up at Kentucky as the next lottery pick in line, don’t be surprised.

“Kentucky has shown a lot of interest,” Beckerman said.

MILK FIELDING OFFERS

Beckerman said 6-9 forward Matt Milk, a Long Island native playing at Pine Crest, has not committed to Florida International coach Isiah Thomas but remains interested and has also heard from other schools.

“Hartford has called on him.  Fordham called on him. [Division 3] Trinity (Conn.) has been hot after him. He would be a big fish in a small pond there,” the coach said.

“A lot of people stopped calling because they thought he had committed to FIU,” Beckerman added. “The answer is he hasn’t committed. He’s waiting until the spring and evaluating his position.”

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Florida International, Florida, Georgetown, Oklahoma and Texas are still in the running for the No. 1 center and No. 4 overall prospect in the Class of 2011.

Baylor, Villanova, Indiana and Ohio State were cut from the old list, and Florida International, coached by Isiah Thomas, was added.

“Since our last announcement, certain schools have made a valiant effort regarding Rakeem’s recruitment. Stronger bonds have been established with a few programs and their staff. Our current list reflects that,” said Amira Hamid, Christmas’ aunt and legal guardian. “Once we know it’s right for Rakeem and once he feels 100 percent confident about the situation, everyone else will know. This process has been lengthy but we are in no rush to meet a timeline. We’re pleased with the current schools we are considering and looking forward to watching them play this season.”

The 6-foot-9 Christmas transferred to the Academy of the New Church from Philly Northeast Catholic.

“I’m happy to work with a smaller group of schools going into the season,” he said. “I’ve been so busy with maintaining my grades and practicing with the team, that I think this will help me focus with having to deal with less pressure during the season. My transition at ANC has been great. I’m enjoying my classmates, teachers, and teammates. Coach [Kevin] Givens has been great with the workouts. I’m just ready for the season to start.”

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By BILLY DIAMOND
Special Contributor to ZAGSBLOG.com

Facing a raucous anti-Isiah crowd, Florida International dropped to 0-2 after falling, 99-70, Friday at Monmouth’s new Multipurpose Activity Center.

Thomas, the former coach and president of the Knicks, was loudly booed as he walked onto the court to take his seat on the bench and one fan held up a sign that read “FIU: Fire Isiah University.”

“I’m used to being in hostile arenas,” Thomas said, according to The Associated Press. “As an athlete and as a former ‘Bad Boy,’ every place we went to was kind of this kind of environment. So I’m used to dealing with tough environments.”

Thomas’ team played lackluster defense and failed to shut down the opposing team’s best player, Travis Taylor, who led the winners with 18 points. Former Rutgers guard Justin Sofman added 13 points in 14 minutes in his first game since transferring and sitting out a year.

Thomas’ team was coming off an 88-72 loss Monday at defending NCAA champion North Carolina.

That same day, his mother, Mary, underwent heart surgery following a heart attack. He told reporters she’s feeling better.

“It’s been a stressful week,” Thomas told the AP.

Thomas entered the court to a raucous student section behind the FIU home basket booing at the top of its lungs. His team was down by 10 points early in the game, 23-13, to the enjoyment of most in attendance. Chants of “Magic Johnson,” “Sexual Harassment,” and “Fire Isiah” ensued.

He was constantly heckled by fans throughout the game, and he said one adult fan accosted  him and used profane language after the game.

“There was a gentleman that I don’t even think he goes to school here and he’s not even in college, but he got out of line and security put him back in line, which was good,” Thomas said. “He didn’t grab me. If he did that, then I would have had the right to go Charles Barkley on him.

“I think the students were well in line and in-bounds in terms of the chants and the things they were saying. It was all in good spirit.

“But for someone who was older to act that way and conduct himself in that manner, particularly at a college game and a college environment, he should have known better.”

Thomas  was forced to huddle his players before the first mandatory time-out in the first half. His team trailed by eight at halftime and was outscored by 21 points in the second half.

Brooklyn’s Marvin Roberts led FIU with 21 points.

Monmouth coach Dave Calloway said he believes Thomas can turn things around.

“It takes time,” Calloway told the AP. “Recruiting is a big part of it. Guys are going to want to go play for him because he’s an NBA guy. Everybody wants to play in the NBA.”

(The AP contributed)

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