A little love from the media in Dayton.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/s/content/oh/story/sports/college/wsu/2008/10/25/ddn102508spwsubb.html?cxntlid=inform_sr

Super 75 at Grand Valley State: Warmup

Congratulations to the players and coaches that attended Inside Prep Sports' Super 75 at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, MI. The Lakers' newly remodeled Fieldhouse provided a wonderful setting for the Sunday's event. Here's an opening read for those that weren't able to make the trip to Western Michigan.

High School players from across Michigan and a senior from Bowling Green, OH. provided talent that college coaches across the board will keep in their best interest when it comes to improving their team.

6'4 Scott Rogers continued his solid play, 6'7 Patrick Graham made a long trip to shine, 6' Michael Hollingsworth showed off his athleticism, 6'6 Jacob Wheeler combined size and a three-point shot, 6'4 Jamar Ragland stood out defensively and in transition, 6'5 Andrew VandierenDonck was back from injury and torched the nets from deep, 5'11 Casey Pratt turned heads throughout the day, 5'9 Luke Holtrip was shooting into an ocean as the day ended, ...

More soon on other senior sleepers, improving juniors, upstart sophomores, and the young guys that are jumping on the scene early.

Alex Gauna's stops in Ohio

Eaton Rapids's 6'9 power forward Alex Gauna is one of Inside Prep Sports' top five player from Michigan's 2010 recruiting class and the number one player at his position. His recruitment has also gained attention from a pair of Atlantic 10 and Big Ten programs.

He made unofficial visits to Indiana and Michigan State over the last handful of weeks most recently taking in the Spartans' Midnight Madness two friday night ago.

Saturday, Alex and the family made a visit to Cincinnati, OH. where Xavier's Head Coach Sean Miller and Chris Mack left a very positive impression on Dad.

"We're going to Dayton tomorrow and then it's time to focus on school, teammates, and a new coach."

Ed Gauna got down to business when talking about his son's education emphasizing a grades first mentality.

So, in alphabetical order the Flyers, Hoosiers, Musketeers, and Spartans are the front runners thus far.

Country Roads...

6-foot-9, 250 pound country boy DJ Cunninghan of Waterford, Ohio will be visiting Wright State on Sunday and Monday of this week. Cunningham has been gathering mixed interest from Bowling Green, Buffalo, Kent State, Detroit-Mercy and Ohio University. Cunningham is one of our Top 10 available prosepcts still on the board for the 2009 class!

Who is the Mummy? His name is Carthan!

5-foot-10, 2009,combo guard Darian Cartharn from Canal Winchester is taking in the Division 1 college life this weekend. Cartharn who has been noted as our sleeper of the century aka "Mummy-Man" for the 2009 class is taking an official visit at Wright State University this weekend. Cartharn holds offers from plenty of Division 2, 3 and NAIA programs around the country. Darian exploded onto the recruiting scene late this fall while playing in the Columbus Fall League held at The Hoop Sportscenter. Cartharn already has qualified academically,but will be retaking the ACT for future coursework. He is one of our top 5 guards in Ohio's 2009 class and physically is college ready. We will keep you posted on his progress.

INside Prep Sports: Columbus,Ohio Elite Camp

Updated list of players that are playing in the event! Jared Sullinger 6'8 2010 Columbus NorthlandJD Weatherspoon 6'6 2010 Columbus NorthlandJordan Sibert 6'4 2010 Cincinnati Princeton Trey Burke 5'11 2011 Columbus NorthlandAdam McCall 5'10 2012 DublinDevonte Peterson 5'10 2012 DublinStevie Taylor 5'9 2011 Gahanna LincolnMike Guyton 6'4 2009 Marion FranklinTim Hausfeld 5'8 2009 Southview Lamar Mallory 6'6 2009 Huber Heights WayneDimond Hale 6'3 2009 Columbus NorthlandRicky Bennett 6'1 2009 Columbus NorthlandDorian Carthorn 5'11 2009 Canal WinchesterJarmod Woodley 6’4 2009 Canal WinchesterAndrew Seamen 6'1 2010 PeeblesNate Anderson 6'7 2011 Teays ValleyJason Davis 5'10 2009 Westerville SouthMark Maloney 6'2 2010 Middletown Andrew Pavloff 6'9 2009 Walsh JesuitWill Weeks 6'6 2011 Garfield HeightsAndy Borcherdt 6'3 2010 Andy Stegman 6'5 2011 Andrew Bendloph 5'9 2011Solomon King-White 5'10 Jalen Robinson 6'8 2012 Westerville SouthTraevon Jackson 6'3 2011 Westerville SouthElijah Macon 6'8 2012 Marion FranklinTravis Trice 5'10 2011 Huber Heights WayneJosh Egner 6'6 2010 Massillon JacksonDelbert Love 5'10 2011 Lakewood St. EdwardAnton Grady 6'6 2011 Cleveland Central CatholicDJ Cunningham 6'9 2009 WaterfordMatt Jones 6'1 2009 ToledoBrock Ammons 6'6 2011 FindlayJordan Potts 5'10 2012 Columbus NorthlandBlake Justice 6'1 2011 PeeblesMarcus Graham 2011 Huber Heights WayneTrey Lewis 5'11 2011 Garfield HeightsMike Lewis 5'10 2012 Garfield HeightsIsiah Rogers 5'7 2012 Westerville SouthJake Forrest 5'9 2011 Bishop ReadyOliver Mcglade5'11 2010 Upper AlringtonCody Smith 5'11 2010 Lima ShawneeKyle Shrimel 2011 Canal WinchesterIsiah Boddie 6'1 2011 Trotwood-MadisonKeene Cockburn 6'6 2009 North RidgevilleMarcus Fowler 6'10 2009 Newton FallsJoe Vidovic 6'6 2009 Willoughby SouthWinston Grays 5'7 2012 Cleveland BenedictineEric Seaberry 5'8 2012 VASJ Ta-Rel Carter 5’7 2012 VASJMarcus Crider 6'6 2011 Huber Heights WayneNyles Evans 5'11 2011 North Canton HooverRJ Raglin 5'11 2012 Drew Stechschutle 6'2 2012 KalidaBen Jackson 6'3 2009 Columbus WheatstoneGavin Tatum 5'9 2012 Groveport MadisonShaquille Brooks 5'11 2012 Groveport MadisonChane Demming 6'4 2012 Groveport MadisonThayne Recker 6'4 2012 Demarko Lyshe 5'9 2011 ColumbusColin Barth 5'11 2011 Olmstead FallsEvan Legg 6'2 2011 PiketonJay Springs 5'11 2010 Toledo St. JohnsJustin Roth 6'4 2010 ParmaBrendan Cambell 6'6 2009 ParmaDavid Jackson 6'6 2010 Cleveland RhodesGeovonte Rose 6'7 2010 Cleveland Rhodes Thomas Kelty 6' 2010 Cleveland RhodesLoreen Malone 5'10 2010 Cleveland Rhodes Mathew Murrell 6'5 2010 Cleveland RhodesAndre Flowers 6'5 2011 Cleveland RhodesDerrick Evans 6'1 2011 Cleveland RhodesRa'Saun Smith 5'10 2012 Garfield HeightsKenny Kimenski 6'6 2012 MedinaLuke Roesch 6'6 2009 Fisher CatholicAlex Faulk 6'3 2009 Upper ArlingtonJarrod Hood 6'10 2009 Upper ArlingtonBlake Vedder 7'1 2009 West GeuagaAaron Robinson 6'3 2009 Trotwood-MadisonDD Joyner 6'3 2009 Groveport MadisonKenny Kanipe 6'7 2012 Groveport MadisonTanner Furno 6'7 2009 Columbus WheatstoneJake Mays 6'8 2009 TallmadgeMatt Napier 6'6 2010 Olentangy Niko Fatimus 5'10 2010 Poland SeminaryBen Donalow 6'5 2010 Poland SeminaryMike Shull 5'11 2011 Massillon JacksonMark Henniger 6’7 2010 Massillon JacksonJordan Devoull 6'3 2010 Westerville CentralRapheal Carter 6'8 2010 OlentagyKyle Molock 6'1 2011 Dublin-CoffmanCameron Wilson 6'3 2012 Dublin JeromeVictor Fortcamp 6'5 2010Alex Lalonde 6'3 2011 WoosterCooper Moretz 5'10 2012 AshlandChanning Doerman 6'3 2012 Westerville CentralJeremiah Dixon 5'11 2010 Columbus EastJonathon Feurgeson 6'2 2009Cameron Black 6'8 2010 Kent RooseveltJordan Jones 6'1 2009 Ravenna

Xavier Host 3, well really 2.5!

The Xavier Musketeers hosted 3 players this weekend from Columbus Northland. 2011, pg Trey Burke, 2010, SF James Weatherspoon and along for the ride 2010 OSU commit Jared Sullinger. The Northland trio took in a practice at X and also got time to check out the campus. James Weatherspoon is one of the Musketeers top prospects in 2010. Columbus Northland plays a rigorous non-conference schedule this year and are the early favorites to win the Division 1 State Title this year!

Cleveland Guard is getting major looks!

5-foot-10, 2010, Combo guard Derek Jackson from Cleveland Benedictine is going to have a few guests this week. Penn State and Duquesne are reportedly coming to Benedictine to check out the high flying guard. Derek who has MAC offers is one of the top athletes in Ohio's 2010 class. Derek plays AAU with King James and plays his school ball along side 2010 OSU Commit Cameron Wright. Benedictine is one of our sure locks for Columbus in 2009!

John Mark Henniger getting interest.

J.Mark Henniger a 6-foot-7, Power Forward from Massillon Jackson High School already has 2 scholarship offers from Liberty and Kent State. Henniger is also gathering major interest from many other MAC and Horizon level programs. Mark plays in the summer with King James. We will keep you in the loop on Henniger's progress this year.

Super 75: Detroit 2010

Super 75: 2010
University of Detroit-Mercy

Detroit, MI.- The Super 75 at the University of Detroit-Mercy provided a nice insight to many of the talented players Michigan has to offer on many different levels. The day was built upon drill work and how the participants applied their early efforts as the day was filled with solid game competition. Here's a look at juniors that stood out in the day's challenge:

Terrell Clinton, 6'5, Benton Harbor- The guard from Benton Harbor adds strength to the 2010 class. He looked to take charge and when he tightens up his guard skills, Clinton will be the combo guard he as well as Division I programs are expecting in the coming months.

Alex Cavazos, 5'10, Royal Oak Shrine- Cavazos picked up some nice drills and progressed in stations. Putting time in the weight room will help him as he develops in the tough Catholic League that consistently produces players for the next level.

Joey Asbury, 6'7, Warren Mott- Asbury turned heads on back to back times down the court when he finished the break with authority and returned a three off the wing. He can work on go to post moves, his ball handling to start separating, and hit the weight room while college coaches start to take further notice of the possible small forward.

Conor Boyle, 6'2, Rochester Adams- Boyle played with swagger and performed well in the shooting drills. He knocked down multiple threes and did a good job of finding players for lay ups. He stayed ith the play and beating his man to the spot often resulted in rebounds.

Corey Petros, 6'9, Utica Eisenhower- Petros is one of the best post players in Michigan's 2010 class and Saturday he showed why. He's sound with either hand around the hoop and a soft touch usually led to a bucket. Hitting the weights will add to his growing recruitment.

Lavario Smith, 6'3, Saginaw Heritage- Smith played with plenty of energy and his athleticism was noted throughout the day. This slasher could stand to improve his perimeter game as he's an efficient scorer in the half-court and seemed comfortable handling the ball. He could emerge as a sleeper for a few scholarship programs when he develops his guard skills.

Patrick Haggin, 6'5, Grand Blanc- Haggin performed well in the shooting drills and like most in the camp needs to tighten up his ball-handling skills. He's long with some big feet, so he might grow another couple of inches, which should be very intriguing to DII coaches. Hitting the weights will also help the Indiana native.

Keenan Wetzel, 6'4, Monroe St. Mary's Catholic Central- Wetzel had one of those days where his shot didn't fall as much as he would have liked but his form is there and his shot selection was solid. He stayed active throughout the games and was competitive in drill work. Wetzel has nice size and I see him as a small forward on the next level.

Demetrius Henderson, 6'2, Benton Harbor- Henderson is another guard from Michigan's 2010 class that will jump further on the map of coaches as the high school season nears. He has nice size for a junior and he's an all-around solid player. Taking an extra 100-200 shots a day will expand this solid athlete's game and recruitment.

Ryan Thomas, 5'10, Romeo- Thomas has potential as he's long and has improved quite a bit since he participated in the IPS camp as a freshman. He showed solid ball handling skills in drill work and looked to run the point in game play. He does need to gain some weight but he still has two years of high school basketball ahead of him.

Friday: Travel Miles

Here is a brief list of players visiting a College Campus Near you!
Ray McCallum 2010, 6'1, pg is at Kansas.
Adriean Payne 2010, 6'9, PF is off to Maryland.
Dashonte Riley 2009, 6'10, C is going to Georgetown.
JD Weatherspoon, 2010, 6'6, Sf is going to Xavier.
Trey Burke, 2011,6', pg is going to Xavier.
Stevie Taylor, 2011, 5'9, pg is going to Virginia Tech.
Ralph Hill, 2010, 6'6, SF is going to Akron.
Josh Sewell, 2010, 6'4, 2G is off to Akron.
Markus Crider,2011, 6'5,SF is off to Purdue and then Pangos in Chicago
Travis Trice, 2011, 5'11,pg is off to Purdue and then Pangos in Chicago

Air Force Lands Ohio Sleeper

2009, 6-foot-6, 4/3 Ethan Michael from Toledo Christian has reportedly verballed to Air Force according to a source close to the situation. Ethan played well in July for the Columbus Basketball Club and was receiving interest from Horizon, NEC and plenty of Division 2 programs.

Findlay lands a pair of Guards.

6-foot-1, 2009 , Shooting Guard Aaron Robinson from Trotwood-Madison and 5-f00t-10, 2009,Point Guard Jovohne Brown from Bedford Chanel have both committed to Findlay this week according to someone close to the situation.

Another Big Dog!

Garfield Heights has landed another top notch program builder with 6-foot-8, 2009, PF Fred Chatman. Chatman who averaged 10 points and 10 rebounds last year at Cleveland JFK will fill up the inside playing next to 6-foot-8,2009,PF Mario Hines, 6-foot-6, 2009,PF Andre Jackson, 6-foot-6,2011, SF Will Weeks and freshman monster Jermaine Davis who tilts in at 6-foot-8! Garfield has to be a front runner and Top 5 team in the state this year with the amount of talent and depth they have coming back. Here is a quick peak at their unofficial roster:
PG-5'11 2009 Carl Jones (Verbal to St. Joes)
SG-5'10 2011 Trey Lewis (Mid-Major)
3-6'3 2009 Roy Brown (Verbal to University of Charleston)
SF-6'6, 2011 Will Weeks (Mid-Major)
PF-6'8, 2009 Mario Hines (IPFW)
Bench: 6'8, 2009 Fred Chatman (Low-Major)
Bench:6'6, 2009 Andre Jackson (D2)
Bench:6'4 2012 DJ Hall (Low-Major+)
Bench:6'8 2012 Jermaine Davis (Mid-Major+)
Bench:5'10 2012 Mike Davis
Bench:5'10 2012 Kenny Simpson

WVU lands 2009 Mountain State Prospect

6-foot-9, PF Deniz Kilichi from Mountain State Academy(WV) is heading to West Virginia University according to a source close to the situation. Deniz is one of the most highly touted prospects in the country after only being in the states for less than 6 months. Deniz was also receiving major interest from Kentucky,UCLA,USC,UCON,and NC State just to name a few.

Another 11 Seniors from the Super 75

This wraps up the senior's coverage from the Super 75 at the University of Detroit-Jesuit. 31 seniors in all.

Chris Williamson, 5'10, Fowlerville '09- Williamson shot the ball well, played solid defense, and handled the ball well enough for programs to take a look at this sleeper. He brought a competitive edge that led him to rebounds on either end of the court.

Jeff Jones, 6'1, Orchard Lake St. Mary's '09- Jones performed well in shooting drills and was one of the more athletic guards on Saturday. He sat out the second half of his junior year after transferring from the University of Detroit-Jesuit. Jones could be the sleeper a GLIAC program can rely on in a couple of years.

Larry Smith, 6'3, Lincoln Park '09- Smith was solid on the wing and did a good job of slashing to the bucket for lay-ups. He's long and as he improves his foot speed could be a player for DIII programs. Improving his guard skills will do him wonders.

Brandyn Mungo, 6'3, Detroit Renaissance '09- Mungo is one of many Renaissance primed for a breakout season as the Phoenix are void of Division I players that have filled their past rosters. Mungo does a lot of things well and increasing his aggressiveness will do more than have him on the radar of DIII and DII programs.

Rico Stewart, 5'9, Lansing Eastern '09- Stewart played best when he took on the role of point guard instead of combo guard. He's not overly athletic but he does a good job of working angles and controlling the game's tempo. Tightening up his handle will call the attention of college programs.

Jordan Deane, 5'9, Southfield-Lathrup '09- Deane was one of the most active players for the second year in a row at an IPS camp as the speedy point guard came up with steals and outran the defense to find open jumpers. His strong point is on the defensive end and developing his offensive game will earn him more looks from smaller schools in Michigan and beyond.

Marcellus Wilford, 5'10, Berkley '09- Wilford is a grinder who performed well in drill work much like his Berkley teammate, Jake Olds. Wilford could stand to hit the weight room while looking to improve his shot. Wilford is one of many players in the camp that with that much more work will gain the interest of smaller schools in the mid-west.

Jake Olds, 5'10, Berkley '09- Olds performed as well as any participant in the ball-handling drills and was one of the top performers throughout the day. He took care of the ball and did a nice job of running the point throughout the Showcase. Olds should be on the radar of a couple handfuls of smaller programs around the mid-west.

Michael Martin, 6'7, West Bloomfield '09- Intriguing because he's tall, long, runs the floor well, and looks to block shots. He does need to improve his game on the offensive end but he didn't shy away from scoring opportunities 15-feet and in. Martin's wing span nears seven-feet and this senior is on the radar of smaller programs in the mid-west.

DeMandre Gause, 6', Detroit Martin Luther King '09- Gause's athleticism stood out and he could be a lockdown defender for King this upcoming season. Tightening up his handle and improving his play making will give him a greater opportunity to play in college.

Anothony Scott, 5'10, Bloomfield Hills Andover '09- Scott is a solid 180 pounds and his guard skills are serviceable as he uses his size well offensively and defensively. He could stand to improve his ball-handling and shooting mechanics before smaller programs give him the nod of approval.

The '10 class is next...

Weekend Update

IPS will be in Canton, Ohio this Saturday for a local showcase that is supposedly going to feature 100 prospects from Northeast Ohio. On Sunday IPS will be traveling southbound to Columbus, Ohio to take in the Columbus Fall League held at The Hoop. We will have reports from both events early next week.
Swami Says:
Ohio State 31 Purdue 20
LSU 24 Florida 20
Kentucky 30 South Carolina 28

Weekend Road Warriors

With the start of full practices right around the corner it's time to get in those last minute program changers and highlight visits.

Below is a short list of prospects visiting schools this weekend. Don't be surpised if some of these prospects get squeezed into verbals!

JD Weatherspoon, 2010, Columbus Northland is going to Ohio State and Dayton
Trey Burke, 2011, Columbus Northland is going to Dayton on Sunday
Noah Cotrill, 2010, Mountain State Academy is taking in the WVU Madness.
Paul Honigford, 2011, Sugarcreek Garaway is going to Ohio State for the 2nd time this fall.
Elijah Macon, 2012, Marion Franklin is going to Ohio State for his 4th visit this fall!
Mark Henninger, 2010, Massillon Jackson is taking in Liberty.
Adriean Payne, 2010, Dayton Jeffesson is taking in Big Blue Madness at Kentucky.
Dakotah Euton, 2o1o, Scott County, KY is taking in Kentucky
Ohio State is getting visits from these Michigan Prospects:
Brandon Kearny 2011, Matt Pouches 2011, Percy Gibsoon 2011, Tommy McCune 2011, Ray Lee 2012 and Traevon Crater 2012(Current Buckeye Anthony Crater's younger brother).
Others:
Aaron Cosby, 2010, Louisville(KY) is taking in Indiana. (Don't be shocked if he verbals).
Eddie Ludwig, 2009, Louisiana is taking in Davidson. (Ludwig was a star in Orlando),
Deniz Kilichi, 2009, Mountain State Academy(WV) is heading to Huggyville (WVU).
Ricardo Johnson, 2010, Holmes Covington (KY)is heading to Lexington to Big Blue Madness
Mike Chandler, 2011, Lawrence North (IN) is taking in the festivities at Kentucky.
Dom Fergueson, 2010, Lawrence North (IN) is getting a feel for Rupp Arena and the Wildcats.

Sonny's Top 100 Fall Showcase:Class of 2011/2012

While the Sonny Johnson Showcase boasted a considerable amount of talented seniors, it is ultimately the underclassmen in attendance that will wind up being the better group. Here is a look at the top young guns the event had to offer:

Zach Prce, 6'10, Center, 2011, Lakewood St. Edward's- Price offered more long term upside then any prospect in attendance and has made huge strides since he was simply a raw frosh playing on the junior varsity team at St. Ed's. He did a nice job of running the floor and is even beginning to show glimpses of a post repertoire, especially a left handed jump hook. The youngster finished well at the basket with either hand as well, but made more of a difference on the defensive end. Price was one of the better (if not the best) intimidators at the event, making his presence felt with his shot blocking and rebounding abilities. There is no doubt that Zach is still rough around the edges, but he unquestionably has the makings of a high major prospect at the moment.

Jor’Gio Lacey, 6’5, Small Forward/Power Forward, 2011, Lakewood St. Edward’s- Like his teammate Price, Lacey looked much improved since the last time we observed him. Built like a football player, he was able to outmuscle opposing wings all throughout the showcase. Lacey is still making the transition to a full time perimeter player, but showed off a nice first step and leaves plenty of optimism that he’ll be able to do it before he reaches the collegiate ranks.

Trey Lewis, 5’10, Point Guard/Shooting Guard, 2011, Garfield Heights- Trey showed off his advanced skill set through a series of crafty drives to the rim and beautiful step back jumpers. Not the most athletic player on the court, he was able to put his fair share of points on the board via his cerebral play. With a skill set like the one that he has at such a young age, it’s no coincidence why mid-major schools are already inquiring about this sophomore.

Delbert Love, 6’0, Point Guard, 2011, Lakewood St. Edward’s- Love played the game with the savvy of a player far beyond his years, distributing the ball to his teammates consistently and scoring when the opportunity presented itself. The sophomore was incredibly poised and did a nice job of controlling the tempo all throughout the showcase. Love didn’t shoot the ball exceptionally well from the perimeter, but he showed us why he’s being starting to hear from some mid-major programs.

Will Weeks, 6’5, Small Forward/Power Forward, 2011, Garfield Heights- Weeks played much better then the last time we observed him, and was a mismatch waiting to happen. If you put smaller players against him, he immediately took them to the blocks and utilized his size. If you threw a post player on him, Will took him off the dribble to the rim, where he finished well with both hands. The sophomore still hasn’t made the full transition to a perimeter player yet, but appears to be a sure fire mid-major player in the worst case scenario as long as he continues to develop.

Jermaine Davis, 6’8, Center, 2012, Garfield Heights- Big Jermaine didn’t play quite as well as he did when we last saw him in July, but he still proved that he could hold his own against peers 3 years his elder. He displayed the same soft touch and nice hands as before, but wasn’t quite the inside presence that we hoped. Only a freshman, inconsistencies like this are to be expected and he’s still a player that colleges are going to be following closely over the next few years.

Nyles Evans, 5’10, Point Guard, 2011, North Canton Hoover- Evans exhibited a really impressive skill set for a player so young, and had no problem getting his jumper off against much bigger foes. He shot the ball very well from beyond the arc, but struggled finishing inside due to his diminutive size.

Sonny's Top 100 Fall Showcase:Class of 2010

While the Sonny Johnson Showcase boasted a considerable amount of talented seniors, it is ultimately the underclassmen in attendance that will wind up being the better group. Here is a look at the top young guns the event had to offer:

Cameron Wright, 6’4, Shooting Guard, 2010, Benedictine- The Ohio State recruit was placed on a loaded orange squad, so there were not a ton of shots to go around. He played nice defense and showed a more consistent shot from beyond the arc, while also making a ton of athletic plays on both ends of the floor. Overall it was a nice, albeit not dominant performance from the Benedictine junior on the day.

Derek Jackson, 6’0, Point Guard, 2010, Benedictine- Jackson did a very nice job of penetrating and getting to the rim against some of the other top flight point guards that the event had to offer. He didn’t shoot the ball exceptionally well, but played good defense and did a solid job distributing the rock. Plenty of mid-majors have shown interest in this junior and he’s even hearing from a few high major programs.

Nate Tait, 6’0, Point Guard, 2010, Brush- Tait was at the placed on a poor team, causing him to play more of a scoring role at the showcase. He did a very nice job of getting to the rim and setting others up, but wasn’t really able to stand out due to his team’s poor performance. Regardless, he’s a player that plenty of division one schools are inquiring about.

Nick Harney, 6’6, Power Forward, 2010, Benedictine- Harney showed off an enhanced skill set then the last time we saw him and was quite coordinated for a player his size. Not the most explosive athlete, he did a nice job of using his body to shield off more athletic players. The Glenville transfer is currently hearing from a number of low division one programs.

David Jackson, 6’6, Power Forward, 2010, Cleveland Rhodes- Jackson surprised many with his resounding explosiveness around the rim. He played the role of enforcer around the rim on both sides of the hardwood, whether it be finishing via explosive dunks or altering shots. The Rhodes junior is definitely a player to keep an eye on, and one who could develop into a low division one power forward by the time it’s over.

David Goodwater, 6’5, Small Forward, 2010, Shaw- Goodwater showed off some interesting skills from the perimeter to go along with some nice athleticism. Still very rough around the edges, the Shaw junior has a long ways to go before he could be considered a finished product. However, the raw skills and potential that he owns have been enough to get him a few feelers from a couple of division one programs.

Sonny's Top 100 Fall Showcase:Class of 2009

Sonny Johnson Fall Showcase 2009 Evaluations
By Rodger Bohn
Rodger.bohn@draftexpress.com


Carl Jones, 5’10, Point Guard, Garfield Heights- “Tay” was the best performer of the showcase, playing on a loaded white squad that included Andre Paulk and Mario Hines. The St. Joe’s commit did the bulk of his scoring through a variety of mid-range jumpers off of the dribble, but also showed his usual deep range. The open gym type setting of this event was beneficial to Jones, who thrives in the up and down style of play.

Robert Johnson, 6’6, Small Forward, Bedford- Johnson was the best player throughout the first half of the event, although his play marginalized a bit as the day went on. The long wing got to the rim at will and displayed an improved jumper from beyond the arc, in addition to his crafty mid-range game. Robert, who has the potential to play all three perimeter positions, did a very nice job passing the ball and should make an immediate impact as a freshman at Kent State.

Andre Paulk, 6’2, Shooting Guard, Kent Roosevelt- Paulk was the most athletic player that the event had to offer, and one who would be receiving some serious mid-major interest if he were in a better situation academically. He is an outstanding finisher at the rim, evidenced by the ridiculous reverse dunk he caught off of an alley-oop in traffic. Still far from a finished product, he has shown improvement in his ball handling and outside shooting since we last saw him. It appears that barring some sort of miracle, Paulk’s next stop will be at either a prep school or a junior college in 2009 to sure up his academics.

Jamell Harris, 6’8, Power Forward, Euclid- The Eastern Michigan recruit continued the strong play he showed this summer on the AAU circuit with a very strong performance. He showed off a gorgeous shot from the outside extending out to the three point line and looked perfectly comfortable putting the ball on the floor against more immobile defenders.

Randal Holt, 6’0, Point Guard, Glenville- There were not enough shots to go around for the scoring guard, who played on the same team as Ohio State recruit Cameron Wright and a number of big men who liked to put the ball up. He never really seemed to get in a groove, playing much more conservatively then he usually does. The Kent State commit did show off some nice playmaking skills, setting up his teammates for a number of wide open looks.

Mario Hines, 6’8, Power Forward, Garfield Heights- Mario had a bit of a lackluster performance, looking disinterested at times and showing mediocre work ethic. When he decided to turn it on, he played outstanding defense on the perimeter and really changed the game with his length. Hines displayed very nice footwork in the pivot offensively, where he showed no problem finishing around the basket with either hand. After attracting serious interest from a number of mid-major programs, Hines will likely be forced to go the junior college route because of academic concerns.

Fred Chatman, 6’8, Power Forward, Cleveland JFK- Chatman came with his usual “dirty work” style of play, showing of a great motor and finishing well inside. Not overly skilled or athletic, he is able to produce by simply outworking opponents inside and running the floor. There is plenty of room for improvement for Fred in the low post though, but he appears to be a player a low division one program is going to take a chance on.

C.J. McCollum, 5’11, Point Guard/Shooting Guard, Canton Glenoak- The recent Lehigh recruit showed off his usual game, putting points on the board and shooting it from beyond the arc with no conscience. McCollum was the best shooter the event had to offer, combining the ability to create his own shot with deep range. There is plenty of room for improvement in terms of his point guard skills, but he will have time to do that over the next four years during his tenure at Lehigh.

Joe Vidovic, 6’7, Power Forward, Willoughby South- Vidovic was one of the more productive big men at the event, despite his lack of explosiveness vertically. He showed off his cerebral style of play through a series of dives to the rim, reading the double team well, and finding the open man on the weak side. It appears that Joe is receiving some low division one interest, but will certainly have a vast number of choices at the D-2 level if things don’t work out.

Isaiah Kikland, 6’4, Small Forward, John Adams- Originally a 2008 prospect, Kirkland failed to graduate high school and is currently finishing up. He was tied with Paulk for the most athletic player the event had to offer, as seen by his countless windmill dunks on the break. Incredibly strong, he also had the best first step of any player the event had to offer and played nice defense. Kirkland is still very rough around the edges, but could become a very nice player if he is able to graduate and spend a couple of years at a junior college.

Keene Cockburn, 6’5, Small Forward, North Ridgeville- Cockburn showed off a very nice stroke from the outside and played the game with a high basketball IQ. He is deceptively quick getting to the rim, where he shows no problems finishing with either hand. Cockburn has received some feelers from a few low division one programs, but has a ton of solid division two schools knocking on his door.

Jamil Brooks, 6’1, Shooting Guard, Warrensville- Brooks was one of the better pure scorers at the event, and the open gym style of play perfectly catered to his skill set. He shot the ball well from beyond the arc and his slick ball handling skills allowed him to get to the rim with relative ease. Not receiving any division one interest that we know of, Brooks appears to be a player who could put points on the board at the division two or division three level, wherever he winds up.

Dayton Having a High flyer visit this Sunday!

6-foot-6, 2010,Small Forward JD "Air Spoon" Weatherspoon from Columbus Northland will be taking in Dayton this Sunday. "Spoon" who reportedly has offers from Xavier, Akron, James Madison and Purdue just to name a few will be visiting the A-10 school for the first time.

James Still headed East

The #1 power forward in Michigan's 2009 class gave a verbal commitment to attend Providence College. The 6'9" Still is extremely long and runs the floor well. He's a solid shot blocker with nice hands. Offensively, the Detroit Community standout has a more than solid 17-foot jumper, he's not afraid to put the ball on the floor, and he has solid post moves.

He does need to add weight to his 200 pound frame in order to bang with the big boys of the Big East. His upside is as high as any player in Michigan's 2009 class.

Still joins Duke Mondy, a 6'4" guard from Grand Rapids Catholic Central, who verbally committed to the Fryars last month.

Community opens the 2009-'10 season against the University of Detroit-Jesuit. U. of Detroit-Jesuit's big man, Jordan Morgan, has given a verbal commitment to the University of Michigan.

Oak Park's K'allante Miller is off the board

the 6'4 wing is a top ten player in Michigan's 2009 class and headed to Central Michigan. He is the best defender in Michigan and has a knack for rebounding. Last year, Miller transfered to Oak Park after spending his freshman and sophomore year at Detroit Central. He shoots the ball very well at times and he can score in bunches. His shooting will improve after he gets contacts/glasses.

Over the last two years he has played A.A.U. ball for the Detroit Fire, Michigan Hurricanes, and Michigan Mustangs.

Miller made an unofficial visit to Central Michigan U. three Saturday's ago with his high school head coach, George Ward.

Miller was a standout at both of Inside Prep Sports Mini-Camp/Showcases last year.

Isaiah Sykes: The Unkown Guard

A hidden gem works on his game at Detroit Finney on the east side of the Motor City. He's a player that few people talk about but a player that everybody should talk about when discussing the top guards in Michigan's 2010 guard class.

Many players know about the big three: Michigan State verbal commit and Detroit Pershing's 6'1 Keith Appling, Mt. Peasant's 6'5 Trey Zeigler, and Detroit Country Day's 6'2 Ray McCallum, jr. Zeigler and McCallum have offers from the NCAA's top conferences.

Sykes is 6'5, a lefty, a shooter, a ball-handler, a play-maker, and athletic. His wing span is a little short of 7', he has nice size, and solid footwork makes him a touh matchup on either end of the court.

He transfered to Finney from Detroit Chadsey last school year and should hit the ground running with the Highlanders, who are primed for a state title run.

Look to read and hear more on Sykes...

IPS Elite 80 Camp at University of Akron

The 1st annual IPS Elite 80 camp at The JAR was loaded with talent yesterday. Here is a brief list of some of the premire prospects; Theo Williamson, Leroy Alexander, Malcom Pittman, Mark Loving, CJ Bussey, Elijah Macon, Keshaun Lewis, Jordan Potts, Kenny Kemminski, Jalen Robinson, Mike Davis, Kenny Simpson, Winston Grays, Jermaine Davis, Austin "Nash" Gardner, JB Bess, Evan Payne, Nick Archer, Dylan Kaufman, Devonte Peterson, Evin Bartlett, Ras'aun Smith, Luke Heben,Mike Netwon, Channing Doerman, Omari Hicks,Jaylen Benton, Ronnie Stokes, David Wright,Aaron Biedleman,Tony Kynard,DJ Hall,Tyler Herron, Curtis Oakley,Matt Rhodes, Vito Brown,Dominique King,Deontae Cole. Every player at this camp was solid and they all worked very hard with the drills and stations. We will be posting live footage of the games very soon!

Super 75 Rolls with Information

Expect more each day this week from the Super 75 Showcase at the University of Detroit-Mercy. Here are another ten from the 2009 class that stood out:

Marcell Stewart, 6'5, Detroit Community '09- Long, athletic, and a senior ready to make his mark with a solid Detroit Community team. Stewart's mid-range and post games were solid in drills and during games. He does need to hit the weights and put in some work to gather DII offers.

Matt Carden, 6'6, Fraser '09- Carden did a great job of corralling rebounds and converting offensive boards into points. He gets up and down the floor well and improving his mid-range game would serve him wonders. His grades more than qualify for any DIII.

Antone Robertson, 6'3, Detroit King '09- Robertson is an undersized forward but he hit the boards as well as any of the Super 75 participants. He performed well in drill work and he provided a lot of energy in games. He needs to further develop his guard skills and more schools will come knockin'.

Zach Collins, 6'3, Old Redford Academy '09- Collins has developed into a nice shooting guard, with a knack for hitting the big shot. He shot the ball well on Saturday and developing ball-handling skills will help his recruiting. Division II programs should take a look at Collins if they haven't already.

JT Scollin, 6'6, Pontiac Notre Dame '09- Scollin has the potential to become a nice four-man on the next level as he was solid in most of the drills and in games. As he develops his mid-range game and go to post moves then so will his recruitment. DIII and possibly DII in a year.

Ray Barcenas II, 6'3, Lincoln Park '09- His long, slender build screams basketball and Barcenas can play, too. He is smooth cutting to the bucket and he has receptive hands. Developing a consistent jumper from 17 feet and beyond will put Barcenas that much further on the map.

Virgil McGuire, 5'9, Jackson '09- McGuire was one of the best guards in the Super 75 and he provided a noted scorers touch as he hit jumpers for three points, pull up jumpers in the mid-range, and drove to the hoop efficiently. McGuire is a more than solid ball-handler but he can still get better.

Gerald Bridges, 6'5, University of Detroit-Jesuit '09- Bridges does a lot of things well and showed flashes of what should materialize in a scholarship at least on the Division II level. As he develops strength his athleticism is becoming more apparent as he showed in drill work and game play.

Blair Ramsey, 5'11, University of Detroit-Jesuit '09- Ramsey is a nice table setter and he's efficient when getting the ball to the open man. While he takes care of the ball for the most part, he does get stuck in the paint from time to time forcing him to make ill advised passes or shots.

Sean Gallant, 6'6, Jackson Lumen Christi '09- Gallant jumped on the Inside Prep's radar as he showed more development on the perimeter than others his size. Although his shot didn't fall at a high percentage he showed solid mechanics. He's a player Division II programs should look for to fill a spot on their roster next year.

Super 75 First Review

Detroit, MI.- Energy controlled Calihan Hall as Inside Prep Sports' Super 75 many members of the basketball community spent valuable time this past Saturday at the University of Detroit's Calihan Hall. The University provided wonderful accommodations and platform for the day's success as, the best players in Michigan hustled through drill work and competitive games in an excellent social atmosphere.

Campers, coaches, scouts, and parents traveled from far and near to attend Inside Prep Sports' 4th Super 75 Mini-camp/Showcase with the sponsorship of Guardian Wear to provide an overall success.

Special thanks to Andiamo Riverfront and the food services they provided for the coaches and players.

Now onto the players and ten that stood out:

Tyrone Black, 6'6, Benton Harbor '09- Black's strength and athleticism were obvious, the 225 pound lefty has a knack for the rebound and an efficient defender in the post. He's very similar to Mott C.C.'s standout sophomore Deandre Nealy. He's received mid to low Division I attention.

Jamie Stewart, 6'3', Livonia Clarenceville '09- He still needs to polish his handle and shot for the mid-major level but there is no denying his will to throw the ball down. His alley-oop from Zac Collins was one of the days highlights and he had numerous other dunks from all angles. A mid-low major player.

Scott Rogers, 6'4, Waterford Kettering '09- Welcome to the world of recruiting, Scott Rogers. One of the biggest sleepers in the state, no longer, as the wing/two guard shot the ball effectively from the perimeter and showed off his athleticism and ball-handling by crossing his defender only to take off and throw the ball down in traffic.

Aaron Clayborn, 6'5, Benton Harbor '09- Another standout as he's big and prefers to handle the ball, which he can is capable of doing. Clayborn was able to score on the perimeter and drive to the bucket for scores. Clayborn has the game, athleticism, and will to improve and play on the mid-major level.

Jalen Jarrett, 5'10, Jackson '09- The smooth lefty guard impressed me with his ability to get up and grab rebounds during drill work. He shot the ball well during games and didn't force the issue as he played point most of the time. DIII right now and maybe more as he continues to gain muscle mass.

Terrance Holmes, 6'4, Detroit Midtown Academy '09- A 235 pound bowling ball with game. He can do what his body suggests and that's hold down the post, provide toughness, and gather rebounds. His athleticism, soft hands, and agility around the rim intrigued coaches.

Alex Harville, 6', Warren De La Salle '09- The lefty guard shot it from the perimeter well and was often the go to guy on the perimeter in game play. He did very well during station drills and is a starting guard on a pre-season top five high school team which should gather him that much more interest from Division III and possibly some Division II programs.

Jamar Ragland, 6'4, Detroit Loyola '09- Ragland was probably the day's most active defender and "get after it guy" as he came up with loose balls and contributed to many turnovers. He provided a lot of balance on his team and went with the flow on offense. Oddly, he's one of the leading scorers in the Catholic High School League but in the Showcase he looked to make the pass. Ragland has gained the interest of many Division II programs.

Nathan Clark, 6', Livonia Clarenceville '09- Clark is another lefty that shot it well over the course of the day. He does a nice job of finding open shots in the corners and improving his handles will help his ability play either guard spot. Clark might have the choice of playing football or basketball next year.

Dragan Bijelic, 6'5, Utica Eisenhower '09- Another sleeper for Inside Preps, Dragan's a cool name and he knocked down some threes. Jokes aside, he preferred to hang out on the perimeter where he shot the ball with efficiency and confidence. He had the strength to hit a three that was momentarily blocked. Bijelic told me that a DII program in Tennessee has offered.

Another Super 75 Review on seniors from UDM soon...