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Lets Talk Some HoopsBeaverton, Oregon (March 4, 2010) NIKE, Inc. has announced the launch of its inaugural EYBL (Elite Youth Basketball League) featuring its forty-two (42) elite travel team programs beginning this spring with four 17 & under events, culminating with the EYBL Finals at the NIKE Peach Jam in North Augusta, SC from July 12-15, 2010. One 17u team the Jackson Tigers will be the lone representative of the Magnolia State in the EYBL. The EYBL will tip-off at the Boo Williams Sportsplex in Hampton, VA from April 9-11. The final two regular season events will be held at League America in Houston, TX on May 14-16 and in Los Angeles, CA over Memorial Day Weekend (May 29-31) at a to be determined location. The teams and schedule can be printed @ www.metroplexhoops.com In addition to the EYBL, the front-end of the summer is designed to help players through skill development. The nations best underclassmen tip-off the summer at the NIKE Hoop Jamboree in St. Louis from June 10-13. At the end of June, the elite high school players throughout the country are selected to attend a positional Skills Academy with Utahs Deron Williams (point guards), Bostons Paul Pierce (wings), Oklahoma Citys Kevin Durant (wings) and Phoenixs Amare Stoudemire (forwards/centers) held separately over June 24-30 in Chicago, IL, followed by a culminating academy for all players with reigning MVP LeBron James at the University of Akron from July 5-7. All five Skills Academies will be closed to college coaches for the participants to focus on improving themselves in both an individual and team setting with special situation drills. NIKE is committed to providing a platform for the top high school players to improve their game with an assist from the top players in the NBA and the best instructors in the game of basketball during our skills academies said Mike Hackman, NIKEs Elite Youth Director. The addition of the EYBL provides an organized and exciting format for these elite athletes to consistently compete against the best players. Following a successful first year, the King City Classic will return to Cleveland State Universitys Wolstein Center in Cleveland, Ohio on July 8-9. The event is designed for the nations top 80 high school players to compete head-to-head in a national tournament. Hundreds of college coaches, scouts and media are expected to attend. March 8, 2010 Mississippi All-star boys basketball teams announced ........ by Clarion Ledger Players were chosen for the Alabama/Mississippi All-Star game (March 19 at the Pelham Civic Complex in suburban Birmingham) and the Mississippi High School All-Star game (July 10 at Mississippi College in Clinton). Alabama/Mississippi All-Star game (Mississippi boys) Jalen Courtney, 6-7, Provine (LSU) Demarco Cox, 6-8, Yazoo City (Ole Miss) Jeremiah Dunnings, 5-10, Biloxi Kelsey Howard, 6-4, Vicksburg Trency Jackson, 6-2, Wingfield (USM) DeMarcus Lewis, 6-3, Canton Dundrecous Nelson, 5-11, Murrah (Ole Miss) Jeverik Nelson, 6-7, Callaway Rashad Perkins, 6-5, Starkville (USM) Willie Readus, 6-6, Morton Edward Townsel, 6-0, Starkville Andre Stringer, 5-8, Forest Hill (LSU) Coach: Jay Ladner, St. Stanislaus Assistant: Danny Grieves, St. Patrick Administrative coach: Luther Riley, Provine Mississippi High School All-Star game (North boys) Mychal Ammons, 6-6, Vicksburg Deontaye Ewing, 6-2, Tupelo David Gardner, 6-8, Okolona LeAntwan Luckett, 6-4, Ridgeland Jarren Mallory, 5-11, Provine Jaylen Moore, 6-6, Olive Branch Johnny O'Bryant, 6-9, East Side Donovan Ross, 6-5, Ridgeland Marquavius "Deville" Smith, 5-10, Callaway Jarvis Summers, 6-3, Provine Acie Vance, 6-0, Ripley Quentin Watkins, 6-0, Lanier Coaches: George Christian, O'Bannon; Roderick Davidson, Ridgeland (South boys) Tyler Adams, 6-9, Brandon Trey Brown, 6-6, Brandon Darius Forest, 6-6, Wingfield Daniel Grieves, 6-6, St. Patrick Rodney Hood, 6-8, Meridian Stanley Magee, 6-3, Pass Christian Xavian Rimmer, 6-1, Piney Woods A.J. Wade, 6-0, Northeast Lauderdale Hakeem Wesley, 6-3, Newton County LaDarius "Snoop" White, 6-4, McComb Bryan Williams, 6-5, Pascagoula Johnny Zuppardo, 6-8, St. Stanislaus Coaches: Darrin Gray, Scott Central; Buddy Kennedy, Pass Christ March 4, 2010 MHSAA State Tournament Finals Set by Lavel Johnson MagnoliaPreps.com Basketball Analyst With the close of semi-final action on Thursday night, the preliminaries are over and it's time for the main event, the championship games. The match-ups for the championship games are set and there are a number of interesting championship game match-ups. The schedule is as follows: On Thursday March 4th: 1:00 PM - 1A Girls Final - Myrtle vs McAdams 2:30 PM - 1A Boys Final - Ingomar vs McAdams 7:00 PM - 2A Girls Final - New Site vs Newton 8:30 PM - 2A Boys Final - Baldwyn vs West Bolivar On Friday March 5th: 1:00 PM - 3A Girls Final - Belmont vs Ripley 2: 30 PM - 3A Boys Final - Forest vs Kemper County 7:00 PM - 4A Girls Final - New Albany vs Raymond 8:30 PM - 4A Boys Final - St. Stanislaus vs Bay St. Louis On Saturday March 6th: 1:00 PM - 5A Girls Final - Wayne County vs West Jones 2:30 PM - 5A Boys Final - Provine vs Callaway 7:00 PM - 6A Girls Final - Horn Lake vs Greenville 8:30 PM - 6A Boys Final - Starkville vs Meridian Top semi-final perfomances: Boys Zack Carnell, 6-7 center, Ingomar - 32 points and 12 rebounds in Ingomar's 70-56 win over Durant. Lavadius Lyles, 5-9 guard, Forest - 29 points, six three point field goals, in Forest's 81-57 win over Holly Springs. Daron Bell, 6-3 guard, Bay St. Louis - 22 points, 5 three point field goals, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, 6 steals and 2 blocks in Bay High's 59-54 overtime win over Center Hill. "Deville" Smith, 6-0 guard, Callaway - 28 points, 6 rebounds and 5 steals in Callaway's 62-53 win over McComb. Rashard Perkins, 6-5 forward, Starkville - 21 points, 14 rebounds, 7 blocks, 5 steals and 4 assist in Starkville's 66-51 win over Biloxi. Girls Janairrika Bland, 6-3 center, Raymond - 19 points and 16 rebounds in Raymond's 71-64 win over Lafayette County. Jazmine Spears, 5-11 forward, New Albany - 26 points, 15 rebounds and 3 blocks in New Albany's 61-44 win over Northeast Lauderdale. Breanna Lewis, 5-8 guard, Greenville - 41 points, 8 three point field goals in Greenville's 60-55 win over Harrison Central. Jasbriell Swain, 5-10 guard, Horn Lake - 21 points, 8 rebounds, 6 steals and 5 assist in Horn Lake's 56-39 win over Hattiesburg. Other Semi-Final Notes: The match-up between 6-9 Johnny O'Bryant of Cleveland Eastside and 6-7 Devonta Pollard of Kemper County did not disappoint. O'Bryant, a junior, had 19 points and 9 rebounds and led a Cleveland Eastside second half rally with 14 points and 8 rebounds in the second half. Pollard, a sophomore, had 17 points, 8 rebounds and 3 blocks and was a model of consistency with 9 points and 4 rebounds in the first half and 8 points and 4 rebounds in the second half. O'Bryant is already the object of recruiting interest from high major schools all over the nation while Pollard is the top ranked sophomore in Mississippi and is fast becoming a target of numerous high major programs. Most Intriguing Championship Match-ups: 2A Girls- New Site vs Newton 4A Girls - Raymond vs New Albany 6A Boys - Meridian vs Starkville Check back next week for our wrap-up from the "Big House". We'll name our all state tournament team and give out our all state tournament awards. March 3, 2010 3rd Annual Mississippi Unsigned Senior Showcase The 3rd Annual Mississippi Unsigned Senior Showcase will be held April 10th, 2010 from 9 a.m. until. Location has not been determined yet. College coaches and Recruiting Scouts will be in attendance. There will be the "SKILLS AND DRILLS" session, where each player is put through drills including shooting, passing and dribbling. Camp entry fee is $85.00 per player and the deadline to enter will be April 5th, 2010. Rising Seniors can also participate in this event!! For more information contact Ted Hutchins @ (601) 842-5178 or thutchi@hotmail.com February 25, 2010 Ex-Alcorn Hoops Coach chosen for college basketball Hall of Fame by The Clarion Ledger Former Alcorn State basketball coach Dave Whitney has been chosen for induction into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, it was announced today. Whitney, 80, posted 550-337 record in 31 years as a head coach, including a five-year stint at Texas Southern and two stops at Alcorn. He first coached the Braves from 1969-88, then returned from 1996-2002. Whitneys Alcorn teams won 495 games and 12 Southwestern Athletic Conference titles. Two of Whitneys biggest victories came in 1979, when the Braves beat Mississippi State at Starkville in a National Invitation Tournament game, and then in 1980, when Alcorn beat South Alabama 70-62 to become the first team from a historically black university to win an NCAA Tournament game. Whitney, who lives in Biloxi, will be inducted into the National College Basketball Hall of Fame during ceremonies scheduled for Nov. 21 in Kansas City. Other inductees announced today in this fifth class of the NCB Hall of Fame were former long-time coach Tex Winters and players of some reknown: Jerry West of West Virginia, Sidney Wicks of UCLA, David Thomas of North Carolina State and Christian Laettner of Duke. The NCB Hall of Fame is separate from the Nasmith Basketball Hall of Fame, the shrine that covers professional and college hoops. The NCB Hall of Fame opened five years ago. Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, the president of the National Association of Basketball Coaches foundation, said the hall of was created to honor players and coaches who might not have won national championships but still made a significant impact on the game. In Davey Whitney and Tex Winter we have two great coaches who contributed so much to the game, said Krzyzewski. February 22, 2010 Former Murrah Star Jeremy Wise Update.... by The Clarion Ledger Former Murrah and Southern Miss standout Jeremy Wise is tearing it up as a rookie in the NBA Development League. Playing for the Bakersfield Jam, Wise had two recent games in which he scored 54 points abd dished out 17 assists, compared to only three turnovers. He's scoring 16 points a game, while shooting 52 percent from the floor and 85 percent from the line. Those are the kind of numbers that can get him to the next level, especially if he's defending. February 2, 2010 JUNIOR CLASS IS STILL LOADED IN MAGNOLIA STATE by Clark Francis, Editor & Publisher of the HOOP SCOOP It looks like history is repeating itself in the Magnolia State. First, there was 6'9 Renardo Sidney, who sat out his freshmen year at Piney Wood (H.S.) MS and then transferred to the West Coast, where he played his sophomore season at Artesia High School in Lakewood, CA and his junior and senior seasons at Fairfax High School in Los Angeles, CA. And, after being courted strongly by both UCLA and USC, Sidney opted to return home and enroll at Mississippi State, where he is currently waiting for the NCAA to determine the status of his eligibility. And, now there is 6'8 Jr LaQuinton Ross, who started his high school career at Jackson (Callaway) MS, then played a year-and-a-half at Jackson (Murrah) MS, and now is at Burlington (Life Center) NJ, where he hopes to improve academically. And this is important, because either or both of these players might have been included on our First Team All-Time All-State Team, if they had stayed home and played their entire high school career in the state. However, before you start to feel too sorry for our Mississippi Editor Lavel Johnson, it's important to remember that Ross wasn't the state's only big time player in the Class of 2011. "The class is still potentially one of the best ever in the state," says Johnson. "It has a number of good inside players, athletic wings, and outstanding point guards. But it's depth that really makes this a special class. Normally there are two-to-four high Division I players in the state. However, before you start to feel too sorry for our Mississippi Editor Lavel Johnson, it's important to remember that Ross wasn't the state's only big time player in the Class of 2011. "The class is still potentially one of the best ever in the state," says Johnson. "It has a number of good inside players, athletic wings, and outstanding point guards. But it's depth that really makes this a special class. Normally there are two-to-four high Division I players in the state. But this year there are at least eight and maybe as many as 13 high major players in the state." Johnson is talking about 5'11 Jr Marquavius "Deville" Smith from Jackson (Callaway) MS, 6'7 Jr Rodney Hood from Meridian (H.S.) MS, 6'8 Jr Johnny O'Bryant from Cleveland (Eastside) MS, 6'9 Jr Tyler Adams from Brandon (H.S.) MS, 6'5 Jr Ladarius White from McComb (H.S.) MS, 6'6 Jr Mychal Ammons from Vicksburg (H.S.) MS, 6'8 Jr David Gardner from Okolona (H.S.) MS, 6'2 Jr Xavian Rimmer from Piney Woods (H.S.) MS, 6'3 Jr Jarvis Summers from Jackson (Provine) MS, 6'7 Jr Kentwan Smith from Piney Woods (H.S.) MS, 6'6 Jr Daniel Greives from Biloxi (St. Patrick) MS, 6'5 Jr LeAntwan Luckett from Ridgeland (H.S.) MS, and 6'9 Jr Durell Robinson from Mendenhall (H.S.) MS. The class also has plenty of star power, as Smith, Hood, O'Bryant, and Adams are all ranked among the top 50 juniors nationally by the HOOP SCOOP. "And they're all still available," says Johnson. "Smith is a scoring point with deceptive athleticism and jet-like speed and quickness. I think we've got him ranked #22 nationally, which makes him one of the best point guard prospects in the Class of 2011. Hood, White, and Gardner are all long athletic sharp shooting wing players. Adams and O'Bryant are both strong physical specimens inside. Ammons, Grieves, and Luckett are all scoring wings who rely more on power than finesse. Rimmer and Summers are point guards who both excel at getting into the lane. Smith and Robinson are inside guys who can rebound, block shots, and score in the paint. In contrast, the senior class is average at best. It does have four players - 5'9 Andre Stringer from Jackson (Forest Hill) MS to LSU,6'9 DeMarco Cox from Yazoo City (H.S.) MS to Ole Miss, 5'11 Dundrecous Nelson from Jackson (Murrah) MS to Ole Miss, and 6'7 Jalen Courtney from Jackson (Provine) MS to LSU - who have signed with high major schools. But it doesn't have the star power, as is evident by the fact that Stringer and Cox both can be found in the 75-100 range nationally and Nelson and Courtney are both ranked in the 101-200 range nationally. We also think 6'2 Trency Jackson from Jackson (Wingfield) MS and 6'5 Rashard Perkins from Starkville (H.S.) MS are good catches for Southern Miss and 6'0 Edward Townsel from Starkville (H.S.) MS and 6'4 Kesley Howard from Vicksburg (H.S.) MS are a pair of sleepers who are ideally suited for somebody in the Sun Belt and Missouri Valley Conferences. However, after that there is a big drop, as depth is clearly the big weakness of this class. The sophomore class in the state is still taking shape, but it already appears that this is going to be a fertile recruiting grown year-after-next for the stereotypical athlete that still can be found off the beaten path in the Deep South. The top three players - 6'8 Soph Devonta Pollard from Portersville (Kemper County) MS, 6'6 Soph Tymon Howard from Pearl (H.S.) MS, and 6'8 Soph Gavin Ware from Starkville (H.S.) MS - are all good enough to project among the top 50 players nationally. Pollard is a long athletic shot blocking power forward who scores around the rim. Howard is big time scoring wing who also knows how to use his strong body to get to the rim. Ware is a big bodied post player who does all of the dirty work inside. And as long as we're on this theme, also falling into the same mold at Ware is 6'8 Soph Jamal Hester from Ridgeland (H.S.) MS. Johnson also does a great job of looking back over the years and coming up with his First Team All-Time All-State Team, which features three locks in Chris Jackson, who played at LSU and later in the NBA; Monta Ellis, who went straight to the NBA after a stellar career at Jackson (Lanier) MS; and Othello Harrington, who dominated the high school scene during his time at Jackson (Murrah) MS. "The choices for the last two spots on the all-time teams go to two of the greatest scorers to ever come through the Magnolia State," says Johnson. "James Robinson averaged over 40 points per game during his senior year at Jackson Murrah and Purvis Short was a prolific scorer in the early 70's at Hattiesburg Blair before playing at Jackson State and later in the NBA. Just missing the cut for our First Team All-Time All-State Team were Al Jefferson from Prentiss High School and Antonio McDyess from Quitman High School." November 5, 2009 MagnoliaPreps Hoops Preview and Preseason Ranking MagnoliaPreps.com Basketball Analyst Lavel Johnson Hoops Preview & Preseason Ranking As the high school football season moves to the playoffs, high school basketball teams are approaching the tip off of their season. With the first games less than a week away it's time to take a look at how the upcoming season looks to shape up and take a look at our Magnoliapreps.com preseason Top 13 Hoop Rankings. This year begins a new era in Mississippi high school sports as the MHSAA moves to six classes instead of the previous five. Creating a new 5A Classification from the top 32 teams in the old 4A Classification and spreading out the remaining teams more evenly throughout 4A, 3A, 2A and 1A. The changes affected basketball even more because with the addition of a new classification the State Tournament changed its format. Whereas in the pass three teams advanced to the state tournament from the North and South State tournaments now only two teams will advance to the coliseum, doing away with the bye for the first place teams and creating a true "Final Four" for each class, and creating another elimination game in the North and South State semi-final games, giving teams one fewer opportunity to recover from a slip up. (So you better bring your "A-Game" every night now.) Our Preseason Rankings (Last season's final record in parentheses) 1) Jackson Provine (27-7) - After falling short of a third straight gold ball in last year's 5A final the Rams will battle this year for that same 5A crown but against a different group of teams and the Rams will go into battle with a new cast of players. The Rams welcome back only two experienced returnees from last years team in 6'7" Senior forward Jalen Courtney and 6'3" Junior guard Jarvis Summers. 6'0" Senior guard Marcellus Hansberry moves over from cross town rival Lanier to team up with Summers to give the Rams one of the best back-court s in the state. Sophomore forwards, 6'4" Roger Wood and 6'5" Raheem Logan will be expected to give quality production in the front-court, while defensive demon Scottie Sterling will provide depth in the back-court. 2) Jackson Callaway (33-6) - The defending 4A and Overall champions appear more than capable of taking home a second straight gold and silver ball. The Chargers will be led by 6'0" Junior guard "Deville" Smith and 6'7" Senior forward Jeverick Nelson. Defensive steward Jason Gibson is the third returning starter for the Chargers while Senior forwards 6'6" Cory Young and 6'4" Malcolm Sanders should give the Chargers solid production. 3) Brandon (28-5) - coming off of their third straight trip to the state tournament the Bulldogs look ready to make a run for a gold ball. The Bulldogs will be led by the outside-inside tandem of 5'9" Senior point guard D.J. Evans and 6'9" Junior center Tyler Adams. 6'2" Senior sharp shooter Caleb Jent, who is injured and will be out until late December, is the third returning starter for the Bulldogs. 6'7" Junior forward Tre Brown and 6'4" Sophomore forward Nelson Adams, Tyler's younger brother, will be counted on to provide interior support. 4) Starkville (23-5) - The Yellowjackets have been one of the winningest programs in the state for the last few years but are still searching for that first gold ball. The Yellowjackets will make a push for the first ever 6A crown behind the Senior duo of 6'4" forward Rashard Perkins and 6'0" point guard Edward Townsel. The seniors will be complimented by 6'8" Sophomore center Gavin Ware. 5) Jackson Wingfield (20-10) - after a strong season last year with a underclassman dominated team the Falcons appear ready to make a run at the 6A championship. Wingfield will be led by 6'2" Senior guard Trency Jackson, who appears poised for a breakout season. Other returning starters are 6'0" Senior guard Jurmond Cottenhead and 6'3" Junior wing JaMichael Hawkins. The Falcons welcome in 6'6" Junior forward Darius Forest, who should give the Falcons front-court more pop. 6) Biloxi (30-3) - Defending 5A champion Indians will be led in their quest for the first ever 6A crown by 6'0" Senior guard Jeremiah Dunnings, one of the state's best shooters. Dunnings will be complimented by the Senior duo of 6'6" center Guy Payne and 6'5" forward Tyler Jones while 6'1" Senior guard Shakelle Borel, 6'1" Junior forward Corey Jackson and 6'6" Junior forward Victor Vertison will be counted on for support. 7) Jackson Lanier (15-10) - The Bulldogs appear poised for a bounce back season. 6'9" Senior center Jordan Cornelius and 6'3" Senior forward Obacus Taylor lead the Bulldogs, they should be complimented by 6'3" Junior guard Alex Thompson, 6'5" Junior forward Kadarilias Kemp and 5'9" Junior guard Greg Lee. 8) Cleveland Eastside (22-12) - Lead by 6'9" Junior center Johnny O'Bryant and 6'0" Senior point guard Ramone Wesley, the Trojans look to carry the torch for the smaller classes. O'Bryant and Wesley will be supported by 6'4" Senior forward Cataviuos Vaughn and 6'5" Senior forward Laquavius Cotton. 9) Meridian (25-5) - Top Players: Rodney Hood 6'7" Jr., Devin Cherry 6'2" Jr., Sidney Coleman 6'6" Jr., Zac Cacapit 6'0" Sr. 10) Ridgeland (26-8) - Top Players: LeAntwan Luckett 6'5" Jr., Donovan Ross 6'5" Jr, Calvin Johnson 6'3" Sr., Jamal Hester 6'8" soph. 11) Vicksburg (22-11) - Top Players: Kesley Howard 6'3" Sr., Michael Ammons 6'6" Jr. 12) McComb (23-10) - Top Players: Ladarrius White 6'5" Soph., Rodrick Bland 6'7" Sr. 13) Forest Hill (29-6) - Top Players: Andre Stringer 5'9" Sr., Richard Deans 6'2" Sr. 6A teams to watch: North 6A looks to be quite interesting with a number of teams appearing capable of making a run for the "Big House", Olive Branch (30-4), Greenville Weston (25-8), Tupelo (21-7) and Jackson Murrah (14-12) all warrant keeping an eye on. In the South, Jackson Jim Hill (18-12), Pascagoula (16-14), Gulfport (19-9) and Harrison Central (11-16) all have promise. 5A teams to watch: New Hope (25-6), Yazoo City (18-14), Wayne County (28-4), Moss Point (23-8) and Long Beach (13-18) appear to be the teams outside the top 13 with the potential to make some noise. 4A Greenwood (19-11) appears to be the class of North 4A but Pontotoc (20-11) and Rosa Fort (29-5) both have enough back to past them up. Bay St. Louis (19-12) looks strong down South but Raymond (24-9) and St. Stanislaus (30-5) appear capable of strong runs also. 3A Aberdeen (19-11) appears to be Eastside's biggest challenger in the North but never count out Ripley (23-5) or Tchula Marshall (24-7) and Jackson Bailey (9-17) promises to be battle tested; In the South, Kemper County (25-11) and Morton (22-7) seem to be the cream of the crop but Perry Central (16-12) , Forest (14-10) and Heidelberg (14-10) all appear capable of making some noise. 2A Defending champion Hinds AHS (33-3) leads a strong pack of South contenders as Newton (24-8), Richton (25-4), Loyd Star (25-4) and Piney Woods (10-18) all appear capable of making a run to the "Big House"; West Bolivar (24-7) looks to be the class of the North while Baldwyn (25-4), Calhoun City (22-13), William Sullivan (25-7), and Hickory Flat (22-12) all look capable of making some noise. 1A Okolona (22-11) and Myrtle (26-13) appear to be the top contenders in the North, but don't count out Ingomar (19-17) or Shaw (23-4); McAdams (21-13) and Durant (25-6) continue to be the class of South 1A but Dexter (22-8) and Sabastapol (19-5) always puts up a challenge. MAIS Madison-Ridgeland Academy (36-4), Jackson Academy (29-7) and Brookhaven Academy (30-10) appear to be the cream of the Independent school ranks. 2009-2010 Clarion-Ledger Dandy Dozen List Tyler Adams, Brandon, 6-9, Jr. Jalen Courtney, Provine, 6-7, Sr. Demarco Cox, Yazoo City, 6-8, Sr. Rodney Hood, Meridian, 6-8, Jr, Trency Jackson, Wingfield, 6-2, Sr. Dundrecous Nelson, Murrah, 5-10, Sr. Johnny O'Bryant, East Side, 6-9, Jr. Rashad Perkins, Starkville, 6-5, Sr. LaQuinton Ross, Murrah, 6-8. Jr. Marquavius "Deville" Smith, Callaway, 5-10, Jr. Andre Stringer, Forest Hill, 5-8, Sr. LaDarius "Snoop" White, McComb, 6-4, Jr. October 26, 2009 Jackson makes decision BigGoldNation.com Although he was lightly recruited for most of his junior year and during this past summer, when it came down to it Wingfield (Jackson, Miss.) High guard Trency Jackson had plenty of options. With offers from programs like Indiana, Marquette, Missouri, Southern Cal and others, he could have gone pretty much anywhere and played in any league. But, at the end of the day home is where the heart is, and he'll be spending his basketball playing days in Hattiesburg, at Southern Miss. At a press conference at Wingfield High earlier today he announced that he has committed to and plans to sign with Southern Miss next month in the early signing period. "It really came down to USC and USM," Jackson told BigGoldNation.com. Southern Miss and USC seemed to be the leaders of the pack a couple of weeks back when a prior media conference was canceled after Jackson had some factors to reconsider. There was no canceling this time as he announced that he would stay at home and play for Coach Larry Eustachy and the Golden Eagles. Jackson becomes Southern Miss' second commitment of the 2010 class along with Starkville (Miss.) High forward Rashad Perkins. If Jackson and Perkins hold to their commitments and sign with the Eagles, it's a major statement for Larry Eustachy's program. It means the Golden Eagles are finally back, willing and able to compete for the best basketball players the Magnolia State has to offer. October 9, 2009 Perkins Commits to Southern Miss BigGoldNation.com Southern Miss head coach Larry Eustachy got some good news earlier in the week when Starkville (Miss.) High F/G Rashad Perkins informed the Golden Eagle staff that he would be spending his college years in Hattiesburg. The talented 6-foot-5, 200-pounder has been a fixture in the Starkville line-up since his freshman year. Last year as a junior he averaged 19 ppg, 10 rpg and helped the Yellow Jackets to a 21-5 record making it to the North State Tournament. He told the Starkville Daily News that proximity to home was a big factor in his decision to commit to Southern Miss. "I'm happy that Southern Miss wanted me," Perkins said. "Southern Miss, the way I was looking at it, it's far away but not too far from home. This way, my dad can come see me and I won't have to travel too far to come back home." In addition to Southern Miss, Perkins held offers from Alabama, Missouri and UAB. October 5, 2009 Andre Stringer commits to LSU Jerry Meyer, Rivals.com Basketball Recruiting Analyst The No. 1 player in Mississippi's Hoop class of 2010 made his choice today where he would spend the next four years. Andre Stringer, the 5-foot-9 point guard from Jackson Forest Hill High School, and Mississippi's reigning Mr. Basketball, announced that he would be attending LSU on next year at an afternoon press conference at Forest Hill. "I felt like Trent Johnson had my best interest at heart." Stringer said. "At the end of the day I felt like he wanted me the most and I felt like LSU was be the place for me." Ranked No. 1 in our Mississippi class of 2010 rankings, Stringer is the 93rd ranked player in the country in the Rivals.com rankings and is the 22nd ranked point guard. He average 25 points, 7 assists and 3 steals while leading Forest Hill to a 29-6 record and the finals of the 4A State Championship Tournament. Stringer who is already qualified says that he choose LSU over offers from Alabama, Tennessee, Marquette and Southern Cal. August 4, 2009 Cox to hoop in SEC Jerry Meyer, Rivals.com Basketball Recruiting Analyst Both a high major prospect in football and basketball, Demarco Cox wants to focus on the hardcourt in college, and he has found a court in the SEC that he wants to play on. Cox, a 6-foot-8, 285-pound center from Yazoo City (Miss.) High School might have better future upside in football, but basketball is what he plans to play at Ole Miss. "For right now his focus is on basketball, but you never say never," Yazoo City assistant coach Joffre Washington told Rivals.com while Cox was practicing football with his high school team. "If an opportunity presents itself to transition into football, then he is open to it." Also considering offers from Arkansas, Alabama and Tennessee, Cox has found the perfect fit with his home state team. "We went up to team camp during the summer, and he'd been to elite camp the past two years," said Washington. "He met and talked with Coach Kennedy, and they developed a good relationship. He liked the campus and the academics, and with it being a state school, his family and friends won't have to travel too far to watch him play." Cox, who is ranked the No. 62 prospect in the Rivals150, had a strong summer playing for the MBA Hoops team. He is quick off his feet for a player his size and has a nice scoring touch in the lane. July 6, 2009 Courtney Still Solid Jerry Meyer, Rivals.com Basketball Recruiting Analyst Jackson (Miss.) Provine power forward Jalen Courtney is the Tigers' lone commit from the Class of 2010. As such, he has received plenty of attention from the LSU coaching staff as the weeks and months have gone by. Since the three-star prospect committed to the Tigers in early March he has stayed busy, mostly with workouts and drills designed to better prepare him for what he will see in the SEC more than a year from now. "I'm just working out every day in the gym as much as possible," Courtney told TigerBait.com. "I'm in the weight room a lot, too. For the most part I'm working on my ball handling. "I'm really just doing a lot of two-ball stuff. My coach is a NIKE instructor and he showed me a lot of stuff they did at the NIKE All-American game. That includes stuff like handling the ball with tennis balls thrown at you. Stuff like that. That's what I really needed to focus on. I've made a whole lot of progress. "I've always had the jumper. My ball handling was what needed to improve and that's getting where it needs to be." Courtney, who said he is now up to 6-foot-8 and 212-pounds, said he has kept in regular contact with the LSU coaching staff. "I talk to them a lot. I talk to the assistant coaches and coach (Trent) Johnson. I try to talk to them as much as possible. Because of the July thing they haven't been able to do to much, but it's been good. They basically wanted me to work on my perimeter game. They knew I was gonna do that anyways, but they stressed it. Based on the type of position I'm gonna play for them that's what they wanted." Courtney will be attending the Reebok All-American game on Tuesday. He will return from that on July 10, and will leave the next day for the Mississippi North-South All-Star game. After that he will be attending the Peach Jam in Augusta, Georgia. He said LSU coaches would be attending the Reebok and Peach Jam events. The coaches have also been keeping Courtney up to speed on what their other recruiting efforts are consisting of these days. "Actually, they're recruiting one of my best friends. I'm sure you know Andre (Stringer). They tell me about the recruiting progress they're making with everybody. Basically right now we're just waiting on guys to make decisions. "I'm close to a lot of guys on the team, too. Tasmin (Mitchell), Chris (Johnson) ... of them. I've met with them and talked to them about the programs. I asked about their likes and dislikes and it's all positive." Courtney's official visit to Baton Rouge is scheduled for September 12. While he isn't entirely ruling out a change of heart, Courtney said he remains solid in his decision and that it would take a big shake up to steer him away from LSU. "There are some schools that respect my commitment but some others are still thinking there's time for them to slide in," he laughed. "Alabama, Tennessee and Marquette are still coming. Oklahoma, too, but they kind of fell back a little. I'm solid for the most part. The only thing that might change it would be if the coaching staff changed. Something would have to happen with coach Johnson. Other than that I can't think of anything." June 17, 2009 OBryant wrapped in Red, White and Blue Lavel Johnson MagnoliaPreps.com Basketball Analyst Cleveland (Miss.) Eastside big man Johnny O'Bryant will take the court tonight in Mendoza, Argentina as a member of the inaugural USA U16 National team. O'Bryant has been in Colorado Springs, Colo. since June 6 preparing to represent his country. After participating in three days of trials which whittled the roster down from 18 to 12, O'Bryant has spent the last week practicing with the team in preparation for the FIBA Americas U16 Championship for Men. The eight-team tournament will feature U16 national teams from the FIBA Americas Zone, which includes North, South and Central America and the Caribbean. Preliminary round-robin play will take place June 17-19, with the top two teams from each preliminary group advancing to the June 20 semifinals. The gold and bronze medal games will be contested June 21. The USA has been placed in Group A along with Brazil, Puerto Rico and Venezuela; while Group B consists of host Argentina, Bahamas, Canada and Mexico. Opening against Brazil on June 17 (5:00 p.m. EDT), the U.S. will face Venezuela on June 18 (1:00 p.m. EDT) and will close out preliminary round play against Puerto Rico on June 19 (5:00 p.m. EDT). A 6-foot-10 bundle of energy, O'Bryant is one of the top ranked players in the class of 2011, ranking no. 9 in the Rival class of 2011 rankings. A hard worker on the glass, O'Bryant has worked to be more than just a rebounder and defender recently displaying impressive moves off the dribble and a nice turnaround jumper inside. After returning from participating for his country O'Bryant will be rejoining his Jackson Tigers AAU team for trips to North Augusta, South Carolina for the NIKE Peach Jam and Orlando, Florida for the AAU National Championships. June 5, 2009 AAU State Hoops Tourney Wrap-Up Lavel Johnson MagnoliaPreps.com Basketball Analyst AAU state tourney action concluded a few weeks ago with champions being crowned for 2009 in age groups for 12 & under thru 17 & under. While the 16 & under and 17 & under tourneys came down to a battle between two veteran AAU clubs which are old rivals the 14 & under and 15 & under tourneys saw a fresh new face flex its muscle. 17 & Under Tourney For the fourth straight year the Jackson Panthers and the Jackson Tigers met in the finals of this age group with the Panthers taking home the Gold the last two years. The first quarter saw the two teams attempt to feel each other out with the Tigers holding a slight 15-13 lead at the end of the stanza. The first big moment of the game arose in the first minutes of the second quarter. Already minus the services of swingman Kelvin Nixon, who was injured in Saturday pool play action, the Panthers leading scorer Dundrecous Nelson picked up his second foul of the game, sending him to the bench for the remainder of the first half. With Nelson out of the game the Panthers struggled to score and keep pace with the bigger and deeper Tigers, falling behind 41-32 at the half. Nelson's return at the start of the third quarter seemed to recharge the Panthers as they came charging back, taking a 53-52 lead into the fourth. The Panthers held a 57-56 lead with just over 5 minutes left when the Tigers went on a 7-0 run to take a 63-57 lead with 2:29 left and seemed to have the game pretty much in hand when Nelson fouled out about 30 seconds later. The Panthers, however, had one more push in them, cutting the deficit to 3 with 49 seconds left, but 4 free throws and a Rashard Perkins slam proved to be too much for the Panthers to overcome as the Jackson Tigers took home the title by a final score of 72-66. The Tigers were led by the backcourt duo of Andre Stringer and Edward Townsel with 20 and 13 points respectively, but as mentioned earlier one of the Tigers' strengths is their depth and this was displayed in the rest of their scoring as Rashard Perkins scored 11, Johnny O'Bryant scored 8, Tyler Adams scored 6 and Trency Jackson scored 7. For the Panthers, Dundrecus Nelson poured in a game high 30 points followed by Desmond Haymon with 14. In the consolation game the Mississippi Ballers captured third with an 83-69 win over the North Mississippi Wildcats. The Ballers were led by LeAntwan Luckett with 22 points as they blew open a close game in the second half. Supporting Luckett were Trey Felder with 15, Dantonio Evans with 10 and Demarcus Lewis with 10. The Wildcats were led by Brandon Blake with 13 points. Semi-Final Scores Jackson Panthers 71 North Mississippi Wildcats 54 Leading scorers: Panthers: Nelson 20, Haymon 22, Cook 13 Wildcats: Green 19, Blake 14, Harrelson 11 Jackson Tigers 84 Mississippi Ballers 74 Leading Scorers Tigers: Jackson 23, Perkins 17, Adams 15, Stringer 13 Ballers: Childs 16, Evans 14, Luckett 12 16 & Under Tourney The Jackson Tigers and Jackson Panthers hooked up in this final also and The Jackson Tigers made it a clean sweep of the older age groups with a 68-55 win as the Panthers succumbed to the Tigers size in the second half after playing them even in the first half. The Southern Phenoms took home third when Da House forfeited the consolation game. This was one of three high finishes for the "new kid on the block" Southern Phenoms organization, which was competing in its first years of AAU competition. In the semis the Jackson Tigers held off the Southern Phenoms by a score of 53-49 while the Jackson Panthers defeated Da House 64-42 in a double overtime thriller. 15 & Under Tourney The Southern Phenoms captured their first state championship by way of a tie-breaker over The Jackson Tigers and the Byram Ballers. With only five entries, the teams were all just placed in a single pool with the intent being that the first thru third place finishes would be awarded based on how the teams finished in pool play, but after the games had been played the three teams listed above all finished with a 3-1 record, resulting in the champion being named by a tie-breaker based on the point differential in the games played between the three teams. The Jackson Tigers were awarded second while The Byram Ballers finished third. 14 & Under Tourney Champion: Southern Phenoms Runner-up: Jackson Tigers Third: Byram Ballers Championship: Southern Phenoms 55 Jackson Tigers 50 Consolation: Byram Ballers 61 Louisiana Ball Stars Elite 58 in OT 13 & Under Tourney Champion: Desoto County Wildcats Runner-up: Northeast MS Ballers Championship: Desoto County Wildcats 54 Northeast MS Ballers 43 12 & Under Tourney Champion: MBA Hoops Runner-up: New Orleans Storm Third: Northeast MS Ballers May 19, 2009 Nelson to SEC By Jerry Meyer, Rivals.com Basketball Recruiting Analyst Rivals150 prospect Dundrecous Nelson, who is on his way back to 100 percent from injuries suffered in an automobile injury, has found his future home in the SEC. Nelson, a 5-foot-11, 180-pound athletic combo guard from Jackson (Miss.) Murrah High School will stay in-state and play for Ole Miss. Dundrecous wanted to play in the SEC, which we consider the Mecca of conferences right now, said Nelsons travel team coach Lemond Roy of the Jackson Panthers. They have been recruiting him for two years, and he really enjoyed his visit there. Nelson, who was also recruited by Alabama, Mississippi State, Arkansas and UAB, hopes to take over where Chris Warren leaves off. Chris Warren will be a senior when Dundreceous gets there, and its such a big transition, it will be a great situation for Dundrecous to play the back up role, said Roy. He will learn a lot from Chris and also get some minutes as a freshman. Then the plan is for Chris to pass the torch off to Dundreceous. After averaging 17 points per game as a junior, Nelson found his stride this past weekend when he scored 30 points in an AAU state final loss to the Jackson Tigers. Highly ranked Murrah guard casts lot with Ole Miss TODD KELLY TKELLY@CLARIONLEDGER.COM MAY 20, 2009 Ole Miss has been making the biggest recruiting push for Murrah basketball star Dundrecous Nelson. That effort paid off Tuesday night when Nelson verbally committed to the Rebels. Nelson, a 5-foot-10 junior guard, plans to make his choice official during the early signing period in November. A preseason Dandy Dozen pick last fall, Nelson averaged 17.2 points, 3.4 assists and 3 steals en route to third-team All-Metro honors for the Mustangs. He also attracted interest from Mississippi State, Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas State, UAB and USC. "Ole Miss recruited me the hardest," Nelson said. "Coach (Andy) Kennedy has a lot of energy. I like their style of play. I think I'll be able to adapt to it." A spectacular leaper with tremendous quickness, Nelson is ranked as the nation's No. 110 prospect in the Class of 2010 by HoopScoopOnline.com, a recruiting site based in Louisville, Ky. Nelson was also considered a Division I prospect as a wide receiver/defensive back before giving up football last season. Nelson's commitment is a breakthrough of sorts for Kennedy, who'll be entering his fourth season in Oxford next fall. "Dundrecous liked the coaches at Ole Miss and wanted to stay in Mississippi, so he decided to go on and get it out of the way," said LeMond Roy, Nelson's summer-circuit coach with the Jackson Panthers. "He wanted to be the first Mississippi player to sign with Ole Miss since Coach Kennedy's been there. Maybe he can open up an avenue for more Mississippi players to go to Ole Miss." Nelson's junior season ended after he sustained a skull fracture in a one-vehicle accident Jan. 23 near Murrah's campus. Nelson, who's back playing basketball, said Tuesday he's "about 90 percent" recovered. Nelson's teammate, Chris Ulmer, died in the accident but no charges are expected to be filed against Nelson, who was driving the SUV. Nelson is the second junior in Mississippi to commit, following Provine forward Jalen Courtney (LSU). March 6, 2009 CenterCourt Basketball Senior/JUCO Showcase The 2nd Annual CenterCourt Basketball Senior/JUCO showcase will be held April 10th and 11th at the Wesley Seminary College in Florence MS. Wesley College is located on Highway 49 South (if you are coming from the Tennessee area) and North (from the Louisiana area), 11 miles south of Jackson MS. A map will be provided. Coaches from the southern and midwest regions will be in attendance. April 10th will be the "SKILLS AND DRILLS" session, where each player is put through drills including shooting, passing and dribbling. This session will begin at 6:00 p.m. April 11th players will be assigned to teams of 8 man rosters with a minimum of 3 games. Time permitting; there will be an all-star selection and two 10 man roster teams who will play in a 20 minute game. Entry fee is $70.00 which includes two days of camp exposure and a T-Shirt. Please complete the application (name, address, height, weight, school, GPA, classification "senior or JUCO") and submit a $35.00 deposit for your pre-registration fee. Deadline for entry is April 3rd, 2009. We are only accepting 55 players for this camp so sign up early!! For more information contact Ted Hutchins (601) 842-5178 or thutchi@hotmail.com or www.centerbasketball.com March 4, 2009 Mississippi High School All-Star Basketball Game (boys roster) Rosters were chosen Wednesday for the annual game, which is slated for July 11 at Mississippi College. North Boys Jordan Cornelius, 6-9, Lanier; Jalen Courtney, 6-7, Provine; DeMarco Cox, 6-7, Yazoo City; Ife Eke, 6-5, Northwest Rankin; Desmond Haymon, 6-4, Williams-Sullivan; Kelsey Howard, 6-3, Vicksburg; Dundrecous Nelson, 5-10, Murrah; Jeverik Nelson, 6-7, Callaway; Rashad Perkins, 6-5, Starkville; Jeffery Simmons, 6-1, Greenwood; Edward Townsel 6-0, Starkville; Ramone Wesley, 6-0, Cleveland East Side. Coaches Greg Carter, Starkville; Leroy Cotton, Cleveland East Side. South Boys T.J. Amos, 6-4, Richton; Antonio Benton, 6-6, Oak Grove; Reshad Bickham, 6-6, Jim Hill; Dwayne Bingham, 6-4, Newton; Jeremiah Dunnings, 6-0, Biloxi; Trency Jackson, 6-2, Wingfield; Caleb Jett, 6-2, Brandon; Marcus McGee, 6-6, Brookhaven; Kevin Nixon, 6-3, Heidelberg; Keeslee Stewart, 5-8, Hinds AHS; Andre Stringer, 5-8, Forest Hill; Michael Young, 6-2, McLaurin. Coaches Ron Norman, Wayne County; Crandal Porter, Newton. February 3, 2009 Ex-Murrah Star Trey Johnson is headed to the NBA The Cleveland Cavaliers are scheduled to sign former Murrah and Jackson State star Trey Johnson to a 10-day contract today. Johnson, a 6-6 guard and an All-Metro pick for the Mustangs in 2002, had been averaging more than 20 points per game for the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA's Developmental League. Once he takes the floor for the Cavs, Johnson will be the 18th alumnus of Jackson Public Schools to play in an NBA regular-season game. Here's the list (courtesy of basketball-reference.com) in reverse chronological order from when the players began their careers in the league: Monta Ellis, Lanier (no college): 2006-current Justin Reed, Provine (Ole Miss): 2005-07 Maurice Williams, Murrah (Alabama): 2004-current Maurice Carter, Forest Hill (LSU): 2004 Tang Hamilton, Lanier (Mississippi State): 2002 Othella Harrington, Murrah (Georgetown): 1997-08 Ryan Lorthridge, Murrah (Jackson State): 1995 Lindsey Hunter, Murrah (Jackson State): 1994-current James Robinson, Murrah (Alabama): 1994-2001 Joe Courtney, Callaway (Southern Miss): 1993-97 Lancaster Gordon, Jim Hil (Louisville)l: 1985-88 Audie Norris, Jim Hill (Jackson State): 1983-85 Sylvester Norris, Jim Hill (Jackson State): 1980 Harvey Catchings, Jim Hill (Hardin-Simmons): 1975-85 Cornell Warner, Lanier (Jackson State): 1971-77 A.W. Holt, Brinkley (Jackson State): 1971 Plummer Lott, Jim Hill (Seattle University): 1967-69 December 25, 2008 Texas Tech sign's ICC's Jenkins MagnoliaPreps.com Theron Jenkins, a 6-foot-6, 211-pound forward from Itawamba Community College, was one of Texas Tech's four basketball signees during the NCAA early signing period. "I just felt that Texas Tech was the place for me to go," said Jenkins, who has started each of the first 12 games of this season for the Indians. "I liked everything I saw at Texas Tech and I really like the style of basketball under Coach (Pat) Knight." The former NW Rankin High School standout is averaging 15 points, six rebounds and three assists for head coach Marty Cooper's club, who has won six straight and is 9-3 this season. A role player behind a sophomore laden starting lineup, Jenkins averaged seven points and four rebounds per game as a freshman for the 30-4 ICC Indians, who captured the division, state and regional championships. "This is really a big deal for Theron and our program," said Cooper, who said he has a great deal of respect for Coach Knight's program at Texas Tech."Playing in the Big 12, Theron will get a chance to compete against some of the nation's best players and programs. And this is yet another example we'll show our recruits of an ICC player signing with and competing in one of the NCAA's elite conferences. October 14, 2008 Nelson drawing offers Jerry Meyer Rivals.com Basketball Recruiting Analyst The state of Mississippi is loaded with talented underclassmen. One of those prospects is 2010 point guard Dundrecous Nelson who has offers from five regional schools. At this point Alabama, Arkansas, UAB, Ole Miss and Mississippi State have offered the ultra athletic 5-foot-11, 180-pound guard from Jackson (Miss.) Murrah High School. According to his travel team coach LeMond Roy of the Jackson Panthers, Alabama, Ole Miss and UAB were the first to make their way to Murrah High School this fall, and it just so happens that these three schools are at the top of Nelson's school list. Mississippi State, Arkansas, Kansas State and USC round out Nelson's school list. Both Mississippi State and USC checked in on Nelson last week. Although small in stature, Nelson's athleticism and scoring ability allow him to play both guard positions. "I haven't seen a kid be able to stay in front of Dundrecous," said Coach Roy. "If he wants to get to the basket he gets to the basket. He shoots it well enough right now where defenders can't just play off him, but I expect his shot to continue to get better." Nelson is the No. 119 ranked prospect in the Rivals150. September 29, 2008 Isiah Canaan Chooses Murray State After a weekend visit to the Murray State campus 6'0" Biloxi (Miss.) HS PG Isiah Canaan has decided to become a Racer. A quality floor general who possesses a strong handle, a quick first step and a solid jumper with three point range, Canaan should garner floor time quickly with the Racers. "I really connected with the coaches and players." said Canaan "The character of the coaches really stood out to me and how that character runs throughout the program. I like how the community and city rally around the school." A Biloxi Sun-Herald All-South Mississippi pick last season, Canaan averaged 18 points and 6 assist per game while leading Biloxi High School to a 25-7 record and a state tournament appearance. Canaan chose the Racers over Tulane, Arkansas State, New Orleans and South Alabama. He previously took visits to Arkansas State and Tulane. September 24, 2008 Shaunessy Smith Decides on Bulldogs "I just committed 2 Mississippi State-Shaunessy Smith" read the text received last night. After watching as Smith took a visit to Southern Cal a couple of weekends ago the Bulldog staff moved swiftly to lock up their top instate priority. Besides USC Smith was also recruited by Baylor and Clemson. "Probably the biggest factor in Shaun's decision was the fact that Mississippi State is close to home and he wanted to keep a close relationship with his family." Said Noxubee County head coach T. J. Billups, a former Mississippi State player. "He's very comfortable with the coaches and players up there. Mississippi State has been recruiting him the longest but they never pressured him to commit early, they just let him decide at his on pace." A smooth athletic wing scorer, who can beat you shooting the three or attacking the rim, Smith averaging 25.1 ppg, 7 rpg, 2 apg and 2 spg last season for a 22-11 team, but missed much of the spring/summer circuit with a hip injury. Smith is Mississippi State's first commitment in the 2009 recruiting class.September 8, 2008 Middle Tennessee snares 2nd Magnolia commitment Following a weekend visit to the Blue Raiders' Murfreesboro, Tennessee campus 6-foot-7 PF Jontaveous Sulton of Yazoo City decided to cast his lot with the Sun Belt program. "Jontaveous really felt comfortable with the whole situation." said Yazoo City assistant coach Jodfrey Washington, "He got a chance to interact with the staff and players and he just felt really at home there." Sulton who averaged 15 points and 8 rebounds a game last year is an athletic 4 man who could eventually play facing the goal. A strong rebounder who finishes well around the rim, Sulton also received interest from Tulane, Murray State, Jacksonville State, UAB and South Alabama. Sulton becomes the Blue Raiders third commitment for the class of 2009 and the second from Mississippi, joining 6'2" SG John David Little of Olive Branch, who committed about a month ago. August 7, 2008 Magnolia Teams Impress from Coast to Coast With the conclusion of the AAU 17 and Under nationals last week in Orlando, quite possibly the most successful summer travel team season ever for our Magnolia State teams came to a close. Magnolia State teams placed in three separate divisions at AAU Nationals, with two others making finals appearances in the Classic (consolation) tournament. The top story coming out of AAU Nationals is the Jackson Panthers' medal finish at the 17 and Under AAU National Tournament. For the tournament the Panthers posted a 7-2 record advancing all the way to the eighth place medal game where they fell by two to finish thirteenth, AAU awards medals to the top fourteen place finishers at nationals. What made the Panthers' finish such a big deal is that, by this writers recollection, the Panthers' medal finish is the first ever medal finish in the 17 and under division for a Magnolia State team. With the 17 and Under Tournament being the last one to be played out of the 15, 16 and 17 year old age groups The Panthers' finish served to cap off Mississippi's best year ever on the AAU National scene. At the AAU 16 and Under National Tournament the Madison County based Mississippi Ballers placed twelfth. The Ballers, posting a 7-2 record for the tournament, advanced all the way to the eighth place medal game but had to settle for twelfth after having to depart early to catch their flight. While the Ballers were holding it down in the National Tourney the Jackson Panthers Select were making a run in the 16 and Under Classic. Five straight wins in the Classic put the Panthers in the Classic championship game where they finally ran out of gas finishing second with a final record of 6-3 for the Tournament. The AAU 15 and Under National Tournament presented similar but better results, as one Magnolia Squad placed while another had a strong performance in the Classic. The Jackson Tigers stared the summer portion of the travel team season off for the Magnolia State teams with a fifth place finish at the AAU 15 and Under Nationals. The Tigers posted a 7-1 record for the tournament with their only loss being a close call to the eventual national champion Memphis Stallions in the quarterfinals. The Tigers regrouped following that slip to reel of two more wins to secure their fifth place finish. Also finishing strong in the 15 and under division was the Northeast Mississippi based "Da House Lighthouse" squad who captured the championship of the Classic Tournament. After a disappointing 1-2 finish in pool play the "House" caught fire in the Classic running off five straight wins to take the championship. Congratulations go out to each of the players and coaches for each of the teams. Great job guys! An outstanding year on the AAU national scene it was. Others teams participating in AAU Nationals were Jackson Gators (13), Meridian Elite (14), Jackson Tigers (16) & (17) July 14, 2008 Battle at the Bluff: day one Jerry Meyer Rivals.com Basketball Recruiting Analyst MEMPHIS- Many of the first day games were lopsided affairs at the Battle at the Bluff, with the intriguing match ups slated for day two. The most entertaining game of day one came in the 16-under bracket when the Jackson Panthers Select defeated Memphis Select. In a game marked by athleticism no player stood out more than Panthers' guard Dundrecous Nelson who shook up the house with a couple thunderous dunks in traffic. Nelson also mixed in a three-pointer and dropped off several nice assist passes on the break. He finished with 15 points. Nelson does need to tighten his handle and refine his shot, but he has the upside to work his way into four-star status in the 2010 class. He already claims offers from Arkansas, Ole Miss and UAB and is getting interest from Oklahoma and Clemson. Arkansas presently sits at the top of his list. Four-star point guard Andre Stringer, who normally runs with the Jackson Tigers but is with the Panthers at this tournament, might not have the athletic upside of Nelson, but when it comes to making plays right now, Stringer gets it done. He gets great elevation on his confident jumper and has the upper body strength to make plays in the lane. He scored 12 points in the win and made a number of impressive interior passes on the drive. Stringer is getting the heaviest interest from Oklahoma, Mississippi State and Florida State. Holding down the middle for the Panthers is power forward Jalen Courtney, who scored 13 points. Courtney has a top four of Arkansas (offer), Missouri, Ole Miss and Oklahoma. He favors Missouri because of the speed and intensity of their style of play. Leading the Panthers in scoring was left handed shooting guard Desmond Haymon who fired in 21 points with four three-pointers and some crafty drives to the basket. For Memphis Select 2011 prospect Cedrick McAfee is a prospect to keep an eye on. A strong athlete who can also shoot the ball, McAfee dropped in 17 points. Go West Young Man Most of the state's top summer programs focus on AAU nationals but others prefer to travel the non-AAU travel team circuit This is the route that MBA Hoops choose to travel. While the rest of the Magnolia state teams were trying to win an AAU National Championship MBA Hoops traveled out west to participate in more exposure oriented tournaments. MBA participated in the Adidas 64 Tournament in Las Vegas, posting a 3-1 tournament record, and in the Duel in the Desert Tournament in Phoenix(3-2 record), and while MBA didn't win any championships they did garner a lot of exposure for their stable of talented underclassmen. Class of 2011 strength on display The strong finishes for the two 15 and under teams, who finished one and two in the AAU 15 and Under State Tournament, served as a strong example of the strength of the Class of 2011 in Mississippi. Further reinforcing that strength is that while these two teams were Playing at AAU Nationals two more 15 and under Magnolia squads were in Memphis at the "Battle at the Bluff" facing off in the semifinals of the 15 and under bracket of that tournament. MBA Hoops and the Jackson Panthers were both among the five Mississippi teams that qualified for AAU nationals, the Jackson Celtics being the fifth, but decided to take the shorter less expensive trip just up the road to Memphis. MBA Hoops captured a four point win over the Jackson Panthers and went on to finish second, with a 5-1 overall record, to a strong Memphis YOMCA squad. The Panthers finished 3-2 with the two losses being to the two finalists by four and two points. With the close of summer activity its time to revisit our player rankings. Keep watch for an updated list soon. Hoops Preview & Preseason Rankings By Lavel Johnson 10-29-07 Balls are bouncing in gyms around the state as teams prepare for the season ahead, and with the start of that season upon us its time to take a look at how it is shaping up. Come inside as we release our Magnoliapreps.com top 13 preseason rankings and take a look at the teams to beat in each class. As usual the 5A and 4A divisions boast an array of talented teams. 5A boast a strong group of teams at the top but only has a handful of teams which are truly championship contenders. 4A on the other hand is the deepest division with more quality teams and championship contenders than any other division, that is even more so the case this year as former 5A contenders Moss Point and Forest Hill move to the 4A ranks. Our preseason Rankings Last seasons final record in parentheses 1. Provine(26-10); Coach Luther Rileys defending 5A State Champion Rams hold down the top spot in our rankings and are loaded for another championship run. The Rams welcome back a talented group of players led by 64 Sr. Scottie Haralson, 66 Jr. Emory Kelly and 67 Soph. Jalen Courtney. Coach Riley added to that group of returnees bringing in 62 Jr. Carl Blair, a talented transfer from Houston, Texas, in what shaped up as essentially a late summer trade for Soph. forward Stephon Smith, who moved to Texas. 2. New Hope(32-6); Last years 4A State Tournament runner-ups, the Trojans actually finished ranked ahead of the Rams in last seasons final rankings. New Hope is led by the senior foursome of 69 Rashanti Harris, 62 Dale Hughes, 60 Ray Knight and 64 Kendrick Bush. The foursome will be entering their third season together as starters and are seeking a third straight appearance in the Big House where they will seek to take home that elusive 4A state championship. 3. Lanier(39-3); Anyone that knows anything about high school hoops in this state knows that the route to a No. 1 ranking in this state goes through the Bulldogs of Lanier, the defending 4A State Tournament and Grand Slam champions. Despite losing last years player of the year, R.L. Horton, as well as two more starters, Lanier brings back more than enough firepower to challenge for a title. Lanier will be led this year by a trio of returning seniors starters, 65 Lamar Williams, 65 Thurley Love and 63 Terry Church (I know that adds up to six starters but so what, sue me.). Added to this group is talented 60 sophomore Marcellus Hansberry, a transfer from Terry as the Bulldogs look for their 4th straight 4A state championship. 4. Forest Hill(26-11); The Rebels look to build off of their 5A State Tournament runner-up finish of last year as they drop to 4A this season. Top players: Terrell Kennedy 65 Sr.; Andre Stringer 510 Soph.; Joshua Moore 62 Sr. 5. Starkville(30-3); Top Players: Latavious Williams 68 Sr.; Chris Brand 68 Jr.; Jonathan Harris 63 Sr. 6. Oxford(29-8); Top Players: Justin Gilliard 64 Sr; Dan Hicks 66 Jr;Kenny Mullins 64 Sr; Keith Searcy 64 Jr. 7. Picayune(30-6); Top Players: Chris Dees 65 Sr.; Brandon Fortenberry 62 Sr.; Ben Daly 65 Sr 8. Moss Point(17-9); Top Players: Travis Rasco 65 Sr.; Travis Jackson 67 Sr.; Rod Little 61 Sr; Avery Ingram 62 Sr. 9. St. Stanislaus(29-9); Top Players: Pedro Maciel 60 Jr.; Thomas Camargo 66 Jr. 10. Madison Central(21-13); Top Players: Jeremy Adams 62 Jr.; Sylvester Collins 68 Sr; Jacoby Pittman 69 Sr. 11. Humphreys County(28-9); Top Players: Brandon Mitchell 62 Sr.; Michael Starks 67 Jr.; Lonnie Contrell 65 Jr. 12. Meridian(20-10); Top Players: Anthony Scott 64 Sr.; Deshun Carter 65 Jr. 13. Wingfield(26-10); Top Players: Chris Wallace 62 Sr.; Ananza Richardson 63 Sr. 5A teams to watch: Brandon(26-10), Gulfport(26-9), Murrah(16-16) and Olive Branch(29-1) 4A teams to watch: Northeast Lauderdale(25-10), Callaway(8-19), Yazoo City(22-12), Canton(23-9), Vicksburg(19-12), Nouxbee County(17-13), McComb(27-7), Mendenhall(25-7), Greenwood(24-8) 3A Humphreys County gives 3A a quality representative in the top 13 rankings and right behind them is Pass Christian(28-7) which comes down from the 4A ranks. Others to watch are: Jefferson County(25-7), Nettleton(21-8), Columbia(25-8) and Cleveland Eastside(16-17) 2A Along with 4A 2A year in and year has a deep, competitive field of teams. Last year was a great example of this as the 2A state tournament was by far the most exciting tournament of the 5 played, with every game going to the wire. Defending champion Scott Central(26-12) returns with a solid cast to again challenge for the gold ball. Hinds AHS(29-5) comes off of a strong season that fell short of the Big House, at the hands of Scott Central, but again is one of the favorites. Defending 3A champion Forest(32-5) drops to 2A this season and has to be considered in the mix also. Others to watch are: Piney Woods(21-4), Taylorsville(23-10, Newton(24-10), Tchula Marshall(28-9), and Hollandale Simmons(25-7) 1A Myrtle(33-7) looks to finish unfinished business after falling in the 1A state championship game last season. Their biggest challenges looks to come from Shelby Broadstreet(32-6), which moved down from the 2A ranks, in the north and Mount Olive(20-10) in the south. Former Mississippi high school players (post-season collegiate awards): Trey Johnson, 65, Guard, Jackson State, Murrah H.S., Jackson, MS Player of the Year, 1st Team All-SWAC Charles Rhodes, 68, Forward, Mississippi State, Lanier H.S., Jackson, MS 2nd Team All-SEC Jeremy Wise, 62, Guard, Southern Miss, Murrah H.S., Jackson, MS Freshman/Newcomer of the Year, 2nd Team All-Conference USA, 1st Team Conference USA ALL Freshman Team Stanford Speech, 62, Guard, Mississippi Valley State, Jim Hill H.S., Jackson, MS. 1st Team All-SWAC Isaac Wells, 68, Forward, Arkansas State, Lanier H.S., Jackson, MS 2nd Team All-Sun Belt Courtney Bradley, 65, Forward, Jacksonville State, Raymond H.S., Utica, MS 1st Team All-Ohio Valley Conference William Byrd, 67, Forward, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, West Tallahatchie H.S., Webb, MS. 1st Team All-SWAC Delvin Thompson, 62, Guard, Alcorn State, Jefferson County H.S., Fayette, MS 2nd Team All-SWAC Lamar Sanders, 66, Forward, Lamar, Hickory Flat H.S., Hickory, MS Newcomer of the Year, 2nd Team All-Southland Kevin Sims, 510, Guard, Tulane, Forest Hill H.S., Jackson, MS 1st Team Conference USA ALL Freshman Team Congratulations go out to all these young men for a job well done. State Tournament Notes - 02/28/07 Jackson Public Schools sent an astonishing nine teams (six boys and three girls) to the Coliseum. Now comes the hard part...taking home some hardware.> Starkville and New Hope held up well for Northeast Mississippi last week, as each, playing at home, took a win over a ranked JPS opponent to win the North 5A and 4A state tournaments respectively. Now the question is can they do it again in the Big House? Shelby Broad Street has defeated Coahoma County three times in four games this season but with all the marbles on the line can the Jaguars deny the Red Panthers their third straight state championship. The 3A tournament promises to be an exciting event with a number of evenly matched teams participating and the season for 3A went much the same. But despite the competitiveness of the division no team has stepped up to rise into the rankings. The question is can one team step up to put itself in the conversation of top teams in the state. R.L. Horton and Ravern Johnson both have a lot on the line. Not only is each seeking a third straight state crown but how each performs in the Big House could go a long way in helping decide who wins this years Mr. Basketball award. Just as Horton and Johnson are posied to state their case for this years Mr. Basketball a number of Juniors have center stage to start their campaign for next years Mr. Basketball. Keep an eye on 64 WG Scottie Haralson of Provine, 67 F/C Latavious Williams of Starkville and 69 F/C Rashanti Harris of New HopeNotes by Lavel Johnson |