ESPNHS Boys' Basketball

The last time Sports Illustrated featured a high school basketball underclassman on its cover, it was a 17-year-old prodigy from Ohio named LeBron James. Now you can add Simeon (Chicago) star Jabari Parker to that exclusive club, as the junior will grace the front of SI's May 21 issue.

Parker was the Gatorade National Player of the Year this season, and he's ranked No. 1 in the class of 2013 by ESPN. Most scouts believe he's a sure thing to become an All-Star in the NBA, and SI even touts him as "the best high school basketball player since LeBron James." The smooth, 6-foot-8 forward has led Simeon to three consecutive state championships, and he's spending his summer playing with the elite Mac Irvin Fire AAU team.

This is a huge moment for Parker. Lots of players are ranked No. 1 at one point or another, but few reach a level where Sports Illustrated feels the need to put them on the cover. Parker will now have a ton of pressure placed upon him during his senior season, especially since he hasn't committed yet. His college decision is likely to become a huge national media story until he signs his letter of intent, and that kind of intense spotlight can have a negative effect on some players. After all, since LeBron in 2002, the only other high school baller on the cover of SI has been Sebastian Telfair (March 8, 2004), who never quite lived up to the hype.

But as the SI story points out, Parker is a humble, faith-driven kid who seems to have his head on straight. It's up to him whether he becomes the next Sebastian Telfair or the next LeBron James.

MCI drops post-grads

Maine Central Institute (Pittsfield, Maine) will drop its post-graduate basketball team, according to The Portland Press Herald. Last week, MCI’s Board of Trustees voted to discontinue the team beginning July 1.

Post-graduate teams traditionally exist to allow student-athletes an extra year after high school to raise their academic marks in order to meet NCAA athletic eligibility standards for incoming freshmen and to further develop their basketball skills after their regular high school eligibility has expired. The school’s post-graduate team produced more than 130 Division I players and 10 who eventually played in the NBA, but MCI Athletic Director Earl Anderson told the newspaper, “the post-graduate basketball program no longer fit into the vision for MCI’s future.”

The school opened in 1866 and the student body is made up of both boarding and local students. According to the school's website, tuition for boarding students for the 2012-13 school year is $40,850.

In year’s past, prominent MCI post-graduates -- including future NBA players Erick Barkley and Caron Butler -- came under NCAA scrutiny in regards to who paid part of their tuition.

Last season, MCI’s post-graduate team went 10-17 while competing in the New England Prep School Athletic Conference after winning the NEPSAC's Class AAA title in 2011. During a 10-year period in the 1990s under former coach Max Good, MCI went 275-30, won five NEPSAC titles and managed a 79-game winning streak. Good developed nine of MCI’s 10 NBA players including Barkley, Butler, DerMarr Johnson and Brad Miller.

It's not clear at this time if MCI will compete only as a regular high school team in the Maine Principals' Association division of interscholastic activities.

More on post-grad front

The news about MCI dropping its post-graduate team came on the heels of The Winchendon School (Winchendon, Mass.) also leaving the NEPSAC's Class AAA ranks. The Winchendon School is looking to move down to Class C.

Despite the NEPSAC’s Class AAA ranks losing two members once considered flagship programs, the news shouldn’t be considered any sign of the demise of post-graduate basketball at prep schools in New England.

The NCAA’s Division I Board of Directors recently implemented new eligibility requirements that will take effect in 2016 and those requirements will be tougher than ever for freshman eligibility. That will continue to make prep schools a desirable option for student-athletes looking to improve their academic marks.

Under the new NCAA academic standards, potential scholarship players must complete their required 16 core courses before their four years of high school are complete. That is likely to lead to an increased number of student-athletes leaving to a prep school prior to the completion of their senior season of high school in order to increase their chances of qualifying under the new guidelines.

NYC AAU figure passes

Ernie Lorch, the founder of the New York Riverside Church AAU program whose legacy was tarnished amid charges of sex abuse, died on May 13, according to the New York Daily News.

Lorch, who reportedly suffered from dementia and diabetes, was 80.

Lorch, a Manhattan-based lawyer, founded the Riverside Church program in 1961 as an avenue to help underprivileged New York City kids. Erick Barkley of Christ the King (Queens, N.Y.) was one of the kids he helped and the NCAA ruled Lorch paid $3,150 of Erick Barkley’s tuition at Maine Central Institute for the 1997-98 school year in violation of its rules. During the NCAA’s investigation of Barkley’s eligibility for St. John's University, Lorch admitted to financially assisting many student-athletes over the years.

During the Riverside Church’s heyday in the 1980s and 1990s, the flagship program won countless national tournaments and produced future NBA players such as Chris Mullin, Mark Jackson, Malik Sealy, Ron Artest (now Metta World Peace) and 1989 Mr. Basketball USA Kenny Anderson. The 1996 unit that included Barkley, Artest and Elton Brand, was honored in July 2007 by the Grassroots Basketball Association of America as the best Nike-sponsored AAU team ever.

Over the last decade, Lorch’s legacy as an AAU pioneer was tainted by accusations of sex abuse. Because the incident was said to have occurred in the late 1970’s, New York’s statue of limitations laws prevented him from ever being charged. Massachusetts’ statue of limitations laws are different, and Lorch was indicted in that state but never extradited to stand trial on those charges because of his dementia.

Former dropout signs with D1 school

When a 6-foot-8 junior college transfer signs with a Big Sky conference school, it usually isn’t big news. When that player was a highly-regarded prospect in high school who dropped out of school before his senior season and is a main subject of a critically acclaimed book, however, it’s noteworthy.

Aaron Moore, who was a freshman standout at Dominguez (Compton, Calif.) in 2005-06, signed with Portland State for the 2012-13 school year after a standout season at San Bernardino (Calif.) Junior College.

Moore’s youth career and turbulent high school career was chronicled in George Dohrmann’s “Play Their Hearts Out.” Dohrmann, a Pulitzer Prize winner and a writer for Sports Illustrated, followed the triumphs and tragedies of a Southern California AAU team over a period of eight years. Based on the content in the book, it looked like Moore was going to be the most tragic figure among the players on the team and now he has a new chapter.

Ronnie Flores is a senior editor for ESPNHS. He can be reached at ronnie.flores@espn.com. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonFloresESPN

Entertaining Division I offers has become old hat for members of the Milton basketball team.

The nation’s premier coaches as well as legions of evaluators have flocked to the Alpharetta, Ga., school in recent years to catch a glimpse of coach David Boyd’s wealth of talented ballers. The veteran skipper has watched as seven members from the past two season's starting lineups signed with major D-I programs.

The Eagles’ latest prospect could very well be the team’s most intriguing to date. Not because the volume of interest in him, but because he hasn’t even donned a Milton jersey yet. In fact, he’s only 14 years old and still taking eighth grade courses at Milton feeder school Northwestern.

Chris Lewis, an athletic 6-foot-7 double-double machine, received a pair of offers from New Mexico and Memphis earlier this month. And as his game continues to evolve, you can count on several more schools joining in the running for services.

“I was really surprised when I heard of the offers. My coach told my dad and my dad told me,” says Lewis. “It took me a while to take it all in, but I’m just trying to stay humble and work hard.”

The significance of an early offer and a program showing continued interest throughout a player's prep career shouldn’t be discounted. Current Milton seniors Evan Nolte (Virginia) and Shaq Johnson (Auburn) were both offered early in their careers and rewarded those schools when it came time to sign.

Lewis isn’t the only middle school hoop star college coaches have set their sights on. Eron Gordon, who is expected to attend North Central (Indianapolis) next year and is the younger brother of NBA star Eric Gordon, is another hot name. He already holds an offer from Indiana.

“It shows that (young) players are working hard, too,” says Lewis of the attention. “Yeah, it could have a negative effect, but that depends on how you take it. It should make you work harder and inspire you.”

Lewis has distanced himself from his peers with his non-stop motor and commitment on the defensive end. His penchant for swatting balls into the stands has made him a deterrent to opposing scorers both on and off the ball, and he has also made significant strides on offense with a developing mid-range game and his ability to finish above the rim.

Count Boyd, who sees shades of Dennis Rodman in Lewis' game, among those enamored with the youngster’s potential.

“He’s the first player in our program’s history to receive a scholarship this early,” Boyd said. “I was sort of surprised, but at the same time when you look at Chris, he’s been playing at a high level for the last three years. He’s always played up (in competition) and scrimmaged our varsity last year.”

Considering Lewis’ rich bloodlines, it was only a matter of time before the major programs came knocking.

His older brother Mo IV, a sophomore, was the sixth man on Milton’s Class AAAAA championship squad this past winter and his mother, Christalyn, also claimed a state title playing for Baldwin County in the late '80s. His father, Mo Lewis, starred in the NFL for 13 seasons, making three Pro Bowls during his tenure as a hard-hitting linebacker.

“He’s just doing what he’s supposed to do; going out and playing hard and the coaches are looking at his potential,” Mo said. “I tell him, ‘there’s no way they can sign you now and it doesn’t solidify where you will go. You still have four years of high school to play.’”

Not to mention an incredibly difficult summer working out with a personal trainer and hooping with the Georgia Stars 15U AAU team. Earning significant minutes with four-time state finalist Milton isn’t necessarily a given, either.

Last year’s squad captured the program’s second title in four years and finished No. 7 in the POWERADE FAB 50. And even though the cupboard was stripped with Nolte, Johnson and Charles Mann (Georgia) departing for the next level, freshmen rarely get the opportunity to start for this talent-rich squad.

“We hope he can play at a high level for us,” Boyd said. “If he gets to be as solid as his older brother, he’ll be scary.”

As good as he is on the court, Lewis might be even better in the classroom. He is a straight-A student with a fascination with robotics and hopes of being an engineer, leading Mo to affectionately label him “a nerd.”

“It’s fascinating that he is also such an excellent student,” Boyd said. “He has Duke, UNC and Harvard as his top three schools. That just tells you all you need to know about him.”

David Auguste covers high school sports for ESPNHS. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @DAugusteESPN or email him at David.Auguste@espn.com.

With the McDonald's All-American Game and Jordan Brand Classic now in the rear view mirror, the second annual Mary Kline Classic this past weekend offered a glimpse of tomorrow's stars.

The New Jersey-based event, which featured an underclassmen game, senior game, three-point contest and dunk contest, was organized by 17-year-old Recruit Scoop publisher Alex Kline and featured some of the best talent in the East. More importantly, $20,000 was raised toward cancer research, a cause close to Kline's heart after his mother died from brain cancer when he was 10. Here are some of the event's highlights:

• Jaren Sina earned MVP honors for the Red team, dishing out 14 assists in a losing effort to the Blue team in the underclassmen game. The junior guard from Gill St. Bernard (Gladstone, N.J.) had the crowd in awe with his passing skills, finding teammates on alley-oops and in transition while handling the ball like a yo-yo. Sina, who said he was going for 20 assists, talked afterward about how his passing will be just as important as his scoring next season. "Part of leadership is getting guys involved, dishing out assists and making plays," said Sina, whose recruitment remains wide open after decommitting from Alabama last year. With three-point specialist Alex Mitola and talented forward Dominic Hoffman graduating, all eyes will be on Sina to help the Knights build on last year's 27-4 campaign and run to the Non-Public B title game.
• On the Blue team, St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.) guard Tyler Ennis offered more evidence to justify his selection as Gatorade State Player of the Year. The junior poured in 24 points on an array of jumpers and drives. Fresh off picking up new offers from LSU and UCLA, Ennis showed great floor chemistry with St. Benedict's freshman Isaiah Briscoe, who played a key role in the Gray Bees' 35-3 campaign. "We're adding some more guys next year and playing with Isaiah today is great for our chemistry," Ennis said. "He averaged about 10 or 11 points last year and we're expecting him to score even more next year."
• Ennis also talked some about the recent rise of fellow Canadian players like Huntington Prep (West Va.) sophomore Andrew Wiggins and Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) senior Anthony Bennett. Despite his countrymen getting the best of the U.S. at the Nike Hoop Summit, Ennis wasn't quite ready to give Canada the edge over the American basketball scene. Still, he knows there's plenty of reason for coaches to keep an eye up north. "Playing in Jersey has really helped with my recruitment because you have more coaches coming to see you," Ennis said. "We've got a ways to go to win the Olympics or anything, but there's definitely some talent coming out of Canada."
• While all-star games are often a place to rack up the points, Karl Towns Jr.was more concerned with performing well on the 3-point rack. Standing 6-foot-11 with a size 20 shoe, the St. Joseph (Metuchen, N.J.) freshman was easily the biggest participant in the 3-point contest. Towns, who hit 70 3-pointers last fall, didn't disappoint, reaching the finals before falling 8-7 to Hallice Cooke of St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.). "My coach kept telling me 'Show them big men can shoot,' so I said I'm going to go out there and show them" Towns said. "For me, I always practice 3s, so when I missed those I felt bad because those are usually like chippies for me. I was mad I lost but I was here for a bigger reason." Expect a breakout sophomore season for Towns, an inside-outside threat who will be the star for St. Joseph with Quenton DeCosey graduating.
• Two other Jersey guys who impressed were Jermaine Lawrence, who won MVP honors for the Blue team after dropping 27 points. The Pope John (Sparta, N.J.) junior has been on a tear of late, opening the eyes of recruiters with his play on the New Rens AAU squad. The other was Tyler Roberson, a junior from Roselle Catholic and the No. 16 player in the ESPN 60. A transfer and injuries made for a "frustrating" sophomore campaign, but Roberson said "that all has motivated me to play even harder next year."

Aaron Gordon injury update

Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.) forward Aaron Gordon may be sidelined at the moment with a broken bone in his toe, but the No. 3 player in the ESPN 60 is adamant he'll be back to 100 percent by the end of the summer.

"I'm just gonna let it rest," said Gordon, who said surgery was unnecessary for the nagging injury. "I've been in a boot for two weeks, and I'll probably be in it for three more weeks. Then I just have to come back and knock off the rust."

The 6-foot-8 Gordon averaged 22.9 points and 12.8 rebounds while leading Archbishop Mitty to a state championship this winter. The foot had been bothering him for the better part of a year, so Gordon decided this would be the opportune time to let it heal. He figures he'll be back for most of the key AAU tournaments, and his big target is the Team USA U-17 trials.

"My goal is to be back in time for the USA Basketball tryouts in mid-June," he said. "I should be fine by then."

Future is now

College coaches’ pressure to win has never been greater. The never-ending pursuit to get an edge on the competition has caused coaches and their staffs to spend more time evaluating, and in some instances offering scholarships, to players who have yet to play a high school game.

For decades, college coaches have known about the best middle school players. Nowadays, coaches are forging relationships with middle school prospects and, when permitted, spending time watching middle school games.

One of the country’s top eighth graders in 6-foot-2 Eron Gordon. He is the younger brother of 2007 ESPNHS All-American Eric Gordon, who attended Indianapolis’ North Central High School and currently plays for the New Orleans Hornets. This past season, Midwest colleges such as Michigan State, Butler, Indiana and Purdue watched Eron’s games at Indianapolis' Westlane Middle School.

According to the Indianapolis Star, Indiana and Purdue have offered Eron a scholarship.

A decade ago, early offers were noteworthy when a prospect was in ninth or tenth grade, but the recruiting game is constantly changing. Some college coaches don't like watching middle school games, but it comes with the territory when coaching at a school where winning a NCAA title is the goal.

Like his older brother, Eron will also attend North Central next fall.

Love (sometimes hate) and basketball

When you’re an elite hoop prospect, just about everyone shows you love -- from the coaches recruiting you to the former players and alums of those programs. Then of course, there are the die-hard fans that show up at your games, create websites and Twitter pages in your honor and send you messages about how you will achieve immortality playing at the school they religiously follow.

But when the final commitment is made and ties to those other programs are severed, things can get ugly in an instant. Scorned fans can be relentless in their attacks -- especially with the access to top recruits afforded by Twitter and Facebook -- leaving recruits to ponder what they did wrong.

This past week, Anthony Bennett of Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) was the target of such an attack after he trimmed his list to UNLV and Oregon. He was met with a barrage of profane-laden tweets from Kentucky and Florida fans incensed by his decision, including several that wished injury on the No. 7 ranked player in the ESPN 100.

Amid the hostility, Bennett remained professional and focused on making a sound decision regarding his future. He responded to his detractors with one meaningful tweet: “… Motivation …” He is expected to make his final choice in the coming days.

David Auguste and Mike Grimala contributed to this report.

Three juniors already named ESPNHS All-Americans headline a group of 60 elite players selected to the 2011-12 ESPNHS Underclass All-American boys' basketball watch list.

Headlining this year's watch list heading into the intense AAU summer season are junior forwards Jabari Parker of Simeon (Chicago), this year's National Junior Player of the Year, Julius Randle of Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas) and Aaron Gordon of Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.).

While the trio and the 57 other honorees all had standout campaigns for their high school teams, others are sure to emerge this summer as bona fide All-America candidates heading into the 2012-13 season. Nearly every summer on the circuit, well-known players are eclipsed by lesser-known commodities, and every so often a prospect comes out of nowhere to emerge as a Mr. Basketball USA candidate.

The last player to make such a quantum leap was Kentucky's Anthony Davis, who attended Perspectives Charter (Chicago). In the spring of 2010, he was a virtual unknown on the high school basketball scene. Two years later, he's the likely No. 1 pick of the 2012 NBA draft.

Parker and Randle were Mr. Basketball USA candidates as juniors, and Sophomore Player of the Year Andrew Wiggins of Huntington Prep (Huntington, W.Va.) will likely be in the same situation next season. The 6-foot-7 wing averaged 24.2 points and 8.5 rebounds for a 28-2 team and his play so far this spring has put him in the conversation as the best player in the country, regardless of class.

Wiggins just missed making the ESPNHS All-America team, while guard Tyus Jones of Apple Valley (Minn.) just missed selection to the 30-player honorable mention list. Jones' play so far in the Nike EYBL puts him right on par with any underclass guard in the country, including honorable mention pick Kasey Hill of Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.). The Minnesota Gatorade State Player of the Year is the EYBL's third-leading scorer (20.8) and is leading in assists (6.5) through the first two sessions.

2011-12 Underclass All-American watch list

Juniors to watch (2013)
C -- BeeJay Anya, DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) 6-9
G -- Anthony Barber, Hampton (Va.) 6-2
F -- Jabari Bird, Salesian (Richmond, Calif.) 6-5
F -- Brian Bridgewater, Episcopal (Baton Rouge, La.) 6-6
G -- Aquille Carr, Patterson (Baltimore, Md.) 5-6
G -- Stephen Clark, Douglass (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 5-10
G -- Nick Emery, Lone Peak (Highland, Utah) 6-1
G -- Tyler Ennis, St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.) 6-3
G -- Conner Frankamp, North (Wichita, Kan.) 6-1
G -- Keith Frazier, Kimball (Dallas) 6-5
F -- Aaron Gordon, Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.) 6-8
G -- Isaac Hamilton, St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) 6-5
G -- Aaron Harrison, Fort Bend Travis (Richmond, Texas) 6-4
G -- Andrew Harrison, Fort Bend Travis (Richmond, Texas) 6-4
F -- Isaiah Hicks, Oxford (Oxford, N.C.), 6-9
G -- Kasey Hill, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 6-1
F -- Rondae Jefferson, Chester (Chester, Pa.) 6-7
F -- Kris Jenkins, Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) 6-6
G -- JaJuan Johnson, Southwind (Memphis, Tenn.) 6-5
G -- Matt Jones, DeSoto (DeSoto, Texas) 6-4
F -- Nick King, East (Memphis, Tenn.) 6-7
F -- Jabari Parker, Simeon (Chicago) 6-8
G -- Juwan Parker, Booker T. Washington (Tulsa, Okla.) 6-4
F -- Bobby Portis, Hall (Little Rock, Ark.) 6-9
F -- Roschon Prince, Poly (Long Beach, Calif.) 6-6
F -- Julius Randle, Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas) 6-9
G -- Tahj Shamsid-Deen, Columbia (Decatur, Ga.) 5-10
C -- Chris Walker, Holmes County (Bonifay, Fla.) 6-9
C -- Jonathan Williams III, Southwind (Memphis, Tenn.) 6-9
G -- Nigel Williams-Goss, Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) 6-3

2012 Junior of the Year: Jabari Parker

Sophomores to watch (2014)
C -- Cliff Alexander, Curie (Chicago) 6-9
F -- Evan Bailey, Jackson (Massillon, Ohio) 6-5
G -- Casey Benson, Corona del Sol (Tempe, Ariz.) 6-2
G -- Joel Berry, Lake Highland Prep (Orlando, Fla.) 6-1
F -- Trevon Bluiett, Park Tudor (Indianapolis) 6-5
G -- Parker Jackson-Cartwright, Loyola (Los Angeles) 5-9
G -- T.J. Haws, Lone Peak (Highland, Utah) 6-2
G -- Tadric Jackson, Tift County (Tifton, Ga.) 6-2
F -- Stanley Johnson, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) 6-6
G -- Tyus Jones, Apple Valley (Minn.) 6-1
F -- Jalen Lindsey, Christ Presbyterian Academy (Nashville, Tenn.) 6-6
F -- Kevon Looney, Hamilton (Milwaukee, Wis.) 6-7
F -- Trey Lyles, Arsenal Tech (Indianapolis, Ind.) 6-8
F -- Ja'Quon Newton, Neumann Goretti (Philadelphia) 6-3
C -- Jahlil Okafor, Whitney Young (Chicago) 6-9
F -- L.J. Peak, Gaffney (Gaffney, S.C.) 6-4
F -- Wayne Seldon, Tilton School (Tilton, N.H.) 6-5
G -- Romelo Trimble, Bishop O'Connell (Arlington, Va.) 6-2
G -- Isaiah Whitehead, Lincoln (Brooklyn, N.Y.) 6-4
F -- Andrew Wiggins, Huntington Prep (Huntington, W.Va.) 6-7

2012 Sophomore of the Year: Andrew Wiggins

Freshmen to watch (2015)
G -- Tyler Dorsey, Ribet Academy (Los Angeles) 6-4
G -- Isaiah Briscoe, St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.) 6-2
C -- Marcus Derrickson, Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.) 6-7
G -- Hyron Edwards, Central (East Chicago, Ind.) 6-0
F -- K.J. Lawson, East (Memphis, Tenn.) 6-5
G -- Marcus LoVett Jr., Providence (Burbank, Calif.) 5-11
F -- Mickey Mitchell, Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas) 6-6
G -- Malik Newman, Callaway (Jackson, Miss.) 6-2
C -- Diamond Stone, Dominican (Whitefish Bay, Wis.) 6-9
F -- Karl Towns, St. Joseph (Metuchen, N.J.) 6-11

2012 Freshman Player of the Year: Malik Newman

Note: All selections based on high school accomplishment. Similar to the Mr. Basketball USA honor, those ineligible due to age or academics are not eligible for this honor.

Ronnie Flores is a senior editor for ESPNHS. He can be reached at ronnie.flores@espn.com. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonFloresESPN

Aaron Gordon, a 6-foot-8 forward from Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.) and a third team ESPNHS All-American this past season, will be off the AAU circuit indefinitely because of a broken bone in his foot.

On April 24, Gordon told KOB, a television station in New Mexico, that he has a slight fracture in his toe. On May 1, his mother Shelly Davis Gordon told ESPNHS a recent MRI confirmed what the family already knew about the fracture.

“He has a fracture at the base of his toe that he played on for several months,” Shelly said. “We really won’t know if it will heal with time or if it has to be repaired until later this week after a CT scan. Right now, it’s unclear how long he’ll be out.”

The No. 3 prospect in the ESPN 60, Gordon averaged 22.9 points, 12.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.3 blocks for the CIF Division II state champs in 2011-12 and was the first junior in 12 years to be named state player of the year by Cal-Hi Sports.

Hatch plans return to court

Austin Hatch, a Canterbury (Fort Wayne, Ind.) junior who survived a plane crash last summer, says he still plans to play for the Michigan Wolverines in 2013.

Hatch's tragic story made national news in June, when a plane piloted by his father crashed while trying to make an emergency landing. Hatch's father and stepmother died in the accident, and Hatch suffered near-fatal injuries to his brain, lungs and ribs. Hatch had committed to Michigan just two weeks earlier, and Wolverines coach John Beilein will honor the scholarship.

Incredibly, it was the second plane crash Hatch has survived; in 2003, he lost his biological mother, a sister and a brother in a similar accident, which he and his father survived. Hatch is now out of the hospital, and though he hasn't played basketball and remains unsure if he'll ever regain his form, he says he's fully committed to playing for Michigan in 2013. As a sophomore, the 6-foot-6 forward hit 45 percent of his 3-point attempts.

Don't call it a comeback

After sitting out the 2011-12 season, center Dakari Johnson of Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) is having an excellent spring so far playing for E1T1 Elite.

One of the country's few true elite pivot players is in excellent shape and has led E1T1 to a 8-1 record through two sessions of the Nike EYBL. Through nine games, Johnson is averaging 16.7 points and 8.6 rebounds, which is second to Julius Randle (9.4) of the Team Texas Titians among all EYBL participants.

The New York City native was the ESPNHS National Freshman of the Year in 2010-11 at St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.Y.) before sitting out his sophomore season because of transfer rules.

Other talented prospects who college coaches and fans are eager to catch on the circuit because they missed all or portions of the 2011-12 season with injury include forward Thomas Hamilton Jr. of Whitney Young (Chicago, Ill.), the No. 42 prospect in the ESPN 60, and guard Bronson Koenig of Aquinas (La Crosse, Wis.).

Sophomore guard James Blackmon Jr. of Bishop Luers (Fort Wayne, Ind.) will likely miss the entire summer after tearing his ACL in early February.

Ennis the menace

Some questioned Tyler Ennis' selection as Gatorade State Player of the Year in New Jersey over Kyle Anderson, but the junior guard is silencing many of his critics with his play at the Nike EYBL. The 6-foot-2 Ontario native and St. Benedict's (Newark, N.J.) standout has paced CIA Bounce to a 9-0 mark at the prestigious event.

Ennis tallied a game-high 20 points to spur Bounce to a 69-55 win over the NJ Playaz during the second session in Hampton, Va. He went 8-of-15 from the field and added six boards in the victory. Ennis added 12 points and six dimes in a win over Mokan Elite and flirted with a triple double as Bounce routed The Family by 27.

David Auguste and Mike Grimala contributed to this report.

Ronnie Flores is a senior editor for ESPNHS. He can be reached at ronnie.flores@espn.com. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonFloresESPN

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- J.P. Tokoto signed with North Carolina for the tradition, Roy Williams and to win a national title, but another big reason Tokoto was excited about being a Tar Heel was to have the chance to learn from swingman Harrison Barnes.

That won’t happen now.

Barnes, Kendall Marshall and John Henson all declared for the NBA draft recently, and for Tokoto that meant just one thing.

“We’re gonna have to be ready to step right in and produce,” said Tokoto, a bouncy forward at Menomonee Falls (Wis.). “We’ve still got plenty of talent, but I think we may get called on a little earlier than most people thought we would.”

Brice Johnson feels the same way, and he said he’s ready for whatever the staff needs him to do.

Johnson and Tokoto are teaming up this weekend at Saturday's Jordan Brand Classic (7 p.m. ET, ESPN) for the East. Another UNC commit, Linn-Mar (Marion, Iowa) point guard Marcus Paige, was supposed to play in the game, but he had surgery to repair a stress fracture in his left foot and couldn’t travel. Dwyer (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) forward Joel James rounds out the Heels’ 2012 class.

“We’re all gonna need to be ready sooner,” said Johnson, a forward at Edisto (Cordova, S.C.). “That’s fine with me, though. Bring it on. I’m ready. I’ve just gotta gain weight.”

He’s contemplated giving up track, because the little weight he does gain ends up falling right off with training. But when you’re the reigning state champion in the high jump, long jump and triple jump, it’s hard to walk away.

“I’m about 210 now, but I’m gonna get it up,” Johnson said. “I eat a large pizza and a half of another large in one sitting, so I’m going hard at it. Either way we’re gonna be ready. All of us. I don’t want fans to drop their standards. We will show people next year. We’re gonna be a force.”


Starting Lineups

The probable starters for the West are Rasheed Sulaimon, Shabazz Muhammad, Anthony Bennett, Grant Jerrett and Brandon Ashley. The probable starters for the East are Brice Johnson, J.P. Tokoto, Rodney Purvis, Nerlens Noel and Tony Parker. Both lineups are as of Friday and could change by game time.


2K Challenge Owned by Wildcats

Last year, Anthony Davis took home the Jordan Brand Classic NBA 2K Challenge. Davis went on to win the Wooden National Player of the Year Award and be named NCAA Most Outstanding Player after leading Kentucky to the national title.

This year, Noel kept the Kentucky tradition alive when he and the Miami Heat took out Tokoto and the Memphis Grizzlies in overtime.

“It’s just the Kentucky swag already coming on me,” said Noel, who announced for Kentucky Wednesday night on ESPNU. “All we do is win, no matter what. What can I tell ya?”


Courting Parker

Once Muhammad announced that he would take his talents to UCLA next season, he made it clear what his first order of business would be with the Bruins.

“I’ve got to get Tony [Parker] to come along with me and Kyle [Anderson],” said Muhammad, a swingman at Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas). “I think we can get him. He’d just bring a lot to the team next year. I think with him in the class we’d be set.”

Anderson, who was the first to commit to the Bruins, will team up with Parker, a forward at Miller Grove (Lithonia, Ga.), on the East against Muhammad at the Jordan Brand Classic this weekend. But if he has it his way, this will be the last organized game that the three are divided.

“We’ve got to get Tony,” said Anderson, a point guard at St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.). “I think with me and now Shabazz coming at him, it’s even more appealing to him. We’ve been on him all week here. I think we’ll be able to get it done.”


Sulaimon is on Point

With West point guard Paige out, Sulaimon will have to step in and run the point.

“I’m very comfortable running the point,” said Sulaimon, a shooting guard at Strake Jesuit (Houston). “I’m willing to do whatever I’ve got to do in order for my team to get this win. That’s all I’m worried about. This will only continue to help me develop.”

Sulaimon, a Duke signee, said that the Blue Devils’ coaching staff has talked to him about running the point at times next season.

“I’ve talked to Coach [Mike] Krzyzewski about it and they want me to be ready to play some point next season,” Sulaimon said. “I’m fine with that. I’ve always trained to be versatile in the backcourt and even though I’m a scorer first I know the importance of setting my teammates up. I’ll be ready to roll.”


Highlight of the Practice

East point guard Anderson threw swingman Tokoto an alley-oop and Tokoto caught it and did a 360 dunk. The gym went into a brief frenzy.


Jason Jordan is the basketball editor for ESPNHS. He can be reached at jason.x.jordan.-ND@espn.com. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @JayJayESPN.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Brandon Ashley is finally ready to reveal a few universal secrets about the recruiting process, secrets that are so exclusive he can only tell you at the end of his senior season.

“Hey, I mean, this is the last event of the year and, either way, I’m headed to Arizona. Why not?" said Ashley, who will suit up for the West in the Jordan Brand Classic on Saturday night at Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, N.C. (7 p.m. ET on ESPN).

That’s why his cunning grin said it all when he was posed with the first question: Do recruits really have a list of five to seven schools that they’re considering?

“To be honest, no,” Ashley said with a laugh. “That’s just something we put out there to keep it exciting. We put it out there in the media to build that suspense, but in our minds it’s like, 'I’m not going there.' It’s usually just two schools in the end.”

Rodney Purvis concurred.

He said that after a while, players get tired of the “same old boring questions that media guys ask” and decide to spice things up and make it fun.

“I would go on Twitter sometimes and say something like, 'It’s time to get away from my family and grow up,' and people would panic and say I was headed to UConn,” said Purvis, who will suit up for the East on Saturday. “I know for a fact that most of us do things like that, but Brandon’s right, it typically comes down to just two schools in the end.”

The operative questions are: Who came in second? And how close did it really come between the final two?

“Whoa, man, that’s some heavy stuff right there,” said Rasheed Sulaimon, who will suit up for the West. “That’s top-secret info right there. You sure you wanna know that?”

Oh indeed we do.

We caught up with a handful of Jordan Brand All-Americans and had them reveal which school they almost signed with.

Brandon Ashley
Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.), F
Signed to: Arizona
The school that came in second for me was …
“Oregon. I just had a great relationship with them and I just loved everything about that school. That said, I can honestly say that they weren’t anywhere close to Arizona for me. I don’t care what I said during the recruiting process. When I went on my visit to Arizona it was over.”

Rodney Purvis
Upper Room Christian Academy (Raleigh, N.C.), SG
Signed to: NC State
The school that came in second for me was …
“UConn. I gotta keep it real, it was super close. When I came back home from visiting there I said, 'I’m going to UConn.' Then I talked to my mom and she said to wait it out a little longer. The more I thought about it I knew that it was NC State. They were just in my heart. Coach [Mark] Gottfried did a great job recruiting me and every time I would shoot around at State it felt right. I remember when I was at UConn after we played pickup, I went back to the gym alone just to shoot around to see what feeling I got and it wasn’t the same. I didn’t sense that it was the right place for me.”

Rasheed Sulaimon
Strake Jesuit (Houston), SG
Signed to: Duke
The school that came in second for me was …
“North Carolina. I know I may lose cool points with my Duke fam for this one, but we’re keepin' it real tonight. Of the two schools, North Carolina recruited me first. I grew up a Duke fan, but at the same time when those letters come in you just get excited about who’s on you. North Carolina was leading for me. Then Duke came in and the separation was when I talked to Coach [Mike] Krzyzewski. We just got close really quick and built a strong relationship. I guess you could say Duke stole me away from North Carolina.”

Kyle Anderson
St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.), G/F
Signed to: UCLA
The school that came in second for me was …
“Seton Hall. I’ve never told anyone this, but this is crazy. Exactly a week before I chose UCLA I had decided that I was going to Seton Hall. It was a done deal. Then I had another talk with my family the next day and I felt like it was UCLA. If UCLA didn’t exist I’d be at Seton Hall, no question. I just couldn’t turn down [UCLA], the tradition, the weather, the beach, all the pros that play there in the summer. Plus I’m cool with Russell Westbrook and Kevin Love, just everything about it. And I mean, c’mon, it’s L.A.!”

Shabazz Muhammad
Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), SF
Signed to: UCLA
The school that came in second for me was …
“I’m not just making this up either, but I promise you it could’ve gone either way between Duke and Kentucky. I promise. It was so tough saying 'thanks but no thanks' to those schools. With Duke, they needed a scorer and I knew if I added myself to that team it would really be successful with the guys they had coming back. Then with Kentucky, you’ve got Archie [Goodwin], Alex [Poythress] and Nerlens [Noel] coming in, and if I joined them I know we could’ve done big things. I’m telling you it was just crazy tough. UCLA was just the best fit for me in the end.”

Archie Goodwin
Sylvan Hills (Little Rock, Ark.), SG
Signed to: Kentucky
The school that came in second for me was …
“Kansas. I love coach Bill Self and I loved Kansas. The school was great, the fans were great and they did a great job recruiting me, but, honestly, there wasn’t anything they could’ve done to get me. I had been saying since the ninth grade that I wanted to play for Coach [John] Calipari. I tried to give everyone a chance, but I never got the same feeling I did with Coach Cal.”

Alex Poythress
Northeast (Clarksville, Tenn.), SF
Signed to: Kentucky
The school that came in second for me was …
“Vanderbilt. It was so close. They were recruiting me for the longest and I honestly had the best feel for that school. But in the end I just had to go with my gut feeling. But it was close.”

J.P. Tokoto
Menomonee Falls (Menomonee Falls, Wis.), SF
Signed to: North Carolina
The school that came in second for me was …
“Wisconsin. It was home and it felt right, but once I visited North Carolina and talked to the players and guys that were coming in, it was a no-brainer.”

Nerlens Noel
Tilton School (Tilton, N.H.), C
Signed to: Kentucky
The school that came in second for me was …
“Georgetown. My mom really liked them a lot. She was sold on them. She loved how family-oriented they were and, like I said in my blog, my mom’s opinion was what mattered most to me. We had to sit down and talk and I had to really get her to take a longer look at Kentucky. Then when she did she started to like them a lot, too. But it was pretty close, man. It was pretty close.”

Jason Jordan is the basketball editor for ESPNHS. He can be reached at jason.x.jordan.-ND@espn.com. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @JayJayESPN.

Nerlens Noel | Senior | Center | Tilton School (Tilton, N.H.)

Read all of Nerlens' Notebooks

After reclassifying from 2013 to 2012, Nerlens Noel went from being the No. 2-ranked junior to the No. 1-ranked senior in the ESPNU 100. Since then, heavyweight programs like UConn, Kentucky, North Carolina and Syracuse, among others, have scrambled to get him on campus next season. He recently narrowed his choices to Kentucky, Georgetown and Syracuse. Noel has agreed to give ESPNHS exclusive access into his world by chronicling his thoughts in a blog.


What’s good, everybody. Like I promised, I’m back to check in with you guys and get a few thoughts out before I make my big decision.

It’s my birthday today, so I’m back home to celebrate with my family but also to sit down with them and talk about these schools and come up with a decision.

Before I get into that, I know everyone was talking about the game we lost the other night against the World Team in the Nike Hoop Summit.

We were all feeling pretty down after the loss. It was tough. I thought we competed a lot better in the second half because coach [Kevin Boyle] made some good adjustments. He wanted us to pick it up defensively and we definitely did.

They missed their first 12 shots and that allowed us to get back in it, but they made some big shots in the end and got the win.

The locker room was a little quiet at first, but we had good leaders that spoke up and made us all feel a little better. Like Mitch [McGary], he just talked about how we were a family and that we were all brothers and that we played our hearts out. It made a lot of us feel better.

OK, so back to the announcement. Like I said, tonight we’re gonna have a group discussion and write things out and see where we’re most comfortable and what the best decision will be. The rumors about me already being committed are just crazy.

Anyone who knows me knows my mom, Dorcina, has to sign off on any decision and that she will play a major part in any decision. So tonight is when I’ll talk to her about it all.

Any “recruiting guy” who says he has some news from a “source” is funny, too, because the source would have to be me or my mom and they’re not talking to her and I don’t talk to anyone. Like I always say, only believe what you read here.

This is such a tough decision, though. I look at Syracuse and I love the way that the coaches say they’ll use me in their offense. I really like the family atmosphere there and I feel really comfortable there. Syracuse has been on me the longest of all three schools and that is big for me.

Then you’ve got Georgetown, and I really just like everything about them. When I went down there with my mom, it really opened my eyes to what they were all about. I have to factor in what a school like that can do for me, even away from being a basketball player. It’s just a great school and they have a history of developing big men. Georgetown is definitely a great option for me.

Then there’s Kentucky.

Of course they’re coming off the national championship, but I’d look more at how I’d be able to fit in and how I’d be used there. I’d factor in what my role would be offensively, like Anthony Davis with a lot of lobs and catching it at the high post and things like that. Defensively, I think it’ll take care of itself.

So as you all can see, this thing won’t be easy. Of course, me and Shabazz (Muhammad) will be deciding at the same time and I talked to him about that at the Hoop Summit, but we didn’t talk about schools at all. We never have.

I read the story where all the players gave predictions on where me and Shabazz would go. That was pretty funny. Man, they were sleeping pretty hard on the other schools, but everyone’s entitled to his own opinion.

Well, I’ve definitely got some celebrating to do and some discussing to do with my family, so I’m gonna head out now, everyone. Definitely check out the decision (7:30 p.m. ET Wednesday on ESPNU) -- and again, I have 100 percent not made any decision yet because I really don’t know.

Thanks, as always, for reading.

I'll holler at y'all later.

Don't forget to follow Nerlens Noel on Twitter: @NerlensNoel3

Shabazz Muhammad knows that, on the surface, it seems glamorous to have the option of picking between heavyweights like Duke, UCLA, Kentucky, UNLV and Kansas.

Still, he’s quick to point out the flip side.

“The stress,” said Muhammad, a senior swingman at Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) who is ranked No. 2 in the ESPNU 100. “It definitely isn’t as fun as people think. It’s all you think about. It’s a tough decision.”

Nerlens Noel can attest to that.

As the top-ranked player in the ESPNU 100, Noel said it only makes it harder “when you really can’t go wrong wherever you decide to go.”

Both Noel and Muhammad will make their decisions live on Recruiting Nation's Signing Day Special Show at 7:30 p.m. ET April 11 on ESPNU.

“People don’t understand how tough this is,” said Noel, a senior center at Tilton (N.H.) who will choose between Georgetown, Kentucky and Syracuse. “It’s the toughest decision I’ve ever had to make. Everyone thinks they know where we’re going.”

Especially their peers.

We caught up with a bunch of players from around the country and had them weigh in on where they think the top two seniors in the country will land.

Matt Jones
DeSoto (DeSoto, Texas), 2013, SG
Committed to: Duke
Noel’s headed to …
“Kentucky. I played with him last weekend at a tournament and you should’ve seen him watching Louisville play against Kentucky. It was like he could envision himself there.”
Muhammad’s headed to …
“Duke. He sees that he could come in and have the same impact that Austin Rivers did.”

Jabari Parker
Simeon (Chicago), 2013, SF
Undecided
Noel’s headed to …
“Boston College. [Laughs] Just kidding, Georgetown.”
Muhammad’s headed to …
“UC Santa Barbara. [Laughs] Just kidding, UCLA.”

Mitch McGary
Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.), 2012, F
Signed to: Michigan
Noel’s headed to …
“Kentucky. Great recruiting class coming in and they just won the national title so that’s got to appeal to him.”
Muhammad’s headed to …
“Kentucky. Same reasons as Nerlens.”

Isaiah Lewis
Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.), 2013, SG
Undecided
Noel’s headed to …
“Kentucky. He’s a one-and-done type and that’s where you go for that.”
Muhammad’s headed to …
“UCLA. I think he and Kyle Anderson are gonna do work.”

Rasheed Sulaimon
Strake Jesuit (Houston), 2012, SG
Signed to: Duke
Noel’s headed to …
“Kentucky. He’s the second coming of Anthony Davis. He’s tall with very long arms that he uses to impact the game on the defensive end and rebound.”
Muhammad’s headed to …
“Duke. I really believe that Shabazz is gonna join me next year because he’s a competitor and wants to win. Coach K is the ultimate competitor and does great with guards like Shabazz. I believe we can do a lot of damage right away.”

Rodney Purvis
Upper Room Christian Academy (Raleigh, N.C.), 2012, SG
Signed to: N.C. State
Noel’s headed to …
“Kentucky. That’s just my gut.”
Muhammad’s headed to …
“Kentucky. That’s just my gut feeling on him too.”

L.J. Rose
Westbury Christian (Houston), 2012, PG
Signed to: Baylor
Noel’s headed to …
“Kentucky. He’s gonna be compared to Anthony Davis and have that type of impact.”
Muhammad’s headed to …
“Kentucky. They’re just coming off a national title run and Rupp Arena will definitely be rocking next year with him there.”

Chris Walker
Holmes County (Bonifay, Fla.), 2013, F
Undecided
Noel’s headed to …
“Kentucky. He saw what Coach Cal did for Anthony Davis and he’ll feel like he can do the same for him. He’ll be one-and-done just like him.”
Muhammad’s headed to …
“UCLA. It’s the perfect fit with it being close to home and then he’ll have a great guard like Kyle Anderson there with him.”

Kris Jenkins
Gonzaga College (Washington, D.C.), 2013, F
Undecided
Noel’s headed to …
“Georgetown. That’s where all the big men go to develop.”
Muhammad’s headed to …
“Kentucky. He thinks Coach Cal can help him reach his goal of the NBA faster.”

Brannen Greene
Mary Persons (Monroe, Ga.), 2013, SG
Committed to: Kansas
Noel’s headed to …
“Kentucky. He sees the impact that Anthony Davis had this year and probably wants to do the same.”
Muhammad’s headed to …
“Kentucky. I think he wants to be one-and-done and he sees Kentucky as the perfect school for that.”

Wayne Selden
Tilton (N.H.), 2014, SG
Undecided
Noel’s headed to …
“Kentucky. He’d fit right in and replace Anthony Davis.”
Muhammad’s headed to …
“UCLA. I think he and Kyle Anderson would be a force in the Pac-12.”

Jahlil Okafor
Whitney Young (Chicago), 2014, F
Undecided
Noel’s headed to …
“Kentucky. He’ll replace Anthony Davis.”
Muhammad’s headed to …
“UCLA. He’ll team up with Kyle Anderson.”

Jason Jordan is the basketball editor for ESPNHS. He can be reached at jason.x.jordan.-ND@espn.com. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @JayJayESPN.

Nerlens Noel | Senior | Center | Tilton School (Tilton, N.H.)

Read all of Nerlens' Notebooks

After reclassifying from 2013 to 2012, Nerlens Noel went from being the No. 2-ranked junior to the No. 1-ranked senior in the ESPNU 100. Since then, heavyweight programs like UConn, Kentucky, North Carolina and Syracuse, among others, have scrambled to get him on campus next season. He recently narrowed his choices to Kentucky, Georgetown and Syracuse. Noel has agreed to give ESPNHS exclusive access into his world by chronicling his thoughts in a blog.

Hey, what’s up, everybody. Of course it’s me, Nerlens. Sorry I haven’t written in my blog in a couple weeks. Things have been pretty crazy.

I just got back from New Orleans playing in the All-American Championships and had a ball. The game was fun, of course, just playing with all my boys, but we had even more fun hanging out in the city.

I checked out Bourbon Street and, man, that was just crazy! No other word for that.

I’ve never taken that many pictures in my life. Ever.

I literally got stopped hundreds of times and took dozens and dozens of pictures. The fans were showing me so much love out there, and I definitely have to say that most of the fans were from Kentucky.

Now, of course that had a lot to do with the fact that they were playing there, but I’m always just shocked at how dedicated Kentucky fans are. One man asked me if I wanted to take his wife home with me, ha ha. I couldn’t believe it. I was like, “Nah, I’m good,” but that’s just how insane the fans were down there. Great atmosphere.

OK, so by now I assume most of you guys know that I cut my list to Kentucky, Georgetown and Syracuse a few weeks back. I just thought it was time to get it down to the schools that I was really looking at the hardest.

Kentucky had the big win Monday night and I had a good time watching that game. I was really liking how Anthony Davis continued to be effective even without scoring the ball. I know how it feels to not be able to get it going on the offensive end at times, and that makes you just want to go even harder defensively. I loved that he got Most Outstanding Player, too.

Just seeing him have all the success that he’s had this year definitely makes me think a lot about what I could be doing there. That’s really appealing to me.

His IQ on the court is crazy. I talked to him a lot while I was down there and he told me all about how much better he’d gotten since he got there. He told me that I’d have to be ready when I got there because it was going to be a lot of hard work.

I’d definitely say it makes me think about Kentucky more, and with them winning with all of those freshmen was very attractive. Just seeing that it doesn’t matter how young you are, you can win a national title.

I talked to (Kentucky assistant) coach Orlando (Antigua) after they won and he was really happy, of course. He said that all he could think about was me being a part of something like that next season.

I wouldn’t say that all of that stuff gives Kentucky an advantage, though. It’s just something I think about a lot.

With Syracuse, they’ve been on me the longest of the three schools on my list. That factors in heavy with me. That’s big for me. With Georgetown, I would've been crazy not to really give them a look with all the history they’ve had with big men and the development that I could get there.

This is going to be a hard decision, y’all.

I’ve decided to announce my decision a week from today on ESPN, so I’ve got a lot of thinking to do between now and then. And I’ve heard the rumors about me making a decision already. That’s not true. Rumors are rumors, what can you do, but just know that I'm far from a decision no matter what you hear.

Like I always say, don’t believe things you don’t read from me right here in my blog. I definitely haven’t made up my mind yet.

Me and Shabazz Muhammad are deciding at the same time on ESPN, so that should be pretty cool. It’s definitely just a coincidence, because me and Shabazz have never even talked about schools or anything like that.

I would love to play with him in college, though, but we’ve never talked about that and he’s got to do what’s best for him like I’ve got to do what’s best for me.

I will say that one of the biggest factors in my decision will be who will be there on the team when I get there because my No. 1 goal is to win a national title.

OK, everybody, I’ve got to run off to class now, but I’m planning to do another blog next week before I decide so check back for that. And I’m going to have something cool planned for how I announce on TV so definitely check that out, too.

Now if only I could figure out which school that’s going to be …

OK, thanks again for reading, everyone. I’m out.

Don't forget to follow Nerlens Noel on Twitter: @NerlensNoel3

Nerlens Noel | Senior | Center | Tilton School (Tilton, N.H.)

Read all of Nerlens' Notebooks

After reclassifying from 2013 to 2012, Nerlens Noel went from being the No. 2-ranked junior to the No. 1-ranked senior in the ESPNU 100. Now heavyweight programs like UConn, Kentucky, North Carolina and Syracuse, among others, are scrambling to get Noel on campus next season. That makes him the most sought-after player in the country. Noel has agreed to give ESPNHS exclusive access into his world by chronicling his thoughts in a blog.

What’s up everybody!

Of course you know it’s Nerlens Noel and I’m back with a brand new blog entry.

By now a lot of you know that I made the Jordan Brand Classic game. I’m really excited to be playing in that game with all of my boys from AAU and high school. Just to be a part of that game is special and I gotta give a big shoutout to Jordan and Nike for allowing me to be a part of it all.

I also got picked to play for the East in the All-American Championship tournament in New Orleans on April 1. I’m excited about that too. Both are gonna be a lot of fun.

I actually just got back from another recruiting visit, this time I went on an official visit to Georgetown. It’s official now because everything’s been processed and I’m officially a member of the 2012 class.

I’m really excited to be a senior.

OK so back to my visit, I got there in the morning and checked into the hotel and that evening we went out to dinner with the coaching staff.

We ended up going to a Caribbean place because they were asking my mom what she wanted to eat and that’s what she picked. That spot was good too. They brought out the sizzling hot skillet for me and I loved the food.

It wasn’t as good as my mom’s food, but it was good. That night I ended up hanging out with some of the players and we ended up playing NBA 2K.

Most people may not know this but I’m a master at 2K, but these guys at Georgetown had all of these updated rosters and I’m not used to playing like that so I ended up losing by two to Jabril Trawick.

That was my first "L" in a while. I wasn’t happy about that.

Sunday I got to watch the team practice and I sat down with Coach John Thompson Jr. That was cool just to sit down with a man like that who’s accomplished so much. He was really knowledgeable. I learned a lot from him in our talk.

That night we all watched Selection Sunday and that was pretty live. Some of the students there had made posters about me and they started chanting “We want Ner-lens!” I thought that was pretty cool.

The best poster was “Bring the flattop to the Hilltop!”

Then when they saw their seeding they all went crazy of course.

Monday I took a tour of the campus and went to all the shops with my mom and we got to eat at the famous Georgetown Cupcake. The line was wrapped way around the place, but I’ve got to tell you guys that those cupcakes were real good!

I had a chance to talk with Coach John Thompson III and he talked a lot about how successful the program had been with big men. He said that they had the blueprint to develop players like me and I’ve got to say that I was definitely feeling what they were saying.

Georgetown was definitely a great visit.

It’s looking like North Carolina will be my next stop and I’m not sure, but I think that I’ll be visiting there March 19-20, but that’s not definite just yet.

After that I’m thinking about taking an official visit to Kentucky. My first visit to Kentucky was an unofficial one so I may take the official visit there this time.

Before I forget, I just want to say that there are definitely a lot of untruths to a certain article that was written about me recently in the New York Times. I don’t really want to even feed in to the negativity.

All I will say is that the negative things in that article just aren’t true. I’m a positive guy and I want to move forward in a positive direction with positive people. That’s it.

On another note, people ask me all the time if I have plans to cut the high top and I’ll let you guys know here and now there are no plans to cut my hair any time soon. I don’t plan to grow it any higher either. I’m just gonna leave it like it is.

OK everybody I appreciate you reading my blog and like I always say, if you don’t read it here directly from me on my blog then it’s not true.

Thanks again everyone, I’ll be back with my next entry real soon.

Don't forget to follow Nerlens Noel on Twitter: @NerlensNoel3

This weekend’s Nike Extravaganza at Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) features 14 games, with four POWERADE FAB 50-ranked teams competing Saturday.

The event begins with three girls and two boys games on Friday with an all-boys lineup on Saturday.

The highest ranked team in the event is No. 10 Mater Dei, the defending CIF Division I state champs. The host Monarchs, led by ESPNHS Mr. Basketball USA candidate Katin Reinhardt, meet defending CIF Division III state champion Lutheran (La Verne, Calif.) at 7:30 p.m. PT Saturday.

Lutheran’s Mr. Basketball candidate, Grant Jerrett, will be a game-time decision after rolling his already bothersome left ankle on Tuesday in an easy victory over Ribet Academy (Los Angeles).

At 6 p.m., No. 22 Long Beach Poly (Calif.) takes on Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.), which hopes to rebound from its 90-65 loss to Mater Dei on Wednesday night in which Reinhardt scored 25 points. Poly is No. 2 in the state by Cal-Hi Sports behind Mater Dei.

In the nightcap at 9 p.m., No. 20 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), led by Mr. Basketball front-runner Shabazz Muhammad, takes on Whitney Young (Chicago). Currently unranked after opening the season No. 34, Whitney Young is a young team with nothing to lose, so it could be a trap game for Gorman.

Arguably the most intriguing game is the 4:30 p.m. contest between No. 48 Loyola (Los Angeles) and Taft (Woodland Hills, Calif.), the top-ranked team from the CIF Los Angeles City Section. Loyola is currently No. 6 in the state and Taft No. 14.

Of the 28 head coaches plying their trade at the Extravaganza this year, not one can claim any more dedication to their profession than Jamal Adams of Loyola.

Adams, a 1990 alumnus of the all-boys Catholic school located near downtown Los Angeles, walked away from a six-figure salary on Wall Street to take the helm at Loyola. A Columbia graduate, he’s coached and taught Economics and African American history the past seven years. Rookie Taft coach Jason Hart also made a nice living in his previous profession -- point guard in the NBA for nearly a decade.

Both Adams and Hart understand dealing with high expectations.

Adams was the captain and Del Rey League MVP for a 1989-90 Loyola team that opened that season ranked No. 6 in the nation by Street & Smith’s. With all five starters back, including Cal-bound Ryan Jamison, expectations were high for the team, perhaps too high. The Cubs lost to Mater Dei in the CIFSS 5A final and lost to CIFSS 5AA champion Long Beach Poly in the Southern Regional first round. Loyola finished that season 23-5, ranked No. 14 by Cal-Hi Sports.

This year’s Loyola team has similar expectations, and as history would have it, Mater Dei and Poly are potential roadblocks to a championship season.

Julian Harrell, a 6-foot-5 wing and last year’s leading scorer, is back along with perimeter threat Jacob Hazzard to provide senior leadership. Sophomore point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright, last year’s state freshman of the year, also returns from a team that lost 72-70 in the state regional to Mater Dei.

“I think playing Loyola, which is ranked ahead of us and gets a little more respect, will make our kids excited to play,” Hart said.

Loyola opened this season ranked No. 26 in the FAB 50 and No. 3 in the state and currently owns a 19-3 record, but they trail No. 47 Alemany (Mission Hills, Calif.) by two games in the Mission League, which has produced three FAB 50 teams at various points this season.

“We’ve been playing hard all year but we ran into a tremendous Alemany team,” Adams said. “Now we just need to get back to playing our way -- up tempo and sharing the ball."

LAS VEGAS -- In a scene reminiscent of the glory days of UNLV basketball when iconic coach Jerry Tarkanian led the Runnin' Rebels to three NCAA Final Fours between 1987 and 1991, basketball was the talk of Sin City on Saturday.

It wasn't a college game, however, that had the city buzzing. The excitement surrounded a contest dubbed the Big City Showdown Challenge between POWERADE FAB 50 No. 16 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) and No. 3 Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.).

In front of a standing-room-only crowd at Cox Pavilion for a game that sold out two days after tickets went on sale, Findlay Prep used an 18-1 second-half run to spark its 73-61 victory.

Dominic Artis and Nigel Williams-Goss led the way for Findlay Prep, scoring 21 points apiece and making big plays seemingly every time Bishop Gorman made a push. Artis also had seven assists and two steals to pace the victors.

"Artis is just comfortable out there," said Findlay Prep head coach Michael Peck. "It took him a while to get used to playing and being effective in our system. He's now comfortable and confident. He may go all 32 minutes the rest of the way for us."

Findlay Prep took control early after both teams started the contest tight. A baseline jumper by Bishop Gorman's Shabazz Muhammad ended a 16-5 run by Findlay Prep and made the score 28-22 midway through the second quarter. Bishop Gorman (14-4) eventually cut its deficit to two points, but Findlay Prep's Amedeo Della Valle hit a 3-pointer to give Findlay Prep (19-1) a 33-28 lead with with 20 seconds remaining in the half.

That's when Bishop Gorman's Rashad Muhammad (nine points) hit a 3-pointer and Ben Carter followed by connecting on a 70-foot heave at the halftime buzzer to give Bishop Gorman a 34-33 lead and all the momentum heading into intermission.

But the momentum didn't last.

Findlay Prep ended the third quarter with a 13-0 run to take a 53-39 lead heading into the fourth, and the Pilots eventually grew their lead to 17 points, 58-41, in the final quarter. Bishop Gorman competed until the end and were able to cut the deficit to nine, 66-57, on a put-back layup by Shabazz Muhammad with 2:17 remaining, but the Gaels never truly threatened to complete the comeback.

Shabazz Muhammad, the No. 1 player in the ESPNU 100 and frontrunner for ESPNHS Mr. Basketball USA honors, was coming off a 37-point performance five days ago in a victory over DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.). In this game, however, he struggled from the field (9-of-25) and finished with 19 points. He also had a team-high nine rebounds.

"I take (guarding Shabazz Muhammad) personal," said Findlay Prep's Winston Shepard, who finished with 12 points and eight rebounds and did a good job defensively on Gorman's star. "I've been playing against him a long time and I'm a good player, too."

Findlay Prep was coming off a victory over Simeon (Chicago), the preseason No. 1 team in the POWERADE FAB 50, in a game the Pilots played without the services of Anthony Bennett, the No. 7 prospect in the ESPNU 100.

Making Findlay Prep's victory over Bishop Gorman even more impressive was Bennett did not play in this game, either. On top of that, Findlay Prep forward Brandon Ashley, No. 4 in the ESPNU 100, was in early foul trouble and finished with three points, but had a big impact in the third quarter.

"In the first minutes of the third quarter, Brandon gave us exactly what we needed -- a defensive presence," Peck said. "That's how we maintained our lead."

With its victory Saturday, Findlay Prep will now be seriously considered for the No. 2 spot in next week's POWERADE FAB 50. The Pilots have a tremendous amount of firepower on their roster and find ways to win with different contributors.

Currently, they trail unbeaten Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) and two-loss Grace Prep (Arlington, Texas) in the national rankings.

"When their guards play well, they are the best team in high school basketball," said ESPN director of basketball recruiting Paul Biancardi.

Findlay Prep is now 4-0 all time against Bishop Gorman. The Pilots have never lost to an NIAA school.

Ronnie Flores is a senior editor for ESPNHS. He can be reached at ronnie.flores@espn.com. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonFloresESPN

Being the younger brother of the No. 1 recruit in the nation and playing on the same basketball team isn't always easy, but it helps to have a coach who is in a similar predicament.

It happened last year in the middle of a heavyweight bout at Las Vegas' Cox Pavilion between high school basketball powers Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) and Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.). Midway through the third quarter of Findlay's dramatic double-overtime win, Shabazz Muhammad's instincts as an older brother, rather than teammate, took over.

An out-of-bounds play under the basket was designed for Muhammad to receive a back pick from a teammate, roll to his strong side and receive the ball for a close-range shot or possibly a lob near the front of the rim. Gorman's screener coming from the opposite baseline was Rashad Muhammad, Shabazz's younger brother.

"Rashad," Shabazz called out.

"Rashad!" he said louder.

"RASHAD, what are you doing?"

The younger Muhammad never set the screen before the ball came into play. It probably was insignificant to the game, but it was a perfect example of the Muhammads' on-court relationship last season.

It was also indicative of Rashad's play at times during his sophomore season -- and big brother's normal reaction.

"Last year I would play thinking coach will take me out if I made a mistake," Rashad said. "This year I play my game. I have no worries."

So what actually happened? Did Rashad (who does not recall the actual moment) not understand the play or did he simply get tight during the course of battle? Their father, Ron Holmes, offers his own theory.

"On the court, Rashad doesn't like to listen to [Shabazz]. ... It goes in one ear and out the other," Holmes said. "Shabazz is always trying to help him out, and when they are not competing he's all ears."

This year Shabazz is still the alpha male on the team, but he's also the nation's top-ranked recruit in the ESPNU 100. Rashad, meanwhile, sees more than the spot minutes he did last season, averaging roughly 10 points and four rebounds as a pass-first combo guard and defensive specialist for a Bishop Gorman team ranked No. 16 in the latest POWERADE FAB 50. His expanded role has brought the brothers closer, and 6-foot-4, 170-pound junior Rashad hopes to make a big contribution in the rematch with No. 3 Findlay Prep Saturday at 5 p.m. ET on ESPNU.

The siblings' relationship is one Bishop Gorman coach Grant Rice has seen evolve -- and can relate to.

Rice has a special relationship with Rashad because he understands what the younger Muhammad is going through. The Gaels' 11th-year coach often plays second fiddle in Las Vegas to older brother Dave Rice, who's in his first season as UNLV head coach.

"I feel for him because we have a lot in common," said Grant, the winning coach at last summer's Boost Mobile Elite 24 and a four-time state title-winning coach. "I get a lot of, 'Aren't you Dave Rice's little brother?' I have to tell them I've been coaching here in Las Vegas a long time.

"I've had a heart-to-heart talk with [Rashad] about being his own person and own player. I tell him just because I have a successful older brother, doesn't mean my job isn't important, too. I can also make an impact on kids' lives."

Because he knows Shabazz's dominant personality, Holmes gets a laugh out of watching his oldest son get on his younger brother on the court. On the other hand, he understands how being the younger sibling of a budding celebrity can be difficult.

"They're close as brothers, but it's tough for [Rashad] sometimes because he puts pressure on himself to be on the same level [as Shabazz]," Holmes said. "It's been tough for him trying to figure out how to deal with it."

Rashad does get tired of answering the same questions over and over about his brother, but he brushes it off as no big deal because of their strong bond and because he's aware how good a player his brother is.

"We've been close all of our lives, so it hasn't really hit me how big he is," Rashad said.

As far as the public is concerned, Holmes doesn't have many concerns about people using Rashad to get closer to or be associated with Shabazz -- unless it's an adult. In that case, he would step in. If it's a kid, however, it's just another aspect of Rashad's maturation process.

"You got to allow kids to be kids," Holmes said.

Long term, Rashad would like to play a big role in sending his brother off to college with three state titles on his resume. Short term, he wants to hit his double-digit norm in helping the Gaels to their first-ever win over Findlay Prep.

Like any normal teenager, he also wouldn't mind getting some recognition of his own. After all, he is getting the opportunity to play in a nationally televised game for the second time in six days.

"It's a lot different this year; I'm way more comfortable and catching up to the speed of varsity," Rashad said. "I want people to know I'm trying to make a name for myself, too."

Ronnie Flores is a senior editor for ESPNHS. He can be reached at ronnie.flores@espn.com. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonFloresESPN

Julius Randle | Junior | Forward | Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas)

Randle Blog 1 | Randle Blog 2 | Randle Blog 3 | Randle Blog 4 | Randle Blog 5

Julius Randle is ranked No. 3 in the ESPNU 60. As a junior, Randle, a forward at Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas), is one of the most sought after prospects in the country, regardless of class, with heavyweights like Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky, Ohio State and Texas all pursuing him hotly. Randle has agreed to give ESPNHS exclusive access to his world by chronicling everything from intimate details about his recruitment to cooking recipes in a monthly diary.

What’s up world.

It’s your boy Julius Randle and I’m kicking off my first blog of 2012.

First, I want to talk about how proud I was that my team and I were able to go down there to the City of Palms Classic and come away with the title. That was a great field and to end up on top was really big for us. Not many people knew about our team nationally, but it really put us on the map.

But then we went to the Beach Ball Classic and we didn’t do too well there. I think we were a little fatigued, but I also think that it had a lot to do with us not being used to playing with a target on our backs. After we won the City of Palms, we got ranked in the POWERADE FAB 50 and now that we’ve gone through what it’s like playing with a target we’re more prepared.

We know that we have to bring it every single game. We all understand that now, and I really think we’re in a good place headed into the Hoophall Classic next week.

I can’t wait to get down there and play against Oak Hill Academy. This might sound crazy, but I’m happy that they haven’t lost yet because we’ll be able to give them their first loss. I’m really confident about our team when we’re playing the way that we’re capable of playing I really don’t see a team in the country that can beat us.

***

After we lost in the Beach Ball Classic my teammates and I went down to North Carolina a day early. I had planned to go down there anyway, but since we weren’t playing anymore we decided to go early and visit N.C. State. I had a great time there with Coach (Mark) Gottfried and Coach (Orlando) Early.

Most of the students weren’t there but those fans still packed the place out. One fan made a really cool sign saying how bad he wanted me to come to State. Just stuff like that was pretty cool to see.

I got a chance to sit down with Coach Gottfried and his message was really simple. He just kept saying “We want you.” He talked about the ways they’d use me there and I liked that he came across really direct.

My boy Rodney Purvis came out to the game with me and that’s always fun to hang out with him. We’re real tight and we had a great time together. I know he wants me to come join him there at State.

That night after I left I went over to Duke and talked with Coach K (Mike Krzyzewski) for a good little while. It was a great talk about a lot of different things.

We ended up practicing at Cameron Indoor Stadium that night around 10 p.m. and we had a great time just being on that court. I felt really comfortable playing there and I swear I didn’t miss hardly any shots. It was similar to the way I felt when I was at North Carolina practicing for the Beach Ball Classic.

I was making a lot of shots. So the fact that I couldn’t miss at either Duke or UNC won’t make my decision any easier, Ha ha.

The next morning I went to UNC’s shoot around because they had a game that afternoon. It was cool just to be there and see their routine.

I got a chance to sit down and talk to Coach (Roy) Williams and that’s always fun. He just reiterated how much they wanted me there and he said he was gonna give me the highest praise he could give a high school player by telling me that I work as hard as Tyler Hansbrough did on the court.

I know Tyler was a great player so to be compared to him was awesome. I like Coach Williams’ approach. He doesn’t call all the time, he gives me space and he always says he’d much rather talk to me in person. Coach Williams is just a really cool guy.

I came back later for the game and that was fun. The fans were different there. They were really in to their team, but in a different way. It was really loud and really live. It was really interesting to see how different the fan bases were.

I had a great time at the game. It’s hard not to be impressed with UNC and its fans.

I ended up leaving at halftime to get to Duke for the start of their game. That place wasn’t just packed, it was sold out. Of course their place is smaller, but that place is just crazy.

If I had to compare the environments, I’d have to say that Cameron is the most live. It’s so true what people say about that place and this is with the students not even being there. It was just insane. It’s another level. They chanted my name so loud and their fans knew all about me. I was just like wow.

After the game I got the chance to sit down with Coach K again and we had a long talk. He gave me so many things to think about like getting lower and wider in my stance and being in great -- not good -- shape and how much that could help me.

He showed me clips of LeBron James when he was with Team USA and how they worked with him on getting lower and how much that helped him. I have started using that these past couple games, and I can already tell the difference in how I’m playing.

That night when we got to the hotel I felt like getting some shots up so I ended up going to UNC since my hotel was right near the campus. I shot around with Kendall Marshall and James McAdoo and we had a good time there at the gym.

Kendall took me to his room after that and showed me the famous shoe collection that I hear so much about. I’ve got to tell you all, it definitely lives up to the hype! It made me want to get my shoe game together immediately. That’s the first thing I wanted to do after seeing his shoes was come home and get my shoe game up, Ha ha.

I left that next morning.

All in all, I had a great time in North Carolina visiting all three of those schools. Loved the weather and everything about that area. I may get back down there to see the Duke-North Carolina game. I can only imagine that atmosphere.

I definitely plan to get down to Kentucky and Ohio State too. I can’t wait to visit those schools so I hope those fans are ready to see me.

Well, I don’t have a recipe this time people. I’m sorry about that. I’ll definitely have one for you guys the next time.

I got a chance to read ESPNHS' story on predictions for 2012 and that was interesting what they predicted about me ending up at Duke. I’m not saying that it will or won’t happen, but there’s a good chance they could be right. Who knows, we’ll have to see.

Oh and I also read the Recruit X story at ESPNHS too. Wow, his visit was just like the movie “He Got Game.” I was shocked at how real he kept it, and no I’m not Recruit X.

That will be an interesting series to follow to say the least.

Well, that’s all I’ve got for now everyone. I appreciate you reading my blog.

Until next time.

Don't forget to follow Randle on Twitter: @J30_Randle