By Alex Kline

Life did not always start out so easy for Xavier Rathan-Mayes. Raised by his mother until age six, Xavier did not have many male influences in his life. This was until one man came into his life, Theron Mayes. Mayes, a former star basketball player at Florida State and with the Phoenix Suns, met Xavier’s mother. The two married and Theron became the stepfather and real father in Xavier’s life. “I call him my father because I don’t know anyone else,” he said. “If you see my father and I play, you’ll see our game is exactly alike. He has taught me everything I know about the game, both on and off the court.” This has led to the incoming freshman’s success.

He is a great shooter who can get to the basket easily and finishes with contact. With great court vision, Xavier can see most things developing on the court before it actually happens. Rathan-Mayes has a good mid-range game and can create off the dribble like a true floor general. While his handle and quickness is not where he wants it to be at, Xavier has been working extremely hard on improving these areas.

While the 6-foot-3 guard is still very young, colleges are showing plenty of interest. “St. John’s, Texas, Florida Atlantic and a few other schools have expressed interest in me,” he said. “My dream school is Florida State, though, because that is where my father played.”

Rathan-Mayes, a Canadian who plays for Grassroots Canada, will attend Faith Christian in North Carolina this fall. He will play under Grassroots Canada director Ro Russell. With big goals, Xavier want to be the top player in his class and much more. “I want to lead my team to a national championship and put our school back on the map,” he said. “I feel like we can make it happen with all of the pieces that we have as long as we come hard to work.” Beyond this year, Xavier has goals of being an All American.

From the looks of it, Xavier has a bright future in front of him. The 2014 star has a lot of potential and will be sure to show it off and follow in the footsteps of his father.

(Photo courtesy of Crown Magazine)

By Alex Kline

While Kazembe Abif had a spectacular senior season, the 6-foot-7 wing from University High School saw his stock rise. As Abif led his undersized squad to a state championship and berth into the New Jersey Tournament of Champions semifinals, his name and legend began to grow.

Tonight marks a magical night is Kazembe’s life. “I just committed to Drexel,” he said. “Drexel was a great fit. It had everything I was looking for. They have a great coaching staff, especially Head Coach Bruiser Flint.” Abif, who will do a postgrad year at Lawrenceville in New Jersey, emerged as one of the most under the radar players on the AAU circuit this summer. Staring with Team NJABC, Abif averaged a double double consistently. Kazembe later commented, “I like the location and the conference. Coach Flint will push me to my limit and get the best out of me. He recruited me really hard and my friend Frantz will be there running the point.”

He chose Drexel over Robert Morris, Rice, Florida Atlantic, La Salle, Fordham, Richmond, Penn State, St. Peter’s and others. He visited the Dragons campus unofficially for an overnighter a few weeks back before the team went to Turkey.

Kazembe’s AAU coach Matt Pauls describes the wing as a player who has “tremendous energy and a motor.” Pauls goes on to say, “Kazembe plays as hard as any kid I have coached. He never takes possessions off and he is a big time rebounder.”

Abif has connections to the Philadelphia school. His former NJABC teammate and good friend, Frantz Massenat, is an incoming freshman and likely the starting point guard for the CAA school. While Massenat could not comment on the commitment at the moment, you can imagine how happy he is.

(Photo courtesy of NJ.com)

By Alex Kline

Max Hooper is a 6-foot-6 Shooting Guard who just transferred from Mater Dei in California to Brewster Academy in New Hampshire. He plays with the New England Playaz on the AAU circuit. Hooper is one of the best three-point shooters in the class of 2011. Alex Kline of The Recruit Scoop went one on one with Max to talk about his game, recruitment and much more.

Alex: Describe your game. What do you do well? What do you need to improve on?

Max: The main strengths of my game are my shooting and scoring abilities. I really can spread defenses out with my outside shooting and once teams begin to close out my initial shot, I have the ability to put the ball on the floor going left or right for a mid range shot. I am a very good passer and have excellent court vision. I work harder than anyone I know, I am committed to working on my weaknesses, while continuing to refine my strengths. I won’t ever let anyone outwork me. Some of the weaknesses in my game, upon which I am working extremely hard to improve, are my rebounding (offensive and defensive) and my defense, specifically anticipating plays before they happen.

Alex: What’s an interesting story about you that has made an impact on your life?

Max: I am very goal oriented and the following is a story which demonstrates this. In anticipation of transferring to Mater Dei (CA) for my senior year I set the goal of being known as the best shooter ever to play at Mater Dei. Upon the seasons conclusion, I owned the three point shooting records for single-season and career percentages.

Alex: What is your current list of interest and offers?

Max:UC Irvine (offer), Harvard, Penn, Cornell, St. Johns, The Citadel (offer), Delaware (offer), Vermont, St. Mary’s, Lafayette, Lehigh, Holy Cross (offer), among others.

Alex:Why did you decide to transfer from Mater Dei in California all the way out to Brewster in New Hampshire?

Max: I chose to attend a post graduate year for a number of reasons. Some of which are I wanted an extra year prior to attending college to work on my weaknesses and to work on getting stronger while at the same time playing with and against a very high level of talent day in and day out. I chose Brewster because I felt like it would be the place at which I would be able to accomplish these things the best. I feel very comfortable with Coach Jason Smith. He is a great guy.

Alex: Where have you visited so far? Do you have any upcoming visits you know of?

Max: The schools I have unofficially visited over the past few years are Harvard, Stanford, St. Mary’s, Cornell, Penn, and Columbia. I will be visiting some schools very soon, but I have yet to schedule any specific visits.

(Photo courtesy of SportsAMR)

By Alex Kline

Toddrick Gotcher, a 6-foot-3 shooting guard from Garland, Texas has narrowed his list down. “I now have a top five,” he said. The exclusive list includes, “West Virginia, Baylor, San Diego, USC and Texas Tech.” Gotcher, who plays for Lake Centennial and the LBA Seawolves, is one of the top shooters in his class.

Each school stands out to Toddrick in a different way. He decided to break down each school for The Recruit Scoop and describe what makes them special to him.

Baylor: “The school is close to home,” he said. ”I love the system of play and the fact that it is a rising program. The coaching staff is great and they told me I will be able to play right away. At Baylor, I can contend for a championship.” The LBA Seawolves, Gotcher’s AAU team, has a connection to Baylor. 2010 standout Perry Jones played with LBA and is currently a freshman at Baylor.

Texas Tech: “The school is also close to home,” he said. “I can be a star there and turn the program around. The coaching staff is great and the system they run is nice. The fact that it is in the Big 12 and has a great campus makes the environment an amazing place for me.” Toddrick will take an official visit to Texas Tech on September 25th.

USC: “The location in California is great,” he stated. “I love the system of play and Coach Kevin O’Neill in general. The Pac-10 is a great conference and will help lead me to the NBA. I will be able to play right away there and have a chance at winning the conference.”

San Diego: “I am very close to the coaches,” he said. “I could be a star there and get great playing time. It is a rising program in the WCC and the atmosphere there is great.” Toddrick will take an official visit to San Diego on September 18th.

West Virginia: They are in the Big East,” he said. “There is a great atmosphere there and I love the coaching staff. I can get good playing time on a team that just made the Final Four. We can contend for a championship and play in the spotlight every game. Plus, I can play under a hall of fame coach in Bob Huggins.”

With offers from all five schools, Gotcher will commit after he takes his visits. This will most likely come before the high school basketball season begins. Toddrick is a rising senior.

(Photo courtesy of Rivals.com)

By Alex Kline

When Xavier Munford graduated from St. Benedict’s Prep in the spring, he was still looking for the right college. While he believed that a post-grad year would be ideal, Munford has decided against this. The 6-foot-3 combo guard from the Garden State is headed to Junior College.

“I’m at Miami Dade now,” he stated. “I had a meeting with Head Coach Dan Hurley before he left and before I decided. We came to the conclusion that this was best fit for me based on my transcript.” Xavier was considering attending prep school at either “Lee Academy in Massachusetts, The Robinson School in New Jersey and Winchendon in Massachusetts.” At the same time, Xavier was being recruited by “Creighton, Mount St. Mary’s, Oregon, Northeastern, Wagner, Marshall, Fordham, St. Joe’s, Siena and Charlotte.”

As Xavier played on a stacked St. Benedict’s team, he worked for playing time and earned respect. “I was the only player on the team who was not recruited,” he said. “I needed to earn everything and work hard for it.” Munford is a good scorer and a good shooter with range. He can breakdown the defense well and get to the basket well. Munford is a lock down defender. While he needs to work on my point guard skills because in college that is the position Xavier desires to play.

With hopes of getting everything straightened out at Miami Dade JUCO, Munford looks to eventually burst into the division one ranks and make an impression on the world of college hoops.

(Photo courtesy of Team Izod)

By Alex Kline

When Ryan Frankel was younger, he and his team were the cream of the crop. The young Long Island Lightning team which featured Frankel, along with Kyle Anderson, Daniel Dingle and others, was one of the best AAU squads in the country. The team won two national championships together before ultimately breaking up. The success did not end, however, as Ryan won the state championship in Glens Falls with Collegiate High School. These feats have played a big role in Ryan’s life.

As a 5-foot-11 point guard, Ryan can switch it up at times and play a little bit of the two guard. He sees the court well and does a good job of running the point. With a solid outside shot, Frankel has a lot going for his game. Although he needs to get stronger for the next level, this will lead him to becoming a better slasher and rebounder as he will be able to absorb blows better. Frankel has a great game for a point guard, never the less.

While he is still waiting for his first official scholarship offer, Frankel is receiving looks. “Fordham, Vermont, Princeton, Harvard, Penn, Columbia and Lafayette,” he said of his list. One school stands out the most to Ryan, though. “I’ve especially liked meeting Coach Kyle Smith at Columbia.” While he does not have a dream school, Ryan hopes to play at a school with “great basketball and great academics.” His high GPA helps him out a lot and shows his dedication and hard work.

As Ryan is a man of few words, this quote sums him up well. “My ultimate goal is to contribute to a strong basketball program at a school where I can also get a great education,” he said. In a society where most student athletes do not care about academics and just want what is best for them, Ryan is the ideal example of a team player.

(Photo courtesy of the Frankel family)

By Alex Kline

Mike Taylor took his first in-depth visit to a college on Thursday. The Boys and Girls (NY) product went across the George Washington Bridge and landed in the Garden State. where he toured the Rutgers campus and got a better feel for the basketball program.

While he has been to a few campuses before, this was a very different unofficial visit for Mike. He went to specifically hear about the basketball program and learn everything he needed to know. Taylor and his his coach, Elmer Anderson, arrived on the Rutgers campus late in the morning and stayed for about four hours.

During the visit, Taylor toured the campus and talked with the coaching staff, including head coach Mike Rice. He asked Rice a number of questions about the program, including the opportunity for early playing time.

The visit came a short time before the anticipated September 1st announcement of fellow New York star Kadeem Jack. The 4-star forward, who also recently visited Rutgers, has expressed interest in teaming up with Taylor at the college level. It is a conversation that Taylor thinks will continue when he gets a chance to speak to Jack this week.

“Kadeem wrote me and told me to get back to him,” he said. “I haven’t gotten back to him yet but I think it’s about Rutgers. I know it’s in his final four.”

To continue reading this story, click here.

(Photo courtesy of Rivals.com)

By Isaiah Lewis ’13 – 6’3 Point Guard from Christ the King (NY)

I’m back!

I’m going to tell you guys about my week and how it went. First, I went to visit my uncle in New Orleans for a few days. While I was there I took an unofficial visit to LSU. It went well. The campus is huge with a  great football stadium.

I also spent my days working out with players from overseas and college guys, which was fun. Now as the summer is winding down I’m prepare myself for school and the school season. ZEEK OUT!

(Photo courtesy of Gotham Hoops)

By Willie Cauley ’12 – 6-foot-10 Center from Olathe Northwest (KS)

What’s up guys?

I want to talk about my game, my recruitment and much more in this journal. I’m good at blocking shots and rebounding. I run the floor well and I can score but I don’t look to score. I’m working on ball handling and outside shooting. I’m trying to turn myself into a three man. 

An interesting story about me is that I moved to Kansas City and live with former Kansas City Chiefs Pro Bowl offensive lineman Will Shields and his family. I have transfered schools before. 

While I’m looking at Kansas, Kansas State, California, Minnesota, USC, UCLA and Oklahoma State, among others, my favorites would have to be Alabama, Oklahoma State and New Mexico. I have visited Oklahoma State, Kansas State and Oklahoma.

Peace!

(Photo courtesy of Rivals.com)

By Alex Kline

Robert Upshaw is a 6-foot-11 Center from Edison High School in Fresno, California. He plays with California Double Pump on the AAU circuit. Upshaw is ranked as a top one-hundred player in the class of 2012. Alex Kline of The Recruit Scoop went one on one with Robert before one of his games to talk about his game, recruitment and much more.

Alex: Describe your game.

Robert: I score, I’m a forty-seven percent three point shooter. I can put the ball on the floor and get to the basket. I’m a very good post player, especially when guys double me.I average about six blocks or more a game and I am a great rebounder. I need to work on getting up and down the floor but I’m improving every day as college coaches have said.

Alex: What’s an interesting story about you that has made an impact on your life?

Robert: My brother leaving for college really had an impact on me because he was and is my best friend. It made me realize that I need to stop following in his footsteps and make my own legacy. I need to become the best.

Alex: It’s early, but what is your recruiting situation?

Robert: From what my parents tell me, I’m being recruited highly. I’m not sure about the schools, though. My main focuses are school, basketball and family. To me, that’s all I care about right now. The whole college thing will fall into place if I keep doing what I got to do.

Alex: Do you have a dream school?

Robert: My dream school is Texas. Why? It was the school Kevin Durant went to. It was the school I first started watching at a colligiate level. Burnt orange and black go hard…. Hook ‘em horns!!!!! But Georgetown fits my profile, so I’ve been told.

Alex: Have you taken any visits or attended any camps this summer?

Robert: No I haven’t gone anywhere except for UCLA camp, which I did very well. I was there for the camp only, though, not a visit.

(Photo courtesy of Rivals.com)