By Alex Kline

Zak Irvin, a 2013 6-foot-6 wing from Hamilton Southeastern in Indiana, has cut his list down to two schools.

The product of Eric Gordon All-Stars’ U16 squad confirmed on Thursday that he will choose between Michigan and Butler. “Those two schools are recruiting me the hardest right now & I like both of their coaching staffs,” he stated by phone. Irvin was also being recruited by Indiana, Baylor, Xavier, Purdue, Illinois, Miami (FL), Tennessee and more.

The rising junior is slated to make his decision very soon. Asked when he would make it official with a college, he stated, “before the summer ends.” Being that he has already visited both schools and Butler is the hometown team, he remains undecided. “I have no favorite school at the moment.”

A talented shooter who can take it off the dribble, Zak Irvin is a combination of a two/three as his shot can be deadly. With an excellent mid-range game, his skill level and body puts him at an advantage. Look for him to make his college choice sometime in the month of August.

(Photo courtesy of the Courrier-Journal)

By Alex Kline

Coming from a basketball powerhouse family, Terry Harris has been assigned the role of being next in line to fulfil the prophecy. As his oldest brother heads to the NBA, and his older brother starts his college career, the spotlight is on the younger Harris. The question is will he be able to follow in their footsteps or will he create a name of his own.

A 2014 6-foot-5 wing from Half Hollow Hills West in New York, Harris is playing U15 basketball with Unique All Star’s this summer and fairing well. Averaging 17 points and 4 rebounds so far in July, the brother of Tobias and Tyler is starting to establish a name for himself. As Tobias begins his NBA career with the Milwaulkee Bucks and Tyler starts his college career with NC State, Terry Harris has been handed the torch.

The rising sophomore is versatile guard/forward who shoots well and with range. He can rebound and get to the  basket with ease as his physicality and skill level is very high for age level. As his strength is not there yet, Harris needs to look for his shot more and improve on the defensive end as a lockdown defender. If family genes tell anything about the talented wing, he will likely end up at 6-foot-8 and be a combo forward who can score. With a nice touch outside, Harris must look to build on his scoring ability by getting strong and playing better defense.

Despite it being early, Harris has early college interest according to his father. “The colleges showing interest are Virginia Tech, Tennessee, NC State, Rhode Island, Miami (FL), Siena, Wisconsin, Gonzaga, Washington and UTEP,” stated Torrel Harris. Clearly, the Harris family has a connection with the Volunteers and Wolfpack’s program. However, that will not play a role in his recruitment.

With all the weight of the world on his shoulders and the pressure to perform, Terry Harris is slowly but surely living up to the hype of the Harris family name with his raw talent and abilities to score in various ways.

(Photo courtesy of Torrel Harris)

By Alex Kline

Jevon Thomas, a 2012 6-foot-0 in-state point guard, has decided to re-open his commitment from St. John’s.

“I’m decommitting from St. John’s,” he stated by phone on Saturday afternoon. “I think I rushed into my decision way to early. I want to see more options and go from there.” Thomas will still consider the Johnnies.

“I will explore other options,” he said. “At the same time, I have high interest in them and still have a great relationship with the staff.”

The talented, quick and crafty guard from Our Savior New American came to a decision on Friday night that he wanted to explore other options. Thomas committed to the Red Storm in October of 2010 after being recruited by assistant Tony Chiles.

Thomas originally chose the hometown Queens, New York school over Villanova, Seton Hall and Georgia Tech. He will have to restart the process all over again with limited time left in the July Live Period.

With the decommitment of the 2012 guard, St. John’s now has room for the likes of Kyle Anderson, Ricardo Gathers and potentially one other player. However, Thomas could come back to Queens after re-evaluating the situation.

(Photo courtesy of the NY Post)

By Alex Kline

Ramon Johnson, a 2012 6-foot-9 center from Sports U/The Robinson School in New Jersey, is officially off the board.

Johnson made his verbal commitment to Coastal Carolina on Sunday. “It’s a done deal, Ramon Johnson to Coastal Carolina,” said Vincent Robinson, the high school coach of Johnson. After a stellar senior season at Newark Central, Johnson decided to take a postgrad year in order to help his stock and grades.

“They’re a winning program and are in good standing of making the tournament,” said an excited Johnson. “They have a great coaching staff and program history.” The talented big man chose the Chanticleers over Hofstra, NC Central, Dayton, Manhattan and more.

“When Ramon Johnson loses weight (currently around 300 pounds) and works on his core balance speed and agility, Big South conference coaches are going to be upsets he’s in their league,” stated Robinson. Johnson is currently trying to lose around twenty to thirty pounds before the school year starts.

With an interesting history and notable basketball career, Ramon Johnson has certainly made a name for himself on the AAU and High School circuit. If he rises to the occasion, he could make a big impact in the Big South.

(Photo courtesy of Rivals.com)

By Alex Kline

When Elvin Edmonds’ U15 Team Loaded squad who features players from North Carolina and Virginia hits the floor, opponents have to take note of their size. As they show off their athleticism, basketball IQ, speed and strength in warmups, it is no surprise that this team is the definition of loaded. With an older squad that features NC State commit Tyler Lewis and rising star Andrew White, Team Loaded’s quadruplet of 2014 stars Cody Martin, Markell Lodge, Caleb Martin and Jonathan Williams comprise an amazing team.

The amazing part about the three rising sophomores is that their games are extremely similar, yet they all function on the court together. The trio of athletic small forwards, Lodge and the Martin twins are about each around 6-foot-6 with a nice frame. The trio can score in a variety of ways as they are very impressive shooters, especially from outside. Along with that, they drive to the rim with force, quickness and get to the cup with plenty of elusiveness, athleticism and power. Their length at an early age puts them at an advantage against their competition, as they constantly throw in powerful slam dunks. Their wingspan is close to seven-feet, too.

All three have similar weaknesses, as well. Their handle is not up to where they would like it to be and their footwork, speed and defensive abilities could be better. At the same time, they presently have the ability to dominate the on the floor as a cohesive unit.

The Martin twins, who attend Davie County in North Carolina, along with Lodge, who attends Miller School in Virginia, have very similar college looks, as well. Caleb and Cody already have an offer from Wake Forest. Along with the Demon Deacons, this 2014 trio has interest from, “North Carolina, NC State, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Tennessee, Xavier, Penn State, Purdue and Providence.” They have already visited Wake Forest and Appalachian State and plan to look at Tennessee and Clemson potentially in the fall.

Markell Lodge and the Martin twins have always considered going to college as a package deal or trio, so the possibilities are limitless at this point. “We have always talked about it,” said Cody. “We have so much chemistry and are more familiar with each other since we are already brothers.”

On top of that, they have the same dream school in North Carolina. “We grew up watching North Carolina play,” they stated. “Coach Roy Williams does a great job there and it’s always been our dream school.”

As for the youngest player on the team, point guard Jonathan Williams is only 14-years old and still wears braces, yet he is extremely well known. Williams currently lives in North Carolina but has roots back to New York and the New York Gauchos. He will also head to school in New Jersey next year to play St. Patrick. After taking summer classes, he will enter the class of 2014.

“My father used to play with the Gauchos in the ’70′s,” he stated. “He became good friends with Paul Suber and that’s how I began to know Da’Shawn. I have to embrace wherever I go so even though I’ll be away from home, there will be a good opportunity for me at St. Patrick.”

Williams will likely be the backup to currently Celtics point guard, Da’Shawn Suber, a rising senior. “He was a big influence in me coming to the school,” the guard said. “I look up to him in a way.” Williams chose St. Patrick over, “St. Benedict’s (NJ), St. Anthony (NJ), Miller (VA) and Oak Hill (VA).” With his his abilities, he could finish his freshman year as the starting floor general when all is said and done.

An excellent ball handler, who can get to the basket and find open teammates, the rising freshman is loaded with talent. At 6-feet tall, Williams’ growth could determine how high a level point guard he could be as he is still very young. With the essentials of a point already in being able to score, dribble and distribute, he is on track to be very successful. In order to improve, Williams must improve his three-ball, pull-up jumper in transition and his overall defense. As his quickness is another impressive attribute, look for him to make a name for himself in the next year or two.

Despite being so young, he already has some college interest. Williams lists, “Quinnipiac, UTEP, Houston, Rutgers, Richmond and VCU.” As he looks for, “a winning program with a coach who teaches the game,” Williams wouldn’t mind playing in the Big East. He will certainly have opportunities to show off in front of Big East coaches this year playing along Austin Colbert, a top recruit in the class of 2013.

As Team Loaded continues to dominate the east coast, this quadruplet remains humble and hungry to get their name out there and develop their games even further throughout their careers.

(Photo courtesy of Hoop Group)

By Alex Kline

Most players cannot play every position on the court. However, one standout from Philadelphia can. Amile Jefferson has the ability to do just about anything he wants on the court and is very good at it, too. The role model for young athletes and people, alike, has received a lot of attention this summer.

A 2012 6-foot-7 combo forward from Friends Central in Pennsylvania, Jefferson is spending his final season of AAU ball playing with Philly’s Finest in their inaugural season. After coming over from Team Philly and parting ways with his partner in crime, Villanova commit Savon Goodman who went to the New Jersey Playaz, Jefferson suited up with Philly’s Finest. The team features former Pittsburgh commit Jaylen Bond, Phillip Lawrence of Maryland and Jefferson’s high school teammate, Karonn Davis.

The extremely versatile rising senior has all the tools of the trade that a basketball player should have. Being extremely versatile, he can play in the post against bigger opponents, as well as on the wing versus smaller ones, too. He has a solid fifteen-foot jump shot that he uses frequently. With his leadership and ability to pass the ball, while getting his teammates involved, Jefferson is a total team player and a coaches dream. He must work on his handle and a consistent jumper to be a unanimous offensive threat at the college level.

Currently, the versatile forward is mulling eight schools; all of which have offered a scholarship. Jefferson lists, “Villanova, Maryland, Miami (FL), Pittsburgh, Temple, Stanford, Ohio State and NC State.” He has already visited the campuses of Maryland, Temple and Villanova.

As most schools are recruiting the 2012 talent extremely hard, he says that, “NC State, Villanova and Maryland have recruited me the hardest.” With no visits setup for the rest of the summer or fall, he will wait it out. “I’m going to take some visits eventually, then cut my school list down,” he said. “I have no decision date and when I choose a school it will be based on my comfortability with the university on and off the court.”

Amile Jefferson is a true gem that could end up playing in the NBA if he plays in the right system. A true role model for all student athletes, the Philadelphia native will look to add to his accolades very soon.

(Photo courtesy of Adidas Nation)

By Alex Kline

As Team Final remains one of the elite basketball teams in the country, Rob Brown’s squad always has a nice trio. Last year it was Kentucky’s Michael Gilchrist, along with Syracuse duo Trevor Cooney and Rakeem Christmas. This year it is Austin Colbert, Davon Reed and maybe most notably, Rondae Jefferson.

A 2013 6-foot-6 star from Chester in Pennsylvania, Jefferson can play multiple positions. With a long wingspan, he has the ability to play the small forward, an ideal spot for him. At the same time, Jefferson considers himself to be a point guard due to his handle and ability to create for his teammates. A solid defensive player who has no issues getting to the basket, Jefferson needs to get stronger and establish a better jumper in order to be successful.

The wing currently lists offers from, “Temple, Rutgers, St. Joe’s and Villanova,” with plenty of interest from, “Pittsburgh, Kentucky, Syracuse, North Carolina, Cincinnati, Seton Hall, Kansas, Providence, Penn State, La Salle and more.” With no true unofficial visits under his belt, Jefferson plans to trip to a few colleges in August and possibly the fall.

As he has no plans of cutting his list or naming any early favorites on his list, Jefferson wants to commit sometime in the spring of his junior year. As location will not be a factor for him, one Big-East school could end up landing him.

“Villanova has been recruiting me the longest,” he said. “They started recruiting me when I was in the nineth grade.” Jefferson is looking for a school that, “fits me, has good people and makes me both comfortable and happy.”

The Team Final star could end up in a number of different places depending on who becomes the next school to offer. Either way, Jefferson will continue to tear it up on the AAU circuit, as well as at Chester for his junior season.

(Photo courtesy of Philly.com)

By Alex Kline

After reclassifying and transferring out of Bishop Loughlin in New York, Kareem Canty began a new basketball lifestyle. As his stock rose during his one season at Bridgton Academy in Maine, Canty has decided to move on and head in a different direction for his final season of high school basketball.

The star 2012 point guard will take his talents to the West coast. “I am heading to Westwind Prep in Arizona next year,” he stated by phone on Wednesday. “I will do a postgraduate year there.” Canty will play for new Westwind head coach Ken Carrillo, who is taking over for Gary Trousdale, who left to open La Jolla Prep in San Diego.

As the New York native leaves home, he believes it is for the best. “I feel it would put me in a position to become a better person and give me the exposure I’m looking for,” Canty stated. “The staff put a good team together and I feel this could be a special squad.”

Currently, Canty has a list of Miami (FL), Xavier, Seton Hall, UCLA, Florida State and others. As he runs with the Long Island Lightning this summer, most coaches aren’t sure where he will land. The fact that Canty is heading all the way out to Arizona for high school could just add another twist to the plot as Ben Howland and UCLA could make a run as the highly coveted guard.

(Photo courtesy of Rivals.com)

By Alex Kline

It may have been the first day of the second July Live Period, but that did not phase Charles Mann. He already made up his mind and decided to make his college decision public on Friday afternoon.

The 2012 6-foot-5 guard from Milton in Georgia announced his commitment to stay in-state and become a Georgia Bulldog.

“It’s a great opportunity,” he stated. “”I always wanted to go there. I built a great connection with the coaches & just wanted to be a BULLDOG.”

Mann, who transferred out of Union Grove (GA) to spend his senior year of high school at Milton (GA), will make a big impact on a national stage. “Charles Mann is an outstanding player,” said Milton coach David Boyd.”At 6’5″, he has great size for a point guard. He will help lead the way at Milton this year.”

The talented rising senior chose the Bulldogs over UConn, Florida State, South Carolina, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech and more.

(Photo courtesy of Southern Select)

By Alex Kline

Elijah Macon, a 2012 6-foot-8 power forward, is transferring out of Marion Franklin in Ohio for his senior season. The Ohio native will spend a year at prep school to get his grades right before he heads off to college.

Macon will prep at Huntington Prep in West Virginia. “I will be leaving for Columbus to play at Huntington Prep for my senior season,” he said. “I am transferring to Huntington Prep to improve my grades and better myself as a serious basketball player who wants to make something out of himself.”

The talented forward from All Ohio-Red was committed to West Virginia during his freshman year until he re-opened his recruitment. Currently, Maryland, Miami (FL) and Florida are recruiting him the hardest, while the Mountaineers are still very interested.

“We are very excited to have Elijah as part of the Huntington Prep family,” he said coach Rob Fulford. “We love his ability to defend multiple positions, rebound and that he can score in a variety of ways. It’s going to be a fun year in Huntington.”

Macon will join the exciting and talented roster which feature Xavier commit Sim Bhullar, Stefan Jankovic, Ray Lee, Negus Webster-Chan, Xavier Rathan-Mayes and many more.

(Photo courtesy of jjhuddle.com)