By Kahlil Dukes, a 2013 5’11 point guard from Capital Prep (CT)

Now that my high school season is finally underway, I am releasing recruiting updates. I have offers from Vermont, Saint Bonaventure, Quinnipiac, Saint Peters, and Sacred Heart, which offered during the live period. However, I have not decided a top 3, 5, or anything like that. I have interest from all the conferences listed below: 

MAAC (offers) 
Big East (interest) 
Ivy (calls and interest)
Atlantic 10 (offers) 
Colonial (calls and interest)
NEC (offers) 
West Coast (call and interest)
America East (offers) 
Patriot (calls and interest) 
Big Ten (calls and interest) 
Sun Belt (call and interest) 

Within those conferences, I’ve received some new interest from Duquesne,  Florida Atlantic, Richmond, Cornell, and Penn State.

I’ve taken 3 unofficial visits: Quinnipiac – August 17th, Towson – September 3rd, Vermont – November 5th 

I enjoyed all 3 visits. I loved the coaching staff, the players looked happy, the campuses were simple, comfortable, welcoming, and seemed safe. I could see myself at any of the schools I visited, and the cities and students really seem to support their teams. 

The following schools came to my workouts this fall – Fairfield 9/13, Quinnipiac 9/13, Vermont 9/27, USF 9/27, Quinnipiac 9/29, Robert Morris 9/29, Saint Peters 10/4, Quinnipiac 10/25

I am hearing most from the following schools – Quinnipiac. Vermont, USF, Northeastern, BU, Penn State, Holy Cross, Saint Peters, Saint Bonaventure, and a dozen or so more.

Even though I have learned that mid major players make it to the next level, I haven’t settled for anything. I’ve trained for way more success than I’ve already gotten.

I have mid major offers and high major interest. However, I haven’t taken a day off from getting stronger, more athletic, more explosive, and working on perfecting my strengths and improving my weaknesses since my first offer from Vermont, on August 1st, right after the live period.

I plan to take my recruiting to the next level, and gain more attention than I’m already getting. It’s not that I’m looking for a high major school to go to, I am just looking to prove to myself that I belong in the same sentence with those players that are getting those offers. Once I reach that point, I will then start narrowing down my top 5 schools. 

Now that my high school season (Capital Prep) is  underway, I plan to prove that I can lead a team and win. After that, my plans are to excel with the Connecticut Basketball Club for one last dance this summer, and then work on a top 5 after the live period.  After that is when I plan to narrow down my official visits, and then decide where I want to go. 

I’ve just been enjoying the process and working harder than ever.

This past September I was interviewed by ESPN High School magazine for a story on my past successes and expectations going into this season and I mentioned how this past summer changed me by playing against the best, and playing with the best (Andre Drummond, Kris Dunn). I did well, and seeing Kris blow up and Andre live up to the hype all helped me realize where I wanted to go and who I wanted to be. Kris Dunn told me not to let the offers that I receive stop my hunger, and since then I haven’t taken a day off. I’ve stayed close with him, and I will remain close with him, as i have a great admiration for what he has done.

(Photo courtesy of NY2LA Sports)

By Alex Kline

One week into the high school basketball season Matt Jones has made up his mind on where he will be attending college.

On Monday night, Jones made an unexpected decision as he verbally committed to Duke. A 2013 6-foot-4 shooting guard from DeSoto High School in Texas, he is the first player to join the Blue Devils junior class.

“I committed because of how they play,” he said. “Academics was a big factor, too. I felt like the coaches could take me to the next level, as well. It felt like a home away from home and my whole family liked Duke and the decision. It was the right timing.”

A lights out shooter from the Lone Star state, Jones becomes the second shooting guard from Texas to verbally commit to the Coach K and Duke. He joins 2012 shooting guard Rasheed Sulaimon of Strake Jesuit. The junior shooter chose the Blue Devils over Baylor, Arizona, Florida, Oklahoma, Kansas, Louisville and more.

One interesting note about the recruitment of Matt Jones is his relationship with his AAU teammate, Julius Randle. One of the top three players in the class of 2013, Randle plays with Jones on the Texas Titans and the two have developed a friendship. As the Blue Devils are making a run at the talented forward, will the impact of landing Jones, as well as Sulaimon, make an impact on landing one of the top prospects in the country?

(Photo courtesy of Inside the Hall)

By Alex Kline

Chris McCullough’s uncle, Andre, may have been a standout basketball player at Pittsburgh, but it is the younger McCullough who has established himself as potentially the best performer in his family.

A 2014 6-foot-9 combo forward originally from the Bronx, New York, the sophomore attends Salisbury School in Connecticut. On the AAU front, he plays for Team Scan, where he established and honed his talents over the summer at multiple Hoop Group events, including Elite Camp where he was named Camp MVP alongside Miami signee Melvin Johnson.

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(Photo courtesy of Rivals.com)

By Alex Kline

“I wish somebody told me when I graduated from the eighth grade to go to Hillside High School,” said Kelvin Amayo as he reflected on his decisions. “If I did the right things on and off the court I could get a scholarship. Maybe some did tell me but I wasn’t around people who would keep me that focused.”

Kelvin Amayo is scheduled to arrive in West Virginia this January when he officially enrolls at Marshall University for the second semester of classes. Amayo has been to a number of schools over the years and, before his career even started, had to leave Towson University because of academic reasons. Amayo initially committed to Towson; however, he was one of four NIA Prep (NJ) players ruled academically ineligible, along with Ryan Rhoomes of TCU, Shaq Thomas of Cincinnati and another player. Amayo tried to appeal the decision but was denied an NCAA waiver.

Now, he will attend Marshall and has a chance to play next year beginning in December of 2012 as the Thundering Herd are able to take players who have to prop.While it has been a crazy year for the 6-foot-5 combo guard, life has always been a challenge for the Canadian native.

When Amayo decided to enroll at St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark, he struggled academically. At the same time, he was not the star players he wanted to be; although, the challenges he faced on a daily basis were worth it.

The young guard had to go up against Myck Kabongo (Texas), Aaron Brown (Temple), Tristan Thompson (Cleveland Cavaliers), Mike Poole (Rutgers) and many other stars every practice. He was mentored and coached by one of the best in the business as Danny Hurley and his staff were by his side. While St. Benedict’s may have been a great opportunity for him, it was his next move that he felt may have been the most pivotal in his life.

When Kelvin Amayo arrived at Alif Muhammad’s NIA Prep institution the following season, he called it, “the best move for me because of how I was guided and helped there.” The small school has received plenty of criticism for it’s academics, facilities and people. Although Amayo did not end up qualifying because the school lacked a number of core classes required by the NCAA, the big guard defends it still to this day.

“People will always say or think whatever they want but NIA Prep was the best fit for myself, as well as Shaquille Thomas, Keon Lawrence, Corey Chandler and Josh Evans,” he said. “People will never give Alif credit for who he helped.”

Alif Muhammad, as Amayo often refers to, is the director and founder of the school. He puts together every aspect of the institution whether that be academically or athletically. In an April 2011 story from The Star-Ledger, Matthew Stanmyre wrote, “to get the brawny 6-5 shooting guard (reffering to Amayo), schools will have to go through the man who now has a hand in where dozens of gifted athletes play their college ball.”

In the end, the young Amayo decided to play for a new Towson staff coached by former Providence and Pittsburgh assistant Pat Skerry, an excellent recruited with deep roots in the northeast.

“Towson was the best fit for me because of Coach Skerry and how he needed me there,” he said. As Amayo was hurt, so was the entire Tiger student body when he found out he would not qualify.

“I was a main part to the team and I felt bad that I had to move on,” he said. “I tried almost every option to remain at Towson. Now, I move on to another great opportunity and that is Marshall University. Every time I step on the court I will give it all that I’ve got.”

While Kelvin Amayo may only be a freshman in college, it appears that he is heading on a new path that will lead him on yet another new journey. Will Amayo make his dreams come true this time around, though?

(Photo courtesy of NY2LA Sports)

By Alex Kline

While most college coaches were preparing for upcoming games and matchups, as well as Thanksgiving, two schools decided to make a big statement on the recruiting trail Monday night.

Wayne Selden picked up his 7th and 8th offers from Florida and Missouri within minutes of each other.

“I’m really thankful for the offers,” he said. “It’s always nice to have someone interested in you, especially two great programs like these.”

Both schools have been in to see Selden workout and practice multiple times this winter and fall in New Hampshire. The 2014 6-foot-5 Tilton School product is teammates with Missouri signee Dominique Bull, and his other teammate, Nerlens Noel, is being heavily recruited by Florida. In fact, Gators coach Billy Donovan has New England area ties as he was formerly the head coach at Providence.

A top-10 sophomore nationally, Selden boasts offers from the Tigers and Gators, as well as Kentucky, Pittsburgh, Boston College, UConn, Providence and West Virginia. Along with that, he has interest from North Carolina, Duke, Ohio State, Arizona and more.

Look for many more schools to offer the standout sophomore as Tilton is only one game into the season.

(Photo courtesy of 24/7 Sports)

By Alex Kline

Canada has become the new hotbed for recruiting top basketball players. At the moment, the 2013 Canadian class features a number of top talent; however, it is the 2014 class that could make a big impact. Led by Andrew Wiggins and Kevin Zabo, Canadian basketball is rising to the top of the world.

Zabo, a 2014 6-foot-2 point guard from Montrose Christian in Maryland, is getting used to life in America, as well as his new school. During his freshman year, he played at St. Mark’s in Massachusetts, alongside Alex Murphy (Duke), Kaleb Tarczewski (Arizona) and Nik Stauskas (Michigan). Now he teams up with Justin Anderson (Virginia) and former Missouri commit Ishmail Wainright at the Rockville, Maryland school.

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(Photo courtesy of Rivals.com)

By Alex Kline

Despite reports, Chris Thomas has not cut any schools from his list.

“No, he is wide open,” said Thomas’ high school coach, Kelvin Jefferson of South Kent Prep.

A 2014 6-foot-4 combo guard originally from Colorado, Thomas is at the Connecticut school and is doing fairly well playing alongside 2012 Providence signee Ricardo Ledo. The two led South Kent to two wins in the National Prep School Showcase over the weekend.

A report surfaced on Monday afternoon that the top-10 prospect was only interested in Xavier, Kentucky and Florida. That is not the case as a number of schools are still involved, including Arizona and UConn. Although he has not officially cut his list, a source close to the situation believes that Xavier and Kentucky have made the best impression on the talented scoring threat.

Despite this, don’t expect a final college decision out of Chris Thomas this year as he looks to focus on improving his grades and skills at South Kent.

(Photo courtesy of Rivals.com)

By Alex Kline

The top sophomore in New York is keeping Syracuse on his list, after all.

After 2014 6-foot-4 combo guard Isaiah Whitehead’s mother first heard about the molestation allegations against Syracuse assistant coach Bernie Fine, she became concerned. Ericka Rambert, Whitehead’s mother, told the New York Post, and confirmed with The Recruit Scoop, that the family was no longer considering the school because of the molestation allegations.

While they were only allegations, some confusion was made as Rambert did not realize that Fine was just the associate head coach, not the head coach, according to an ESPN New York report. Whitehead’s AAU and high school coach at Lincoln and Juice All-Stars, Tiny Morton, told the site that the Orange are still in consideration and Whitehead attests to this, as well.

“Of course,” Whitehead said by phone on Sunday night referring to whether he was still considering Syracuse or not. “I still like Syracuse and my family will wait to see what happens.”

Syracuse was one of the first schools to offer the talented Lincoln sophomore, who was supposed to take a visit in the fall but did not end up making it. Along with Jim Boeheim’s squad, Whitehead is considering Pittsburgh, USC, Kansas, North Carolina, Kentucky, Rutgers, Seton Hall, St. John’s and more.

If these molestation charges against Bernie Fine become verified and further action is taken against him and the staff, things could change. At the moment though, nothing has happened and Syracuse is still in shape for the 2014 guard.

(Photo courtesy of the NY Post)

By Alex Kline

Josh Brown is returning home.

A 2013 6-foot-3 point guard from St. Anthony in New Jersey, Josh Brown is originally from Philadelphia. For months he has had one college in the back of his mind. On Saturday night, the talented guard made his college decision.

“I verballed to Temple – get the word out,” he said via text message. While it had been known that Brown was leaning towards Temple for a while now, the timing came as a surprise with the Owls men’s basketball squad on the road in San Juan, Puerto Rico for a tournament. Nevertheless, Josh Brown made his commitment known and was excited about the moment.

“I always knew it was the place,” he said. “I verballed to Temple because I love the coaching staff and I was born in Philly.”

Brown, who had a terrific summer with Team Izod on the AAU circuit, joins a recent trend in Temple commits. Quenton DeCosey, a 2012 wing who also played for Team Izod, recently signed with the Owls, as well as big man Devontae Watson of Lincoln Park (PA) and Daniel Dingle of St. Raymond (NY).

With Brown and DeCosey now committed to Fran Dunphy’s program, look for the Owls to go after their good friend, Hallice Cooke. The 2013 6-foot-3 shooting guard out of St. Anthony/Team Izod wants to play in college with Brown and has an offer from the Owls. Could Temple land yet another tri-state talent?

(Photo courtesy of ESPN.com)

By Alex Kline

There are not many players who compare to the size and skill set combination of Brannen Greene. After having a great sophomore year of basketball, Greene was bombarded by college coaches over the summer. From phone calls to emails to checking out his AAU games, Greene became one of the hot topics in high school basketball due to his smarts, as well as his play on the court. Greene, who has the grades to attend an Ivy League school and the skill level to play for Jim Calhoun, John Calipari or Rick Pitino, can go just about anywhere he wants.

A 2013 6-foot-7 small forward from Mary Persons in Georgia, Greene is extremely versatile. A scoring guard with a long frame and the ability to play the 1, 2 and 3, Greene can play all three perimiter positions very efficiently for his age. A natural shooter with great handle and outstanding athleticism, the Georgia native uses his smarts off the court on the court as his basketball IQ is very high. Being wise for his age, Greene hopes to see his IQ and knowledge for the game develop even further throughout his final two years of high school basketball. Along with that, the junior wants to work on his defensive intensity in order to maximize his full potential that he displays on offense.

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(Photo courtesy of Rivals.com)