NEW ORLEANS — Nerlens Noel, the top uncommitted prospect in the Class of 2012, will announce his college decision April 11 on ESPN.
That is the same date on which Shabazz Muhammad and Tony Parker will announce.
The 6-foot-10 Noel confirmed the date in a phone interview with SNY.tv after he informed the media at the All-American Championship game. Noel had six points, six rebounds and three blocks as the East beat the West, 84-72, at the University of New Orleans.
“It’s time to end this and make a decision,” he told reporters there, according to Jody Demling.
Noel is down to Kentucky, Syracuse and Georgetown.
Asked if he had already decided, Noel told SNY.tv, “Still thinking it over.”
He watched Kentucky’s 69-61 win over Louisville Saturday in the national semifinals from a viewing party.
“Yeah, I watched that game,” Noel told SNY.tv. “I like how they came out…I like their playing style.”
Noel said he has been watching Kentucky throughout the season to see how he might fit in, possibly as a replacement for Anthony Davis, the consensus National Player of the Year.
“Yeah, I’ve been watching that all through the season so I already know how they play and everything,” he said.
Noel said a Kentucky win Monday over Kansas wouldn’t impact his decision.
“No,” he said, “that won’t affect my decision.”
ALL-AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
In the first game of a doubleheader played at Lakefront Arena in New Orleans, the East team emerged with an 84-72 win over the West.
UConn signee Omar Calhoun (Brooklyn, N.Y./Christ the King H.S.) scored a tournament record 26 points to pace the East. Calhoun was named MVP of the East squad after going 8-12 from the field and 10-11 from the line on the day. Providence signee Ricardo Ledo (Providence, R.I./South Kent School (Conn.)) tallied 15 points and Syracuse-bound Jerami Grant (Bowie, Md./DeMatha Catholic H.S.) and Arizona signee Kaleb Tarczewski (Claremont N.H./St. Mark’s School) each scored eight points with Tarczewski also hauling down six rebounds.
Texas signee Cameron Ridley (Richmond, Texas/Bush H.S.) was named the West’s MVP for his team-high 16 points. Andrew Harrison (Richmond, Texas/Travis H.S.) had 13 points and L.J. Rose (Houston, Texas/Westbury Christian H.S.) netted 10 points and handed out four assists.
The tournament’s second game featured 11 ties and when it was over, Braxton Ogbueze’s (Charlotte, N.C./United Faith Christian Academy) two free throws with nine seconds left gave the South an 86-85 win.
Baylor commit Ricardo Gathers (Laplace, La./Riverside Academy) and Evan Nolte (Milton, Ga./Milton H.S.) led the South in scoring with 16 points each. Carolina commit Joel James (West Palm Beach, Fla./Dwyer H.S.) was named the South’s MVP for his 12-point, 10-rebound performance. Kansas commit Brannen Greene (Forsyth, Ga./Mary Persons H.S.) also had 12 points.
Glenn Robinson (Schererville Ind./Lake Central H.S.) paced the North with 16 points and was named the team’s MVP. Sam Dekker (Sheboygan, Wis./Sheboygan Lutheran H.S.) had 12 points, Adam Woodbury (Sioux City, Iowa/East H.S.) registered a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds, Cameron Biedscheid (St. Louis, Mo./Cardinal Ritter College Prep) had 11 points, and Jeremy Hollowell (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence Central H.S.) totaled 10 points.
