The 6-foot-2 Cassell Jr. went for 40 points last Friday against Winchendon and is now hearing from UConn, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, USF, UCF, Washington, Maryland and Seton Hall, Hurd and Cassell Jr. said.

“I think I can bring energy to a team along with some scoring,” Cassell Jr. told SNY.tv.

Said Hurd: “Everyone’s calling on him now. He’s played himself into being the best available guard. He’s blowing up.”

Notre Dame, which also features Pitt-bound 7-footer Steven Adams and Xavier signee Myles Davis, plays Canarias Basketball Academy Friday and La Jolla Prep Saturday at the National Prep Invitational.

“The season is going well,” Cassell Jr. said. “My season goal is to win a  national championship.”

For more on UConn recruiting, lick here to read the full story at FiveStarBaskeball.com.

**And check out the UConn “Big Board” here.

Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter

And like ZAGS on Facebook

Once Vaughn and Stephenson departed, it opened the doors for Kilpatrick to step into a major role with the Bearcats.

Now a sophomore, the 6-foot-4 wing is a major reason why Cincinnati (15-4 overall, 5-1 in the Big East) is off to its best start in conference play since joining the league in 2005.

He drained a game-winning 3-pointer with 2.5 seconds left Wednesday to lead Cincinnati to a 70-67 over No. 13 UConn at Gampel Pavilion.

For the season, Kilpatrick is leading the Bearcats in scoring at 16.2 points per game to go with 4.7 rebounds. He ranks sixth in Big East games in scoring at 17.7 points per game.

“Kilpatrick I think is really, really one of the better players in our league,” UConn coach Jim Calhoun said Thursday on the Big East conference call.

“He’s very unselfish. We tried to get a little extra pressure on him and he gets the ball off, and that’s what makes him more special because of the fact that he can really light you up.”

When Bearcats coach Mick Cronin first approached Kilpatrick about redshirting two years ago, he wasn’t thrilled about it. After all, he had averaged 28.4 points across a four-year career at White Plains High School and finished as the program’s all-time leading scorer. He then prepped a year at Notre Dame Prep.

“I thought, ‘Nah, no way,’” Kilpatrick told SNY.tv two years ago. “That was my first reaction. But I spoke to my mom and my dad about everything with Coach Cronin and they figured it would be a good idea.”

Asked if his feelings were hurt, Kilpatrick said: “No, not really. I’m just a person that takes sacrifices for the team. I didn’t look at it like it was hurting my feelings. I took it with a grain of salt and said this can help me a lot more to work on my game and continue to keep working hard in the classroom.”

So far the move has paid off, but it hasn’t all been smooth sailing for the man they call “SK.”

Kilpatrick made headlines before the Xavier game Dec. 10 when he called out fellow New York native Tu Holloway entering the game.

Appearing on WQRT-AM in Cincinnati, Kilpatrick was asked if he were a better player than Holloway.

“I’ll let the fans decide,” Kilpatrick said, according to The Sporting News.

Pushed by host Andy Furman to give his own opinion, Kilpatrick said, “Yes I am.”

Furman then asked Kilpatrick if Holloway would start for the Bearcats.

“Would he, with the players we have now?” Kilpatrick responded. “I would say no.”

Since the brawl and the loss to Xavier Dec. 10, Cincinnati is 10-1, with their only loss a two-point home decision to St. John’s Jan. 7.

Kilpatrick has scored in double-figures in all but one of those games, including going for a career-high 27 in a 68-64 win at Georgetown Jan. 9.

“Sean Kilpatrick is a guy we recruited because he was already that kind of [aggressive] player,” Cronin said Thursday. “He’s always been a very, very confident offensive player. He’s worked really hard with my assistant coaches on his 3-point shooting and that’s really taken his game to another level.”

Kilpatrick shot just 5-for-15 in the UConn game, but Cronin had the confidence in him to take the big shot.

“I’m glad that Coach has that kind of confidence in me to go the length of the floor,” Kilpatrick told Cincinnati.com. “When I saw that everyone was covered, I decided to just get the ball and go on. All I saw was a path and then someone cut the path off and I just wound up shooting it.”

Only a sophomore, Kilpatrick can still improve his ball-handling and his ability to create off the dribble.

Who knows how high is ceiling is, but the former redshirt from White Plains is now leading the Bearcats toward another NCAA Tournament bid.

“The kid works hard and when you got talent and you have tremendsous work ethic and mental toughness,” Cronin said, “you got a chance to make yourself a player and that’s what you’re seeing with him.”

Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter

And like ZAGS on Facebook

“Yeah, I did,” Filer, the Rivals No. 24 point guard in the Class of 2012, told SNY.tv by phone. “That seemed like the right school for me. My family talked about it and it seemed it was the right fit.”

Filer, who becomes the fifth 2012 commit for coach Brad Brownell’s club, also considered Utah, Purdue and Tennessee and said he expects to help Clemson right away.

“I’m more of a push-it type of point guard, I push it all the time,” he said. “I get it out, get my team involved.”

Said Notre Dame Prep coach Ryan Hurd: “He’s an athletic point guard. runs up and down the floor, loves to defend and he can jump through the roof.”

Filer said he may have a chance to play big minutes next year with the graduation of senior Andre Young.

“I have a good chance to start freshman year because their point guard is leaving,” he said.

Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter

And like ZAGS on Facebook

But the 7-footer will spend next year at Notre Dame Prep after graduating from Scots College in New Zealand before heading to Pittsburgh for the 2012-13 season.

“He’s coming to our school,” Notre Dame Prep coach Ryan Hurd told SNY.tv by phone. “We’re excited to have him here next year.”

Hurd hasn’t seen Adams play in person, but he’s watched enough on tape to know that he’s getting a future pro.

At the recent adidas Nations event in Los Angeles, Adams put up 12 points and 20 rebounds in one game, and 37 points and 14 rebounds in another. He averaged  22 points, 16.8 rebounds and two assists through four games.

In a matchup with fellow 7-footer Kaleb Tarczewski, Adams posted 20 points, 24 rebounds and four assists, while holding Tarczewski to 10 points and four boards.

“He’s tremendous,” said Chris Rivers of adidas, who was the assistant coach to Alex English on Adams’ Asia team. “He’s very Greg Oden-like from 2005.

“He runs, he blocks shots up by the square, he finishes with both hands. He’s a competitor, a true team player.

“He has tremendous attitude. His team lost every game and it didn’t phase him. He went hard every time down the court.”

Rivers said Adams is more than your average shot-blocker.

“He’s like a basket protector,” Rivers said. “He blocks shosts because it’s like, ‘Nothing’s going in my basket.’”

Rivers, who used to run the famed ABCD Camp with Sonny Vaccaro, said Adams is at least as good as the heralded big men in the Class of 2012 — Andre Drummond, Isaiah Austin, DaJuan Coleman and Tarczewski.

“If he was here in the States, he’d be in that same conversation with those other three or four big guys in the country,” Rivers said.

As for Hurd, his team next year already includes the nucleus of uncommitted wing Ricky Ledo, Xavier commit Myles Davis, Sam Cassell Jr. and 6-2 Chicago shooting guard Adonis Filer.

Now he’s adding one of the premier big men at that age in the world.

“He has the ability to get up and down the floor with our guards, which is what we’re looking for with a big,” Hurd said.

“It’s hard to find a kid that size who can be a part of the play in prep school basketball. His ability to get up and down the floor is going to be a huge asset.”

Adams will be a huge asset for Pitt coach Jamie Dixon beginning in 2012, too.

Adams will join fellow Notre Dame Prep alum Khem Birch, a Canadian who was named a McDonald’s All-American last season, along with current freshman shot-blocker Malcolm Gilbert.

“In high level Division 1 basketball, you need those bigs to survive,” Hurd said.

“[Coach Dixon] is going to have two incredibly skilled guys who can go get the ball.”

Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter

And like ZAGS on Facebook

NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C.

If the Playaz Basketball Club reaches the finals of the Nike Peach Jam here (7 p.m. Friday), Davis plans to announce on ESPNU.

“If we do make it to the TV game, I would commit on TV,” the 6-foot-1 Plainfield, N.J. native said after scoring 21 points on 8 of 14 shooting in a 90-82 victory over The Family from Detroit.

“If not I’m going to wait until the end of the month.”

Asked if he had already made up his mind, Davis said, “I’m almost there.”

Davis, who left Plainfield High School before last season for Notre Dame Prep, is down to Xavier, Georgetown, Pittsburgh and West Virginia.

“I took all my visits,” he said. “The only one I haven’t taken is West Virginia.”

His cousin, Brandin Knight, is an assistant on the Pitt staff but Davis said that wouldn’t necessarily sway his decision.

“I talk to Brandin all the time,” he said. “Me and Brandin, instead of cousins, we’re like brothers, me and Brandin. So with him being an assistant coach it helps out a lot.”

Davis made 3 of 7 3-pointers and is listed as a shooting guard, but he feels he can play both backcourt spots.

“I think I’m a combo,” he said. “I think when I go to college, the coaches won’t forget my what my jump shot is, but I’ll have to develop my point guard skills so that I can be a combo guard so they can move me off the ball or put me on the ball.”

Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter

And like ZAGS on Facebook

BOSTON

“Yes, I am,” Taylor said by text. “I think I really need a year to mature with my game and personality. I don’t think I’m 100 percent ready.”

The 6-foot-3 Taylor said he would attend Fitchburg (Mass.) Notre Dame Prep, but sources said the process has not been finalized.

Notre Dame Prep also features 2012 wings Myles Davis and Ricky Ledo — both uncommitted — which could complicate matters at that program.

Taylor helped Boys & Girls win its second consecutive New York PSAL ‘AA” championship this season. The Kangaroos also reached the New York State Federation ‘AA’ semifinals, losing to West Virginia-bound Jabarie Hinds and Mount Vernon.

Boys & Girls then upset two-time defending champ Findlay Prep in the ESPN Rise National High School Invitational before falling to eventual champ Montrose Christian in the semifinals.

With the potential of losing both Taylor and JUCO shooting guard Tyree Graham (Achilles), Rutgers is entertaining a number of options, including Brewster (N.H.) combo guard Eli Carter, who took an official this past weekend; Huntington (WV) Prep combo guard Maurice Aniefiok; Newark NIA Prep wing Kelvin Amayo; and Miami transfer Bishop Daniels.

The 6-5 Aniefiok, a native of Nigeria, will visit Rutgers this weekend. He has recently visited James Madison and Ole Miss and will hit Duquesne next week.

FREE THROWS

Seton Hall commit Aaron Cosby, St. John’s signee D’Angelo Harrison and Louisville commits Chane Behanan, Wayne Blackshear, Angel Nunez and Zach Price were selected for the Kentucky Derby Festival Friday in Louisville…Rutgers assistant Van Macon watched M.A.C.K. Prep player Chris Adams on Saturday in Charlotte.

RELATED CONTENT

**Carter, Judge to visit Rutgers

**Interest picking up for Nigerian guard Aniefiok

Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter

And like ZAGS on Facebook

The No. 2 shooting guard in the Class of 2012 from Fitchburg (Mass.) Notre Dame Prep announced the move on his Twitter.

“I’m no longer a providence friar I decided to open my recruitment back up and view my other options.”

Numerous schools were involved with the 6-foot-6 Ledo prior to the commitment, including Louisville, Kansas, Syracuse, Kentucky and UConn.

“He has decided to take a look at his options,” Notre Dame Prep coach Ryan Hurd said.

In other Notre Dame Prep news, Hurd said Marquette coach Buzz Williams is expected to watch uncommitted senior guard Todd Mayo Thursday, weather permitting.

West Virginia coach Bob Huggins is due in next week.

Mayo said he plans to visit Baylor Feb. 22. Kansas and Providence are also involved.

“There aren’t three guards in the country available better than him,” Hurd said.

Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter

And like ZAGS on Facebook.

“I like Providence,” Mayo said after watching the Friars shock No. 8 Villanova, 83-68. “They definitely get up and down and play. They play hard, never quit and what really surprised me was they made some guards that possibly could be in the NBA this year or next year quit. Providence never let up and it’s the second team they have knocked off this year that was highly ranked in the country.”

Half a dozen Notre Dame Prep players attended the game with head coach Ryan Hurd, including 2012 Providence commit Ricky Ledo.

Mayo is also being courted by Kansas, Baylor, Marquette, West Virginia “and maybe Pitt.” he said.

“They said something will open up in February,” he said of Pitt.

Pitt currently has no scholarships left for 2012.

Mayo plans to visit Marquette next but no date has been set.

FREE THROWS

Oregon State picked up a verbal pledge from 6-10 2012 center Maika Ostling of Dayton (Oregon) High, per a team source…North Carolina commit P.J. Hairston tweeted that he made the McDonald’s All-American Game…Missouri and Oregon have recently gotten involved with 6-7 small forward Kevin Thomas, according to Ro Russell. He will take visits beginning March…2013 guard Jaren Sina of Gill St. Bernard (N.J.) verbally committed to Alabama, as first reported by Alex Kline of The Recruit Scoop.

Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter

And like ZAGS on Facebook

In this issue of The Big East Report, Fitchburg (Mass.) Notre Dame Prep coach Ryan Hurd talks about the slew of future Division 1 and uncommitted players on his talented roster.

The Notre Dame Prep roster now includes 2012 Providence commit Ricardo Ledo, 2011 Pittsburgh signee Khem Birch, 2011 Louisville commit Angel Nunez and a pair of Fordham prospects, Fatty McMillan and Jeff Short.

Hurd’s loaded roster also features several talented uncommitted guards, 6-4 Todd Mayo, who’s being courted by Baylor, Kansas, Marquette and Oklahoma State, and 2012 guard Myles Davis, who’s looking at Xavier, Georgetown, Pitt and Villanova.

RELATED CONTENT

**NBA prospect Birch emerges from car crash

**Tough day for St. John’s commits at Big Apple

**Uncommitted studs at Big Apple Invite

Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter

And like ZAGS on Facebook

NEW YORK — Khem Birch

Hurd’s car was the first of three Notre Dame Prep vehicles taking the basketball team from Fitchburg, Mass., to face South Kent (Conn.) for a 3:30 tip-off at the Big Apple Basketball Invitational at Baruch College.

All of a sudden, while they were in Norwalk, Conn., another vehicle cut across two lanes of traffic, causing an accident about six cars in front of them.

Hurd managed to stop the car, only to be rear-ended, causing the Dodge to smash into the car in front of them.

“We just crashed,” said the 6-foot-9, 210-pound Birch, a Montreal native. “It was scary. Everything went through my mind. I don’t even know what happened. I was scared.”

He added: “My neck snapped in front and my headphones almost broke.”

After meeting with the police and having the totaled Dodge towed from the scene, Birch and his teammates got back on the road in the remaining two vehicles and made their game.

Yet once at Baruch, Birch soon rolled his ankle during warmups when he landed on a ball.

“The first half I was kind of slow because we had a month off,” Birch said. “And we had the car crash. And before the half, I tweaked my ankle. In the first half everything didn’t go so well.”

Yet after scoring just 4 points and grabbing 6 rebounds in the first half, Birch came alive in the second and finished with 18 points, including 4 of 5 from the stripe, 12 rebounds and 2 blocks in Notre Dame Prep’s convincing 86-70 victory.

Birch was very active in the paint and in transition, scoring on alley oops, putback layups and dunks.

“When you get him get into the flow of a game, he’s going to be a difference-maker,” Hurd said.

“When he can block some shots and get some rebounds and we get him a  couple touches, he just takes off for us.”

Birch is one of several talented young Canadians who has taken off in America.

Texas currently features Canadian freshmen Tristan Thompson and Cory Joseph, and will add another Canadian, Findlay Prep point guard Myck Kabongo, next season.

The Joseph family — Cory, Kris of Syracuse, Devoe of Oregon and Troy of LIU — are all Canadian.

Birch says one of his goals is to put “Canada basketball on the map.”

Birch spent the 2009-10 season at the Winchendon (Mass.) School, but opted to transfer to Notre Dame Prep this season.

“I would be stupid not to answer that phone call,” Hurd cracked.

In September, Birch, then listed as the No. 1 power forward in the Class of 2012, verbally committed to Pittsburgh.

But in November, he signed a Letter of Intent to attend Pitt in 2011, becoming the highest ranked recruit to choose Pitt since Brian Shorter in 1987.

“There’s no point” in waiting until 2012, Birch said. “I didn’t need it. Right now I’m trying to be a McDonald’s All-American, Jordan Brand, all that. So they said, ‘You might as well just leave.’ And I thought it was the right decision, too.”

He selected Pitt over North Carolina, Kentucky, Syracuse, Connecticut, Ohio State, St. John’s, West Virginia, Florida, Texas, Arizona and Providence.

Birch joins a recruiting class that includes Malcolm Gilbert, Jaylen Bond, Durand Johnson and John Johnson.

Next year he will join the current crop of big men that includes Dante Taylor and Talib Zhanna, who have helped No. 5 Pitt go unbeaten in the Big East so far.

“I talked to the [assistant] coach [Pat Skerry] about it [Friday],” Birch said. “He said me and Dante will play the five, I’ll play four. Talib will play four, too. We’re going to get a good rotation because [Gary] McGhee’s out [graduating], so all three of us are going to get a good rotation.”

Hurd believes that Birch is so talented, he has the potential to eventually play in the NBA.

“I feel confident that if he can stay focused, trust his own decision-making and continue to work hard, then he’ll leave Pitt a draft pick,” the coach said.

Before then, however, Birch wants to finish up strong at Notre Dame Prep by making the McDonald’s All-American Game March 30 at Chicago’s United Center.

“Of course, of course,” he said.

And hopefully avoiding any future car accidents, too.

FREE THROWS

As first reported on my Twitter, 2012 Providence commit Ricky Ledo is officially at Notre Dame Prep as of Wednesday after withdrawing from South Kent. He joins a Notre Dame Prep team that includes Birch, Louisville commit Angel Nunez, Fordham commits Fatty McMillan and Jeff Short and uncommitted guards Todd Mayo and Myles Davis…Arizona signee Josiah Turner is now at Quality Education (N.C.), according to Dave Telep, where he will team with St. John’s signees Sir’Dominic Pointer and Dwight Meikle and DePaul commit Charles McKinney.

(Photo courtesy Damion Reed, Big Apple Basketball)

RELATED CONTENT

**Tough day for Johnnies commits at Big Apple

**Birch signs with Pitt for 2011

**Birch to Pitt

Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter

And like ZAGS on Facebook.