NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. — High-profile college coaches were all around the gym at the Riverview Park Activities Center for Tuesday evening’s matchup between big men Jarnell Stokes of Memphis YOMCA and DaJuan Coleman of Albany City Rocks.
Kentucky’s John Calipari, Florida’s Billy Donovan, Memphis’ Josh Pastner, UConn’s Jim Calhoun and UCLA’s Ben Howland were among the coaches watching the battle of the big men.
In the end, the 6-foot-8, 240-pound Stokes won the matchup, hitting a gorgeous step-back jumper over Coleman at one point and notching 12 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 block as Memphis handed the City Rocks their second loss in as many games, 71-62. To read more of this story, click here
As first reported by Alex Kline of TheRecruitScoop.com, Adams chose the Bruins over Memphis, Georgia and Miami.
“I committed there because of their history, tradition and alumni,” he told Kline. “It’s a great school with great coaches and players that always play hard. The campus was lovely and I just feel like my future will be the best there.”
Montrose Christian became the first school other than Findlay Prep to win the ESPN Rise National High School Invitational Saturday.
Villanova-bound Tyrone Johnson of Plainfield, N.J., scored 21 points to lead No. 1 Montrose Christian over No. 2 Oak Hill Academy, 71-64 in double-overtime, in the championship game at Georgetown Prep in Bethesda, Md.
Arizona-bound forward Sidiki Johnson and uncommitted senior guard Ben McLemore were dismissed from Oak Hill Academy for violating an undisclosed team rule, the Tucson Citzen reported.
When reached by phone Monday, Oak Hill coach Steve Smith confirmed that two players were no longer on the team and are no longer students at Oak Hill.
The 6-foot-9, 220-pound Johnson is a New York City native who had transferred to Oak Hill from St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark. To read more of this story, click here
The McDonald’s All-American team was named Thursday for the March 30 game at the United Center in Chicago (10 p.m., ESPNU).
Gene Pingatore of St. Joseph High School in Westchester, Ill. will lead the West team and Bob Cimmino of Mount Vernon (N.Y.) will serve as head coach of the East team.
Basketball fans hoping to see a Michael Gilchrist-Austin Rivers showdown Wednesday night on ESPNU won’t get their wish.
Gilchrist, the 6-foot-7 Kentucky signee, held up his end of the bargain by dropping a career-high 34 points and 13 rebounds as Elizabeth (N.J.) St. Patrick downed Mater Dei, 71-61, in the semifinals of the City of Palms Classic in Fort Meyers, Fla.
But Duke-bound Rivers and Winter Park came up short, 63-62, to Milton (Ga.) in the other semi.
Duke signee Austin Rivers dropped 42 points and Winter Park (10-1) beat previously undefeated Palm Beach Gardens, 76-64, in the City of Palms Classic Monday in Fort Myers, Fla.
Rivers now has 70 points in two games at the event.
“He just continues to amaze me and everybody else in the stands,” Wildcats coach David Bailey told the Orlando Sentinel.
Elizabeth (N.J.) St. Patrick, Oak Hill (Va.) Academy and Mount Vernon all advanced to the semifinals of prestigious holiday tournaments Saturday.
St. Patrick, ranked No. 11 by USA Today, beat Chicago Whitney Young, 92-68, in the quarterfinals of the City of Palms Classic behind 37 points from Western Kentucky signee Derrick Gordon.
St. Pat’s on Tuesday will face the winner of Monday’s game between Mater Dei (Calif.) and Christ School (N.C.).
Oak Hill point guard Quinn Cook thrilled one set of college basketball fans and disappointed another Thursday when he announced for Duke over UCLA.
“My relationship with Coach K and a chance of winning,” Cook, the No. 7 point guard in the Class of 2011, said by phone when asked why he chose the Blue Devils. “I think we can make a run next year with a national championship.”
The 6-foot-2, 175-pound Cook averaged 20 points, 5.9 assists and 3.3 rebounds last season for DeMatha (Md.) High and was named the All-Met player of the year by the Washington Post. To read more of this story, click here
