Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
Chris Gaston Lighting it Up; Vegas/Orlando Notes; South Florida Loses 2
Here are a few quick hits from around the hoops recruiting world…
**Fordham commit Chris Gaston continues to play well on the summer circuit. He had 42 points and 19 rebounds in a game in Orlando last night for the New Jersey ShoreShots, and added 35 and 17 in today’s quarterfinals, where the Jersey team lost.
Gaston, a 6-7, 205-pound forward from St. Anthony in Jersey City who’s committed to Fordham for 2009, was previously named MVP of the Triple S Harley Davidson Shootout at West Virginia. He will prep next year at New Hampton (N.H.).
**Shaq Thomas, a 6-3 wing from Paterson (NJ) Catholic who is the nephew of NBA star Tim Thomas, has picked up an offer from Syracuse. Thomas is also being courted by Xavier, Fordham and Virginia Tech.
**Ryan Kelly of Ravenscroft (NC) Prep, who moved from NYC to Raleigh when he was a child, is the focus of some high level schools, including Stanford, North Carolina and Notre Dame. Davidson, Virginia and Georgetown have also offered. Most think UNC will land Kelly, especially if David and Travis Wear de-commit. Kelly teamed with the Wear twins on the USA U18 team that lost in the FIBA Americans U18 Championship to Argentina.
**We hear Kansas is the frontrunner for Thomas Robinson, who is being courted by numerous schools, including Seton Hall.
**Jordan Williams , a 6-9, 245-pound PF of Torrington (Conn.) High School, has received an offer from St. John’s, according to a source. He also reportedly holds offers from Fordham, UMass, Xavier, Georgetown, Maryland and Rhode Island. Williams is close friends with Tevin Baskin of Trinity Catholic.
**Dick Weiss reports that New Heights reached the Elite Eight at the adidas Super 64 tournament behind 14 points from Devon Collier of St. Anthony’s scored in a win over Gateway Basketball Club team from St. Louis, 73-53. Jayvaughn Pinkston of Loughlin also scored 28 when New Heights beat the Derek Smith All Stars, 89-82, in the round of 32
**Teeng Akol, a 6-11 incoming freshman at South Florida who played at Our Savior New American on Long Island, has been released from his scholarship and is reportedly considering Missouri, Fresno State, UNLV and West Virginia.
“It is really hard for us to lose Teeng. He is a great kid,” coach Stan Heath said in a statement. “We love him and we were developing a great relationship. Unfortunately, USF was not the right fit for him. We will do everything to we can to make sure he ends up at the right institution and we wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.”
**Dwan McMillan, a New York point guard who played at St. Benedict’s, is also not academically eligible to play at USF this season.
“My stuff didn’t clear yet,” McMillan told TampaBay.com. “I think it should be clear before summer’s over,” McMillan said. “I think it’s going to happen for me, but it might be too late. I’m quite sure I am going to be cleared, and I want to come to South Florida.”
Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle.
A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013.
He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.
Here are a few quick hits from around the hoops recruiting world…
**Fordham commit Chris Gaston continues to play well on the summer circuit. He had 42 points and 19 rebounds in a game in Orlando last night for the New Jersey ShoreShots, and added 35 and 17 in today’s quarterfinals, where the Jersey team lost.
Gaston, a 6-7, 205-pound forward from St. Anthony in Jersey City who’s committed to Fordham for 2009, was previously named MVP of the Triple S Harley Davidson Shootout at West Virginia. He will prep next year at New Hampton (N.H.).
**Shaq Thomas, a 6-3 wing from Paterson (NJ) Catholic who is the nephew of NBA star Tim Thomas, has picked up an offer from Syracuse. Thomas is also being courted by Xavier, Fordham and Virginia Tech.
**Ryan Kelly of Ravenscroft (NC) Prep, who moved from NYC to Raleigh when he was a child, is the focus of some high level schools, including Stanford, North Carolina and Notre Dame. Davidson, Virginia and Georgetown have also offered. Most think UNC will land Kelly, especially if David and Travis Wear de-commit. Kelly teamed with the Wear twins on the USA U18 team that lost in the FIBA Americans U18 Championship to Argentina.
**We hear Kansas is the frontrunner for Thomas Robinson, who is being courted by numerous schools, including Seton Hall.
**Jordan Williams , a 6-9, 245-pound PF of Torrington (Conn.) High School, has received an offer from St. John’s, according to a source. He also reportedly holds offers from Fordham, UMass, Xavier, Georgetown, Maryland and Rhode Island. Williams is close friends with Tevin Baskin of Trinity Catholic.
**Dick Weiss reports that New Heights reached the Elite Eight at the adidas Super 64 tournament behind 14 points from Devon Collier of St. Anthony’s scored in a win over Gateway Basketball Club team from St. Louis, 73-53. Jayvaughn Pinkston of Loughlin also scored 28 when New Heights beat the Derek Smith All Stars, 89-82, in the round of 32
**Teeng Akol, a 6-11 incoming freshman at South Florida who played at Our Savior New American on Long Island, has been released from his scholarship and is reportedly considering Missouri, Fresno State, UNLV and West Virginia.
“It is really hard for us to lose Teeng. He is a great kid,” coach Stan Heath said in a statement. “We love him and we were developing a great relationship. Unfortunately, USF was not the right fit for him. We will do everything to we can to make sure he ends up at the right institution and we wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.”
**Dwan McMillan, a New York point guard who played at St. Benedict’s, is also not academically eligible to play at USF this season.
“My stuff didn’t clear yet,” McMillan told TampaBay.com. “I think it should be clear before summer’s over,” McMillan said. “I think it’s going to happen for me, but it might be too late. I’m quite sure I am going to be cleared, and I want to come to South Florida.”
