By JACK LeGWIN
Four-star point guard Xavier Simpson has committed to Michigan.
Ranked No. 69 in the class of 2016 by 247 Sports, Simpson had an original final four schools of Miami, Iowa State, Wisconsin and Illinois, but ended up choosing the Wolverines, as they made a push late.
By ZACH SMART
Containing the necessary tool-set to flourish in a furious-paced system, A.J. Wilson will entertain immediate expectations at Elev8 (Delray Beach, Fla.) this season.
A wiry 6-foot-6 forward, Wilson’s dazzling athleticism and foot speed readies him for the speedball attack. The junior’s Division-I weight is suddenly tipping the mid to high-major scales.
Central Florida, Rhode Island, and most recently Florida have been in persistent pursuit of the D.C. native.
With newly-minted Gators assistant Darris Nichols expressing interest, Wilson will take an unofficial to Florida this weekend.
Amid all the hype surrounding Serena Williams'
College basketball coaches are hitting the road hard this week as they begin having school and in-home visits with members of the Class of 2016.
Here’s a quick rundown of some high-profile visits coming up this week.
**N.C. State coach Mark Gottfried and assistant Orlando Early took off recruiting in a helicopter to see priority 2015 targets Bam Adebayo and Dennis Smith, Jr. A helicopter.
Great view as I head out recruiting #chopper #gopack pic.twitter.com/aRVqLSGuM4
— Mark Gottfried (@Mark_Gottfried) September 9, 2015
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Mark Gottfried, Orlando Early fly in to see Dennis Smith Jr. https://t.co/5tImJgTX6b
— Bret Strelow (@bretstrelow) September 9, 2015
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**Malik Monk has home visits Wednesday with Kentucky and Arkansas and with Oregon Friday, his brother Marcus told SNY.tv. Malik Monk recently cut his list to Arkansas, Florida State, Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina and Oregon.
**Wenyen Gabriel hosts head coaches from Duke, Maryland and Providence on Wednesday, and head men from Kentucky and UConn on Thursday. For more, listen to his coach Mike Mannix on The 4 Quarters Podcast.
You know you have a rabid fan
NEW YORK — There wasn’t much on the line when Serena Williams met her older sister Venus in the US Open quarterfinals amid an electric atmosphere Tuesday night.
Just a shot at the first calendar Grand Slam in more than a quarter century, a US Open title and the way two sisters look at each other.
In the end, little sister beat big sis in an entertaining three-setter, 6-2, 1-6, 6-3, played before more than 23,000 fans in Arthur Ashe Stadium, including Donald Trump, Oprah Winfrey, Kim Kardashian, Nas and Chris Tucker.
Serena closed it out with a 107-mph ace before approaching the net and embracing her sister.
“I’m so happy for you,” Venus told her sister.
“It’s a really great moment,” Serena said on court. “She’s the toughest player I’ve ever played in my life and the best person I know. It’s hard to play your best friend and at the same time going against the best competitor that I know in women’s tennis.”
It was the first three-set match between the sisters in a Grand Slam since the 2003 Wimbledon Final.
By JOSH NEWMAN
Kentucky head coach John Calipari was in a reflective mood on Tuesday, and with good reason.
The University of Kentucky head coach will enter the Naismith Hall of Fame on Friday in Springfield, Mass. Calipari’s first-ballot induction will mark the 56-year old coming full-circle as he began his head-coaching career up the road from Springfield in Amherst at the University of Massachusetts in 1988.
“Ellen and I, our first press conference when I was hired by UMass was at the Hall of Fame,” Calipari told reports in Lexington on Tuesday. “That’s where they did it, but it was at the old Hall of Fame. I’ve been back a lot. The new Hall of Fame I’ve been into probably four, five or six times. It’s surreal based on the fact that I’ve been there when different people were inducted. Was in the whole setup, and then all of the sudden you turn around and it’s happening to me.”
