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.
***Read the feature on Ashton and Sterling Gibbs here.***
I’m working on a feature story on brothers Ashton and Sterling Gibbs of Scotch Plains, N.J., both of whom are playing for USA Basketball teams this summer.
Check back later for the full story, but I’m posting this college update first.
Sterling, a 6-foot point rising junior guard out of West Orange (NJ) Seton Hall Prep, says Villanova is his leader at this point.
“I would say right now the favorite would be Villanova,” Gibbs said Thursday by phone after he scored 13 points as the U.S. beat Venezuela 102-76 in the FIBA Americas U16 Championship in Mendoza, Argentina.
“I just like the way that they play and how their guards play. They’re just an open offense. There’s not real set plays. They just like to have players who could just make plays.”
Temple Gibbs, the boys’ father, said in an interview that the Villanova assistant coaches had seen Sterling play but that an official offer likely wouldn’t come until head coach Jay Wright sees him in person.
Sterling said he’s also hearing from Oklahoma, St. John’s, Seton Hall, Rutgers, Pittsburgh, Indiana and Maryland.
Temple said they would take a visit to Oklahoma’s Elite Camp in August.
As for when he might decide, Sterling said: “I can’t even say right now. I think if the right school offers, that’ll determine my decision.”
Ashton is a rising sophomore at Pittsburgh who on Thursday was named to the U19 team that will compete in the World Championship in Auckland, New Zealand.
Could Sterling imagine following his brother to Pitt?
“I’ve been looking into it, I like Pitt a lot,” he said. “Even though me and my brother don’t play alike, I think I can still succeed in that offense. And I like the way Jamie Dixon coaches and the way they took care of my brother, I’d imagine they’d do the same thing for me.”
WESTERN KENTUCKY PICKS UP COMMITMENT
Western Kentuckyi coach Ken McDonald secured a commitment from 6-8 Raleigh (N.C.) Word of God forward Stephon Drane.
Drane, who averaged six points and six rebounds last season, was a teammate of Kentucky freshman point guard John Wall.
“I just felt really comfortable down there when I visited three weeks ago,” Drane told Highschoolhoop.com. “I just liked everything about the school, and when I committed today they were real excited. They said I could consider myself part of the family.”
FREE THROWSJodie Meekscan return to Kentucky if he is not drafted, provided he doesn’t hire an agent, doesn’t sign any contracts and asks for reinstatement…North Carolina will play Texas Dec. 22 in Texas, according to Jeff Goodman of FoxSports.com…Roscoe Smith, a 6-8 forward who played at Baltimore (MD) Walbroo, will suit up for Oak Hill Academy next year, according to multiple reports…Former Seton Hall forward Brandon Walters has visited Siena, Manhattan and Hofstra.
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.
***Read the feature on Ashton and Sterling Gibbs here.***
I’m working on a feature story on brothers Ashton and Sterling Gibbs of Scotch Plains, N.J., both of whom are playing for USA Basketball teams this summer.
Check back later for the full story, but I’m posting this college update first.
Sterling, a 6-foot point rising junior guard out of West Orange (NJ) Seton Hall Prep, says Villanova is his leader at this point.
“I would say right now the favorite would be Villanova,” Gibbs said Thursday by phone after he scored 13 points as the U.S. beat Venezuela 102-76 in the FIBA Americas U16 Championship in Mendoza, Argentina.
“I just like the way that they play and how their guards play. They’re just an open offense. There’s not real set plays. They just like to have players who could just make plays.”
Temple Gibbs, the boys’ father, said in an interview that the Villanova assistant coaches had seen Sterling play but that an official offer likely wouldn’t come until head coach Jay Wright sees him in person.
Sterling said he’s also hearing from Oklahoma, St. John’s, Seton Hall, Rutgers, Pittsburgh, Indiana and Maryland.
Temple said they would take a visit to Oklahoma’s Elite Camp in August.
As for when he might decide, Sterling said: “I can’t even say right now. I think if the right school offers, that’ll determine my decision.”
Ashton is a rising sophomore at Pittsburgh who on Thursday was named to the U19 team that will compete in the World Championship in Auckland, New Zealand.
Could Sterling imagine following his brother to Pitt?
“I’ve been looking into it, I like Pitt a lot,” he said. “Even though me and my brother don’t play alike, I think I can still succeed in that offense. And I like the way Jamie Dixon coaches and the way they took care of my brother, I’d imagine they’d do the same thing for me.”
WESTERN KENTUCKY PICKS UP COMMITMENT
Western Kentuckyi coach Ken McDonald secured a commitment from 6-8 Raleigh (N.C.) Word of God forward Stephon Drane.
Drane, who averaged six points and six rebounds last season, was a teammate of Kentucky freshman point guard John Wall.
“I just felt really comfortable down there when I visited three weeks ago,” Drane told Highschoolhoop.com. “I just liked everything about the school, and when I committed today they were real excited. They said I could consider myself part of the family.”
FREE THROWS
Jodie Meeks can return to Kentucky if he is not drafted, provided he doesn’t hire an agent, doesn’t sign any contracts and asks for reinstatement…North Carolina will play Texas Dec. 22 in Texas, according to Jeff Goodman of FoxSports.com…Roscoe Smith, a 6-8 forward who played at Baltimore (MD) Walbroo, will suit up for Oak Hill Academy next year, according to multiple reports…Former Seton Hall forward Brandon Walters has visited Siena, Manhattan and Hofstra.
