There is a new name on the Duke radar and his name is Ricardo Gathers, a manly 6-7 presence in the post who hails from Louisiana where he plays for Riverside Academy. Gathers, who was set to go to St. John's but backed out of his verbal commitment and reopened the process. A couple of big name schools are now on him and Gathers tells us about that and much more in this one on one interview conducted by BDN correspondent Travis Boyd. And when asked of Duke, Gathers made it no secret that he hold immense respect for the program and that he is ... well, it all lies ahead. Remember, we are still running a 20% off special on a yearly membership to Blue Devil Nation Premium, where all the latest inside information awaits you as does our members only message board to discuss the latest. Just sign up for a year and we'll send you 20 bucks back through paypal. Isn't it time to see BDN Premium for yourself and see what others are talking about?
Suppose somebody had never seen you play before. How would you describe your game in your own words?
Very physical, a lock down on D. I'm a rebounding factor and I like playing with my teammates man and as I go, I know they go, so ...
What are you looking for in a program. What are some of the most important factors?
I want to play with somebody that is a winner and a coach who brings out the best in me and communicates with me and make me a better player.
What's your list of schools right now?
Baylor, Duke, N.C. State, Florida, LSU, St. Johns and USC and Cal.
Which schools or who has been the most aggressive in your recruitment of late? [private]
Billy Donovan of Florida and Duke.
Who have you talked to from Duke?
Um, I don't want to get his name wrong (smiling) Wojichowski ... I'm not sure how to say his name.
Wojciechowski?
Yeah, yeah, that's him.
So what do you like about Duke?
I mean, Duke you know, the tradition at Duke (upbeat) and they've developed many players at my position and they have one of the best coaches in America and the history in college basketball ... I mean, whats not to like about Duke?
So, do you sit down and take a look at the rosters of the teams recruiting you and look at say who is coming, leaving and such?
I definitely looking at the roster because I don;t want to go nowhere where I'm sitting for four years and stuff so, (smiling) yeah, I'm looking and analyzing what they need and find the best place for me.
Do you pattern your game after any player in the NBA or college?
(Pause) Uhm, no, not really. At this point I'm just mold myself to be my on type of player. I'm just trying to keep it together and keep working and be the best Ricardo Gathers that I can be.
With this being your senior year, what part of your game will you work on the rest of the year?
Being more efficient at both ends of the court. I mean yesterday, I couldn't always go all out on the offensive end because I knew I had to bring it on D. So that is definitely is what I am going to do and work on conditioning,
Do you have any visits set up in the near future?
I'm probably going to take a few visits in the upcoming year, like January or February. Probably mid January is when I will start some visits. I am going to definitely go down to Florida soon, Duke and N.C. State.
What position do you see yourself playing at the next level?
Most likely the 4 and the 3.
And who will help you make your decision when it comes time to pick a school?
Key Duke prospect Jabari Parker - BDN Premium 1271 word recruting update posted.
The Holiday season is upon us and that means Duke Basketball plays just a couple of December games, but make no mistake, it is still a busy time. The Duke Men's Basketball staff will put in their frequent flyer miles and burn a little rubber as they hit the recruiting trail and BDN Premium brings you an update on the latest news.
Coach Krzyzewski and assistant coach Jeff Capel will be in Dallas, Texas today to watch Julius Randle, the nations #2 ranked player in the class of 2012. Duke will also see (1271 word update ahead for BDN Premium members) [private] Matt Jones, the shooting guard who just pledged to the Blue Devils. There is no mistaking the fact that Duke hopes Jones will help recruit the banging horse, Randle. And Rasheed Sulaimon may help there as well. As I have said in past updates, the Blue Devils covet Randle and think they can get him and Jabari Parker and that would be just magical for the fan base.
Speaking of Jabari Parker, the top rated player in his class that is now being compared to Kobe Bryant by some, the staff will watch him in Fayetteville this weekend. I have long maintained that I feel Duke is in incredibly good shape here and that they were in on Parker very early and have developed great relationships with the family. Duke will also take in the Beach Ball Classis in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina where they'll see him again at the end of this month. Parker will have his parents in tow this weekend and probably Myrtle Beach as well.
And speaking of the the Beach Ball Classic, one of two top recruits left for this season at this time, Tony Parker will be there. Duke continues to get good vibes from his camp, especially his parents who I have said for a long time now favor Duke. Parker is a stressful prospect for Duke fans in that the Blue Devils really need him and or have a place for him. I was the first to tell you that the December date was sketchy and that you cannot really go on what Parker says he'll do. And that means the old line, don't listen to what he says, but watch what he does. Parker is enjoying the process, a bit too much for most Duke fans taste for it makes little sense he would choose any situation but Duke for numerous reasons. Of course, they have on royal blue glasses as well but even the objective observer sees the best spot for him is in Durham. I still think he will end upo taking this until summer - late summer, so try and keep your composure and not go bad mouthing him in forums which could possibly damage the teams efforts.
Tyus Jones is a mature PG and leader - BDN Photo
We cannot leave out the top rated player in this seasons class, Shabazz Muhammad who will also be in Myrtle Beach. UCLA, once considered a strong leader is now third in my opinion and as I said a bit back, it will come down to Duke and Kentucky. His decision could hinge on Austin Rivers decision to go pro or stay at Duke, so this one as I have said all along will go to the podium the last day or so of the signing period in late summer. And it doesn't hurt to dream and think that both Parker and Bazz might choose Duke taking all of the build up stress away and making us all five years younger in the process. Muhammad could really flourish in the Duke system where I feel he would be more of a go-to guy than he would be at Kentucky.
Another Chicago are kid has caught the Blue Devils eye as well. Jalhill Okafor is a bruising type in the class of 2014 and stands 6-10 and weighs in at 280. Duke has mad in roads with him and they'll see him this weekend along with Jabari Parker. I am looking forward to reporting on his game as I focus in on him solely for the first time. He plays AAU ball for the Mac Irwin Fire and they at times have so many good players, that it is hard to focus in on one early in the circuit season.
Two players that will play at the former Glaxo event in Raleigh will be Rasheed Sulaimon, already signed with Duke and young Theo Pinson. Sulaimon will thrill the crowd for sure with his water bug like movement. He glides around the court with high energy and his on ball defense is much improved, making me think he can be a stopper at Duke. Our diary session kind of imploded due to his schedule, but he has said he will pick it up soon. Pinson is another 2014 kid that liked Duke growing up. He is an interesting wing that still seems to be growing at 6-5 and will likely be a small forward type in college, but he has good guard skills as well and like all Duke prospects, he has great character. Okay, I know what you are thinking about that statement, but be nice as I said up top, LOL.
Juilus Randle is a true banger in the paint.
The City of Palms, Texas, Vegas .... the Blue Devils staff will be seeing a lot of kids this month. Some of those will be individual visits to the likes of Tyus Jones and Austin Nichols. The Blue Devils fell in love with Jones last year and I had already been there in that he always stood out to me. During my last interview with Jones, I came away very impressed at his grounded maturity which is far ahead of his years. And that kind of maturity is what you seek in a point guard. Duke will be on this kid hard as will everybody else int he nation, but early returns are that he likes Coach K and Duke a lot. Austin Nichols is a 6-8 slender forward approaching 200 pounds that the Devils staff will check out individually. A lot of SEC schools are on the Tennessee native and a few from the Big East along with Butler. Nichols caught the Blue Devils eye but it is early on this one, so we'll call it an on going evaluation.
On the team front, Coach K is very pleased with the 9-1 start to the season and the staff will take measures to try an assure there is no burnout from the added stress of the China trip. There are a few nagging injuries (nothing major) but I only speak of them when announced and the team rarely does this. The staff will be watching a lot of film, so expect a few new wrinkles as the new year moves in. As I said, the plan is to redshirt Alex Murphy and Marshall Plumlee and this will be a good thing down the road for these will be seasoned and mature freshman. And yes, I played a bit of a game in mentioning lineup changes the other week and many got a chuckle out of other sites running with it in public. It pays to know Duke Basketball, wink-wink and to be a member of Blue Devil Nation Premium. Thanks for being a member guys and let's go Duke!
Talk about this article on the Blue Devil Nation Premium Message Board, a part of your membership package and please do not share, copy and past this information per user agreement. There will be more news to follow in an addendum I will add to this update and we'll be on prospect hard. This is where you will get an idea of what Blue Devil Nation Premium is all about. [/private]
Matt Jones and Rasheed Sulaimon go at it in Cameron before Countdown to Craziness - BDN Photo
It's time for another Duke Basketball Team and Recruiting update and with that said, onto the latest happenings around the program. Many of you have asked what's the deal with [private] Alex Murphy. Well, Duke plans to redshirt him along with Marshall Plumlee but both could play if there were significant injuries. This will push Josh Hairston into a larger role and it definitely shortens the bench but the Blue Devils feel Michael Gbinije is starting to come along and they can afford to do this. The Blue Devils do not want to wast a year on Plumlee and Murphy and this of course gives them a three man class with the aforementioned joining Rasheed Sulaimon. The staff loves that Murphy and Plumlee are getting accustomed to the Duke system and both have made strides in practice. The decision on Murphy had little to do with the concussion and more to do with how much burn the guys would actually get this year.
Everybody wants to know what's up with Tony Parker and only he knows. The feeling is that he will not choose a school in December as he said he would. The feeling is it will go on for a while despite the parents wanting him in Durham. There is no way of telling what Parker thought of the loss to Ohio State, a school high on his list but surely he can see that there is a major spot available at Duke.
The Blue Devils coaches will be out and about in the next few days and we'll add more to this update when the visits are finalized. You can bet that Julius Randle and Jabari Parker are high on the list as is Jahill Okafor. I still feel the Blue Devils lead for the top player in the class in Parker and they are turning up the heat with Parker in limbo with Randle and other post players I will mention later.
The Blue Devil made the call to Matt Jones who recently signed and sort of prodded him along. Jones has known Duke was his team of choice and it was time to pull the trigger. The Blue Devils got a shooter like Dawkins, but Jones has a more rounded game. Jones, like Sulaimon, will start to recruit for Duke as well and the Blue Devils think both players can and will play together. Sulaimon is a much better on ball defender and has the potential to be one of the best in a while at Duke. The Blue Devils love the energy he brings when on the court.
With the exception of Mason Plumlee and Austin Rivers, all spots are open and the hungriest players will earn burn against Colorado State. Yes, Kelly, Dawkins, Curry and Thornton were all in the dog house on Tuesday and a message was sent to those guys to step it up. All of them looked tentative and at times played on their heels against Ohio State. The loss gives Coach K a great teaching opportunity and he will take advantage of it by fine tuning his team, so look for some serious effort in the next few games.
Despite the loss, the staff likes what this team has done and one bad loss will not take away from that. Mind you, nobody is happy with the blowout but the season is long. I expect Quinn Cook and Michael Gbinije to get more burn but neither really impressed in extended minutes during the loss in Columbus. Duke also wants to find a way to get senior Miles Plumlee going and he has had a mildly disappointing season to date. The Blue Devils will really need him when his brother Mason gets in foul trouble as the season goes on. The word is Miles plays good in practice but spaces a bit when in a real game, seemingly not being ready for the ball or to react when it is needed.
Coach K will be honored by Sports Illustrated as the Sportsman of the Year, a great honor. We'll add an addendum to this update shortly on who the Blue Devils will visit. [/private]
It's getting down to crunch time for one of the nations top senior prospects in the 6-9, 280 pound Tony Paker. The big man with the soft hands and solid post moves visited the Duke campus this past weekend where he took in the Blue Devils exhibition game. Parker was accompanied by his parents and arrived on Friday and spent close to 48 hours with the Duke players and staff. Blue Devil Nation Premium caught up with Tony Parker who gave us all the latest skinny including his thoughts on his visit to Duke where he used the word "great," numerous times. It's a great time to join and gain full site access and then discuss the latest with members on our private message board.
We talked during the AAU circuit and beyond and each time you said that you would be making a decision before your high school season. Is that your plan?
Yes sir. Our season starts November 10th but we're already practicing.
What kind of team do you guys have this season and will you be playing in some of the national made for T.V. games?
We should have a pretty good team, real experienced. We have four games all of them will be on ESPN. [private]
And which programs that have recruited you are still on your list? [private]
It's Duke, Ohio State, Memphis, Georgetown and UCLA.
Have you visited all of those schools to date?
Yes. No, I haven't been to Georgetown.
With a decision looming in a few weeks will you be going there soon?
Yes sir.
Tony, you just came off a visit to Duke this past weekend -- how did that go?
It went great, I really enjoyed it. I really had a great time and I had a great time at the game and really appreciate the fans and it was an all around great visit.
When you say you appreciated the fans, can you elaborate on that a bit more?
The Cameron Crazies are a great fan base and they recognize you. They made a sign or poster which I thought was pretty cool. I could hear them cheering my name and one time they were chanting for me to come sit with them and I thought that was great.
Now the lead assistant for Duke is ...
Jeff Capel. It was Nate James and I was able to talk to him too. He just talked to me about where i would fit in and play. They said they would use me as a scorer and give me the ball a lot kind of like they did Elton brand and Carlos Boozer. They showed me film of those guys.
What do you think about Coach K and can you share a little bit of what he said?
He basically said the same thing and he talked to me a lot throughout the weekend making sure I was okay and I think he is a great coach. He's doing a lot of good things with Duke Basketball and he just talked to me about basketball in a straight up way and that meant a lot.
How did you get along with the players while there?
Really well. I talked with pretty much all of them and Quinn Cook showed me around just like the staff did. I saw a lot of the facilities. I got to see Kyrie Irving, Nolan Smith and people like that and they sat behind me and my parents at the game. I didn't play any pick up because they had a game you know.
What was your favorite part about the visit?
Going to the game and seeing how they play. They just played a good game and really got after it. It was great and I thought they really played well.
Are any teams standing out?
No, not really. We are still discussing it. My parents will help me with my decision the most.
What did they think about this past weekends visit?
They really liked the visit. They love Duke. My parents have always loved Duke, it's there favorite school.
How do you see yourself at the college level? A center, a power forward?
I think the power forward, I like coming off the blocks and that would be my main position in college.
And how tall are you now Tony?
6-9, 280 pounds.
If there was a game on the line, would you rather have the winning block or a score?
The winning block. I like to play defense.
How is everything else going Tony, like school and such?
School is school. It's my senor year so it's going by real fast. School is all well.
Do you fell like you are living the dream? I mean do you ever step back and think all these good programs are recruiting me and humble yourself?
Yes, all the time.
What are the words you live by or the outlook you have on life?
I would have to say just work hard at whatever you want to do and have a goal and a dream set in life. I want to play basketball so I work hard at it and basketball is my dream. Basically, just work hard and achieve your dreams.
Thank you for your time Tony and good with the recruiting process.
Yes sir, thank you.
Synopsis - Despite the paranoia surrounding his recruitment by much of the fan base, it is worth noting that Parker has kept Duke at the top of his list. While his comments can be all over the place at times, his recruitment is at the point where you can take what he says to the bank. Parker's voice lit up when he spoke of his visit to Duke and it was genuine. While he said he will visit Georgetown, I have my doubts with the season so near but if it happens, it will be the coming weekend. Count how many times he used the word "great," in the interview which I think points to Duke being a most serious player. There is no doubt in my mind that young Parker felt the love from everywhere, be it the crazies, team or staff. He knows there is time for him at Duke and in my opinion, I now feel Duke is the leader for his services. Go back to where his parents will be most influential in helping him with his decision and how they have loved Duke all along and I will once again tell you, family is just that, family. And that family clearly wants him in the Duke family. I think the stars are aligning on this one. Of course this is recruiting so there are no guarantees. [/private]
New Hampton's Noah Vonleh, Photo by Andrew Slater/BDN
Noah Vonleh, who has developed a reputation as a tireless worker, enrolled as a student at the New Hampton School in New Hampshire last month as a 2014 student. Vonlehwas looking to challenge himself in arguably the toughest high school league in the country, the NEPSAC, and in the smaller classrooms, while enjoying the accessibility of his new coaches, teachers, and facilities. As a result of his success during the AAU season with the Mass Rivals, he caught the eyes of college coaches and evaluators. This fall, they've traveled en masse to observe the Haverhill, Massachusetts native in "open gyms" alongside his New Hampton teammates. Vonleh added that this was a marked change from the open gyms held last year at his local public high school.
Noah noted the hard work that he and Coach Pete Hutchins put in to refine the mechanics of his perimeter shot. They've tried to improve his accuracy by working to shoot straight up off of his right hand, as opposed to gaining leverage by crossing the body on the long-distance jumper. With three years to fine-tune it, it's a worthwhile "work in progress" that will enable him to gain more consistency and a quicker shot release, enabling the 6'8" sophomore forward to enjoy the versatility of being able to play the small forward position on the next level or be a potent face-up four. He also has embraced the classroom attention and increased workload that the smaller teacher-to-student ratio provides at New Hampton.
This past weekend, Vonleh spent the Columbus Day weekend in New London, CT on the campus of Connecticut College. He was teamed with his high school teammate and close friend Zach Auguste, a Notre Dame commitment, on the Mass Rivals, as they competed in the BasketBull Columbus Day Challenge.
Noah Vonleh, Photo by Andrew Slater/BDN
On the opening night, Vonleh was hit with an unusually high amount of foul calls ( three in less than five minutes of playing time) against the smaller frontline of the Raritan Roundballers and Coach Vin Pastore was forced to sit his sophomore star more than he would have liked. Noah came out more focused in the second half. He scored all eight of his points from close range, rebounded the ball with ferocity (11 rebounds), and tied up the shorter, opposing three. In the nightcap (literally beginning at 10 PM), Vonleh used his combination of soft hands, tenacity, and 7'2"+ wingspan to dominate the glass and cause hesitation in low-post shooters. He finished with six blocked shots, four steals, and fourteen rebounds.
Between the games, Noah mentioned that he has been working consistently with Coach Hutchins on improving his ball-handling. Three times during the final game, Vonleh was able to grab a defensive rebound, navigate traffic and ultimately go coast-to-coast for a finger roll, twice getting fouled as he made the transition basket.
The following is a quick update from Noah Vonleh, New Hampton forward and Duke recruit:
How has the transition to New Hampton gone for you so far?
The transition’s been pretty good. It’s way different from high school. The classes are harder. You’ve got less kids in the classes. The teachers are very close to the students. You live with some of them. Yeah, exactly, dorm parents.
Right, what are the facilities like? Maybe touch on that. Yeah, the gym is open. The area for lifting is open and the coaches are always there to help you.
[private]
That’s great for you, I remember that you said you worked out like crazy and now you have access all of the time. Yeah, it’s great. We get to work out and work on lifting all of the time.
Has you body changed at all or not really? Not yet, but it will be by the time I’m done. I guarantee it will be. Yeah, we're lifting all the time.
How has your training changed? Have you done things differently in terms of things you want to work on? In terms of training, I've been doing different ball-handling drills. Yeah, I saw you working on that before this game. Yeah. Is that so you can play more on the perimeter? Yeah.
Can you talk about the open gym experience? I’m sure plenty of coaches came to see you. What was that like? It was great. We had Roy Williams, we had all types of coaches, we had Duke, North Carolina, Syracuse, other schools. A lot of different schools.
Was that a major difference in terms of the open gym this year versus last year or, rather, last year to this year? Yeah, last year, we didn’t really have any. So, that’s great for you. Yeah, it was a great experience.
What were some of the schools that came? Duke, North Carolina, Kansas, Syracuse, and Georgetown.
How has role and position changed from last year to this year ? It was different last year because I was the tallest guy and they were focused on trying to stop me and so you had to fight for position. That’s why I did most of the ball-handling, too. I’d be at the top of the key and teams would be able to set up their defense and they could focus on me, but now they can’t do that. With Zach (Auguste) Yeah, there are so many guys that they can’t key on me or any one of us. Oh, that’s gotta be great and it’ll be a good experience for in college.
What’s it like living with Zach? Oh, it’s been cool. He’s been showing me around. We go everywhere together. Have you guys been driving each other in practice? Yeah, we’ve been pushing each other.
Have you taken any visits since August? Do you have any plans?
No, I haven’t, but I think I’m going to go out to Arizona in a few weeks with Coach Hutchins.
Oh, okay. Are you going to any midnight madness? I know some people go to those.
I think I’m going to go to UConn for theirs.
What would you say you’ve tried to work on most since the summer? My jumper. I’ve been trying to work on that.
Well, I saw you, before the game, working on your three-point shot. Are you trying to work on your three-pointer or are you trying to concentrate on your mid-range and beyond? Yeah, my three-point shot and my pull-up.
How’s it going? Are you seeing an improvement? I am trying. I’ve been working with Coach Hutchins trying to change my shot. (motioning) He’s trying to work with me on taking my shot from this side (pointing to the left) and instead on going straight up.
Is it sort of a work in progress? Yeah, it’s coming.
That’s good to hear and I’m sure it will. When does your season begin for fans that want to catch you play? We start practicing on November 1st and then our first tournament will probably be around Thanksgiving.
Right, I thought I was going to catch you next month at one of the tournaments that they’re having in New Haven.
Oh, yeah, yeah, definitely.
What does your coach expect out of you in terms of production and your role on the team?
AAU or high school? Both, actually, is probably best.
In AAU, to be a better leader on the team, be our primary rebounder. You did a pretty good job at rebounding in very limited time in this game.
Yeah, it was frustrating with all of the early foul calls. It was kind of frustrating. Yeah, tell me about it. (laughs)
Okay, and now, what about the prep school level? In prep school, I’m just trying to get into the system or the things that Coach Hutchins asks. Coach wants me to be able to knock down shots. I didn’t know if they expected more scoring out of you on one team or the other. Yeah, now I've got to step up and try to do it on both teams.
Thanks, Noah, and good luck to you. Thanks a lot and good to see you again.
[/private]
Forward Chris McCullough, Photo by Andrew Slater/BDN
If deployed properly, basketball can be used as a passport to take one beyond the station that one is born into. It can open up doors to a young person unlike few things in life. Adults will fly you around the country, give you meals in restaurants, help you with your school work, and offer you advice, among other things. At a lot of camps and clinics, a speaker will say the aphorism, "Use basketball. Don't let basketball use you."
Chris McCullough is a nearly 6'9" driven young man from the Bronx, who played for Team Scan 15 U this AAU season. He's currently using basketball to attend Salisbury School, a $47,000 boarding school in Southwestern Connecticut that seeks to educate three hundred well-rounded young men. Salisbury, which is located in a bucolic town of the same name that is roughly a little over two hours away from the Bronx, offers state-of-the-art facilities and a very competitive basketball league, NEPSAC. Chris has used this opportunity to develop his game (erupted onto the national scene after an ever improving freshman season), his mind (currently taking Latin as a foreign language), and his body (hitting the expansive weight room and playing WR/FS on the school's 2-0 football team). This upcoming season, they will return a good portion of the talent from last year's squad [McCullough, 6'1" Ryan Frazier (Bucknell) and 6'6" Samuel Dingba] and add in several solid players, including Myles Jones, a three-sport athlete and an All-American lacrosse player from New York who's completing a postgraduate year at Salisbury before heading to Duke, Glenn Baral from Northern California, and a 2013 transfer from Proctor, Michael Geanellis.
McCullough came to Salisbury through his play with the Boys Club of New York, when he was a standout in their tryouts. Since then, Chris has blossomed into a 6'8" hybrid forward with a wingspan of over seven feet. Last season, as a freshman, he earned third-team Class A All-NEPSAC and helped lead Salisbury to the Class A Final, where, on a team with multiple Division I players, he stepped up with a team-high fourteen points against Choate.
This summer, while playing for Team SCAN 15U, McCullough was a force on both ends, using his athleticism and fluidity to attack lumbering bigs, while leveraging his length, size, and improving perimeter shot against smaller wings. His length helped cause havoc in the passing lanes and in blocking shots near the basket. Chris helped SCAN win the Hall of Fame Invitational in Massachusetts and finish as the runner up in both the Providence Jam Fest and the Fab 48 in the desert of Las Vegas.
SCAN, which began in the late 1970s, operates as an outreach program for families in the South Bronx and East Harlem, providing a wide variety of services including after-school help, camps, educational and vocational training, and counseling to nearly four hundred families in order to achieve long-term success and development. Chris' AAU coach, Coach "Munch" Williams, was part of the SCAN program, eventually attended Wesleyan University, one of the top liberal arts colleges in the country, and now helps run the Mullaly Academy in the Bronx.
Although he's got several more years to decide on a college, McCullough has visited several schools including St. John's, Seton Hall, Arizona, UConn, and Syracuse. The sophomore already holds offers from most of the Big East, Florida, Arizona, Iowa State, and Temple, amongst others.
The ambitious young man, Chris McCullough, spoke briefly with Blue Devil Nation.
Can you touch on your decision to go to Salisbury? What have you gotten out of the experience so far? Also, what are the facilities and competition like? Salisbury's been great as far as providing academics and basketball. We've got some new players coming in and we should be a really good team. We should be able to win a Championship this year and next year. That needs to be our goal.
How will your role change from last year to this year? I think it'll be bigger because I've tried to work on my skills a lot since last season ended. I've been just trying to grind.
[private] What do you think that your strengths and weaknesses are right now? My weakness is my outside shot... a little bit.
And what do you feel is the strength of your game right now? Oh, I don't really have one.
Obviously, your versatility is a factor. What position do you think that you'll end up playing long-term? I think I'll play the three.
Will distance be a factor for you, whenever you do decide? Oh, no. Not at all.
What are some things that you're ideally looking for in a program? In college? Yeah, I'm sorry. I know it's so far away. No, no, that's alright. It's a gotta be a good school with a feeling that we're gonna be a part of something bigger and I'd like a chance to start. So playing time will be a factor? Oh, yes.
Can you talk about the rise of New England basketball and some of the competition that you face on a regular basis? Oh, yeah, I play against good schools and players. The point guard at Hotchkiss is heading to Marquette Derrick Wilson. Yeah.
What are your goals for this high school season, collectively and individually? Just one goal. Win a championship.
In terms of AAU ball this year, how would you assess your play? I feel I've grown a lot and faced a lot of great players. You feel that you've had a good run though? Oh, yeah, yeah.
How do you feel when you play in front of college coaches? What do you feel inside? Excited. I feel excited.
What schools are after you and what offers do your have? My offers are Syracuse, Saint John's, Providence, Rutgers, Iowa State, Temple, and a few others. Those are the ones that I definitely know of.
Now, in asking around, there was a belief that St. John's is your "dream school." Is that accurate? Oh, no, not at all. I'm wide open.
Is there a player that you try to model your game after? Just Kevin Durant.
Who will you seek guidance from whenever you do decide on a college? I'm not sure.
Who's the toughest player that you've gone against so far? Wayne Selden. The little guard…he's tough.
You do both, but do you feel more comfortable with your back to the basket or facing up? Definitely facing up.
What's your favorite part of the court to catch the ball? The free throw line.
Academically, I assume you're totally fine. Is that correct? Oh, yeah, yeah. That's been no problem.
What would you like the audience to know about you away from the court? That I'm a good kid.
Are any ACC schools recruiting you at this time? Virginia. Virginia's the only one so far.
Just out of curiosity, what do you know about the Duke program or university? Not much, I just know they're a great program and I like to watch them play when they're on TV.
Alright, Chris and Coach, thank you very much for your time and good luck in the future. Definitely, thanks. Any time.[/private]
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