One thing you can generally count on is that the Georgia Stars AAU Basketball team will have some big time college prospects on the team year in and year out. BDN caught up to their well known head coach of 23 years Norman Parker recently where we talked about two of his studs. Duke has long been after Tony Parker,Tony Parker a force in the paint and now Alex Poythress has caught their eyes as well.
Talk about Alex Poythress for me. He has really come on since last season and just joined the Stars this season.
He's got great character an brings a wonderful attitude to our team and to be honest with you we are learning how to use him and fit him into to our offensive scheme. I think our team will get better as we get used to [private] working with him as a team. He is an outstanding young man that I think will be a future pro one day.
It is intersting to see just how much he has improved in a year.
We think he has improved a lot in one season. I wanted him to come play with us to play the perimeter, not just wanting him to play in the paint because he does handle the ball. He shoots the ball well and does a lot of things good handling the ball well to be 6-8.
He played really well in Hampton, especially when Parker went down.
He stepped up when Tony Parker could not play, he was our go to guy and I think you could see that more and more as games get on the line, we will have to use him and Tony. Getting those two to play together will be a challenge but they are rooming together and like each other so we are beginning to build out chemistry and when you get two kids like that it take a while.
Tony reshapped his body in the off season in a big way ...
Tony works really hard. He works out daily. He runs, he lifts weights, he does everything he can to get his body in shape and I told him during high school his body looks as fine tuned as I have ever seen him. He's big, got great hands, good footwork and he's been a little injury prone. We worry about that a little. He didn't play in any games in the final day in Hampton but we just have to be patient with that as he gets his back well.
You guys lost to a couple of really good teams this weekend, but seem to be in good shape to make it to Peach Jam or the NYBL Finals.
As we continue to grow, we'll come together and make it to the Peach Jam. The Georgia Stars always have and we'll do it again especially when Tony and Alex continue to get accustomed to one another. [/private]
If you are a member of the media you are well aware that at Duke you interview coaches and players in the Bill Brill Media Room. Brill is a Duke icon and a legend in many ways. When Brill would sit down to write his articles, he had a unique style in that he would pop the keyboard with two fingers rarely referring to notes. That is the kind of guy he was, full of knowledge and that's why his work was off the top of his head and straight forward. Brill would often ask me about recruiting and he was quick to tell you he was into the sport it has become before it became popular. I had an opportunity to visit Brill at his house helping him with a computer issue and from that point forward we got to know each other over the years at various Duke events. Brill passed away on Sunday and he is now in a better place, likely still watching his Blue Devils. I speak for many in the media in saying, we'll truly miss Bill. And each time I enter the media room at Duke in the near future, I will pay homage to his name where it appears on the wall. Here is more on Bill Brill. And this from Go Duke. When I first started attending Duke as media, I would always sit with Bill Brill, Jim Sumner, Al Featherston and Bob Harris at our Duke table. We'll save an empty seat for Bill in the future as a tribute.
It's recruiting season around BDN and I am just getting to many articles that will hit this coming week. I attended the NIKE EYBL in Hampton, Virginia to get a glimpse at Duke prospects and future Devils. We spoke to several kids, including Rasheed Sulaimon who will be doing a diary for Blue Devil Nation during his AAU and coming high school season.
One of Duke's key prospects Tony Parker didn't play in the last two games with back problems, but he showed off his new physique. We have a lot of information on him and the recruiting process on the inside at BDN Premium, so it is a great time to join and gain full site access. We have a ccouple of videos coming this afternoon on him as well. We also cover a bevy of new names and you can discuss the latest with fellow members on our subscriber only message board.
This coming weekend features two events of concern for Duke fans. The first is of course, the Duke Men's Basketball Banquet, always a good time and for the truest blue of fans. Tickets are still available. Then there is the Jordan-Brand All Star event in Charlotte, North Carolina. BDN will be front and center for the festivities where we will talk with Austin Rivers and Michael Gbinije.
This weeks Monday Musings is a bit short, but we will return next week with a more in depth look at happenings around the Duke Athletic Programs.
One of the things that recruits do once they sign is go after other prospects to play with them. Rasheed Sulaimon shares a bit on that in this exclusive video. We also update the NYBL statistical leaders. In another note, Tony Parker is sitting out his teams morning game with back spasms. Much more [private] to come on BDN Premium.
Day One is in the books at the Nike EYBL Session I, otherwise known as the Boo Williams Invitational. There were several Duke targets playing Friday evening, including the nation's top rated big man Tony Parker. We'll have plenty of video coming your way as we go into next week, although just about every Duke site imaginable was on the same players at the same time this evening, meaning a lot of the same stuff.
Parker showed off his newly chiseled body where he has lost some of his body fat from last season. He ran the court well for his Georgia Stars as they walked through their opponent.
Parker played sparingly and that was an effort to [private] save his legs for the rest of the session and foul trouble. Parker spoke highly of Coach Krzyzewski and said he talked with him often. He mentioned that UNC had offered but he has yet to talk with Roy Williams.
It was clear that Duke is a big player for his services but this one could go on for a bit. Parker said he'd sit down with his parents and advisers before making a decision and mentioned that he would visit Duke and UNC in the coming months. I feel much better about the Blue Devils chances with Parker after the interview.
Rasheed Sulaimon told BDN he'd been working on his game and that he was quicker on and off ball. Sulaimon scored 12 points in the first half but was scoreless in the second as his team cruised to an easy victory. We'll have more on Sulaimon a bit later, including videos, interviews and the like. Sulaimon has a sweet stroke and runs around the court like a water bug. He is confident in his abilities and the way he spoke to media gives me the impression he is up for any challenges. He said he loved playing with LJ Rose, a kid Duke once recruited. Rose point blank told me, he still loves Duke and wishes they'd recruit him. Not one Duke site payed any mind to him but now that I just mentioned this tidbit concerning his interest, watch his name magically appear elsewhere, wink, wink. Still, Duke seems set with Quinn Cook, so it'd be a long shot for them to offer at this time. Rose has a long list of suitors.
BDN talked with Theo Pinson as well, a kid who moved from D-One Sports to CP-3 this season. He is but 15 years old and playing with the big boys and he can already hold his own. He is fleet afoot and we'll have more on his game with an exclusive interview before the weekend is out. We already have tape of him from the gang of Duke sites rushing to speak with him. I have a ton of background on this sure fire prospect.
A lot of Duke fans have heard the name Brandon Ashley tossed about but trust me in that he is a long, long shot. He mentioned UNC when I was questioning him, glowing and the IC guys swooped in. I also talked with Oakland Soldiers teammate Aaron Gordon who had a monster game with some big time highlights. He has a ton of potential and said he has not heard from Duke or ACC schools. He has not list other than PAC-10 schools.
Anthony Bennett of CIA Bounce 17 played well tonight. He loves to get into the lane and mix it up and has the ability to become a beast. Bennett is of course Canadian and during the interview I felt he was unfamiliar with college hoops and asked him about that and he admitted he didn't really keep up with it growing up, not knowing much of the traditional powers. His list was long and growing and he is at the beginning of the process. He spoke of being free in a more open system than that his high school team plays. He seemed a bit surprised at the attention but liked it.
I spoke to Julius Randle as well and he loves to float outside despite his height. He went up against the aircraft carrier known as Sim Bhullar, listed at 7-5 and over 300 pounds. [/private]
With the season winding down one might think Duke is not recruiting hard, but they are quite active and still persuing several kids. The Blue Devils added a solid one-two punch when Alex Murphy and Rasheed Sulaimon chose to play their collegiate careers in Durham in the same week. Murphy is a wing player who'll likely play the small forward role while Sulaimon is more suited to play out front. Many have wondered if Murphy would re qualify and the answer is (A 1227 word update awaits BDN members) [private] no, not unless he goes to summer school. Look for Murphy to transfer from St. Mark's in the coming year to a school where he'll play better competition. I should be able to tell you where that will be soon.
The addition of these two prospects allows Duke to now turn their attention to other main targets, two of which are Tony Parker, a behemoth big man from Georgia and Shabazz Muhammad, a multi talented wing. North Carolina has moved hard on Parker but in a chat with Dave Telep this past weekend, the ESPN talent evaluator said he still feels Duke leads. As for Muhammad, the team to beat is Kentucky, a school he'll soon visit. Duke is still very much in the mix for these two but they do have stiff competition and only time will tell how they'll fare.
We reported that Justin Anderson was getting some looks and that will continue. Anderson's camp is claiming an offer per Andrew, but the offer is contingent at this time but that could change any time now. Anderson is close friends with current Duke player Josh Hairston and he is a bit of a hybrid player in that he plays a bit bigger than he actually is. Duke feels he is a type of player they currently don't have, but harbor your emotion for that is said of many prospects, especially the aforementioned Parker.
This past weekend Michael Gbinije, Quinn Cook and Marshall Plumlee played in Cameron and I took in the action. As has been said, Gbinije has to be the shyest guy ever. But that's not all bad in that it is a part of his make up as being a team player. Gbinije still needs to be more aggressive, especially on the boards but he is capable and seems to be able to do what he is told. He was named his teams MVP.
BDN is on the scene at Duke.
Quinn Cook led his Oak Hill team to two wins and he seems to be coming along but is still favoring his knee. On occasion, he tries to do too much, but he is a distributor and he has above average offense for a point guard. Marshall Plumlee is coming along nicely as well and he continues to play hard and aggressive when in the game. Despite being the only big, Christ School runs few plays through Plumlee this season which is curious when you consider his passing skills and his ability to draw a crowd in the post. Both prospects will join Austin Rivers in the McDonald's All American game, but Gbinije is a fifth year senior and like John Wall last season, is ineligible. There has been much discussion since the ESPN telecast of his game said he may redshirt. While that has been discussed it will still be a wait and see thing and there is no reason to get caught up in worry one way or another until the start of next season for we'll no nothing until then.
You may have seen that Duke didn't make JP Tokoto's list which was trimmed recently. That's because Duke backed off of him, showing little interest. And to think, Tokoto could have given Duke a verbal during their camp! Duke offered him at that time and he almost signed that day after a great trip, but they decided to wait and they are still waiting, almost dragging their feet with the process. That is fortunate for Duke in that he took a major tumble in the rankings and has yet to show he can step up and be the man on any of his teams. He'll still be a good one, just not at Duke.
After being on the AAU trail for several years, you learn to take in guys who are not always on the radar in that the recruiting landscape changes. That's why BDN talked with Austin Rivers when he was a 15 year old prodigy, two months shy of picking Florida. Well, we know what happened and the guys we've kept up with of late are the aforementioned Anderson, once thought to be off the radar and now Andre Drummond.
As Andrew has stated, Drummond is no longer a UConn lock as has been thought. He also has some Duke ties which again, Andrew has mentioned on our message board. I still feel he is a long shot but you never know. And for some breaking news of sorts, Duke Assistant Nate James was check him out last evening but connecting flights issues kept him from doing so . The catch is he was going to see a new name on the radar, big man Mitch McGary. What a great opportunity for James to check out these guys go head to head. We'll have more on this new kid on the block later and we will hopefully be talking to him before TOS's suddenly happen upon his name once this article goes to press.
As for James, he is up to more than just checking this game out. Another new name on the recruiting radar is Anthony Bennett and the Dogg will take the lead on this one. We have more. He will also check out North Carolina in state product Montrezl Harrell [6-7 BF Tarboro, NC] in the coming weeks.
There are some names on the radar in the class of 2013, but those will not solidify until AAU ball this summer and you guys know how active we are that time of year.
A note on women's recruting is that highly rated Betnijay Laney will is down to Duke and Rutgers. If the Blue Devils land her, they'll have the top class with three outstanding women. BDN Flashback
Lastly, there is the Kyrie Irving situation. It's day to day and his return is dependent on complete healing. Irving cannot help his stock by returning to the court and that could be a factor. However, so far, so good with concerns to the timetable we mentioned long ago. He can play this season if he wants to but that decision with be a family one. While Duke has certainly not shut the door on a possible return, they are cautiously optimistic at best in the way the convey things to insiders and the public. They want the current players to play as if Irving will not return but they'd welcome Irving with open arms if he suits up. I remain a glass half full kind of guy on this one and I will not back down now from saying I still think we'll see him play. As I have been saying, the door had by no means been shut in any official manner to date but keep in mind that he is not going full throttle in practice yet and that means time will tell. Discuss the latest on the BDN message board and please adhere to user agreement with concerns to this article. Go Duke! [/private]
As the holiday season continues, high school basketball tournaments roll on across the nation. Tony Parker and Miller Grove High participated in the Beach Ball Classic at Myrtle Beach, SC, Rasheed Sulaimon and Strake Jesuit High were in action at the Father George National Jesuit Christmas Classic in Bethesda, MD, Mike Gbinije and Benedictine High participated in the Capital City Classic in Richmond, VA, Marshall Plumlee and Christ School were in action at the GlaxoSmithKline Holiday Invitational in Raleigh, NC, and Shabazz Muhammad and Bishop Gorman HS participated in the Les Schwab Invitational in Hillsboro, OR. [private]
Tony Parker dominated at the Beach Ball Classic with back-to-back-to-back double-double performances as Miller Grove High School won the tournament championship. Parker set a tournament record for rebounds (58) and was named the tournament Most Valuable Player. He scored 61 points in Miller Grove’s three wins.
In the championship game, a 79-58 victory over Boys & Girls High School (NY), Parker scored 20 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and blocked four shots.
To advance to the championship game, Miller Grove survived two overtime games against Gonzaga (Wash DC), 67-59 and Douglass (Okla City) 76-71. Parker recorded 21 points and 18 rebounds against Gonzaga, and 20 points and 27 rebounds against Douglass.
At the Capital City Classic, Benedictine won the championship with an 85-65 win over Miller School. Mike Gbinije scored 18 points. In the opening round, Gbinije’s stat line was 27 points, six rebounds, eight steals and four assists as Benedictine defeated Cathedral 78-50.
Rasheed Sulaimon, the latest 2012 recruit to receive a scholarship offer form the Blue Devils, was named Most Valuable Player at the Father George National Jesuit Christmas Classic. Here is a link to a nice write up by Blue Devil Nation member Chris Heery over at DukeHoopBlog. Here is a tournament photo gallery.
Marshall Plumlee exploded offensively in the second and third games at the GSK Invitational scoring 14 points and 21 points after scoring nine points in the tournament opener.
Christ School finished in third place overall by defeating Brandon HS 70-46, losing to United Faith Christian 68-48, and defeating Westchester Country Day 62-51.
Shabazz Muhammad scored 23 points and hauled in 10 rebounds in the championship game at the Les Schwab Invitational, but Bishop Gorman fell to DeMatha 58-52. Muhammad averaged 21.3 points per game in the tournament and was named to the All-Tournament Team.
Now that the holiday tournaments are all wrapped up, high schools will be returning to their regular schedule and Blue Devil Nation will continue to keep our readers up to date on all the action with links to game recaps and box scores so be sure and check back for our continuing coverage of High School Hoops 2011. [/private]
You must be logged in to post a comment.