Hoops Season Wrapping Up, Tournaments and Sectionals Draw Near

The dog ate the Good Mongrel's homework for a few months, but here's some of what is goin' on with some players we've been watching and a few who have caught our attention.

Some links to Hoosier hoop stars:

Hamilton Southeastern's Gary Harris and Pike's Marquis Teague have been having big seasons. Here's a blurb from the Indy Star that mentions a tangle between the two back court standouts as well as Warren Central's 6'6 Devin Davis from the class of 2013. Keep your eyes on this one, Purdue, Indiana, Illinois, Butler, Southern Illinois and others already are. http://blogs.indystar.com/recruitingcentral/2010/02/thursday-notes-1.html

Here's another feature on the sensational Harris who has offers from Illinois, Xavier, and IUPUI already. http://www.indystar.com/article/20100219/SPORTS0203/2190323/1361/SPORTS0615/Hamilton-SE-s-Harris-develops?GID=blZCLvwi/nen5t54w+paRPvco/+sPlwVY2B32tA4zwU%3D

And a third link from the Indy Star which has done an outstanding job covering recruiting the last six months or so. Ohio State recruit and Ft Wayne senior Deshawn Thomas has arguably been the best player in Indiana since the end of his freshman year when Eric Gordon graduated. He has a chance to break Damon Bailey's state scoring record. He has been a big name so long that I think some national guys have taken him for granted. http://www.indystar.com/article/20100113/SPORTS0615/1130352/1361/SPORTS0615/FW-Luers-Thomas-has-chance-to-pass-Bailey-for-scoring-record

Northern Indiana powers Merrillville and Valparaiso collided a few days ago with Merrillville avenging an earlier season loss to Valpo behind a big game from Jeremiah Jones. http://nwitimes.com/sports/high-school/indiana/article_133e6f91-3a2e-563d-96cc-698f55759a45.html

Illinois hoops has been heating up of late as well. Chicago city championship goes to UL recruit and 2011 star Wayne Blackshear who has had an enormous year to date. Blackshear has had several 40+ point games and hit the game winner for his Morgan Park club with 13 seconds left to beat Foreman 61-60 (photo above is from following Sun-Times YS article). http://yourseason.suntimes.com/2059786,021910-morgan-park-marshall-boys-basketball.article

The suburban championship fell to 2010 stars Duje Dukan and Glenbrook North star Alex Dragecevich. Glenbrook defeated Deerfield in this battle between smooth shooting big wings. http://yourseason.suntimes.com/boys_basketball/2059765,021910-glenbrook-north-deerfield-boys.article

Here's a recent Chicagohoops.com profile of 2011 6'8 forward Josh Piper which the Good Mongrel has raved about a time or two in the past. Yale and Ball State are two of the schools in the running for the power forward with the nice mid range jumper. http://www.chicagohoops.com/articles1/joshpiper.html

Another fine update from Chicagohoops has Orr sophomore Jacob Williams considering Xavier, Butler, and Illinois among others. http://www.chicagohoops.com/articles1/jacobwilliams2.html

The Bluegrass State has seen an upsurge in talent for the next couple of years and many (including most of my email friends and comments on this blog) expected defending state champion Ricardo Johnson and Scott County star Ge'lawn Guyn to duel for Mr Basketball, but the Good Mongrel warned that the honor could ultimately fall to Trinity's Josh Sewell and indeed he has had the biggest season of the trio. However, don't sleep on Shelby County and UL walk-on Elisha Justice who has had an enormous season to date. http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20100209/SPORTS11/2090365/1078/SPORTS11/Elisha+Justice+preparing+to+be+a+Cardinal
Brackets are set for the state tournament in the Buckeye State. http://highschoolsports.cleveland.com/boysbasketball/

Don't forget to check out this article on a great win by Benedictine (Cameron Wright and Derek Jackson) over St Vincent St Mary's (Jakar Sampson). http://highschoolsports.cleveland.com/news/article/-9120140584922745048/third-quarter-is-difference-as-benedictine-boys-basketball-team-defeats-st-vincent-st-mary/

Devin Oliver continues to come up big for Kalamazoo Central as this article on their victory over Muskegon Heights indicates. http://highschoolsports.mlive.com/news/article/-9120141584926745044/devin-olivers-renewed-intensity-gives-kalamazoo-central-boost-in-boys-basketball-win-over-muskegon-heights/

Mac Irvin Fire coming up big at Desert Duel and other updates.

Desert Duel

* The Mac Irvin Fire had two squads in the final eight of the Desert Duel in Phoenix. The 17U squad made it to the semi-finals and the 16U squad played up and made the final eight in a brutal field. Several players came up big for the Fire on the road trip out west to Vegas and Phoenix. The 17U squad is led by Ahmad Starks at point guard. Starks is an Oregon State commitment and has been arguably the most consistently good player on the squad this July. Uncommitted super athlete Reggie Smith is being recruited by Marquette, Butler, and Indiana among others. He's a 6'0 point who can jump out of the gym and shoot some. The Sun-Times named him first team all state this year, that is their photo on the right from January of 08. Illinois commitments Myers Leonard and Jerome Richmond are among the Fire's better players and are even better college prospects. Its a pretty loaded team who had a chance to go out to Vegas and answer some critics by playing hard and making their mark on some good tournaments and they did exactly that. No hardware for the Fire on the west coast swing, but coming off fine efforts where they competed very well the Fire are set up well to finish strong at the End of Summer Classic in Merrillville this weekend. They can join the Illinois Warriors, Illinois Titans, Rising Stars, and maybe one or two other squads as the best from Illinois this summer. The Illinois Wolves have a lot of talent and will be at the End of Summer Classic also.

* Here's a nice feature from the Hendrickson Blog in the Sun Times on the Fire, particularly 2011 big wing Wayne Blackshear who is being recruited by Louisville, Illinois, Indiana, and other teams. http://blogs.suntimes.com/hoopsreport/

* Petersberg Elite (Justin Coleman) defeated Nike Team Florida to win the tournament.

USSSA Nationals:

* Team Southern Indiana Red 17U went 1-1 in Pool play, beating Lithuania and losing to Spiece Gym Rats (Tolson). TSI was led by Garret Ross who scored 15. Hoosierhills twittered earlier that the 2012 squad lost to Northwest Ohio basketball Club 64-58 despite 14 from Max Clemons.

* The TSI 2011 squad includes 2013 star Daryl Baker. Jody Demling's blog said he had 28 points in a pool game yesterday. Hoosierhillshoops twittered that an Indiana assistant was on hand for one of his games yesterday. http://www.courier-journal.com/blogs/demling/blog.html

* I'll be up in Ft Wayne Thursday morning and afternoon and either back there on Friday or in Merrillville for the End of Summer Classic on Friday depending on the brackets. Let me know if there is someone I need to see. I'll be taking photos for the blog and might get some video.

Double Pump Best of Summer (LA)

* Ohio Basketball Club 17U went undefeated in pool play at the Double Pump tournament in LA per Buckeye Prep twitter. The 17U club is being watched by Akron, Bowling Green, Cleveland State, Ohio, Notre Dame, and other schools.

* Indiana Elite (Fox) is 3-0 in pool play without Ge-lawn Guyn who hurt his ankle. No word on the injury yet other than it is getting x-rayed. Best of luck to a Mongrel favorite. Guyn is a long armed competitive athlete who will be a good player at Charlotte in the Mongrel's opinion. Indiana Elite (Fox) will probably focus more on the inside game with 6'8 Bloomington South forward Eric Fromm. Fromm is versatile and has a little range and will be a lot of fun for Butler fans to watch for four years.

* The Derek Smith All Stars 16U team (Abel, Fant, others) went 3-0 in pool play per Demling blog (link above).

Orlando Nationals:

* Shining Star MacFarland went undefeated in pool play yet again. They did not loose a pool game all summer long, a unique but cool accomplishment. Shiningstarsportsblog has results from several Shining Star games from different squads and age groups. Josh Sewell and Chad Jackson are the two most impressive players on the team in the good Mongrel's opinion. They are both big guards who can score and distribute the ball and both have the athleticism to help a team in a lot of ways. Miami got a steal in Sewell.

* Coach Blevins got a good look at Elisha Justice, he's one of Kentucky's hidden gems at point guard. He is playing for Derek Smith All Stars and the link says he is interested in Morehead State and other schools. Hoopsreport.com has rundown on several players including him. Something is amiss with my cut and paste function so I'll have to remember to come back and edit in the link but chase it down if you have to. Entry is called "Tuesday Morning and Afternoon Notes".