In the closing seconds of the Boost Mobile Elite 24 game at Venice Beach, Calif., last weekend, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) point guard Quinn Cook came down awkwardly on his right knee.
The freak accident will cost Cook, a senior who is ranked No. 25 in the new HSH national Top 50, three to four months.
“I’ll be back though,” Cook told HSH Tuesday night. MORE >
Rule #1 in rebuilding a once-proud college basketball tradition: You have to get talent.
For new St. John’s coach Steve Lavin, that wouldn’t seem like a huge hurdle, since he’s right in the heart of the always-deep talent pool that is New York City. But for a program that has fallen on hard times, convincing high school stars who want to win to sign a Letter of Intent is challenging, no matter the location. MORE >
When listing the top point guards in the 2011 class, it’s hard not to mention Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) star Quinn Cook near the top.
All Cook has done is remain consistent throughout the summer while running DC Assault, win gold with USA Basketball’s under-17 team, and cap off the AAU season with an MVP performance at adidas Nations.
“It’s been fun,” said Cook. “There were things that I felt I could’ve done better, but all in all I was OK with how I did this summer.” MORE >
It’s safe to say that in one year, John Calipari has turned Kentucky into NBA U. With five players slated to go in the first 20 picks of this year’s NBA Draft, and commitments last week from top-five players in the Class of 2010 (Brandon Knight) and Class of 2011 (Michael Gilchrist) - not to mention All-American senior Doron Lamb - you’d think Coach Cal would take a day off. Think again. While there are still some outstanding players who might commit to the Wildcats for next year, Calipari is focusing his attention on the Class of 2012. MORE >
Lake Clifton-Eastern (Baltimore) point guard Josh Selby, ranked No. 7 in the HSH national top 50, will announce his college decision at the Jordan Brand Classic in New York on April 17, according to his mother, Maeshon Witherspoon.
She went on to say that the timing of Josh’s decision had nothing to do with him waiting to see what Pine Crest (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) point guard Brandon Knight is planning to do, a popular rumor on message boards across the country. MORE >
Before Will Bynum was collecting checks from the League, and Sean Dockery was doing damage at Duke, the two used to battle in their native Chicago. The other day someone unearthed footage from the 2001 reality series, “PREPS: Chicago Hoops,” which documented the life of basketball stars (including Eddy Curry) in the Chicago area. Though he’s not one of the featured players, Bynum is presented as Dockery’s main rival in the Chicago Public League - Dockery, the floor general at southside’s Julian High School, while Bynum was the PG at westside’s Crane High School. Make sure you check out all three videos.
Rivers' quickness makes defenders want to back up, but his shooting ability makes them have to guard him close. No player in the country hunts and finds his shot as aggressively as Rivers, who tallied more 40-point games than anybody in the country this summer. The scary part is that he's getting better and better every day.
Miller dominates all facets offensively, but his best attribute may be his ability to keep the defense off balance with his shooting ability from deep. Miller averaged 32 points during the 2010 AAU season.
Committed to Kentucky. Combines a quick first step with some of the best handles on this list to dominate opponents. Teague is a gifted scorer in a variety of different ways and involves teammates to balance his repertoire.
Committed to Texas. Kabongo may be the best leader in the senior class, and his ability to create for his teammates is exceptional. He's ultra quick and breaks down the defense with ease to finish in the lane or knock down the jump shot.
Committed to North Carolina. Solid with his back to the basket, but better at finishing plays. He's skilled enough to knock down the short jumper and has an overactive motor.
Muhammad is smooth but effective, evidenced by his 31-point average during the AAU season. His jump shot is accurate and he uses his big, strong body to absorb contact and finish in the paint.
Committed to Kentucky. Lean and quick, Davis uses his athleticism and skill to dominate in the paint. He's versatile enough to consistently knock down jump shots and has a solid handle. Davis gave opposing big men fits all summer.
The youngster ranked this high? Yes indeed! Purvis is the perfect combination of athleticism and skill and has a gear that most only dream about. His jumper has improved, and he's a lockdown defender that gets to the cup whenever he wants against whoever he wants.
Committed to Ohio State. Don't let the height fool you, Ross is quicker than most perimeter defenders and long enough to finish in the lane for high-percentage shots, yet has the ability to consistently hit outside shots. He's added a fadeaway that's almost as automatic as a layup.