Hoop Group event could boost WVU

[elp525]

Monday July 12, 2010

by Mike Casazza
Daily Mail sports writer

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- West Virginia's basketball program, still smiling in the spotlight from the first NCAA Final Four appearance in 51 years and having two players in the NBA Draft for the first time in 27 years, will play host to four of the top 10 prospects in the 2012 recruiting class this week.

The Hoop Group's seventh annual Jam Fest runs Wednesday through Friday. It's the eighth straight summer the city has staged an AAU tournament.

This year 276 teams are scheduled to appear, more than ever before, and the field will be highlighted by a concentration of stars atop the 2012 class.

"Our main theme is youth this year," said Rob Engemann, the first-year director of team events at the Hoop Group. "It's maybe not the best (field) as far as the top tier players. Don't get me wrong, don't discount what it is - it's very, very good. But what it is is the best field from top to bottom."

The tournament will be split into three divisions - 17-and-under, 16-and-under and 15-and-under - with much of the 2012 class playing up in the 17-and-under division.

The crowd of teams and talent coincides with the end of the first live recruiting period of July. College coaches may evaluate players in tournaments only twice during the summer: July 6-15 and July 22-31.

"We go out and try to attract all the top teams, but having a coach like Bob Huggins and with West Virginia being so successful as of late, it puts WVU and Morgantown in the best light possible and it attracts people," said Engemann, who's been with the Hoop Group in different capacities in two previous Jam Fests. "Huggins is a household name. There are (347) Division I coaches in the country. There are not many Bob Hugginses.

"With the elimination of the April evaluation period, these coaches are going to be out in full force. We're expecting anywhere from 250 to 300 difference universities to be represented, whether they're from Division I, Division II, Division III, NAIA."

To prove the broad appeal of the event, Engemann tells a story about an AAU coach from a Midwest state who has a team with players holding several mid-major offers.

"He told me he's coming so everyone can get a look at his team," Engemann said. "But he doesn't want to tell anyone else about how good the event is. Then all those people will come and he's lost the advantage for his kids."

The Mountaineers will be on the prowl. They have only two juniors on their roster and in the 2012 recruiting class could look to replace forward Kevin Jones and point guard Truck Bryant. Guard Dalton Pepper and forwards Deniz Kilicli and Danny Jennings will be WVU seniors when the 2012 class enters college.

In all, Engemann said 13 of the top 75 players from the Scout.com 2012 rankings will participate.

From the top 10 are: Massachusetts forward Khem Birch (No. 6, 6 feet 8, 180 pounds, Expressions), Pennsylvania forward Amile Jefferson (No. 7, 6-7, 185 pounds, Team Philly 2012), Rhode Island shooting guard Ricardo Ledo (No. 8, 6-5, 170 pounds, Expressions) and Pennsylvania center Daniel Ochefu (No. 9, 6-9, 225 pounds, Team Takeover Canada).

It is believed WVU has offered scholarships to Jefferson, Ledo and Ochefu while Birch lists WVU as a college in which he's interested.

From the rest of the top 75 are:

Massachusetts center Kaleb Tarczewski (No. 16, 7-0, 220 pounds, New England Playaz), Tarczewski's high school and AAU teammate forward Alex Murphy (No. 22, 6-8, 180 pounds), Pennsylvania point guard Ryan Arcidiacono (No. 29, 6-3, 190 pounds, 16-and-under PA Playaz), Pennsylvania forward Savon Goodman (No. 52, 6-6, 175 pounds, Team Philly 2012), Pennsylvania center Sim Bhullar (No. 58, 7-4, 320 pounds, 17-and-under and 16-and-under Team Takeover Canada), North Carolina forward Montrezl Harrell (No. 60, 6-6, 210 pounds, Carolina Elite), Mountain State Academy forward Anthony Bennett (No. 63, 6-6, 200 pounds, both Team Takeover Canada teams), Pennsylvania forward Mike Zangari (No. 72, 6-8, 215 pounds, York Ballers) and Huntington Prep forward Negus Webster-Chan (No. 75, 6-6, 175, both Team Takeover Canada teams).

It's believed Tarzewski, Bhullar and Bennet have offers from WVU. Bhullar has named WVU as his favorite based on his relationship with Huggins and assistant coach Billy Hahn. He has a younger brother, Tanveer, who is 7-2 and also interested in WVU.

The tournament is a stage for WVU to discover players and for players to discover WVU. Engemann said Arcidiacono is "one of the hottest names from the spring" and Harrell is an "animal who really fits Huggins' style play. He's a lunch pail kind of guy."

The top tier of the 2011 class is either committed to other events during or immediately before or after the Jam Fest or has decided to take time off after playing extensively this summer.

The Mountaineers graduate guards Joe Mazzulla and Casey Mitchell and forwards Cam Thoroughman and John Flowers after this season. They've already added Pennsylvania guard/forward Aaron Brown to the 2011 class, but will get a look at a few possibilities this week.

WVU has offered Kentucky forward Chase Behanan (No. 29, 6-6, 255 pounds) and he plays for the Ohio Basketball Club program with which Huggins and WVU have a healthy relationship.

Point guard Jabarie Hinds (No. 51, 5-11, 150 pounds, Westchester Hawks) doesn't list an offer from WVU, but could be enticed by the idea of playing with Jones, a fellow Mount Vernon (N.Y.) High School product.

Then there's forward Kadeem Jack 6-8, 210 pounds), who was the No. 43-ranked prospect in 2010. Jack decided to move from New York's Rice High to a year of postgraduate school at South Kent (Conn.) Prep.

He visited WVU last month and is being aggressively recruited now for the 2011 class.

[smurph]

WV Jamfest: Day One

This story originally published on ScoutHoops.com


Amile Jefferson

<script type="text/javascript"></script> By Dave Telep

National Recruiting Director
Posted Jul 15, 2010




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MORGANTOWN, W.V. – Amile Jefferson had a strong day at the HoopGroup West Virginia JamFest.




Dylan Ennis , PG, Takeover Canada: The one-time Akron commitment added himself to the list of available mid-major point guards. He’s strong and we liked his overall feel for the game. He’s got a presence on the floor.

Alex Murphy , PF/SF, NE Playaz: Apparently he went for a big number in his morning session game. In the afternoon, it was more of a grind as the Playaz played uninspired ball versus and overmatched opponent. So far it’s been a big summer for him, highlighted by elite high-major traffic at his games.

Kris Waldon, PG, Va. Assault: He’s why we love this event. The Henrico, Va., product can play and he earned ink (hopefully he’s earn scholarships). A potential mid-major point, he’s fast, creates and knocked down 4 3-pointers.

Luke Piotrowski , PF, Team NJABC: No one in the gym more frustrated – besides the coaches evaluating him – than this guy. He got jobbed by the referees who put ticky tack fouls on him and forced him to the bench. “What, I played like three minutes?” Piotrowski said after the game. Literally his most impressive move was snatching a rebound, swinging his elbows to get guys off him and then getting called for his fifth foul.

Durand Johnson , SG/SF, Cecil Kirk: He’s a nasty competitor on the floor who empties the tank. He’ll play high-major basketball for sure and is the leader of the Kirk crew that goes hard all the time. Johnson has range and finishing is easy when you’re tough-minded and strong like he is.


Khem Birch , PF, Expressions: We tried watching his game but the reality was, Expressions blasted their opponent and little evaluating could be done. However, it’s clear that Birch’s personality is growing as much as his game. No longer content to sick back, he’s hit the aggressive button and went from prospect player in the matter of a month. Ran the floor, finished with authority and the guys watching him are all in.

Amile Jefferson , PF, Team Philly: When we left the gym at 10 p.m., Wake Forest was three-deep, including head coach Jeff Bzdelik. He had that kind of a day. Jefferson’s work ethic and humility are trumped only by his talent and now production. Jefferson got his hands on everything and showed the package. He was awesome inside finishing plays and he’s turned into a versatile four man.


You have to hand it to Grandy Glaze . He plays consistently hard and in the same fashion. A thick bodied, undersized four man, UNLV landed Glaze and he’s a guy who likes chasing rebounds, encourages contact and knows who he is. … Kaleb Tarczewski needs a challenge. In the early pool games, he didn’t face anyone his size and frankly, that can be boring for a big. At NBA Camp, he was challenged and responded accordingly. At this point in his develop, the bigger the opponent the more comfortable he is playing against him. …


Dylan Ennis said Akron has been great through the whole process, even after the de-commitment. The Zips, along with Northern Iowa , and Nebraska have offered. Santa Clara, Xavier , Bradley , Boston College and Wisconsin are looking. … Playaz wing John Papale (2012) owns an Iona offer. … Murphy rattled off a lengthy list of Duke , Florida , Arizona , Butler, Texas , Kentucky , North Carolina , Kansas , Villanova and Boston College. All have offered but UK and UNC. …

Amile Jefferson said Villanova, Syracuse , Georgetown , Miami , Wake Forest, West Virginia , Penn State , Temple , LaSalle and St. Joe’s were strong. … Luke Piotrowski has Arizona State , Arizona, Oregon State , Boston College, Boston U, Richmond (offers) with Florida, Wake Forest and Notre Dame looking. … Kris Waldon has Wofford, Furman, Stanford and William & Mary looking but no offers to date. …

[smurph]

Continuing to Perform


Amile Jefferson By Patrick Southern
Staff Writer
Posted Jul 15, 2010

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While forward Amile Jefferson, a 5-star prospect in the Class of 2012 and the No. 4 player at his position in his class, says he doesn’t feel pressure to make a decision any time soon, he knows his solid play is going to continue to earn him notice.

Jefferson is in Morgantown, W.Va., for the annual Hoop Group Jam Fest AAU tournament, playing with his Team Philly 2012 squad.
But that’s only the latest stop in what has been a summer full of chances to impress coaches and other onlookers at some of the most prestigious events in the country. Jefferson took part in the Adidas Nations camp before heading off to the NBA Players Association Top 100 camp in Charlottesville, Va.
And Team Philly 2012 has, of course, been making the rounds on the AAU circuit.
“Pretty much anything that went on, we were probably there,” Jefferson, a product of Friends' Central School in the Philadelphia suburb of Wynnewood, Pa., said.
And the 6-foot-7, 185-pound forward has made the most of every opportunity. He had plenty of eyes on him Wednesday night in his first of two games at Jam Fest, as coaches from most of the schools on his lengthy offer list were there to watch.
West Virginia, the de facto host for the Jam Fest event, was represented by a large contingent. Head coach Bob Huggins was joined by assistant coach Billy Hahn in the “coaches only” area at one end of the floor.
At the other end, several Mountaineer players, including Joe Mazzulla, Truck Bryant, Casey Mitchell and Kevin Jones were at the WVU student recreation center to watch Jefferson play.
Coaches from several other schools were glued to Team Philly 2012’s game as well. Jefferson claims an offer sheet that includes La Salle, Georgetown, Miami, Penn State, St. Joseph’s, Syracuse, Temple, Villanova, Wake Forest and West Virginia, among others.
Watching Jefferson play, it’s easy to see what all the fuss is about.
He has a very developed back-to-the-basket game for a player of his age, showing a wide variety of moves to free himself in the post for easy baskets. He runs the floor well and hustles everywhere, has a knack for getting to the ball and is an excellent finisher. He has a solid jump shot, as well.
“My biggest strength would probably be my ability to work the post and pass the ball,” Jefferson said. “I’m still learning how to really put the ball on the floor at all points in time, and I think that’s progressing.”
“I’m a real vocal guy, and I think that helps a lot, to talk to my teammates and cheer them up when we’re down and get them in the mood to fight back, or if somebody is down, to pick them up. I’m trying to have a very versatile game, where I can kind of do it all.” Indeed, he is focused on adding to his already considerable skill-set throughout the summer.
“I definitely have been working the most on my ball-handling skills and progressing my game to the wing and being not only a back-to-the-basket player,” Jefferson said. “We’re working on my handle, working on passing at full speed, working on shooting that little jump shot. Things like that will help me move my game from the four to the three.”
While Jefferson has a variety of post moves that suits him well to the power forward spot, his body is a bit slight in build for the physical nature of that position.
That showed at times Wednesday, as Jefferson drew hard foul after hard foul in the block, and he showed a bit of frustration on one occasion with the punishment being doled out in his direction.
“My strength is definitely one of my biggest weaknesses,” he admitted. “You can see, if you get up early, guys will start pushing on you and start trying to bully. That’s something I haven’t gotten used to.”
“I try to learn how to play around it, but sometimes it still gets to me, because they are stronger than me and they know that, so they try to beat me up. So strength in the game is going to be a big part of me getting better.”
But Jefferson said no coaches have put pressure on him to transition his game to the wing, where he could avoid that kind of rough-and-tumble game and his height could favor him.
“I’m only about 6-8 and I have pretty good post moves, but in learning how to put the ball on the floor, I’ll be more of a versatile player,” Jefferson said. “If a guy is bigger than me, I’ll be able to take him out, hit that little jump shot, take him off the dribble, things like that to get my game up, make it a little bit easier.”
As for recruiting, Jefferson said despite all the attention being thrown his way, he doesn’t feel any pressure to make a decision as quickly as possible. He has only been on a handful of unofficial visits, and said the people around him have done a good job of allowing him to focus on improving his game instead of recruiting.
Jefferson said he doesn’t have a “dream” school. And as for the Mountaineers, whose campus he was on for the second time (after having been to the same Hoop Group tournament a year ago as well), he said the attention he has received is humbling.
“I know this is a very prestigious school,” he said. “I know how good this school is and how they combine academics and basketball, and how the fans come out and support them whether they’re up 20 or down 20. I know how great of an athletic program they have. Just to be getting interest from a school like this is an honor.”
And while some prospects talk about recruiting being a distraction and something they can't wait to get behind them, Jefferson seems to have managed to avoid getting too involved in the process just yet.
“So far, it hasn’t been too crazy,” he said. “Some people say pressure is going to start coming, but it hasn’t been too much pressure yet. So right now, it’s just, you know, I’m having fun. I’m enjoying myself.”
“Hopefully by the end of the summer, me and my family, my father, we’ll be able to sit down and put this into some sort of perspective. Right now, I’m just living in it."
"I haven’t actually stepped back yet and, you know, really figured out what I want to do or even taken time to think about how big of an opportunity this is right now, how great of an opportunity I have. So right now, I’m just focusing on getting better every day and every game. I’m not trying to take any time off. I just want to get better.”

[smurph]

Mountain Man?


Daniel Ochefu By Patrick Southern
Staff Writer
Posted Jul 15, 2010

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The Hoop Group West Virginia Jam Fest AAU tournament in Morgantown gave 5-star Class of 2012 center Daniel Ochefu the chance to check out the home town of a school that has been recruiting him for some time now. The Westtown, Pa., native said he liked what he saw.

“I came to the campus for the first time, and I just love the atmosphere here,” said Ochefu. “I was at the Coliseum earlier for registration, and it’s a beautiful gym. I saw the new practice facility, and it looked really good.”
“[Morgantown] was kind of what I expected, but I didn’t expect it to be as nice as what it was. It’s kind of like West Chester, Pa.”
That, and the fact that Ochefu told the Morgantown Dominion Post that WVU was at the top of his list should give Mountaineer fans reason to be optimistic about their chances to secure the 6-foot-10 center’s services.
But Ochefu clarified Thursday that West Virginia is “near the top” of his list and is not necessarily the school to beat. Head coach Bob Huggins will have to beat out a host of other teams to win the recruiting battle for Ochefu, including Georgetown, James Madison, Kentucky, Rutgers, Temple, Villanova and Virginia, among others.
But Huggins and assistant coach Billy Hahn (a familiar face and name to those from Ochefu’s home town, a suburb of Philadelphia) may have a leg up because they were one of the first schools to recruit Ochefu.
“And their academics are also outstanding,” said Ochefu, continuing to list the reasons why the Mountaineers rank high on his list. “They had the top GPA [among men’s basketball teams in the Big East], I think. And also, the coaches. It’s a good system and everything.”
But that doesn’t mean the No. 3 center in the Scout.com rankings for the Class of 2012 will be committing any time soon.
“I’m still just open right now,” Ochefu said. “I’m just trying to finish up the summer strong.”
“I mean, the best decision to me is just going to come to me. I’ll know when I find the right school, it’s just going to click and I’m going to pick it. But I don’t know when that’s going to be.”
Whoever ultimately lands the services of the center will get a raw talent with all the physical attributes to be a major player at the college level. His frame is long and lanky, and it can easily support more weight once he gets into a college strength program.
Even without the muscle he will almost certainly gain throughout college, Ochefu is already strong. He can be a bull in the lane when he wants to be, passes well for a big man and doesn’t force things.
Like many big men of his age, his inside game lacks polish. But once his footwork improves and he develops a bit more aggressiveness and confidence in his back-to-the-basket game, the sky is the limit.
“I’m a good passer, and I have a developing post game,” Ochefu said, when asked to evaluate his own game. “I feel like I do well on the break. But I have to work on my explosiveness and agility.”
“ my shooting and my post moves, especially playing with my back to the basket. I feel like if I want to be a dominant post player, inside and out, I have to first conquer my post moves with my back to the basket.”
After attending the Nike Hoop Jamboree and the Amare Stoudemire camp earlier this summer, Ochefu was scheduled to be part of the LeBron James Skills Academy. But an ankle injury held him out of action. Now, he is playing AAU events like the Jam Fest event in Morgantown.
Instead of joining a powerhouse AAU team like many prospects do, Ochefu and his high school teammates are playing together as Westtown. Ochefu said he hopes the summer work helps develop team chemistry that will pay off in this upcoming season.
The squad won its three-team pool in the opening day of competition at Jam Fest, but was bounced from championship contention in its first game of day two with a mercy-rule (down by 30 points with under 2:00 remaining) defeat at the hands of Team Philly 2012.
Team Philly 2012 is led by fellow star recruit Amile Jefferson, who is also being heavily courted by the Mountaineers and several other colleges that are also after Ochefu.
While the big center didn’t like taking a beating at the hands of Jefferson and Team Philly, he did enjoy the chance to play against Jefferson, a player who could potentially be a teammate of Ochefu down the road.
“We also play in the same league in Pennsylvania, so we have a lot of competition between us,” said Ochefu of Jefferson. “It’s really good competition. I’d love to play with him.”
Mountaineer fans, of course, would also love to see both of the highly-ranked prospects suiting up in the old gold and blue.
Daniel Ochefu Profile

[elp525]

Cool reads smurph! Thanks for posting!!