2009 Orlando Pro Summer League: Day 2 Recap

Game 1:

Celtics 82
Magic 85

Quick Summary: Orlando's Ryan Anderson was very impressive in scoring 33 points and pulling down 14 rebounds. Kasib Powell chipped in 15 points for the Magic. The Celtics came up short in the fourth quarter.

Bluegrass Connection: Chris Lofton scored 3 points in only 4 minutes of action. Bill Walker did not play in the game (coach's decision).

Box Score

Game 2:

Jazz 83
Nets/Sixers 68

Quick Summary: The Jazz took the lead early and never looked back in coasting to victory. Utah had a balanced scoring attack led by Eric Maynor and Josh Duncan with 12 points each. Chris Douglas-Roberts was impressive for the second consecutive game in scoring 27 points.

Bluegrass Connection: Terrence Williams scored 8 points and pulled down 6 rebounds. He continued to struggle from the field with a 3-11 shooting performance.

Box Score

Game 3:

Thunder 88
Pacers 91

Quick Summary: The game came down to the wire, but the Pacers were able to hang on late. Roy Hibbert exploded for 24 points and 8 rebounds to lead Indiana. Tyler Hansbrough was impressive for the second consecutive day as he scored 23 points.

Bluegrass Connection: None

Box Score

Local Players Trying to Impress at Orlando Invitational

The Orlando Invitational Tournament concludes tomorrow and there are several with Bluegrass State ties that are trying to catch the eyes of professional scouts during the event.

What is the Orlando Invitational Tournament?

The Orlando Invitational Tournament is an opportunity for the NCAA's top graduating senior basketball players to showcase their talents and skills before the general managers, coaches, and scouts from the European Leagues, D League, WBA, and the PBL. The tournament is a proving ground for America's top basketball players and it gives professional teams an opportunity to evaluate the candidates that have the potential to compete professionally in 2009.

Who competes there?

There are players from all walks of college basketball participating in the event. There are players ranging from large BCS schools to NAIA levels.

Players with Kentucky ties:

Cheyenne Moore Georgetown College 6'4" 210 SG 2.4 PPG 2.0 RPG
Tramaine Stevens Morehead State 6'5" 205 G/F 24.3 PPG 6.1 RPG 2.0 APG
Andre McGee Louisville 5'10" 180 G 6.0 PPG 1.7 RPG 1.5 APG 1.2 SPG
Demetrius Guions Georgetown College 6'5" 195 G/F 12.3 PPG 4.8 RPG 2.0 APG
Leslie Malone Northern Kentucky 6'7" 195 G/F 20.0 PPG 11.0 RPG 1.6 APG

Complete Rosters

2009-10 Kentucky Wildcats' Official Roster Announced

UKAthletics.com has released the official 12-man roster of the Kentucky Wildcats for the 2009-10 season. The roster includes Darnell Dodson, DeMarcus Cousins, John Wall and Eric Bledsoe - meaning that all four are on the team and all four have qualified academically. The roster is deep and filled with talented, athletic players.

2009-10 Kentucky Wildcats:

24 Eric Bledsoe G 6-1/190 FR/HS Birmingham, Ala. (Parker)
15 DeMarcus Cousins F 6-11/260 FR/HS Mobile, Ala. (LeFlore)
3 Darnell Dodson G 6-7/215 SO/TR Greenbelt, Md. (Miami-Dade CC)
55 Josh Harrellson F 6-10/265 JR/1L St. Charles, Mo. (SW Illinois College)
5 Ramon Harris G 6-7/218 SR/3L Anchorage, Alaska (West Anchorage)
4 Jon Hood G 6-6/195 FR/HS Madisonville, Ky. (North Hopkins)
34 DeAndre Liggins G 6-6/202 SO/1L Chicago, Ill. (Findley Prep)
1 Darius Miller G 6-7/223 SO/1L Maysville, Ky. (Mason County)
33 Daniel Orton F 6-10/255 FR/HS Oklahoma City, Okla. (Bishop McGuiness)
54 Patrick Patterson F 6-9/235 JR/2L Huntington, W.Va. (Huntington)
21 Perry Stevenson F 6-9/207 SR/3L Lafayette, La. (Northside)
11 John Wall G 6-4/195 FR/HS Raleigh, N.C. (Word of God)

Source: UKAthletics.com

Michael Gilchrist Loves the Wildcats

Unfortunately, for Kentucky fans, he also loves another set of Wildcats. In an article appearing in The Philadelphia Inquirer, Gilchrist states that the two sets of Wildcats are actually neck and neck.

"Michael loves Villanova," said Cindy Richardson, Gilchrist's mother. "It's Kentucky, Villanova. Villanova, Kentucky."

Gilchrist is widely considered the top overall prospect in the junior class. He has been contacted by an impressive list of schools that includes Kentucky, Rutgers, Louisiana State, North Carolina, Duke, Oklahoma State, Seton Hall, Florida, Florida State, Oregon, Indiana, West Virginia, Maryland, Georgia Tech, Southern Cal, and Connecticut.

"I'm looking for a school that has a fast-paced transition game," Gilchrist said. "I just want to be with my friends. . . . I want a friend to come with me to school."'

Article from Philly.com

United States Dominates Puerto Rico in U19 Action

United States U19 82
Puerto Rico U19 61

2009 FIBA U19 World Championships in New Zealand (2nd Round)

The United States U19 squad improved to 5-0 at the FIBA World Championships with a dominating 82-61 victory over Puerto Rico. The Americans jumped out to a 43-19 halftime lead and were never challenged after an explosive second quarter.

Howard Thompkins led the United States with 14 points and 9 rebounds. Gordon Hayward added 11 points and 7 rebounds for the Americans. Kentucky native Shelvin Mack contributed 7 points and 4 rebounds. Darius Miller had 4 points and 3 rebounds in 17 minutes of action.

Juivani Fontan led all scorers with 16 points for Puerto Rico.

The United States will wrap-up second round play against Lithuania on Wednesday.

Box Score

Patrick Sparks is Lighting Up the Ukraine

Former Kentucky Wildcat and Central City native Patrick Sparks has completed a successful 2008-09 season for Hoveria Ivano-Frankivsk in the Ukraine. Sparks is thousands of miles from home but he has found some similarities - the rims are still ten feet from the floor and he has not forgotten how to shoot the basketball.

Sparks scored 16.4 points per game for his team during the 40-game season that wrapped up in May. The former Kentucky sharpshooter blistered the nets for 41.3% shooting from beyond the 3-point line. He also averaged 4.5 assists and 2.0 steals during the season.

The Ukraine may offer different surroundings than his hometown of Central City, but some things never change.

Patrick Sparks' 2008-09 Statistics

Luke Fitzgerald Ready for Eurobasket Summer League

Luke Fitzgerald, fresh off an NAIA All-America senior season at the University of the Cumberlands, is ready to shine at the 2009 Eurobasket Summer League in Las Vegas. The event, which gives players that are not in the NBA Summer League an opportunity to shine for professional scouts, gets underway tomorrow and runs through Thursday. Fitzgerald will be playing for Team Brussels.

Team Brussels Roster for Eurobasket 2009:

Andy Gebru, G, Fayettville St.
Chris Green, G, Houston Takers (ABA)
Jamal Johnson, F, Gigates (Venezuela)
Tim Latiker, G, Panteras del distrito nacional (Dominican Republic)
Carey Rigsbuy, F/C, La Salle UPB (Bolivia)
John Ruffus, F/C, Manchester Milrats (PBL)
Kevin Sowell, G, Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)
Jason Underwood, F/C, Vancouver T. (Canada)
Kenny Whitehead, C, Grevenbroich (Germany)
Luke Fitzgerald, F, University of the Cumberlands

Eurobasket Summer League Information

Hoop Scoop: Marquette Has Top 2009 Recruiting Class

Hoop Scoop, a Louisville-based scouting service, has released its recruiting rankings for the Class of 2009.

Surprisingly, the service ranks Marquette's class as the top overall class, while the Kentucky Wildcats are ranked second. Marquette has a quality class, but this ranking is surprising considering that the Marquette class is ranked 17th by both Rivals.com and Scout.com.

The Hoop Scoop explains the point system:

A top-five ranked player nationally is worth 10 points, a top-10 player is worth nine points, a player in the 11-40 range is worth eight points, a player in the 41-70 range is worth six points, a player in the 71-100 is worth four points, a player in the 101-300 range is worth three points and anyone in the 301-1000 ratings is worth two points. A high school player not in the top 1000 is worth a point and junior college, prep school and foreign players are factored like they were the equivalent of a high school senior.

1. MARQUETTE (46 Points)..........7 Recruits..........6.6 Talent Rating Average Per Recruit..........Big East Conference..........(8) Erik Williams, 6'7, WF, Cypress (Cypress Springs) TX; (8) Junior Cadugon, 6'0, PG, Humble (Christian Life) TX; (8) Jeronne Maymon, 6'6, PF, Madison (Memorial) WI; (8) Dwight Buycks, 6'3, 2G, Indian Hills (JC) IA; (8) Darius Johnson-Odom, 6'2, PG, Hutchinson (JC) KS; (3) Brett Roseboro, 6'10, PF, Quakertown (H.S.) PA; (3) Youssouphe Mbao, 7'2, C, Simi Valley (Stoneridge Prep) CA.

2. KENTUCKY (41 Points)..........6 Recruits..........6.8 Talent Rating Average Per Recruit..........Southeastern Conference..........(10) DeMarcus Cousins, 6'10, C, Mobile (LeFlore) AL; (10) John Wall, 6'3, 2G, Raleigh (Word of God) NC; (8) Daniel Orton, 6'10, C, Oklahoma City (Bishop McGuiness) OK; (6) Darnell Dodson, 6'7, WF, Miami-Dade (JC) FL; (4) Eric Bledsoe, 6'0, PG, Birmingham (Parker) AL; (3) Jonathan Hood, 6'7, WF, Madisonville (North Hopkins) KY.

My Thoughts: This is an interesting way to rank the classes, but it seems to reward quantity over quality, in my opinion. I mean, hypothetically speaking, is it more productive to recruit 3 top 40 players or 8 top 300 players? I respect all the hard work that Hoop Scoop puts into their service, but I disagree with this ranking system.

Article on This Subject from Jody Demling

2009 Orlando Pro Summer League: Day 1 Recap

Game 1:

Nets/Sixers 67
Pacers 75

Quick Summary: Pacers outscored the Nets/Sixers 10-2 in overtime to pull out the victory. Tyler Hansbrough led the Pacers with 17 points and 5 rebounds. Brandon Rush added 15 points. Mareese Speights exploded 28 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Nets/Sixers. Chris Douglas-Roberts added 20 points in the loss.

Bluegrass Connection: Former Lousiville Cardinal Terrence Williams scored only 2 points, but pulled down 9 rebounds in 35 minutes of action.

Box Score

Game 2:

Thunder 88
Magic 77

Quick Summary: Russell Westbrook led the Thunder to victory with 22 points, 9 assists and 5 rebounds. James Harden added 17 points. Ryan Anderson led the Magic with 21 points and Jeremy Richardson contributed 18.

Bluegrass Connection: None, unless you count Robert Vaden, who once exploded for UAB and helped make Kentucky look bad. He scored 2 points in 8 minutes.

Box Score

Game 3:

Celtics 87
Jazz 56

Quick Summary: The Celtics used a balanced scoring attack to throttle the Jazz. Bill Walker led the way with 14 points.

Bluegrass Connection: Former Kentucky Mr. Basketball Chris Lofton scored 8 points in 15 minutes for the Celtics. Walker spent some of his early high school career playing for Rose Hill Academy in Ashland.

Box Score

Northern Kentucky to Hire Kurt Young?

I told from a good source at Northern Kentucky this afternoon that the Norse will likely hire Kurt Young as an assistant coach. Young, who is a Kentucky native, has been an assistant coach at Arkansas Tech.

Parrish has Brandon Knight going to Kentucky

Gary Parrish at CBS Sports has a bizarre question-and-answer column that started as a multiple choice quiz and became...I don't know, whatever. But he says the smart money is on 2010 point guard Brandon Knight choosing Kentucky due to Cal's experience coaching NBA point guards and...wait for it...family in Lexington. I'm not sure if that's true, but if it is, the Cats should be a lock for the top-rated player in next year's class, according to Rivals. It's amazing how a coaching move can change the fortunes of a program in just three months.

One factor in that decision, of course, is Eric Bledsoe, who is setting message boards ablaze with his play in pickup games. Nabbing two of the elite point guards in this year's class was quite a haul for Calipari, but you have to think Knight will be looking at rosters to see who is where and how many minutes he could have on the floor. We will get a much better idea of how that would play out when we see Bledsoe and John Wall manning the backcourt either together or separately.

Kelly Wells to Guest-Host WYMT Sports Tonight

Pikeville College head coach Kelly Wells will be guest-hosting the WYMT Sports broadcast tonight during the six o'clock news.

Wells will be the first of several guest-hosts on WYMT during the month of July.

USA U19's Defeat Greece in FIBA 2nd Round Play

United States U19 85
Greece U19 69

2009 FIBA U19 World Championships in New Zealand (2nd Round)

The United States U19 team struggled to pull away from Greece, but was able to extend their lead in the second half for a comfortable 16-point victory. The Americans led by one after the first quarter and 41-36 at the half. In typical fashion, Greece nailed 11 three-pointers to keep the game close before the U.S. was able to put the game out of reach.

Howard Thompkins led the United States with 22 points on 10-14 shooting. Gordon Hayward added 9 points and 5 rebounds. Shelvin Mack joined a group of five players that scored 8 points in the game. Mack also pulled down 5 rebounds and dished out 3 assists.

Kentucky's Darius Miller struggled with foul problems and scored 2 points in only 7 minutes of action.

The American's (4-0) continue second round pool play today as they battle a very tough Puerto Rico (3-1) squad.

Jared Carter to Play in Eurobasket Summer League

Former Kentucky Wildcat Jared Carter is hoping to make an impression at the 2009 Eurobasket Summer League in Las Vegas. The camp tips off on Tuesday and the former UK big man will be playing for Team Dublin in the event.

Carter's career failed to pan-out at Kentucky, but a center of his size (7'2", 265) can sometimes find a professional career overseas. Good luck to Jared!

Carter's Team Dublin Roster:

Jared Carter 22 7'2 265 Center Kentucky

Mike Copeland 24 6'7 245 Forward North Carolina

Anton Currie 25 6'8 248 Forward Grand Rapids Flight

Brice Fantazia 22 6'5 204 Guard Culver Stockton College

Nate Fritsch 26 6'6 200 Forward Bentley

William Funn 27 6'4 200 Guard Worcester Wolves (UK)

Darius Howard 25 6'4 197 Guard Al Ittihad Aleppo (Syria)

Nathan Linhart 22 6'8 210 Guard University of Akron

Cedric Middelton 24 6'0 185 Guard Akron

Reggie Peyton 22 6'0 185 Guard Christian Brothers University

Marcus Watts 23 6'7 210 Forward Componenta (Finland)

NBA Summer League Preview: Jodie Meeks

Name: Jodie Meeks

Bluegrass State Connection: Played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats

Path to the NBA: Drafted in second round (#41) of 2009 Draft by Milwaukee

2009 Summer League Team: Milwaukee Bucks

2009 Milwaukee Bucks' Summer League Roster:

Joe Alexander F 6' 8" 230 West Virginia
Dominic James G 6' 0" 175 Marquette
Brandon Jennings G 6' 1" 170 Italy
Will McDonald C 6' 11" 255 South Florida
Luc Richard Mbah a Moute F 6' 8" 230 UCLA
Jodie Meeks G 6' 4" 208 Kentucky
Juan Palacios F 6' 8" 245 Louisville
Chris Richard F 6' 9" 255 Florida
Salim Stoudamire G 6' 1" 175 Arizona
Szymon Szewczyk F 6' 10" 242 Poland
Mohammed Tangara F/C 6' 8" 248 Chaminade
Lorrenzo Wade F 6' 6" 225 San Diego State

Milwaukee Bucks' Summer League Schedule:

Fri., July 10 Dallas 9 p.m. Cox Pavilion
Sun., July 12 Cleveland 9 p.m. Cox Pavilion
Mon., July 13 Sacramento 9:30 p.m. Thomas & Mack Center
Wed., July 15 Chicago 5 p.m. Cox Pavilion
Thu., July 16 Toronto 3 p.m. Cox Paviolin

NBA Summer League Preview: Terrence Williams

Name: Terrence Williams

Bluegrass State Connection: Played college basketball for the Louisville Cardinals

Path to the NBA: Drafted in first round (#11) of 2009 Draft by New Jersey

2009 Summer League Team: New Jersey Nets

2009 New Jersey Nets/Philadelphia 76ers' (split) Summer League Roster:

A.J. Abrams - G - Texas

Jeff Adrien - F - Connecticut

Blake Ahearn - G - Missouri State

Dionte Christmas - G - Temple

Chris Douglas-Roberts - G/F - Memphis

Jason Ellis - F - Boise State

Gary Forbes - F - Massachusetts

Jrue Holiday - G - UCLA

Chris Johnson - C - LSU

Rob Kurz - F - Notre Dame

Marreese Speights - F - Florida

Terrence Williams - G/F - Louisville

New Jersey Nets/Philadelphis 76ers' Summer League Schedule:

Mon, July 6 vs. Indiana 3 p.m.

Tue, July 7 vs. Utah 5 p.m.

Wed, July 8 vs. Orlando 7 p.m.

Thu, July 9 vs. Oklahoma City 3 p.m.

Fri, July 10 vs. Boston 1 p.m.

NBA Summer League Preview: Chris Lofton

Name: Chris Lofton

Bluegrass State Connection: Former Kentucky Mr. Basketball; Played for Mason County

Path to the NBA: Undrafted Free Agent out of Tennesse; Played most recently in Turkey

2009 Summer League Team: Boston Celtics

2009 Boston Celtics' Summer League Roster:

Nick Fazekas F 7'0" 235 Nevada
J.R. Giddens G 6'5" 215 New Mexico
Lester Hudson G 6'3" 190 Tennessee-Martin
Coby Karl G 6'5" 215 Boise State
Chris Lofton G 6'2" 200 Tennessee
Bryan Mullins G 6'3" 190 Southern Illinois
Gabe Pruitt G 6'4" 170 Southern California
Kevin Rogers F 6'9" 250 Baylor
Bryce Taylor G 6'5" 210 Oregon
Mike Sweetney F 6'9" 270 Georgetown
Robert Swift C 7'1" 270 Bakersfield HS (CA)
Bill Walker F 6'6" 220 Kansas State
Darius Washington G 6'2" 195 Memphis

Boston Celtics' Summer League Schedule:

Monday, July 6 7:00 p.m. Utah Jazz
Tuesday, July 7 3:00 p.m. Orlando Magic
Wednesday, July 8 5:00 p.m. Oklahoma City
Thursday, July 9 7:00 p.m. Indiana Pacers
Friday, July 10 1:00 p.m. New Jersey/Philadelphia

NBA Summer League Preview: Joe Crawford

Name: Joe Crawford

Bluegrass State Connection: Played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats

Path to the NBA: Drafted by Lakers in 2nd round (#58) of 2008 Draft; Spent time in NBDL and was signed by New York Knicks late last season

2009 Summer League Team: New York Knicks

2009 New York Knicks' Summer League Roster:

Wink Adams G 6-0 200 Nevada-Las Vegas

Alex Acker G 6-5 185 Pepperdine

Blake Ahearn G 6-2 190 Missouri State

Morris Almond G 6-6 225 Rice

Warren Carter F 6-9 220 Illinois

Joe Crawford G 6-5 210 Kentucky

Toney Douglas G 6-1 200 Florida State

Patrick Ewing, Jr. F 6-8 240 Georgetown

Jordan Hill F 6-10 235 Arizona

Ron Howard G 6-5 200 Valparaiso

Yaroslav Korolev F 6-10 245 Moscow

David Noel F 6-6 230 North Carolina

Mouhamed Sene C 6-11 230 Senegal

Rashaad Singleton C 7-0 270 Florida Southern

Nikoloz Tskitishvili F 7-0 225 International

New York Knicks' Summer League Schedule:

Tuesday, July 14 vs. Memphis3:00 p.m. Cox Pavilion

Wednesday, July 15 vs. Detroit1:00 p.m. Cox Pavilion

Friday, July 17 vs. Sacramento3:00 p.m. Cox Pavilion

Saturday, July 18 vs. Chicago3:00 p.m. Cox Pavilion

Sunday, July 19 vs. Washington1:00 p.m. Cox Pavilion

NBA Summer League Preview: Juan Palacios

Name: Juan Palacios

Bluegrass State Connection: Played college basketball for the Louisville Cardinals

Path to the NBA: Undrafted Free Agent; Has been playing in Spain

2009 Summer League Team: Milwaukee Bucks

2009 Milwaukee Bucks' Summer League Roster:

Joe Alexander F 6' 8" 230 West Virginia

Dominic James G 6' 0" 175 Marquette

Brandon Jennings G 6' 1" 170 Italy

Will McDonald C 6' 11" 255 South Florida

Luc Richard Mbah a Moute F 6' 8" 230 UCLA

Jodie Meeks G 6' 4" 208 Kentucky

Juan Palacios F 6' 8" 245 Louisville

Chris Richard F 6' 9" 255 Florida

Salim Stoudamire G 6' 1" 175 Arizona

Szymon Szewczyk F 6' 10" 242 Poland

Mohammed Tangara F/C 6' 8" 248 Chaminade

Lorrenzo Wade F 6' 6" 225 San Diego State

Milwaukee Bucks' Summer League Schedule:

Fri., July 10 Dallas 9 p.m. Cox Pavilion

Sun., July 12 Cleveland 9 p.m. Cox Pavilion

Mon., July 13 Sacramento 9:30 p.m. Thomas & Mack Center

Wed., July 15 Chicago 5 p.m. Cox Pavilion

Thu., July 16 Toronto 3 p.m. Cox Paviolin

NBA Summer League Preview: Erik Daniels

Name: Erik Daniels

Bluegrass State Connection: Played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats

Path to the NBA: Signed as undrafted free agent by the Sacramento Kings; Currently with NBDL's Erie Bay Hawks

2009 Summer League Team: Memphis Grizzlies

2009 Memphis Grizzlies' Summer League Roster:

Jeff Adrien - F - Connecticut

Darrell Arthur - F - Kansas

DeMarre Carroll - F - Missouri

Erik Daniels - F - Kentucky

Daniel Ewing - G - Duke

Trey Gilder - F - Northwestern St.

Hamed Haddadi - C - Iran

Longar Longar - C - Oklahoma

Brion Rush - G - Grambling St.

Donta Smith - G/F - SE Illinois College

Greg Stiemsma - C - Wisconsin

Hasheem Thabeet - C - Connecticut

Marcus Williams - G - Connecticut

Sam Young - G/F - Pittsburgh

Memphis Grizzlies' Summer League Schedule:

Sunday, July 12 Oklahoma City Thunder 7 p.m. COX Pavilion

Tuesday, July 14 New York Knicks 5 p.m. COX Pavilion

Thursday, July 16 Los Angeles Clippers 9:30 p.m. Thomas & Mack

Saturday, July 18 Phoenix Suns 7 p.m. COX Pavilion

Sunday, July 19 San Antonio Spurs 7 p.m. COX Pavilion

*** ALL TIMES CENTRAL

Samardo Samuels is Golden in CBC Championship Game

Samardo Samuels and his Jamaican teammates held on to win the gold medals at the Caribbean Basketball Championships. Jamaica defeated British Virgin Islands by a score of 65-61.

Samuels, who is looking to have a big season at Louisville in 2009-10, led Jamaica with 17 points. Weyinmi Efejuku followed closely with 16 points. Kimarni Ffriend, who plays for Nebraska, added a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Kennedy Bass led British Virgin Islands with 19 points.

Both Jamaica and British Virgin Islands qualified for Centrobasket after advancing to the CBC championship game.

Photo: Samardo Samuels courtesy of LatinBasket.com

NBA Summer League Preview: David Padgett

Name: David Padgett

Bluegrass State Connection: Played college basketball for the Louisville Cardinals

Path to the NBA: Signed as undrafted free agent by the Miami Heat

2009 Summer League Team: Portland Trail Blazers

2009 Portland Trail Blazers' Summer League Roster:

Jerryd Bayless - G - Arizona

Jeff Pendergraph - F - Arizona State

Dante Cunningham - F - Villanova

Patty Mills - G - St. Mary's (CA)

Thomas Gardner - G - Missouri

Pooh Jeter - G - Portland

Bobby Jones - F - Washington

David Padgett - F - Louisville

Deji Akindele - C - Chicago State

Matt Freije - F - Vanderbilt

Dwayne Mitchell - F - Lousiana-Lafayette

David Moss - G - Indiana State

Portland Trail Blazers' Summer League Schedule:

Monday July 13th, Blazers vs. Raptors, 5 p.m.

Wednesday July 15th, Blazers vs. Rockets, 7 p.m.

Friday July 17th, Blazers vs. Nuggets, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday July 18th, Blazers vs Spurs, 7:30 p.m.

Sunday July 19th, Blazers vs D-League, 7 p.m.

2010 Recruiting Spotlight: C.J. Leslie

UK Recruiting Notebook: CJ Leslie

By: Dustin Rumbaugh, Kentucky Sports Radio

Bio

Position: Power Forward (Could be athletic slasher or big man in DDM)

Height: 6′9″

Weight: 205 lbs

High School: Word of God Christian Academy (Raleigh, NC)

Rivals Ranking: #8 PF, #34 Overall

Scout Ranking: #3 PF, #13 Overall

Scouting Report

CJ has the athleticism and explosiveness that can make a big man a star. He likes to model his game after Kevin Garnett and, so far, he is doing a good job at it. CJ can knock down the perimeter shot or beat his man off the dribble. As he continues to grow, scouts would like to see him develop his post game more. Right now he doesn’t have the ability to put his back to the basket against big men and score consistently. If he can bring that part of his game up the level of the rest of his skills, he’d be the complete package. On the defensive end, his athleticism and large wing span will be his best friend but he needs to use these tools to his advantage more often. He has the talent to make some highlight reel blocks when his timing and effort are in full swing. One of the things that really impressed me with CJ’s performance at the NBA camp was the way that he is coming into his own as a team leader. CJ was very vocal on the court and begged his team to play at the top of their abilities. He is true competitor with all the talent one could ask for and that gives him a very high ceiling.

Recruiting Report

In 2007, CJ committed to play for Sidney Lowe and NC State. This spring, CJ reopened his recruitment, saying that he just felt like he didn’t take enough time to look at all his options. Since then, CJ has visited the campuses of North Carolina and Arizona State. When talking about some of the potential future visits he’ll take, he said, “Florida, Maryland, Kentucky definitely, Wake Forest definitely.” CJ has also said that all of the ACC schools, except for Duke, and Memphis were recruiting him. John Wall has been talking to him about Kentucky and CJ has commented about how much John has been enjoying his time in Lexington. In a recent interview with Kentucky Sports Report, CJ said that the visit with Kentucky is pretty much set except for an exact date. He is working on squeezing the visit somewhere into his busy AAU schedule. With Patrick Patterson and Demarcus Cousins almost certainly leaving after this season, CJ Leslie would be the perfect versatile big man to step in and play right away in Calipari’s offense.

Check Out Dustin Rumbaugh's Excellent Work

NBA Summer League Preview: Earl Clark

I am going to preview Earl Clark as the first in a series of players with Kentucky ties that are participating in NBA Summer League play. With each player, I will look at ties to the Bluegrass State, path to the NBA, the Summer League roster and the Summer League schedule.

Name: Earl Clark

Bluegrass State Connection: Played college basketball for the Louisville Cardinals

Path to the NBA: Drafted in 2009 NBA Draft First Round; #14 by the Phoenix Suns

2009 Summer League Team: Phoenix Suns

2009 Phoenix Suns' Summer League Roster:

Kaspars Berzins, Latvia
Josh Carter, Texas A&M
Earl Clark, Louisville
Geary Claxton, Penn State
Lee Cummard, BYU
Zabian Dowdell, Virginia Tech
Micah Downs, Gonzaga
Goran Dragic, Slovenia
Taylor Griffin, Oklahoma
Jiri Hubalek, Iowa State
Robin Lopez, Stanford
Carlos Powell, South Carolina
Chris Rogers, Arizona
Alando Tucker, Wisconsin

Phoenix Suns' Summer League Schedule (Phoenix times):

Monday, July 13th Dallas Mavericks COX Pavilion 3 p.m.
Wednesday, July 15th Toronto Raptors COX Pavilion 5 p.m.
Friday, July 17th NBA D-League Select COX Pavilion 7 p.m.
Saturday, July 18th Memphis Grizzlies COX Pavilion 5 p.m.
Sunday, July 19th L.A. Clippers Thomas & Mack Center 7:30 p.m.

Morehead State Eagles Are Hungry for More Success

After advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in a long time, the Morehead State Eagles are eager to experience more success in 2009-10. Mark Story of the Herald-Leader has a nice article about the Eagles and their expectations for the upcoming season. Here is an introductory excerpt from the article:

When Donnie Tyndall has headed down to Main Street in Morehead this summer to sample the pizza at Pasquale's, he has noticed something different.

"I see more people wearing Morehead State shirts and caps in there than UK stuff," the Morehead men's basketball coach says. "It's pretty neat."

That is hardly all that's changed since last season, when the school made its first trip to the NCAA Tournament in 25 years.

Since last March when MSU beat Alabama State in the dreaded NCAA tourney "play-in" game, then put up a dignified fight before falling to No. 1 overall seed Louisville, Tyndall says things have "been a little bit of a whirlwind."

A middle school camp in Ashland. The Bath County Chamber of Commerce. The American Cancer Society in Morehead. A pre-testing rally at a Mount Sterling elementary school.

Those are just a few of the post-NCAA public appearances Tyndall has made.

"When you come into a program that has struggled, this is exactly what you are trying to create," Tyndall said. "People are genuinely excited about what we did last year and what they think we can do next year."

What Morehead State did last year was rebound from an 0-6 start to win 20 games (20-16) in a men's hoops season for only the third time in school history.

Continue Article Here

Samardo Samuels and Jamaica Advance to Title Game

Louisville's Samardo Samuels and his Jamaican teammates have advanced to the championship game of the 2009 CBC Championships. The Jamaican's squeaked out a thrilling 98-93 overtime victory over Cuba in yesterday's semifinals.

Weyinimi Efejuke exploded for 32 points for the Jamaicans. Samuels added 18 points in the victory.

Jamaica will battle British Virgin Islands in today's championship game.

Multiple Sources: Matt Pilgrim to Oklahoma State

Multiple sources are reporting that former Kentucky Wildcat Matt Pilgrim will continue his career at Oklahoma State.

Oklahoma State, of course, is coached by former Kentucky Wildcat legend Travis Ford.

UPDATE: It appears that it is a done deal. Dan Wolken of The Memphis Commerical-Appeal and Matt Jones of Kentucky Sports Radio are reporting the same thing on Twitter.

Ge'lawn Guyn to Decommit from Charlotte?

Sources close to the Scott County program are reporting that Ge'lawn Guyn might decommit from Charlotte. Guyn apparently feels that he rushed his decision and he might be looking to open his recruitment back up.

These reports are unofficial, but they are worth keeping an eye on.

UPDATE: I have been told this morning by another source that Guyn has indeed decided to decommit from Charlotte.

Trinity's Josh Sewell Commits to Miami (OH)

Josh Sewell, a muscular 6’5,” 200 pound 2G/SF from Louisville (KY) Trinity High School, has committed to Miami (OH). Earlier in the week Sewell attended Miami’s Elite Camp and had a good experience. A few days later, he was ready to make a decision.

In the end, it came down to two schools: Western Kentucky and Miami. Sewell stated why he chose Miami:

“It is a place I can see myself on and off the court. It is one of the best schools in the Midwest. Miami has great academics with the business marketing degree."

Other schools that recruited Sewell include Ohio, Wright State, Butler, Akron, Miami-FLA, Middle Tennessee State, Dayton, Stanford, Penn State, Bradley, Marshall, Eastern Kentucky, Murray State, and Western Kentucky.

He had firm offers from Miami-OH, WKU, Wright State, Ohio, Akron, Middle Tennessee State, Bradley, Marshall, Eastern Kentucky, VCU, Miami-FL, and Murray State.

Announcement from Scout.com

Former Wildcat Matt Pilgrim Will Visit Maryland

InsideMDSports.com reported that Matt Pilgrim, a junior power forward from Kentucky, was planning an official visit to College Park this week.

Pilgrim, 6 feet 8, spent his first two years of college at Hampton before transferring to Kentucky last year. After sitting out the 2008-09 season due to NCAA transfer rules, Pilgrim would have been eligible to suit up for the Wildcats this coming season.

When John Calipari was hired to replace Billy Gillispie in Lexington, Pilgrim -- according to the Memphis Commercial Appeal -- was told there wouldn’t be a scholarship available for him at UK.
According to a source close to the situation, Calipari and Josh Pastner are working together to bring Pilgrim to Memphis. Calipari, the source said, will support Pilgrim's case to the NCAA.

Though Pilgrim said he probably wouldn't make a commitment until he sits down with his family, he acknowledged the urgency of picking a new school so that he can start the appeal process. Pilgrim has also visited Oklahoma State.

Article from The Baltimore Sun

Eastern Nazarene Hires Former Asbury Coach

Veteran coach Jim Aller steps to the helm of the Eastern Nazarene basketball program for the 2009-2010 academic year. Described as a “career coaching professional”, Coach Aller says, “I am dedicated to leading teams to maximize their potential as athlete’s and people by inspiring the highest level player commitment and performance.”

With eighteen years of college coaching and teaching under his belt, fourteen as head coach at Asbury College, Aller comes off of 9 straight winning seasons, averaging 20+ wins per season. Having taken a short break from head coaching in the 2008-2009 season to take up the Assistant Coach and Asst. Athletic Director position at Indiana University-East, Aller helped rack up a 23-9 season, while the team received NAIA Top 25 votes for its’ first time in school history.

Coach Aller has brought out the best in many, having produced 4 NAIA All-Americans, 13 Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (KIAC) All-Conference Selections and the 2007 KIAC Player of the Year. In addition, Aller was recognized for his own performance, being named KIAC Coach of the Year three times (2004, 2005, 2007), three times NCCAA Mideast Region Coach of the Year (2002, 2004, 2008) and was awarded the NCCAA Coach of the Year in 2002.

Complete Press Release

Kentucky's Red-Hot Rivalries: Tennessee and Louisville

ESPN's Pat Forde has released a list of today's hottest college basketball rivalries and the Kentucky Wildcats are involved in two of the top three. Forde's list is topped by the annual showdown between Kentucky and the Louisville Cardinals. The third red-hot rivalry on his list is Kentucky and Tennessee.

Here are Forde's thoughts on the matchups involving Kentucky:

1. Kentucky-Louisville

Why It's Hot Now: It's always hot, but the temperature shot up to nuclear-fusion levels when John Calipari was hired in Lexington. Suddenly, Rick Pitino has a rival with a comparably outsized personality and competitive nature. And for the first time in a long time, there is a genuine and mutual antipathy between the coaches, no matter what they say publicly. Meanwhile, a not-insignificant percentage of Kentucky fans seem to have reneged on their mellowing over Pitino's switch from blue to red after his moving eulogy to late UK equipment manager Bill Keightley last year. With Pitino's alleged extortionist heading to trial later this summer, they're salivating over the chance that their ex-coach's name will be dragged through the mud. On the other side, Louisville fans were gleeful over the May revelation of alleged NCAA violations on Calipari's watch at Memphis. Schadenfreude has long been the prevailing state emotion when it comes to this rivalry, but never more than now.

Upper Hand Today: Louisville has won two straight in the rivalry and had better NCAA tournament showings of late. In fact, there was no NCAA showing last March for Kentucky, a first since 1991. But the Wildcats look stronger for the coming season than the Cardinals.

Upper Hand Historically: Kentucky leads the all-time series 26-14. Pitino is 6-2 coaching the Cats against the Cards, 4-4 coaching the Cards against the Cats.

Cardinal Bird to Scratch the Wildcat: Can you even remember your last Final Four?

Scratch the Wildcat to Cardinal Bird: Can you even remember your last national title?

3. Kentucky-Tennessee

Why It's Hot Now: Bruce Pearl versus John Calipari was great theater when they met once a year. Now it's on twice annually, at least. The two hypercompetitive hams direct teams that should battle for the SEC Eastern Division title. Pearl's Volunteers spoiled Calipari's undefeated regular season at Memphis in 2007-08, then the Tigers returned the favor with a victory in Knoxville last winter. Kentucky-Tennessee hasn't had this much heat since the late Ray Mears (original wearer of the orange blazer) was tweaking Adolph Rupp and Joe B. Hall.

Upper Hand Today: Kentucky surprisingly swept the Vols last year amid a terrible season, highlighted by Jodie Meeks' 54 points in Knoxville. And thanks to Calipari's spring recruiting work, the Cats should start the season ahead of Tennessee in the polls as well.

Upper Hand Historically: Kentucky has the upper hand historically on everyone in the SEC, and this is no exception. Cats lead the all-time series 142-65.

Smokey to Scratch: Let us be the first to extend a warm SEC welcome to Coach Vacated.

Scratch to Smokey: Jodie Meeks is still open.

Forde's Red-Hot Rivalries from ESPN.com

USA U19's Continue to Roll; Mack Scores 14

United States U19 112
Egypt U19 55

2009 FIBA U19 World Championships in New Zealand

The United States U19 team continued to roll in New Zealand with a convincing 112-55 victory over Egypt. The win gives the USA a 3-o record in pool play.

The Americans were led in scoring by Ashton Gibbs with 18 points on 8-11 shooting. Butler's Shelvin Mack scored 14 points and dished out 4 assists. John Shurna added 13 points and Howard Thompkins contributed 12. Terrico White and Klay Thompson both put in 11 points for the United States.

Kentucky's Darius Miller had his best game in FIBA play as he scored 9 points and pulled down 9 rebounds.

Box Score from USABasketball.com

Talented Sophomore Perry Ellis to Visit UK Saturday

Rising sophomore phenom Perry Ellis from Wichita Heights is expected to be in Memphis tomorrow for an unofficial visit. At 6′8″ and 210 lbs, Ellis is a very mobile athlete for his size, can run the floor extremely well and uses his size to dominate the paint.

Projected as a concensus top five recruit in the 2012 class, Ellis currently holds offers from the in-state school Kansas along with Memphis and Kentucky. Kentucky was the third in the group to offer Ellis as first reported by Matt Scott of TheShiver.

Brae and Cameron, Perry’s younger brothers, are currently playing in the 13U AAU nationals in Memphis, TN. So, Perry and his mother decided to stop in to see his younger brothers in action and to visit with his older sister Savannah, who will be a junior on the women’s basketball team at Memphis.

Preparing to head to the Lebron James Camp in Akron, OH July 5th-10th, Perry will stop in Memphis Friday to visit with family and visit the University of Memphis then pack up his things and head north to Lexington, KY for a visit to the University of Kentucky on Saturday.

Source: MemphisRoar.com

Mid-Continent University Signs Two Transfers

Mid-Continent University has signed Brian Reid from Shelton State Community College (Ala.) and Anthony Lipscomb from Cape Fear Community College (N.C.) 2009-10 season.

Reid, a 6-7, 215 lb. junior forward from Durham, North Carolina and Laurinburg High School, played his sophomore season at Shelton State Community College in Alabama, and averaged 3.3 points and 2.2 rebounds, shot .587 from the field, and totaled 11 assists, 6 steals, and 6 blocked shots in 30 games. Shelton CC lost its first two regular-season games and then won its next 28 plus three more games in Alabama state community college tournament.

Lipscomb, a 6-6, 215 lb. junior forward, resides in Hope Mills, North Carolina and graduated from Laurinburg Institute. He totaled 628 points, 461 rebounds, 113 assists, and 77 steals in 66 career games at Cape Fear Community College. As a freshman in 2006-07, he averaged 11.8 points and 7.8 rebounds with 39 three-point field goals, 59 assists, and 47 steals, and as a sophomore last season (2008-09), he averaged 6.9 points and 6.1 rebounds with 25 three-pointers, 54 assists, 30 steals, and 37 blocked shots.

Press Releases from Mid-Continent

Louisville's Big East Conference Schedule Announced

The University of Louisville's 2009-10 men's basketball season in the BIG EAST Conference will include a challenging slate of 18 games, including two games each against Connecticut, Syracuse and St. John's.

Louisville's home conference opponents will include Cincinnati, Connecticut, Georgetown, Notre Dame, Rutgers, St. John's, USF, Syracuse, and Villanova. The Cardinals' nine league road games will be at Connecticut, DePaul, Marquette, Pittsburgh, Providence, St. John's, Seton Hall, Syracuse and West Virginia.

"There is no easy way out in the Big East," said U of L men's basketball coach Rick Pitino. "The Big East schedule is always going to pose great difficulty for every basketball team in our league. As usual, our fans will be treated to some of the greatest teams in the nation in this, the final year for our team to compete in Freedom Hall. We look forward to another highly competitive season."

Five BIG EAST teams -- Villanova, Connecticut, West Virginia, Georgetown and Louisville -- are among preseason top 25 picks by Gary Parrish of CBSSports.com, Jeff Goodman of FOXSports.com or Andy Katz of ESPN.com. One of the Cardinals' repeat opponents -- Connecticut -- is a top ten selection in two of the three rankings.

The Cardinals return eight lettermen from a stellar team which attained its first-ever Associated Press No. 1 national ranking in 2008-09, achieving that position in the final poll of the season. The Cardinals (31-6, 16-2 BIG EAST) won their first BIG EAST Conference regular season title, accomplished in a year in which the league had a record nine teams earn national rankings during the season. U of L also won its first BIG EAST Conference tournament championship. The Cardinals entered the NCAA Tournament as the overall No. 1 seed and reached the NCAA Elite Eight for the second straight season. Ten members of the team earned recognition on the Athletic Director's Honor Roll.

U of L's non-conference schedule is incomplete. A completed schedule, including dates and times for the BIG EAST games, is expected in early September.

Press Release from U of L

Samardo Samuels, Jamaica Defeat Bahamas

Team Jamaica rebounded from their surprise defeat to Trinidad & Tobago yesterday with a close but decisive 77-73 victory over the Bahamas today as the Caribbean Basketball Championships continued in Tortola, British Virgin Islands. Weyinmi Efejuku and Kimani Ffriend with 18 points each, led five players in double-figures as Jamaica evened their record at 1-1.

The Jamaicans, playing without starting point guard, Chaz Carr, drew first blood to go up 19-14 after the first period, but surrendered 30 points to the Bahamas in the second half to fall behind 44-37 at the break. They made up some ground in the third quarter but were still trailing 60-56 going into the fourth. Jamaica slowly chipped away at the lead and a free throw by Efejuku finally leveled the score 60-60 with 6:27 to go. Ffriend, who had a dominant half on both ends of the floor, put Jamaica on top for good (62-60), as they slowly inched away for the victory.

Samardo Samuels and Mike Coburn with 11 points each, and Andre Smith with 10 points were the other double-figure scorers for the winners who will play Barbados tomorrow in their final group game. Alonzo Hinds led the Bahamas (1-1) with a game-high 27 points, followed by Quentin Hall and Torrington Cox with 11 each.

Source: LatinBasket.com

Gillispie Was Employed by UK Athletics Association?

Tax documents seem to indicate that Billy Gillispie actually was an employee of the UK Athletics Association. When Gillispie filed his lawsuit several weeks ago, there was confusion because the suit was filed against the athletics association. UK stated that Gillispie actually worked for the university and not the UKAA, a non-profit organization that oversees UK athletics.

"It is unfortunate that Mr. Gillispie has sued the UK Athletics Association, a nonprofit supporting foundation that was not his employer," the university said in a news release on May 28.

However, tax returns filed by the UK Athletics Association tell a different story, listing Gillispie as the organization's highest-paid employee. The 2007 return lists Gillispie's salary as $1,220,6667, with contributions to employee benefit plans and deferred compensation of $293,524.

Failure to give accurate information in such filings with the Internal Revenue Service could risk the organization's tax-exempt status.

"The hypocrisy of the university's position is absolutely mind-blowing," said Demetrios Anaipakos, Gillispie's attorney in Houston. Either the athletics association or the university isn't telling the truth, he said.

This is an interesting development in Gillispie's case and millions of dollars are hinging on which organization actually employed the former UK coach.

Complete Article from Kentucky.com

Cumberlands Hosts Successful Big Man Camp

The University of the Cumberlands Men’s Basketball program hosted its annual Big Man Camp from June 28th to July 2nd. Nearly 60 athletes attended this year’s camp with the Patriots’ coaching staff and fellow colleagues.

The campers completed numerous drills for the first two sessions of the day as they ended each day with team games and scrimmages. The campers showed hard work and dedication throughout the week. Lots of conditioning was incorporated into the camp this year so that the players would leave with a better knowledge of the game as well as in better shape.

Assistant University of the Cumberlands Men’s Basketball Coach Mark Vernon commented, “We had another great week of camp. Our individual camp is tough, as we play basketball from 9 to 9 every day. The campers were all very interested in learning and worked very hard all week. We had some very skilled posts and guards this week which made the camp very enjoyable for the coaches.”

Press Release from UC

Matt Grady Named Assistant Coach at Morehead State

Press Release from Morehead State:

Matt Grady, an experienced coach at the highest collegiate level, has been named Assistant Men's Basketball Coach at Morehead State. Head coach Donnie Tyndall announced Grady's appointment this week. Grady comes to Morehead State with experience at the University of Louisville on two occasions, the University of Cincinnati, New Mexico State, Murray State, and St. Joseph's.

"I am really excited to join Coach Tyndall and the Morehead State basketball program and university. I look forward to working for Coach Tyndall and along with his staff to help them continue their great success. I want to thank him, and I know we'll have a lot of fun," said Grady. "Also I really appreciate everything Coach (Rick) Pitino and Coach (Mick) Cronin did for me and all the opportunities that they have afforded me. I cannot thank them enough for all I have learned."

Grady most recently served as an administrative assistant on Pitino's staff at Louisville. He also worked with Pitino at U of L as a program assistant in Pitino's first two years at the school in 2001-02 and 2002-03. The Cardinals won 44 games during that span.

"We are very pleased to add Matt Grady to our staff. He has worked for a great coach in Mick Cronin and, in my opinion, the best coach in America in Coach Pitino," said Tyndall. "He was a part of two OVC championships and has a great feel for our league.

"I truly believe that Matt is one of the best young assistants in college basketball and we are thrilled that he is now part of the Eagle basketball family."

"Matt is one of the hardest working people I have had the pleasure to work with," said Pitino. "He'll do a fantastic job at Morehead State. His energy is boundless."
Prior to his role in Louisville, Grady was an assistant coach at New Mexico State. He helped guide the Aggies to a 21-14 record in 2007-08.

Grady was the Director of Basketball Operations at Cincinnati with Cronin in 2006-07 and also served under Cronin for three seasons prior to that at Murray State. At Murray State, Grady was the team academic liaison and played a key role in all aspects of on-the-floor coaching for a Racer program that produced a three-year record of 69-23.

He began his coaching career with Phil Martelli at St. Joseph's University as a student assistant. He also played on the junior varsity squad at St. Joe's and earned his bachelor's degree in finance in 2001.

Grady is a native of Springfield, N.J., where he played alongside former Duke All-American and Chicago Bulls' star Jay Williams at St. Joseph's High School. Along with Williams, he also teamed with Golden State Warriors' standout Al Harrington when the two played for the New Jersey Roadrunners AAU club.

Team USA Defeats France in FIBA U19 Play

United States U19 71
France U19 55

2009 FIBA U19 World Championships in New Zealand

The United States U19 team guaranteed themselves a spot in the next round of the FIBA World Championships with a win over France. The Americans jumped out to a 35-20 halftime lead and then breezed through the second half to improve to 2-0 in the tournament.

Duke transfer Seth Curry scored 12 points to lead the United States. Gordan Hayward added 11 points and Ashton Gibbs contributed 10 in the victory.

It was not a good day for the Americans with Kentucky ties. Shelvin Mack was 0-5 from the field and did not score in the game. Kentucky's Darius Miller played 14 minutes, scored 2 points and had 3 turnovers.

Landon Slone May Be Eligible for Morehead in 2009-10

There are several people who feel that the NCAA will be lenient given Landon Slone's unfortunate departure from the University of Kentucky that they will likely allow Slone to be eligible for the 2009-10 season. Slone has transferred to Morehead State and will give the Eagles a nice boost in their hopes of repeating as OVC champions.

The Eagles and head coach Donnie Tyndall return a solid rotation of talented players, including a good recruiting class and Notre Dame transfer Ty Proffitt.

Doran Lamb Still Favoring Kentucky

There were rumors that 2010 guard Doran Lamb would commit to the Kentucky Wildcats soon after his unofficial visit last weekend. While he has not given a commitment yet, he has announced publicly that the Wildcats are his leader. In comments to Jeff Goodman at FoxSports.com, Lamb stated that he’s “still open”, but that Kentucky “is at the top.”

On his visit to Kentucky:

“It was a great experience,” Lamb, the No. 5 point guard in the Class of 2010, said at the Paul Pierce Skills Academy in Boston. “The fans go crazy. I hung out with the coaching staff, John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins, and got to see the practice facility."

Lamb has also visited Louisville and told Jeff he’s also considering Kansas, Oklahoma, Marquette and UConn.

Source: ZagsBlog.com

Antwain Barbour Signs With Top-Level Spanish Team

Former Kentucky Wildcat Antwain Barbour has signed with a top-level team in Spain.

He most recently played for Erdemirspor Belediyesi in the Turkish Basketball League, the same league where Gerald Fitch (Kentucky) was recently named MVP and also where Chris Lofton (Tennessee) played last season. In Turkey, Barbour was in the league's top 10 in scoring with 18.3 point per game.

Barbour played for Tenerife Rural in a lower-level Spanish League before his move to Turkey. He averaged 18.9 points per game at Ternerife last season to lead the LEB Gold league. He also led the league in scoring in 2007-08 with 19.5 points per outing.

Since leaving UK in 2004, Barbour has made stops in the ABA, CBA, Spain and Turkey.

Article from Eurobasket News

Pikeville College Adds Chris Donald to 2009 Class

Pikeville College head coach Kelly Wells has announced the signing of Chris Donald, a 6'5" guard transfer from Pfeiffer University.

Chris Donald

Number: 20

Position: Guard

Height: 6'5''

Weight: 200

Hometown: Boston, MA

Previous Schools: UMASS Lowell / Pfeiffer University

Class: 2010

Major: Management

Summary from Coach Wells:

Chris is transferred from UMASS Lowell where he played under Coach Ken Barer. The Catholic Conference MVP came into his own during his junior year at Catholic Memorial High School. Donald led the Knights to the conference regular-season title on the strength of 23 points and nine rebounds per game. The 6-foot-5-inch swingman also helped the Knights get a berth in the EMass finals, where they lost to eventual state champion Charlestown. Chris was named to the prestigious Boston Globe and Boston Herald All Scholastic Team in 2005-2006. Donald, who played AAU basketball for the Boston Metro squad, was also invited to the Adidas Superstar camp in Atlanta, Ga., one of the top national high school camps.

Chris is the son of Grady Donald and Liz Clark.

College Stats:

Pfeiffer - Sophomore - 47% FG, 34% 3FG, 79% FT, 11 PPG, 4 RPG

UMASS-Lowell – Freshman - 39% FG, 24% 3FG, 63% FT, 5 PPG, 2 RPG

USA U19 Team Crushes Iran in FIBA Play

USA U19 106
Iran U19 55

2009 FIBA U19 World Championships in New Zealand

Team USA jumped out of the gates in a strong manner at the FIBA U19 World Championships in New Zealand. The Americans were impressive in soundly defeating Iran by a score of 106-55. Kansas guard Tyshawn Taylor led the United States with 13 points. Seth Curry added 12 points while John Shurna managed a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Butler's Gordon Hayward scored 9 points and pulled down 5 rebounds for the Americans. Butler teammate Shelvin Mack, a graduate of Bryan Station High School, contributed 7 points, 3 assists, 3 steals and 2 rebounds.

University of Kentucky sophomore Darius Miller filled the stat sheet up in 16 minutes of play. He had 4 points (2-2 FG), 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks and a team-high 6 steals.

Box Score from USABasketball.com

Transy's Carrigan Named Head Coach at Indiana HS

Toby Carrigan, Transylvania's assistant basketball and head cross country coach, has been named boys' varsity basketball coach at South Dearborn High School in Aurora, Ind.

Carrigan has been on the men's basketball staff at Transy since the 2000-01 season. He worked first for former men's coach Don Lane for a season, then became current coach Brian's Lane's top assistant in the 2001-02 campaign.

He has also been the men's and women's cross country coach at Transy since 2002-03.Carrigan is a native of Rising Sun, Ind., which is near Aurora. He played college basketball at Hanover before graduating in 1998. He also coached a season at Rising Sun.

At Transy, Carrigan concentrated on recruiting and coaching the team's defensive schemes. The Pioneers were ranked No. 1 in the NAIA during the 2000-01 season and have made the NCAA Division III Tournament on three occasions during Carrigan's tenure: 2005-06, 2006-07, and 2008-09. The 2006 team advanced to the round of eight.

Press Release from Transylvania

Bellarmine's Fagbenle Granted Additional Year by NCAA

The NCAA has informed Bellarmine University that it has approved a request for waiver and awarded men's basketball player Oladapo Fagbenle another year of eligibility. The 6-9 center from London, England transferred to Bellarmine last year after playing at Campbell University.

Fagbenle spent four years at Campbell, but competed only two years. He red-shirted one year and an injury prevented him from competing another year.

Fagbenle was eligible for the waiver under NCAA Division II bylaw 30.6.1.2, which states "For a student-athlete who does not use a season of competition during his or her initial year of full-time collegiate enrollment at any institution, a waiver may be granted".

"I'm very excited to be back with the team," said a jubilant Fagbenle who was notified by phone of the NCAA's decision while he was home in his native London. "I'm looking forward to reuniting with my teammates and finishing my master's."

Press Release from Bellarmine

Samardo Samuels Impresses in Jamaican Loss

Trinidad and Tobago 88
Jamaica 76

CBC Championship - Group A

Jamaica, one of the favorites to win the Caribbean Basketball Championships, were surprised 88-76 by Trinidad and Tobago yesterday in Tortola, British Virgin Islands.

Steven Lewis led all scorers with 27 points for Trinidad and Tobago. Reginald Reggie George, from Robert Morris, added 18 points for the winners.

University of Louisville standout, Samardo Samuels, led the way for the Jamaicans with 22 points, followed by 21 points from Providence University guard, Weyinmi Efejuku. Ricky Johns and Andre Smith both added 10 points each, as Jamaica placed four players in double-figures.

Jamaica return to the court tomorrow to face a tough Bahamas team.

Xavier Henry Will Stay at Kansas

In another bizarre twist, it looks like Xavier Henry will now stay at Kansas. Henry has once again managed to make bloggers, sources and Kentucky fans look like fools!

BREAKING NEWS: Xavier Henry will stay at KU

Highly touted basketball recruit Xavier Henry told 610 Sports Radio exclusively late Tuesday night "I'm going to Kansas and that's final." There was some doubt as to his commitment after his father, Carl Henry told 610 Sports Radio's Chris and Cowboy that Kentucky may still be an option. Henry says a recent article in the KC Star painted the family in a bad light and that Xavier had expressed a few weeks ago a desire to play with some recruits committed to Kentucky. Click here to listen to the full interview.

Source: 610Sports.com