Words. Aron Phillips
With the impending lockout upon us, basketball fans worldwide need something positive to look forward to. Rest assured, I’m here to deliver it. So regardless of when the NBA season starts next here, college basketball will be flooded with a freshman class of high flyers, headlined by Deuce Bello en route to Waco to play for the Baylor Bears. Enjoy!
Words. Jason Jordan
Word of God Academy (Raleigh, N.C.) just got a big boost to an already stacked squad, as junior swingman T.J. Warren has transferred from Riverside (NC) and will play for the Holy Rams.
Warren, who averaged 17 points and 8 rebounds last season, is one of the top players in the 2012 class. He joins high-flying wing Bishop Daniels and forward Joseph Uchebo, an N.C. State commit, on the WOG roster. Daniels will be sidelined until November due to a broken foot.
Words. Jason Jordan
It’s always tough to name the top players specific to a skill. Truth is, these days athleticism is as common as the ability to knock down three-pointers, and dunking is almost a prerequisite to getting playing time.
Still, there are a few players that stand out because of their exceptional leaping and finishing ability. Throw in creativity, flair, and simply having a sense of “the moment,” and it’s just like judging a dunk contest. MORE >
Words. Jason Jordan
Unprompted, we’ve randomly asked a handful of players who their toughest defensive assignment has been all summer, and the name that consistently pops up is Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) point guard Myck Kabongo, a rising senior who is committed to Texas. The reasoning?
He’s fast and quick and smart, and the consensus is that he blends all of those elements better than any other guard in the country.
“There’s no other player like him out there,” Word of God Academy (Raleigh, N.C.) combo guard Bishop Daniels said of Kabongo. “It’s hard to explain, but that guy is just really hard to defend.” MORE >
Words. Trevor Kapp
Erasto Hatchett is the coach of Word of God Christian Academy (a.k.a. John Wall’s alma mater) in Raleigh, N.C. After coaching at Cannon School in Concord, N.C., the past few years, he was named the head coach of Word of God in August, and has led his team comprised of several D-1 prospects to a 12-4 record through Monday. Hatchett, who played at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, is also the brother-in-law of prized N.C. State basketball commit Ryan Harrow. I sat down with Hatchett following a win last week and asked him about his kids, his visions and his life as the head coach of an aspiring national power. MORE >
Words. C.J. Leslie
Word of God Academy (Raleigh, N.C.) star forward C.J. Leslie is the #10-rated prospect in the HSH Top 50. Previously committed to N.C. State, Leslie recently re-opened his recruiting and has opted to wait until the spring to decide on a college. That alone makes his one of the most intriguing stories in the 2010 senior class, and Leslie also happens to be one of its most exciting players.
C.J. has agreed to give HSH exclusive access and chronicle his thoughts in this bi-monthly diary where he’ll talk about everything from his season with Word of God to the recruiting process as he inches closer and closer to a decision. MORE >
