Words. Arie Stark
In case you didn’t know, Josh Smith makes a living out of crowning people. In this wayback playback, check out Josh doin’ work in the 2003 Rick Barrett Annual Gym Rats Midnight Madness in Cherry Hill, N.J. As a senior representing Oak Hill Academy (VA), he managed to put up a then-record 53 points in one game. The previous record-holder: Kobe Bryant.
Words. Austin Burton
Gary Bell lives for the big moment, so it’s understandable that he would get impatient waiting three years to shine in his own city.
No matter how many buckets and accolades Bell, a 6-2, 200-pound combo guard, racked up at Kentridge High School (Kent, WA), he was always second on the marquee under All-American Josh Smith at rival Kentwood High, who cast a 6-10, 300-pound shadow over the South Puget Sound League and the state of Washington’s prep scene in general. MORE >
Words. Austin Burton
As the youngest person and only current high schooler to make Dime’s ranking of the Top 25 dunkers in the world last month, Deuce Bello is high school’s resident standard bearer for above-the-rim antics. The 6-4 wing took the dunk contest crown at the Boost Mobile Elite 24 over the summer, and the only way he won’t be the odds-on favorite to win the McDonald’s All-American dunk contest is if he doesn’t make the All-American roster.
On Sunday, Bello may have (jokingly) bit off more than he can chew, however. On his Twitter page (@deucebello) he posted: MORE >
Words. Lucas Shapiro
With the NCAA’s early signing period in full effect, Kentucky is once again making headlines. For the third straight year, John Calipari has lined up the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation — his 2011 haul includes Michael Gilchrist (St. Patrick, NJ), Marquis Teague (Pike, IN), Anthony Davis (Perspectives Charter School, IL) and Kyle Wiltjer (Jesuit, OR).
As a 6-9, 220-pound forward coming out of the Northwest with a wide-ranging offensive skill set, Wiltjer has naturally drawn some comparisons to Kyle Singler and Luke Jackson, but a closer look at his game reveals more accurate comparisons. We talked with the reigning Elite 24 co-MVP about those comparisons, Canadian basketball, and his hobbies off the court: MORE >
Words. Jason Jordan
Jefferson (Portland, Ore.) forward Terrence Jones isn’t just holding out on picking a college because he doesn’t know where he wants to go. That’s only part of it. The other reason is because he wants his teammates to get the exposure they’ll need to land scholarships.
“It’s only right,” said Jones, ranked No. 31 in the HSH national top 50. “Coaches may like what they see while they’re coming to look at me. We all help each other out like that.” MORE >
Words. Aron Phillips
I told you yesterday that the McDonald’s All American Game Selection Show was happening tonight, as the top 24 high school basketball seniors in the country would be selected to play in the prestigious 2010 Games set to tip off in Columbus, Ohio on March 31. Well the ballots are in, so check out the rosters for both teams. MORE >
