Kiwi to Westwind Prep

Pat Stevens, the editor and publisher of the National Recruiting Wrap, has a listing out of those ballers attending prep school in 2010-2011. One such player is:

WESTWIND PREP (AZ) -- Kiwi Gardner (5-8 PG/Manteca, Calif./Manteca)

So it sounds like heading to Atlanta is out for Kiwi.

Westwind is the same Phoenix school Fresno State's Greg Smith attended, as did Chris Jones, now of San Jose State.

The list is by no means complete as Stevens writes that he'll be adding names in the future.

Here's a link to Westwind Prep basketball.

Jeremy Russotti's upcoming SACRAMENTO VALLEY'S FINEST Instructional Showcase Event

From Jeremy Russotti, a northern California basketball skills trainer extraordinaire

It is that time of the year again for our 3rd Annual "SACRAMENTO VALLEY'S FINEST Instructional Showcase Event. The event will be on October 2-3 at Cosumnes River College, from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 

Because we are adding the Stockton/Tracy players to this event and traditionally get 90+ kids at this event already, we will be capping the event at 100 players on a first-come, first sign-up basis.

The showcase will involve elite level skill training in the morning session, followed by evaluated team games.

Here's the list of invitees -- invitations have been sent to the varsity basketball head coach at each high school.

More information from Jeremy's site:

The idea for the "The Finest" Showcase events came about by Jeremy Russotti with the vision for a more positive, beneficial, and true grassroots basketball events in areas that were overlooked.  Back in 2001-2002, two of Coach Russotti's former players received b-ball scholarships to the PAC-10 Conference. Ironically, both of them were never invited to any local or national so-called "exposure events"; ove looked mostly because of the area they resided in. At that point, Russotti knew a quality showcase event could really help draw needed attention to any area, resulting in more recruting resources for top local talent. More importantly, he realized the importance of INSTRUCTIONALSKILL TRAINING vs EXPOSURE and the impact it had on his player's future recruitments. Therefore, the main focus of the event will be on skill building (6 total hours), with the added bonus of 4-5 games of evaluated exposure games.

Not only will the event be endorsed by various scouting services, but also will include a report written by 1% CLUB Basketball that is emailed to over 1,700 coaches at the D2, NAIA, National JUCO and California JUCO programs (Free of charge).  Says camp director Jeremy Russotti, "We really take pride in spreading our message about individual skill building and how it can really drive your future recruitment process. The success of Josh Akognon, has really come full circle, backing our message that was started five years ago. Also, there is a lot of talent in the Sacramento Valley region that various colleges or junior colleges never get the chance to see or read about.  Furthermore, we want to help bridge these connections, while trying to build intrinsic motivation within our attendee's to the importance of skill building in their daily routines.....and not just playing games."

Jeremy Russotti
Director SAC's FINEST
(707) 849-1212

Brian Shaw is well positioned

Timing and positioning are often factors leading to success or its counterpart. With that in mind, here's a feature on Brian Shaw of the Lakers -- Shaw was born in Oakland and graduated from Bishop O'Dowd. Here's an early photo of him with a very young Aalim Moor III, who is now at San Jose State University.

Lakers' Shaw should stay if Jackson goes
Kevin Ding
Orange County Register
August 26, 2010

A year from now, Brian Shaw probably won't get to vacation in Cabo in relative anonymity anymore.

So well aware of that is he that Shaw is lying low as best as he can these days, determined not to bring extra attention to himself as one of the biggest winners of this tumultuous NBA offseason.

Shaw could've become head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers but had the restraint to insist on a timetable to ensure the job would not be a glorified janitorial position: cleaning up the mess LeBron James left.

Given that Shaw is connected to ­ and mostly beloved by ­ nearly every person in the NBA, past and present, Shaw had more than an inkling James wouldn't be in Cleveland for him to teach. So Shaw passed on what indeed wound up being the worst job in the NBA: We're talking about disheartened fan base, wacko owner, bad city, bad arena and the horrible double negative of a bad team with old players.

Middling coaching jobs come along pretty often, and Shaw has interviewed for them often. Kurt Rambis wound up taking one of them in Minnesota. Byron Scott took this one in Cleveland...

Go here for the remainder.

The 'old' guys rule

It was the upstarts who held sway in the first 20 minutes but the veterans took the Second Annual Nor Cal Clash by a final score of 91-87 Sunday evening at Contra Costa College. Whether due to experience, greater physical maturity, more polished skill development or a combination thereof, seniority triumphed but not before being pushed hard.

The 2012 youngins led 28-22 at the end of the first 10-minute quarter and maintained the lead, 47-41, at halftime. Finally displaying more consistency, the class of 2011 put together a 30-point third period to take the lead 71-62 and held on for the close conclusion.

Senior Juan Anderson stuffed the stat sheet via 12 points, five rebounds, four assists, a trio of blocked shots (more on one of those below) and three steals. Mark Tollefsen, out of Sam Ramon Valley High, topped the 2011 squad with 13 points.

Junior Robert Upshaw produced a double-double composed of 15 points and 14 boards while his teammate on the night, Dominic Artis, contributed 13 points for the 2012-ers. 

Here's our take on some of the various players, plus thoughts on the ball that was played:

* Politicians and corporate leaders get dinged for lacking "the vision thing'" but Juan Anderson overflows with this attribute. He displayed the ability to pick out both open teammates and, maybe more importantly, soon-to-be open colleagues and delivering pinpoint passes. Anderson was named the Player of the Game. His shooting was off though throughout most of the game.

*  Finally, a replacement slogan has emerged for the venerable "it ain't over until the fat lady sings" description of a game's make-or-break outcome. From now on we're going with "it ain't over until Juan Anderson says so" as his last millisecond run-and-jump block on a breakaway layup attempt amply demonstrated not to count your points until the basketball emerges through the net.

* 6-foot-7 David Andoh was king of the midrange jumper -- a seemingly lost art -- last night. He is going to bring frontcourt scoring to St. Mary's this coming season.

* Mark Tollefsen is a net-nestling shooter. Let him catch and fire is simply a losing strategy as his treys last night never met iron.

* Just like in boxing, it's the lower weight divisions that are often the most enjoyable to watch in hoops. Last night's matchup of T.J. Taylor and Dominic Artis banging each other around out front via dribble-drives and defensive stops was quite the spectacle.

* 6-foot-11 Robert Upshaw opened the game with a nice spin move inside for a basket and later nailed a top of the key trey. There's promise in the 2012 big but also much work still to do. The PAC-10 will be watching.

* JT Adenrele  may 'only' measure out at 6-foot-6 but no one battled harder and played big inside than the soon-to-be senior from Oakmont High.

* Berkeley's High Langston Morris-Walker already looks college-ready physically and enjoyed some nice sequences on the court last night.

* Gary Williams is a solid glue guy and the 6-foot-3 Castlemont backcourter is one to watch as he enter his senior year.

* Watch to see the development of 2012 frontcourter Richard Longruss. The 6-foot-7 Bishop O'Dowd star had his moments and the addition of a couple more inches should throw his recruiting interest wide open.

* Which is true: Sometimes it is the little things that count versus don't sweat the small stuff? Context rules the day, but it's certainly the former on the basketball court.

* As is usual, not a lot of outside-shooting accuracy was on display -- attempts, yes -- in the Contra Costa College gym.

* The play was certainly uptempo but too often sloppy. We're not sure one jump stop was employed in all forty minutes as penetrating the key resulted in seeking and making contact rather than any mid-range shot attempt. There were also no dunk freebies on the menu as it seemed every attempt to swoop in and send the ball downward was hotly contested.

Bad news for Valley High's Roburt Sallie

Per ESPN's Eamonn Brennan on Friday:

Sallie is a sharpshooting Memphis transfer who was going to graduate from his former school and enroll at a graduate program at Louisville, as long as that program wasn't available at Memphis, thereby earning immediate eligibility. According to the Louisville Courier-Journal, the school said Sallie could not take advantage of the rule "due to the timing requirements of meeting the matriculation deadline for graduate school."

Go here for the full Louisville Courier-Journal article.

Here's another article on Sallie from 2008 where 'rules' got in the way of his attending Nebraska.

Our question: can Sallie, a former Valley High (Sacramento) student, now return to Memphis State?

This bill would help athletes and parents in the recruiting process

Let's hope this bill gets signed as there can never be too much transparency in recruiting:

Former UCLA linebacker Huma recruits Schwarzennegger for his cause
Tom Hoffarth, Columnist
Los Angeles Daily News
8/29/2010

Ramogi Huma can't wait much longer to get Arnold Schwarzenegger's autograph. He's hopeful it's not the last thing the California governor does before leaving office, even though it could be the first major move in making sure college recruits and their families have less to be confused about.

A former UCLA linebacker and executive director of the National College Players Association, Huma has gotten to intimately know the Student-Athletes Right to Know Bill (AB 2079), which in the past three months has been passed in both the state assembly and senate.

It's demands are things you'd think would already be mandatory - universities will have to provide recruits a written summary of their policies on everything from medical insurance limits to athlete transfer rates and scholarship renewals, all within a week of contact...

Go here for the remainder.

and

More on the NCPA, Ramogi Huma and AB 2079
Tom Hoffarth
Los Angeles Daily News
August 29, 2010

Ramogi Huma, NCPA President with more -- what else he has to say on the state of college athletics:

== On the pending passage of AB 2079, the Student-Athlete Right to Know bill:

"Many people are shocked to hear the type of misinformation student-athletes get during the recruiting process, and the public really isn't informed, either. There is a lot of deception and omitted information and a lack of equality nationwide as athletes struggle to get by. It wasn't until after I was injured as a player did I realize the NCAA capped scholarships. The totals are even below the price tag of the school's academic scholarships. I don't think that's an accident. They know what they're doing. The players aren't met to get by. But they sell it as a full scholarship. It's very tough to navigate through this system.

"(Our organization) has a lot of goals, but this one is to create a very powerful transparency and honesty in recruiting. It's obvious when you talk about this issue, no one really knows all that's involved. Maybe they know one or two pieces, or some of the pitfalls, but not all of them. I've talked to lawmaker after lawmaker and finally go the support in California, and I hope it continues forward..."

Go here for the remainder.

It's Sonny again

If he ever really left, here's a welcome back to Sonny Vaccaro. We reached out for the sentiment of a couple of college coaches about this news and our best summary is this: 'recruiting in basketball can't get any worse than it already is.'

It has to be Li Neng that will offer the best deal to Mr. V because that's the company needing to make the biggest push into the sports world.

The most pertinent question for northern California hoops is who will be the Vaccaro point man in Oakland? He'll have many willing applicants to choose from so who are the best positioned individuals?

Nearly armed and ready, Vaccaro tries to regain summer throne
Gary Parrish
CBS Sports
August 23, 2010

Sonny Vaccaro spent decades running the summer basketball scene, almost always luring the nation's top prospects to his events regardless of affiliation. Nike. adidas. Reebok. The company never mattered much. What Vaccaro proved time and again is that he could align with elite recruits and produce the best showcases as long as he was armed with large sums of money and boxes of apparel.

And now he's about to try to prove it again.

"I do think something is going to happen," Vaccaro told CBSSports.com. "I'm not sure what, but I think something is going to happen."

Though vague on specifics out of fear of "jinxing it," Vaccaro confirmed what multiple sources have told CBSSports.com in recent weeks -- that he's being pursued by four different companies, that he will meet with them after Labor Day, and that, if all goes well, Vaccaro will, after sitting out the past three summers, soon begin his quest to again dominate amateur basketball at the grassroots level...

Go here for the remainder.

He who has the gold, rules

It's coming. High school and club team basketball sports are going fullblown mainstream on television, much more than what we witness now.

With that in mind, ESPN televised a Friday night football matchup between Grant High and Folsom High. The juggernaut came to town, re-writing the so-called rules and left some wondering what hit the area.

Local media, coaches riled by ESPN attitude
Joe Davidson
Sacramento Bee
August 28, 2010

According to some of those involved, the worst part of Friday's prep football showcase on ESPN was that ESPN was there.

Coaches said the sports network barged into Folsom this week, flexed its biceps and took control of seemingly every working detail of the Folsom-Grant encounter, turning a lot of heads and stomachs...

Go here for the remainder.

Northern Californians to hit Oakland tryout event

The Reno Bighorns and Coach Eric Musselman are holding a tryout Saturday in Oakland.

Northern Californians who are expected include Tim Pierce, Chris Busch, Brody Angley and Ian O'Leary.

Local trainer Phil Handy is involved in running the event as is Richard Morton and others.

Here's the full article, with all the details.

A Nor Cal Clash roster change

Due to a personal situation, Castro Valley's Roderick Bobbitt will not play in Sunday's Nor Cal Clash. 6-foot-3 Gary Williams, out of Castlemont, has taken his place.

Bill Paterson on Sunday's Nor Cal Clash

Bill Paterson of the Sacramento Bee offers a preview of Sunday's Nor Cal Clash. Go here.

The latest Remi Barry update

Remi Barry has signed with New Mexico State but is still awaiting academic clearance from the NCAA -- a "Waiting For Godot" -like process which might prohibit him from playing this coming season.

Barry headed to New Mexico State
Del Oro grad had been pursued by UCLA, St. John's and other college hoops powers
Joshua Ansley
Auburn Journal
8-25-2010

Highly recruited basketball star Remi Barry told the Auburn Journal Tuesday he has committed to New Mexico State University.

The 6-7, 200 pound forward from France graduated from Del Oro High last spring and was rated the 28th best high school prospect in the country by ESPN while playing at American Heritage high school in Florida in 2008-09.

He was unable to play for the Golden Eagles after the California Interscholastic Federation would not grant him eligibility. CIF maintained that Barry transferred to Del Oro from Florida for athletic reasons.

Barry’s decision to play for New Mexico State comes as a bit of shock. He was being recruited heavily by basketball powers such as St. John's, UCLA, Washington, Cal, and Colorado to name a few. Barry contends New Mexico State was just a better fit for him...

Go here for the remainder.

An update on Will McCulloch

Remember Will McCulloch covering the Bay Area preps sports scene for the San Francisco Chronicle?

We missed his work and also didn't know where he landed after departing from the Chronicle but that mystery has been solved.

Will reached out to let us know that he is the Director of Communications for the New Hampton School (MHS) in New Hampton, New Hampshire. In a sort of six degrees of Kevin Bacon northern California sports connection, Travis Souza of Turlock High and Will Davis of Sacramento High are spending a prep year at NHS in 2010-2011.

Here's a link to a photo of Will and the phone number at which he can be reached.

A Robert Upshaw update

This may be stretching the geographical boundaries of our coverage but we're doing so because Robert Upshaw is such a prominent player. He is also playing in Gerry Freitas' Nor Cal Clash this Sunday at Contra Costa College.

Edison gets new basketball coach, loses star
Tigers' 6-foot-11 center Upshaw goes to Memorial.
Andy Boogaard
The Fresno Bee
August 23, 2010

Edison High's boys basketball program has a new coach, but one less major-college prospect at center -- again.

T.J. Wilkins has taken over for Arturo Ormond as coach, although the Tigers will be without 6-foot-11 junior Robert Upshaw, who has transferred to Memorial...

Go here for the remainder.

Reeves Nelson receives some SI love

Sports Illustrated, Luke Winn in particular, names his five breakout players for the upcoming college basketball season and UCLA's Reeves (Modesto Christian High) Nelson is one of them.

Reeves Nelson, 6-8 power forward, UCLA
Percent minutes played in '09-10: 50.6
Percent possessions used: 23.7
Offensive Efficiency Rating: 105.5

Nelson, a fearless interior player who's perfect for Ben Howland's system, was the highest-usage player on the Bruins last season, ahead of Malcolm Lee (22.2 percent) and Nikola Dragovic (21.8). If Nelson can play 30 minutes a game and improve on his free-throw shooting (he made just 52.1 percent), he could emerge as the best forward in the Pac-10 as a sophomore. He's already hyper-efficient in the lane, making two-pointers at a 64.7 percent clip, and is aggressive enough on the glass to be a constant double-double threat. UCLA was so far off the national radar last season that Nelson didn't get L.A.-level hype, but he's clearly the Bruins' next star.