We liked this -- taking ownership

Shooting guard Will Barton is one of the top national basketball prospects entering college this season. Except he won't be playing for Memphis State in 2010-2011 because of prep academic deficiencies -- he attended four different high schools. Dan Wolken of the Memphis Commercial Appeal recently covered this scenario -- here's an excerpt:

"...Regardless, Barton declined to say his situation was unfair.

"I got it together my 11th and 12th year, my prep year, but not taking care of business early in life, you can't blame anyone but yourself," Barton said. "If you have dreams of going to college and playing basketball, you need to think about it early. And that's my fault. I was the one going to school. I should have been doing my work..."

Here's Barton's most appropriate tweet about this situation:

It dont get no worse than this. The hardest thing I ever had 2 face is here. Need vision cuz everything blurry now. Where do I go from here?. 

CaliHighSports features Oakland High's T.J. Taylor

CaliHighSports is doing a 2011 Top 25 and T.J. Taylor comes in at #12:

Cali High's Top 25: #12 T.J Taylor
August 10, 2010

Cali High Sports is coming out with the best and most accurate list of the top Cali players for each sport. We add basketball to our rankings where an extremely talented 2011 class features maybe the best crop of athletes California has seen in years.

We continue our countdown to number 1 with Oakland high school guard T.J Taylor.

#12 T.J Taylor
School: Sacremento (Our note: actually it's Oakland High)
Position: Point Guard
Height: 5'10
Weight: 165 pounds
Schools Considering: Santa Clara (committed then decommitted), Boise State, Colorado...

Go here for a lengthy evaluation.

An Eli Holman update

Here's a Bleacher Report update on former Richmond High star Eli Holman, now entering his third year at Detroit.

Good Things on The Horizon For The UDM Titans
Kevin Neaton
Bleacher Report
August 10, 2010

The Detroit Titans basketball program has seen a nice turnaround since 3rd year head coach Ray McCallum Sr. has taken over at the helm.  Prior to taking the head coaching job at UDM, McCallum was an assistant coach at the University of Indiana.  McCallum knew it would be tough to revive a program that had struggled mightily in recent years and he seemed to be fully prepared for the challenge...

...In the 2009-10 campaign, the Titans quickly turned things around by finishing with a 20-14 record.  With the highly skilled big man Eli Holman eligible to play, he showed how great of an impact he could have by averaging 12 points, 9 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game and became the teams go to guy. Coach McCallum was able to install a great half-court, man to man defense that allowed the Titans to stay in games when they were struggling offensively...

Go here for the remainder.

Recruiting: 10 things you should know

Here a former college basketball player (UCLA and San Diego State) outlining the realities of recruiting:

Recruiting: 10 things you should know
Jerica Williams

6/04/10 - For a high school student-athlete, the recruiting process often feels like the most exciting, exhilarating, yet stressful, process you may ever experience. With one decision determining the most important four years of your life, how can you make the right decision?

In addition to the many variables that go into choosing a school, there are high school coaches, parents and friends constantly giving opinions to influence the decision. Those opinions, along with what college coaches are telling you, could make the process overwhelming.

Ultimately, the decision is that of the player.

Below are 10 things to know about the recruiting process:

1. You are not the only one coaches recruit
.
Just like you have options, they do, too. Honest coaches will tell you upfront that you are not the only person they are recruiting at your position. You need to know that many coaches will recruit up to five people at a position. So it may be a good idea to ask, “Where do I rank on the list of people you are recruiting for my position this year?”

2. College basketball is a business. You are an investment.

Student-athletes look for the best institution possible, and colleges look for the best investment of time and money since a college scholarship is so valuable. While the recruiting process should be an enjoyable experience, the business side requires you to work hard to maintain the best possible position...

Go here for the remainder.

August 14 basketball skills clinic with Jeremy Russotti

This coming Saturday -- August 14 -- Jeremy Russotti is hosting a basketball clinic from 9 a.m. to noon at Valley Christian High School in San Jose.

All drills will be run and demonstrated by Josh Akognon, former Casa Grande High and Cal State Fullerton star.This is a rare occasion where Josh has the time before leaving to play basketball in China on the 17th.

The cost is $45. Payment can be made the day of the camp.

Topics will include functional ballhandling, dribble threat series, triple threat, secondary finishing moves, and dribble attack series.

By the way, here's a great article on Josh.

Here's a feature on Jeremy, who is the top basketball skills trainer in northern California.

Josiah Turner and isiah Thomas

We certainly had no idea there was any connection between Sac High's Josiah Turner and Isiah Thomas. Here's a New York Times article filling us in but what is missing is how they initially got to know one another. Here's guessing it was via recruiting. 

Appreciating Thomas as a Mentor
William C. Rhoden
New York Times
August 6, 2010
Isiah Thomas and his wife spent a pleasant afternoon in Central Park on Sunday.

They watched old-school roller skaters glide to the thumping sounds of ’60s and ’70s soul music. The skaters performed maneuvers as if they were walking on air.

“Right after that, they have a jam session with the congas,” Thomas said. “It’s old school.”

Wearing dark shades and a cap, Thomas went largely unnoticed. “You see people out there who are bankers and lawyers during the week,” he said, “but this is where they come to go back to their roots.”

He was, however, aware of the reaction, much of it negative, to the announcement Friday that he would join the Knicks as a special consultant.

“I read it all,” Thomas said of the news coverage. He wasn’t disappointed, he wasn’t surprised...

Go here for the remainder.

The whereabouts of Jeff Powers

Former De La Salle basketballer Jeff Powers went off to the University of Denver after graduating a year ago. Things didn't work out there and he returned to the Bay Area. Now Powers is listed on Mike Montgomery's UC Berkeley roster, presumably as a walk-on. He is also listed as 6-foot-9 and as a guard.

The debate over oversigning

This is a topic that has always interested us and we generally come down on the side of the student-athletes. We admit there certainly are young athletes whose behavior is not on the up-and-up and/or those whose academics are subpar and /or those who do not live up to coach-perceived potential but there are also coaches whose perceive student-athletes as nothing more than interchangeable parts and that the best chance to win triumphs all else because that is what they are ultimately judged upon by their AD, everyday fans and big bucks supporters.

It's a mixed bag equation, one that requires judgments on individual coaches and players via a case-by-case basis.

The following article just glosses over the human interaction in the recruitment process -- the pitching of woo via notes, texts, calls and yes, promises -- and labels all simply as a business transaction.

We view it differently, more as a corporate versus individual dealing, the so-called 'experts' versus the 'inexperienced' despite however much time and effort a kid or his family puts into learning about the process. We liken it to an individual taking on the IRS without having counsel or an accountant in your corner.

Another element that disturbs us greatly is the running off of players but then having their former college limit who can recruit the discarded player. This doesn't even touch on the 'having-to-sit-out-a-year' restriction even if railroaded off a team and away from a college.

The NCAAF Over Signing Recruits Debate… Do Homework Before Signing
August 5, 2010

Whatever happened to due diligence? In today’s immediate gratification culture, cautious and responsible decision making seems like a thing of the past. Everywhere you look there are examples of people running headlong into risky situations. From credit card debt to the mortgage crisis and everything in between, it appears that people are no longer reading the fine print. It’s a dangerous game because when reality sets in it’s easy to be way over your head. There is no one else to blame but yourself.

Go here for the remainder.

Here's the presentation from the other side -- a much more student-athlete friendlier take.

Here's someone taking a look at both the previous articles and compiling his own look at the matter.

Here's a look at a former LSU footballer whose scholarship was pulled -- it contains something very interesting about how the NCAA supposedly looks at the athletics it controls -- at least in print.

Sheldon High has scheduled big

Sheldon High is going to Louisville, New Orleans and southern California besides playing some of the northern California out-of-conference powerhouses.

Loaded Sheldon loads up its basketball schedule
Bill Paterson
Sacramento Bee
Aug. 8, 2010

The start of the high school boys basketball season is more than three months away.

But the buzz is already building for Sheldon High School and a group of players who constantly have to be told to relax by coach Joey Rollings...

Go here for the remainder.

Ken Milch the new coach at Terra Nova

New basketball coach Milch joins Terra Nova staff
Horace Hinshaw
Tribune Sports Editor
8/05/2010

Entering the 50th anniversary year of Terra Nova basketball, the boy's varsity team has never won a Central Coast Section championship. However, the varsity team has won three league titles, the latest being 2008.

Ken Milch, Terra Nova's new basketball coach, wants to replicate those winning years. Named to the head position last week by Terra Nova Athletic Director Bill Gray, Milch is very familiar with Terra Nova's basketball program...

Go here for the remainder.

Josiah Turner at seven schools

Sac High's Josiah Turner receives some East Coast coverage with this article by Adam Zagoria:

Turner Lists 7 Schools, Louisville Visit Up Next
Adam Zagoria
Zag's Blog
August 06, 2010

Josiah Turner of the Drew Gooden Soldiers is in high demand as the No. 3 point guard in the nation.

The 6-foot-3, 175-pound Turner is currently considering seven schools as options for 2011.

“I’m at seven schools,” he said by phone from the Nike Global Challenge in Portland, Ore., where Team USA lost to France Friday night.

“Kansas, UConn, Louisville, Oregon, Oklahoma, UCLA and Arizona.”

Go here for the remainder.

An update on Rick Croy

Just came across this on former Northgate High (Walnut Creek) and San Francisco State basketballer Rick Croy (who has headed the Citrus College men's basketball program for the last six seasons):

"...Owls' Head Coach Rick Croy, who built the Citrus program from an afterthought to a dynasty, has left to join the staff of St. Mary's..."

Here's Croy's biography from the Citrus College site. CC won the state championship in 2008 and went 29-3 this past season, losing to the eventual winner of the state championship by one point in the semifinals.

More from Coach Taubodo on E-Time Hoops

E-Time Hoops headed to Los Angeles after the tourney in Las Vegas -- here's that summary from Coach Ernest Taubodo:

ETH competed at the Double Pump "Best of the Summer" Tournament for the second year in a row.  This year, there were seven participants:  Joe Eyen, Devin Crisosto, Robert Duncan, JT Adenrele, Chad Haysbert, Daniel Smith, and Taharka El Henson.

Day One drew Houston Select which was the most dominating team from Texas in the Adidas 3 Stripes tournament. Houston Select finished 5-1 and has a player verbally committed to the University of Texas. Game One was a very exciting contest with neither team seizing much of an advantage. It appeared that both teams were evenly matched but ETH maintained a slight lead through out. In the end, it was an ETH victory 71-65.

Later on that evening at 7:20 p.m., ETH took on the San Diego All-Stars. San Diego had defeated Clovis West earlier in the day. ETH was not as sharp as in game one. There were many unforced errors as well as poor defensive execution. The scrappy team from San Diego were always withing two possessions throughout the game. As time dwindled down within the final seconds, each team battled to be the last team standing. San Diego outlasted ETH 45-44.

The next day was the final day of pool play and the first day of single-elimination bracket play. ETH took on Clovis West to end pool play. After a very sluggish and lethargic tempo, ETH defeated Clovis West 53-45. The first elimination game was scheduled at 7:30 p.m.

Team Detroit was a number one seed in their pool and ETH was a number 2 in the first elimination game. Detroit was a very physical uptempo team looking to score in the open court. ETH was again very sluggish and didn't value the ball by turning it over. The offense for ETH also suffered as there were many two and three minute stints without a score. Towards the end, things got a little chippy with pushing and shoving. Detroit extended its lead within the last minute and defeated ETH 58-49.

Overall, ETH accomplished the following:

* Nor Cal Tip-Off: 4-0 including a big win over Lakeshow...

* 3 Stripes Adidas: 6-1 including big wins over Moore Management & CTB All Stars...also competed for the championship and took second place overall in the platinum bracket.

* Adidas Super 64: 3-1 including an impressive performance against NY Heights in the elimination game, 60-52...

* Best of Summer: 2-2 including a big win over Houston Select and a tough battle against team Detroit.

There were college coaches and representatives present at each of these events. ETH was a main attraction for a lot of schools in attendance. We wish all of these young men well in their recruiting process.

Former DLS basketballer Jose Rivera gets featured

Basketball player shoots, scores award
Dustin Call
Citrus College Clarion
June 2, 2010

When Jose Rivera came to Citrus College from Northern California, he never expected to accomplish as much as he has. His accomplishment include helping his team make it to the California Community College Athletic Association Championships for the third consecutive year, being named the Western State Conference MVP, and being named to the men’s basketball First Team All-State.

Now Rivera has another honor to add to his list: Citrus College male athlete of the year...

Go here for the remainder.

Catching up with some more JUCOs moving on

6-foot-5 Contra Costa College sophomore De'shaun Legree (Fairfield High), who led the Bay Valley Conference in scoring at 19.8 points per game, has moved on to Fresno Pacific. LeGree shot 41% from beyond the arc last season.

+++++

6-foot-7 Gerrell Knightshead, out of Santa Rosa Junior College, is supposedly headed back to Bethune-Cookman.

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West Valley College has a pair of basketballers going a bit north: 5-foot-9 point Devon Mynhier (Piedmont Hills) and small forward Isaiah Pfitzer (Washington, SF) are to be at Notre Dame de Namur in Belmont

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Foothill College's Dominic Stewart will be joining brother Marseilles in Kentucky. The former is bound for NAIA member Lindsay Wilson College while the latter will be checking in at Kentucky Wesleyan. Both prepped at ISA (San Francisco).