“I definitely wanted to take a look at the school,” Jefferson said. “Duke is a once in a lifetime opportunity and something you don’t pass up on.” Jefferson told ESPN on his decision.

Jefferson picked Duke over Kentucky and NC State.

The No.1 prospect in high school basketball is Jabari Parker and now he is on the cover of Sports Illustrated. The Magazine will hit newsstands this week.

THE SEASON | Findlay Prep S4E37: Dominic Artis, Nigel Williams-Goss vs. Impact Basketball: All the workouts, all the conditioning, all the practices led to the very first game of the season. Coach Peck selected JR Nigel Williams-Goss and SR Amedeo Della Valle as the starting back court with SR Dominic Artis coming off the bench. Also, SR Matt Willms talks about playing for the Findlay Prep Pilots for the first time.

If Jabari Parker were just an unfailingly polite and devout honor student from Chicago’s South Side, he’d still be one of the most remarkable 17-year-olds you’ve ever met. But Parker is also the nation’s top high school basketball player and his unique mix of athletic talent and Pollyanna charm has him poised to become basketball’s next big thing.

Parker’s day starts before dawn with an hour of Bible study at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His Mormon faith comes from his mother; his 6’8” frame is passed down from his dad, former NBA first-round pick Sonny Parker.

Read more: http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/2012/05/07/inside-the-life-of-basketballs-next-superstar/#ixzz1uhBgHmJO

Late last week Dave Telep of ESPN reported that Senior Forward Anthony Bennett has cut Florida from his list. Leaving Kentucky, Oregon and UNLV. Bennett told Telep the reason he cut Florida was because Brad Beal decided to enter the NBA Draft.

“At first I really liked Florida but when [Brad] Beal decided to leave it affected me, cause I was looking forward to playing with him,” Bennett said.

Now I talked to a source over the weekend and they told me that they would be surprised if Bennett went anywhere but to UNLV. Now things can change at anytime but according to my source The Rebels are in the driver seat for Bennett.

Done deal, Anthony Bennett has committed to UNLV.

New rules coming for incoming high school freshman, say goodbye to reclassifying back for a fifth year of high school, the NCAA is putting in a rule that you must now finish your 16 core classes in four years.

For the class of college athletes who will enroll in 2016 — these students will start high school in a few months — the changes are, indeed, significant. Current initial-eligibility standards require entering freshmen to graduate high school with 16 core courses passed and a minimum 2.0 GPA matched with an ACT or SAT score on a sliding scale.

The 2016 standards mandate the same 16 core courses but stipulate that 10 must be completed by the start of the student’s senior year of high school and that all 16 are finished in four years. So effectively say goodbye to the practice popular in basketball of reclassifying to enjoy a fifth year of high school.

And the minimum GPA jumps to 2.3.

Source ESPN 

Zach Lavine left his mark on the Htown Classic

With the 2^nd weekend of the NCAA live period wrapping up this weekend, Hal Pastner and Bigfoot Hoops returned to Houston. Bigfoot Hoops put on the Htown Classic which featured teams from across the country and some from Canada.

The 17U title in the Platinum division was taken home by Gold Coast from Florida. They beat the Corpus Christi Panthers in the final 81-57. Other division winners were: Fleur de Lis All-Stars, All 4 Sports Dream Team, Houston Fever, and GCBC Elite.

College colleges were out looking for the next additions to their squad and the players made sure not to disappoint. Here are some of the best performers of the weekend:

Zach Lavine (2013 G FOH Seattle): Lavine is being recruited by many schools across the country. This weekend showed why. Lavine is a 6’3 guard with a great shot and  he is great at finding ways to score. He is more of a shooter than a pure athlete, but he is athletic enough to create space to get his shot off. Zach is working on getting stronger, handling the ball better, and playing better as the lead guard. Lavine says he is hearing the most from UCLA, Washington, Louisville, and Gonzaga.

Sam Singer (2013 G Gold Coast):  Sam Singer led his squad to the title this weekend. Singer is a 6’5 point guard who can score, but also set his teammates up well. Sam is working on his defense and his athleticism, but offensively he possesses a unique skill set for a point guard his size. Sam is hearing from Stanford, Virginia, Alabama, Wake Forest, Penn St, Boston College, and Miami.

Reggie Lynch (2013 F Minnesota Magic Elite): Lynch was the most productive big man in this tournament. Lynch is a defensive stopper who blocks a lot of shots and alters plenty more. The teams the Magic played had to find another way to score because scoring consistently against Lynch wasn’t happening. Offensively, he works well with his back to the basket, but he needs to finish stronger and work on his footwork. Reggie is currently hearing from Washington, LaSalle, and Omaha.

Cedric Hankerson (2013  G Gold Coast): Cedric is a 6’5 guard that is a smart player who finds his way to the rim. He doesn’t settle for long jumpers or poor shots. Cedric is always attacking the rim. Hankerson is quick to point out he is working on being more consistent when on the floor. He is currently hearing from Ivy League schools, Stanford, Georgetown, Louisville, and Central Florida. After averaging 22 and 11 in high school his recruiting should pick up even more.

Josh Martin (2014 FOH Seattle): The 6’8 forward knows what to do when he gets the ball inside. Martin has a good face up game and he uses his speed to get to the rim and finish strong. Defensively he has the strength to compete in the paint once he gets better positioning.  Martin is currently hearing from Washington, Tennessee, Florida State, and Washington State.

Other names to watch over the summer: Ryan Andino (2013 G Gold Coast), Tevin Joesph (2013 G Gold Coast), Miguel and Frank Martin (2012 G/F Team Miami), Anthony Sinclair (2012 G Team Miami), Bryant Magee (2013 Mississippi D1 Ambassadors), Jahhe Douglas (2013 F Fleur de Lis All-Stars), and Greg White-Pittman (2014 G Fleur de Lis All-Stars).

Follow me on Twitter @bpadilla3

Check out the top-ranked Oakland Soldiers going 4-0 on the 1st trip of the 2012 EYBL season in Minnesota.