Friday, July 1, 2011

Recruiting news: L. J. Rose (down to UCLA and Texas), Beejay Anya, James Robinson

Thanks to stlouisbruin for posting on Bruin Zone.

L.J. Rose/WildcatRecruits/You Tube


CityLeagueHoopsTV/You Tube



Notebook: Anthony Bennett continues to rise

By Jeff Borzello
CBSSports.com Recruiting blog
Posted on: June 24, 2011 12:46 pm
Edited on: June 25, 2011 5:36 pm



CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Anthony Bennett burst onto the scene a couple of years ago at Mountain State Academy (W.Va.), but quickly fell out of the nation’s vision when he sat out most of last season with an injury.

The Findlay Prep (Nev.) forward has returned this spring with a vengeance, and might have been the fastest-rising player in the country.

“I really improved,” Bennett said. “Before, I was just a post player, but I’ve developed my ball-handling and stuff. I took the things I was working on and used it.”

Bennett, a 6-foot-7 prospect who hails from Canada, has seen his recruiting rise in connection with his recent play.

He is hearing from West Virginia, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Georgetown, Connecticut, Florida, Florida State, Arizona, UNLV, Washington, Washington, Oregon and Oregon State.

Bennett is taking his time with the process, and doesn’t plan on making a decision until next spring.

“After the summer, I’ll have a top five,” he said.


L.J. Rose focused on two schools

The consensus on the point guard group in the class of 2012 is that the position is fairly weak, with no one standing out as the best. L.J. Rose went to NBPA Camp looking to stake his claim as the top point guard in the country. “There’s a lot of great point guards,” Rose said. “Everyone is trying to get the number one spot.”

The 6-foot-2 Second Baptist (Tex.) product has schools like Kentucky, Baylor, Memphis, Virginia and Kansas pursuing him – but two schools are standing out.

“UCLA and Texas,” Rose said. “UCLA has a great coaching staff and a beautiful campus. Texas is close to home and they get talent.”


Anton Gill shakes off nerves

One of the few 2013 prospects at the NBPA Top 100 Camp was Anton Gill, a 6-foot-3 shooting guard from Ravenscroft (N.C.). “I played hard, but I was kind of nervous at the start,” Gill said.

He currently holds offers from East Carolina, Charlotte, North Carolina State, Wake Forest, Louisville, South Carolina, Miami (Fl.) and Oklahoma State, with interest coming from Xavier, Marquette, Florida and North Carolina. Gill plans to visit Miami at the end of July.


Team Takeover trio talk recruiting

Team Takeover was clearly the best AAU team on the circuit during the spring, going undefeated in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League, a collection of the best Nike-sponsored AAU teams in the country.

Not surprisingly, many of their players saw an uptick in their respective recruitments over the past few months.

James Robinson, a stocky 6-foot-3 point guard from DeMatha (Md.), has plenty of schools on him. Virginia, Georgetown, Notre Dame, Miami (Fl.), UCLA and West Virginia are some of the ones on Robinson the hardest.


James Robinson and Beejay Anya/NetScoutsBasketball/You Tube



“Nothing too definite, but I want to cut it down when school starts,” he said. “I’m looking for a good fit, with academics, and somewhere I fit it on the court and socially.”

Robinson plans to visit Miami when Takeover is down in Orlando for AAU Nationals.

Beejay Anya really helped his stock over the last few months, dominating the paint for Keith Stevens’ travel team. The 6-foot-7 space eater makes plays around the rim at both ends of the floor, despite being undersized.


Beejay Anya/greezyp11/You Tube


“I’m definitely improving my game, since my team has been playing so mnuch,” Anya said.

A host of schools have shown interest in the 2013 big man, including Duke, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Maryland, Texas, UCLA, Georgetown, Pittsburgh, St. John’s, Rutgers, Virginia, Seton Hall, Florida State and Florida.

Another stock-riser in the spring was Arnaud Adala-Moto, a Cameroon native who attends Episcopal (Va.).

While he doesn’t have a set school list, Moto said he wants to visit Virginia Tech, North Carolina State and Wake Forest in June. He is also hearing from Miami (Fl.), Maryland, Seton Hall and Georgia Tech.

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