Well it seems that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, as his daughter Sydney is a HS girls basketball sensation who plays for Boon County in Kentucky. The 6‘0 senior was recently named Miss Kentucky Basketball, given annually to the best female basketball player in the state.

Everyone in Northern Kentucky knew as early as Middle School that Sydney was going to be a star as she began playing on the high school level as early as the 8th grade. During her senior season, she helped lead her squad to the Sweet 16 of the Kentucky State Playoffs, averaging an impressive 22.8 points, 10.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 4.2 steals per game. Even though her Boone County lost in the Round of 16, it surely wasn’t Sydney’s fault as she scored 41 points in her final HS game, albeit in a losing effort.

The 5-foot-10 senior guard has led the Rebels to a 30-3 record and a berth in the first round of the Sweet Sixteen State Tournament against Dunbar High, scheduled for March 7. Moss averaged 22.8 points, 10.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 4.2 steals and 1.6 blocks per game heading into the state tournament. A two-time Cincinnati Enquirer Player of the Year and a two-time Louisville Courier Journal First Team All-State selection, Moss is a WBCA Honorable Mention All-American. She had scored 2,935 points in her prep basketball career entering the 2012 postseason.

Sydney has a bright future ahead on the collegiate level as she has committed to play at the University of Florida in the Fall. Surely she intends to follow in her father’s footsteps of one day playing on the professional level, quite possibly in the WNBA. Hopefully she inherited more of the good than the bad from her famous father’s personality and never utters the words ‘Straight Cash Homey’ until receiving her first pro contract.

Topping the list of undecided impact freshmen was Canadian native Anthony Bennett, the #7 ranked player in the 2012 Class. He is a 6‘8 and 230 lb power forward that recently chose the hometown UNLV Runnin Rebels over other top tier schools like Kentucky, Florida, and Oregon. Bennett starred alongside fellow impact incoming freshman Brandon Ashley(Arizona) on Las Vegas based high school powerhouse Findlay Prep, who won the National HS Invitational.

During the offseason, Bennett played with super sophomore Andrew Wiggins on Canada’s CIA Bounce on the AAU circuit, in addition to being named to this year’s McDonald’s All American team, and playing a starring role for the World in beating Team USA in the 2012 Nike Hoops Summit.

Bennett has a unique skill set in that despite possessing the physique of a power forward, Anthony is more comfortable from the perimeter, capable of either taking his man off the dribble or shooting over the defense with above average 3 point range. While he stands barely over 6‘7, Bennett does have a 7‘1 wingspan and has elite level jumping ability to more than make up for it, at least on the collegiate level. There’s no doubting that Bennett will remind many longtime Rebels fans of former NCAA great Larry Johnson.

Although some high profile recruits like Shabazz Muhammed spurned the Rebels, they did reel in a Top 20 rated recruiting class lead by Bennett and 4 star shooting guard Katin Reinhardt, in addition to Pitt transfer Khem Birch, a former Top 10 prospect in the 2011 Class, and Demetris Morant. In addition to the top notch incoming class, coach Dave Rice returns a number of experienced players like NBA hopeful Mike Moser, Quintrell Thomas, Carlos Lopez, and Anthony Marshall. UNLV should begin next season with high hopes as a preseason Top 25 team.

Check out Anthony Bennett in action this Spring:

Jefferson, a highly touted 6’7 and 195 lb small forward, is a consensus Top 30 rated prospect that many feel can make an immediate impact as a freshman on the collegiate level next season. He along with fellow McDonald’s All American PF Anthony Bennett are the top still uncommitted players remaining in the graduating senior class.

Although still wiry thin, Jefferson is already a force as a monster rebounder and shot-blocker because of an immense 7 foot plus wingspan. He also along possesses a diverse and versatile offensive skill set that allowed him to notch multiple double-doubles during his senior campaign.

Amile is the next in line of prototypical hybrid forwards, more comfortable facing up than backing down a defender. He is most comfortable operating in the mid to high post, taking advantage of an advanced quickness to finish of an array of drop steps and hook shots. His perimeter skills are still a work in progress but has the fundamentals to be a dynamic offensive player in time. Many compare Jefferson to a slightly thinner Terrence Jones of Kentucky.

Duke and NC State are his supposed favorites with Kentucky and hometown Villanova also in Amile’s Top 4 destinations.  Surely Wolfpack and Blue Devil fans will be monitoring Jefferson’s Twitter account to be one of the first to find out his decision….

Check out Amile Jefferson in Action:

You see, Eron is a 6‘2 guard, rising at an alarming rate in the 2016 Class, and……….oh by the way, he just happens to be the youngest brother of current New Orleans Hornet Eric Gordon.

The youngest Gordon has already proven to be a highlight reel, high flying prospect, as evidence of his outstanding performance in a 7th grade dunk contest last season.

He currently plays at Westlane Middle School in Indianapolis and plans at attending North Central HS, were his oldest brother Eric was once named Mr Basketball of Indiana in 2007. Middle brother Evan Gordon is currently sitting a season out as he recently transferred from Liberty University to Arizona State.

In addition to Indiana, Eron has already made an unofficial visit to Purdue, and has virtually every Big Ten school on his radar from Michigan State, Michigan, Ohio State, Wisconsin, as well as Xavier.

Check out Eron Gordon in action this season:

Just one week ago, the reigning National Champion Kentucky Wildcats added the top player in the 2012 Class, shot-blocking big man Nerlens Noel, to give Coach Cal the #1 rated recruiting class for the 4th consecutive season.

That was until the Bruins added one of the most sought after, still uncommited players in the class, Top 30 PF prospect Tony Parker, to an already vaunted recruiting haul that included Magic Johnson-esque forward Kyle Anderson, sharpshooter Jordan Adams, and the most potent offensive player in the class, Shabazz Muhammed.

The recruiting coup for Howland will be a welcome addition to the experienced Bruins roster that already includes a pair of experienced 7 footers in former UNC transfers David and Travis Wear, elite level 300lb center Josh Smith, and the sharpshooting Tyler Lamb. Surely coach Howland is hoping that the Bruins can return to their usual perch among the nation’s most vaunted programs by once again making it back to the Final Four, a feat they accomplished for 3 straight seasons between ’06-’08.

As for Parker, he’s still in the early development stages of tapping his immense potential but has a game that model’s Ohio State’s Jared Sullinger. Parker, the #27 rated prospect in the 2012 Class, is a bruising, low post scorer and rebounder with soft hands that plays mostly below the rim, but is capable of being a one man wrecking crew as he almost single-handedly led his Miller Grove HS team to a number of wins over top ranked teams this past season.

Parker averaged 16.6 ppg and 11 rebounds in helping lead Miller Grove to their fourth straight Georgia State Title. Parker, a 6’9 and 280lb PF, selected UCLA over a number of elite level NCAA programs like Duke, Ohio State, Memphis, and the hometown Georgia Bulldogs. Many feel the Bruins always had the inside track to nab Parker because his former AAU coach Korey McCray is now a Bruin assistant coach.  I will say that the move is a bit puzzling considering Parker probably won’t get much playing time behind such an experienced frontcourt.  Look for him to become a star by his sophomore season.

Check out Tony Parker in his senior season:

On Friday, a reporter from the New York Post reported the surprising news that Colonial Conference powerhouses George Mason and VCU, along with Horizon League perennial contenders Butler, will be joining the Atlantic 10 Conference on May 1st.

In the past, officials from VCU and the Colonial Conference have flatly denied the impending move but probably must keep the news behind closed doors until an official announcement can be made. Administrators from the A-10 have reportedly made a statement on the move, saying “it’s a go.”

While most of the recent conference realignment has been fueled by football money, it looks like this impending move would be purely basketball related. If you remember, Temple University will be moving to the Big East in 2013 for basketball only, leaving a void in the A-10.

Adding 3 programs of VCU, GM, and Butler’s stature sure does bring immediate respectability to the A-10, considering the 3 mid-major programs have made 4 trips to the Final Four since 2006. VCU went in 2011, Butler had back-to-back appearances in 2010 and 2011, and of course, George Mason went on their Cinderella run back in 2006.

With recent re-alignment news of Syracuse and Pitt moving to the ACC, West Virginia going to the Big 12, Missouri joining the SEC, and SMU and Memphis coming to the Big East, it shouldn’t come to anyone’s surprise at just how much the college landscape is changing.

Remember Butler’s Gordon Hayward’s Missed Shot in the 2010 Title Game:

Judging by the most recent NBA Mock Drafts, NCAA National Player of the Year Anthony Davis, multi-talented SF Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, and athletic forward Terrence Jones are all expected to be chosen within the Lottery, while the decision to declare was probably much tougher for freshman PG Marquis Teague and sophomore SG Doron Lamb as they are projected as late 1st Round selections.

At a press conference held at the Wildcat’s practice facility, named after legendary Kentucky coach Joe B. Hall, current coach John Calipari began the festivities with a brief statement about how proud and how much of a bond he formed with each of the 5 players before turning the microphone over to each player to make their own individual announcements and thank the rabid Kentucky fanbase, called the Big Blue Nation.

Coach Cal did aid in adding some intrigue by initially announcing that only Davis, Lamb, and Jones had “thrown their names into the Draft” before pausing, smiling, then announcing that Kidd-Gilchrist and Teague had also declared, adding that he just wanted to make a few other top flight coaches a little nervous that 2 of his players were returning.  That’s what makes Cal…….well Cal.  Calipari also made sure to make mention of seniors Darius Miller and Eloy Vargas graduating in a few weeks with a college degree in hand.

In their individual announcements, Davis may have had the best one liner when, after thanking the usual culprits God, the coaching staff, and Big Blue Nation, he chose to make the statement that he “wanted to thank everyone that helped make me the great player that I am.”  The comment prompted Calipari to interject,  “Did he really just say that.”  Chalk it up to a 19 year old, incredibly talented basketball player that is nervous, and having fun with the situation.  If I recall, Davis made some similar comments last week on the Jimmy Kimmel Show.

Next season, Calipari will have to rebuild behind the nation’s top ranked recruiting class (for the 4th year in a row) with players like the nation’s #1 rated player Nerlens Noel, SG Archie Goodwin, SF Alex Poythress, and two sport sar big man Willie Cauley.  Of note, only the 6’9 sharpshooting big man Kyle Wiltjer and redshirt sophomore PG Ryan Harrow return from last season that have played any meaningful minutes.

Check out a clip from the Kentucky Underclassmen Press Conference:

You can watch the presser in it’s entirety over at the UK Athletics site.

Muhammed, who recently committed to play for UCLA, didn’t have his customarily lights out, high scoring game but got it going in the 2nd half to score 20 points and grab 4 rebounds, helping to lead a spirited West comeback down the stretch.

Arguably, the game’s best player was NC State bound SG Rodney Purvis, who scored a game high 22 points on 10-13 shooting and tallied 3 steals, in earning the game’s Co-MVP honors with Muhammed. Purvis was spectacular, showcasing his offensive prowess on continuous drives to the basket for and 1 finishes and a toughness that will make him a likely one-and-done performer for the Wolfpack.

For the winning West squad, Kentucky bound SF Alex Poythress looked ready to replace the departing Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, with 16 points and 4 boards, while fellow UK signee SG Archie Goodwin added 14 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists. Austin Rivers’ replacement at Duke, guard Rasheed Sulaimon, chipped in 13 points, 7 rebounds, and made 3 NBA range threes.

For the losing East squad, UCLA bound Kyle Anderson showed again why he was so sought after in the early recruiting period by having a great all around game consisting of 14 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 assists. Arizona bound big man C Kaleb Tarczewski was impressive, putting up 14 points and 10 boards, while still uncommitted PF Tony Parker scored 8 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Incoming Syracuse SF Jerami Grant, the nephew of former Chicago Bulls forward Horace Grant, added 10 points in the losing cause.

Nerlens Noel, the nation’s #1 ranked prospect who recently got creative in his commitment to National Champion Kentucky, had 4 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 blocks for the East. In a made for TV moment, last year’s Jordan Brand Classic MVP and this season’s NCAA POY Anthony Davis was courtside, and offered up some advice to UK’s newest recruit(Noel) on what to expect from Big Blue Nation this fall.

Check out a 2012 Jordan Brand Classic Recap:

Fresh off winning their 8th National Title in program history, ranking 2nd behind only UCLA, the Kentucky Wildcats could be facing a major overhaul of the roster with senior Darius Miller graduating and upwards of 5 underclassmen(Davis, Kidd-Gilchrist, Jones, Lamb, and Teague) potentially being taken in the 1st Round of the upcoming 2012 NBA Draft.

But when they have a master recruiter like John Calipari at the helm, tons of talented reinforcements are on the way in the form of the nation’s #1 ranked recruiting class, for the 4th consecutive season.  Kentucky’s class includes 4 players ranked within the Top 40 players in the nation.

While Noel is actually a better shot-blocker than Anthony Davis, he’s much more raw on the offensive end. One advantage Noel has over Davis at this point in their development is that Nerlens has always been a big man, possessing low post instincts on both sides of the ball that Davis, a former 6’2 guard, was just in the infancy stages of learning.

Noel is so prolific defensively that many have already compared him to NBA Hall of Famer Bill Russell for his ability to take over a game without scoring a point. Many consider him the best shot-blocker to enter the collegiate ranks since Greg Oden, back in 2006.

When it comes to offensive production, Calipari will look to a pair of McDonald’s All Americans in SG Archie Griffin, ranked as the #15 overall prospect in the 2012 Class, and SF Alex Poythress, the #8 overall prospect who has already dropped 46 points and 18 rebounds on an opponent earlier this season. Griffin is a relentless scorer and shooter, while Poythress is getting better by the minute, virtually keeping pace with Shabazz Muhammed in the 2012 McDonald’s All American Game.

The Cats also have the athletic 7 foot center Willie Cauley, the #40th ranked prospect in the Class to back up Noel next season. Cauley was a two sport star in high school, who doubled as his school’s stand-out wide receiver  in football.

But the even scarier scenario is the fact that the Wilcats in all likelihood aren’t done yet on the recruiting front. They are also in the mix for 3 other elite level uncommited HS stars like PF Tony Parker, PF Anthony Bennett, and SF Amile Jefferson. In my estimation, Calipari will get at least one more commitment and will be the Pre-season #1 team prior to the 2012-2013 season.

Check out Nerlens Noel’s Senior Mixtape:

While both are set to make their college decisions live on ESPNU this Wednesday @7PM, during the network’s annual signing day special, Muhammed and Noel were busy representing their country in the 2012 Nike Hoops Summit.

In the annual HS hoops showcase, the Team USA Junior National Select Team takes on an all star team made up of the best prep players from all around the World, and is played at The Rose Garden, home of the Portland Trailblazers.

In past year’s, the event has served as a springboard for the careers of many American and International HS hoops prospects like Dirk Nowitzki, Enes Kanter, and Bismack Biyombo, who parlayed an outstanding showing last season against USA’s vaunted frontcourt of Anthony Davis(Kentucky), Rakeem Christmas(Syracuse), and Michael James McAdoo(UNC) into becoming an NBA Lottery selection.

While Team USA lost to the World Select team for only the 4th time in the event’s history 84-75, there were several noteworthy individual efforts that highlighted the event. Most impressive was the play of Muhammed, who set records for scoring with 35 points, most FG attempted with 19, and tied the mark for most FG made with 10.

UCLA recruit Kyle “Slo-Mo” Anderson also had an outstanding game, consisting of 12 points, a record tying 10 rebounds, to go with 4 assists and 3 steals. Big man Nerlens Noel added 5 points, 4 rebounds, and a game high 4 blocks.

But it was the outstanding play of Team World’s Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett, both hailing from Canada, that stole the show. Incoming junior Wiggins, who has been on the NBA’s radar since middle school, led the way with 20 points and 7 rebounds, while still uncommitted senior Bennett grabbed a game high 11 rebounds to go with 7 points, including a key 3 point basket late to secure the victory.

Check out the Top 10 Plays at the 2012 Nike Hoops Summit:

While Lin’s breakout season was cut short due to injuries, Davis is just beginning to scratch the surface of his superstardom as he not only led the nation in blocked shots, breaking the NCAA’s all time mark, but is universally projected as the #1 overall selection in June’s NBA Draft.  He was named Most Outstanding Player at the Final Four and will surely be on the short list when it comes to shoe and commercial endorsements when and if he declares for the NBA by the April 29th deadline.

Apparently his whirlwind media tour has begun as this year’s National POY made an impromptu appearance on the Jimmy Kimmel Show last night.  As always, Jimmy made it a hilarious interview, continually grilling Davis about his uni-brow, staying in school, and what he wants to buy with his impending NBA millions…….

Check out Anthony Davis on Jimmy Kimmel:

Wearing camouflage uniforms to honor our troops abroad, two of college basketball’s most storied programs squared off for the first ever game at sea in front of President Obama and the First Lady, as both coaching staffs donned combat boots to honor the servicemen.

As for the game, Harrison Barnes’ 17 points helped lead the Tarheels to a 12 point victory 67-55 over the Spartans as the players gave their specialized “USA” jerseys to members of the Navy in attendance.

Since the inaugural event was such a huge success, the NCAA has announced that Syracuse will play against San Diego State aboard the USS Midway on November 9th, 2012, in what is being called the Battle on the Midway.  The USS Midway has been berthed in San Diego Bay since 2004 and was once an active and integral part of the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm before becoming a full time carrier museum.

Syracuse and local program on the rise San Diego State are logical choices for the 2nd edition of the Carrier Classic as both are current powerhouse programs, the Cuse’ headed by Hall of Fame coach Jim Boeheim and the Aztecs helmed by former University of Michigan coach Steve Fisher, who gained notoriety as head man of the famous “Fab Five” freshmen during the early 90′s.

Check out the entire 2011 Carrier Classic: