Hoops Notes: New beginning for Arlington Country Day

After winning five-straight Florida state championships and reaching the title game on two other occasions, head coach Rex Morgan and Arlington Country Day (Jacksonville, Fla.) are taking on a new challenge this season.

No longer a member of the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA), ACD has aligned with the Sunshine Independent Athletic Association, giving the program more flexibility in scheduling and the ability to draw student-athletes from around the globe.

"(Being in the SIAA) has allowed us to travel more and put together a high-quality schedule," said Morgan, who has compiled a 390-61 mark in 15 years at the Jacksonville school. "When we looked at the climate of high school basketball and our philosophy with international students, it was time to move on (from the FHSAA)."

So far, so good as the Apaches are 6-0 with a resume as impressive as any team in the country early on. Arlington Country Day is ranked No. 17 in this week's Xcellent 25 presented by the Army National Guard.

"I think we're a sleeper," Morgan said. "We've got seven players that have already been offered by Division I schools, so we have good players. In the six games we have played, we have had five different leading scorers, so that says a lot about our talent."

Included in Morgan's cast;

- Shawn Smith, a 6-foot-5 junior guard, has produced or shared a team-high effort in the scoring column four times, including a season-best 29 points against Kestrel Heights (Durham, N.C.). Cincinnati, Florida State and Kansas State are actively pursuing Smith, who is averaging 17 points per game.

- Jordan Goodman, a 6-9 Maryland native rated the No. 29 prospect in the 2012 class, is averaging 10.6 points per game with a high of 14 against Upper Room Christian Academy (Raleigh, N.C.). A legitimate perimeter threat, Goodman has made stops at Seneca Valley (Germantown, Md.), Progressive Christian Academy (Camp Springs, Md.) and Christian Life Center Academy (Houston, Texas) before coming to Jacksonville. He is committed Rutgers.

- Ian Baker is averaging around eight points per game with a season-high 12 against Macdonald Academy (Red Springs, N.C.). The 6-1 junior guard has four brothers who have played college basketball and has an offer from Seton Hall.

- Carlos Morris exploded for 29 points in a 74-60 win over then-No. 8 Norcross (Ga.) at the Iverify Invitational in Charlotte, N.C., on Nov. 27. The 6-5 junior guard (10.8 points per game on the season) has offers from Cincinnati and South Carolina, among others.

- Finally, 6-10, 225-pound senior Michael Javes nearly recorded a triple-double in ACD's 74-60 win over Central Park Christian (Birmingham, Ala.) last Friday with 18 points, 18 rebounds and nine blocked shots. A native of Columbia, Javes is committed to Arkansas-Little Rock.

Arlington Country Day's shift from the FHSAA to the SIAA will end a run of six-straight seasons resulting in a state championship appearance, including top finishes from 2005-09 and a loss to Orlando Christian Prep in the 2010 final. The Apaches also reached the 2A championship game in 2001. But it isn't a program without direction.

"Winning the national championship, that's a goal," Morgan said. "But we also want to continue to educate players and help them be successful in college."

It won't take long for the Apaches to figure out where they stand in the national picture. Games with prominent programs like Melrose (Memphis, Tenn.), Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.), Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) and St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.) are ahead.

Lone Star scoring sensations

It's been a memorable month for Houston-area guards D'Angelo Harrison and Julien Lewis. After signing with high-major college programs in mid-November, both are experiencing hot starts to their senior campaigns.

Harrison, a member of Steve Lavin's highly-touted recruiting class at St. John's, is pouring in 33.8 points per game at Fort Bend Dulles (Sugar Land, Texas). The 6-3 sharpshooter exploded for 56 points against Alief Taylor on Nov. 22 and pumped in 39 during back-to-back wins over Lamar Consolidated (home of Jacquizz and James Rodgers) and Cy-Fair.

Lewis signed with Texas and is averaging 34.4 points per game for La Marque. He has pushed past the 40-point mark twice, including 47 in a 99-80 win over Fort Bend Elkins and 41 in a 91-81 victory over Fort Bend Travis featuring star sophomore twins Aaron and Andrew Harrison.

Both Harrison and Lewis have helped their teams to an 8-1 start.

Lew Wallace-McCluer North headline Midwest Showdown

A battle between two of the nation's Top 50 seniors is the main event of Saturday's Midwest Showdown High School Shootout in St. Charles, Mo.

Michigan State signee Branden Dawson, a 6-6 wing rated No. 16 in the 2011 class by MaxPreps.com, will lead Lew Wallace (Gary, Ind.) against Arkansas signee B.J. Young (No. 49 in Top 100) and McCluer North (Florissant, Mo.).

Teams from five states will participate in the event, which will be held on the campus of Lindenwood University.

Complete Schedule
12:30 p.m. – Imagine College Prep (St. Louis, Mo.) vs. O'Fallon (Ill.)
2 p.m. – Wooddale (Memphis, Tenn.) vs. Branson (Mo.)
3:30 p.m. – Craigmont (Memphis, Tenn.) vs. Soldan International Studies (St. Louis, Mo.)
5 p.m. – Farragut (Chicago, Ill.) vs. McCluer (Florissant, Mo.)
6:30 p.m. – Central Park Christian (Birmingham, Ala.) vs. Hazelwood Central (Florissant, Mo.)
8 p.m. – Lew Wallace (Gary, Ind.) vs. McCluer North (Florissant, Mo.)