Huntington Prep headlines preseason Academy Top 10

Last year at this time, there was still plenty of mystery and misinformation surrounding head coach Rob Fulford's program at Huntington Prep (W.Va.). Was it the latest shady diploma mill? A post-graduate team? A vehicle for an ambitious coach to further his career?

Turns out none of those tags apply. A forthright Fulford, loaded roster and glossy win-loss record has helped Huntington Prep gain legitimacy. Former players have made the transition to college without prolonged academic investigations and promoters lined up in the offseason to get the Express at their events this winter.

How much credibility has the success afforded Huntington Prep? The Express open the season as the No. 1-ranked academy program in the nation by MaxPreps.

"Our goal is to win the national championship," Fulford said. "I think our guys understand (what kind of potential the team has). This is not a place to come and concentrate on yourself. This is a team concept and we don't just roll the ball out."



In terms of Huntington Prep's general model, it's not all that different from Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) – a basketball-focused college preparatory program housed within a preexisting school. In this case, Huntington's St. Joseph Central.

Helping – immensely – the Express go from puzzlement to powerhouse is the presence of senior wing Andrew Wiggins, who was recently installed as the No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2013 after fast-tracking his hoops career and jumping up from the 2014 class.

The 6-foot-7, 205-pound Wiggins posted 23.9 points and 7.5 rebounds per game a year ago, helping Huntington Prep go 24-2. The only losses came to post-graduate power Tilton School and high school national champ St. Anthony.

Regarded as the top amateur basketball prospect in the world, Wiggins' recruitment is beginning to heat up with Florida State, Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio State and Syracuse at the forefront.

"It's been pretty busy around here," Fulford said. "It hasn't so much been Andrew's recruitment, but moreso the 2013 or 2014 drama. Anytime Kentucky and their media is involved, it's hard to keep up with it."

While Wiggins is just beginning to sort out the recruiting process, another Huntington Prep star came to a final decision Thursday. Dominic Woodson, a 6-9, 290-pound senior center, made a verbal commitment to Baylor.

Other Division I pledges on the Express roster include sharpshooter Xavier Rathan-Mayes (Florida State), 6-9 shotblocker Moses Kingsley (Arkansas) and point guard Travon Landry (Tennessee).



And then there is sophomore Montaque Gill-Ceasar, a 6-5 forward and native of Canada who may land a spot in Huntington Prep's starting five.

"He's kind of the next big thing out of here," Fulford said. "He's athletic, can score, shoot, defend – he's so much better than anticipated. He's made Andrew better as far as competing. There has been days when he gets the better of Andrew."

Huntington Prep's road to the national championship will include a trip to Florida for the City of Palms Classic Signature Series and matchups against defending Tennessee AAA champ Memphis East, Arlington Country Day (Jacksonville, Fla.), Wesleyan Christian Academy (High Point, N.C.), La Lumiere (LaPorte, Ind.), New Hampton School (N.H.) and a high-scoring Mentor (Ohio) outfit.

See next page for complete preseason Academy Top 10
{PAGEBREAK}MaxPreps Preseason Academy Top 10

1. Huntington Prep (W.Va.)
Head coach: Rob Fulford
2011-12 record: 24-2
Players to watch: Andrew Wiggins (6-7, Sr., G/F), Dominic Woodson (6-9, Sr., F, Baylor verbal commitment), Moses Kingsley (6-9, Sr., F, Arkansas verbal commitment), Xavier Rathan-Mayes (6-2, Sr., G, Florida State verbal commitment), Travon Landry (6-0, Sr., G, Tennessee verbal commitment), Montaque Gill-Ceasar (6-5, So., F)

2. Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.)
Head coach: Todd Simon
2011-12 record: 32-1, National High School Invitational champions
Players to watch: Nigel Williams-Goss (6-3, Sr., G, Washington verbal commitment), Christian Wood (6-10, Sr., F, UNLV verbal commitment), Allerik Freeman (6-3, Sr., G, UCLA verbal commitment), Stanford Robinson (6-4, Sr., G, Indiana verbal commitment), Gavin Schilling (6-9, Sr., F)

3. Montverde Academy (Fla.)
Head coach: Kevin Boyle
2011-12 record: 23-4
Players to watch: Kasey Hill (6-1, Sr., G, Florida verbal commitment), Dakari Johnson (6-10, Jr., F), D'Angelo Russell (6-4, Jr., G), Devin Williams (6-8, Sr., F), Jalyn Patterson (5-11, Jr., G)



4. Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)
Head coach: Steve Smith
2011-12 record: 44-0, Academy National Champions
Players to watch: Troy Williams (6-6, Sr., G/F, Indiana verbal commitment), Nate Britt (6-1, Sr., G, North Carolina verbal commitment), Sindarius Thornwell (6-4, Sr., G, South Carolina verbal commitment), Ikenna Iroegbu (6-1, Sr., G, Washington State verbal commitment), R.J. Curington (6-5, Sr., G)

5. St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.)
Head coach: Mark Taylor
2011-12 record: 34-3
Players to watch: Tyler Ennis (6-2, Sr., G, Syracuse verbal commitment), Michael Young (6-8, Sr., F, Pittsburgh verbal commitment), Isaiah Watkins (6-8, Sr., F, Duquesne verbal commitment), Kevin Mickle (6-7, Sr., F, Central Connecticut State verbal commitment), Isaiah Briscoe (6-3, So., G), Rodney Miller Jr. (6-10, Fr., F), Nicholas Washington (6-5, Fr., F)

6. Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.)
Head coach: Stu Vetter
2011-12 record: 21-3
Players to watch: Ishmail Wainright (6-5, Sr., G/F, Baylor verbal commitment), Charles Tucker Jr. (5-11, Sr., G), Jordan Swopshire (6-6, Sr., G/F), Therence Mayimba (6-7, Jr., F), Taron Oliver (6-9, So., F)

7. Arlington Country Day (Jacksonville, Fla.)
Head coach: Rex Morgan
2011-12 record: 15-5
Players to watch: Aquille Carr (5-6, Sr., G, Seton Hall verbal commitment), Junior Etou (6-8, Sr., F), Nikola Jovanovic (6-9, Sr., F, USC verbal commitment), Dante Buford (6-6, Jr., F), Che Bob (6-4, Jr., G), Brandone Francis (6-5, Jr., G/F)

8. La Lumiere (LaPorte, Ind.)
Head coach: Alan Huss
2011-12 record: 25-3
Players to watch: Torren Jones (6-8, Sr., F, Missouri verbal commitment), A.J. Riley (6-2, Sr., G), Detrick Mostella (6-3, Sr., G), Johnathon Wilkins (6-9, Jr., F), Jalen James (6-2, Sr., G)

9. Christ School (Arden, N.C.)
Head coach: David Gaines
2011-12 record: 32-5
Players to watch: Shannon Hale (6-8, Sr., F, Alabama verbal commitment), Jaylen Allen (6-3, Sr., G), Josh Level (6-4, Jr., G/F), Eric Johnson Jr. (6-2, Jr., G), Jon Elmore (6-3, Jr., G)

10. Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.)
Head coach: Kyle Lindsted
2011-12 record: 25-4
Players to watch: Sebastian Saiz (6-9, Sr., F, Mississippi verbal commitment), Andre Sands (6-8, Sr., F), Lourawls Nairn Jr. (5-10, Jr., G), Marvin Clark (6-7, Jr., F)