Two of the top scorers in the junior class have decided to re-open their recruitments after having made early verbal commitments, while two of the top point guards also from 2011 made their college decisions this past week. 
Austin Rivers, Winter Park
File photo by Jim Redman
WEEKLY WRAP
After having been a soft commit for nearly a year, Austin Rivers (6-foot-4 SG/Winter Park, Fla./Winter Park) will explore options outside of Florida. Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina and Texas are schools expected to be of mutual interest.
Jahii Carson (5-11 PG/Phoenix, Ariz./Mesa) and Oregon State have parted ways for the time being. Previous early interest came from Arizona, Cal, Oregon, UNLV, and a number of other West Coast programs.
Shabazz Napier (5-11 PG/Groton, Mass./Lawrence Academy) chose Connecticut over interest from Alabama, Arizona, Arizona State, Florida, Georgetown, Massachusetts, Providence, Rhode Island, Seton Hall and St. John’s. He led Lawrence Academy to the New England Prep School Athletic Conference Class C championship and an undefeated season. Napier is a re-classified junior but may enter college this summer if he can square away requirements to graduate this year.
Marquis Rankin (6-0 PG/Charlotte, N.C./Vance) committed to Virginia Tech after drawing interest from Clemson, South Carolina and Wake Forest. This season he helped lead Vance to the I-Meck 5A Conference semifinals.
2011 IN FOCUS
High school seasons are over, and a large majority of the senior class have made their college decisions and are set to move on, and that shifts focus to all the top underclassmen who are tipping off play this month on the club circuit. At this point, the junior class (2011) has already begun to make its mark, having made waves with many players having big high school seasons along with strong play last spring and summer. A fewer select number of sophomore (2012) players have burst on the scene as top prospects to track as well, but their time will come to be in focus further down the road.
The recruitment of the 2011 class has seen a number of top talents already make verbal commitments, at least 30 by our gatherings. In those 30, six programs have managed to make early headway and score multiple commitments. Louisville holds four commitments, Texas has three while North Carolina, Syracuse, Tennessee and Virginia Tech all have a pair.
Louisville – Wayne Blackshear (6-4 SG/Chicago/Morgan Park), Michael Chandler (6-10 C/Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North), James Price (6-9 PF/Lakewood, Ohio/St. Edward) and Ryan Taylor (6-5 WF/Lawrence, Ind./Lawrence North)
Michael Chandler, Lawrence North
File photo by Jim Redman
Texas – DeAndre Daniels (6-8 WF/Woodland Hills, Calif./Taft), Myck Kabongo (6-2 PG/Toronto, Ontario, Canada/Newark, N.J./St. Benedict) and Sheldon McClellan (6-6 WF/Houston/Bellaire)
North Carolina – P.J. Hairston (6-3 SG/Greensboro, N.C./Dudley) and James McAdoo (6-8 WF/Norfolk, Va./Norfolk Christian)
Syracuse – Michael Carter-Williams (6-5 PG/Hamilton, Mass./Barrington, R.I./St. Andrew) and Trevor Cooney (6-2 SG/Hockessin, Del./Sanford)
Tennessee – Chris Jones (5-11 PG/Memphis, Tenn./Melrose) and Kevin Ware (6-5 SG/Conyers, Ga./Rockdale County)
Virginia Tech – C.J. Barksdale (6-7 PF/Danville, Va./George Washington) and Marquis Rankin (5-11 PG/Charlotte, N.C./Vance)
Other 2011 early verbal commitments
Tracy Abrams (6-1 PG/Chicago/Mount Carmel/ILLINOIS)
Jamal Branch (6-3 PG/Arlington, Tex./Grace Prep/TEXAS A&M)
Carlton Brundidge (6-1 PG/Southfield, Mich./Southfield/MICHIGAN)
Shannon Scott (6-2 PG/Alpharetta, Ga./Milton/OHIO STATE)
Naadir Tharpe (6-0 PG/Worcester, Mass./Wolfeboro, N.H./Brewster Academy/PROVIDENCE)
Bradley Beal (6-3 SG/St. Louis, Mo./Chaminade/FLORIDA)
Brandan Kearney (6-5 SG/Detroit/Southeastern/MICHIGAN STATE)
Dezmine Wells (6-4 SG/Raleigh, N.C./Word of God/XAVIER)
Achraf Yacoubou (6-3 SG/Long Island, N.Y./Lutheran/VILLANOVA)
Austin Etherington (6-6 WF/Arcadia, Ind./Hamilton Heights/INDIANA)
Michael Gbinije (6-6 WF/Richmond, Va./Benedictine/DUKE)
Aaron Ross (6-7 WF/Little Rock, Ark./Parkview/ARKANSAS)
Byron Wesley (6-5 WF/Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Etiwanda/SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA)
Jordan Goodman (6-8 PF/Temple Hills, Md./Progressive Christian/GEORGETOWN)
Sidiki Johnson (6-8 PF/Bronx, N.Y./Newark, N.J./St. Benedict/ARIZONA)
The top two April events with national fields of competition are traditionally the Boo Williams Invitational (Hampton, Va.) and The Real Deal in the Rock (Little Rock, Ark.) and we’ll bring the latest on the recruitments of the top performers from both in the upcoming weekly columns.
2010 MOVING ON
The spring signing period begins Wednesday, April 14, and with the ongoing coaching changes in college basketball, there will surely be plenty of players looking to re-consider their options while others will stick with their decisions. We'll have more on that activity next week as well as the latest revolving around the top uncommitted All-Americans, who gather Thursday at the Jordan Brand Classic's Media Day in New York.
