NEW YORK – With Wednesday’s decisions by Brandon Knight to Kentucky and Ray McCallum to Detroit, the list of uncommitted All-Americans shrank from seven to five.
Doron Lamb, Oak Hill Academy
File photo by Lonnie Webb
Saturday evening it became three, as two of the elite 2010 guards made their announcements at the Jordan Brand Classic.
Doron Lamb (6-foot-4 G/Queens, N.Y./Mouth of Wilson, Va./Oak Hill Academy) chose Kentucky over Arizona, Connecticut, Kansas and West Virginia. Thursday at practice he said he knew where he was going and that only he and his family had that answer.
Saturday he made the announcement during a timeout in the second half, joining Knight, Enes Kanter (6-10 F/Turkey/Simi Valley, Calif./Stoneridge Prep), and Stacey Poole Jr. (6-5 G/Jacksonville, Fla./Providence School) in the Wildcats’ current 2010 class. Lamb was a two-year starter at Oak Hill after originally beginning his high school career at Bishop Loughlin (Brooklyn, N.Y.). He averaged 22 points, five rebounds and four assists per game in his senior year.
Josh Selby (6-4 G/Baltimore, Md./Lake Clifton) opted for Kansas over Arizona, Connecticut, Kentucky and Tennessee. He said after Thursday’s practice that he would have a decision by Friday’s end, and in the first half of Saturday night’s game he made his announcement.
Selby averaged 32 points and seven assists in his senior season and joins Royce Woolridge (6-3 G/Phoenix, Ariz./Sunnyslope) as the Jayhawks’ 2010 class members to date.
NEWS AT THE TOP
- C.J. Leslie (6-8 F/Raleigh, N.C./Word of God Academy)
List: Kentucky, Florida and North Carolina State
Latest: Down to three schools
He’ll head from New York to Florida for a visit on Sunday. Thought of a trip to Connecticut existed at one point, but hasn’t developed past that. A decision is expected following the trip, and with all that considered, it’s safe to say it’s down to three – Florida, Kentucky, and North Carolina State. "Yeah, you could say that," he said Thursday following practice.
- Terrence Jones (6-8 F/Portland, Ore./Jefferson)
List: Kentucky, Oklahoma, Oregon, UCLA and Washington
Latest: Will announce with teammate, sets potential dates
He said he put off his decision for his teammates to get an opportunity for increased exposure. One of them transferred home mid-year from Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.). Terrence Ross helped lead Jefferson to a state title alongside Jones when the two were sophomores, and now they’ll make their college announcements together at a school ceremony.
"We’re going to do it either the 23rd or the 30th," he said. "We’re still trying to figure things out." Word is Kansas could be making a late push to land them both.
- Cory Joseph (6-3 G/Pickering, Ontario, Canada/Henderson, Nev./Findlay Prep)
List: Connecticut, Minnesota, Texas, UNLV and Villanova
Latest: No changes
Joseph hasn’t decided and doesn’t have a specific date to announce. With the month of All-American games coming to a close this weekend, he said he’ll discuss with family and probably have a decision by month’s end.
MORE FROM JORDAN
Roscoe Smith (6-8 F/Baltimore, Md./Mouth of Wilson, Va./Oak Hill Academy) said he signed his letter of intent with Connecticut on Wednesday, the start of the spring signing period. He made a verbal commitment to UConn just after November’s fall signing period.
Knight said he probably would have gone to Connecticut or Florida, when asked where he would have ended up if not Kentucky.
"UConn’s had so many players I liked from being little and Florida has a bunch of talent coming back to make a potential run," he said.
Jared Sullinger committed to Ohio State as a freshman and when asked who he would have liked to play for if not the home-state Buckeyes, he had three in mind.
"Coach Huggins, that’s the guy. The toughness he has teams play with. I love him," he said. "Also Coach Knight, Bob Knight. He’s an extraordinary coach and personality. And Coach K would be the other. His X’s and O’s are tremendous."
WEEKLY WRAP
The big six conferences hit hardest at the junior college ranks for the spring signing period but there were still a pair of signees at the high school/prep school level.
Minnesota scored Canada native Maurice Walker (6-10 C/Pickering, Ontario, Canada/Wolfeboro, N.H./Brewster Academy). The big man anchored the frontline for Brewster Academy in their runs to the New England Prep School Class A championship and the National Prep Championship postseason title. He also had interest from Connecticut, Georgetown, Kansas, Pittsburgh, Seton Hall and South Florida.
South Carolina landed Carlton Geathers (6-10 C/Georgetown, S.C./Carvers Bay) with him giving a verbal commitment following an official visit to campus last weekend and then signing his letter of intent on Wednesday. He helped lead his team to the Class A Lower State Finals and also had offers from Jacksonville, Louisiana-Lafayette and Charleston Southern.
Next week we’ll highlight the recruitments of the top performers from the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League opening session (Hampton, Va.) and from the Real Deal in the Rock (Little Rock, Ark.).
