Boys basketballFormer Indiana Mr. Basketball Billy Shepherd has been hired as the boys basketball coach at
Marion (Ind.). The 61-year-old Shepherd led Central (Muncie, Ind.) to a 20-4 record in his only shot at head coaching. He still is the No. 6 scorer in Indiana prep history with 2,465 points and holds the Butler University one-season scoring record with a 27.8 average.
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Jeffersonville (Ind.) has chosen its head girls basketball coach, Chad Gilbert, to take over its boys program. He is fresh off leading the girls to a 28-2 record and the Class 4A state title. The past 11 years, he posted a 220-43 record.
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Simeon (Chicago, Ill.), which won the last two Class 4A state titles, has added to its great talent pool with the transfer of 6-2 junior point guard
Jaylon Tate, a two-year starter from
De La Salle (Chicago, Ill.).
But Curie (Chicago, Ill.) coach Mike Oliver told the Chicago Tribune that he isn't conceding anything to Simeon. He lost just one player from last year's 28-3 team and will be working with such towers as 6-10 Detialion Jackson and 6-9 Cliff Alexander, both sophomores. And his 36-1 frosh-soph team won the city championship.
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Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) outlasted Loyola (Los Angeles, Calif.), 94-86, to win the Fairfax Tournament.
Xavier Johnson led the way with 32 points. In the third-place game, Fairfax (Los Angeles, Calif.) nipped Poly (Long Beach, Calif.), 89-86, in overtime despite 43 points by the losers'
Roschon Prince.
Earlier in the tourney, senior guard
Gabe York scored 43 points as Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.) edged Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, Calif.), 97-91, in overtime.
The tourney drew three NBA coaches – Mike Brown of the Lakers, Larry Drew of the Hawks and Reggie Theus, an assistant with the Timberwolves - who all came to watch their sons play.
* Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.) defeated Tech (Indianapolis, Ind.), 70-55, to win the USSFA Shootout despite 33 points by 6-9 rising sophomore star Trey Lyles.
* Salesian (Richmond, Calif.) point guard
Dominic Artis is transferring to Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.), according to the Oakland Tribune. He averaged 14 points, 4.1 assists and 2.4 steals as a junior.
Girls baskeballLauren Holiday, a rising senior guard from Campbell Hall (North Hollywood, Calif.), has made a commitment to UCLA, according to the Los Angeles Times. The 5-8 standout is the younger sister of NBA guard Jrue Holiday and the older sister of Campbell Hall freshman phenom Aaron Holiday.
* Jalynn McClain has chosen Western Kentucky University, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal. She averaged 15.6 points and 6.0 rebounds as junior while helping
Jeffersonville (Ind.) win the Class 4A state title.
* The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that
Rachel Theriot has made a commitment to the University of Nebraska. The 6-0 senior point guard averaged 12.7 points, 9.3 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 3.3 steals as a junior for Midpark (Middleburg Heights, Ohio).
