Basha High School’s 6-foot-5 junior guard Jaron Hopkins is a big-time talent and among the very elite prospects in the state of Arizona – regardless of class. In fact, Hopkins is currently rated as our #1 overall prospect in Arizona’s talented 2013 class. Hopkins is fresh off leading his club program, The Magic (affiliated with California’s Compton Magic), to a runner-up finish this past weekend in the Southwest Showcase Main Event – an event in which Hopkins played very well. I caught up with Hopkins and his father Brian Hopkins this weekend, and they informed me that Hopkins currently has…
Author: Anthony Ray
Tucson Amphitheater High School’s 6-foot-6, 225-pound senior post Charles Benson is still on the recruiting board this spring, although he had one of the best high school basketball careers in the state of Arizona to date. Benson helped lead his Amphi varsity program to an 88-9 record over the past three seasons and three straight trips to the state championship – winning the state title in 2011. This season, Benson and Amphi lost in the title game to Peoria HS (50-48), after a basket in the final seconds by Peoria. Benson was a major force for the Amphi basketball program, especially this season…
After a whirlwind year of college recruiting for Cochise Junior College 6-foot-9 sophomore post Matt Korcheck, it has come down to two high-major division-I basketball programs. Korcheck saw his large share of college recruitment after a strong freshman season last year propelled him as the ACCAC conference’s and one of the nation’s top 2012 junior college post prospects. Korcheck and Cochise Junior College head coach Jerry Carrillo heard from just about every division-I program in the country over the past year, which each school looking to land the tough, hard-nosed juco post prospect. As a result, Korcheck played through the recruitment this…
The spring period is here and got off to an excellent start this weekend with this year’s Southwest Showcase Main Event taking center stage for Arizona’s top players and basketball enthusiasts to feast on over the weekend. With many fans in attendance and many players in participation over the weekend at numerous gymnasiums across the valley, one player that really vaulted his play this off-season and got off to an excellent start in his campaign for a higher level of college recruitment was Desert Vista High School’s 6-foot-1 junior point guard John Marshall. Marshall led his Arizona Magic Pump N’ Run-2013 squad to…
While there were many different divisions this weekend at this year’s Southwest Showcase Main Event, our staff spent a lot of time this weekend observing the 17 & Under Division. Tournament Director Ron Coleman held a super event this weekend with 111 teams in participation. Teams from the state of Arizona and all over the southwest came together this weekend in some exciting basketball action. For the first time in years, the majority of the state’s top teams at the 17U level participated in this weekend’s event – a nice honor for Coleman and his staff. As a result, the competition was fierce as…
Pinnacle High School’s 6-foot-8, 220-pound senior post Cody McDavis has made his decision. After considering three schools this spring, McDavis has decided to end his college recruitment and give a verbal commitment to the University of Northern Colorado. McDavis had planned to compete on the club circuit this spring in an attempt to gain more exposure to college coaches during the spring evaluation period. Wednesday evening, after meeting with his mother and others close to him, McDavis decided that he would make a decision on his college recruitment rather than play this spring. McDavis chose Northern Colorado over offers from UC-Davis…
Paradise Valley High School’s 6-foot-6 junior wing Paul Watson is as good a prospect as there is in the state of Arizona right now and many college programs across the country are taking notice. Watson had a big junior season, his best of his high school career – leading his Trojans this season to a 24-6 overall record on the season and a quarterfinal finish in the Division-II state playoffs, after a narrow overtime loss to Kellis HS (52-51). Watson averaged 19 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists per/game this season. I caught up with Watson today and he advised me that he currently has…
Pinnacle High School’s 6-foot-8, 220-pound senior post Cody McDavis has decided that he likes each of his current division-I scholarship offers on the table – enough that McDavis will opt out of playing on the club circuit this spring and make his decision among his three offers. McDavis had planned to compete on the club circuit this spring in an attempt to gain more exposure to college coaches during the spring evaluation period. Wednesday evening, after meeting with his mother and others close to him, McDavis decided that he would make a decision on his college recruitment soon. “I am…
Arizona Western’s 6-foot-10 sophomore post Renan Lenz is coming off a very good sophomore season for himself under head coach Charles Harell. Lenz was selected as a First-Team All-Conference selection, as a First-Team Division-I All-Region selection this season, after helping lead his Arizona Western program to this year’s 2012 ACCAC Conference Title. Lenz has been among the highest recruited junior college post prospects in the country this season – hearing from numerous division-I college programs throughout the year. With his college recruitment beginning to wind down, Lenz has four schools now in mind for his college future. I caught up with head coach…
Peoria High School’s 5-foot-10 star senior point guard Dewayne Russell is fresh off earning this year’s 2011-2012 Arizona Republic Player of the Year award, after leading his Peoria High School program to this year’s Division-II state championship after a narrow championship win over defending state-champion Amphitheater HS. Russell led Peoria High School to this year’s Division-II State Championship – after posting an impressive 27-3 record on the season. Russell is regarded as one of the very elite talents in the state after averaging eye-popping numbers this season – pouring in 27 points, 5.4 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 3.8 steals per/game this season.…