Fastbreak Friday
We are excited to run our first weekly edition of Fastbreak Friday. We hope this will be the go-to for you every Friday and throughout the weekend in following your favorite program, player, and/or conference as to who might be where. Whether it is a group of visitors, a lone, key official visit, or an elite camp being held, expect the most premier, up-to-date information to be found here at HoopSeen.com each and every Friday morning as to where a certain recruit might be and a possible program’s chances of landing that prospect.
VISITOR OF THE WEEK
There are loads and loads of official visits this weekend throughout the top conferences in America and with packed campuses at Purdue and East Carolina for their respective elite camps, though it might seem like a reach, the visit of the week occurs down in Austin, Texas. Shaka Smart and his staff did a great job of finishing off the 2015 class but the 2016 crop might even be more important. With their first full year on campus, the Longhorns may have to bring replace four big men following the 2015-2016 season. Hence, with the visit by La Lumiere center James Banks this weekend, a mobile and interior producer, all eyes will be on if Smart and his crew can lock down one of their bigs of the future. They are deeply involved for Javin DeLaurier, Jarrett Allen, Solomon Young and Cleveon Brown, but with only one other visit set for Vanderbilt with the Peach State native, all eyes will be placed on the Big 12 program and if they can lock down another piece for years to come.
ACC WELCOMES IN LEAD GUARDS
With the sudden depth of the lead guard spot in the 2016 class, a few of the ACC programs will welcome in floor generals this weekend. Pittsburgh gets it first shot in hosting a point guard this weekend where they will bring in a few others from the east coast in the coming weeks. Cassius Winston, a Detroit native, is down to a final four including the Panthers, Stanford, Michigan, and Michigan State. In North Carolina, Canadian guard Koby McEwen takes his first official visit to Wake Forest and it seems as if it is a battle between the Deacs and Utah State. Remaining in the state and one of the most important visits of the weekend is in Durham. Duke is hosting Frank Jackson, a top-20 recruit in 2016, and the lead guard seems to be favoring the Blue Devils and the Cardinals of Stanford. This is one to keep an eye on.
WHO MIGHT POP?
While the official visit tour is just getting started, we have seen an uptick in early commitments this month. It is always difficult to predict a commitment due to all of the dynamics that are involved with the recruiting process, but it seems as if Frank Jackson is nearing a decision. BYU, Utah, Duke, and Stanford make up the senior’s final four and by Sunday, the electric 6-foot-3 guard will have visited all four of the schools in some way or fashion; a commitment could ensue.
Another to keep an eye on is Solomon Young. The California native is taking an official visit to Iowa State this weekend and the Cyclones have done a great job of making the beastly forward feel wanted and needed. A program like Texas has remained intrigued by the Sacramento High product, but no one has worked harder to date on the 6-foot-7 forward than the Big 12 squad.
Finally, the last that could come off the board is Jalen McDaniels. The Federal Way product is taking his first official visit to San Diego State, beginning on Thursday evening, and the Washington native fits the mold of an Aztecs-type at the 4-spot. Very long, rangy, and a versatile defender, others in pursuit include Texas, Arizona State, and the home state Washington Huskies program.
AAC
CONNECTICUT
EAST CAROLINA (ELITE CAMP)
TEMPLE
- Alani Moore – 5-foot-10 guard – Friends Collegiate School (Maryland)
- Ejike Obinna – 6-foot-9 center – Virginia Academy (Virginia) 2017
ACC
DUKE
- Frank Jackson – 6-foot-3 guard – Lone Peak High School (Utah)
PITTSBURGH
WAKE FOREST
ATLANTIC SUN
FLORIDA GULF COAST
- Christian Carlyle – 6-foot-4 wing – Bishop Kenny High School (Florida)
ATLANTIC TEN
VCU
- Josh Parrish – 6-foot-5 wing – Seguin High School (Texas)
BIG EAST
ST. JOHN’S
- Shamorie Ponds – 6-foot guard – Thomas Jefferson High School (New York)
VILLANOVA
- Kevin Huerter – 6-foot-4 guard – Shenendehowa High School (New York)
BIG 10
ILLINOIS
- Xavier Simpson – 5-foot-11 guard – Lima Senior High School (Ohio)
- Xavier Sneed – 6-foot-5 wing – Hazelwood Central High School (Missouri)
INDIANA
- Miles Bridges – 6-foot-6 wing – Huntington Prep (Michigan)
- Curt Jones – 6-foot-3 guard – Huntington Prep (Virginia)
PURDUE (ELITE CAMP)
- Courtney Ramey – 6-foot-1 guard – Webster Groves (Missouri) 2018
- Torrence Watson - 6-foot-4 guard – Whitfield School (Missouri) 2018
BIG 12
IOWA STATE
- Solomon Young – 6-foot-7 forward – Sacramento High School (California)
TEXAS
- James Banks – 6-foot-10 center – La Lumiere School (Georgia)
BIG SKY
WYOMING
- Alphonso Anderson – 6-foot-6 forward – Garfield High School (Washington)
BIG SOUTH
GARDNER-WEBB
- Precious Ayah – 6-foot-7 forward – Greenforest Christian Academy (Georgia)
BIG WEST
LONG BEACH STATE
CAA
TOWSON
- JJ Matthews – 6-foot-7 forward – Millwood School (Virginia)
WILLIAM & MARY
- Kevon Tucker – 6-foot-4 wing – Dacula High School (Georgia)
CUSA
OLD DOMINION
- Ako Adams – 6-foot-2 guard – Bishop O’Connell High School (Virginia)
- Alassane Kah – 6-foot-9 center – Kilgore College (Ohio)
TULSA
- Martins Igbanu – 6-foot-8 forward – Covenant Christian Academy (Georgia)
HORIZON
VALPARAISO
- Nick Robinson – 6-foot-4 wing – Kenwood Academy (Illinois)
MAC
MIAMI (OHIO)
- Brock Betram – 6-foot-10 center – Apple Valley High School (Minnesota)
MISSOURI VALLEY
BRADLEY
WICHITA STATE
MOUNTAIN WEST
SAN DIEGO STATE
OHIO VALLEY
BELMONT
- Justin Pierce – 6-foot-5 wing – Glenbard West High School (Illinois)
SEC
KENTUCKY
- Kobi Simmons – 6-foot-5 guard – St. Francis School (Georgia)
SOUTHERN
CHATTANOOGA
- Jalen Melvin – 6-foot-9 forward – Northwestern High School (Maryland)
WOFFORD
