Wall's Wild Ride Goes On...and on...and on

Just when you think it's almost over, this happens. Just when you think that you're about to finally have a handle on the way John Wall is thinking...this happens. The N&O is reporting that Wall is postponing his list-trimming decision until Monday. Oh, and that's not the real crazy news. Apparently, today Wall visited North Carolina...Central that is. NCCU is a historically black college located in Durham.

"I want to find out what a historically black school has to offer," Wall
said Thursday night. "This is a visit to find out some things."

Talk about researching every option available. When John Wall decides where he is going, he will never have to look back and wonder if he rushed into his decision. Will NCCU be in the picture after the visit? I seriously doubt it as the Central coach is a long time friend Lavelle Moton. This was most likely more of a learning experience than a basketball visit.

Wherever John ends up we should respect his final decision. The kid was pulled in every direction, and has been asked to make a decision, at 18 years of age, that will break the hearts of thousands of people.

Update From Across The Pond

Jordan Collins - Since our last update, Jordan Collins and the Giants have made it through the Quarter-Finals, winning 2 out of 3 games against the Magix. Last Thursday, April 23rd, Jordan Collins led the Giants to a 76-70 victory with 14 points and 5 rebounds. He shot 2 for 5 from the field, which all happened to be three point shots. In Game 2, which fell on last Saturday night, Jordan fouled out and shot 1 for 7 from the field. The Giants suffered in Collin's absence and lost 80-69. Stats are not yet available, but I'm guessing JC woke up. We'll get you the stats from last nights game in our next update. The Giants awoke from their sleep last night, crushing the Magix 87-68 to move on to the Semi-Finals versus Amsterdam.


Clifford Crawford - Clifford ended the regular season with a bang. He splashed the box score with 13 points, 7 assists and 5 rebounds while shooting 50% from the field. The Knights won 99-90 and finished the regular season with a 18-12 record.




Anthony Grundy - Anthony Grundy and crew are in the heat of the Quarter-Finals against C.C. Marousi. This past Sunday night Panellinios took Game 1 82-77. Grundy had 13 points, 3 steals and shot 50% from the field. C.C. Marousi stole Game 2 last night in a dirty fashion, thrashing Pannellinios 93-57. Anthony had 12 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists. The two will have two square off to see who advances to the Semi-Finals.

Ryan Harrow Re-Evaluated

This is a day that we have been waiting for for quite some time. People keep asking 'When is Ryan Harrow going to be re-evaluated?' Previously Ryan was a 3 Star recruit that was unranked. We have all known that this would soon change. And change it did. Scout has re-evaluated the 2010 class and let's just say Ryan took a jump. Scout now lists him as a 4 Star recruit, the #50 player overall in the 2010 class and the #10 Point Guard in the class. While we believe that Ryan can, and will, continue to move higher in the rankings, we are excited that he is getting the credit that he deserves.

It seems as each weekend goes by, Ryan's name is beginning to get thrown around more and more by recruiting analysts along with other players who are considered the elite of the class. This weekend Ryan will be playing with the Atlanta Celtics at the Jayhawk Invitational. Phog.net did a preview of the tournament and highlighted some of the marquee players that were going to be there. Here is what they had to say about Ryan:

"Ryan Harrow, PG, Atlanta Celtics- Even though he’ll be one of the smallest guys in attendance, few at the Jayhawk will be able to match the future North Carolina State floor general’s eye popping athleticism. Quick and built to score, don’t be fooled by his slender frame."

We will have updates from the Jayhawk Invitational throughout this weekend, so stay posted.

Let's remember something here. Coach Lowe offered Ryan before anybody else knew about him, a 3 Star prospect, who was unranked and held no other scholarship offers. Doubt him if you want folks, this man knows what he's doing.

Josh Davis Impressive at the Triangle Slam Dunk Contest

Every year the Apex Police Department teams up with Apex High School to bring the "Cops vs. Jocks Challenge." Usually the police officers team up to take on the Apex High basketball team but this year they switched things up a bit.

The format was a 3 point shoot-out, followed by a skills competition and capped off by a dunk contest. The dunk contest was headlined by future college stars Earnest Ross (Auburn), Garrius Adams (Miami) and the man we were there to see, 2009 NC State commit Josh Davis.

Davis impressed with a high flying arsenal that included a 2-handed windmill, a leap over an Athens drive student, a Vince Carter-esque forearm through the rim and a, literally, off the wall ally-oop slam that sent the crowd into a frenzy. Josh placed 2nd to Earnest Ross (Auburn), who was absolutely filthy, throwing down reverse 360s and violent tomahawks. Here is the official Josh Davis Triangle Slam Dunk Contest Video.

Wall's List Ready By Friday

The N&O caught up with John Wall Tuesday and said that he's in the decision making stage of his recruitment. Obviously, Wall has a gigantic decision to make, a decision that will surely break the hearts of coaches and fans all over the nation. On Friday, Wall will narrow his list to what is believed to be 3 or 4 schools, however some say he will narrow the list to only 2. Honestly, at this point you can stop listening to what "others have to say" and hear what John himself had to say:

"It is a really tough decision right now," he said. "I know my mom is ready for me to decide, and I am, too, but I'm still working on it. I'm still at eight schools," Wall said. "There is no leader."

You better believe that this is honestly a gut-wrenching process for John and his family. We do know that he and Coach Lowe have a good relationship, but we also know that coaches throughout the nation are telling him exactly what he wants to hear. What will be the biggest factor of final decision? Loyalty? Location? Coaching? Exposure? We can all speculate, but only John Wall has this answer.

Vandenberg Ready to Roll; Ranked by ESPN

As we reported earlier, NC State landed 7'0 Australian big man Jordan Vandenberg. The N&O recently caught up with him to talk about his commitment, his plans and his skill set. Vandenberg, coming from AIS (Australia's top prep basketball program) knows that he has a lot of work to do before being ready to bang in the ACC.

“[The ACC] is said to be the hardest competition in college basketball and it is always fierce, fast and strong,” Vandenberg said via email. “I know I will be playing limited minutes until I can fully hold my own physically,” he said.

Once Jordan can add that weight, the staff feels as if he will be a true asset to the front court. With his skill, versatility and height. Vandenberg had this to say:

“I bring length so I would be able to change shots and rebound most importantly,” he said. “I admire most Pau Gasol and Andrew Bogut,” he said. “They are very skilled and versatile big men.”

ESPN also has finally finished evaluating the big Aussie and has given him, what we feel, is a pretty favorable evaluation. This is what they had to say:

Name: Jordan Vandenberg
School: NC State University
Scouts Grade: 84
Evaluation: Jordan is a legitimate 7-footer who plays the game like a European big man. He likes to step away from the basket and shoot jumpshots out to 15 feet. He displays a very nice touch on his jumper and can consistenly knock them down. He is very thin so a Division I strength program will be a big part of his development. Right now he has limited post moves and is not a power player but added strength will help him in this part of his game. He is considered a top 10 center and a top 30 prospect overall among Australia's 2009 prospects. He needs to become more assertive and bring a consistent effort when he arrives at N.C. State next season.

Vandenberg also made front page over at the NBL website where they had this to say.

Checking in at 7-feet and 230 pounds, Vandenberg told PackPride’s on-line radio show that he brings a lot to the table but admit he can still improve as a player.

"I'm left-handed, but I can score with either hand in the paint," he said. "I also feel like I have good post moves and can score out to 10 feet. The things (I) do well is use both hands around the basket, and I am a good shotblocker and can change shots.

"I do need to get stronger and do that quickly. That is what I need to improve the most. I know I'll need to be stronger to play consistently against big men who are 20 or 30 pounds heavier than me. I can also improve my off-the-dribble shots and add more variety in the post.”

Vandenberg is a member of the Australian Emus national junior squad.

Josh Davis Throwing Down for A Good Cause

Come out tonight and support Josh Davis and a Good Cause. Tonight Josh will be participating in the first annual Triangle All-Stars Slam Dunk Challenge and all of the money that is raised will go to support the North Carolina Special Olympics. This event is put on by the Apex Police Department. For the past ten years the Police Department has competed against the Apex High Basketball team in a charity basketball game. This year they decided to try something new that would incorporate players from all over the triangle in the hope of raising even more money for charity. These are the players that Josh told me would be in the Slam Dunk Challenge: Josh Davis (Athens), Garrius Adams (Middle Creek), Earnest Ross (Panther Creek), Melvin Tabb (Enloe) and others. There will also be a three-point contest and a shooting skills event that will include police officers, teachers, and students.

The event will be held at Apex High School and festivities will begin at 7pm. Tickets are $5 for students and $6 for adults. If you live around the area, it would be great if you would deck out in RED and come support Josh and the NC Special Olympics.

Grant Finishes Strong

Gavin's Utah Flash might have fallen in the D-League Finals 2 games to none, but Gavin's stock did nothing but rise. In Game 2 of the Finals Gavin had 11 points and 6 rebounds in 19 minutes of action. He continued his torrid shooting in the Finals by shooting 3-5 from the field and 5-6 from the stripe. Gavin's cumulative numbers in the D-League Finals are as follows: 15 mpg, 10 ppg, 4rpg, 64% FG% and 86% FT%. We congratulate Gavin on the success he had in his first season of professional ball and expect that brighter days lie ahead.

Charleston's Bats Pick-Up Brackman

Andrew Brackman made his 4th start of the season this past Saturday night against the Savannah Sand Gnats. He struggled a little with his command, putting 10 runners on the base paths in 4.2 innings (7 hits and 3 walks). When Brackman left the game the Charleston was down 5-0 (He had 3 earned runs), but in the bottom of the 5th the Riverdogs bats came to life. They ended up winning the game 7-5 and they currently sit in 1st place of the Southern Division of the South Atlantic League with an 11-7 record. Brackman is still knocking the rust off and all he really needs is innings. He has shown signs of brilliance, and signs of inconsistency that can be remedied by experience. He currently has a 5.23 ERA and he has struck out 20 victims in 20.2 innings pitched.

Torre Tyson, the Riverdogs Manager, had this to say to BaseballAmerica concerning Brackman:

"It’s certainly not a matter of developing stuff," he said. "It’s just developing command of his fastball. I think he’ll always have control of his fastball—he’ll figure out how to not walk guys. But once he figures out how to command his stuff in the zone, I think we’ll see him really take off."

Some puzzles that get put together are ok at best. The 'Brackman Puzzle,' when completely put together, will be something brilliant to watch.

Annual Night of Accolades

Last night the NC State Basketball team held their annual year-end banquet at The State Club. Here is a breakdown of the awards that were handed out:





David Thompson Award: Courtney Fells

Most Improved Player: Tracy Smith

Best Teammate Award: Julius Mays (Voted by the team)

Jim Valvano Coaches Award: C.J. Williams

Practice Player of the Year Award: Ben McCauley

Big Ben, Julius, C.J., and Johnny T all recieved the Scholar Athlete Award for achieving a GPA of 3.0 or higher this past semester.

For a better description of each of these awards, check out the GoPack article.

The Harrow/Parker Tandem Causing a Stir

Apparently Ryan Harrow and Mychal Parker's performance at the King James Classic this past weekend didn't go unnoticed. Brian Snow of Rivals wrote a recap of the event and the headline of the article was the Ohio Basketball Club vs. All-Ohio Red game from this past Saturday Night. Here is what he had to say about Harrow and Parker:

"All-Ohio came into the game as the favorites, but a revamped OBC roster gave them the talent to compete with All-Ohio. OBC came out of the gates strong. Mychal Parker and Ryan Harrow were on fire for OBC. Harrow, who is committed to NC State, used his athleticism and quickness to provide issues for All-Ohio. Parker, at 6-foot-6, was simply unguardable. He was too big for the All-Ohio guards and too quick for their forwards."

Snow also talked about how Mychal Parker shut down Adreian Payne, who happens to be a 5 Star recruit, and the #2 Center in the nation.


I got the chance to catch up with Ryan tonight and get his thoughts on the weekend and what it was like playing with Parker. He told me that the two of them really enjoy playing well together. He said that they compliment each other well. Whether it is helping each other on defense or dishing each other the ball. They both sense when the other needs to step up and make a big play. The two seem to love playing together and he told me that they had talked about the possibility of doing that at the next level.

Ryan Harrow's mission to help bring in the best players with him continues.

Wall To Trim List By End of Week

Adam Zagoria had the chance to catch up with John after this past weekends official visit to Miami. John told Zagoria that “I’m going to go home and talk about my decision." He also told him he would cut his list to “probably two or three this Thursday or Friday.” When John was asked if Kentucky was a sure bet for the final cut he said “I don’t know right now. I don’t know yet. It depends. I’m looking at lots of stuff.” Apparently Zagoria gets the idea that the probability that Wall stays close to home is 50/50 from their phone conversation last night. And to add onto the craziness of this saga, John said that he could declare for the NBA Draft at any time, even though he has previously said that he wouldn't do so. His response to this was “I’m just narrowing my list,” he said. “If I feel I can make a decision, I’ll just make it.”

Well, we along with fans from numerous other schools have been biting our nails for a long time, and according to John we won't have to wait to much longer to here the awaited news.

LUKE COTHRON: Interview with the 2010 Pack Target

We recently got to catch up with 2010 5 star Center and NC State recruit Luke Cothron and had the chance to ask him a few questions. First off we'd like to thank Luke for taking time out of his day to talk to with us and we look forward to keeping up with him for the remainder of his recruitment. We had the chance to check him out at the Boo Williams a few weeks ago and got a good look at his game. (Check out our videos on Luke: Video 1, Video 2, Video 3) Like the rest of Coach Lowe's recruits, Luke is a high character kid with high major talent. Luke was very complimentary of the NC State program and Coach Sidney Lowe, and had quite a bit to say about his recent AAU tournaments and his recruitment. Here is the interview:

WPH: What was it like playing with the Boo Williams Team? Did you contact them or did they contact you?

Luke: It was great. They contacted me. Being asked to play for Boo Williams was definitely a privilege.

WPH: Yeah, we’ve heard that being asked to play for Boo is really a big deal. Now we’ve seen you play but Wolfpack Nation doesn’t exactly know Luke Cothron as a person, could you describe yourself?

Luke: Yea. I’m real laid back. I like to have fun and joke around a lot. I also like to read, but mainly I’d say I’m very laid back.

WPH: What about your game? Can you describe that for those that might now have seen your videos?

Luke: Um, I’m a pretty versatile player. I like to play inside and out. I can play under the basket, I can handle the ball in the open floor and I like to shoot the trey ball.

WPH: Is there any certain player you pattern your game after?

Luke: Not really. I just kind of always have done my own thing.

WPH: Ok, Yeah I’ve noticed that you have a unique style to your game. So which schools are coming at you the hardest right now?

Luke: I’d say NC State, UNC and Alabama. Actually Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were the days when college coaches could visit you and when I got off the plane Monday morning from my AAU Tournament, Sidney Lowe was there waiting for me. It was cool.

WPH: Oh wow that’s awesome. So Sidney was the first one to visit you on the 3 day period?

Luke: Yeah, then on Tuesday Roy Williams came to watch me and so did some other coaches.

WPH: Wow you have an impressive crowd following you around. Did you grow up a fan of any of the schools that are recruiting you?

Luke: No. I was an ACC fan growing up but not of any particular school.

WPH: Gotcha. So you’ve told us in the past that NC State is a school you like. What is it about State that interests you?

Luke: Mainly Coach Lowe. Me and Coach Lowe are really starting to bond. I also like the RBC Center. I was there 2 times this year and got to go into the locker room after the Maryland game. That’s when Coach Lowe offered me a scholarship.

WPH: That awesome. I bet you were excited. Well we don’t’ want to take up all your time we know your busy. But it was a pleasure talking with you and thank you for doing the interview. We’ll be keeping up with you all AAU Season.

Luke: Ok Thanks.

**Again, we'd like to thank Luke and wish him well for the remainder of his AAU season. We'll be keeping you up to date and bringing you more video from Luke later this summer. Luke we be playing in the area again soon when the Bob Gibbons AAU Tournament comes to town...and you can be sure that Wolfpack Hoops will be there as well.

G'DAY MATE!: Pack Lands 7'0 Aussie, Jordan Vandenberg

Sidney Lowe got the commitment that he sorely wanted. Seven foot center, Jordan Vandenberg has decided to run with the Pack in a signing that sures up a depleted front line that lost two of its starters (and leading scorers) in Costner and McCauley. We were told three days ago that the 7 footer made the decision to run with the Pack but the news had to be kept quiet until Jordan could reach all of the other schools to inform them.

NC State has been all over Vandenberg in what turned out to be a complicated recruitment of the Australian center who played his high school ball at AIS (Australian Institution of Sports), the same school that produced Australian All-Stars Luc Longley, Andrew Bogut, and Luke Schenscher. Smaller school promised Jordan the chance to the be go-to guy while NC State could only offer him a role off the bench as a freshman. However a role off the bench in the ACC is nothing to scoff at and with an open scholarship and a desperate need for some front court depth, NC State and Vandenberg are the perfect match. Jordan fits the Sidney Lowe model of bringing in high character kids. Just listen to the way big V describes himself: “Attempting to become Elite in All Aspects of life not just basketball, to develop a strong understanding on the Ingredients of Success.” Now does that sound like someone who’s got some drive or what?

The 7footer is tall and long, and although a little thin at 230, Vandenberg supposedly possess the skills to get up and down the floor and is a good finisher with more athleticism than you’d expect from someone of his size. The fact is, if you can land a 7 foot player that has any kind of athleticism what-so-ever, you sign him up. With the state that our frontcourt is in (having no real depth), this is a quality pick-up by Lowe and company. We’ll stay on this situation to bring you any more information that may break, but for now we’d like to welcome Jordan to the Wolfpack family and we look forward to watching him in the red and white.


**Check out these excerpt about Australian players and the AIS..

"While the size of the ball and the height of the hoop doesn't vary, the attraction to Australian basketball players lies in their maturity, according to Bennett. Much of their growth, both physically and mentally, stems from the time many of them spend at the Australian Institute of Sport."

"It's no wonder that more coaches are beginning to recruit more heavily from the Aussie nation, as a majority of the recruiting process has already been performed when coaches arrive to scout players from the AIS. The AIS selects the 14 best players from various provincial teams around the entire country and provides scholarships for them to attend the institute. There, players will work out up to three times a day, play up to 70 games per year, and visit five or six countries to play different national teams before they even turn 19."

Here is the rest of the article. We'd like to thank Jose, one of our loyal readers, for finding this article.
April 26, 2009

Harrow, Parker and Ohio Basketball Club Updates from The King James

We were keeping these updates at the top of the King James preview thread, but decided it'd be easier for everyone if we put it all together in it's own post. We'll be updating this throughout the tournament. We have a contact at the games and will, for the most part, be able to get you the stats and results immediately after each game. So far, here are the Harrow updates, and we'll be bringing you some Parker updates in the near future. Keep checking back.

*****Late Saturday Night Update - Ryan Harrow and Mychal Parker put on a show last night against some of the best competition the country has to offer. Harrow had 14 and Parker had 18. These two are easily standing out as 2 of the top prospects at this prestigious event. Although they lost by 2 and are now eliminated from the event, we've been told that Ryan really helped his stock in the King James. We'll talk to Ryan and let you know his thoughts on the tournament a little later on.

****Saturday Night Update- Ryan led the Ohio Basketball Club over the MBA Elite putting up 12 and piloting his team to victory. Ryan is playing with a team he is not familiar with and another elite prospect in Mychal Parker, so you can expect him not to be putting up the 25-28 you're used to seeing. Ohio Basketball Club now moves on to play Ohio Red tonight at 9:20pm. Stay posted for an update.

***Saturday Afternoon Update - The 1 O'Clock game got cancelled. They will play MBA Elite at 4 and if they win that game they will move on to play Ohio Red which is one of the Top-5 teams in the country.

**Saturday Morning Update - Ryan and crew defeated the Michigan Mustangs 86-74 this morning in the 8 O'Clock game. Ryan had around 19 points and 5 assists. In the second half, Ryan took things into his own hands, going on a 10-point spurt to help put the game away. They will be playing again at 1pm. Stay posted.

Quick Glimpse: Mychal Parker

As we stated earlier, Ryan Harrow has sparked up a friendship with 5 star SF Mychal Parker. It started in Wilson, NC, at the Elite 80 where Ryan was teamed up with the 6'6 athlete. The two played off each other, producing a few highlight reel dunks that wow'ed the crowd. We'll have video of Parker at the Elite 80 sometime next week. Until then we found this little clip to help you get a look at his build and his athleticism at work...

Update From The King James (Saturday Night)

As we mentioned earlier, NC State Commit Ryan Harrow and 2010 Recruit Mychal Parker (A 5 Star recruit who the Pack has picked up the tempo on the recruiting front just recently) are playing together with the Ohio Basketball Club at the King James Classic. They handled their business last night (Friday) by defeating Crusader National Gold by 10 points. The duo will be back in action this morning at 8am against the Michigan Mustangs. It looks like Parker showed off last night and Harrow showed any critics what a pass first PG is supposed to look like. Here is what our friend Joe Davis of ScoutsFocus had to say (Click here to read his complete breakdown of Friday night). Stay posted as we continue to receive updates from Ryan and Joe.

Mychal Parker, a 6’7 slashing wing, brought an instant burst of scoring and defense off the bench. He scored around the basket using a wide variety of tools including an 8 point spurt giving Ohio Basketball Club a lead which they were able to hold throughout the game. Parker showed he could defend multiple positions well, a trait to be cherished at the next level. One impressive sequence was when he blocked two consecutive three-point shots and then finished the play on the break with a smooth one hand slam. Parker proved his worth and with continued performance of this caliber along with adding a consistent jump shot, his stock could jump to being a top 10 national prospect.

Ryan Harrow, an ultra smooth and talented 6’0 NC State PG Commit, played the role of a team first point guard. Harrow spent his time on the court doing the things a PG must do to win. Harrow showed he could be a pass first point man while pushing his effortless scoring capacity aside. Harrow provided instant spurts to his team as he came in several times with a close game on hand before checking out with a 10 point lead. Harrow finished with 7 points but got to rim at will and set up his teammates for wide open threes and easy buckets all night. His scoring will definitely pick up as well, as he did lead the Atlanta area in scoring all year. Parker and Harrow will be a duo to reckon with all weekend.

KEEP IT COMING: 2009 Recruiting Class Gets More National Attention

We already had a pretty decent recap on the Reebok game, featuring 2009 commits Lorenzo Brown and Richard Howell, but if I know NC State fans then I know that there is never too much information to be had. Which is why when we came across this excerpt from NBAdraft.net we felt like it was necessary to pass it on:


G Lorenzo Brown - 6-3, 186 lbs. - Centennial (Ga.) - Signed to N.C. State
Few players looked as comfortable with the ball in their hands as Brown. He's listed as a shooting guard, but I full believe he could take over the reigns as a point guard, and not even just a scoring point. He finished with 13 points and a number of really nice passes, as well as penetrating more often and easier than just about any player in the game. His play down the stretch aided Team Create in keeping things close as much as anyone.


SF Richard Howell - 6-8, 235 - Wheeler HS (Ga.) - Signed to N.C. State
Howell was one of the most impressive players in practice Thursday, showing great hand-eye coordination and the ability to produce in the post. But in the game, he came out flat, scoring just 6 points. I like where he could be, even if he's not there yet. He has the potential to bulk up a little bit and become a very nice post player, or work on his perimeter skills and make a mark as a swingman.


It’s amazing the amount of positive publicity this 2009 class is getting from the national media. It seems like everyday someone else is coming out and giving our commits some serious props. People are starting to take notice that something is going on in Raleigh. They’re starting to see some major names listing NC State. This 2009 class has people talking…Here is what ESPN has to say about the incoming class:

NC STATE
After continually doing an outstanding job on the recruiting trail and putting together top-level classes, NC State has to endure head-to-head competition against two schools who regularly fill their rosters with players from the McDonald's Game. Not that Sidney Lowe is complaining, but such is the plight that drove Herb Sendek to ASU after dealing with the same issues. With a roster chock-full of juniors and seniors, Coach Lowe desired a recruiting class that could keep him competitive in the powerful ACC -- and the Class of 2009 is just what the doctor ordered. Lowe tapped into the never-ending talent pool of the state of Georgia to nab ESPNU 100 prospects G Lorenzo Brown (Roswell, Ga./Centennial) and PF Richard Howell (Marietta, Ga./Wheeler). Brown, although not the quickest point guard, has all the skill and savvy to be a dynamite player for the Wolfpack. He is very good off the dribble and has the overall talent to make an immediate impact -- and possibly start from the moment he steps on campus. Howell can be a nightmare matchup for opponents. He has the strength and bounce to finish around the basket. However, what makes him so difficult to stop is his quickness, which he utilizes to take opponents off the bounce. While Brown and Howell get most of the attention, Lowe might have found one of the top sleepers in the country in 6-6 Scott Wood (Marion, Ind.). Wood is recognized as one of the most prolific shooters in the country. With Brown's penetration ability, Wood should be available for some ideal catch-and-shoot situations.

Yeah, I know. We are excited too.

Wolfpack Hoops Presents: Wolfpack Pigskin

We have loved every minute of running this website. From the relationships that we have been able to build and the support from all of you, it has definitely been an incredible start to hopefully a bright future. A consistent question over the past couple of months has been "Are you guys going to cover football?" And the answer to that question is: "YES." We have launched our second blog titled WolfpackPigskin.com (click the logo and it will take you there) and are excited to get the ball rolling with football. Our long term goal is to have a true site launched in the near future that will actually be 2 separate sites (Wolfpack Hoops & Wolfpack Pigskin) that are directly connected to one another. The sites will feature message boards, constant articles concerning the past, present and future of both programs, video and interviews in a more organized and accessible format. We are really excited about the response that we have received from all of you. We hope to provide a positive, yet objective, information hub for the Wolfpack Nation. We hope and believe that these two interconnected sites can be beneficial to both programs. We want Wolfpack Hoops and Wolfpack Pigskin to be THE haven to all true Wolfpack Fans and we certainly welcome you.

We encourage you to jump on board with Wolfpack Pigskin and we appreciate your patience as we get this ship moving. We have already been able to develop some good relationships/sources that should help provide you with the best information possible. Your thoughts are always appreciated, especially as Wolfpack Pigskin gets underway. Feel free to contact us at WolfpackHoopsBlog@gmail.com. Thanks!

Harrow to Play in King James With Parker

Ryan Harrow loves to play ball...period. I talked to him yesterday on the phone and asked him when his next tournament was and he told me that he was going to be playing in this weekend's King James Classic with 2010 Small Forward Mychal Parker (5 Star recruit). Ryan played with Parker at the Elite 80 Showcase on March 29th for the first time and they have become good friends ever since. Ryan told me that they keep in touch regularly and talk on the phone about every day.

You see, the team Ryan normally plays for is off this weekend and Ryan said he "didn't want to just sit at home this weekend...I wanted to play somewhere." You got a love a kid who is bored with out a basketball in his hands. He will be playing with the Ohio Basketball Club, which is an Adidas team. Yesterday I asked Ryan "Why the jampacked schedule when you are a committed player." Ryan's response was perfect:

"I want to make a name for myself. I want to be one of the best players in the nation. I also want to bring some of the best players in the nation to NC State with me. I know that if I can play with, against, or in front of the best players in the nation that I can get some of them to come with me."

I love that this kid is a dreamer. Sure he is a committed player, but he has goals and aspirations. He wants to be 5 Star recruit, an All-American and play in all of the All-Star games. What kid doesn't? And when you think about it, isn't that what is best for NC State program as well? I project that Ryan fulfills his dreams and brings a flock of studs with him in 2010. At the end of the day we have something really special in Ryan Harrow...because you can't teach 'hunger' and 'desire.'

We'll be checking in with Ryan throughout the weekend and we will keep you posted on how things are going. Ryan's first game will be tonight at 7:20 vs. Crusader Nation Gold.

ESPN: Lowe is Staying Put

ESPN's Andy Katz wrote a little piece that we feel is a must read for all Pack fans. Apparently, there was something to the "Lowe getting NBA calls" rumor that was floating around the other blogs and the message boards a few weeks back. Then there is the Flip Saunders situation. With him moving to Washington, there has been speculation that Sid's old friend may give him a ring. Here is what Lowe had to say:

"I know I'm going to get the phone call," Lowe said. "But this (NC State) is where I am. [Saunders] is not the only one who is going to call. One has already called. But there's so much here. I love working with young men, teaching them and preparing them for the world."

Lowe also goes on to talk about the future of the program and how excited he is for his 2009 recruiting class.

"I'm excited to get these young guys in here and see how much better we're going to be, see how more mature Mays will be who led us in the ACC tournament game," Lowe said. "We were winning games down the stretch with great play from Julius, C.J. [10 points in Wake win; 16 in a win over Virginia] and Dennis [11 points in BC win]."

Katz then goes into next years schedule which has yet to be released. What we're looking at is, for the first time in a while, a very competitive non-conference schedule including Florida, @ Marquette and for the first time in a long time, Arizona who's new coach Sean Miller has strong ties to NC State. It's also mentioned that the Pack will be having a little fun in the sun down in Honolulu, Hawaii for the Diamond Head Classic, featuring USC and UNLV.

Click HERE to read the full article on ESPN.

Coach Lowe Keeping Busy This Off-Season

Flying around the country recruiting the nations top players, communicating the direction of the program to fans, and competing in a golf tournament. Coach Lowe is doing it all this off-season. Pair that with the fact that he has a family to take care of and you can see that Sidney Lowe is one extremely busy man.

Last night, Lowe and football coach Tom O'Brien were in attendance at the Wake County Wolfpack Caravan to talk to fans about what's going on behind the scenes this off-season. Sidney was quick to the point when he let the fans know that he, by no means, was content with the play of the basketball team this past season.

"I feel your pain. We take the losses and disappointments harder than anyone. We know you are hurting, but multiply that by 100 and that's how we feel."

Make no mistake about it, Sidney Lowe wants this program to be mentioned up there with the elite, but he knows, and stressed, that it will take time, but knows that the Pack is on the track. With the addition of Brown, Howell and Wood, he feels certain the Pack can compete in the ACC.

"We need them. We're going to be young, but I have a lot of faith in those guys. They work hard. I don't have to ask them to play hard ... that's part of their game."

He also stated that him and his staff are by no means done recruiting. He cleared up a lot of internet speculation when he said that he is still recruiting 2 players very hard. One of which he hinted (without naming a name) as being John Wall, who is the #1 player in the class. The other is most likely Austrialian center Jordan Vandenberg or 4 star PF Deshawn Painter, although Painters eligibility is still a question.

Sidney is also set to participate in the "Chick-fil-a Bowl Challenge" in Atlanta, which is a golf tournament that could net the school $120,000 in scholarship money if Sidney can pull of the win. He'll be squaring off against the likes of Nick Saban, Tubby Smith and Steve Spurrier, just to name a few. Now I'm not so sure how good Sid is on links, but him and his celebrity guest, who just so happens to be our own Monte Towe, might want to get a few round under their belt over at RGA here in Raleigh before Sunday rolls around.

We at Wolfpack Hoops are especially proud of the hard work that Coach Lowe has been putting in to bring NC State back to the elite pedestal where they once stood.

WOLFPACK HOOPS VIDEO: Lorenzo Brown Drops 30 on Walton

Most of you have already seen this video since we posted it a few weeks back. However, we've received a slew of emails asking us to move to a video server that can host HD videos. You asked for it, you got it. We've been putting in a lot of time to move all of our lesser quality videos over to YouTube, for the time being, so you can view them in HD. We'll be releasing most of them in the next week. Enjoy! (and remember to click the "HQ" button, that appears after you hit play, at the bottom of the video to view in HD)

Grant's Utah Flash Fall in Game 1

Gavin Grant's Utah Flash fell short in Game 1 of the NBA D-League Finals in a high scoring battle 136-131. Gavin logged solid minutes scoring 9 points in 12 minutes of play. He shot an efficient 4 for 6 from the field and sunk the only free throw he shot. You know that your in for a long night when 3 players on the opposing team go for 25+, and that is exactly what the 14ers put out. Gavin's playing time gets snatched up by Ronald Dupree who was a WMD last night scoring 37 points (He averaged 18 on the year). Gavin has had a productive rookie season playing behind a quality Small Forward who is 1 year his veteran. The Flash and the 14ers will clash in Game 2 of the finals this Friday night. We'll keep you posted.

Pack Back in Big Ten/ACC Challenge vs. Northwestern

After a year hiatus, the Pack is back in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge facing off against the Northwestern Wildcats. This is the 5th year of the challenge and ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU will be televising all the games.

Northwestern finished 9th last season in the Big Ten, finishing up at 17-14. They'll return their leading scorer Kevin Coble who averaged 15.5 points per game last season. However, this game will be played on the Packs turf in this event, something that hasn't happened in quite some time.

2009 PF DeShawn Painter Considering NC State

Wolfpack Hoops has spoken with a source which has informed us that just yesterday Sidney Lowe and Pete Strickland made a visit to a certain 2009 4Star Power Forward named DeShawn Painter. NC State was on Painter's radar early in the process, but he decided to commit to Florida. We're not sure the reasoning behind the move, but Deshawn decided to decommit, leaving him one of the top big men still left on the market. The question about Painter is, and has been, whether he'll be able to qualify or not. Most coaches, including the NC State staff, believed he'd be forced to reclassify as a 2010 player. However, Painter told the NC State staff that he will be able to qualify and play in 2009. We were told that he still has some work to do and him being able to qualify is no done deal, but he is listing NC State along with Virginia, Maryland, Virginia Tech and Marquette(That list according to ESPN). Apparently there was no scholarship offered yesterday, but you can believe the staff is simply waiting to make sure his statement of qualifying for 2009 is legit.

Painter is listed as the #64 player in his class overall and the #19 Power Forward. He stands at 6'9 and weighs in at around 200lbs. He is a wiry athlete with lots of bounce and decent midrange game. Painter is quick of his feet and can finish above the rim with ease. He's still a little thin, but has a frame that could add muscle, which would be beneficial for the bruising a season in the ACC will give you. A lot of people have wondered why it's been so quiet on the recruiting front in Raleigh and were questioning what the staff had planned. Well, here is just another reason to trust Sid and his men, they are on top of things, and a commitment from Painter would go a long way in suring up a front court in desperate need of another big body. NC State would give Painter the chance to get some immediate playing time, something not a whole lot of schools can offer a freshman.

Check out Painter's game:

Update From Across The Pond

Jordan Collins has become a Dutch Terror. Since our last update, Jordan has led his team to two victories in three games to close out the regular season. Over this three game span JC averaged 16 points per game and 8 rebounds, while shooting 62% from the field and 58% from deep land. Collins' and his Giants will begin postseason play on Thursday night. The West-Brabant Giants finished the regular season in 4th place with a 24-16 record. Jordan finished the regular season averaging 12.1 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 53.1% FG%, and a 41.7% FG%.

Clifford Crawford has made carving up opponets a hobby over in Germany. Cliff has played 2 games since our last update and he has averaged 13 points, 5.5 assists and 4 rebounds in those 2 appearances. His Knights have one remaining regular season game this Saturday (4/25) and then they will head into postseason play. They are tied for 5th place with a 17-12 record. Clifford's numbers on the year are as follows: 15 ppg, 5 apg, 4 rpg and 2 spg (51% FG%).

Anthony Grundy continues to stear the ship for the Panellinios Athens team. With one regular season game remaining (4/22), they sit only 1 game behind 4th place. Since our last update Grundy exploded for 27 points on April 4th, and he had 12 on the 11th and 10 on the 15th. On the year, Grundy is 15.1 ppg (56.4% FG%, 3.9 apg and 2.3 spg.

Sharing the Wealth: Towe Opens Indiana Pipeline

The Chronicle-Tribune, an Indiana newspaper we are all familiar with these days thanks to their supreme coverage of Scott Wood, just ran a peice on NC State assistant coach Monte Towe, who went school in Indiana and now coaches at NC State.

Monte Towe, a former Oak Hill player has gone back to his roots to bring in some elite talent to NC State. Some say that Indiana is the top of the chain when it comes to high school basketball and Monte Towe agrees:

“Grant County sports takes a back seat to nobody,” Towe said at his induction into the Grant County Sports Hall of Fame on Sunday. “Schools in this area provide great platforms for kids to display their talents.”

The fact that NC State has a connection to that area is vital for the future of the program. The High School competition is feirce and players can come into college with a little less of a learning curve. See Julius Mays, who seemed to settle in just fine last season in minimal minutes, hitting a game winning buzzer beater against Miami and dropping 18 on Maryland in the ACC Tournament.

Towe made it be known that he isn't going to stop recruiting Grant County any time soon, either.

“I will always be looking to come up here and work this area,” Towe said. “As long as I am at N.C. State … — and I plan on being there forever — I am going to be around Grant County looking for players.”

John Wall at the Jordan

Here's a little mixtape from your boys over at OneEntertainment who are always on the frontline getting some serious footage. They were at the Jordan Brand Classic filming John doing what he does...enjoy.

Update From the D-League

Cameron Bennerman's season came to a close on April 11th. His Anaheim Arsenal squad finished with a 15-35 record which landed them in the cellar of the West Division. The Arsenal have to be pleased with how quickly Cam adapted when he joined the Arsenal on March 11th. While Mr. Bennerman only played 12 games in the D-League this season, he didn't wast anytime once he got there. Cam averaged 13.3 points per game while shooting 47% from the field and 40% from deep range. This short stint with the Arsenal was accompanied by a small stint with the Autocid Ford Burgos in Spain at the beginning of the season. Cam actually has a launch party for his clothing line LiKuiD Nation/PiNC on April 24th at Social (108 W. McGee St, Greensboro, NC). The event will run from 7:30pm - 10pm. We will have more on this on the site in the next couple of days.



Gavin Grant's Utah Flash were the complete opposite of Cam's Anaheim Arsenal. The Flash reside in the West Division as well, except they finished the regular season at the top with a 32-18 record. They took their #1 seed into the playoffs on April 15th and defeated Bakersfield 94-81. Gavin had 8 points and 5 rebounds, while shooting 3-5 from the field. The Flash took home a victory in their next playoff game yesterday, defeating Dakota 103-93. Gavin had 4 points, 4 assists and 3 blocks. The Flash advanced to the NBA-D League Finals and they will begin best out of 3 series against the Colorado 14ers tomorrow night. On the year, Gavin is averaging 8.4 points per game. Stay posted to see how Gav does in the Finals.

Brackman's Gem Lacks Run Support

Former NC State Basketball star Andrew Brackman threw a gem stone last night. The problem is that his brilliant effort was not accompanied by any run support from the Riverdogs bats. Earlier last week the Brack-Attack had a rocky start as the opening day starter giving up 5 earned in 5 innings pitched (5 K's). He settled down in his second start going 5 strong innings giving up only 2 earned runs, while racking up 4 K's. Last night was definitely his best effort thus far in his young professional career. For one, it was his first 'Quality Start.' Brackman pitched 6 innings, gave up 2 earned runs, and fanned 8. He also showed unbelievable poise by not walking a single batter. Brackman lowered his ERA 1.06 points in last nights game alone. Unfortunately Brackman's brilliance earned him his second loss of the season as the Riverdogs lost 3-1. Despite the outcome of the game, the Brack Attack seems to have the wheels turning. He seems to be a bit of a K-Machine as well, dicing up 17 batters in 16 innings pitched. This kid is going to be nasty.

Ryan Harrow vs. McEachern in the 1st Round of the State Playoffs

This was definitely the biggest game of the season for the Walton Raiders this past season (Their big win over Wheeler might vie for a tie). Walton defeated #1 McEachern 87-80 in the 1st round of the State Playoffs. This marked the first time that the Raiders had made it past the 1st round since 1998. NC State Commit Ryan Harrow torched McEachern for 33 points. (Make sure to click the HQ button to watch the video in High Quality)

ESPN Dubbs Harrow 'Standout Player' at the Real Deal

Antonio Williams of ESPN got the chance to check out the Real Deal on the Hill this past weekend and he listed NC State Commit Ryan Harrow as one of five 'Standout Players.' The other players that made his list were Brandon Knight (5 Stars), Joe Jackson (5 Stars), Tristan Thompson (5 Stars) and Ahmad Starks (4 Stars). It looks like Ryan is finally getting his name mentioned in the class he deserves. Here is what Williams had to say:

"Harrow has elite quickness and electric leaping ability, which allows him to finish above the rim, especially in transition or in alley-oop offensive sets. This score-first point guard relies on a crafty change of pace dribble to break down opposing defenders to get into the teeth of the defense mostly for his own scoring opportunities. Harrow also likes to use the crossover dribble going from left to right to get to his dominant hand to get into the paint. He relies heavily on his right and would add more variety to his off-the-dribble game by enhancing his ability to go left, in addition to making his scoring opportunities off the bounce easier as opposing defenders can sit on his right hand. Improving his left-handed dribble will also cut down on his tendency over-dribble. Harrow, for the next level, will have to continue to develop his point guard skills and involve his teammates more. He has good length for his size and would benefit immensely from making frequent trips to the weight room over the next year in preparation for college. Harrow also needs to give more attention and focus to the defensive end of the floor."




NC State Recruit Luke Cothron Receives Praise as Well:

"Cothron can score the basketball in the paint with his good touch around the basket with a high level of success. He sometimes shies away from contact and would alleviate that problem if he improves his level of strength as well as add muscle to his frame. Cothron also has problems handling passes in traffic at times, but getting stronger would help that problem. He has decent footwork with his back to the basket and will score using the little jump hook with his right hand. Cothron has to improve his touch around the hoop and getting stronger would also help in that department. He has enough quickness to put the ball on the floor, but his lack of strength causes him to get knocked off balance when faces on drive attempts. Cothron also negates his length at times by adjusting in the air and makes himself smaller in the process. If he keeps the ball high when he receives it in the post, he will also help to make himself bigger and not negate his advantage. Cothron runs the floor and can score in transition as well as an offensive rebounder, but adding more strength will allow him to become a better defensive rebounder. He also will block shots as a help-side defender as well as an on-ball defender."

Lorenzo Represents at the Reebok

We have searched the World Wide Web all over and have finally found someone recapping the Reebok All-Star Game from this past Saturday night featuring NC State commits Lorenzo Brown and Richard Howell. Here is what we were able to find. SLAM ONLINE did a recap of the game and this is what they had to say about Lorenzo:

"North Carolina State recruit Lorenzo Brown teamed with future ACC opponent Mfon Udofia (going to Ga Tech) to make it a game. Both players are super talented and explosive guards, with Brown serving as an off-guard currently and Udofia being a true point. Brown gets to the basket with ease and can elevate with most defenders while also showing he can knock down the occasional perimeter shot. Udofia had to rely more on his stellar quickness to make things work for him. He doesn’t have much issue getting into the lane, but once there, his smaller frame and lack of excellent hops makes it a little harder for him to finish with as much consistency as Brown does right now."

Good to see Zo getting some love but still no stats to report from either him or Sir Rich. Here are the official boxscores courtesy of BallerCircuit.com

Costner Signs With Agent Lance Young

As we all know, Brandon Costner will not be back with the Pack next season. He will be testing the NBA draft waters, and it is believed that he will play in Europe if he goes undrafted. He has signed Lance Young as his agent.

Lance Young also represents Chris Paul, David West, Rudy Gay and Joey Dorsey in the NBA. Young also represents a couple of other familiar faces that you might recognize in Kyle Visser and Justin Gray, who both played their college ball at Wake Forest, and Sam Young (Pitt) and Wesley Matthews (Marquette) who played in this years NCAA Tourney. We will keep you updated as we continue to track Brandon's progress.

Sharing the Wealth: "Big Man Cothron Adds to Reputation"

Luke is stirring up some attention down in Arkansas this weekend. Yesterday in one of the biggest games of the day, Luke's 28 points helped propel his Southeast Elite team to a victory over Ryan Harrow's Atlanta Celtics. Recruiting analyst Van Coleman of Hoopsmasters.com had to this to say about Luke's play:

"Luke Cothron showed this afternoon he's one of the bigtime athletes in the class. He absolutely dominated around the basket and blocked shots and dunked the basketball over anyone that got in his way. I think he showed he's taken his game to another level because he could step out and knock down the 15- to 17-footer. He really showed a more versatile game than we've seen in the past."

Apparently next weekend NC State along with a slew of other schools will be down at Flora MacDonald to evaluate Luke (Virginia, Oklahoma, Oklahoma St., Duke and UNC will also be down this week).

Here is what Luke had to say about his recruitment:

"At the end of the summer, I'll narrow it down to five schools," Cothron said. "And then when the season is over, I'll narrow down to three and I'll visit those three schools. I'm going to take a couple of unofficial visits this summer."

Just a reminder: The Pack offered Luke after the Maryland game at home this past season. If you want to take a look at the gaudy offer list that Luke possesses check out his profile.

This information was taken from an article from the Arkansas Democrat Gazette. Check out the rest of the article.

Ross and Hood Held Out of the Real Deal

LaQuinton Ross and Rodney Hood, two 2011 prospects who hold offers from the Pack out of Mississippi, were both held out of this weekends Real Deal on the Hill down in Little Rock, Arkansas. They both play for a stacked MBA Elite team. Both of them suffered ankle injuries in tournament las weekend. Ross scored 56 point in the game last weekend in which he injured his ankle. Dropping 56 in an AAU game is down right silly. MBA Elite lose a whole lot of offense when Ross and Hood don't suit up. Their Coach Omhar Carter had this to say about the tandem in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette.

"He scored 56 points in that game and averages 30 for us," MBA Coach Omhar Carter said. "We drove here, but if by some miraculous reason he got better, we'd fly him here."

Rodney Hood, a 6-8 guard, is also out with an ankle injury. Carter said Hood was averaging 20 points a game.

"That's 50 points a game," Carter said. "If we had those two, it would have been a completely different game."

The talent in the 2011 class is ripe down in Mississippi and Coach Lowe is all over it. Both these kids are 6'8 and they have mismatch written all over them. Ross is the #1 Small Forward in the class and Rodney Hood is a 4 Star recruit that ran the point for this team at the Boo Williams Invitational. Coach Lowe's keen eye for talent never ceases to amaze us.

Harrow Spawning Out Double-Double's at the Real Deal

***Update - Got an e-mail from Ryan's mom this morning. Ryan's team lost in the finals and Ryan averaged around 22 points and 11 assists through 9 games down at the Real Deal (4/20/09)

**Update - Just got word from Ryan and they won two games this morning to advance to the Final Four. Ryan had 31 points and 10 assists (4/19/09).

Ryan Harrow has been a double-double machine this weekend down in Arkansas at the Real Deal on the Hill. He has inked double-double's in three out of his four games already. Thus far Team Atlanta is 4-1 in the tournament and they are actually playing at this moment (8am game). I've been texting Ryan back and forth this weekend and he has updated me on some of his stats. On Friday night he had 19 points and 10 assists. Last night he blew up in a big way with a performance of 34 and 13 against what he said was the second best team in the tournament. Ryan and the Team Atlanta squad went up against Luke Cothron's Southeast Elite team yesterday afternoon. We'll try to talk to Ryan soon and get his personal thoughts on the tourney.

Wall "As Advertised" at Jordan Brand Classic

This was probably the first look most of America got of John Wall, the number #1 player in nation. The nation watched as he started off a bit slow, committing a bundle of turnovers and seeminly forced the issue. Slowly but surely Wall eased his way into the flow, and by the end of the game, Wall was a human highlight reel. John showcased his skills using his lightning quick crossovers and his violent spin moves. You can easily see why many dub him as the top player in his class, however he did not dominate the game or show a lot of leadership skills, but then again it was an all star game and you all know how those go. Wall ended the game with 8 points and 6 assists. He stated that he will visit Miami and then make a decision sooner than later. We'll be waiting, John.

Jordan Brand Classic Reminder

Just a reminder to all of you to either set your DVR Box or make a reservation with you the TV and the couch tonight. ESPN2 will be showing the Jordan Brand Classic tonight at 8pm and it should be quite a show. No matter where John Wall ends up going to school, I am proud that he will be representing Raleigh, North Carolina tonight on National Television (You can add Ryan Kelly to that Raleigh Pride as well). If you want a forecast of what college basketball, and for that matter the NBA, will look like in the near future, tune in tonight at 8pm. Here is a breakdown of the two teams.




Black Jerseys
Kenny Boynton - Committed to Florida - 5 Stars
Avery Bradley - Committed to Texas - 5 Stars
Dominic Cheek - Committed to Villanova - 5 Stars
DeMarcus Cousins - Committed to Kentucky - 5 Stars
Derrick Favors - Committed to Georgia Tech - 5 Stars
Abdul Gaddy - Committed to Washington - 5 Stars
Jordan Hamilton - Committed to Texas - 5 Stars
John Henson - Committed to UNC - 5 Stars
Lamont Jones - Uncommitted - 3 Stars
Ryan Kelly - Committed to Duke - 5 Stars
Alex Oriakhi - Committed to UCONN - 5 Stars
Durrand Scott - Committed to Miami - 4 Stars

White Jerseys
Keith Gallon - Committed to Oklahoma - 4 Stars
Xavier Henry - Uncommitted - 5 Stars
Marcus Jordan - Committed to Central Florida - 3 Stars
Wally Judge - Committed to Kansas State - 5 Stars
Tommy Mason-Griffin - Committed to Oklahoma - 5 Stars
Daniel Orton - Uncommitted - 5 Stars
Mason Plumlee - Committed to Duke - 5 Stars
Renardo Sidney - Committed to USC - 5 Stars
John Wall - Uncommitted - 5 Stars
Royce White - Committed to Minnesota - 4 Stars
Jamil Wilson - Committed to Oregon - 4 Stars
Mouphtauo Yarou - Committed to Villanova - 4 Stars

Zo Selected to All-Southern Team

The accolades for Lorenzo Brown continue to roll in and this time he represented the Dirty South well. This morning it was announced that he was selected to the All-Southern Boys Basketball Team. Let's just say that Zo was in good company. Here is the rest of the players that he is surrounded by on the All-Southern Team:

Lorenzo Brown -Sr- Committed to NC State - 4 Stars
Fred Gulley -Sr- Committed to Oklahoma St - 3 Stars
DeMarcus Cousins -Sr- Committed to Kentucky - 5 Stars
Brandon Knight -Jr- Uncommitted - 5 Stars
Derrick Favors -Sr- Committed to Georgia Tech - 5 Stars
Jon Hood -Sr- Committed to Kentucky - 4 Stars
Eddie Ludwig -Sr- Committed to LSU - 3 Stars
Andre Stringer -Jr- Uncommitted - 2 Stars
Reggie Bullock -Jr- Committed to UNC - 5 Stars
DeAndre Hopkins -Jr- Committed to Clemson - 1 Star
John Jenkins -Sr- Committed to Vanderbilt - 4 Stars
Joseph Young -Jr- Uncommitted
Jaquon Parker -Sr- Uncommitted - 2 Stars

Also, Lorenzo and Richard Howell will be playing in tonight's Reebok All-Star Game tonight at American University. We will get you news of stats/results as soon as we get them.

Josh Davis: "I've Waited for This Day For a Long Time"

Today was one of the biggest days of Josh Davis' life. I joked with Josh and asked him if it ranked right behind the day he was born and he laughed and said "Yeah, it ranks somewhere around there." Josh Davis lived a dream today as he sat before his coaches, principals and teachers and signed his letter of intent to play basketball for his favorite school. It was a privilege to watch the grin on Josh's face. He told us "I've waited for this day for a long time." Josh's mom, who is a really sweet lady, was beaming with pride. You could tell that the coaches and principals were very proud of Josh for his accomplishment and for the way that he has represented Athens Drive High School. Josh told us that he was looking forward to jumping right into college this summer, as he will be attending summer school so that he can go ahead and start working out with the team. He'll have the chance to relish in the dream that came true today this weekend as he relaxes down at the beach with some friends. Congratulations Josh! We can't wait to see you in the Red/White game.

Here are some of the other pictures that we were able to snag for you today:

Pack Targets Head to "Real Deal in the Rock"

Tomorrow a few Pack targets will be heading over to Arkansas for "Real Deal in the Rock," a big time AAU tournament that attracts some of the best talent in the nation.

Ryan Harrow and Luke Cothron will both be in attendence. Ryan will be playing with Team Atlanta and Luke said he will be playing with Florida Elite. Ryan played at 7:40pm tonight and will be playing again 9am and 11:30am. Ryan's mom will be updating us with his stats from his games and we're hoping to be able to get in touch with Luke and see when he's playing and how he's doing.

Tonight and tomorrow are just pool play followed by a championship bracket on Sunday, where if they win their first three games will find themselves on court one. That is important to you because games on court one games will be streamed online, meaning that you could tune in and watch live. We'll keep you updated and let you know if Ryan or Luke make it far enough to find themselves one court one and thus find themselves on your computer screen.

You can watch the court 1 games here (although it might be a little pricey): Real Deal in the Rock