CJ Leslie Talks with WPH at Sammy's

WPH: CJ, tell us about the upcoming season. You were a junior and went to the state championship game last season. What are your expectations, and how do you feel you've improved as a leader coming into this year?

CJ: We've definitely improved on a lot. Right now I have one goal and that's to win a state championship. That's my main goal and I'm looking forward to achieving that.

WPH: Talk about your recruitment and how everything has been going with that.

CJ: It's going pretty good. Right now, I'm getting a lot of attention from everybody, but I haven't narrowed my list down. It's still just open to everyone right now.

WPH: I know you've become pretty good friends with Ryan. It's pretty cool for you to come out and support him like this.

CJ: Ryan is like my little brother. He's a very good person. He's cool on and off the court. He's a friend.

WPH: Talk about Coach Hatchett, and what the transition has been like for you.

CJ: Changes are not always easy, but things are going well, I can say that. Coach Hatchett definitely has his way of doing things and right now, as a team, we're looking real good.

WPH: Can you talk about Sidney Lowe and how he's been recruiting you.

CJ: Sid, he's still going pretty hard. He's recruited me as hard as anyone has recruited me. So, right now Sid is still a good dude. I love him off the court and as a coach.

WPH: What's the most important thing for you in your recruitment? You have all these schools coming at you. What is the biggest factor for you?

CJ: To just settle down and just pick the right school for me.

C.J. Leslie Pulls Out of Kentucky 'Big Blue Madness'

There have been rumors flying around that top ranked 2010 NC State recruit C.J. Leslie, who was slated to be in Lexington, Kentucky for the Wildcat's 'Big Blue Madness' event, did not end up making the trip. Well, we can now confirm those rumors, but it is not yet known why Leslie decided against the visit.

This is a very interesting turn in C.J.'s recruitment, to say the least. With Leslie and UNC mutually parting ways this past week, many Kentucky fans felt as if they would receive a commitment this weekend. That does not appear to be the case. We do know for a fact that NC State and Kentucky were both, as of yesterday, still heavily in the mix. We are tracking this story very closely and will be reporting to you every step of the way. Stay tuned.

C.J. Leslie Throws Down At The Elite 80

Harrow and Leslie Team Up to Dominate at Elite 80

Ryan Harrow (2010 NC State commit, PG) and CJ Leslie (2010 NC State recruit, SF/PF) are two players that, when they get going, are nearly impossible to stop. Put them together on the same team, and things can get downright silly. That was the case on Saturday morning as the two teamed up at the ScoutsFocus.com Elite 80 Showcase in Wilson, North Carolina.

Many of the top players in North Carolina were on hand to compete in the event that was sponsored by SLAM Magazine and HoopMixTape. Reggie Bullock, PJ Hairston, CJ Leslie, Dezmie Wells were all on hand along with Ryan Harrow who made the trip from Georgia to compete. The event was filled with media from all over the nation, as well as a few college coaches.

The first match-up got the showcase started off with a bang. Harrow and Leslie teamed up against two UNC commits in Reggie Bullock and PJ Hairston in what turned out to be a complete blowout. Harrow carved up whatever the defense threw at him, with an array of ankle buckling crossovers, acrobatic finishes and mind blowing passes, most of which ended up in CJ Leslie throwing down with authority. When the smoke cleared Harrow and Leslie had put a 30 point beat down on the opponents. The chemistry between Harrow and Leslie seemed to be clicking on all cylinders as pick and rolls and no look ally-oops were taking place at an alarming rate.

"We feed of each other real well. We both like playing with each other and we get along real good. We talk to each other a lot outside of basketball so I think it just carries over to the floor. I think it would be fun to play together in college." said Harrow when asked how he like playing with an elite player such as Leslie.

The 6'0 point guard has been working on getting top recruits to follow him to NC State since the day he committed, and isn't stopping until the 2010 class is full. The Wolfpack recently picked up a gigantic commitment when 2010 highly touted PF, Luke Cothron, verballed to Coach Sidney Lowe earlier in the week. Now, the staff's focus turns to Leslie, who at one time had committed to NC State only to pull his commitment last season. The question for Pack fans has become, 'where would CJ slot in with the addition of Cothron at PF?' That question seemed to be answered on Saturday morning when Leslie was matched up against UNC commit and #2 SG in the land, Reggie Bullock. Leslie was magnificent on defense, locking down Bullock and rarely allowing him to get to the lane. When he did get by CJ, the athletic Leslie was able to recover and either block or alter his shot. Bullock was held to under 10 points, with most of his offense coming off jump shots. This should open a lot of eyes for those who questioned Leslie's versatility. We also have seen CJ shut down LaQuinton Ross, a top SG in the class of 2011 at the Bob Gibbons earlier in the summer.

In the second game, Bishop Daniels (Word of God) joined CJ and Ryan for what was a dunk-fest from the opening minute to the final buzzer. Harrow caught an oop from Leslie and then returned the favor with an off the glass pass that CJ hammered down with authority. Numerous scouts on hand were buzzing about Harrow who seemed a bit taller and as athletic as ever. One scout told us, "He might be the best all-around guard in 2010. Seriously, he's that good." SLAM Magazine was on hand and working on a Harrow feature of their own. Even the guys from HoopMixTape were in awe of some of the moves Harrow was pulling off. "He definitely should be top 10. No doubt about it." Said Nils, the owner of HoopMixTape, who travels the nation covering the top prep players in the nation to get highlight footage.

Also on hand was Dezmine Wells (2011 NC State recruit), a big time combo guard who is starting to get the nations attention. Wells is big, strong, and possesses extreme athleticism that has college coaches beginning to line-up at his door. Wells was very impressive in the only game we got to see him play yesterday. We've seen Wells before and are very high on his potential, but on Saturday he showed a new wrinkle to his game. An accurate jumper that was keeping the defense honest. If Wells can keep improving his stroke, he will quickly move up the ranks. He finishes with crushing dunks and rebounds very good for a guy his size. We got to catch up with Dezmine after the showcase and will have the interview up later in the week.

We will have video up later tonight (or early tomorrow). We'll also be getting you interviews with Dezmine Wells and Ryan Harrow talking more about the Luke Cothron signing and playing alongside CJ Leslie.

Recruiting Update: Cothron, Leslie and Martin Visit the Pack

2010 prospects Luke Cothron, CJ Leslie and a new name on the radar, Derrick Martin, were on hand at Carter-Finley to witness the Wolfpack annihilate Murray State on Saturday. This is certainly big news for Sidney Lowe and the Pack, as they still have one scholarship to fill in 2010.

Both Cothron and Leslie are elite big men with Derrick Martin as a new name on the scene. Martin (2010) is a 6'9 big that will be attending Flora MacDonald with Cothron this season. We are told that he moved to the area from Alabama, where he had been receiving college looks from Mississippi State, Alabama, and Oklahoma State. We had the chance to catch up with Martin yesterday to talk about the visit. "It was good, real good. It was my first time there and I really liked the atmosphere. I really like NC State." Martin told us.

While it is always good to keep your options open, it should be noted that Martin is not currently a target for the Wolfpack. The NC State staff, right now, is honed in on Cothron and Leslie, both of whom would be gigantic signings for Sidney Lowe, who already has a stellar class set to enter in 2010 (Brown, Harrow). While we were unable to catch up with Leslie prior to running this story, we were able to talk to Luke who informed us of the visit yesterday. "I went up to NC State with Derrick Martin, and CJ Leslie. We got to watch the game with Coach Lowe. It was a real good time, and I'm actually trying to see if I can get up next weekend for the game." Cothron told us.

It sure was interesting to hear that both big time prospects were on hand at the same time, especially since there was talk lately that Leslie and Cothron weren't too fond of each other after numerous intense on-court battles. We asked Luke about his relationship with CJ Leslie. "Oh we're cool. I'd say we're cool." said Cothron who also mentioned that they got along fine on the visit. This marks the second time in two weeks that Leslie has been on the NC State campus, fueling the notion that State is still sitting in a good position with the 6'8 forward. According to recent reports, UNC isn't looking like it's going to be extending a committable offer to CJ anytime soon, however Leslie still has in-home visits to come to a decision.

**We've heard that there is a good chance that Flora MacDonald (Cothron, Martin) could open the season against national powerhouse, Oak Hill. We'll confirm when we can.

Christmas Trims His List and Other Recruiting Tidbits

IDS News is reporting that 2011 prospect, Rakeem Christmas has trimmed his list to 8. Baylor, Florida, Georgetown, Indiana, Ohio State, Oklahoma,Texas and Villanova are the schools he will be choosing from. The 6'8 Philly product is thought to be the top center in the '11 class and was drawing interest from the NC State staff. This is not a big blow to the Wolfpack as they had only recently begun tracking Christmas.

Right now, the focus is still on the final scholarship available in 2010. The big names on the board for the Pack are CJ Leslie, Luke Cothron and Mychal Parker, all of whom would be gigantic additions to an already stellar class of PG Ryan Harrow (5 star) and Lorenzo Brown (4 star). A sleeper in this class is Tobias Harris, a perimeter oriented 6'8 forward who has brought high energy and intensity to the floor every time we've seen him. He has a connection to the staff, but is being recruited very heavily by Kentucky and Tennessee.

2011 should be an exciting class to follow as the staff is recruiting two local products in Dezmine Wells and Quincy Miller.

We'll keep you updated on any new developments.

Complete Boost Mobile Elite 24 Roster

The complete rosters for the Boost Mobile Elite 24 game up in Rucker Park. There are a few names on the roster that should spark the interest of NC State fans. For starters, C.J. Leslie of Word of God Academy will be representing the Raleigh area up in New York. Also, Tobias Harris will be one of the hometown favorites at the game. Harris is a guy that the Pack has shown interest in for quite some time now, and we know that the coaching staff was watching him closely this summer. Rakeem Christmas is a name you probably aren't accustomed to hearing in the NC State recruiting discussion, but that could soon change. Christmas' is a consensus Top-5 player in the 2011 class (#1 Center) and he is arguably the best shot blocker the country has to offer currently, regardless of class. We know that the NC State coaching staff has shown some interest in Christmas this summer.

Roster:

Austin Rivers Winter Park (Winter Park, Fla.)
C.J. Leslie Word of God (Raleigh, N.C.)
Cory Joseph Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.)
DaJuan Coleman Jamesville-DeWitt (DeWitt, N.Y.)
Dion Waiters Life Center (Burlington, N.J.)
Doron Lamb Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)
Harrison Barnes Ames (Ames, Iowa)
Jared Sullinger Northland (Columbus, Ohio)
Joe Jackson White Station (Memphis, Tenn.)
Josh Selby Lake Clifton (Baltimore, Md.)
Josh Smith Kentwood (Covington, Wash.)
Kendall Marshall Bishop O'Connell (Arlington, Va.)
Kyrie Irving St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.)
Myck Kabongo St. Benedict's (Newark, N.J.)
Perry Ellis Wichita Heights (Wichita, Kan.)
Phil Pressey Episcopal School (Dallas, Texas)
Rakeem Christmas Academy of the New Church (Bryn Athyn, Pa.)
Roscoe Smith Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)
Terrence Jones Jefferson (Portland, Ore.)
Terrence Ross Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.)
Tobias Harris Half Hollow Hills West (Dix Hills, N.Y.)
Tony Wroten Jr. Garfield (Seattle, Wash.)
Tristan Thompson Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.)
Will Barton Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.)


The game will be televised on ESPNU on Saturday, August 22nd at 7pm.

ONE Entertainment: The Official C.J. Leslie Mixtape (2008-09)

Today we will be featuring 2 videos from ONE Entertainment. The first video is their newest on C.J. Leslie. It is a comprehensive video of his past year including this past season with Word of God, post-season showcases and the AAU circuit. You can support our friends at ONE Entertainment by subscribing to their videos by clicking here.

CJ Leslie: HoopMixTape

Here is a highlight reel of C.J. Leslie from our friends at HoopMixTape. Support the amazing work that they do by subscribing to their YouTube channel.

TOC 2009: CJ Leslie Game 1

TOC: Friday Night Update

Game 1: MBA Elite vs. Carolina Cobras
Although Mychal Parker played at the same time (8pm) we just could not pass up the chance to see CJ Leslie (a top 10 player in 2010) vs. Laquinton Ross (#1 player in 2011). MBA features Ross (2011), Rodney Hood (2011), Demarco Cox (2010) and Deville Smith (2011). All of whom apparently have been offered by the Pack. They took on CJ Leslie and Tayshawn Mabry (2010). This game was full are stars and they did not dissapoint.

Now, we've seen a lot of CJ Leslie over the past year but tonight he was in rare form. He was extremely aggressive, vocal and as always, athletic beyond belief. The kid is scary good. He does things that kids at this level just should not be able to do, hitting 3's, beating guards off the dribble, and blocking shots he has not business coming close to. However, as good as Leslie was, Tayshawn Mabry was better. Many believed that the signing of Josh Davis meant Mabry was on the outs. Folks, it's hard to believe that could be the case with the way he performed tonight. He is athletic, strong, smart and relentless. He has a nose for the ball and is quicker than anyone else on the floor, off the bounce. Oh and lets not forget the lefty jumper that was falling all night. We couldn't stop talking about how impressive this kid was tonight.
On the MBA side it was Demarco Cox who was a very pleasant surprise. Standing at 6'8 and 288lbs, Cox is a monster on the football field, but his love lies on the hardwood. This kid is as impressive a true big as I've seen lately as far as pure size, use of his body and touch around the hoop go. I doubt there is anyone in the nation that could move this kid out of the way. He's a solid as a rock 288 and knows how to score the basketball and clog the lane.

Laquinton Ross is a monster. We know. He recently dropped 50 in an AAU game so we know what he's capable of. However, tonight he wasn't himself. We weren't sure if it was the presence of CJ Leslie or the fact that he just stepped off a bus from Mississippi, but Ross just couldn't get it going. He played softer than we've seen in the past, but still put up pretty good numbers. When the Cobras went to a zone Ross got complacent and was settling for 3's that just weren't falling. Remember though, Laquinton is only a rising Junior and surely has "star" written all over him.

We've seen Rodney Hood (2011) twice and both times we felt as if he was way too passive. Tonight was not different as he passed up shot after shot. He is definitely not a selfish player and loves to get his teammates involved, but he's a shooting guard or Small Forward so he'll be looked to for scoring, something he's just not comfortable doing right now, even though he has a silky jumper. He is a good prospect but until he shows us something else, we feel like he has a lot to work on.

Deville Smith is a newer name on the scene but one you should know. He is a 2011 PG with uber-quickness and lots of athleticism. He plays the game smart and is a vicious defender, staying in the passing lane and absolutely hounding the opposing guards.

We left with about 1 minute to go so we could go catch Ryan Harrow over at Duke, but when we left the Cobras had a commanding lead. Here is how the stats broke down:

COBRAS
Tayshawn Mabry 27 pts 4 rebs 1 assist 4 blks 1 steal
CJ Leslie 18 pts 4 rebs 1 assist 6 blks 2 steals

MBA
Rodney Hood 5 pts 3rebs 2 assists
Demarco Cox 15 pts 8 rebs 2 blks
Laquinton Ross 18 pts 3 rebs 2 assists
Deville Smith 11 pts 2 rebs 3 assists

Video on the way!!

2009 BOO WILLIAMS NIKE INVITATIONAL : Recap

This past weekend we packed up the truck with our cameras and our notepads and headed up to Hampton, Va to catch one of the most respected stops on the AAU Circuit and report back to you. We were excited to meet and film some of the Pack's recruits as well as get looks at future targets and the nations top players. We picked up our media passes and were surprised when we were given a giant packet of rosters in a cool looking Nike basketball folder. (Thanks Boo Williams!) These roster packs were selling to the public and other coaches for $100, so we were very thankful and it made our experience less stressful.

The event was held at the Boo Williams Sportsplex, which let me tell you, is something to be seen. This place is amazing and I was told that this was the very first tournament held there. The place is huge and has two different wings, each housing 4 courts. They had a store selling basketball gear and a full menu snack bar that came in handy. This place was definitely the cream of the crop when it comes to an AAU Tournament hosting site, and we advise that, if possible, you take a trip to see this next spring. (Va. Beach is close...which can be a good excuse for the Mrs.)

Now to what you really want to hear about...the players. Here is a quick run down of who we saw and what we thought.

CJ Leslie: A 2010 recruit, Leslie was a late arrival in the first game, but was definitely present the rest of the tournament as he was hard to miss with his jaw dropping athleticism. We got a good bit of video on Leslie and put together a highlight reel for you to enjoy. He played much different at this tournament. It was D-One's first game without John Wall in years, which seemed to make CJ take on more of a leadership role. He was vocal as he encouraged his team to play harder when they lapsed, he was physical and active for very long stretches, which was a very encouraging site to see since many questioned his work ethic and his passion. We talked to a lot of people and the word we were recieving was that NC State is still a very big player, if not the team to beat, in his recruitment. It seems as if Leslie and fellow 2010 recruit Luke Cothron are friends as they spent a bit of time together talking and echanged high-fives on numerous occasions. Leslie played with D-One for this tournament because his AAU team, the Lake Norman Wizards, didn't have the funds to come to this one. The team struggled to find an identity and was never in rythem as they were beat down pretty thoughrouly in all 3 of their contests. Clifton was not in attendence, he was in Portland with John Wall at the Nike Hoops Summit.

Luke Cothron: Big Luke Cothron (a 2010 recruit) was really the guy we came to see. It wasn't that we werent' excited to watch Leslie, because we were. It's just that there is just no information on Cothron who just so happens to be a 5-Star Center being recruited by NC State, who desperately is in need of a talented big man. Luke got to play with the Boo Williams Team which, we were told, is an honor in itslef. Cothron started and played nearly every minute of every game. We filmed 3 of these games and put together Highlight Reel Vol.1 and Highlight Reel Vol. 2 of Cothron, and will be soon bringing out his reel from his 3rd game, which was a thriller. He was teamed up with UNC commit Kendall Marshall, Duke commit Andre Dawkins, and James McAdoo, a rising junior who is looking at UNC, Duke and Florida amongst others (all of whom we'll get into later). As for Luke Cothron, he did not dissapoint. Although not much of a high riser, Luke possesses the length and height needed to become dominant in the ACC. Watch the videos and you'll see that he has an unquenchable hunger for rebounds...the guy is relentless on the boards. He also had a knack for scoring with his soft touch good footwork. He has a calm demeener on the court, yet he is very active and always fighting to get position. All we could think about is how good a duo him and Leslie would be. Two completely different players that would fit together perfectly. Luke will need to put on some bulk, but you can certainly see why Cothron has racked up the offers that he has. We got to talk with him for a bit and he was very polite and down to earth. He mentioned that the recruitment process has been fun and that actually Sidney Lowe had stopped by his gym a few weeks ago. He also said he really likes NC State and would at this point call them one of his leaders.

Deuce Bello: We already explained to you all of the problems D-One faced at this tournament. Bello (2011 recruit) took his lumps as well. Deuce is a human highlight reel and you can see one of his monster throwdowns following a Leslie miss (on the Leslie video linked above). Aside from the highlight though, Bello struggled to get it going. His shot looked unrefined and he just was unable to dominate these players the way he's used to doing during his school season. Bello is finding out that he is going to need to fine tune his jumper, or grow a few inches before he can be mentioned in the nations elite. The real problem however, was the fact that D-One really didn't have any set plays. To thier defense, it was their first tournament and had only practiced twice coming in, but aside from JT Terrell (Wake commit) and C.J. Leslie, D-One was very stagnant. Let's put this in perspective though. Bello is only a rising Junior and still has 2 years to really develop, and we're sure he will. The kid has some major hops.

Bishop Daniels: Before we start here, let's just say that Bishop Daniels is only a rising junior (2011). That explains a lot of what we saw at the Boo from Bishop. He seemed timid and unsure of himself out there which was the polor opposite of the way he played when we watched him at the Carolina Challenge. He was over shadowed by JT Terrell, who ran point for D-One and really gave Bishop no chance to get things going. We got some video of Bishop (and Bello) but we'll wait for better performances before putting anything out for them. If you want to see them in action check out the video we got from the Carolina Challenge in Cary. Bishops game is still raw and he'll need to get more consistent with his jumpshot before he can utterly dominate a game, but his athleticism is so obvious that you have to pay attention. He's 6'2, but the kid tries to rise and flush on some of these 6'8 trees in the paint.

Rodney Hood: 2011 Recruit, Hood is a 6'6 shooting guard from Mississippi. He is claming an offer from NC State so we decided to go check him out. Rodney is a pretty big kid for his age, and has some good legth to him. The problem was, you could see that he was a bit intimidated. The older guys on his team were much more assertive and looking for their shots, while Rodney was letting the game come to him. He had a nice looking stroke, an athletic build and some basketball IQ, but numerous times he tried to do too much and got into trouble. He was not a real stand out player at the Boo from what we saw, but again, he's only a rising Junior with 2 years left to develop. He's already holding offers from Florida, Georgia Tech and apperently NC State. We have a little video on him but not enough to put together more than 15 seconds or so of highlights, so we'll wait until we see him again to put something out. A 6'6 athlete with a stroke and high IQ is definitely someone you offer this early, we'll continue to watch Hood develop.

Tobias Harris: Harris, a 2010 prospect, was at the Boo and so we wanted to see what he was all about. Tobias is a big, big kid. He's 6'7 and probably 215 or so. We had never seen him so we expected to see a back to the basket type player. Instead, we saw a kid that was pretty athletic and was more comfortable facing up to attack. He moved well on the court and was surprisingly fast. He could be a very intriguing prospect in the coming years. He had a nice looking, soft jumper and great hands. He wasn't dominate in the game we saw, but he looked like at some point he would be. He was smart with the ball and was really a team player (although his team was pretty bad).

**Other Top Players**
Aside from the Pack recruits we got to see some pretty elite talent up at the Boo. The guys that impressed us the most were James McAdoo (son of Bob McAdoo) who is a rising Junior that could compete in college today. The kid is built like a man, and has some serious athleticsim to go along with solid footwork, great touch, and high basketball IQ. He, in my opinion, is the best player in his class (2011).

Duke commit Andre Dawkins (2010) was also pretty impressive. He's already built for college ball and he has another full year to develop. His jumper is textbook and his range is infinate. I hate to admit it, but I loved his game. He played so hard and attack the rim with his strength and athleticism. He fits the Duke mold perfectly and will certainly be a star there.

Marquis Teague, the brother of Jeff Teague (Wake Forest) was another guy that was living with some monster talent. The 2011 recruit is an exact replica of his brother and it showed throughout the tournament. He could defend, score, ignite his teammates, and had the highlight of the whole weekend when he rose and hammered on the face of one of the Boo Williams big men....folks it was extremely violent, and by that I mean it may have been one of the best dunks I've seen live...ever. (Yes we have video and yes we will upload it on YouTube and link you to it soon enough)

We also saw Mike Gilchirst (#1 player in 2011) and Kendall Marshall (2010 UNC commit) and both were pretty good. Gilchirst is the brother of John (from Maryland) and is a big guard that moves very well and already is built to play at a high major, but I think McAdoo is a better prospect,personally. Marshall has UNC written all over him, sporting tarheel blue wristband, and playing with a slight air about him that screamed UNC. He was smart, had outstanding leadership abilities and was always looking to find the open man.

Overall it was a great experience and we were glad we could get some Luke Cothron video to you since the NC State fans have been starved from Cothron vids for far too long. We hope you enjoy!

VIDEO: CJ LESLIE: 2009 Boo Williams Nike Invitational

This is our first CJ Leslie(#5) video from the Boo, and it's a pretty good snippet of what CJ Leslie really is. The kid is scary good. We've seen him a few times in high school as well as at the Carolina Challenge and this is the first time I've ever felt that he is actually playing players that are up to his level, and it makes a big difference. His performance was still stellar, but his passion and motivation seemed to go up a great deal when challenged. The kid can do it all...dribble, shoot, defend and hammer it down with ease. We've watched a lot of high school basketball and I'm not sure I've witnessed live, a player with this type of ceiling. Although D-One lost, Leslie led his team on an emotional surge that brought them to within 5 at one point. CJ ended with 20 points and around 10 boards.

**And yes, that is fellow NC State target Deuce Bello following a Leslie miss with a monster slam.

April 12, 2009.

2009 Carolina Challenge Video: The Wolfpack Recruits

This Saturday we were at Dave Telep's Carolina Challenge at Cary Academy filming and interviewing the Wolfpack recruits that were participating. Overall the event was well run and had the best talent North Carolina had to offer. We took video of CJ Leslie, Bishop Daniels, Deuce Bello, and Reco McCarter. Here is the highlight video we put together from the Challenge:



CJ Leslie 2010 Former NC State commit, CJ Leslie was up to his old tricks this Saturday, wowing the crowd with his athleticism, swagger, and versatility. Leslie was at times extremely active and aggressive, with drives to the hoop and thunderous finishes, and it was obvious that CJ was the most talented player at this event. At 6'9 and possessing the ability to dribble, shoot, or play (way) above the rim, Leslie at points seemed disinterested or annoyed at the fact that either he wasn't being challenged, or that his surrounding team members weren't playing up to par. His ability and ceiling is undeniable and he will make a big, big impact wherever he lands. CJ told us that he is wide open and lots of schools have been inquiring. He also told us that he recently visited with Coach Lowe and talked about his situation. Leslie said he felt it went good and that the Wolfpack are still a big player in his recruitment.

Bishop Daniels 2011 This is first time we had the opportunity to see Bishop play live and wow was he impressive. The kid is only a sophomore, yet watch him and you'll swear he's more experienced than that. Daniels gets to the rim with ease and has some ridiculous bounce. If he gets close to the hoop and you're anywhere near him, look out below, cause Bishop is about to give you a face lift. He is strong, smart, has a good handle, and his shot is progressing. This is an elite talent that will be blowing up in the near future. Daniels holds an offer from State and told us that NC State and Wake were coming at him the hardest. He also mentioned that he was a huge ACC fan and staying close to home is very important to him. He seemed very favorable to State in our time talking. Bishop was certainly one of the top 3 players we saw at the challenge and we're excited to see how high this kid's ceiling really is.

Reco McCarter 2010 We've seen Reco play before and Saturday was more of the same. He is long, he is quick, and he is aggressive. Reco projects as a wing in college and will need to hone his jumpshot before he becomes a lethal scorer, but McCarter slithers his way to the hoop and is very long and athletic, thus making him a very tough matchup.

Deuce Bello 2011 You wouldn't guess that Deuce is a sophomore by looking at him, and you certainly wouldn't have a clue he's a sophomore by watching him play. Bello is an absolutely athletic monster. His game is a little raw, but who's isn't at 16 years old. Bello gets to the rim, and when he does watch out, because he has some serious hops and likes to finish with authority. Bello will need to harness his jumper, but that will come in time. Deuce told us he was wide open in his recruitment and that he would be interested if NC State decided to offer. He will be playing this summer for D-1 sports.

There were a few other Wolfpack targets in the building but these were the 4 that we felt should be on everyone's radar. Chris Coleman and Luke Cothron did not attend the event, although they were scheduled to be there.

Pack Recruits Take the Stage at Dave Telep's "Carolina Challenge"

What: The Carolina Challenge
When: March 28, 2009
Where: Cary Academy, Cary NC

In it's third year of existence the Carolina Challenge is turning into an event that coaches and recruiting analysts mark on their calenders. Lately the North Carolina high school circuit has been gaining recognition as a breeding ground for big time hoops talent. Dave Telep, one of the most well known recruiting analysts in the area, has put together an event that gives these players (NC's top 100) the chance to showcase their talent in a one day, action packed array of games and skill sessions.

Here is what Telep's site had to say about the challenge:
"All eyes will be on the state of NC this March. The only statewide event of its kind in America tips off March 28 in Cary.
We had a strong event in 2007 and a banner year last season! It’s possible three Carolina Challenge alums could find their way into the McDonald’s All-American Game. We anticipate no less than two dozen members of the Class of 2009 will sign Division I scholarships by the end of the spring, including three Scout.com Top 20 prospects and the nation’s top point guard, John Wall.
In short, the Carolina Challenge is the place to kick-start your spring traveling team season or put a capper on your high school year! Our scouts are out looking for the best talent our state has to offer!"

We at Wolfpack Hoops will be in attendance and we hope you will too. Come out and support the Pack recruits. Games will begin at 9:30am. Here are the rosters; those in bold are the Wolfpack targets, and the ones you should be checking out.

Keith Bellfield 2011 Cannon School
Deuce Bello 2011 Westchester Academy
Devince Boykins 2011 East Rutherford
DeMon Brooks 2010 Hopewell
Jarrick Brown 2010 Millbrook (injured)
Reggie Bullock 2010 Kinston
John Cannon 2011 Mount Heritage
Jay Canty 2010 Ragsdale
James Carlton 2010 South Central
Emanuel Chapman 2010 Enloe
Justin Cheek 2010 Ardrey Kell
Chris Coleman 2011 Mount Zion
Luke Cothron 2010 Flora McDonald
Bishop Daniels 2011 Word of God
Luke Davis 2010 Ravenscroft
Jacoby Davis 2011 Vance
Manny Dias 2010 Veritas Sports Academy
Reggie Dillard 2012 Dudley
Jordan Downing 2010 Hopewell
Jarell Eddie 2010 Cannon School
Monroe Faulkner 2011 Person
Tevin Friday 2010 United Faith
Jonathan Frye 2010 Northern Guilford
Anthony Gill 2011 Charlotte Christian
Kadeem Green 2010 United Faith
P.J. Hairston 2011 Dudley
Julius Hamilton 2012 West Charlotte
Donta Harper 2011 South Central
Damontre Harris 2010 Trinity Christian
Jeremy Ingram 2010 East Mecklenburg
Jeremy Jeffers 2010 Greenfield Schol
Madison Jones 2012 Ravenscroft
Tony Kimbro 2011 Christ School
Sebastian Koch 2010 Christ School
Paul Larsen 2010 Lake Norman
Jacob Lawson 2011 Northern Guilford
Deng Leek 2011 Veritas Sports Academy
Leek Leek Malual 2010 Veritas Sports Academy
Travion Leonard 2011 Wakefield
C.J. Leslie 2010 Word of God
Tyler Lewis 2012 Forsyth Country Day
Stargell Love 2010 Quality Education
TaShawn Mabry 2010 Rocky Mount
George MaNgoue 2010 Forsyth Country Day
Reco McCarter 2010 Wayne Country Day
Josh Mellette 2012 Southern Lee
Tony Menton 2011 Waddell
Ian Miller 2010 United Faith
Quincy Miller 2011 Quality Education Acad.
Akil Mitchell 2010 Charlotte Christian
Jacquise Moore 2011 Concord
Weston Murphy 2010 Apex
Michael Neal 2011 Norhern Guilford
Braxton Ogbueze 2012 Vance
Reggie Perkins 2011 Western Guilford
Keynan Pittman 2011 Pender
Marshall Plumlee 2011 Christ School
Tyler Poole 2011 Hickory
Jervon Pressley 2011 Waddell
Reggie Price 2010 Lake Norman
Corey Raley-Ross 2010 Gaston Day School
Marquis Rankin 2011 Vance
Jonathan Rice 2010 Fayetteville Academy
Brian Richardson 2010 Greenfield
Jordan Robertson 2011 Greensboro Day
Jackson Simmons 2011 Smoky Moutain
Josh Smith 2012 Bessemer City
Anthony Stitt 2011 Butler
Bernard Sullivan 2011 North Mecklenburg
Melvin Tabb 2010 Enloe
J.T. Terrell 2010 Cummings
Anthony Thomas 2010 Winston-Salem Prep
Aaron Toomey 2010 Bishop McGuinness
Daryl Traynham 2010 Vance
Dezmine Wells 2011 Word of God
Terry Whisnant 2011 Cherryville
Jermaine White 2010 Butler
Anthony Williams 2011 Waccamaw Academy
Terrence Williams 2011 West Mecklenburg
Chris Wilson 2011 Terry Sanford
David Wishon 2010 Concord
Brennan Wyatt 2010 Dudley

N&O: Light Shed on Leslie Situation

Today the N&O caught up with Word of God's Chief Operating Officer, Mitch Summerfield . There are some very telling quotes in this article that shed a little more light on the situation with Leslie. It also mentions that he will be playing his AAU ball with the Lake Norman Wizards instead of D-ONE. This is a surprise, as rumor of the Clifton's (who are affiliated with D-ONE) being involved with the decommitment were running rampant earlier in the day.

"CJ really hasn't thought that whole process through yet," Summerfield said.
"I'm in N.C. State's corner, of course," he added. "I'm pushing [N.C. State]."
Summerfield said that the chances are, "still very strong," that Leslie will wind up at State. "He actually talked to Sidney Lowe directly to let him know they are still on his list," Summerfield said. "He just wants to make sure he’s not hurting his chances of being ranked and all of the things that go along with his summer this year."

Check out the whole article HERE.

NC State's C.J. Leslie

We thought we would give you a double dose of ONEentertainment's goodness today. We can't wait till you get here C.J.!

Word of God Highlights From December's City of Palms Classic

Word of God lost to Westchester 57-76 in the City of Palms Classic back in December. Bishop Daniels had a season-high of 19 points and Wall and Leslie followed behind with 17 apiece. Westchester is no slouch as they currently sit in the #12 spot Nationally according to the most recent USAToday poll.



Word of God also lost to Arlington Country Day who has been in and out of the national rankings all season long. C.J. led the way for the Holy Rams with 22 points and John Wall finished with 15 points and 6 dimes.

A Taste of Word of God vs. United Faith

Here is a small taste of Word of God vs. United Faith in the State Finals on Saturday night. Full Highlights will be coming soon.

Saturday Night Recap

The Knights took a 3-point halftime lead and turned it into a 66-49 victory over North Cobb in the first round of the State Playoffs. Centennial has huge aspirations for this year's tournament after making it to the finals in 2007 and the second round last year. This is Lorenzo's last shot. He didn't disappoint last night, leading all scorers with 19 points. Centennial moves on to play South Gwinnett in the second round on Wednesday night.

McEachern didn't get to be #1 in the state of Georgia for long. After beating Norcross last week in the Regionals, who was sitting in the #1 spot at the time, McEachern got to have a brief time on top. That is before they got upset by Walton (19-9) last night 87-80. Ryan Harrow didn't feel like watching the Raiders season end last night so he dropped in 33 nice ones. Walton beat #1 McEachern only to move on to face former #1 Norcross on Wednesday in the second round. This marks the first time the Raiders have reached the second round since 1998. Norcross beat Meadowcreek 64-58 last night in the first round.

"It was a big win," Harrow said. "Walton hadn't been to the second round under coach (Joe Goydish). So, just for us to play hard like we did (Saturday) is big. We didn't have any tomorrow and the seniors didn't want this to be their last game."

Wheeler (21-7) almost made county rival Harrison (16-13) wish they didn't even go to the State Playoffs last night by defeating them 84-66. Richard Howell had 12 points in the rout. Wheeler will host Peachtree Ridge on Tuesday night in the second round. Peachtree beat Brookwood 60-50 last night in the first round.

Word of God made it all the way to the State Championships only to fall last night 56-53 to United Faith. United Faith hit a controversial three-pointer that will be talked about for years to come. C.J. Leslie had a strong performance with 23 points and John Wall finished his Senior campaign with 12 points.

Harrow's quote came from MDJonline.