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.

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 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.

Gearing Up for the Bob Gibbons TOC

The N&O ran a story today previewing one of the biggest AAU Tournaments on the circuit, which just so happens to be right here in our backyard. Here's a few excerpts from the story.

"Some of the top high school basketball players in the country, including Raleigh Word of God's C.J. Leslie, are expected to play in Bob Gibbons' annual Tournament of Champions club basketball tournament over the Memorial Day weekend.

Leslie and his Carolina Cobras South teammates were a late addition, joining the field on Friday afternoon."

CJ Leslie has done quite a bit of bouncing around this AAU season as he's already played with his regular team Lake Norman, and joined his old crew from "D-One" in Virginia for the Boo Williams Nike Invitational (which we covered, in great detail) and now seems to be joining a new team according to Tim Stephens, the Carolina Cobras South.The Carolina Cobras South team will feature CJ Leslie along with Tayshaun Mabry who is still listing NC State, although we are pretty confident that he does not have a committable offer at this point. Here is what Bob Gibbons had to say about Leslie's decision to enter the tournament.

"I'm tickled that C.J. is expected to be here," said Gibbons, a basketball recruiting analyst for All-Star Sports. "When he is playing well, he is one of the best you'll find."

You can see what he means here. The Pack is still very involved with Leslie, but CJ remains wide-open in his recruitment.

The other Pack targets that we can confirm will be in attendance are Ryan Harrow (Atlanta Celtics), Mychal Parker, and Luke Cothron. All of whom we will be covering extensively over the weekend. So make sure you cancel your Memorial Day getaway plans and come support the future of the Wolfpack. If by chance you can't, don't worry, well be updating you all weekend long from the Tournament with videos, interviews and updates.

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!

Catching Up With Coach Beckwith

We had the privilege of catching up with Word of God's Head Coach Levi Beckwith earlier this week. This was Beckwith's third season with Word of God and any head coach would dream to have the first three years that he has had. In his initial 2006-07 campaign he led the Holy Rams to the NCISA 1-A State Title with a 27-3 record. The 2007-08 season was another year of etching a few marks in the record books. Word of God won the GlaxoSmithKline Holiday Invitational, which made them the first team from North Carolina to do so since 1989. The Holy Rams also took home the State Title in a dynasty esque back-to-back manner. This year Coach Beckwith boasted the #1 player in the nation-John Wall-and he took the Holy Rams back to the State Title game for the third straight season. The only thing that could deny the Holy Rams a three-peat was a controversial buzzer-beating three point shot by United Faith (which should not have counted). Coach Beckwith's coaching record speaks for itself and I'm glad we have a coach of his class embedded in the heart of Raleigh. In our conversation with Coach we covered topics including Bishop Daniels, C.J. Leslie, Dezmine Wells, and of course John Wall.

WolfpackHoops: Tell us a little bit about Bishop Daniels.

Beckwith: Bishop is a real good athlete. In fact he is one of the, if not the most athletic guard in the state as a sophomore. It says something about him as a player to come on to a team full of Division-I upperclassmen and accept his role and fit in. The AAU season is coming up and Bishop will be playing some point. The AAU season is a good chance for players to work on things.

WolfpackHoops: How is Bishop's jump shot?

Beckwith: For a sophomore Bishop has a really good jump shot. How good can a high quality player shoot as a sophomore? A lot of players are great shooters but that is all they can do. As a coach I like to see players developed into all-around players.

WolfpackHoops: When we watch C.J. Leslie we feel like we are watching a younger Kevin Garnett? Does C.J. pattern his game after him?

Beckwith: Actually, C.J. will be doing something in practice and he will say "That's how Kevin would do it." C.J. can actually do things in the open court that Kevin can't do. I'm not saying that he is as good as Kevin, I'm just pointing out C.J.'s versatility. I have been criticized for letting C.J. dribble as much as he does. How many kids do you know at his height that can handle the ball like he can?


WolfpackHoops: Obviously hearing about C.J.'s decommitment from State was not the news we were hoping to hear last week. Can you shed any light on the situation?

Beckwith: He just wants to look at different schools, but NC State is still a big player.

WolfpackHoops: We know the Pack has also shown interest in Dezmine Wells. Tell us a little bit about him.

Beckwith: Dezmine is a basketball player. He is such a valuable player because his game is so complete. He is kind of a 'tweener.' He reminds me a lot of P.J. Tucker who I coached a couple years ago. P.J. might have had a better post game but Dezmine has a better jump shot.

WolfpackHoops: What has it been like coaching John Wall?

Beckwith: It has been great coaching John. Anytime you get to coach a talent like John it is a privilege. Everyone at Word of God are proud everytime we hear people talk about him. I'm proud to know that I have had an impact on his life on and off the court.

WolfpackHoops: We have heard that John might commit at the Jordan Brand Classic. What do you think?

Beckwith: Spring signing period begins on the 14th and the Jordan Brand Classic is on the 18th. I wouldn't be surprised to see John wait until after both of those dates. He isn't in a rush.


We are very grateful for Coach Beckwith's time and we look forward to talking with him again in the future as we track C.J. Leslie, Bishop Daniels, and Dezmine Wells next season. We hope to see Coach Beckwith have continued success and continue to bring Pack recruits through his prestigious program.

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.

Sharing The Wealth

Dan Wiederer of the FayObserver wrote an article concerning NC State basketball this morning entitled "Trio of recruits will prove key to State fans' pain relief." In the article talks about the importance of getting Ryan Harrow, Lorenzo Brown and C.J. Leslie on campus in 2010. He makes note of the frustrations of the Wolfpack Nation and believes that the landing of these three could ease the pain of the fanbase. Here is a small excerpt from the article:

"Longtime recruiting guru Brick Oettinger looks at the Wolfpack's future and envisions big things. Potentially.

In Oettinger's best case scenario, State could go to the floor to start the 2010-11 season with a starting lineup that includes electric guards Lorenzo Brown and Ryan Harrow and do-everything forward C.J. Leslie.

Surround that trio with guys like C.J. Williams and Scott Wood on the perimeter and Tracy Smith inside and it's not hard to imagine the Wolfpack emerging as an NCAA tournament team once again.

"Put all that together and you could have the makings of an incredibly dangerous team," Oettinger says. "With Leslie and Brown and Harrow in the mix, there honestly wouldn't be a whole lot of talent differential between State's top six or seven and Carolina's and Duke's."

"I think State could be very close to becoming a serious ACC contender in a year or two," Oettinger says. "But they'll have to get all of those guys. And if they get none of them? Well ."

Make sure to read the FayObserver article in its entirety.

Also contrary to other media outlets, the News and Observer is reporting that NC State is definetly still on Leslie's list. According to the N&O, "Leslie and his mother plan to invite Kentucky, North Carolina, Maryland, Connecticut, Oregon and probably Florida in for visits (in-home)."

"Leslie said N.C. State is still on his list, too."

Word of God Gets Their Wish: WOG vs. Trinity Christian Volume IV

Word of God has been coveting a chance to rain mass amounts of revenge on Trinity Christian. Well sometimes you do get what you wish for. After the Holy Rams defeated Wayne Country Day 71-48 last night in the Elite-8 of the NCISAA state playoffs they are now going to play Trinity Christian in the Final Four. Last night WOG spread the wealth amongst their roster as 4 players inked double digits (Leslie 14, Wall 12, Daniels 2). Reco McCarter also pumped in 17 for the Chargers. This will mark the 4th time this season that Word of God and Trinity Christian have butted heads. Here is how the previous three games have broken down:

1/9/09 - Word of God 74 Trinity Christian 62 - John Wall (18 points and 10 assists), C.J. Leslie (19 points, 11 boards, 4 blocks)
2/13/09 - Trinity Christian 68 Word of God 66 - John Wall (29 points), C.J. Leslie (12 points)
2/21/09 - Trinity Christian 75 Word of God 66 - John Wall (26 points), C.J. Leslie (23 points)

C.J. Leslie Pulls Verbal Commitment

We received word from a person who works directly with Word of God and D-One sports last night that C.J. Leslie has officially decommitted from the Pack and has reopened his recruitment. He said that C.J. had called him around 9pm last night to give him the news. State fans were aware for quite sometime that this might be a possibility and there have been grumblings about it on message boards for awhile.

We talked to a source very close to the program a couple weeks back about the possibility of this happening. He told us that this might happen but many people close to the situation still feel strongly that C.J. will end up with the Pack. He also said that a huge X-Factor in this whole thing is the fact that C.J.'s Mom feels very strongly about him attending NC State. Remember, C.J. never really got to experience the 'recruiting hoopla' due to his early verbal commitment to the Pack. While this definitely doesn't fall under the category of 'good news,' we are not shocked by this. There is obviously a chance that Leslie could play elsewhere; but, call me optimistic, I think that there is a good chance that he still ends up at State.

Wall and Leslie Take Game 1 in Florida

Word of God came up with a huge win on the road last night as the Raleigh squad made a trip down to Florida to take on American Heritage in the City of Palms Classic in Florida. Word of God won 63-61 to move to 5-2 on the season.

-John Wall put up a gaudy fantasy basketball night, creeping near a triple-double by racking up 15 points (7-13 FG, 0-3 3PT, 1-4 FT), 8 rebounds, and 9 assists. He also had 2 blocks and three steals. One notable statistic that we would like to see decrease is the fact that he netted 9 turnovers. John Wall is now averaging 18.17 ppg.

-C.J. Leslie also had an extremely efficient game with 11 points (5-8 FG), 7 rebounds, 4 blocks, 2 assists, and 2 steals. C.J. also had 3 turnovers. C.J. is now averaging 16.17 ppg.

Box Score

Jerry Meyer of Rivals was at the game and here is what he had to say about Wall and Leslie:

Wall:

"Wall simply dominated the first half with his speed and passing, racking up seven of his nine assists. As previously documented, Wall's speed with the ball, ability to change direction and court vision are as good as it gets. His diagonal passes against the grain were impressive in this game. In the third quarter American Heritage employed a zone press which slowed down Word of God's transition game and influenced other players than Wall to try to make plays."

Leslie:

"I had him for a lot more than four blocks in the official stats. The vast majority of Leslie's blocks came in the first half when he was active and challenged everything in the paint. A quick jumper, Leslie is a strong rebounder and shot blocker, but his offense is pretty much limited to a baseline spin move."

Jerry Meyer's Rival's Article

P.S. Frank Haith of Miami was at the game along with representatives of Duke and Kansas. No mention of the Pack being represented. Word of God will play St. Patrick's of New York on Saturday at 3:30.

Word of God Loses in Finals

After beating Rocky Mount in the first round of the Glaxo, Word of God went on to beat St. Raymond on Monday night by 20 points, 63-43. C.J. Leslie led the team with 15 points, and he scored 14 these in the fourth quarter. Because he got in quick foul trouble during the first minute of the game, he only played 1 minute in the first three quarters of play. He came on strong in the 4th to propel WOG to victory. John Wall had 14 points.

Word of God played again last night in the championship game against Christ School and lost 76-73 in a nail biter. John Wall led WOG in scoring with 28 points and C.J. Leslie followed with 18. But Mason Plumlee (Duke Commit) took down the Holy Rams with 20 points and also netted the MVP award.

Word of God is now 7-6 on the year. C.J. Leslie is averaging 17.33 ppg and John Wall is averaging 18.33 ppg.

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.

CJ Leslie : Profile

HEIGHT: 6'9
WEIGHT: 190lbs
POSITION: SF, PF
CLASS: 2010
TEAM: Word of God Christian Academy (Raleigh, NC)
STARS: Scout 5 Stars and Rivals 4 Stars (Scout #12, Rivals #51)
ESPN Grade: 97
STATUS: Prospect
Offers: NC State, Kentucky, Florida, Miami, Michigan St. and Arizona State
AAU Team: Lake Norman Wizards

Description:
CJ Leslie is only beginning to understand what he is capable of when he steps onto the court. This kid has the body and the skill set to become a Kevin Garnett Lite. He has the athletic ability to play and star at a high major, he has better hands than most players at his position, a shot with very good form, and the handles of a guard. This kid is going to be very special for the Wolfpack program. His footwork and quickness are almost unheard of in a man his size and his lust for the thunderous dunk or the mid game 360 will have the crowd on its toes at every moment. According to Scout, Leslie checks in as the number 4 PF in the nation.

Video:

Leslie is #5

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.

Word of God Makes it Three Losses in a Row in the Challenge Round

Word of God lost 66-55 today to Arlington Country Day in the Challenge Round of the City of Palms Classic in Florida. C.J. Leslie kept his steady play up with 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting, along with 5 boards, 2 blocks, and 2 steals. John Wall put up the fantasy game that we expect to see out of him by finishing with 15 points, 6 assists, 6 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 2 steals. John found some medicine for his turnover ailment because he only committed 2 turnovers to turn in a 3:1 assist/turnover ratio. This is encouraging to see out of the Raleigh stud.

This was a devastating tournament for Word of God because they lost 3 of their 4 games. Word of God is now sitting at .500 with a record of 5-5.

C.J. Leslie is averaging 17.33 ppg and John Wall is averaging 18 ppg. C.J. has really impressed me this year with his consistent and efficient performances as he continues to shoot well from the field and rebound strong.

Box Score

Ryan Harrow Is Officially A Wolfpacker

In front of a room of nearly 200 enthused Pack fans and fully decked out in NC State gear, Ryan Harrow signed his L.O.I. at 12:05pm, making it official that he will attend NC State in 2010. Seated next to his mother, father, brother-in-law, sister and and high school coach, with highlight reels rolling in the background, Ryan spoke about his decision, his future at NC State and talked about his dream of bringing home a national championship to Raleigh. 

The room was filled with excitement as Pack fans chanted his name and erupted into cheers after Ryan officially inked his name on the scholarship papers and the letter of intent. (which his mother immediately faxed to the school after the signing)

The event began with Erasto Hatchett, Ryan's brother-in-law and coach at Word of God Academy, thanking everybody for coming out and supporting Ryan over the past year and a half. He spoke of Ryan's character and his drive to be the best, and thanked all those who have helped along the way. 

Hatchett's speech was followed by very telling comments by Walton coach Joe Goydish, who let the Wolfpack fan's know what a treat it's been to be able to coach such a talented and charismatic young man. He explained how Coach Lowe believed in Ryan from the very beginning and how he thinks Ryan is certainly, now, one of the ten best players in the nation. 

Next was Ryan's father, who has been quiet and behind the scenes during this entire recruitment. The emotion in his tone was obvious as he talked of Ryan's motivation and drive to excel. Tears of joy filled his eyes when he explained to the Wolfpack fans how proud Ryan has made him as not only a player, but as a  young man.

The mic went back to Ryan as he opened up the floor for questions. One of the more interesting questions came from a woman who wanted to know who the guy was that Ryan was throwing all the alley-oops to in the highlight reels ,referring to Wolfpack recruit CJ Leslie, who just so happened to be sitting 15 feet from Ryan, taking in the excitement while taking down an order of hot wings. "I know CJ is going to make the right decision. I don't know what he's waiting for." said Ryan, making those in attendance burst out in an excited laughter. 

After the question and answer session, it was time to eat. Most Wolfpack fans stuck around and ordered wings, talking about the bright future that seems to be approaching in Raleigh. While they ate, Harrow took it upon himself to make rounds around the restaurant, talking to Wolfpack fans and thanking them for the support. 

The event was unlike any signing day we've ever witnessed. The scene itself told the story of the passion and enthusiasm that the NC State fans encompass. For the first time in a long time, Wolfpack fans feel that the program is finally turning the corner. We spoke to one fan in attendance who had this to say. "This was amazing. It just is evidence that the Wolfpack fans are the most passionate fans in the world. Nobody cares about their program like we do. I've never heard of a signing day party like this, and even with the bad weather, this many fans showed up? It's amazing. It's great for Ryan and NC State is on it's way back to the top, you better believe that."

The pure excitement that Ryan brings to the court each game was found on the patio at Sammy's today. His charisma, quick wit, and loyalty to the NC State program had those in attendance walking away impressed. The mood is slowly changing in Raleigh. The storied NC State program that helped build the ACC, is quietly inching it's way back with the help and recruiting efforts of one of it's own, head coach Sidney Lowe. 

We have tons more to come on this event. Keep checking back for:

-Full video coverage of the speeches and the signing

-A video interview with Ryan Harrow

-A video interview with CJ Leslie

-Quotes from Coach Hatchett, his mother and Ryan himself

*Here are some pictures we shot at the event:

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.

"NC State Doesn't Need John Wall...Forget J.J. Hickson..." WHAT??

Dan Wiederer of the FayObserver spent some time taking notes while he watched the Glaxo Tournament. His notes were juiced with admiration for Lorenzo Brown and C.J. Leslie. He makes two claims that you are going to love to hear:

1. "NC State doesn't need John Wall"...b/c they have Lorenzo Brown

2. "Forget J.J. Hickson. C.J. Leslie may wind up being the most dynamic post recruit of the Sidney Lowe era."

He goes on to explain his reasons for making both of these bold statements. You'll have to read it for yourself.

FayObserver