JAMES SOUTHERLAND RE-OPENING RECRUITNMENT?

August 1, 2008


A couple months ago word was circulating that James Southerland was all set to enroll at Syracuse for the 2008-2009 academic year. However, in the last week or so, it has been widely reported that the Orange Recruit Was Not Ready (Syracuse Post-Standard) academically and would spend another season in the prep school ranks, most likely Notre Dame Prep.

Southerland originally attended Cardozo High School in Queens (NY) before heading to Notre Dame Prep last season. The 6-foot-7 forward is a smooth perimeter player that is very offensive-minded.

At the recent Desert Duel Memorial Classic in Arizona, SU assistant coach Mike Hopkins was seen at each and every game that Southerland participated in with the City Rocks AAU program, according to Doug Ferguson of the NBE Basketball Report. Whispers throughout the gym seemed to indicate a strong possibility that Southerland would re-open the recruiting process, although, to date, he has not gone public in doing so. Clark Francis, the editor of the HoopScoopOnline.com, is reporting that it is indeed the situation, and Southerland is now open game on the recruiting trail.

Syracuse does have a deep collection of 6'7 G/F prospects with incoming freshmen Mookie Jones and Kris Joseph and will also gain the services of highly regarded Iowa State transfer Wesley Johnson for the 2009-10 season. Mike Hopkins clearly made it a point that Southerland is still on their radar, but Southerland might just want to see what other options are open to him.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Syracuse is currently a 30/1 in the Odds to Win the 2009 NCAA National Championship. Do they have a 'Melo-like run in them?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Read more!

SYRACUSE LOOKS IN ON JAMES SOUTHERLAND

Assistant Mike Hopkins visits Desert to watch Southerland


James Southerland, a 6-foot-7 forward from New York City has recently announced he will return to prep school, likely Notre Dame Academy, for another prep year rather than enroll at Syracuse this fall. The NBE Basketball Report's Doug Ferguson was recently joined in Arizona by Mike Hopkins as an interested observer in Southerland's game.


Schools of Interest- Verbal Commit to Syracuse

Strength: Very versatile on the offensive end; can score on all three layers of the defense.

Area of Improvement: Needs to develop a better overall feel for the game

Skinny: Being watched very closely by Mike Hopkins, a man who could one day be his head coach, Sutherland displayed why Syracuse is extremely excited to have him. Then in a matter of one or two possesions, he showed why they are a bit apprehensive.

Sutherland will bring back memories of recent NBA draftee Donte Greene out of Syracuse. Both are loaded with talent and upside, yet both have yet to figure out how to get maximum value out of it. They also have very simialar styles. Greene has 2 to 3 inches on Southerland, making him the better NBA prospect. Southerland has the same scorer's mentality though. He believes he is the team's best player and when the ball is in his hands the result is his team has the best chance to score. What some players don't realize is that is true MOST OF THE TIME, not all of the time. Once Southerland realizes that nothing good comes out of a no pass shot 5-10 seconds into a posession he will be very dangerous. For now, he is a poor man's version recent of Greene who also is a high ceiling player that is still working to improve his all around feel for the game.

Read more!

SYRACUSE BASKETBALL OFFERS TOBIAS HARRIS

Class of 2010 prospect racks up offers

Tobias Harris, 6-foot-8 small forward from Half Hollows Hills West High School on Long Island (NY), had an impressive showing with the Albany City Rocks AAU program earlier this week at the Nike Peach Jam. This followed a very good effort at the Reebok All-American and has led to schools such as Wake Forest, Florida State, Texas, Louisville, Miami, and Syracuse extending scholarship offers, according to his father, Torrel Harris Sr.

Here is what Brian Crownover saw from Harris at the Reebok All-American Camp his News & Notes From Camp Week for the NBE Basketball Report:

While the big man (Sidney) can move well, he wasn't quick enough to handle the multi-talented Tobias Harris. Tobias took him off the dribble time and time again.

Tobias is a solidly built player in his own right. When I first saw him dominate as a freshman, I wondered how much better the youngster could get. He already had good size and great skill. He did alot of the same things at the Reebok Camp, but this time against a very high level of competition and with many players being a year older than him. The east coast has already been all over this talented forward, but look for the rest of the country to get involved in Tobias now.

Tobias has already made several unofficial visits to Big East schools this summer such as Louisville, Rutgers, St. John's, Marquette and West Virginia and hopes to see Syracuse and Connecticut this summer as well.

Contrary to some previous reports, the Harris' have not begun to narrow the recruiting scope as of yet and their list is in the neighborhood of 15-209 schools long. "Tobias doesn't have a leader in his recruiting process," Torrel Harris said.

Next up for Tobias Harris and his Albany City Rocks teammates is a trip to Orlando for the AAU Nationals and Super Showcase.

Read more!

GLENN BRYANT HAS SYRACUSE HIGH ON LIST

July 8, 2008

Last summer Glenn Bryant decided to make a big move in his basketball career. The Detroit-area native, who was attending high school at Macomb Dakota, in a northeastern suburb of the Motor City, decided to take his game to prep powerhouse Oak Hill Academy.

The long, lean and athletic 6'6+ forward recently impressed Anthony Jaskulski of the NBE Basketball Report at the Lebron James Skills Academy with his play. Here is the scouting report on Bryant from that viewing:

Glenn is tough and has much aggression while on the floor. He plays to the whistle and will make the extra effort to accomplish even the smallest of things. Bryant can post up defenders and work tough moves to the basket, as well as a strong, consistent fadeaway jumper from mid-range. His defensive skills are solid, and he proved to be a force inside, and pulled down a good amount of rebounds during the camp. Glenn also showed he is a finisher, grabbing rebounds off of his own misses, and going for the second effort, at least drawing the foul.

Bryant recently attended the Memphis elite camp, received an offer from Xavier and also has Syracuse, Florida, Michigan, Oregon, Kentucky, Virginia and others keeping close tabs on his progress this summer and he will be touring the AAU circuit with The Family program out of Detroit.

Syracuse was one of the first schools to contact him as assistant Rob Murphy has many ties to the Detroit area. The Orange are definitely on Bryant's mind when he thinks about colleges.

“I like Syracuse, and how they do things," Bryant told Jaskulski at the Skills Academy earlier this week. "I really like that they play that run-and-gun style on offense, and they also play a zone, which I feel a lot more comfortable in at times on defense.”


-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Check out the Odds to Win the 2009 NCAA Championship and find your favorite.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Read more!