Tuesday, August 30, 2005
August 24, 2005 - Virginian Pilot - All-Tidewater player of 2005 commits to Georgetown
All-Tidewater player of 2005 commits to Georgetown
By PAUL WHITE, The Virginian-Pilot©
August 24, 2005
Vernon Macklin, the 2005 All-Tidewater boys basketball Player of the Year, has been a longtime admirer of the ACC.
But on Wednesday, Macklin cast his lot with the Big East by making a verbal commitment to attend Georgetown in the fall of 2006.
A 6-foot-9 forward who is a consensus top-10 national recruit, Macklin starred for three years at Norcom High in Portsmouth before opting to spend his senior year at Hargrave Military Academy. He said he chose the Hoyas because of the program’s tradition, its playing style and its coach, John Thompson III.
‘‘I enjoy coach Thompson, and they like to go up and down,’’ Macklin said Wednesday by phone from Hargrave in Chatham, Va. ‘‘That’s the style I like to play.’’
In addition to declining to commit to an ACC school, Macklin also ended a long-held desire to play in college with his good friend Stefan Welsh, formerly of two-time state champion Woodside. The two will share the court this season at Hargrave, but Welsh has committed to Arkansas.
’’At least we’re both playing for Thompson brothers,’’ said Macklin, noting that Ronny Thompson, John’s brother, is an assistant at Arkansas.
Macklin — who averaged 22.4 points, 12.2 rebounds and 4.5 blocked shots per game last season as a junior at Norcom — said he began leaning toward Georgetown after making an unofficial visit earlier this month.
But he said he didn’t finalize his plans until this week. He also expressed relief that now, with the decision made, he can concentrate on academics, basketball and adjusting to life at a military school.
’’I’m excited because he’s excited,’’ Hargrave coach Kevin Keatts said. ‘’He felt like he was really wanted at Georgetown.’’
Those at Georgetown cannot comment on potential recruits until the school receives the athlete’s signed national letter of intent. The early signing period is from Nov. 9 to 16.
Macklin still must achieve a qualifying score on the SAT. He will take the test for the first time later this year.
A three-time All-Tidewater selection, Macklin is going through orientation and basketball conditioning at Hargrave this week, and will begin classes Monday.
The team will work out several times during the NCAA’s contact period Sept. 9-Oct. 5, when college coaches can visit the campus to evaluate and speak to players. Hargrave then will begin exhibition play on Oct. 18 against Oak Hill Academy.
Hargrave currently isn’t scheduled to play in Hampton Roads, but Keatts said he still has eight to 10 games to add to his team’s schedule and is eager to return Macklin and Welsh near their hometowns.
Reach Paul White at (757) 446-2630 or at paul.white@pilotonline.com
By PAUL WHITE, The Virginian-Pilot©
August 24, 2005
Vernon Macklin, the 2005 All-Tidewater boys basketball Player of the Year, has been a longtime admirer of the ACC.
But on Wednesday, Macklin cast his lot with the Big East by making a verbal commitment to attend Georgetown in the fall of 2006.
A 6-foot-9 forward who is a consensus top-10 national recruit, Macklin starred for three years at Norcom High in Portsmouth before opting to spend his senior year at Hargrave Military Academy. He said he chose the Hoyas because of the program’s tradition, its playing style and its coach, John Thompson III.
‘‘I enjoy coach Thompson, and they like to go up and down,’’ Macklin said Wednesday by phone from Hargrave in Chatham, Va. ‘‘That’s the style I like to play.’’
In addition to declining to commit to an ACC school, Macklin also ended a long-held desire to play in college with his good friend Stefan Welsh, formerly of two-time state champion Woodside. The two will share the court this season at Hargrave, but Welsh has committed to Arkansas.
’’At least we’re both playing for Thompson brothers,’’ said Macklin, noting that Ronny Thompson, John’s brother, is an assistant at Arkansas.
Macklin — who averaged 22.4 points, 12.2 rebounds and 4.5 blocked shots per game last season as a junior at Norcom — said he began leaning toward Georgetown after making an unofficial visit earlier this month.
But he said he didn’t finalize his plans until this week. He also expressed relief that now, with the decision made, he can concentrate on academics, basketball and adjusting to life at a military school.
’’I’m excited because he’s excited,’’ Hargrave coach Kevin Keatts said. ‘’He felt like he was really wanted at Georgetown.’’
Those at Georgetown cannot comment on potential recruits until the school receives the athlete’s signed national letter of intent. The early signing period is from Nov. 9 to 16.
Macklin still must achieve a qualifying score on the SAT. He will take the test for the first time later this year.
A three-time All-Tidewater selection, Macklin is going through orientation and basketball conditioning at Hargrave this week, and will begin classes Monday.
The team will work out several times during the NCAA’s contact period Sept. 9-Oct. 5, when college coaches can visit the campus to evaluate and speak to players. Hargrave then will begin exhibition play on Oct. 18 against Oak Hill Academy.
Hargrave currently isn’t scheduled to play in Hampton Roads, but Keatts said he still has eight to 10 games to add to his team’s schedule and is eager to return Macklin and Welsh near their hometowns.
Reach Paul White at (757) 446-2630 or at paul.white@pilotonline.com
August 26, 2005 - Hoya - Faces Change on Georgetown Roster Macklin Gives Verbal Commitment
Faces Change on Georgetown Roster
Macklin Gives Verbal Commitment
Olivia Scott, Hoya Staff Writer
Friday, August 26, 2005; Page A10
Although the Georgetown men’s basketball team is losing two players to transfer, it will also welcome three recruits and one transfer to the Hilltop for the 2006-07 season.
Vernon Macklin, a 6-foot-9 forward from Portsmouth, Va., made a verbal commitment to the Hoyas Wednesday. Rated as the 12th best prospect by the recruiting Web site http://www.rivals.com, Macklin chose Georgetown over other top-rated basketball programs Wake Forest and 2005 NCAA Champions North Carolina.
Macklin’s commitment was the third verbal commitment received by Georgetown for next season. Guard Jeremiah Rivers, son of renowned Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers, will join Macklin on the Hilltop next year. Rivers is also considered by many to be among the top high school players in the country. Forward DaJuan Summers has also made a verbal commitment to the university.
In addition to the prospects for the 2006-07 season, the Hoyas will have a new face on the bench this season as forward Pat Ewing Jr. has transferred to Georgetown from Indiana University.
The son of legendary Hoya Patrick Ewing (CAS ’85), Ewing Jr. originally considered coming to Georgetown before enrolling at Indiana, according to rivals.com.
In two years with the Hoosiers, Ewing Jr. averaged 3.4 points and 3.7 rebounds in 57 games. After sitting out the 2005-06 season per NCAA regulations, Ewing Jr. will have two years of eligibility remaining.
Georgetown men’s basketball Head Coach John Thompson III also announced last spring that junior guard Ray Reed and freshman forward Cornelio Guibunda were granted releases to transfer from Georgetown.
Reed will play for California State University, Fullerton. A native of Southern California, he came to Georgetown from Inglewood High
School.
Reed was one of the most consistent bench players for Georgetown. He competed in 31 of 32 games in the 2004-05 season, averaging 2.4 points in 16.2 minutes of play.
Meanwhile, Fullerton is coming off one of its best seasons in recent history, finishing with a 21-11 record that included a three-game run in postseason play in the National Invitation Tournament.
Guibunda will travel across the District to join the team at American University.
Originally from Maputo, Mozambique, Guibunda attended King & Low Heywood High School, where he was ranked the No. 16 high school center in the nation by College Basketball magazine before enrolling at Georgetown.
Guibunda appeared in four games for a total of seven minutes in his freshman season.
Georgetown Senior Sports Communications Director Bill Shapland said the university has no further comment on these transfer students.
http://www.thehoya.com/sports/082605/sports5.cfm
Macklin Gives Verbal Commitment
Olivia Scott, Hoya Staff Writer
Friday, August 26, 2005; Page A10
Although the Georgetown men’s basketball team is losing two players to transfer, it will also welcome three recruits and one transfer to the Hilltop for the 2006-07 season.
Vernon Macklin, a 6-foot-9 forward from Portsmouth, Va., made a verbal commitment to the Hoyas Wednesday. Rated as the 12th best prospect by the recruiting Web site http://www.rivals.com, Macklin chose Georgetown over other top-rated basketball programs Wake Forest and 2005 NCAA Champions North Carolina.
Macklin’s commitment was the third verbal commitment received by Georgetown for next season. Guard Jeremiah Rivers, son of renowned Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers, will join Macklin on the Hilltop next year. Rivers is also considered by many to be among the top high school players in the country. Forward DaJuan Summers has also made a verbal commitment to the university.
In addition to the prospects for the 2006-07 season, the Hoyas will have a new face on the bench this season as forward Pat Ewing Jr. has transferred to Georgetown from Indiana University.
The son of legendary Hoya Patrick Ewing (CAS ’85), Ewing Jr. originally considered coming to Georgetown before enrolling at Indiana, according to rivals.com.
In two years with the Hoosiers, Ewing Jr. averaged 3.4 points and 3.7 rebounds in 57 games. After sitting out the 2005-06 season per NCAA regulations, Ewing Jr. will have two years of eligibility remaining.
Georgetown men’s basketball Head Coach John Thompson III also announced last spring that junior guard Ray Reed and freshman forward Cornelio Guibunda were granted releases to transfer from Georgetown.
Reed will play for California State University, Fullerton. A native of Southern California, he came to Georgetown from Inglewood High
School.
Reed was one of the most consistent bench players for Georgetown. He competed in 31 of 32 games in the 2004-05 season, averaging 2.4 points in 16.2 minutes of play.
Meanwhile, Fullerton is coming off one of its best seasons in recent history, finishing with a 21-11 record that included a three-game run in postseason play in the National Invitation Tournament.
Guibunda will travel across the District to join the team at American University.
Originally from Maputo, Mozambique, Guibunda attended King & Low Heywood High School, where he was ranked the No. 16 high school center in the nation by College Basketball magazine before enrolling at Georgetown.
Guibunda appeared in four games for a total of seven minutes in his freshman season.
Georgetown Senior Sports Communications Director Bill Shapland said the university has no further comment on these transfer students.
http://www.thehoya.com/sports/082605/sports5.cfm
Sunday, August 28, 2005
Duke Crews - Georgetown is One of Four Finalists
(Look who we beat out to make it to Crews' final four)
Penns Grove product took game to Virginia, now a five-star recruit
Sunday, August 28, 2005
By Chris Kaiser
ckaiser@sjnewsco.com Within the year, Willard "Duke" Crews will have to make a life-changing decision.
Judging by his past actions, weighing difficult choices is an area the senior has experience.
Three years ago, Crews showed plenty of potential as a freshman on the Penns Grove High School boys basketball team. Crews stood approximately 6-foot-4 and carried the raw talent to be a dominant post player. He finished the 2002-03 season averaging 10.6 points per game and was named a Today's Sunbeam first-team all-star.
Crews' game developed on the playgrounds of Penns Grove. All who saw and mentored the budding star knew his potential would blossom into a blue-chip high school player. But an opportunity to gain more exposure and play at a higher level in Virginia couldn't be passed up.
The 15-year-old's fortune wouldn't come without sacrifice -- Crews would have to say goodbye to his mother, Louise Patrick. The transition was softened, though, as Crews was leaving one family member to join another.
Terrence Patrick, a Penns Grove alum, led Division III Newport News Apprentice School to two national championships in basketball, and his impressive skills on the gridiron has earned him an NFL tryout in September.
While attending Newport News, Patrick invited Crews, his brother, to come live with him. Crews took his brother up on the offer and has matured into a highly-touted Division I recruit at Bethel High School.
"It was just a better situation down there," Crews said. "That area has a bigger name. It's known for putting people in better schools and into professional sports. You've got Allen Iverson, Aaron Brooks, Michael Vick, Ronald Curry, there's a whole lot of people (who have come from that area.)"
"I think it's been pretty tough on (Louise Patrick)," said Terrence Patrick. "First it was me after high school, but once Willard came down here, too, she had to make a lot more trips. She wanted to make sure we were being taken care of. She's spent a lot of time on the road."
Crews now tips the scales at 235 pounds and stands at 6-foot-7. He is currently ranked 28th in the country for the Class of 2006 by Rivals.com, and has been given a five-star rating after a sensational spring and summer of AAU ball.
"I've never seen someone have such a big turnaround. He's easily the hottest prospect of the summer," Jason Jordan, a writer for the Daily Press in Newport News said. "I remember talking to him during the end of the (high school) season, he wasn't ranked in the top 150 in February or March.
"At the Boo Williams Invitational Tournament, he had a really good game against Brandon Wright -- a 6-foot-9 forward from Brentwood Academy out of Nashville, Tenn., ranked No. 5 in the nation by Rivals.com -- in the first game of the tournament and he showed him up. He knocked him down on defense and scored on him at will. He's kept at that level and went above."
Crews' play with the Boo Williams AAU team has turned plenty of heads as his potential college suitors read like a grocery list of the top college hoops programs in the country.
Among those interested in the small forward are: Cincinnati, Illinois, Connecticut, Maryland, Georgetown, Virginia, North Carolina, Wake Forest, Duke, Georgia Tech, Florida, Florida State, Miami (Fla.), Tennessee, Texas, Oklahoma State, Kentucky, Michigan State and Clemson.
While it may not be March, Crews has formed his own final four, trimming his list to North Carolina, Wake Forest, Tennessee and Georgetown.
"I always knew I was going to college, I just didn't know where," Crews said. "Now that I've established myself as one of the best players in the country, I have my choice of schools and it's a great opportunity for me.
"That's what everybody dreams about, having a UNC and Duke (recruiting you), and now I have it, so it's a dream come true."
Jordan, who also writes for ESPN the Magazine and Rivals.com, said he believes Crews will have an immediate impact as a freshman at the collegiate level.
"He plays really, really strong around the basket," Jordan said. "He finishes hard. He plays hard. He's raw, but he's an excellent player. And he's necessary. You need him on your team. He's going to work hard and give you a double-double."
Defensively, Jordan compared Crews to Sheldon Williams, the Duke standout who was named NABC Defensive Player of the Year after breaking school records with 122 blocks for the season and averaging 3.7 blocks per game.
As a junior at Bethel, Crews averaged 18 points per game, leading Bethel to a 22-4 record and the state regional semifinals.
While a whirlwind of hype has swirled around Crews as his stock has risen over the summer, he hasn't allowed himself to get caught up in all the hoopla. Crews has remained humble, a trait his mother instilled in him.
"He has handled himself very well," Louise Patrick said. "When I ask him certain questions -- I want to know why he chose a certain college, I want to know what it was -- and he gives me what I need to know. So I'm satisfied with that.
"To have all the top programs respect him and look at him as, 'Oh my God, this guy is genuine,' I love that. Just to get the pat on the back to say you did a great job. It all paid off."
Sunbeam reporter John Zagone contributed to this story.
Friday, August 26, 2005
August 24, 2005 - WP - Hoyas Get Oral Commitment From Another Top Recruit
Hoyas Get Oral Commitment From Another Top Recruit
Thursday, August 25, 2005; E02
Vernon Macklin , a 6-foot-9 forward who is considered to be among the top high school seniors in the country, made an unofficial commitment to the Georgetown men's basketball team.
Macklin, who averaged 22.4 points, 12.2 rebounds and 4.5 blocked shots as a junior at I.C. Norcom High in Portsmouth, Va., is rated as the 12th-best prospect by Rivals.com.
"I like the tradition at Georgetown, and I want to get better on and off the court," said Macklin, who transferred to Hargrave Military Academy over the summer.
Macklin chose the Hoyas over Wake Forest and North Carolina.
He said that a member of the Georgetown coaching staff was at every game he played this summer, and that attention factored into his decision.
"Coach [ John Thompson III ] is a straight-up and forward guy; I like the way he talks and coaches," Macklin said. "They play the game I play, running up and down."
Georgetown has now received three unofficial commitments for the 2006-07 season: Macklin, forward DaJuan Summers and guard Jeremiah Rivers (the son of Boston Celtics Coach Doc Rivers ). Summers, who was named the Baltimore Sun All-Metro player of the year as a junior at McDonogh, also is considered to be among the top 25 players in the country.
-- Camille Powell
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/24/AR2005082401900_pf.html
Thursday, August 25, 2005; E02
Vernon Macklin , a 6-foot-9 forward who is considered to be among the top high school seniors in the country, made an unofficial commitment to the Georgetown men's basketball team.
Macklin, who averaged 22.4 points, 12.2 rebounds and 4.5 blocked shots as a junior at I.C. Norcom High in Portsmouth, Va., is rated as the 12th-best prospect by Rivals.com.
"I like the tradition at Georgetown, and I want to get better on and off the court," said Macklin, who transferred to Hargrave Military Academy over the summer.
Macklin chose the Hoyas over Wake Forest and North Carolina.
He said that a member of the Georgetown coaching staff was at every game he played this summer, and that attention factored into his decision.
"Coach [ John Thompson III ] is a straight-up and forward guy; I like the way he talks and coaches," Macklin said. "They play the game I play, running up and down."
Georgetown has now received three unofficial commitments for the 2006-07 season: Macklin, forward DaJuan Summers and guard Jeremiah Rivers (the son of Boston Celtics Coach Doc Rivers ). Summers, who was named the Baltimore Sun All-Metro player of the year as a junior at McDonogh, also is considered to be among the top 25 players in the country.
-- Camille Powell
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/24/AR2005082401900_pf.html
3/21/05 - DaJuan Summers - Player of the Year
The Baltimore Sun
March 21, 2005 Monday
ALL-METRO BOYS BASKETBALL
Pat O'Malley
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
DaJuan Summers
McDonogh
Summers not only broke out at McDonogh this season, but nationally as well.
The 6-foot-9, 225-pound power forward is considered to be one of the top 100 players in the nation by a number of publications and rating services, who also have him ranked in the top 15 at his position.
The spotlight on Summers started shining at the end of last summer when he sparkled at Nike showcase events and with the Cecil-Kirk Amateur Athletic Union team.
Summers followed up his big summer with a standout high school season, leading surprising McDonogh (23-6) to the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference final and a No. 5 ranking in The Sun's final poll.
Averaging 20.4 points with an explosive repertoire of dunks, not to mention a smooth touch from the perimeter, Summers also muscled up in the paint to grab 11.6 rebounds per game. McDonogh coach Matt MacMullan said Summers had the best junior season of anyone who has played for the Eagles in the past 20 years.
Fluid with a loose body and long wing-span, Summers, who had a number of double doubles and several 30-point games this season, can shoot off his dribble and deliver crisp and accurate passes. He also is a threat whether he's facing the basket or has his back to it, and he is a natural at blocking shots.
Summers is the first McDonogh player to be named All-Metro Player of the Year in boys basketball.
March 21, 2005 Monday
ALL-METRO BOYS BASKETBALL
Pat O'Malley
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
DaJuan Summers
McDonogh
Summers not only broke out at McDonogh this season, but nationally as well.
The 6-foot-9, 225-pound power forward is considered to be one of the top 100 players in the nation by a number of publications and rating services, who also have him ranked in the top 15 at his position.
The spotlight on Summers started shining at the end of last summer when he sparkled at Nike showcase events and with the Cecil-Kirk Amateur Athletic Union team.
Summers followed up his big summer with a standout high school season, leading surprising McDonogh (23-6) to the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference final and a No. 5 ranking in The Sun's final poll.
Averaging 20.4 points with an explosive repertoire of dunks, not to mention a smooth touch from the perimeter, Summers also muscled up in the paint to grab 11.6 rebounds per game. McDonogh coach Matt MacMullan said Summers had the best junior season of anyone who has played for the Eagles in the past 20 years.
Fluid with a loose body and long wing-span, Summers, who had a number of double doubles and several 30-point games this season, can shoot off his dribble and deliver crisp and accurate passes. He also is a threat whether he's facing the basket or has his back to it, and he is a natural at blocking shots.
Summers is the first McDonogh player to be named All-Metro Player of the Year in boys basketball.
2/16/05 - Baltimore Sun - Dajuan Summers: His inside-outside play could open doors
The Baltimore Sun
February 16, 2005
His inside-outside play could open doors;
Pat O'Malley, SUN STAFF
Boys basketball: McDonogh forward DaJuan Summers is regarded as one of the best juniors in the state, and his skills could land him on the doorstep of a Division I school.;
High Schools
DaJuan Summers' mother, Twana Summers, claims that her youngest son, 8-year-old Malik, can tell you what his older brother is going to do each time down the court. It's the kind of information opponents would love to have on the McDonogh junior.
"Malik can tell you every play what his brother will do before it happens," Twana said.
If his opponents have a clue, it's not evident. DaJuan, 6 feet 9 and 225 pounds, has a soft and accurate shot from the outside and the quickness and explosiveness to score from the inside with an assortment of dunks. He is averaging just more than 20 points per game and gives star power to the fifth-ranked Eagles (21-5), who open the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference playoffs at home tonight.
Many national recruiters and publications, including Maryland Prep Hoops.com, which featured Summers on the cover of its magazine, consider him one of the top juniors in Maryland.
"DaJuan is easily among the top 100 juniors in the nation, and I think with DeMatha's Jeff Allen [6-8] ranks as the best juniors in Maryland," said Tom Strickler, who covers the Mid-Atlantic area for Eastern Basketball and National Recruiting Service.
"He is another in a long line of great players to come out of Baltimore. And what a transformation he has made into a power forward. He can take a shot off the dribble, and uses his body well when he takes a defender to the basket. After seeing him as a sophomore, then late summer with Cecil-Kirk [Amateur Athletic Union team], I saw a player passing and shooting. What a transformation in just a matter of months."
Division I schools, including Maryland, are interested in Summers. McDonogh coach Matt MacMullan has been contacted by Georgetown, Florida State, Miami, Wake Forest, North Carolina State, Notre Dame and Connecticut.
Steve Keller, publisher of National Recruiting Report out of Neptune, N.J., sees Summers as "the best junior in Maryland who is underrated on the national level."
"Some people don't realize how good this kid is. I see him playing in the ACC or Big Ten and eventually becoming a star," Keller said.
He is not underrated at McDonogh.
"Clearly, DaJuan has the most natural ability and talent of any junior we've had," said MacMullan, who is in his eighth season as Eagles coach and has three former players currently playing Division I basketball.
"DaJuan has definitely had the best junior year of anyone we've ever had."
This week's MIAA A Conference tournament, with the semifinals at Villa Julie on Friday and a 3 p.m. final on Sunday, will be the last chance for the recruiters to see Summers as a junior.
McDonogh earned the third seed and will play 10th-ranked Archbishop Spalding (21-10) at 5 p.m. today.
The Eagles are contenders primarily because of the play of Summers, who is averaging 20.4 points and 12 rebounds per game after averaging 11 points and six rebounds as a sophomore.
He worked hard in the offseason to improve his overall game, playing for the Cecil-Kirk team of coach Anthony Lewis. It's the same AAU team that Archbishop Spalding's Rudy Gay played on before deciding to attend Connecticut, where he is currently starring.
"They have similar styles, similar rankings at this time [of their careers]," said Lewis in comparing Summers to Gay.
Lewis said Summers is the 57th-ranked junior overall and 19th at his position by Rivals.com, which is about where Gay was as a junior before he moved into the top 10 before the start of his senior year.
Could Summers reach that level?
"Possibly, the signs are there for him to take it to the next level," Lewis said. "He's a great kid with a great work ethic."
Summers knows he benefited from the summer work.
"I played on the wing with Cecil-Kirk and started shooting more and being more aggressive going to the basket, attacking the rim better," said Summers, who played in the Nike All-American Camp, the Nike Jamboree and the 17-and-under Showcase.
"I grew about three inches and put on 15 pounds and did well at all of those camps and people started noticing me."
Summers' idol is Carmelo Anthony, the former Towson Catholic star now playing with the Denver Nuggets.
But Summers says his single mother, Twana, is his "role model," because of "her work ethic." She works for Safeway and has dedicated her life to her children, DaJuan, Malik and 19-year-old Regina Summers, who is a graduate of Walbrook High and currently the No. 2 debater on Georgia State's team.
"My mom has taught me that you have to work hard to succeed and to be well-mannered," DaJuan said.
Most of McDonogh's scoring last season was done on the perimeter by then-seniors Justin Drummond, Corey Davis and Jon Brick and freshman Malcolm Delaney, who transferred to Towson Catholic this year.
This season, McDonogh's go-to guy is Summers, who, like Anthony, has developed an inside and outside game.
"We definitely saw DaJuan as our No. 1 option going into this season, and we had high expectations for him," MacMullan said. "He's more than lived up to those expectations."
February 16, 2005
His inside-outside play could open doors;
Pat O'Malley, SUN STAFF
Boys basketball: McDonogh forward DaJuan Summers is regarded as one of the best juniors in the state, and his skills could land him on the doorstep of a Division I school.;
High Schools
DaJuan Summers' mother, Twana Summers, claims that her youngest son, 8-year-old Malik, can tell you what his older brother is going to do each time down the court. It's the kind of information opponents would love to have on the McDonogh junior.
"Malik can tell you every play what his brother will do before it happens," Twana said.
If his opponents have a clue, it's not evident. DaJuan, 6 feet 9 and 225 pounds, has a soft and accurate shot from the outside and the quickness and explosiveness to score from the inside with an assortment of dunks. He is averaging just more than 20 points per game and gives star power to the fifth-ranked Eagles (21-5), who open the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference playoffs at home tonight.
Many national recruiters and publications, including Maryland Prep Hoops.com, which featured Summers on the cover of its magazine, consider him one of the top juniors in Maryland.
"DaJuan is easily among the top 100 juniors in the nation, and I think with DeMatha's Jeff Allen [6-8] ranks as the best juniors in Maryland," said Tom Strickler, who covers the Mid-Atlantic area for Eastern Basketball and National Recruiting Service.
"He is another in a long line of great players to come out of Baltimore. And what a transformation he has made into a power forward. He can take a shot off the dribble, and uses his body well when he takes a defender to the basket. After seeing him as a sophomore, then late summer with Cecil-Kirk [Amateur Athletic Union team], I saw a player passing and shooting. What a transformation in just a matter of months."
Division I schools, including Maryland, are interested in Summers. McDonogh coach Matt MacMullan has been contacted by Georgetown, Florida State, Miami, Wake Forest, North Carolina State, Notre Dame and Connecticut.
Steve Keller, publisher of National Recruiting Report out of Neptune, N.J., sees Summers as "the best junior in Maryland who is underrated on the national level."
"Some people don't realize how good this kid is. I see him playing in the ACC or Big Ten and eventually becoming a star," Keller said.
He is not underrated at McDonogh.
"Clearly, DaJuan has the most natural ability and talent of any junior we've had," said MacMullan, who is in his eighth season as Eagles coach and has three former players currently playing Division I basketball.
"DaJuan has definitely had the best junior year of anyone we've ever had."
This week's MIAA A Conference tournament, with the semifinals at Villa Julie on Friday and a 3 p.m. final on Sunday, will be the last chance for the recruiters to see Summers as a junior.
McDonogh earned the third seed and will play 10th-ranked Archbishop Spalding (21-10) at 5 p.m. today.
The Eagles are contenders primarily because of the play of Summers, who is averaging 20.4 points and 12 rebounds per game after averaging 11 points and six rebounds as a sophomore.
He worked hard in the offseason to improve his overall game, playing for the Cecil-Kirk team of coach Anthony Lewis. It's the same AAU team that Archbishop Spalding's Rudy Gay played on before deciding to attend Connecticut, where he is currently starring.
"They have similar styles, similar rankings at this time [of their careers]," said Lewis in comparing Summers to Gay.
Lewis said Summers is the 57th-ranked junior overall and 19th at his position by Rivals.com, which is about where Gay was as a junior before he moved into the top 10 before the start of his senior year.
Could Summers reach that level?
"Possibly, the signs are there for him to take it to the next level," Lewis said. "He's a great kid with a great work ethic."
Summers knows he benefited from the summer work.
"I played on the wing with Cecil-Kirk and started shooting more and being more aggressive going to the basket, attacking the rim better," said Summers, who played in the Nike All-American Camp, the Nike Jamboree and the 17-and-under Showcase.
"I grew about three inches and put on 15 pounds and did well at all of those camps and people started noticing me."
Summers' idol is Carmelo Anthony, the former Towson Catholic star now playing with the Denver Nuggets.
But Summers says his single mother, Twana, is his "role model," because of "her work ethic." She works for Safeway and has dedicated her life to her children, DaJuan, Malik and 19-year-old Regina Summers, who is a graduate of Walbrook High and currently the No. 2 debater on Georgia State's team.
"My mom has taught me that you have to work hard to succeed and to be well-mannered," DaJuan said.
Most of McDonogh's scoring last season was done on the perimeter by then-seniors Justin Drummond, Corey Davis and Jon Brick and freshman Malcolm Delaney, who transferred to Towson Catholic this year.
This season, McDonogh's go-to guy is Summers, who, like Anthony, has developed an inside and outside game.
"We definitely saw DaJuan as our No. 1 option going into this season, and we had high expectations for him," MacMullan said. "He's more than lived up to those expectations."
Macklin Puts Up Big Numbers
Charlotte Observer
December 31, 2004
MACKLIN PUTS UP BIG NUMBERS
LANGSTON WERTZ JR., STAFF WRITER
I.C. Norcom center Vernon Macklin couldn't sleep Wednesday night. He said he tossed and turned thinking about playing in the Bojangles' Shootout Thursday.
Turns out he's pretty good with no sleep.
Macklin had a variety of quick dunks and twisting layups in Norcom's 48-42 win against Statesville Christian. Macklin, a 6-foot-9 junior, finished with 20 points, 19 rebounds, six blocks, two steals and two assists.
His rebounds total fell one short of tying Raymond Felton's tournament record.
Macklin was on his way toward a big game after grabbing 10 rebounds in the first three minutes, showcasing uncanny speed and quickness for a player his size. But the game slowed to a halt in the second quarter.
Norcom, up seven, held the ball near halfcourt, inviting Statesville Christian to come out of a zone.
Statesville Christian wouldn't, so the Greyhounds (5-2) held the ball. The Greyhounds started with seven minutes, 39 seconds left and no points were scored until Norcom guard Antonio Williams hit a three-pointer with five seconds left.
Things got so slow that at one point, Norcom coach Horace Lambert called Macklin over to talk to him in the backcourt, a weird sort of one-man timeout that lasted about 25 seconds.
"I was happy about the stall," Macklin said. "I was tired of the zone and I wanted them to play man. I felt I played well, though. I was so pumped up and I couldn't sleep (Wednesday) night. I just wanted to play in this tournament so bad."
About the only thing Macklin didn't do well was make free throws. He was 4-for-12.
"I gotta work on those," he said with a smile, "that was kind of pitiful, huh?"
December 31, 2004
MACKLIN PUTS UP BIG NUMBERS
LANGSTON WERTZ JR., STAFF WRITER
I.C. Norcom center Vernon Macklin couldn't sleep Wednesday night. He said he tossed and turned thinking about playing in the Bojangles' Shootout Thursday.
Turns out he's pretty good with no sleep.
Macklin had a variety of quick dunks and twisting layups in Norcom's 48-42 win against Statesville Christian. Macklin, a 6-foot-9 junior, finished with 20 points, 19 rebounds, six blocks, two steals and two assists.
His rebounds total fell one short of tying Raymond Felton's tournament record.
Macklin was on his way toward a big game after grabbing 10 rebounds in the first three minutes, showcasing uncanny speed and quickness for a player his size. But the game slowed to a halt in the second quarter.
Norcom, up seven, held the ball near halfcourt, inviting Statesville Christian to come out of a zone.
Statesville Christian wouldn't, so the Greyhounds (5-2) held the ball. The Greyhounds started with seven minutes, 39 seconds left and no points were scored until Norcom guard Antonio Williams hit a three-pointer with five seconds left.
Things got so slow that at one point, Norcom coach Horace Lambert called Macklin over to talk to him in the backcourt, a weird sort of one-man timeout that lasted about 25 seconds.
"I was happy about the stall," Macklin said. "I was tired of the zone and I wanted them to play man. I felt I played well, though. I was so pumped up and I couldn't sleep (Wednesday) night. I just wanted to play in this tournament so bad."
About the only thing Macklin didn't do well was make free throws. He was 4-for-12.
"I gotta work on those," he said with a smile, "that was kind of pitiful, huh?"
"Big Ticket" Sees Big Future
Charlotte Observer
December 30, 2004
'BIG TICKET' SEES BIG FUTURE
LANGSTON WERTZ JR., STAFF WRITER
Vernon Macklin is considered one of the nation's best high school basketball players.
If he attends college, he says he'll probably choose North Carolina.
"I like the way they play, mainly," said Macklin, 17, a junior who will play in the Bojangle's Shootout this week at Charlotte Latin. "I love the way they run coach (Roy) Williams' offense. They're fun to watch. I figure they'd be fun to play with."
Macklin and his I.C. Norcom (Va.) teammates play today at 2:30 p.m. against Statesville Christian in the tournament formerly known as the Dell Curry Shootout.
At 6-foot-9 and 200 pounds, Macklin averages 29 points, 14 rebounds and five blocked shots. National recruiting analyst Bob Gibbons said he might be the second-best player in his class behind 7-foot center Greg Oden of Indianapolis. Oden is widely expected to be the first player taken in the 2006 NBA draft if he decides to turn pro.
Gibbons believes Macklin is also good enough to be a potential first-round pick - if he chooses to skip school.
"He can shoot 3s, go inside and he's a quick leaper," Gibbons said. "He's definitely top five in the nation. If he chooses to go to college, he won't be in college very long. I hope he goes to college, but the pro scouts are already impressed with his potential."
*
Numbers climb steadily
Macklin has become a national name in recruiting circles. Some observers felt he was the best player in the Hampton Roads, Va., area as an eighth-grader. He was given the nickname "The Big Ticket."
Macklin scored 29 points in his high school debut two years ago and was ranked No. 2 nationally, among freshmen and sophomores, behind Oden by national analyst Brick Oettinger of prepstars.com. Hoop Scoop's Clark Francis compared him to the Hampton Roads area's most well-known players: Alonzo Mourning, Allen Iverson and Ronald Curry.
Macklin averaged 19 points and nine rebounds as a freshman and improved to 21.5 points last season.
Norcom coach Horace Lambert said Macklin impresses scouts with his ability to run the floor swiftly and to dominate a game on offense or defense.
In his team's season opener this year, Macklin had 41 points and 21 rebounds, many of his points coming on crowd-pleasing dunks.
"I love to try to get the crowd hyped up by dunking everything I can get my hands on," he said. "I love to dunk. Sometimes it's an intimidation thing, too, because the next time I go up (the defense) won't jump because they're pretty sure I'm going to dunk it again."
*
NBA lure strong
Macklin said he has plenty to work on. He sees himself as a small forward in college, said he needs to work on man-to-man defensive skills and his outside shot.
"I want to get bigger, and I want to get stronger," he said. "I'm in the gym shooting as much as I can. Wherever I go to the next level, I don't want to have a weakness when I get there."
He said the lure of NBA riches is strong for a young man who comes from a family of eight. Macklin has long lived with his grandparents, Wavely Powell and Dorothy Watkins. Watkins preached to him about keeping his grades up and getting an education.
When there was talk of Macklin possibly transferring to a prep basketball factory, like an Oak Hill Academy (Va.), Watkins made it known she wanted her grandson to graduate from his natural home school.
"There's time for the other stuff," she would say.
Watkins died recently, and Macklin said that was the toughest thing he's ever endured. He said his grandmother wanted to see him attend college, so school weighs heavily on his mind. Asked his favorites, he lists, in order, North Carolina, Wake Forest, Maryland, Georgetown and Georgia Tech.
Told North Carolina's football team is playing in Charlotte today in the Continental Tire Bowl, and bringing thousands of Tar Heels fans, Macklin smiles.
"I hope they come see me," he said. "I'd like that. I want to show them how I can play. I want to show them my whole game."
It might be a look at the future.
*
Langston Wertz Jr: (704) 358-5133; lwertz@charlotteobserver.com.
December 30, 2004
'BIG TICKET' SEES BIG FUTURE
LANGSTON WERTZ JR., STAFF WRITER
Vernon Macklin is considered one of the nation's best high school basketball players.
If he attends college, he says he'll probably choose North Carolina.
"I like the way they play, mainly," said Macklin, 17, a junior who will play in the Bojangle's Shootout this week at Charlotte Latin. "I love the way they run coach (Roy) Williams' offense. They're fun to watch. I figure they'd be fun to play with."
Macklin and his I.C. Norcom (Va.) teammates play today at 2:30 p.m. against Statesville Christian in the tournament formerly known as the Dell Curry Shootout.
At 6-foot-9 and 200 pounds, Macklin averages 29 points, 14 rebounds and five blocked shots. National recruiting analyst Bob Gibbons said he might be the second-best player in his class behind 7-foot center Greg Oden of Indianapolis. Oden is widely expected to be the first player taken in the 2006 NBA draft if he decides to turn pro.
Gibbons believes Macklin is also good enough to be a potential first-round pick - if he chooses to skip school.
"He can shoot 3s, go inside and he's a quick leaper," Gibbons said. "He's definitely top five in the nation. If he chooses to go to college, he won't be in college very long. I hope he goes to college, but the pro scouts are already impressed with his potential."
*
Numbers climb steadily
Macklin has become a national name in recruiting circles. Some observers felt he was the best player in the Hampton Roads, Va., area as an eighth-grader. He was given the nickname "The Big Ticket."
Macklin scored 29 points in his high school debut two years ago and was ranked No. 2 nationally, among freshmen and sophomores, behind Oden by national analyst Brick Oettinger of prepstars.com. Hoop Scoop's Clark Francis compared him to the Hampton Roads area's most well-known players: Alonzo Mourning, Allen Iverson and Ronald Curry.
Macklin averaged 19 points and nine rebounds as a freshman and improved to 21.5 points last season.
Norcom coach Horace Lambert said Macklin impresses scouts with his ability to run the floor swiftly and to dominate a game on offense or defense.
In his team's season opener this year, Macklin had 41 points and 21 rebounds, many of his points coming on crowd-pleasing dunks.
"I love to try to get the crowd hyped up by dunking everything I can get my hands on," he said. "I love to dunk. Sometimes it's an intimidation thing, too, because the next time I go up (the defense) won't jump because they're pretty sure I'm going to dunk it again."
*
NBA lure strong
Macklin said he has plenty to work on. He sees himself as a small forward in college, said he needs to work on man-to-man defensive skills and his outside shot.
"I want to get bigger, and I want to get stronger," he said. "I'm in the gym shooting as much as I can. Wherever I go to the next level, I don't want to have a weakness when I get there."
He said the lure of NBA riches is strong for a young man who comes from a family of eight. Macklin has long lived with his grandparents, Wavely Powell and Dorothy Watkins. Watkins preached to him about keeping his grades up and getting an education.
When there was talk of Macklin possibly transferring to a prep basketball factory, like an Oak Hill Academy (Va.), Watkins made it known she wanted her grandson to graduate from his natural home school.
"There's time for the other stuff," she would say.
Watkins died recently, and Macklin said that was the toughest thing he's ever endured. He said his grandmother wanted to see him attend college, so school weighs heavily on his mind. Asked his favorites, he lists, in order, North Carolina, Wake Forest, Maryland, Georgetown and Georgia Tech.
Told North Carolina's football team is playing in Charlotte today in the Continental Tire Bowl, and bringing thousands of Tar Heels fans, Macklin smiles.
"I hope they come see me," he said. "I'd like that. I want to show them how I can play. I want to show them my whole game."
It might be a look at the future.
*
Langston Wertz Jr: (704) 358-5133; lwertz@charlotteobserver.com.
Shooting Higher (Macklin to Hargrave)
The Virginian-Pilot Edition
June 30, 2005
SHOOTING HIGHER
PAUL WHITE
Boo Williams will lend his expertise all summer.
Michael Jordan will weigh in with some tips in August.
But it is what will happen in the fall that could have the biggest impact on the basketball fortunes of Portsmouth's Vernon Macklin.
South Hampton Roads' most acclaimed basketball recruit in 17 years, Macklin will head from Norcom High to Hargrave Military Academy, intent on maximizing his immense basketball potential.
''It's just something I feel I have to do,'' soon-to-be Cadet Macklin said. ''It's the place I need to be.''
At Hargrave, Macklin will have to adjust to 6 a.m. reveille calls, honor-code requirements and uniform inspections. He also will be joining a postgraduate team that went 28-1 last season against junior college teams, college junior varsity teams and other prep schools.
Perhaps more importantly, Macklin is placing himself in an environment that, if he can make it through, will all but ensure his ability to accept one of the myriad of major college scholarship offers at his disposal.
According to Hargrave coach Kevin Keatts, 12 of the 13 players on the 2004-05 Hargrave team a signed Division I letter-of-intent.
This becomes particularly significant in light of the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement that requires high school players to wait until a year after their class graduates before being eligible for the draft.
Although Macklin has long maintained his desire to attend college -- preferably at an ACC school -- rather than jump straight to the NBA, some analysts have suggested NBA teams might have been intrigued by Macklin's talents were he to make himself available. At least next year, that will not be an option.
Keatts said Macklin's progress at Norcom left him on track to graduate from high school with his class next June. Still, he has yet to take the SAT or the ACT, and with its smaller class sizes and more focused attention, the folks at Hargrave say they specialize in putting the finishing academic touches on most students.
''We have excellent teams, but we're more proud of the fact that all of our kids are prepared academically to go on to college,'' Keatts said. ''And we kind of prove it with how many of our kids go on to the next level.''
Dominance at that next level is something that has been projected for Macklin since his freshman year at Norcom, when some analysts had him rated the second-best player in the country among ninth-graders.
In the two years since, Macklin, now a three-time All-Tidewater performer with 1,480 career points and the 2005 All-Tidewater Player of the Year, has pretty much maintained his lofty standing among the nation's elite. Most recruiting services have him among the nation's 10 best rising seniors. Not since Alonzo Mourning roamed the courts at Indian River in 1988 has a South Hampton Roads player been so highly regarded.
Unlike Mourning, though, much of Macklin's acclaim is based not on what he is but on what he might become.
Beyond the offensive rebound and putback dunk, Macklin's offensive game remains a work in progress despite averaging 22.4 points a game last winter. But he's 6-foot-9, with the wingspan of someone about 7-foot-2. And he's quick enough to defend smaller players on the perimeter, yet effective enough in the post to reign as a devastating shot blocker.
Still, after years of ranking Macklin largely on potential, analysts are targeting this year as the one when he finally needs to put it all together, especially since this is a player who will turn 19 in September.
''It's time to produce,'' said Rob Harrington of prepstars.com, which has Macklin rated No. 10 among rising seniors. ''Or at least show improvement. I mean, if he doesn't, someone will still take a chance on him. But he needs to step it up if he wants to stay among the very top guys.''
This summer will provide Macklin plenty of opportunity to improve his stock. He has already attended a Nike skills development camp in Portland, Ore., featuring 15 of the nation's best recruits. Last week, he was in Richmond for a four-day event hosted by the NBA Players Association.
Next month, he will return to the well-known Nike camp in addition to performing in tournaments with Boo Williams' AAU team. In August, he will be 1 of 5 players in Los Angeles at a program hosted by Michael Jordan.
''It's a big summer for him,'' Williams said.
Then it's on to Hargrave. Macklin originally looked into attending another prestigious boarding school/basketball powerhouse, Oak Hill Academy. But he said he became enamored with Hargrave after visiting the school, which will provide him a full scholarship.
The prospect of playing with good friend Stefan Welsh, formerly of two-time defending state champion Woodside High, also excited him. The two have long talked about playing together in college. Now they will be teammates at Hargrave.
''I'm looking forward to it,'' Macklin said. ''Schoolwork and basketball. That's all I'm going to think about.''
Reach Paul White at 757-446-2630 or paul.white@pilotonline.com
MACKLIN REPORT
During his freshman year at Norcom, some analysts had him rated the second-best player in the country among ninth-graders.
He is a three-time All-Tidewater performer with 1,480 career points and the 2005 All-Tidewater Player of the Year.
He averaged 22.4 points a game last winter.
Most recruiting services have him among the nation's 10 best rising seniors.
June 30, 2005
SHOOTING HIGHER
PAUL WHITE
Boo Williams will lend his expertise all summer.
Michael Jordan will weigh in with some tips in August.
But it is what will happen in the fall that could have the biggest impact on the basketball fortunes of Portsmouth's Vernon Macklin.
South Hampton Roads' most acclaimed basketball recruit in 17 years, Macklin will head from Norcom High to Hargrave Military Academy, intent on maximizing his immense basketball potential.
''It's just something I feel I have to do,'' soon-to-be Cadet Macklin said. ''It's the place I need to be.''
At Hargrave, Macklin will have to adjust to 6 a.m. reveille calls, honor-code requirements and uniform inspections. He also will be joining a postgraduate team that went 28-1 last season against junior college teams, college junior varsity teams and other prep schools.
Perhaps more importantly, Macklin is placing himself in an environment that, if he can make it through, will all but ensure his ability to accept one of the myriad of major college scholarship offers at his disposal.
According to Hargrave coach Kevin Keatts, 12 of the 13 players on the 2004-05 Hargrave team a signed Division I letter-of-intent.
This becomes particularly significant in light of the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement that requires high school players to wait until a year after their class graduates before being eligible for the draft.
Although Macklin has long maintained his desire to attend college -- preferably at an ACC school -- rather than jump straight to the NBA, some analysts have suggested NBA teams might have been intrigued by Macklin's talents were he to make himself available. At least next year, that will not be an option.
Keatts said Macklin's progress at Norcom left him on track to graduate from high school with his class next June. Still, he has yet to take the SAT or the ACT, and with its smaller class sizes and more focused attention, the folks at Hargrave say they specialize in putting the finishing academic touches on most students.
''We have excellent teams, but we're more proud of the fact that all of our kids are prepared academically to go on to college,'' Keatts said. ''And we kind of prove it with how many of our kids go on to the next level.''
Dominance at that next level is something that has been projected for Macklin since his freshman year at Norcom, when some analysts had him rated the second-best player in the country among ninth-graders.
In the two years since, Macklin, now a three-time All-Tidewater performer with 1,480 career points and the 2005 All-Tidewater Player of the Year, has pretty much maintained his lofty standing among the nation's elite. Most recruiting services have him among the nation's 10 best rising seniors. Not since Alonzo Mourning roamed the courts at Indian River in 1988 has a South Hampton Roads player been so highly regarded.
Unlike Mourning, though, much of Macklin's acclaim is based not on what he is but on what he might become.
Beyond the offensive rebound and putback dunk, Macklin's offensive game remains a work in progress despite averaging 22.4 points a game last winter. But he's 6-foot-9, with the wingspan of someone about 7-foot-2. And he's quick enough to defend smaller players on the perimeter, yet effective enough in the post to reign as a devastating shot blocker.
Still, after years of ranking Macklin largely on potential, analysts are targeting this year as the one when he finally needs to put it all together, especially since this is a player who will turn 19 in September.
''It's time to produce,'' said Rob Harrington of prepstars.com, which has Macklin rated No. 10 among rising seniors. ''Or at least show improvement. I mean, if he doesn't, someone will still take a chance on him. But he needs to step it up if he wants to stay among the very top guys.''
This summer will provide Macklin plenty of opportunity to improve his stock. He has already attended a Nike skills development camp in Portland, Ore., featuring 15 of the nation's best recruits. Last week, he was in Richmond for a four-day event hosted by the NBA Players Association.
Next month, he will return to the well-known Nike camp in addition to performing in tournaments with Boo Williams' AAU team. In August, he will be 1 of 5 players in Los Angeles at a program hosted by Michael Jordan.
''It's a big summer for him,'' Williams said.
Then it's on to Hargrave. Macklin originally looked into attending another prestigious boarding school/basketball powerhouse, Oak Hill Academy. But he said he became enamored with Hargrave after visiting the school, which will provide him a full scholarship.
The prospect of playing with good friend Stefan Welsh, formerly of two-time defending state champion Woodside High, also excited him. The two have long talked about playing together in college. Now they will be teammates at Hargrave.
''I'm looking forward to it,'' Macklin said. ''Schoolwork and basketball. That's all I'm going to think about.''
Reach Paul White at 757-446-2630 or paul.white@pilotonline.com
MACKLIN REPORT
During his freshman year at Norcom, some analysts had him rated the second-best player in the country among ninth-graders.
He is a three-time All-Tidewater performer with 1,480 career points and the 2005 All-Tidewater Player of the Year.
He averaged 22.4 points a game last winter.
Most recruiting services have him among the nation's 10 best rising seniors.
Post - Rivers Commits to GU
The Washington Post
May 11, 2005
Rivers's Son Commits to Hoyas
Jeremiah Rivers, the son of Boston Celtics Coach Doc Rivers, made an unofficial commitment to play for the Georgetown men's basketball team in 2006.
The 6-foot-4 guard chose the Hoyas over Notre Dame, Kansas and Georgia Tech.
"He felt he fit in there; he felt comfortable with [Coach John Thompson III] and the players," said Matt Hixenbaugh, Rivers's coach at Winter Park High in Florida.
"He likes the upward momentum around the program and wants to be a part of it."
Rivers, who averaged 15 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds for the 17-11 Wildcats, is considered to be among the top junior point guards in the country. Next month, he is scheduled to participate in USA Basketball's Youth Development Festival as well as the NBA Players' Association Top 100 camp.
At Georgetown, Rivers won't be the only player with a famous father playing for Thompson.
Pat Ewing Jr. reportedly has decided to transfer to Georgetown after playing two seasons at Indiana and will be eligible for the 2006-07 season.
"He's lived his whole life in the spotlight; people always know who he is," Hixenbaugh said of Rivers.
"I think he identified with Coach Thompson a little bit. Everything kind of fit together perfectly."
May 11, 2005
Rivers's Son Commits to Hoyas
Jeremiah Rivers, the son of Boston Celtics Coach Doc Rivers, made an unofficial commitment to play for the Georgetown men's basketball team in 2006.
The 6-foot-4 guard chose the Hoyas over Notre Dame, Kansas and Georgia Tech.
"He felt he fit in there; he felt comfortable with [Coach John Thompson III] and the players," said Matt Hixenbaugh, Rivers's coach at Winter Park High in Florida.
"He likes the upward momentum around the program and wants to be a part of it."
Rivers, who averaged 15 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds for the 17-11 Wildcats, is considered to be among the top junior point guards in the country. Next month, he is scheduled to participate in USA Basketball's Youth Development Festival as well as the NBA Players' Association Top 100 camp.
At Georgetown, Rivers won't be the only player with a famous father playing for Thompson.
Pat Ewing Jr. reportedly has decided to transfer to Georgetown after playing two seasons at Indiana and will be eligible for the 2006-07 season.
"He's lived his whole life in the spotlight; people always know who he is," Hixenbaugh said of Rivers.
"I think he identified with Coach Thompson a little bit. Everything kind of fit together perfectly."
August 25 - WT - Coveted Macklin commits to Hoyas
The Washington Times
Coveted Macklin commits to Hoyas
By Barker Davis
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Published August 25, 2005
Georgetown basketball's striking renaissance under John Thompson III continued yesterday as the coach and his staff received a verbal commitment from blue-chip power forward Vernon Macklin of Hargrave Military Academy (Chatham, Va.), a consensus top 15 prospect among the class of 2006.
"Georgetown obviously has a strong tradition with big men," the 6-foot-9, 221-pound Macklin said yesterday in explaining why he chose the Hoyas over North Carolina and Wake Forest. "It also has an excellent academic reputation, so it's a place where I feel like I can do well on and off the court.
"What maybe got me the most, though, was Coach Thompson. He came to every game I played this summer. He even showed up at some three-on-three games, and that definitely made an impression."
In the 16 months since taking over Georgetown's foundering program from Craig Esherick, Thompson has impressed many of his peers. South Carolina coach Dave Odom called the Hoyas "the best-coached team we've faced all season" after the Gamecocks squeaked past the Hoyas in the NIT quarterfinals to leave Georgetown with a 19-13 record in Thompson's debut season.
And both Odom and Connecticut sideline maestro Jim Calhoun used the word "phenomenal" to describe Georgetown's instant transformation under Thompson.
The program's momentum has carried into the offseason, where Thompson already has secured commitments from three elite rising seniors, completing a gold-standard recruiting class for next season two months before Midnight Madness signals the start of the 2005-06 campaign.
"Georgetown is just about the hottest thing going right now," Hargrave coach Kevin Keatts said. "It's an exciting time up there, if you look at what's going on with that program. They're on the fast track back to glory, and Vernon wanted to be part of that."
Macklin will be joined on the Hilltop by fellow summer commitments Jeremiah Rivers of Winter Park, Fla., and DaJuan Summers of Baltimore. Rivers, the son of NBA player and coach Doc Rivers, is a 6-4 combo guard whose stock fell somewhat after an erratic summer.
But like Macklin, Summers (6-8, 235) has been tagged as a budding superstar, skyrocketing in the recruiting rankings after dominating performances at both the Nike and NBAPA summer camps. Summers was courted at length by Maryland.
According to Rivals.com, Macklin is the No. 12 player in the Class of 2006, while Summers (McDonogh High School) is No. 24 and rising. Georgetown hasn't signed a pair of prospects with such credentials since McDonald's All-Americans Allen Iverson and Jahidi White arrived on the Hilltop in 1994.
Georgetown might have its first top 10 recruiting class in a decade. If the Hoyas don't add another player to the class, and barring transfer or NBA defections, Thompson and Co. are out of scholarships, only Ohio State, North Carolina and Stanford look certain to have stronger groups.
And though Thompson already has secured reinforcements, the near future looks equally bright. In two months, Georgetown will begin the inaugural season of the brutish, new-look Big East armed with an intact starting five that includes leading scorer Brandon Bowman, Big East Rookie of the Year Jeff Green, and 3-point marksman D.J. Owens.
"Coach [Thompson] has got it going again up there," said Macklin, who goes by the nickname "Big Ticket." "He's determined, and he's a very hard worker. I love that, because I'm all business when the ball goes up. I can't wait to get up there, because it's time to go to work. It's time to ball."
http://www.washtimes.com/functions/print.php?StoryID=20050825-120644-8382r
Coveted Macklin commits to Hoyas
By Barker Davis
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Published August 25, 2005
Georgetown basketball's striking renaissance under John Thompson III continued yesterday as the coach and his staff received a verbal commitment from blue-chip power forward Vernon Macklin of Hargrave Military Academy (Chatham, Va.), a consensus top 15 prospect among the class of 2006.
"Georgetown obviously has a strong tradition with big men," the 6-foot-9, 221-pound Macklin said yesterday in explaining why he chose the Hoyas over North Carolina and Wake Forest. "It also has an excellent academic reputation, so it's a place where I feel like I can do well on and off the court.
"What maybe got me the most, though, was Coach Thompson. He came to every game I played this summer. He even showed up at some three-on-three games, and that definitely made an impression."
In the 16 months since taking over Georgetown's foundering program from Craig Esherick, Thompson has impressed many of his peers. South Carolina coach Dave Odom called the Hoyas "the best-coached team we've faced all season" after the Gamecocks squeaked past the Hoyas in the NIT quarterfinals to leave Georgetown with a 19-13 record in Thompson's debut season.
And both Odom and Connecticut sideline maestro Jim Calhoun used the word "phenomenal" to describe Georgetown's instant transformation under Thompson.
The program's momentum has carried into the offseason, where Thompson already has secured commitments from three elite rising seniors, completing a gold-standard recruiting class for next season two months before Midnight Madness signals the start of the 2005-06 campaign.
"Georgetown is just about the hottest thing going right now," Hargrave coach Kevin Keatts said. "It's an exciting time up there, if you look at what's going on with that program. They're on the fast track back to glory, and Vernon wanted to be part of that."
Macklin will be joined on the Hilltop by fellow summer commitments Jeremiah Rivers of Winter Park, Fla., and DaJuan Summers of Baltimore. Rivers, the son of NBA player and coach Doc Rivers, is a 6-4 combo guard whose stock fell somewhat after an erratic summer.
But like Macklin, Summers (6-8, 235) has been tagged as a budding superstar, skyrocketing in the recruiting rankings after dominating performances at both the Nike and NBAPA summer camps. Summers was courted at length by Maryland.
According to Rivals.com, Macklin is the No. 12 player in the Class of 2006, while Summers (McDonogh High School) is No. 24 and rising. Georgetown hasn't signed a pair of prospects with such credentials since McDonald's All-Americans Allen Iverson and Jahidi White arrived on the Hilltop in 1994.
Georgetown might have its first top 10 recruiting class in a decade. If the Hoyas don't add another player to the class, and barring transfer or NBA defections, Thompson and Co. are out of scholarships, only Ohio State, North Carolina and Stanford look certain to have stronger groups.
And though Thompson already has secured reinforcements, the near future looks equally bright. In two months, Georgetown will begin the inaugural season of the brutish, new-look Big East armed with an intact starting five that includes leading scorer Brandon Bowman, Big East Rookie of the Year Jeff Green, and 3-point marksman D.J. Owens.
"Coach [Thompson] has got it going again up there," said Macklin, who goes by the nickname "Big Ticket." "He's determined, and he's a very hard worker. I love that, because I'm all business when the ball goes up. I can't wait to get up there, because it's time to go to work. It's time to ball."
http://www.washtimes.com/functions/print.php?StoryID=20050825-120644-8382r
Thursday, August 25, 2005
"Big Ticket" See Big Future
Charlotte Observer (North Carolina)
December 30, 2004
'BIG TICKET' SEES BIG FUTURE
LANGSTON WERTZ JR., STAFF WRITER
Vernon Macklin is considered one of the nation's best high school basketball players.
If he attends college, he says he'll probably choose North Carolina.
"I like the way they play, mainly," said Macklin, 17, a junior who will play in the Bojangle's Shootout this week at Charlotte Latin. "I love the way they run coach (Roy) Williams' offense. They're fun to watch. I figure they'd be fun to play with."
Macklin and his I.C. Norcom (Va.) teammates play today at 2:30 p.m. against Statesville Christian in the tournament formerly known as the
Dell Curry Shootout.
At 6-foot-9 and 200 pounds, Macklin averages 29 points, 14 rebounds and five blocked shots. National recruiting analyst Bob Gibbons said he might be the second-best player in his class behind 7-foot center Greg Oden of Indianapolis. Oden is widely expected to be the first player taken in the 2006 NBA draft if he decides to turn pro.
Gibbons believes Macklin is also good enough to be a potential first-round pick - if he chooses to skip school.
"He can shoot 3s, go inside and he's a quick leaper," Gibbons said. "He's definitely top five in the nation. If he chooses to go to college, he won't be in college very long. I hope he goes to college, but the pro scouts are already impressed with his potential."
*
Numbers climb steadily
Macklin has become a national name in recruiting circles. Some observers felt he was the best player in the Hampton Roads, Va., area as an eighth-grader. He was given the nickname "The Big Ticket."
Macklin scored 29 points in his high school debut two years ago and was ranked No. 2 nationally, among freshmen and sophomores, behind Oden by national analyst Brick Oettinger of prepstars.com. Hoop Scoop's Clark Francis compared him to the Hampton Roads area's most well-known players: Alonzo Mourning, Allen Iverson and Ronald Curry.
Macklin averaged 19 points and nine rebounds as a freshman and improved to 21.5 points last season.
Norcom coach Horace Lambert said Macklin impresses scouts with his ability to run the floor swiftly and to dominate a game on offense or defense.
In his team's season opener this year, Macklin had 41 points and 21 rebounds, many of his points coming on crowd-pleasing dunks.
"I love to try to get the crowd hyped up by dunking everything I can get my hands on," he said. "I love to dunk. Sometimes it's an intimidation thing, too, because the next time I go up (the defense) won't jump because they're pretty sure I'm going to dunk it again."
*
NBA lure strong
Macklin said he has plenty to work on. He sees himself as a small forward in college, said he needs to work on man-to-man defensive skills and his outside shot.
"I want to get bigger, and I want to get stronger," he said. "I'm in the gym shooting as much as I can. Wherever I go to the next level, I don't want to have a weakness when I get there."
He said the lure of NBA riches is strong for a young man who comes from a family of eight. Macklin has long lived with his grandparents, Wavely Powell and Dorothy Watkins. Watkins preached to him about keeping his grades up and getting an education.
When there was talk of Macklin possibly transferring to a prep basketball factory, like an Oak Hill Academy (Va.), Watkins made it known she wanted her grandson to graduate from his natural home school.
"There's time for the other stuff," she would say.
Watkins died recently, and Macklin said that was the toughest thing he's ever endured. He said his grandmother wanted to see him attend college, so school weighs heavily on his mind. Asked his favorites, he lists, in order, North Carolina, Wake Forest, Maryland, Georgetown and Georgia Tech.
Told North Carolina's football team is playing in Charlotte today in the Continental Tire Bowl, and bringing thousands of Tar Heels fans, Macklin smiles.
"I hope they come see me," he said. "I'd like that. I want to show them how I can play. I want to show them my whole game."
It might be a look at the future.
*
Langston Wertz Jr: (704) 358-5133; lwertz@charlotteobserver.com.
December 30, 2004
'BIG TICKET' SEES BIG FUTURE
LANGSTON WERTZ JR., STAFF WRITER
Vernon Macklin is considered one of the nation's best high school basketball players.
If he attends college, he says he'll probably choose North Carolina.
"I like the way they play, mainly," said Macklin, 17, a junior who will play in the Bojangle's Shootout this week at Charlotte Latin. "I love the way they run coach (Roy) Williams' offense. They're fun to watch. I figure they'd be fun to play with."
Macklin and his I.C. Norcom (Va.) teammates play today at 2:30 p.m. against Statesville Christian in the tournament formerly known as the
Dell Curry Shootout.
At 6-foot-9 and 200 pounds, Macklin averages 29 points, 14 rebounds and five blocked shots. National recruiting analyst Bob Gibbons said he might be the second-best player in his class behind 7-foot center Greg Oden of Indianapolis. Oden is widely expected to be the first player taken in the 2006 NBA draft if he decides to turn pro.
Gibbons believes Macklin is also good enough to be a potential first-round pick - if he chooses to skip school.
"He can shoot 3s, go inside and he's a quick leaper," Gibbons said. "He's definitely top five in the nation. If he chooses to go to college, he won't be in college very long. I hope he goes to college, but the pro scouts are already impressed with his potential."
*
Numbers climb steadily
Macklin has become a national name in recruiting circles. Some observers felt he was the best player in the Hampton Roads, Va., area as an eighth-grader. He was given the nickname "The Big Ticket."
Macklin scored 29 points in his high school debut two years ago and was ranked No. 2 nationally, among freshmen and sophomores, behind Oden by national analyst Brick Oettinger of prepstars.com. Hoop Scoop's Clark Francis compared him to the Hampton Roads area's most well-known players: Alonzo Mourning, Allen Iverson and Ronald Curry.
Macklin averaged 19 points and nine rebounds as a freshman and improved to 21.5 points last season.
Norcom coach Horace Lambert said Macklin impresses scouts with his ability to run the floor swiftly and to dominate a game on offense or defense.
In his team's season opener this year, Macklin had 41 points and 21 rebounds, many of his points coming on crowd-pleasing dunks.
"I love to try to get the crowd hyped up by dunking everything I can get my hands on," he said. "I love to dunk. Sometimes it's an intimidation thing, too, because the next time I go up (the defense) won't jump because they're pretty sure I'm going to dunk it again."
*
NBA lure strong
Macklin said he has plenty to work on. He sees himself as a small forward in college, said he needs to work on man-to-man defensive skills and his outside shot.
"I want to get bigger, and I want to get stronger," he said. "I'm in the gym shooting as much as I can. Wherever I go to the next level, I don't want to have a weakness when I get there."
He said the lure of NBA riches is strong for a young man who comes from a family of eight. Macklin has long lived with his grandparents, Wavely Powell and Dorothy Watkins. Watkins preached to him about keeping his grades up and getting an education.
When there was talk of Macklin possibly transferring to a prep basketball factory, like an Oak Hill Academy (Va.), Watkins made it known she wanted her grandson to graduate from his natural home school.
"There's time for the other stuff," she would say.
Watkins died recently, and Macklin said that was the toughest thing he's ever endured. He said his grandmother wanted to see him attend college, so school weighs heavily on his mind. Asked his favorites, he lists, in order, North Carolina, Wake Forest, Maryland, Georgetown and Georgia Tech.
Told North Carolina's football team is playing in Charlotte today in the Continental Tire Bowl, and bringing thousands of Tar Heels fans, Macklin smiles.
"I hope they come see me," he said. "I'd like that. I want to show them how I can play. I want to show them my whole game."
It might be a look at the future.
*
Langston Wertz Jr: (704) 358-5133; lwertz@charlotteobserver.com.
Monday, August 22, 2005
Giubunda transferes to AU
American University Men's Basketball Announces Addition of Georgetown Transfer Cornelio Guibunda
Sophomore forward will sit out one season
Aug. 22, 2005
WASHINGTON - American University head men's basketball coach Jeff Jones on Monday announced former Georgetown University forward Cornelio Guibunda will transfer to AU and begin classes this fall.
Guibunda, a 6-9, 227-pound forward, played in four games for the Hoyas last season. At King & Low-Heywood Thomas School, Guibunda averaged 21 points, 15 rebounds and nine blocks per game in his senior season. He was ranked 16th among high school centers by College Basketball magazine.
"We're really excited to have Cornelio join our program," Jones said. "This year will be a valuable one for him to work on his overall game and help better our team in practice."
Per NCAA transfer rules, Guibunda will be required to sit out the 2005-06 season. He will retain sophomore eligibility when he returns to the court in the 2006-07 season.
http://aueagles.collegesports.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/082205aab.html
Sophomore forward will sit out one season
Aug. 22, 2005
WASHINGTON - American University head men's basketball coach Jeff Jones on Monday announced former Georgetown University forward Cornelio Guibunda will transfer to AU and begin classes this fall.
Guibunda, a 6-9, 227-pound forward, played in four games for the Hoyas last season. At King & Low-Heywood Thomas School, Guibunda averaged 21 points, 15 rebounds and nine blocks per game in his senior season. He was ranked 16th among high school centers by College Basketball magazine.
"We're really excited to have Cornelio join our program," Jones said. "This year will be a valuable one for him to work on his overall game and help better our team in practice."
Per NCAA transfer rules, Guibunda will be required to sit out the 2005-06 season. He will retain sophomore eligibility when he returns to the court in the 2006-07 season.
http://aueagles.collegesports.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/082205aab.html
