What’s the quickest route to the Majors?

What’s the quickest route to the Majors?

If you’re Dana Cavalea, it’s through hard work and performance training.

Cavalea, the Director of Strength and Conditioning for the New York Yankees, has always been a baseball guy. He played the game in high school as well as at the University of South Florida, where he also studied the body, and more specifically, how to make athletes stronger and how to prevent injuries. Cavalea, now 25, made the decision to focus on his studies instead of concentrating on baseball, and ironically, he was in the major leagues in three short years, working first for the Toronto Blue Jays and the Pittsburgh Pirates before coming to the Yankees, the team he rooted for as a kid growing up on Long Island. He is also the founder of Major League Strength, where he spreads the gospel of performance training to athletes young and old.

We sat down with Dana so we could find out a little bit about what it likes to work with Major League athletes everyday, and also to get his expertise on what many young baseball and softball players need to be aware of when they are in the weight room.

TAKKLE: We’ll start with pitching. What kind of advice would you give to a young pitcher who is trying to increase their effectiveness?

DANA: I always tell pitcher that from a performance side of things, you can throw 100 miles per hour, but if you’re hurt or if you are feeling any discomfort in your arm, you are basically useless to your team. When you’re doing strengthening exercises as a pitcher, you are basically working on one of three things. You are either strengthening your rotator cuff, increasing the agility around the shoulder joint, or strengthening your scapula, or the muscles around the shoulder blades. And the thing people has to realize is that it takes time for your muscles to develop and get stronger. There is a reason why there is a four-year gap between Olympic Games. People need time to recover and strengthen themselves. These things take time. It’s not about rapid results.

TAKKLE: Say you are a 15-16 year-old baseball player who is just now trying to get into strength training. What is the biggest mistake most kids make when just starting out?

DANA: The biggest mistake they make by far is basically just jumping right in uneducated. You can really get hurt. You can’t accelerate your body’s rate of development. I see a lot of young kids who can’t do push ups or don’t know how to use their body strength, and the first thing they wanna do is just jump right under the bench press. I wanna really stress that kids find a coach or a certified professional that has their best interest at heart and someone that you feel comfortable with that can guide you along the way and really help out not only with the physical side of being an athlete, but also the mental side. Just learn the ropers before you jump in.

TAKKLE: So you are saying, that as far as strength training goes, especially for pitchers, that it is more of a marathon, and not a sprint?

DANA: Exactly. When I talk to lot of kids, the first thing I ask them is how long do you wanna play this game. And they say to me, “at least another 10 years or so.” And I always reply back, so why are you trying to do everything at once? Just take your time.

TAKKLE: What’s it like working with Major League, All-Star athletes every day?

- To be continued. Check back tomorrow for the rest of the our interview with Dana!

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The Nate Miles saga

The Nate Miles saga may be coming to a conclusion.

The well-traveled swingman graduated from North Carolina’s Patterson School last January with intent of attending UConn. But due to a convoluted transcript – Miles has attended five high schools and missed time to deal with his sister’s cancer – the NCAA has yet to grant him eligibility due to a dispute as to whether he has completed enough core classes.

But Miles, who is originally from Toledo, was back on campus in Storrs this past week for an official visit. His hope, according to published reports, is to be granted eligibility in time to enroll for the second summer session at UConn, which starts June 23.

"The visit went well," Sean Patterson, Miles’ legal guardian, told the Hartford Courant this week. “He met with all the people he needed to, all the people that are going to be part of his future, I think, mostly, it was good for UConn. They got a chance to see what kind of kid he is and they like him. It was important for him to get in front of them and show them what kind of person he is."

UConn officials seem to be confident that he will receive the okay from the clearinghouse and will be a member of the Huskies this winter.

• Johnny Coy, a Class of 2008 small forward who signed with Arizona State, now has a decision to make. Coy, who is a third baseman for Benton High School in St. Joseph’s, Mo., was drafted in the 7th round of last week’s Major League Baseball draft by the Philadelphia Phillies. Seems like everybody in St. Joseph’s wants to know what Coy is going to do, and so to probably does Sun Devils coach Herb Sendek.

"Everywhere I go, people ask me what I'm going to do,” Coy told the St. Joseph’s News Press. “Everybody throws out their opinion about what they would do if they were me."

The Sun Devils recently sweetened the pot. Arizona State baseball coach Pat Murphy and Sendek contacted the Coy family this week by phone to inform Coy he could play baseball for the Sun Devils, if he honors his basketball scholarship and spurns the Phillies. Arizona State is one of the most storied programs in college baseball. Although Coy has until the middle of August to sign a Major League contract, he said he will make his decision known by July, when he is scheduled to report to ASU.

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Brennan is the latest in a long line Garden City All- Americas

The Garden City (N.Y.) High girls' lacrosse program -- which has produced 14 All-Americas and won 11 Long Island titles in the last 14 years -- is the Goliath of an area where lacrosse is king.

But even by those lofty standards, Trojans senior Erin Brennan is special. The University of Pennsylvania-bound attacker is putting the finishing touches on an already stellar career with a senior campaign for the ages. Through 14 games, Brennan has led the two-time defending state champion Trojans to a 13-1 record. With 82 points she is on pace to break Garden City's record for points in a season set by former Virginia star Amy Appelt. As this season winds down Brennan already is beginning to feel a bit nostalgic.

"This season has been a little bittersweet," Brennan said. "I've been playing with these girls for so long and we've had so much success that it's going to be hard to see it end. But we still have a lot to play for this year."

What separates Brennan, who is the top-rated attacker in the Sports Illustrated/TAKKLE Girls' Lacrosse player rankings, from the other talented players across the country is her unselfishness. Of her 82 points through the first 14 games, 37 have come off assists. In a recent game against Long Island power Shoreham-Wading River, Brennan had assists on all three goals the Trojan scored in overtime in a tight 18-15 victory.

"She really understands the team game and has made herself into a terrific player," Garden City coach Diane Chapman says.

Other top attacks

Shannon Smith, West Babylon (N.Y.) High

Smith is a goal scorer in the purest sense of the word. A member of the U.S. U-19 squad last summer who already with 70 goals this season, the Northwester-bound Smith is a one-woman offensive show. She will be a force at the next level.

Chelsea Robinson, Lakeland High (Putnam Valley, N.Y.)

The Virginia signee is only 5-4, but don't let her size fool you. She is a tenacious attacker whose quickness creates scoring opportunities for herself and teammates. She may have the best first step of any attacker in the country.

Casey Ancarrow, John Carroll School (Bel Air, Md).

Teammate Alyson Carey, the top-ranked overall player in the SI/TAKKLE top 100, may get all the headlines, but Ancarrow -- who will play at James Madison -- is be the backbone of the team. A rare two-way star who was as valuable on the defensive end as she was while attacking, Ancarrow helped lead John Carroll to its second straight Interscholastic Athletic Association championship -- a league many consider the toughest in the country.

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Why is Tyler Fiorito #1 in the SI/Takkle Boys Lacrosse Top 100?

In a recent game against highly-touted St. Paul's of Baltimore, McDonough School (Owing Mills, Md.) goalie Tyler Fiorito showed why he is considered the best high school lacrosse player in the country.

With his team clinging to a one-goal lead in the third quarter, a St. Paul's attacker broke free in front of the crease and wound up for what looked like a certain game-tying goal. But Fiorito -- who his coach Scott Corrigan calls "the best goalie he has ever seen at this level" -- raised his stick and his team with an amazing save, preserving the lead for the Tigers, and shifting the momentum. The Eagles went on to win 9-6.

"It's a scary thought to think of where'd we be right now without him," Corrigan said. "There's just no way to measure how much he means to this program."
But Fiorito, a Princeton commit who is the nation's top lacrosse player in the Sports Illustrated/Takkle Top 100 rankings, shies away from individual accolades. Corrigan, who coached current University of Virginia goalie Bud Petit when he was in high school, calls Fiorito's instincts "unmatched," but what has really impressed him is the way he has become a vocal leader for the defense.

"It's to the point where I don't even have to worry about the defense that much anymore because I know Tyler's got it," Corrigan said.
Blue Chip Lacrosse head scout Jake Reed says that Fiorito guided a team that had at best average talent last year through the toughest lacrosse league in the country -- the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference -- and into the playoffs. With last week's win against St. Paul's, the Eagles appear to be on the verge of making the playoffs again.
"Last year, we had a lot of young guys on the team, especially on defense, that really lacked experience, but I think they've improved greatly this season," Fiorito said. "I think that I am as proud of their development as I am of anything I've done this year."
Princeton is next for Fiorito, and Corrigan knows that he is going to leave a void -- and not only on the field.

"I'm definitely going to miss him when he's gone," Corrigan said. "I trust and respect him, so much so that I let him babysit my kids."

Other Top Goalies

Steve Rastivo,Ward Melville (East Setauket, N.Y.) High
The Penn State signee is widely considered to be the second-best goalie in the country. A bit flashier in the cage, Rastivo is quick and constantly in motion. An excellent vocal leader as well, Rastivo has made Ward Melville into a power in New York's Suffolk County's Division I.

A.J. Fiore, Ithaca (N.Y.) High
Fiore, a Cornell commit, seems a little awkward in goal at times, but he is effective. He is not nearly as athletic as Fiorito or Rastivo, but he is fearless and makes all the saves that he should make.

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Ebanks Headed to West Virginia

Devin Ebanks, the highly-rated St. Thomas More Prep guard, ended his recruitment drama this weekend by announcing that he would become a Mountaineer.

According to a report on SI.com, during halftime of his game at the IS8 tournament in Queens, the former Bishop Loughlin star stepped out of the lay-up line, took the microphone and simple said “West Virginia” before stepping back into line to complete the drill.

Ebanks had originally signed with Indiana last year before the Kelvin Sampson phone call scandal broke. Once Sampson was forced out, Ebanks asked out of his letter of intent, and reopened his recruitment. Memphis was also thought to be in the hunt, but in the end, it was the thought of playing for West Virginia coach Bob Huggins that brought Ebanks into the fold.

"Coach just said he likes tough kids who have that New York pedigree," Ebanks said.

Ebanks will join fellow New York products Darryl “Truck” Bryant of St. Raymond’s and Kevin Jones of Mount Vernon in Morgantown next year. Jones was in attendance at the IS8 tournament.

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The J’Mison Morgan era at LSU was short but sweet

The J’Mison Morgan era at LSU was indeed a very short one.

The 6-11 center out of Dallas was granted a release from his national letter of intent on Monday and is now expected to sign on with UCLA. The opportunity for more playing time at UCLA with the departure of Kevin Love seemed to play a heavy role in Morgan’s decision.

Morgan’s mother, BianCa Morgan, told the Los Angeles Times that UCLA "now feels right."

Indeed, ever since the Tigers hired former Stanford coach Trent Johnson, the Bruins have had their eye on Morgan. UCLA was originally one of four finalists for Morgan, who chose LSU over the Bruins, Alabama and Kansas last November. According to the Riverside Press Enterprise, UCLA assistant coach Donny Daniels left a message for Morgan hours after longtime LSU coach John Brady was fired in early February, and members of the UCLA staff continue to pursue Morgan throughout the Tigers search for a replacement.


Johnson told the Monroe, La., News Star that he had no idea if J’Mison had made a decision as to where to go next, saying it was not yet a done deal that he would be suiting up in Westwood next year.

"I don't know if he's going to UCLA, per se," Johnson said. "He's just been released. It's a difficult time for kids to make decisions."

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A look at the top prep prospects for this summer's amateur MLB draft

The Major League Baseball amateur draft is still five weeks away, but many of the best high school seniors in the country are putting the finishing touches on their already impressive resumes.

Here's a rundown of the nation's top high school prospects and where they could land in the draft.

Tim Beckham, SS, Griffin High (Kennesaw, Ga.)

Considered by many to be the top high school player in the country, Beckham is a smooth athlete who has all the tools to be a big-time player at shortstop. He runs well, hits with some power, is already a top-notch fielder and has a smooth stroke that could turn him into a tremendous offensive player. His speed, his defense, and the position he plays has many Major League scouts salivating. Beckham has signed with Southern California, but don't expect him to make it to become a Trojan. He's a little raw, but he's too good to pass up.

Prediction: Top 5 pick

Eric Hosmer, 1B, American Heritage School (Cooper City, Fla.)

Hosmer is the best high school power hitter in the country. At 6-foot-4, the left-handed Hosmer has the potential to become a home run hitter at the next level. Although a little suspect with the glove, his potential for power is great enough to get him into the Top 10. However, he is represented by Scott Boras, who's clients tend to fall in the draft out of fear of rough negotiations.

Prediction: Top 10 pick

Gerritt Cole, RHP, Orange Lutheran High (Santa Ana, Calif.)

Cole has the best pure stuff of any high school pitcher. He can throw 95 mph, has a biting breaking ball that comes in the low 80s and is developing a change-up. He throws a heavy sinking fastball that will break a lot of bats at the next level. Cole's control is sometimes scattershot, but that should improve as his mechanics get better. An aggressive competitor with a three-quarters delivery, there is some question as to whether Cole's future lies as a front of the rotation starter or a back of the bullpen closer.

Prediction: Top 10 pick

Tim Melville, RHP, Holt High (Wentzville, Mo.)

Melville, who has signed with North Carolina, would also be a corner-infield prospect if he didn't throw a 95-mph fastball and a fantastic curve. A prototype starting pitcher with great size (6-5, 205 pounds), a big arm and a low-effort delivery, he pitches more than he throws. Although his stuff is a little weaker than Cole's, the smoothness of his delivery and his front-of-the-rotation potential may make him a safer pick.

Prediction: Top 10 pick

Kyle Skipworth, C, Patriot High (Riverside, Calif.)

Skipworth is a left-handed hitting catcher who is a better hitter than a catcher at this point. Most catchers at this stage of their development are good receivers who have to learn how to be good hitters. His defense is improving, but make no mistake, it is his smooth left-handed power swing that will keep Skipworth in the top half of the first round.

Prediction: Top 15 pick

Kyle Lobstein, LHP, Coconino High (Flagstaff, Ariz.)

Outside of the University of San Diego's Brian Matusz, Lobstein is the best left-handed pitching prospect in the 2008 draft. He has a low-90s fastball, with a solid change and good breaking ball, all of which he can throw consistently for strikes. At 6-3, 180, he already has a major league body. Although his ceiling may not be as high as Cole or Melville's, he is the most complete high school pitcher in the draft.

Prediction: Top 10 pick

Casey Kelly, SS, Sarasota (Fla.) High

Kelly's a quality pitcher, but his future at the next level probably lies in the infield, just like his father, Pat, who played eight years in the majors. Casey has a smooth swing and could develop into a top-notch power hitter. Some scouts say he will eventually shifted from shortstop to third base. Kelly also signed with the University of Tennessee as a quarterback. The lure of SEC football makes him the player most likely on this list to actually attend college and could lead to him falling on some draft boards.

Prediction: Top 20 pick

Anthony Gose, LHP, Bellflower High (Bellflower, Calif.)

With a good fastball and breaking ball, Gose also has potential as an outfielder, but he's extremely raw and could use a little more seasoning. Most likely a bullpen guy at the next level. He has signed with Arizona.

Prediction: Late first round pick

Aaron Hicks, OF, RHP, Wilson High (Long Beach, Calif.)

One of the more intriguing prospects in the draft, Hicks has good speed and above-average power potential, but he also has a 94 mph fastball and a good curveball. He lacks control and his offensive skills are extremely raw. He might end up at USC.

This article can also be found on Sports Illustrated.

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Tyshawn Taylor Headed to Kansas

St. Anthony’s (Jersey City) guard Tyshawn Taylor has switched paths and has now committed to Kansas, according to report in the Lawrence Journal-World. Taylor had originally signed with Marquette, but had asked to be let out of his commitment when Coach Tom Crean bolted for Indiana. Taylor, who had been an integral part of St. Anthony’s undefeated squad this past season that won high school basketball’s mythical national championship, will join a Kansas squad fresh off winning college basketball’s title but in need of serious retooling after several defections to the NBA.

"I just felt like Kansas was the right place for me,” Taylor told the Journal-World. “Coach (Bill) Self and all the coaches and the players made me feel comfortable. People there are still celebrating the championship. It's something that I want to be part of."

- In other news, North Carolina prospect Miles Plumlee has asked out of his commitment to Stanford after former Cardinal Coach Trent Johnson left to become the head man at LSU. Plumlee’s brother, Mason, has orally committed to Duke, and some have speculated that Miles may end up there as well as the Blue Devils now have a scholarship open after the transfer of Taylor King to Villanova. New Stanford Coach Johnnie Dawkins seems to think that Plumlee will never make it to Palo Alto.

“You always want kids that want to be in your program,” Dawkins told the San Jose Mercury-News. “So if the young man is not sure of his decision or does not feel it's the right fit for him, I'm a believer that the kid should go where he's more comfortable."

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McDonald's All-American Team is Named: Mike Rosario is a surprise pick

The McDonald’s All-American teams were announced this week, and there were a few surprises.

As expected, American Christian guard Tyreke Evans and St. Benedict’s forward Samardo Samuels will headline the East team in Milwaukee. But the biggest surprise on the team had to be St. Anthony’s guard Mike Rosario. This is a major coup for Rutgers, who signed the 6-0 guard, as Fred Hill, who was hired to replace the departed Gary Watters based on his skill as a recruiter, can now say that he has brought a McDonald’s All-American to Piscataway. But Rosario’s inclusion, despite the fact that he has played extraordinarily well this season, is somewhat odd being that he isn’t even the best player on his team. That distinction belongs to junior forward Dominic Cheek, who will be a prime candidate for next year’s squad. St. Anthony’s will take on Evans and American Christian tonight at St. Peter’s College in Jersey City.

- As for the West squad, it looks like Brandon Jennings and Willie Warren will finally get a chance to team up in the backcourt. Warren, of North Crowley High in Fort Worth, was supposed to be Jennings’ backcourt mate at Oak Hill Academy this year. But Warren, an Oklahoma signee transferred back to North Crowley this fall, where he has led the Panthers to a 31-1 mark. Jennings exploded for 63 points last week in a win over Bonner. What a duo they would have made.

- In a blockbuster playoff match-up in Florida, sophomore wunderkind Brandon Knight led Pine Crest to a 90-76 win over Kenny Boynton and American Heritage in the state regional semifinals. “Knight is a special player,” American Heritage coach Danny Herz said. “We haven’t had a player like that around these parts for quite some time."

- American Christian junior guard Lamont Jones, who was included on TAKKLE’s first-team All-PrimeTime Shootout squad after his blistering performances against Rancocas Valley and South Kent, told the New York Daily News that he is decomitting from Louisville and that his recruitment is once again open. Jones, who transferred to ACS from Rice High in Manhattan, should be a hot commodity on the summer circuit.

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Tyreke Evans to visit Memphis - Ohio State Bound B.J. Mullens dominates

Top-ranked basketball player Tyreke Evans of American Christian School told the Philadelphia Daily News this weekend that he will take his final recruiting visit this weekend to Memphis. Evans says there is no clear-cut favorite, but Villanova, Louisville, Connecticut and Texas seem to be in the running.

- B.J. Mullens of Canal Winchester H.S. in Ohio, the number 11 player in the country according to TAKKLE.com/ SI player rankings, scored 48 points last weekend against Centennial High. Mullens, a 7-foot senior, has signed with Ohio State.

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Terrelle Pryor - no closer to a decision; gaining some unwanted attention

First this: Terrelle Pryor is not any closer to making a decision about where he will play his college ball. The cast of contenders – Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, and Oregon – is still the same.

But his celebrity is bringing a lot of unwanted attention from opposing crowds on the basketball court, and this weekend, some emotions bubbled over. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, in a quarterfinal playoff game against South Fayette High, Pryor was taunted and heckled by the opposing student section for most of the game. Two South Fayette students had to be escorted from the gym by police officers and after the game, in which Pryor scored 24 points and notched 21 rebounds in leading his Jayhawks to a 64-54 overtime victory, Pryor jawed with the South Fayette student section, eventually having to be restrained by his teammates.

This is only going to become more of the norm as the rest of this season plays out. Let’s be clear: I was not there and I have no idea what was said, but most likely, the kids at South Fayette crossed the line. They were wrong. But so was Pryor. He’s 18 and he’s only human, but responding to a hostile crowd often creates more problems than it solves. He’ll learn from this experience.

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Primetime Shootout All-Tournament team:

First Team:

Lamont Jones, American Christian, Aston Pa.: Jones had perhaps the best quarter of the tournament. The junior Louisville signee hit six 3-pointers in the third quarter against Rancocas Valley en route to a 25 point day. Jones went for 24 on Sunday against South Kent.

Mike Rosario, St. Anthony’s, Jersey City, N.J.: Playing on the first day of the weekend in Piscataway, the senior Rutgers signee shined in his first game at the RAC, scoring 32 points against John Carroll.

Greg Monroe, Helen Cox, Greta, La.: In one of the better games on the tournament, Monroe scored 24 points and 9 rebounds in leading the Cougars past Whitney Young of Chicago.

Lance Stephenson, Lincoln, Brooklyn: No player made as definitive a statement as the junior forward Stephenson. His 35-point, 16-rebound performance was the highlight of the tournament. Born Ready was ready for his close-up.

Doron Lamb, Bishop Loughlin, Brooklyn: This spot was supposed to go to Kevin Jones of Mount Vernon, but Lamb’s 28 point performance against Trenton Catholic was the highlight of a lackluster final day of the tournament. This sophomore is going to be something special.

Honorable mention: Isaiah Thomas, South Kent; Samardo Samuels, St. Benedict’s; Brandon Jennings, Oak Hill Academy; Kevin Jones; Mount Vernon; A.J. Rompza, Whitney Young; and Dexter Strickland, St. Patrick’s.

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PrimeTime Shootout: Lamont Jones, Tyreke Evans and Greg Monroe

American Christian School proved once again that they are more than just a one-man team today at the PrimeTime Shootout.

Eagles junior guard Lamont Jones stole the spotlight from Tyreke Evans this afternoon in American Christian’s 73-48 win over Rancocas Valley of New Jersey. The Red Devils had been able to keep the game surprising close until Jones, a transfer from Manhattan’s Rice High and Louisville commit, took over. Jones hit six 3-pointers in the third quarter, highlighting a 25 point performance that earned him game MVP honors. Evans, the top-rated player in the TAKKLE.com Top-25 rankings, finished with only five points, but he was hardly missed. He’ll get a chance to redeem himself on Sunday when ACS takes on South Kent School of Connecticut.

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St. Benedict’s, the number three team in the country according to SI.com, played a surprising close game against Our Savior New American of Long Island Saturday afternoon. The Gray Bees dynamic duo of junior guard Tamir Jackson and senior forward Samardo Samuels combined to score 51 of the St. Benedict’s 77 points in a 77-63 win. Jackson, who currently list UAB and North Carolina State as two of his top choices, had 26 points, earning him MVP honors. Playing with Samuels has garnered Jackson a great deal of attention, and bigger schools may be getting in contact with him soon.

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Helen Cox High forward Greg Monroe is considered to be a perfect fit for John Thompson III’s Georgetown program, and he showed why today. The Louisiana big man 28 points and notched nine boards in the Cougars’ 62-58 win over Whitney Young of Chicago. He also displayed a deft passing touch for a big man, and was remarkably comfortable at the top of the key. He was able to pass well out of the high post to fellow big man Trevon Flowers down low, and those skills will be of great use in JTIII’s Princeton offense.

Video Posted from Greg's Gallery on Takkle.com

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Lance Stephenson - Mr. Prime Time at the Shootout

Lance Stephenson was ready for his national coming-out party. Playing in front of a nationally televised audience, the Coney Island Lincoln junior wing had 15 points in the first quarter en route a monster 35 point, 16 rebound performance in tonight’s feature game against Rice High of Manhattan. Stephenson made several tough shots in the fourth quarter to lead the Railsplitters to a hard-fought 75-68 victory.

It was another tough luck loss for Rice, whose three losses this season have come against national powers St. Benedict’s of Newark (N.J.), Christ the King of Middle Village, N.Y. and now Lincoln. Rice guard and UConn commit Kemba Walker finished the night with 23 points.

Video Posted from Lance's Gallery on Takkle.com

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More from the PrimeTime Shootout: Brandon Jennings and Willie Warren

Oak Hill Academy ran Piscataway High out of the building in the second game as Brandon Jennings has 32 points in an 81-39 blowout. But Piscataway played the Warriors tough in the first quarter, as Oak Hill once again showed that it sometimes plays down to the level of its competition and also seems allergic to playing defense at times. Jennings got a lot of his points in the first half by gambling near the half court, and then leaking out and hoping for a turnover or a missed shot. Although Jennings at times looks like the second coming of Allen Iverson, the talent around him is not nearly at the level of Oak Hill teams of the past. The Warriors seem to really miss the presence of Willie Warren, the Oklahoma signee that was supposed to give Oak Hill the best backcourt in the nation. Warren got homesick and transferred back to his home in Fort Worth in the fall.

Oak Hill will do battle tonight in Trenton’s main event against St. Patrick’s of Elizabeth, who lost an emotionally draining game against St. Benedict’s of Newark in Friday night’s final game. The Gray Bees won 68-62 behind 30 points from Louisville-bound forward Samardo Samuels. Not to be outdone, St. Patrick’s junior guard Dexter Strickland, who last month committed to Roy Williams and North Carolina, scored 29 points in the loss. The Jennings v. Strickland match-up should be a fun one this evening. St. Benedict’s will try to run its record to 21-1 this afternoon against Our Savior New American.

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Impressions from the PrimeTime Shootout: Isaiah Philmore and Mike Rosario

The difference between good and great was on display in the first game Friday night at the Rutgers Athletic Center in Piscataway, N.J.

The John Carroll School of Bel Air, Md., has three seniors that have signed on to play low-major Division I basketball next year, and a junior in 6-7 swingman Isaiah Philmore that has received looks from the likes of Virginia Tech and Kansas State. The Patriots came into last night’s contest with a very respectable 18-8 record overall and may very well make a little noise when Maryland’s state playoffs begin.

But Friday night’s opponent was St. Anthony’s of Jersey City, the consensus Number 1 team in the country, with six seniors who will be playing at major Division I schools, and that’s not counting junior Dominic Cheek, the Friars best player who was unavailable last night due to illness. The Friars scored the game’s first 19 points, led 50-16 at the half en route to blowing out John Carroll 71-33.

St. Anthony’s senior guard Mike Rosario, who next year will be playing his home games at the RAC as a Scarlet Knights, went 5 for 7 from 3-point range, and finished with 32 points.

“We're still pushing ourselves to be the best team we can possibly be,” Rosario told the Star-Ledger. “We're just improving every day and making sure everyone learns something every day.”

St. Anthony’s next real test should be February 21 against Tyreke Evans and American Christian.

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Signing Day has come and gone: Biggest Surprise has to be Darrell Scott

National Signing Day has come and gone, and although there weren’t that many surprises, the biggest had to be Darrell Scott’s choice to sign with Colorado.

If you get a chance, take a look at Thayer Evans’ fascinating piece in today’s New York Times about Scott’s decision. For weeks, experts had speculated that Colorado was only in the running because Scott’s uncle, Josh Smith, was already in Boulder. But, according to the Evans piece, the biggest factor in Scott’s choice was Texas’ decision to change running back coaches. The decision to move Ken Rucker into a more administrative position and make former Alabama offensive coordinator Major Applewhite in charge of the backfield may have cost the Longhorns the nation’s top running back.

“I was just thinking about other things,” Scott told the Times on Wednesday. “But the more time I thought about it, the more it scared me.”

This is, without question, a major get for Colorado and coach Dan Hawkins, and it just goes to show how important assistant coaches are to the recruiting process.

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A Dash of Perpective: Terrelle Pryor

We’ll get back to basketball in the coming days, but the world of high school sports is focused on National Signing Day, and more specifically, Jeannette High School quarterback Terrelle Pryor.

Tomorrow at high noon, Pryor, the most hyped high school football player in the country, will make known his decision on where he will attend college.

Reporters from throughout the country and television crews from ESPN and CSTV will descend upon the small town of Jeannette, where Pryor will read a prepared statement in which, if history is any guide, he will thank his coaches, family, and teammates and then announce his school of choice – which is looking more and more by the day to be Ohio State, although Michigan and, to a lesser extent, Penn State are still under consideration. (Oregon is out as Pryor’s basketball schedule precluded him from making an official visit to Eugene).

But then what? National Signing Day is a lot like Selection Sunday in NCAA Basketball. It is a highly anticipated day in the world of sports where nothing actually happens. Pryor will make his decision known on Wednesday, and on Thursday he will go to class. The journalists will listen to his speech, ask questions for about ten minutes, and then they will leave Jeannette, most likely never to return. TV pundits will talk about how landing Pryor might just give the Buckeyes or Wolverines or Nittany Lions a top-rated recruiting class, but most of the players those schools have signed, including Pryor, will likely not see the field for at least a year.

Top prospects Julio Jones and Darrell Scott, along with Pryor, will also most likely announce their decisions tomorrow, and there is no doubt that this is a huge day for them and their families. They should celebrate. But let’s keep things in perspective. Ronald Curry, Dan Kendra, and Chris Leak were also can’t miss prospects. And although all three became valuable members of their college programs, none became the transcendent player they were projected to be when they came out of high school.

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