Men's BKB adds transfer, loses Stores

[Papa_Bull]

Basketbull...I thought you might like this animation. It's from Maryland Preps. They ranked Aris #7 PF right behind Sam Young who you know played with Chris Howard and signed with Pitt. So, he must be pretty decent. Maybe he knows and played with Howard and that's how he ended up coming here. He evidently played AAU ball in the area:

Columbia Jaguars Basketball Organization

The Jaguars Athletic Organization was founded in 1978 to develop a "select" traveling basketball program for 10 through 14 years' old boys in Howard County, Maryland. However, since 1983 we have expanded our recruitment to include the Baltimore/Washington area youth.

The Jaguars are associated with the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) and the Youth Basketball of America (YBOA).  We have participated in local, state, regional and national tournaments in AAU and YOBA.  Our teams have won local, state and regional championships in both organizations.  In 1983 the Jaguars finished eighth in the AAU Nationals.  We finished fourth in the AAU/Junior Olympics Nationals in 1984.  The Jaguars won the YBOA National championship in 1993. Further, the Jaguars have won many Baltimore/Washington area-wide league and tournament championships.

In 1984 and 1993 AAU and YBOA, respectively, recognized our organization and awarded the Jaguars Organization regional tournaments.  Of course, this honor presented a tremendous responsibility, socially and economically for the Jaguars and the State of Maryland.  The Jaguars met the challenge.

Additionally, many of the Jaguars have been awarded scholarships to Division I Schools:  Duke, UNLV, Pittsburgh, Georgetown, Miami (Florida), Detroit, Air Force Academy, Virginia, South Carolina State, George Washington, Coppin State, Naval Academy, West Point, Penn State, Providence, Connecticut, Delaware, James Madison, Lehigh, Worcester PolyTechic Institute, Valparaiso, and Princeton.  We celebrate with pride that two of our former players played on UNLV and Duke NCAA National Championship teams.  More important, the Jaguars are proud to announce that most athletes who have passed through our program have graduated from an institute of higher learning.

The year 2005 will mark our Thirteenth Annual Tournament.  The tournament attracts many outstanding high school basketball players:  Danny Whye, Carl Jackson, Keith Bogans, Jason Capel, Nate James, Joe Forte, Jamaal Gilchrist, Lafonte Johnson, Antxon Iturbe, Mohamed Diakite, Marvin Lewis, Levi Watkins, Drew Hall, Tony Bethel, Carmello Athony, Keith Jennifer, Christopher Stephenson, Chris McCray, Linas Kleiza, Sean Ivey, Aris Williams et al.  Over 100 teams ages 10 through 19 are invited to participate.  Invitations have been extended to youth organizations in Maryland, The District of Columbia, Virginia, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Ohio, West Virginia, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Canada (two teams from Canada participated in 1993).

Harold Payne, Founder/Director of the Jaguars, is an accomplished coach and director.  Coach Payne is a member of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC).  Also, he is a former director of the Maryland State YBOA, the Potomac Valley AAU and Maryland State AAU.

 

PLAYER RANKINGS: CLASS OF 2004

POWER FORWARDS

http://www.marylandprephoops.com/Player%20Rankings/Class%20of%202004/Html/Class%20of%202004%20Power%20Forwards.htm

[Guest BasketBull.]

Do you have Indian blood in you? You do track down some stuff! Good work.

Like I said, I'm sure he's okay. I suppose the staff sees this as more or less a signing for the next class with the extra year to train him to play in a new system.

[Papa_Bull]

Yeah, it's great to have a player on campus to practice with the team for a year. It's similar to redshirting them.

[ChiTownBull]

from a friend that ateended both USF and Valpo

Interesting that he picked USF.  I understood he wanted to go South, but many close to the team didn't feel he was a legit D-1 player.  While the "most athletic player" tag was used by Homer Drew, many think that is his way of being nice when he thinks a player has plenty of tools, but not really the basketball skills.  I saw the USF coach noted that he was playing behind VU No. 1 player.  True, but that player is a senior this year, so I wouldn't put much stock in that.  In the end, I just don't think he liked Valpo and wanted warmer weather.  Given he is tall and fast, he could develop in time and that year off may help.

[beastiebull]

Like Handi-man used to say - "Nuh-noh, I smeww twuble."