Aiken and Bond Power Plymouth-Whitemarsh by Academy of the New Church

Hawk Hill Hardwood was on hand for one of the most anticipated high school basketball games of the early 2009-2010 season last night. Plymouth Whitemarsh used lots of ball pressure and big-time performances from Jaylen Bond and CJ Aiken to beat ANC 57-46 at Gwynedd Mercy College. Today we will look at the performances of Plymouth Whitemarsh's CJ Aiken, Jaylen Bond, and Whis Grant. All three had impressive performances in front of a packed house that included a number of college coaches. Hawk head man Phil Martelli was in the stands for the game, along with Rutgers head coach Fred Hill, ex-Penn coach Glen Miller, and La Salle head coach Dr. John Giannini.

CJ Aiken- Going into the game, CJ knew that he was going to have his hands full against a frontcourt that starts a 6'11 center, a 6'9 power forward, and a 6'5 small forward. CJ set the tone for the game early, on a beautiful alley-oop way above the rim. CJ dunked his way to a game-high 21 points and MVP honors for the Colonials. The word used to describe Aiken for the past couple years has been upside, and that word still is fitting. That being said, Aiken demonstrated a level of toughness and intensity that I haven't seen from him in the past. There were a number of jaw-dropping plays during the course of the game that showcased his unbelievable athletic ability. Aiken plays above the rim, and that was no difference in this game. In addition to the athletic ability, CJ has terrific hands, catching everything thrown in his general direction throughout the game. In the final minutes, when ANC pressed the Colonials, CJ was used on the inbounds passes to help break the press. High school bigmen are prone to turnovers, but that was not an issue in this game. CJ also had a number of beautiful assists during the game. PW won the game by double-digits, but it was much closer than that early in the 4th quarter. Aiken battled foul trouble in the second half, and ANC made their comeback with CJ on the bench, which is a telling fact. Aiken is headed to Hawk Hill next year. Head coach Phil Martelli had to be impressed with what he saw from his future frontcourt player.

Jaylen Bond- Bond (pictured above) showed again tonight why he is being courted by a number of Big East schools. The 6'7 Bond had 12 points for the Colonials and pulled down a number of important rebounds. Bond did have his hands full with ANC's Savon Goodman, who I will be writing about tomorrow. In the opening frame, Bond had a dunk that displayed his athleticism. On a fast break, Bond got the ball only a couple feet from the hoop, caught it, and in the same motion, went under and over the rim with an electrifying jam. Bond, like Aiken, gets off the floor in a hurry. Jaylen plays in the post for Plymouth-Whitemarsh. If he wants to play at the Big East level, he will probably have to move out to the wing. While he didn't demonstrate that ability tonight, it is something that he will have time to continue to work on. I doubt there was a college coach in the house last night that doesn't want Jaylen on their team in two years.

Whis Grant- While Aiken and Bond get most of the attention and notoriety for the Colonials, Grants plays a vital role for the team. In fact, it was the guard play from the Colonials last night that led to the win. Grant is the engine behind that backcourt. The 6 foot senior applied terrific ball pressure all evening, resulting in a number of turnovers for the ANC guards. Despite struggling from the free throw line, Whis was the third double-digit scorer for the Colonials, scoring 11 points. Grant is quick, strong, and plays very tough defense. Aiken and Bond are the big names for the Colonials, but without Whis, it is unlikely the two would put up the numbers they do. Whis did a great job feeding his bigs last night, both in the post and above the rim.

Plymouth-Whitemarsh is a tremendously talented team led by the three players above. Tomorrow we will look at Academy of the New Church's Savon Goodman, Roc Christmas, and Malcolm Gilbert.

Photo courtesy of Scout.com

Hawks Give Up 90 Again, Lose; PW-ANC Tonight at 6:15

Saint Joseph's dropped their 7th game of the season last night. In Albany, New York, they were pounded 92-75 by the Siena Saints. The Hawks trailed 43-42 at intermission, but were crushed, yet again, in the second half. This has been a trend with this year's team. Idris Hilliard led the Hawks with 14 points and Todd O'Brien led them with 11 rebounds. Edwin Ublies, Alex Franklin, and Clarance Jackson all scored 20-plus points a piece. The 4-7 Hawks take on Princeton at home on Saturday.

Hawk Hill Hardwood will be on hand tonight for the Plymouth Whitemarsh- Academy of the New Church matchup at Gwynedd Mercy College. 2010 Hawk signee CJ Aiken and junior forward Jaylen Bond will have their hands full with the loaded ANC frontcourt. Check back later tonight for a recap of the game.

Oakman, Brown, and Randall Updates from NBE Basketball Report

NBE Basketball Report has a recruiting update from the City of Palms Tournament that took place in Florida last week. Three 2011 Hawk targets, Aaron Brown, Derrick Randall, and Shawn Oakman, are mentioned.

According to the NBE Basketball Report, Randall is being tracked by a number of schools, including Providence, Saint John's, and Providence. There is no mention of the Hawks.

Penn Wood standout juniors Aaron Brown and Shawn Oakman both listed the Hawks. Oakman had Providence, Maryland, and Saint Joseph's in Florida watching him last week. He has interest from the Hawks, Maryland, Providence, La Salle, Drexel, Arizona, and Georgetown. Aaron Brown, according to the article, has five schools tracking him: Providence, Richmond, Saint Joseph's, Temple, and La Salle. The Owls already have a commitment from another Aaron Brown, the senior from Saint Benedict's.

Article linked below:

NBE Basketball Report Update from City of Palms

More From the Jameer Nelson Classic

The Jameer Nelson Classic continued on Monday and was highlighted by a resounding win by the Penn Wood Crusaders over Academy of the New Church. Pat Leonard of the Philadelphia Inquirer has a great article about the day's games linked below.

In a game that featured at least 3 recruiting targets for the Hawks, Penn Wood beat Academy of the New Church 53-41 at Widener University. Academy of the New Church boasts one of the best high school frontcourts in America, with Roc Christmas, Savon Goodman, and Hawk target Malcolm Gilbert. Gilbert was limited to 5 points while being guarded by another Hawk target, Shawn Oakman. Oakman, a 6'9 250 pound presence in the paint, scored 8 points in the winning effort. Another target for Saint Joseph's, small forward Aaron Brown (pictured above), notched a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Pat Leonard Recap of JNC Day 3

Photo Courtesy of Maxpreps

Plymouth Whitemarsh Wins Big and Juan'ya Green Powers Carroll

Saturday was an action-packed day of high school hoops in Philadelphia as the Jameer Nelson Classic got underway.

In the day's first game, Pitt-bound guard John Johnson scored 36 points in a losing effort to Strawberry Mansion. Mansion's DJ Newbill led his team to victory, scoring 22 points, including the game-winning shot.

Archbishop Carroll snuck by Bartram 60-57 behind an MVP effort from Juan'ya Green. Green scored 24 points for Carroll. Bartram, as is usually the case, was led by Tyrone Garland and his 26 points.

New Jersey's Life Center Academy upset Friends' Central in the second to last game of the day. It was a quiet day for Amile Jefferson and Devin Coleman of Friends Central. Coleman is another name of interest for the Hawks in the junior class.

In the nightcap, Plymouth-Whitemarsh pounded Chester 65-46. After a fairly quiet first half, future Hawk CJ Aiken exploded in the third quarter, scoring 10 of his game-high 19 points. Aiken displayed his tremendous athletic ability in the third quarter with a number of acrobatic dunks, rebounds, and blocks. Junior forward Jaylen Bond also contributed 15 points for PW.

Two artcles about the day's games are linked below:

Delco Times Article on PW-Chester Game.

Philly.com Recap of Saturday's Games.

Jameer Nelson Classic Gets Underway Today

The sixth-annual Jameer Nelson Classic will tip-off later today, marking a start to four great days of high school hoops in the greater Philadelphia area. The tournament features a number of players with bright college futures ahead of them. One of the players, Plymouth-Whitemarsh's CJ Aiken, will be suiting up for Jameer's alma mater, Saint Joseph's, next fall. Jameer's younger brother, Chester guard Maurice Nelson, is another of the top-level talents playing in the showcase. Below is a list of some of the highlight games.

Saturday at Widener College:

1:00- Strawberry Mansion vs. Girard College- Strawberry Mansion stars one of the best unsigned seniors in the area in 6'4 guard DJ Newbill. Girard College lives and dies with the success of junior guard, and Pitt Panther commit, John Johnson.

4:30- Archbishop Carroll vs. Bartram- This game features two of the best guards in the Philadelphia area in Carroll's Juan'ya Green and Bartram's Tyrone Garland. Garland is an ACC-bound senior, headed to Virginia Tech next year. Green, on the other hand, is a junior who has yet to make a college decision. Many of the Philadelphia schools, including Saint Joseph's, have exhibited interest in the 6'3 shooting guard

6:15- Friends' Central vs. Life Center Academy- This game features two players considered elite talents in their respective recruiting classes. Life Center Academy, out of Burlington, New Jersey, stars Syracuse-bound college-ready senior guard Dion Waiters. Friends' Central has plenty of D1 talent, with sophomore forward Amile Jefferson being the most well-known name on a national level. Rivals.com has Jefferson as the number 5 player nationally in his class. Another player to keep an eye on on Friends' Central is junior guard Devin Coleman.

8:00- Plymouth-Whitemarsh vs. Chester- As the younger brother of Jameer Nelson, Maurice Nelson inherently has great expectations placed upon him. The 6'1 guard for the Chester Clippers doesn't seem to let that bother him though. Maurice, who recently stated that his dream is to play for the Saint Joseph's Hawks, is coming off a 38-point outburst earlier this week. The Clippers are always one of the best in the state, and they face a Plymouth-Whitemarsh team tonight with one of the best frontcourts in the area. That frontcourt features SJU-bound 6'9 senior CJ Aiken as well as hotly-recruited junior Jaylen Bond. The nightcap to the Saturday games is sure to be a great one.

Monday at Widener University:

6:00-Penn Wood vs. Academy of the New Church- When I looked at the schedule for the tournament, this is one of the two or three games that stood out most to me. Academy of the New Church features a frontcourt that many actually consider one of the elite in all of America. 6'11 junior Malcolm Gilbert, 6'9 junior Roc Christmas, and 6'6 sophomore Savon Goodman have size and athleticism usually reserved for college rosters. They will be tested tonight by a Penn Wood team that has some size and athleticism of their own. Penn Wood throws junior multi-sport standout Shawn Oakman at you in the post. Small forward Aaron Brown is coming off a monster effort at the City of Palms Tournament that garnered him national praise from the likes of recruiting sites Rivals.com, Scout.com, and ESPN.com. The 6'5 Brown and the 6'8 Oakman are both receiving recruiting interest from the Hawks, along with numerous other programs.

8:00- Chester vs. Bartram- A chance to see Mo Nelson and Tyrone Garland go head-to-head.

Wednesday at Gwynned Mercy College:

6:15- Academy of the New Church vs. Plymouth-Whitemarsh- A battle between the two best frontcourts in the area. Bond and Aiken for PW against Gilbert, Christmas, and Goodman for ANC. Hawk Hill Hardwood will be on hand for this match-up. A detailed recap will be on the site on Thursday.


Check back in here throughout the week for updates on these games and more. It's a great week of Holiday Hoops in Philadelphia.

Myles Davis Update

Jersey City's Saint Peter's Prep plays their third game of the 2009-2010 campaign this evening, going up against Memorial High School. With two blow-out wins already under their belts, Saint Peter's is looking to take advantage of an extremely talented squad and well-respected coaching staff.

I had a chance to speak with head coach Mike Kelly about one of his players, junior guard Myles Davis, earlier this week. Earlier this fall, I spoke with Coach Kelly about his senior forward, Ronald Roberts, who ultimately chose Saint John's over the Saint Joseph's Hawks.

Through two games this season, Davis, a 6 foot combo guard ranked the 37th best player nationally in the junior class by Rivals.com, is averaging 24 points per game. In a 101-67 win against Marist on Monday, Myles scored a team-high 32 points, including six 3-pointers.

Coach Kelly provided me with some insight on Davis' recruitment. The Hawks are one of a number of schools to formally offer a scholarship to the guard. Last week, a well-respected Big East program made an offer to Davis. The Pitt Panthers offered Davis, but Coach Kelly believed that the offer was contingent on him attending prep school for a year before college. Kelly explained that Myles is young for his grade, but also that the situation has not yet been discussed with Myles or his parents.

As for where the Hawks could stand with Davis, Coach Kelly explained that Myles has visited Hawk Hill twice and that he really likes the school and Coach Phil Martelli. Myles' parents are also fans of the Hawks head coach.

The recruitment of Davis is sure to continue to intensify. Davis does not appear in a rush to make a decision. When asked what will happen next with his star junior guard, Kelly said, "What happens next is anyone's guess."

Photo courtesy of Rivals.com

Derrick Randall Notches Double-Double in Florida

Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog has an article up on Paterson Catholic (NJ) and their opening-round win over Fort Myers in the City of Palms Classic in Florida. Junior center Derrick Randall had 15 rebounds, 11 rebounds, and 7 blocks in the win. According to Paterson Catholic head coach Damon Wright, Saint Joseph's is one of the many schools to have offered the big man. Temple, Providence, Seton Hall, Virginia Tech, and Saint John's have also offered Randall. Derrick's PC teammate, Fuquan Edwin, is headed to Seton Hall next year. The article by Zagsblog is linked below.

Zagsblog Article on Paterson Catholic

Photo Courtesy of JohnnyJungle

Nice Milestone: 10,000 Hits

This isn't a formal entry, just a thank you to everyone who has stopped by the site in recent months. Yesterday Hawk Hill Hardwood got it's 10,000th hit, which is thanks to you.

Thanks again for stopping by and checking out what's going on. In the coming days, there will be a feature article on Plymouth Whitemarsh senior forward CJ Aiken.

For now, here's a link for anyone with about 10 minutes to kill. It's a video of a dunk contest that features, and is won by, Lee Academy center Keith Coleman. Coleman is a junior and could be one of the big men that the Hawks look at in the junior class. As you will see in the video, he has some athleticism to spare. His dunks are at the beginning of the video, around the 5 minute mark, and then around the 8 minute mark.

Keith Coleman Dunk Contest

From Canada to Roman Catholic: Fortunate Kangudi

Philadelphia's Roman Catholic High School has produced a number of talented Division 1 basketball players over the past couple years. Current Villanova freshman Maalik Wayns starred at Roman Catholic before becoming a McDonald's All American and moving onto Nova. Current Pitt junior Brad Wanamaker is another Roman Catholic alum. As is Rider forward Mike Ringgold. Current Roman senior guard Rakeem Brookins will play college ball at Tulane next year.

While those are familiar names to people in tune with Philadelphia hoops over recent years, another name on the Roman Catholic roster is certain to become popular in the coming months. That name is Fortunate "Junior" Kangudi. Kangudi transferred to Roman Catholic this year from Montreal, Canada. He is a 6'7 forward just getting acclimated to playing ball in America.

I had a chance to speak with Roman Catholic head coach Chris McNesby about his new frontcourt player. First of all was the matter of the name. His name is Fortunate "Junior" Kangudi, although most websites and online resources list him as Junior Fortunat. Kangudi did not have a high school team in Montreal, so he instead focused on AAU and travel team ball. McNesby said that Kangudi's strengths include athleticism and playing up-tempo, while an area in need of improvement is his shooting range beyond the free throw range.

As of now, Kangudi is receiving recruiting interest from some A10 and MAAC schools. One of the schools already keeping tabs on the developing big man is Saint Joseph's. Coach McNesby said that it is difficult to project exactly what level Kangudi is capable of playing at because he has only played, literally, one high school game in America. In that game, against Coatesville, Kangudi had ten points. McNesby said that the work ethic and desire are there for Kangudi to be successful. As coaches get a chance to see Kangudi, and as he gets comfortable playing organized basketball, recruiting interest is sure to pick up.

Prior to ending up at Roman Catholic, Kangudi was slated to play this season at LeBron James' alma mater, Akron Saint Vincent Saint Mary. He actually played AAU ball for the Ohio Basketball Club and coach Ken Taylor. In an article linked below, Taylor had this to say about Kangudi. "Junior’s upside is crazy. He has great length, athleticism, and a 42-inch vertical. Athletically he is a professional, and that you can not teach. He is not afraid to mix it up inside, likes to talk and throw some elbows every now and again."

Kangudi Article.


As of now, the Hawks have been linked with a number of bigmen in the class of 2011. Among those are Academy of the New Church's Malcolm Gilbert, Paterson Catholic's Derrick Randall, and Pennwood's Shawn Oakman. It looks like Kangudi can be added to that list. He is certainly a name worth keeping an eye on over the coming year.

Plymouth-Whitemarsh Cruises to Easy Win; Myles Davis Picks Up Pitt Offer

Plymouth-Whitemarsh began their 2009-2010 campaign last night with an 82-39 shellacking of Central Bucks South. 2010 Hawk commit CJ Aiken had 14 points in the winning effort. The game was practically over before it began. At halftime, PW led 48-20. They play Neshaminy tonight in the championship game of the Rock the Rim Classic. Neshaminy features a sophomore guard with interest from the Hawks in Ryan Arcidiacono (pictured above). Ryan had 15 points for Neshaminy last night as they beat Conestoga 67-54.

One of the Hawks' 2011 targets, Myles Davis, picked up an offer from a Big East school this week, according to Rivals.com. Myles Davis, a 6 foot guard from Saint Peter's Prep, added an offer to his collection when the Pitt Panthers jumped officially into the mix. The Panthers already have a verbal commitment from John Johnson in the 2011 class. Johnson is a guard from Philadelphia's Girard College that the Hawks recruited heavily. Myles Davis has been on Hawk Hill for an unofficial visit already, and was courtside with teammate Ronald Roberts (bound for Saint John's) for the season opener against Drexel.

Photo courtesy of Phillyhoops

Holy War Recap; Odds and Ends

Again, apologies for the lack of content up here lately. Sometimes other things pop up that make blog updates fall a bit lower on the list of priorities.

Before going into the game, just a quick thought. How nice was it to have Bill Raftery (pictured to the left) on the play-by-play last night? In my opinion, he's the best in the business.

The Hawks played a hard-fought game last night against Big 5 rival Villanova at a sold-out Palestra. The Hawks fell to the Cats 97-89 in a high-scoring affair. In his postgame comments, Hawk coach Phil Martelli said, "Not all losses are losing experiences," and that quote does a lot to sum up the game. While the Hawks did not win, and winning is the ultimate goal, there were a number of positives to take out of the game.

The strengths and weaknesses of this team were apparent to all last night. Guard play, in the form of Darrin Govens and freshmen Tay Jones and Justin Crosgile was a strength. Govens had 19 points, while Jones and Crosgile contributed 16 and 12 respectively. It was one of Govens' best games in his four years on Hawk Hill. What Hawk fans saw out of freshmen Crosgile and Jones, especially in the second half, is hopefully a sign of things to come. Junior forward Idris Hilliard had a monster game, putting up 22 points and 7 rebounds. While guard play was a strength, the frontcourt, aside from Hilliard, was a glaring weakness. Todd O'Brien and Bryant Irwin combined for only 4 points and 9 rebounds in 37 total minutes. The Hawk frontcourt was without freshman forward Carl Baptiste, who was unable to go due to injury

Next year, the Hawks will be receiving help in the frontcourt in the form of Plymouth-Whitemarsh senior CJ Aiken. I should have an article up on Aiken in the coming day or two.

Dick Jerardi's article from today's Daily News is linked below. There is post-game video of Jay Wright, Tayor King, and Phil Martelli on the page as well.



Jerardi Article on the Holy War.



After the Hawks game ended last night, I flipped over to the Kentucky-UConn game. We keep hearing about how good John Wall is. Guess what? He's better than you thought.

Losing Streak Reaches Four

After starting the season 3-0, the Hawks have now lost four games in a row. Looking ahead at the schedule, it appears that things could get worse before they get better as well. Saint Joseph's next two games are against Villanova and at Minnesota.

The Hawks fell to Cornell 78-66 earlier today in Ithaca, New York. Ending the first half on a 7-0 run, the Hawks were tied with Cornell and appeared to be set for a battle against the Big Red. A few minutes into the second half, that appeared a lost cause. The Big Red stormed out of the gate in the second half and turned a close contest into what amounted to a blowout.

Seniors Darrin Govens and Garrett Williamson both struggled from the field in the loss, going a combined 5 of 18. The Hawk frontcourt of Todd O'Brien, Idris Hilliard, and Bryant Irwin combined for only 12 rebounds, as the Hawks were once again badly outrebounded. Today's rebounding margin of 10 is identical to the margin on Monday night against Rider.

The Big Red shot 46% from 3-point land today as well, going 11-24.

The Hawks play Wednesday night against Villanova at 9 pm on ESPN2. The Wildcats currently lead Maryland by 9 at the half.

Paterson Catholic and Derrick Randall in S. Jersey Saturday

Paterson Catholic will be in the Philadelphia area on Saturday afternoon scrimmaging Daryus Quarles' former team, Life Center Academy. Paterson Catholic features a number of tremendously talented players, including Texas commit Myck Kabongo, Seton Hall commit Fuquan Edwin, sophomore stud Kyle Anderson, Jayon James, and TJ Clemmings. They also feature a junior bigman that the Hawks have shown interest in: Derrick Randall. Randall appears to be one of the Hawk post targets in the class of 2011, claiming to hold an SJU offer. The scrimmage will take place at Life Center Academy in Burlington, New Jersey on Saturday at 3 pm.

It has been quiet on here lately. An article on the Academy of the New Church should be up in the coming day or two though. As well as a preview of Sunday's SJU-Cornell game.

Thanks for checking in.

Live Blogging During SJU-Rider Game Tonight

Hawk Hill Hardwood will be blogging live during the 7 o'clock game tonight against Rider. If you don't get the game on television and ESPN Gametracker just isn't doing it for you, check back here where we will be updating regularly throughout the game.

Just over 15 minutes left in the first half. 14-10 Rider. Todd O'Brien has 3 straight buckets for the Hawks. Rider for the and one when we return from the timeout.

Just under 12 minutes left in the first half. 22-17 Rider. Hawks tied it up at 17 before a 5-0 Rider run. Lots of open looks and offensive rebounds for Rider so far.

Hawks have tied the ballgame at 25 with 7:40 left in the first half. In his first minutes ever, Justin Crosgile has 4 quick points for the Hawks on a driving layup and two freethrows. 8-0 run for the Hawks.

3 minutes left in the first half. Hawks up 4. Govens hit a corner 3 ball to go up 37-31 before Rider hit a layup.

Halftime: Rider leads 43-30. Rider ended the half with an 8-0 run. It's been a game of runs so far. First team to 80 wins?

13 minutes left in Half 2. Rider up 54-48. Turnovers and bad defense will do that.

Just over 7 minutes left in the half and Rider is up a point. 7-0 run for Rider. Justin Crosgile with the pass of the season so far; half court alley oop to Garrett Williamson.

Hawk lose a tough one 81-73. At one point, going 2-15 from the field. A game filled with runs, and Rider had more of them.

Zagsblog- Parcells Donates $100,000 to the Friars

Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog has a nice article up on New Jersey native Bill Parcells' recent donation of 100 grand to Saint Anthony High School in Jersey City.

The school has had economic struggles in recent times, and Parcells said that he understands the significance of a solid high school education.

The Saint Anthony Friars basketball team is coached by Bob Hurley Sr. (pictured above) and is one of the most successful high school programs in America.

Anyone unfamiliar with the school or the great work that Hurley does there should pick up Adrian Wojnarowski's The Miracle of Saint Anthony.

A documentary of Hurley's undefeated team of two years ago, entitled The Street Stops Here will be aired on PBS in March.

A link to the Zagsblog article is below:

Zagsblog Aricle-Bill Parcells' Donation

Here is a trailer to the documentary as well:

The Street Stops Here Trailer

Five Games In

Five games into the 2009-2010 campaign and the Saint Joseph's Hawks sit a game over .500 at 3-2. The Hawks won their first two home games at the Hagan Arena over Drexel and Holy Cross. Over the weekend, the Hawks participated in the Paradise Jam tournament in the US Virgin Islands. On Friday night, the Hawks upset the Boston College Eagles behind strong performances by a senior and a freshman. Senior guard Garrett Williamson had one of his best performances to date, finishing the game with 18 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists. Freshman guard Tay Jones had 16 points, tying him with Darrin Govens as the game's second leading scorer.

On Sunday, following their upset of the BC Eagles, the Hawks faced the seventh-ranked team in America: the Purdue Boilermakers. The Hawks looked strong early and trailed by only one at the half. The second half was a completely different story as the Boilermaker defense completely took it to the Hawks, leading to a total of 23 turnovers for the game. Garrett Williamson, coming off a brilliant performance against Boston College, led offenders with 8 turnovers.

On Monday night, the Hawks played in the third-place game against a DePaul team that went 0-18 in the Big East last season. On top of that, DePaul was without Mac Koshwal, who is hands-down their best post player. Despite both of those things, the Blue Demons won a nailbiter against the Hawks. The Hawks frontcourt of Todd O'Brien, Idris Hilliard, Bryant Irwin, and Carl Baptiste combined for only 7 points and 13 rebounds. On the bright side, the Hawks got a surprising 9 point effort out of junior guard Charoy Bentley (pictured above). Sophomore guard Chris Prescott had another impressive performance, finishing with 7 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 steals. Prescott is shooting an eye-popping 8-12 from three so far this season.

The Hawks now have a week off before a tough stretch of games that begins with a game at Rider next Monday.

Roberts to Saint John's

Yesterday, Hawk Hill Hardwood reported that Saint Peter's Prep forward Ronald Roberts could possibly be making his college decision today, the final day of the early signing period. That decision has apparently been made, according to Jeff Borzello of NBE Basketball Blog.

Borzello spoke to Roberts earlier today and Roberts confirmed that he made his college choice: the Saint John's Red Storm.

The article is linked below:

Roberts to Saint John's

Interview with the Galloways

Last night, I was fortunate enough to get the chance to speak with one of the Saint Joseph's Hawks exceptional 2010 recruits, Langston Galloway, and his father Larry. They were kind enough to take some time out of their day to answer some of my questions. I spoke with Mr. Larry Galloway first and then Langston.

Hawk Hill Hardwood: All coaches take different approaches in trying to recruit players to their program. You read about how some coaches stress academics while others stress ESPN appearances and others stress facilities. What approach were you most impressed by?

Larry Galloway: You get different opinions from different coaches. Coach Phil Martelli's approach to it all was the best. Coach Martelli visited Langston at school here in Louisiana and spoke a lot about life after ball. He spoke about being a man and taking on life. He was the best supportive coach that we heard from and described just a great atmosphere.

Hawk Hill Hardwood: Building on that, you mentioned a great atmosphere. Although you aren't actually going to the school to play, this is an extremely important decision for you as well. What type of atmosphere were you looking for? Obviously Saint Joe's has a smaller and more intimate atmosphere. Is that something that appealed more than a big state school?

Larry Galloway: We were looking for a school that would put a good support group around Langston. Since we are from Louisiana, there could be homesickness so a good support group was important for all of us. The assistant coaches were all very supportive, and assistant coach Geoff Arnold is my wife's brother. My wife's family is another support group. She has about 7 family members in the Philadelphia area, including Geoff and other brothers. She also has sisters in the area and her mother, all in Darby Township. The alumni at Saint Joe's are also a positive thing, so is that it's a Jesuit school where people come together.

Hawk Hill Hardwood: Lastly, before asking Langston some questions, I have one more for you. Some pictures made their way online last week of Langston's signing ceremony. That was a large gathering. Who was there that day?

Larry Galloway: I had four family members there for Langston's signing ceremony. Lots of the other people in the picture were my wife's friends. The principal was also there and so were Langston's teammates and other people from CLA (Christian Life Academy) that have been there since Langston's freshman year. I went out and bought a lot of Saint Joe's tee shirts for people there to wear. We wanted to show that Langston has a supportive group around him. It was a great signing day.

Hawk Hill Hardwood: Thanks a lot Larry. Langston, have you gotten a chance to speak with Coach Martelli yet?

Langston Galloway: I spoke with Coach Martelli that night and he welcomed me to Saint Joe's. He told me that school was going to be a great experience.

Hawk Hill Hardwood: Since you live in Louisiana, most Hawk fans have not gotten a chance to see you play. How would you describe your game?

Langston Galloway: I'm a shooter, but I can also distribute the ball. I'm a pass-first guard. I also like to attack the basket. I'm just an all-around basketball player.

Hawk Hill Hardwood: When the Hawks were recruiting you, did they recruit you as an all-around guard or to a specific position?

Langston Galloway: They said that I'm going to play the 1 a little bit and the 2 a little bit.

Hawk Hill Hardwood: When you narrowed your list of schools down toward the end, what other schools were you considering in addition to SJU?

Langston Galloway: I was looking at Texas A and M, Baylor, LSU, Cincinatti, Oklahoma State, and Stanford too.

Hawk Hill Hardwood: When you came up to Philadelphia over the summer, what did you think of the new facilities? You probably heard about the old Fieldhouse and how bad they were. Did the new facilities play a role in your decision?

Langston Galloway: Yes they did. They played a big part in my decision. I got to see the remodeling of the offices and the locker room and everything. My uncle played here and was here before all of this. I got to see the old offices and the new ones are so much bigger.

Hawk Hill Hardwood: Did you have to duck when you walked into the old offices?

Langston Galloway: (laughing) I did.

Hawk Hill Hardwood: Langston, have you gotten a chance to meet or speak with any of the other guys that will be arriving on campus with you next year?

Langston Galloway: I got to talk to CJ Aiken and meet him. I also got to meet the one that hasn't signed yet, Roberts. I got to meet Daryus Quarles for like a second at the Peach Jam, but we didn't get much time to talk.

Hawk Hill Hardwood: Are you excited about playing with them?

Langston Galloway: Really excited. Playing with great players just makes you a better player.

Hawk Hill Hardwood: Your high school season starts soon. You play in a tournament in Tampa and also get to play in the New Orleans Hornets stadium. What are your expectations for this season?

Langston Galloway: We're expecting a better season this season. Last year we made it to the semifinals and we are trying to redeem ourselves this year and win the state.

Hawk Hill Hardwood: Good luck this season Langston. Thanks for taking the time to talk with us. Hawk fans are very excited about your arrival next year.

Langston Galloway: Thank you.

Roberts to Decide Tomorrow?

I just spoke with Saint Peter's Prep head basketball coach Mike Kelly and he gave me an update on his star forward, senior Ronald Roberts.

When asked if Roberts was likely to wait until the spring to sign with a school, Kelly replied, "No, he may announce tomorrow morning."

Kelly then went on to add that it would be "Johnnies or Hawks."

Hawk Hill Hardwood first reported about a month ago that Roberts was down to these two schools. That still appears to be the case. It also appears that we could know his destination in the next 24 hours.

Stay tuned!

FInal Look at Season Opener

Although it's a day late, here is Hawk Hill Hardwood's final look at the home opener against the Drexel Dragons and a quick glimpse into what fans can expect on Tuesday night against Holy Cross.

Chris Prescott got the game off on the right foot by scoring the opening basket. Prescott was silent in terms of scoring the ball the rest of the night, but he logged 23 minutes and pulled down 4 rebounds. More importantly, he did not turn the ball over. Something some other players struggled with.

Turnovers were a key during the course of the game, as the Hawks committed 18 and Drexel committed 23. 13 of the 19 Hawk turnovers were committed by Hawk seniors Garrett Williamson and Darrin Govens. The seniors came through at the clutch by both hitting game-tying shots in the final seconds. However, moving forward I'm sure that is something the coaching staff will be harping on with them: cutting down on costly turnovers.

Three Hawks played in their first game on Friday night: Bucknell transfer Todd O'Brien, freshman guard Carl Jones, and freshman forward Carl Baptiste. Both O'Brien and Jones played key roles in the win, both logging serious minutes. In 34 minutes, O'Brien registered 9 points and 8 rebounds. 4 of those points were crucial in the overtime period, especially the two coming on a bank-shot from the post that put the Hawks ahead to stay. Jones, in just over 30 minutes of playing time, gave Hawk fans a very positive glimpse into the future. His ability to get past his man and into the lane is something that we haven't seen here in a long time. Despite struggling from the field and missing a few chippies, Jones had 13 points on Friday the 13th. Baptiste played very sparingly, but clearly has a physique and skill set that should see increased playing time as the season progresses

Idris Hilliard was a monster in the first half, finishing the game with 16 and 7 in a team-leading 40 minutes of action.

Drexel was paced by guard Jamie Harris' 20 points.

The Hawks return to action against Holy Cross at the Hagan Arena on Tuesday evening. Holy Cross lost their season opener to Harvard by 10. They were led by 6'9 junior forward Andrew Keister, who had an impressive 22 points and 8 rebounds against Harvard. Holy Cross has defeated the Hawks each of the past two seasons. With a win, the Hawks can start off the season by avenging two of their worst losses from last season.

Thanks to Joe C for the picture.

Hawks Begin 2009-2010 Campaign with a Win; Some Visitors in the House

Saint Joseph's began their 2009-2010 campaign with an overtime win over Bruiser Flint's Drexel Dragons. The Hawks, who trailed by double digits about halfway through the second half, got a clutch 3 pointer from Darrin Govens and a game-tying shot from Garrett Williamson in the final seconds of the game. The Hawks won the game 77-67 behind 23 points from Govens. Idris Hilliard also had an impressive outing, finishing with 16 points and 7 rebounds. The boxscore from ESPN is linked below:

http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=293172603

Hawk Hill Hardwood will have a more complete recap of the game tomorrow. Hawk fans got a nice glimpse into the future as Carl Jones (pictured above)scored 13 points in his collegiate debut. We will look at that among other things tomorrow.

I did want a quick update tonight concerning some visitors in the house for the opening game at the Michael J Hagan Arena.

Daryus Quarles and CJ Aiken, who have both signed their National Letters of Intent, were seated behind the Hawk bench. Another familiar face was seated courtside as well. That was Saint Peter's Prep's Ronald Roberts, who was on Hawk Hill for at least the third time this fall. Roberts was not the only Saint Peter's Prep player in the house, as he brought 2011 big-time guard Myles Davis down with him. Davis is likely the Hawks top guard target in the 2011 class. Another name of interest in the 2011 class was in the house, and that was 6'11 Academy of the New Church center Malcolm Gilbert. Maurice Nelson was also in attendance.

Tay Jones picture courtesy of SJUHawks.com

A-10 Reloads in the Class of 2010

The A-10, more than probably any other conference in the country, struggles to shed the "mid-major" label. Not that there is anything inherently bad with the label, but with it comes certain limitations. With it also comes the assumption that the level of talent is significantly lower than the Big 6- the ACC, SEC, Big 10, Big 12, Pac 10, and Big East. Nobody is going to confuse the A10 with the ACC or Big East, but there is plenty of talent to go around in the A10. That talent level is also on the rise as we continue in the early signing period.

The Hawks have officially signed 6'3 shooting guard Langston Galloway. He checks in at 120 on the Rivals top 150. Scout has him ranked as the #36 shooting guard in his class. ESPN also ranks Galloway highly.

Scout has also reported that 6'6 small forward Daryus Quarles has signed his Letter of Intent. Quarles received a nice little bit of publicity from the website today when Evan Daniels had this to say about him when asked which mid-major signing had the best chance of becoming a league player of the year:

"I’m going to go off the map a little with this pick, but I’m going with Darius Quarles. The 6-foot-7 long, athletic hybrid forward can do a variety of things on both ends of the court. When we saw him this past summer his jump shot seemed to look better every time out and he was a key member of the super talented Team Final squad."

Scout ranks Quarles as #30 small forward in the class of 2010 and Rivals recently had him in their top 150.

The final expected signing for the Hawks during the early signing period is 6'9 bigman CJ Aiken from Pennsylvania's Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School. Aiken is ranked by Rivals as the overall number 73 player in his class. Scout has him as the #30 power forward in his class.

Again, once official word comes in on Aiken it will be posted here. And once another source reports on Quarles, we will inform you of that here.

As impressive as the Hawks 2010 recruiting haul appears, two other A10 programs have cracked many top 25 lists nationally. Those programs are Dayton and Xavier, which should not come as a surprise to anyone that follows the A10.

The biggest signing in the A10 so far belongs to the Dayton Flyers, who locked up top 50 guard Juwan Staten (pictured above) in February of 2008 and managed to hold off other suitors along the way. Staten is a guard that, without question, could have played nearly anywhere in the country. Dayton fans are thrilled that he chose to stay close to home and play for the Flyers. Joining Staten are Rivals top 150 shooting guard Brandon Spearman, guard Jesse Berry, and small forward Ralph Hill. The Dayton class is currently ranked in the top 25 nationally by Rivals.com.

Not to be outdone by the Flyers, the Xavier Musketeers also bring in a recruiting class that most schools, regardless of conference affiliation, would love to have. All four of Xavier's signed recruits are ranked nationally by Rivals in their top 150. While Dayton's class is guard-heavy, Xavier has loaded up in the frontcourt. Xavier's two biggest signings are forwards Jordan Latham and Justin Martin. Martin had interest and offers from Louisville, Michigan State, Cincinatti, and others when he chose the X men. Jordan Latham wasn't without his share of Big 10 and Pac 10 interest either. Joining these two are power forward Griffin McKenzie and wing Jay Canty. Both Scout and Rivals give Xavier a mention in their top 25 lists.

Xavier, Dayton, and the Hawks are all bringing significant talent into the conference next year. Temple has two impact players signed as well in guard Aaron Brown and power forward Anthony Lee. While the A10 is likely to maintain the hard-to-shed mid-major moniker, the level of talent in the conference moving forward is unquestionable.

Juwan Staten picture from Rivals

Signing Day is Here- Langston Galloway to SJU

As I posted yesterday, Wednesday was the first day of the early signing period for high school seniors. In the picture above, you can see Langston Galloway signing his Letter of Intent for Saint Joseph's, which is one of the biggest in recent memory. Scout.com is reporting that Daryus Quarles, the 6'6 small forward from Paulsboro, New Jersey has also signed his Letter of Intent for the Hawks. As of now, I have not received any other word on Quarles or any on CJ Aiken. As that information trickles in, it will be posted here.

In somewhat related news, Long Island wing JJ Moore has signed a Letter of Intent with the Pitt Panthers today. Moore was a main target of the Saint John Redmen. With Moore signed at Pitt and Devon Collier to Oregon State, this could cause the Redmen to put more pressure on Hawk target Ronald Roberts. As information on this front becomes public, it will be up here for you as well.


Thanks to Phillyhoops on the Hawk Hoop Club for the picture above.

Hours Away From Early Signing Period

We are only a few hours away from the start of the Early Signing Period for high school seniors. Many of the top seniors in the country are still unsigned, but they should start falling like dominoes in the coming days. Harrison Barnes is slated to make his decision on Friday. Tobias Harris is scheduled to make his decision next week. Then you have Josh Selby, Brandon Knight, and Cory Joseph among others who are likely to wait until the spring.

The Hawks currently have 3 verbal commitments in the senior class in CJ Aiken, Langston Galloway, and Daryus Quarles. It is expected that all three will sign their letters of intent on Wednesday. As has been discussed endlessly on here, the Hawks are also extremely involved with Ronald Roberts. If Roberts intends to decide during the early signing period, he will be making his decision in the coming week.

When all three players sign their letters of intent, you will be able to read all about it here. We will also inform you of other key signings for the Philadelphia area and Atlantic 10 schools. Villanova, Drexel, LaSalle, Temple, Dayton, Xavier, and others are expecting important signatures tomorrow.

Also, a preview for the Drexel game will be up on Thursday and a special feature either later this week or earlier next.

I'm Back- Some Odds and Ends

After about a week away (and for good reason...Sonoma is beautiful)I'm back with a few minor updates and a look at some upcoming articles.

The last update dealt with Ronald Roberts and the recruiting situation at Saint John's. It still appears that Roberts is down to the two SJU's and nothing new has emerged since his visit to Saint John's last weekend. The Red Storm were looking at a number of forwards in the senior class, and one of those players has taken his name off the board. Saint Anthony's forward Devon Collier (pictured above) gave a verbal commitment to Craig Robinson and Oregon State this past week. JJ Moore, who visited Saint John's with Roberts last weekend, appears as if he could make his mind up in the coming week or two. I made the bold claim last week that a Roberts decision could be coming shortly. The Early Signing Period is fast approaching and we will know then if Roberts decides to be a fall or spring signing.

Speaking of the Early Signing Period, we are only four days away from the first day of the period. During this time, seniors are able to officially sign their Letters of Intent and make their commitments binding. The Hawks are slated to receive commitments from seniors CJ Aiken, Langston Galloway, and Daryus Quarles. Hawk Hill Hardwood will update you when their LOI's are signed.

The 2009-2010 season is now less than a week away, so things will begin to pick up here. In the middle of this week, we will provide you with a detailed look at the Hawks' first opponent this year, Bruiser Flint's Drexel Dragons.

I am also working on something else for the blog that would likely appear later this week or early next. I don't want to reveal too much about it since the details are still being ironed out, but it would be something unique to Hawk Hill Hardwood and a fun read.

Roberts and JJ Moore Visit Saint John's-Roberts Decision Coming Soon?

According to Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog and other sources, Saint Peter's Prep forward Ronald Roberts is on an official visit to Saint John's University this weekend. Roberts was at Saint Joseph's two weekends ago on his official visit. As reported here around the time of his Saint Joe's visit, sources close to the situation have indicated that Roberts has narrowed his list of schools down to Saint Joseph's and Saint John's.

Roberts will not be alone at Saint John's for his visit. Also on an unofficial visit to Saint John's this weekend is South Kent small forward JJ Moore (pictured above). Moore has narrowed his list of schools to Louisville, Pitt, and Saint John's. Saint John's is clearly interested in signing a forward in the 2010 class as they are also involved with Jayvaughn Pinkston out of Brooklyn and Saint Anthony's forward Devon Collier.

While it is clear that Saint John's is in the market for a post player in the 2010 class, the player that is going to be remains to be seen. Both Moore and Roberts will be on campus this weekend.

When Roberts finishes his visit to Saint John's this weekend, he should have a great read on where he stands on the Saint John's coaching staff's priority list of forwards in the senior class. It is my belief that, shortly after this visit, Roberts will know which SJU he is going to choose.

Stay tuned.

Photo courtesy of Scout.

More From NBE Blog-SJU Names of Interest

In what is becoming a common entry on here, Jeff Borzello of NBE has more pertinent info for Hawk fans concerning 2010 and 2011 recruiting targets of the Hawks.

Juan'ya Green, Derrick Randall, and CJ Aiken (pictured above) are all discussed on the blog. The blog also lists the Hawks as having offered Justin Crosgile's former teammate at DePaul Catholic, Wally Sajimi. He is a class of 2011 5'11 lead guard with claimed offers from the Hawks, Rider, and Iona. He is receiving interest from the local Big East schools and others like Baylor and Wisconsin.

Check it out.

NBE Updates from IS8.

NBE Blog- Eddie Griffin Challenge Recap

Jeff Borzello of NBE Basketball Report has a great recap up of the Eddie Griffin Challenge. He has player evaluations of Myles Davis, Derrick Randall, Amile Jefferson, Ryan Arciadano, Jarrod Davis, Aaron Brown, and more. Well worth looking at.

EGC Recap Jeff Borzello

NJ and NYC Hoops Have IS8 and Eddie Griffin Challenge Updates

It was an eventful weekend in the tri-state area, with the IS8/Nike Tip-Off playoffs and the Eddie Griffin Challenge both taking place. I was unable to make either event, but NJHoops.com and NYC Hoops were there and have recaps up on their sites. Links to both articles are below.

A few players with SJU interest played Saturday afternoon at the IS8. Saint Peter's Prep guard Myles Davis was one of the high point men in the game with 20 points. His coach, Jerome Smart, called Davis "one of the best pure scorers and shooters in America" following the game. Davis has already been to SJU unofficially. Another 2011 target of the Hawks, and one who claims to sport an SJU offer, is Patterson Cathlic's Derrick Randall. Randall was matched up inside with one of the top 10 seniors in America, Tobias Harris. According to NYC Hoops, Randall played a very strong and impressive game on the defensive end. Myles Davis and Derrick Randall are pictured above, with Davis on the left and Randall center.

NJ Hoops also has a brief recap of the Eddie Griffin Challenge up online. NJ beat the Philly team behind an MVP effort out of Duke-bound Kyrie Irving. Irving had 19 points and 11 assists. Former SJU target and current Pitt commit John Johnson had 18 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists in a losing effort for the Philly team in the junior game.

2010 Hawk commit CJ Aiken played in the senior game as well as target Ronald Roberts.

Here are links to the NJ Hoops articles:

NJ Hoops Eddie Griffin Challenge

NYC Hoops IS8 Recap

Photo Courtesy of NYC Hoops

2009 Eddie Griffin Challenge (Updated Wednesday)

Next Sunday, October 25th, the annual Eddie Griffin Challenge will take place in Conshohocken, PA. Full rosters are not completely set, but this is the information that I can pass on to you at this time:

The Philly seniors team will feature Syracuse commit Dion Waiters, Virginia Tech commit Tyrone Garland, Wake Forest commit Tony Chenault, Saint Joe's commit CJ Aiken, and Tyreek Duren, who is deciding between two A10 schools in LaSalle and Temple. This is a great chance to see Aiken against some solid competition.

The list of New Jersey seniors scheduled to play on Saturday has also been released now. The list is headlined by one of the top seniors in all of America, 6'2 Saint Patrick's guard Kyrie Irving. Saint Joe's 2010 target Ronald Roberts is also on the roster. Trenton Catholic guard and 2010 Drexel commit Frantz Massenat is also on the roster alongside Saint Anthony bigman and Richmond commit Derrick Williams. Fellow Saint Anthony bigmen Devon Collier and Ashton Pankey should also appear as well as 2010 Seton Hall commit Fuquan Edwin.

The New Jersey juniors team features a handful of players with SJU interest. Myles Davis (pictured above), who is teammates with Ron Roberts at Saint Peter's Prep, is one of the guards scheduled to play in the event. Two of the top big men in the state, both with offers from the Hawks, are scheduled to play. They are New Egypt's Desmond Hubert and Patterson Catholic's Derrick Randall. A trio of forwards with Hawk interest are also listed in Jarrelle Reischel, freak athlete Jarrod Davis, and Vaughn Gray. Also on the NJ juniors team are phenom Mike Gilchrist, Texas commit Myck Kabongo, and guard Sterling Gibbs.

Going against the NJ Juniors team is their Philly area counterpart. SJU target Malcolm Gilbert is on the roster. 2011 Pitt commit, and a player the Hawks recruited hard, John Johnson will get a chance to go up against the solid NJ guards. Talented guard Juan'ya Green is also on the roster. Long considered a Nova lock, Green may be looking elsewhere as Nova got a verbal from elite level 2011 guard Ashcraf Yacoubou on Wednesday. Friends Central guard and Plymouth Whitemarsh forward Jalen Bond are also on the roster.

The game will feature one SJU verbal commit in CJ Aiken and a 2010 recruiting target in Ronald Roberts. A number of 2011 targets are playing as well: Myles Davis, Malcolm Gilbert, Desmond Hubert, Derrick Randall, Juan'ya Green, Vaughn Gray, and a few others.

It should be an exciting day of basketball, with the sophomore game starting at 4, the junior game at 5:30, and the senior game at 7 pm.


NJ Hoops List of Philly Seniors

Hagan Dedication Recap

The dedication ceremony for the new Hagan Arena was full of Hawk legends past and present. Comcast Sportsnet's Neil Hartman was the MC for the evening, at times sharing the spotlight with SJU's own Joe Lunardi.

The dedication ceremony began just after 5 o'clock with a video commemorating 100 years of Hawk hoops. The video paid tribute to individual and team accomplishments of both players and coaches. From the Mighty Mites to Dr. Jack to Jameer, the video highlighted the accomplishments of the basketball programs, both men's and women's, over their time here on Hawk Hill.

Next, Hawk fans were treated to a singing/dancing spectacle courtesy of a group of local students (I believe high school). I do not foresee it replacing "The Hawk Will Never Die" any time soon.

Among the people to speak during the course of the evening were Mike Bantom, Don DiJulio, Governor Ed Rendell, and of course, Michael Hagan. Mike Bantom spoke about how Saint Joe's recruits a special type of player, and over their time here, they are molded into something even greater. Ed Rendell spoke about how he knew about the Hawks even from a young age, despite being a New York kid. He told the story about how he saw the Hawks play at Madison Square as a child and was amazed at the passion of the Hawk faithful. And something involving a mackerel. And finally Michael Hagan's speech was one of heart-felt thanks to all the others who made the new arena possible.


A number of ex Hawks were in the house for the evening, including Chet Stachitas and Tyrone Barley from the Elite Eight team of 2003-2004. Chet was introduced as the player who taught a student section how to spell.

Also in attendace were 2010 verbal commitments Langston Galloway and CJ Aiken, along with 2010 recruit Ronald Roberts. All 3 players sat together during the ceremony.

Following the festivities, attendees were given free roam of the facilities, including the Hall of Fame room, the coaches offices, the locker rooms, the players lounge, and more.

With the home opener against Drexel just under four weeks away, Hawk fans were given a glimpse of the new arena. Players past, present, and future got to look back at how far this program has come in a hundred years and also look forward to a future that is just as bright.

Special Guests at the Hagan Ceremony; Ronald Roberts to SJU?

Some significant news has trickled into Hawk Hill Hardwood over the past couple of hours concerning this Saturday's Hagan Opening Ceremony and Dedication. The festivities will take place this Saturday at 5 pm on Hawk Hill.

Three future Hawks will be in the house for the festivities. Louisiana native Langston Galloway (pictured above), 6'6 small forward Daryus Quarles, and 6'9 shotblocker CJ Aiken will all be in attendance for the dedication. They will get a glimpse inside a building where they are sure to sure to create many memories over the coming years.

A possible fourth member of the 2010 recruiting class will also be on campus for the weekend. Hawk Hill Hardwood has heard from a reliable source that 6'7 Saint Peter's Prep forward Ronald Roberts will also be on campus this weekend to attend the dedication.

Roberts has long listed the Hawks as a potential college destination. That is looking like even more of a reality now. Our sources have informed us that Ronald has possibly narrowed his college list to two schools: Saint Joseph's and Saint John's. This is major news for the Hawks as Roberts would add yet another dimension to the already exceptionally talented 2010 recruiting class. Roberts does appear to be SJU-bound. Which SJU, however, still appears up in the air.

Stay tuned.

Hawk Hill Hardwood will be on hand for the ceremony Saturday which could give Hawk fans an exciting look into the future.

New 2010 Target for the Hawks?

With CJ Aiken, Daryus Quarles, and Langston Galloway set to sign with the Hawks in a little less than a month, a new name has arrived. The Hawks have long been linked with Saint Peter's Prep forward Ronald Roberts from the class of 2010. A new name in that class has come to our attention at Hawk Hill Hardwood courtesy of Matt Bracken at the Baltimore Sun. In an article from October 7th, Bracken discusses the recruitment of Baltimore shooting guard Dante Holmes.

In his article (which is linked below for you to check out) Bracken interviews Saint Frances assistant coach Nick Myles about his senior guard. Myles mentions that Providence is coming in to see Holmes and that SJU, Fordham, Temple, and Quinnipiac have also been in lately to see him.

Holmes is an athletic 2 guard who checks in right around 6'3. ESPN has evaluated him over the past couple of years and describes him as an athletic and hard-working wing guard. ESPN also cites his ability to guard the 1, 2, and 3 defensively.

This is a new name to us at HHH and probably to most Hawk fans. The level of interest either way is unknown, but it is a name to put in the back of your head for the time being.

Baltimore Sun Dante Holmes Article

Alex Schwartz's Top 45 in Jersey

Alex Schwartz of the Northstar Basketball Blog released his list of the top 45 upperclassmen in the state of New Jersey today. The names up top (Mike Gilchrist and Kyrie Irving) are no surprise at all. Many of the names on the list are of some interest to Hawk fans. And here they are:

10- Daryus Quarles (SJU verbal...can sign his LOI a month from yesterday)

15- Ronald Roberts (has been listing the Hawks as one of his top schools)

Both Quarles and Roberts are seniors and members of the 2010 class

17- Desmond Hubert (one of the big men targeted by the staff in the 2011 class)

18-Derrick Randall (another 2011 big who lists the Hawks as having offered...pictured above)

23- Myles Davis (a 2011 guard who has already visited Hawk Hill. High school and AAU teammates with Roberts)

27- Vaughn Gray (2011 small forward who claims to have an SJU offer)


Other names on there have been linked to SJU as well, but to a lesser degree. Names like Shawn Valentine and Jarrod Davis.

New Jersey, year in and year out, is a state deep in basketball talent. To be so involved with so many of the state's top players has to be viewed as a positive sign.

A link to the Schwart article is below:

Schwartz Top 45 in NJ

Quarles To Sit Out the Year

Paulsboro senior and Saint Joe's commit Daryus Quarles has been officially ruled ineligible to play this season by the New Jersey Commissioner of Education according to the Philadelphia Inquirer's Phil Anastasia. Quarles had appealed the initial ruling, but this week the appeal was turned down. Daryus played for the Paulsboro Red Raiders as a freshman and sophomore before transferring to Life Center Academy last year. In March, he left LCA to return to Paulsboro. Phil Anastasia reported that Quarles will be allowed to participate in team practices. The article is linked below:


Phil Anastasia Article

Desmond Hubert Gets Another Offer

One of the top junior big men on the East Coast had a big weekend. On a visit to Maryland, 6'8 Desmond Hubert received a scholarship offer according to ESPN. Hubert has an offer from Maryland to go along with interest from Saint Joseph's, Villanova, Pitt, Providence, Xavier, Rutgers, Penn State and numerous other schools. Hubert's cousin, Brian Grant, starred at Xavier before having a successful NBA career. In a July interview with Rivals, Hubert mentioned that he thought that he favored a small school. Obviously Maryland does not quite fit that bill, so Hubert is probably open to at least looking at schools of all sizes. He also said that his family would not mind if he stayed close to home. Hubert is a long way from making a college decision. The talented junior will certainly have options big and small, near and far.

Desmond is a consensus top 75 player. Rivals ranks him 41, Scout as their 8th best center, and ESPN as #60 in his class. He is an extremely athletic and long prospect who, as of now, does not show much of a back to the basket game. He runs the court and can get way above the rim on the offensive and defensive ends.

Final Gym Rats Recap

Better late than never, here is the final recap of last Saturday night's Gym Rats Midnight Madness event at Cherry Hill East High School in New Jersey. The final two players we are going to take a closer look at are Patterson Catholic's 6'7 Kyle Anderson and the "youtube sensation" Cesar Guerrero.

Kyle Anderson(Class of 2012, undecided, pictured above): Anderson is considered by most to be one of the most intriguing and promising sophomores in the country. It's very difficult to label Anderson as a guard or a small forward or to really put a label on him at all. He is simply a tremendously talented basketball player. Although only a sophomore, Anderson displayed a calm and understanding of the game well beyond his years. At 6'7, he could project as a lead guard at the next level, a 2, or a small forward. He showed great court vision, a reliable jumpshot, and good athleticism. Anderson played on the USA Basketball Men's Developmental Team earlier this summer. As he continues to grow, both physically and skill-wise, Anderson is likely to become one of the more hotly recruited players on the East Coast. His understanding of the game and selflessness were almost easily overlooked in a game like this, but the fact that we could notice shows you just how much potential he has.

Cesar Guerrero (Class of 2011, undecided): If there is a basic polar opposite to Anderson, Guerrero is it. That is not to say at all that he doesn't have talent. He does. And plenty of it. As smooth and fluid and relaxed as Anderson is on the court, Cesar is up-tempo and flashy. Standing right around 6 foot, Cesar is basically a human highlight reel. He played in the event last year so his no-look passes and dynamic dribbling were no surprise at all. Cesar has terrific court vision and makes every pass, at the least, very entertaining to watch. He also played surprisingly good defense in this game, which is possible due to his competitive nature and quickness. The only question that colleges are likely to have is whether he can temper the And 1 style to his game for a college setting. He was one of the most entertaining players on the court and one that can electrify a crowd. He was introduced on Saturday as a "youtube sensation" because of his highlights online. For those interested, there's a link below to check them out.

Guerrero Youtube Highlights

Photo Above Courtesy of SNY

Crosgile Injured, Out 6-8 Weeks; Final Gym Rats Recap Tomorrow

Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog is reporting that Saint Joseph's freshman guard Justin Crosgile will be sidelined 6 to 8 weeks with a torn ligament in his left thumb. Zags is reporting that the thumb was injured in a pick-up game. This is tough news for the Hawks since he will likely miss some games at the beginning of the season. Justin was going to get to compete with fellow freshman Carl Jones, among others, for a possible spot in the starting lineup at lead guard. This is a story that we will continue to follow as information comes out.

See the link below for the Zagsblog article:

Justin Crosgile Injured

My final notes from last week's Gym Rats Midnight Madness will be up tomorrow. The recap will focus on Patterson Catholic sophomore Kyle Anderson and California native Cezar Guerrero.

Photo Courtesy of Rivals

Gym Rats Recap Part Two

In today's recap of Saturday's Gym Rats Midnight Madness event, we will take a look at two of the elite, national level prospects that participated. Those prospects, who won co-MVP honors for the respective teams, are Syracuse commit Fab Melo and Mississippi product LaQuinton Ross.

Fab Melo-(Class of 2010, Syracuse commit, pictured above): Boy does Boehheim have a good one here. The main question I had after watching Melo play on Saturday was one that I also had after watching Aaric Murray at Gym Rats last year. How many years of college ball will he play? Melo is a massive human being, listed by most of the recruiting sites as a 7 footer weighing around 260 or 270 pounds. Despite being that size, Melo was able to get himself up and down the court easily with the quick guards. While he certainly did display a post-up game, the thing that jumped out to me most was his soft touch in the 15-18 foot range. Going up against Malcolm Gilbert, Melo was able to take him both inside and outside. After getting jammed all over in the opening minutes of the game by Gilbert (see yesterday's article), Fab waited for the right moment to get him back. And in the second half he did with a put-back dunk over Gilbert. In addition to that dunk, Melo also had some impressively athletic blocks on the defensive end. He finished the game as the second leading scorer on his team behind Tony Chenault. His game, at least here, did not appear to be a flashy one, but more of a finesse game. It is a game that should transition beautifully to the college level and beyond. And beyond his basketball talent, Melo played the game with a refreshing attitude. A smile was plastered to his face throughout the game. During halftime, he let one of the younger kids from an earlier game throw him an alley-oop pass. Melo is absolutely a player that Syracuse fans can look forward to greeting on campus. Even if it is for only a year or two.

LaQuinton Ross- (Class of 2011, undecided): This was my third time seeing Ross in the past two years. When I first saw him two years ago, I couldn't believe that he wasn't a rising senior. I couldn't believe there was a better player in his class. Then when I saw him this past summer I noticed a significant drop-off in his game. Well, Ross looked back to his old self on Saturday as he led all scorers breaking the 40 point mark. Those 40 points came in about 20 minutes of play too. Ross is a tough match-up for opponents because, for being 6'7 or so, he is a terrific perimeter shooter. His 3-point and mid-range jumpers are probably his strongest suit. In this game, Ross' jumper was falling with ease. He also played point guard for much of his time out on the court, which is an interesting development. I'm not sure if he plans on truly being a 1 in college, but he looks more than capable of playing the 2. 6'7 shooting guards with his range are special.

Check back tomorrow for write-ups on Kyle Anderson and Cezar Guerrero.

Gym Rats Recap Part One

Last night many top players from not only the Philadelphia area, but the country, descended upon Cherry Hill East High School for the annual Gym Rats Midnight Madness event. Hawk Hill Hardwood was on site to check out some of the big names participating. In this first installment, we will talk the Philly area products. Tomorrow we will report on some of the national names such as Syracuse commit Fab Melo, Cezar Guerrero, LaQuinton Ross, and North Jersey super-soph Kyle Anderson.

Malcolm Gilbert (Class of 2011, undecided, picture above): When you first look at Malcolm, the first thing that you notice, beside his height, is his ridiculous wingspan. Malcolm stands a legitimate 6'10 with what looks like some room to grow. In the All American game Gilbert faced a daunting task- guarding one of the top 3 centers in the whole 2010 class in Fab Melo. Melo is a 7 footer with an offensive repertoire that has NBA written all over it. With that being said, Malcolm did a very respectable job. In the opening minutes of the game, Malcolm had a highlight reel dunk over Melo that sent the building into an uproar. He finished the game with roughly 18 points, all of which came on dunks. Malcolm runs the floor very well and is basically a goalie around the basket. He has athleticism that allows him to react quickly on both the offensive and defensive ends. While Malcolm, at this point, does not appear to have great hands, he is an extremely talented defensive player who has the tools to become a more-than-adequate offensive player. One of the biggest needs in the 2011 class for the Hawks is a talented center. Malcolm Gilbert certainly fits that bill and is receiving interest from the Hawks. It should be an interesting recruitment to follow. Malcolm was co-MVP for the Red Team alongside LaQuinton Ross.

Tony Chenault-(Class of 2010, Wake Forest): Tony won MVP honors at last year's Midnight Madness event, and from the get-go appeared determined to repeat. And repeat he did. Tony and Fab Melo were co-MVP's for the White Team. Although Tony has dropped significantly in the national rankings over the past couple years, when his jumper is falling like it was tonight, he is still a legitimate, big-time high major talent. Tony not only led the Red Team in scoring with around 28 points, but he did so efficiently. I didn't keep track of shots taken and shots made, but Tony was certainly making many more than he was missing. At one point in the first half, he absolutely took it to Memphis high school junior Bobby Parks Jr. Parks, a talented player in his own respect, looked like he wanted no part of Tony. On 5 or 6 straight possessions, Tony either took Parks off the dribble to the basket or pulled up and shot over him. Again, when Tony is on like he was tonight, he is a very dangerous player. And one that is certainly capable of contributing in the ACC.

Shaq Duncan- (Class of 2010, Niagara): This was the second time I've seen Duncan, and from what I can tell, he is a significant signing for Niagara. Standing around 6'8, Duncan is as thin as he is athletic. As he continues to put weight on, there is no reason to think he can't be a major factor in the MAAC. Duncan runs the floor very well and did not look at all out of place on the court with many top 100 players. Most of his points came off of dunks, but the same could be said for nearly every players in this run-and-gun style of play. A style of play where layups were met with groans from the crowd. While he may not quite live up to either of his namesakes, Niagara fans should be excited about this signing and the 4 years of basketball that you'll get out of him.

Savon Goodman- (Class of 2012, Undecided): When I arrived at Cherry Hill East and first looked at the rosters, this is one of the names that instantly jumped out at me. Goodman is generally considered one of the best prospects on the East Coast in the Class of 2012. About 4 minutes into his first game I could understand why. Goodman, who played in both the Junior All-American Game and the All-American game, won MVP honors in the Junior game. Savon is in that 6'4-6'6 range and only a sophomore, so there is time for him to grow. The first things about his game that you notice is his athleticism and general understanding of the game. He plays with a very calm and level-headed demeanor, just like his Academy of the New Church teammate Malcolm Gilbert (talk about a scary frontcourt when you have both of those guys alongside top 5 junior Roc Christmas). He showed an above-average handle, and ability to take the ball hard to the basket, and great athleticism. In this particular game, his jump-shot wasn't falling, but I know that is supposed to be one of his assets. He was dominant in the Junior All-American game with his jump shot a little off. The thought of him with a jump shot is scary for anyone that has to go up against ANC this year.


A couple other quick notes:

Roc Christmas was in the house but not playing. I don't know if he was scheduled to play and hurt or just there to watch his high school teammates Malcolm Gilbert and Savon Goodman.

Former SJU assistant coach and current New Jersey Nets assistant Doug Overton was there since his son was playing in one of the afternoon games.

Another NBE Update- Names of Interest

While I was at the Gym Rats Midnight Madness event yesterday in South Jersey, the Hoop Group put together their Fall Jam at Rutgers.


From the article, there were a couple names of interest for Hawk fans:

Derrick Randall, a 6'9 junior big man from Patterson Catholic, claims an offer from the Hawks along with interest from Nova, Pitt, Providence, Rutgers, Virgnia Tech, and Saint John's. He plans to visit Providence in the near future. The Hawks really need a quality big man in their 2011 recruiting class. Randall is a player that could fit that bill.

Don Bosco 2011 wing Vaughn Gray also has an SJU offer. He plans to visit Providence for their Midnight Madness. Providence seems to be involved with many players that SJU is also looking at (Ron Roberts, Myles Davis, Derrick Randall, Vaughn Gray).

Hawk Hill Hardwood's first entry was on 2012 elite talent Amile Jefferson. When interviewed by NBE yesterday he did not list the Hawks as a school of interest.

2012 Neshaminy guard Ryan Arcidiacano did list offers from both the Hawks and Rutgers along with all kinds of high major inteest.

The people over at NBE do a great job, so check out the link below to their complete article.

NBE Hoop Group Recruiting Notes

NBE Basketball Article on Roberts and Myles Davis

NBE Basketball Report Ronald Roberts and Myles Davis

NBE Basketball Report has an article up today on two SJU targets. One of them, Ronald Roberts, I wrote about yesterday. The other is Roberts' Saint Peter's Prep and NJ Playaz teammate, junior guard Myles Davis. In the article, Roberts lists offers from SJU, Rutgers, Temple, Fordham, Saint John's, Providence, GW, and Northeastern. He says that he wants to visit SJU, Saint John's, and Providence, along with two others.

Myles Davis, who unofficially visited Hawk Hill in August, says that Providence, Georgetown, Virginia, and Purdue are new schools in the mix. He does list the Hawks as a school being involved.

The link above is certainly worth checking out.

Ronald Roberts Still On the Board

The current 2010 Saint Joseph's recruiting class is a very impressive one. Langston Galloway, Daryus Quarles, and CJ Aiken were all top targets of the staff, and all 3 are only about a month away from signing their Letters of Intent to play at SJU.

There is a player whose name has been floating around SJU circles since last winter that is still unsigned. And that player is 6'7 Saint Peter's Prep forward Ronald Roberts. With major 2010 talent dropping off the board by the minute, Roberts is still available.

Roberts has been to Hawk Hill on more than one occasion and is listing the Hawks as a possible destination. Other schools involved with Roberts, as of a month ago, include Indiana, Providence, Temple, Penn State, and a few others.

What exactly would Roberts bring to the lucky college of his choice? In an August interview with Rivals.com, Roberts' high school coach Mike Kelly had this to say of his senior forward: "He has been an unbelievable success story in 365 days. He has grown to a legit 6-foot-7. He jumps through the roof and his game has just exploded. If he keeps on this pace, some day he could be a pro."

At the moment, Ronald is undecided about where he will spend his college years. His toughness, rebounding, and athleticism will make him a contributor wherever he ends up. Would he be a terrific addition to the 2010 SJU recruiting class? Absolutely. Will he? Only time will tell.

Delonte West Arrested on Gun Charges

This is not the type of entry I really wanted to make a few entries in, but here at HHH we do claim to talk "all things Saint Joseph's basketball." With that said, former SJU guard and current Cleveland Cavalier Delonte West was arrested and charged Thursday in Maryland on speeding and weapons counts. ESPN is reporting that West was carrying a loaded handgun in his pocked, a handgun in his pant leg, and a shotgun in a guitar case that he had strapped to his back when he was pulled over for speeding on his three-wheeled motorcycle.

West was released on Friday but the charges are of a serious manner. In Maryland it is illegal to carry a concealed weapon. It is also illegal to transport a loaded weapon.

This is a story that we will continue to follow and monitor over the coming days as more information is released.

John Johnson to Pitt

Rivals.com is reporting that 2011 guard John Johnson of Girard College in Philadelphia has committed to the Pitt Panthers. Johnson, a 6'1 combo guard, is Pitt's first verbal in the class of 2011. Johnson visited Pitt a few weeks ago, and said after his visit that he foresaw a commitment to Jaime Dixon's club when the formal offer was presented. Obviously that formal offer arrived and the Panthers have themselves a terrific guard.

Johnson led Girard College to the Class A Boy's Basketball championship game where they defeated Kennedy Catholic. During the state playoffs, Johnson dominated, scoring 30 points in the finals and 37 points in the semifinals. In a game back in January, Johnson scored 51 points against a completely over-matched Plumstead Christian team.

Johnson was one of Saint Joe's top guard targets in the class of 2011. With him off the board, the staff will likely turn attention to others. One of those is likely to be Saint Peter's Prep standout Myles Davis. Davis unofficially visited SJU in August. Other names will likely pop up over the coming months as well.

Photo courtesy of Scout.com

Lindy's Is Out

In the past week or two, both Lindy's and Athlon have released their preseason college basketball publications. Lindy's has Dayton taking the A10 crown behind their preseason player of the year, Chris Wright. They also have Dayton ranked #17 nationally. Xavier, their #2 pick in the A10, holds down the number 38 spot nationally.

The Hawks are picked to finish tenth in the A10.

Nationally, Lindy's has Kansas on top. Rounding out their top 10 are Texas, Michigan State, Villanova, North Carolina, Purdue, Butler, Kentucky, Michigan, and Cal in that order.

In their recruiting section for the A10, they have Aaric Murray of LaSalle as the "newcomer who will have the most impact" and the "most likely to see an NBA uniform first". Justin Crosgile of SJU is their "best playmaker/passer" for the 2009 recruiting class. Lindy's writes, "Saint Joseph's has a long tradition of good point guard play, and the Hawks brought in another solid player at the position in Justin Crosgile. Crosgile not only has great speed off the dribble, but he also can do an excellent job of creating for his teammates."

Recruiting Open Period Begins; Gym Rats Update

The fall contact period for recruiting began on Wednesday and runs until October 5th. What does that mean exactly? During this month, coaches are permitted to visit prospective seniors. During this time, coaches are not allowed to watch tournaments or nonscholastic events. This fall contact period also differs from the spring contact period. In the spring, coaches can have contact with junior and senior prospects.

Staying with that theme, right here in Philadelphia, Drexel got a verbal from Trenton Catholic guard Frantz Massenat. Massenat is part of a dynamic backcourt at Trenton Catholic that includes fellow senior Dondre Whitmore and junior Khalid Lewis El. Massenat is a solid guard and also a terrific student. Princeton, Rider, and Boston University were among the other schools that he was considering.

I spoke with Rick Barrett of Gym Rats Midnight Madness and got a few of the names of those participating in the event on September 26th. 2010 Syracuse commit Fab Melo is one of the big names. 2011 bigman Rakeem Christmas and 2012 wing Shabazz Muhammad are other elite level talents expected to participate. Christmas' teammate at Academy of the New Church, Malcolm Gilbert, is another name that Barrett mentioned. A more complete list should be released next week

Gym Rats Return

Rick Barrett is bringing some of the top high school basketball players in America back to South Jersey again this year. Gym Rat Midnight Madness will be taking place September 26th at Eastern High School in Voorhees, New Jersey. Invited players include Josh Smith, Kyrie Irving, Tony Chenault, Daniel Alexander, Tony Wroten (picture above), Cezar Guerrero, and more.

The event, which is open to the general public but closed to college coaches, began in 1983 and has featured many players who have moved on to NBA stardom. Alumni of the event include Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady, Jameer Nelson, Stephon Marbury, Trevor Ariza, Rip Hamilton, Joe Johnson, Carlos Boozer, Drew Gooden, and countless others.

Last year's event took place at Cherry Hill East High School and included many standout players. Aaric Murray, a current freshman at LaSalle, had a dominant performance on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. Malcolm Gilbert, Trevor Cooney, Stevie Taylor, and Shaq Duncan also had solid outings.

Hawk Hill Hardwood will be there again this year, providing you with a detailed report.

Photo courtesy of Rivals

Amile Jefferson-Top 10 Prospect in 2012

Over the past few days, both Scout.com and Rivals.com have published early (very early) top ten lists for the class of 2012. Amile Jefferson, a 6'6 small forward from Friends Central in Philadelphia, appears on both lists. Jefferson checks in at number 5 on Scout and number 7 on Rivals.

I had a chance to watch Amile play earlier this summer and completely understand the rationale behind his ranking. He is an extremely talented player with a feel for the game that is typically not seen in players of his age. Although Amile is a terrifically gifted athlete, he does not simply rely on that athleticism. He plays a very smart and team-oriented brand of basketball, even in all-star game settings. With two years of high school ball ahead of him, the sky really is the limit. As he continues to grow into his body, Amile could develop into one of the elite wings in the country in his class.

Amile attended the Saint Joe's Elite Camp back in June alongside both CJ Aiken and Langston Galloway. Both players have since committed to play at SJU. Obviously Jefferson is a gem of a talent and one that will have nearly every school in the country after him. Within the past week or so he attended the Duke Elite Camp. The number of schools calling on Amile Jefferson will continue to intensify, and with good reason.

Photo courtesy of Rivals