Tar Heel Times

Barnes or bust for UNC?

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:29:00 -0400

North Carolina is now solely focused on recruiting Harrison Barnes. They only lose two seniors of note next year - Marcus Ginyard and Deon Thompson, and Ed Davis is a lock for entering the draft. The frontcourt has enough depth to absorb these losses. Plus, North Carolina has a commitment from 2011 elite post player James McAdoo. If the Tar Heels fail to land Barnes, Roy Williams might very well offer 2011 elite small forward Adonis Thomas.

Where I'm From: Kendall Marshall

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:58:00 -0400

I live in Dumfries, Va. I'm in the center of everything. We call our area, the "DMV" -- D.C., Maryland and (Northern) Virginia. I am 25 minutes from D.C. and Maryland. There are great colleges around us. It's a great area to be a college or high school kid because of the mix of suburbs and city. I'm about 25 minutes from D.C. so the White House, [and] Lincoln Memorial are close. We are about half an hour from Baltimore.

Harrison Barnes expected to announce college choice on Nov. 13

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:47:00 -0400

Ames star Harrison Barnes may give one college basketball coach some lucky news — and break the hearts of others — on Friday the 13th. Barnes, a 6-foot-6 senior forward who is considered by many to be the nation’s top recruit, is working out details of a ceremony to announce his college decision. Ames activities director Judge Johnston said he planned to meet with Barnes and his family Wednesday night to set up a Nov. 13 conference. “We’re fairly confident that it will be held in the afternoon on the 13th,” Johnston said.

Meet UNC Basketball Recruit Kendall Marshall

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 01:33:00 -0400

Rick Reilly wrote a Sports Illustrated column on Kendall Marshall. The Washington Post put Marshall on the cover of its paper. And not just the sports section. The entire paper. A recruiting service, HoopScoopOnline.com, ranked Marshall the No. 1 basketball prospect in the nation. Thing was, Marshall had yet to graduate high school at that point. Heck, he hadn’t even finished elementary school.

ESPN to televise Harrison Barnes basketball game

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 01:30:00 -0400

Ames High School will step onto the Hilton Coliseum court and into a national television spotlight Dec. 17. The Little Cyclones, the defending Class 4-A state boys’ basketball champions, will play Chicago-area Waukegan, Ill., in a nationally televised prime time game on ESPN at Iowa State’s Hilton. The game will feature two of the nation’s top prep recruits. Ames’ Harrison Barnes is ranked as the nation’s No. 1 recruit. Waukegan’s Jereme Richmond is a top 20 prospect who said he plans to play at Illinois.

What Harrison Barnes' Decision Means for Duke

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:29:00 -0400

Remember, remember the twelfth of November—if you're a Duke fan. That appears to be the day Harrison Barnes, the nation's top-ranked recruit, will announce which school will benefit from his numerous talents.

Irving does Duke, sport disservice with media game

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:25:00 -0400

The only problem is that, in an effort to pack as much intrigue into the moment as he could, Irving had to be less than fully honest. On Tuesday night, Adam Zagoria, who covers recruiting for SportsNet New York and Rivals.com, posted an item on his blog announcing that Irving had committed to Duke and would make a public announcement this week.

The Harrison Barnes Diary: Official visit to Duke

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:27:00 -0400

Friday, I got up early and was greeted by the entire coaching staff and we had breakfast at the hotel. That was really good, and then from there I got to go to class with one of my really good friends Andre Dawkins (Class of 2009), who I had not seen this summer. So I was excited about that. Andre’s good people. Then I had a chance to get some shots up at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

2010 Hoophall Classic Players to Watch: Michael Gilchrist

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:57:00 -0400

Michael Gilchrist was named the New Jersey Gatorade Player of the Year as a sophomore, averaging 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks per game, while playing an extremely challenging schedule with St Patrick's, one of the nation's elite programs. Gilchrist arrived at St. Patrick's as a big man, but has gradually transitioned to the perimeter, and by the time he graduates, he will have clocked time at every position from point guard through power forward. According to MaxPreps, he is projected to be 7-feet tall by the time he is 18. Comparisons range from Kevin Durant to Carmelo Anthony and Tracy McGrady.

Rob Harrington's Class of 2010 rankings

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 19:28:00 -0400

Basketball recruiting analyst Rob Harrigton's Class of 2010 rankings, including UNC commitments Reggie Bullock at No. 9 and Kendall Marshall at No. 20.

Harrison Barnes watches as Duke thumps Pfeifer

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 15:11:00 -0400

Before Duke’s exhibition opener even started, a security guard ordered students to hand down the signs they’d brought to Cameron Indoor Stadium. Harrison Barnes, a 6-foot-6 forward from Ames, Iowa, who’s rated the top high school senior in the nation, was about to enter the arena to watch Duke’s 128-70 pasting Pfeiffer in its exhibition opener Saturday. The signs were photocopies with Barnes’ head superimposed on the body of a Duke player in uniform. NCAA rules prohibit students from participating in organized wooing of prospects on their campus visits, so the signs were collected and taken away.

The Harrison Barnes Diary: Official visit to Kansas

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 12:05:00 -0400

I got there Friday morning. My family and I drove and when we got to campus we met up with Coach (Danny) Manning, who took us over to meet the Dean of the school. She was a little new to the university, but she gave a great presentation.

Coveted guard Irving commits to Duke

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:09:00 -0400

Kyrie Irving listened to his heart and his mind, and both told him to play basketball at Duke. Irving, a 6-2 guard from St. Patrick High School in Elizabeth, N.J., committed late yesterday afternoon. Kentucky and Texas A&M were in his final decision, and he also considered Georgia Tech and Seton Hall.

Did Duke just gets its Final Four savior?

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:34:00 -0400

Kyrie Irving, one of the elite prospects from the class of 2010, will reportedly commit to Duke, perhaps as early as Wednesday. It could take a bit to shake out – he was just in Kentucky for Big Blue Madness and is slated to visit Georgia Tech and Seton Hall this month – but all signs apparently point toward the Devils.

Cody Zeller taking unofficial visits

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 01:19:00 -0400

Cody Zeller is being recruited as a basketball player. But right now, he’s just enjoying watching football games. The Washington Hatchet junior center and one of the nation’s most prized recruits in the class of 2011, Zeller has been busy making unofficial visits this fall to colleges he’s interested in playing for. And who just happen to be hosting big time college football games at the same time.

Kendall Marshall's Journal - Oct '09

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:00:00 -0400

"It didn’t hit me that I’d be out there next year until they came out in their game uniforms. I saw Leslie McDonald in his #15 uniform, when last year he was sitting there with me. It hit me that it would be me and Reggie next year and it was kind of scary. Really, it’s just more being anxious. You are looking forward to getting out there, but not so much that two minutes of being out there dancing and looking like a fool."

Reggie Bullock giving teammates one heck of a present

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:50:00 -0400

Indirectly, Kinston forward Reggie Bullock is giving his teammates one heck of a present. How about a trip to Hawaii? And later on, why not travel to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame? And let's run over to Raleigh, stay in a nice hotel and play some of the best high school teams in the country. Want to play a game in the Dean Dome? Done. A high school basketball season gets pretty exciting when your team has one of the best players in the country and he has committed to play for UNC. People want to see you play.

Cody Zeller making his visits

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:48:00 -0400

Instead of watching late night with Dave or Conan or Craig Ferguson or Jimmy Fallon, Cody Zeller spent "Late Night with Roy" on Friday. Zeller, a 6-foot-91/2, 205-pound junior from Washington High School, made an unofficial visit to the University of North Carolina as the defending NCAA champion Tar Heels opened practice under coach Roy Williams. Cody's older brother, Tyler, is a sophomore at UNC.

C.J. Leslie at the Elite 80 Showcase

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 23:42:00 -0400

C.J. Leslie was a posterization waiting to happen, throwing down countless nasty dunks on the day. He appeared motivated to show off his perimeter skills, hanging out on the wing for the majority of the time unless he was punching on someone in the paint. The 6-9 combo forward showed off nasty handles for a player of his stature, but didn’t shoot the ball incredibly well from the perimeter.

One Big Decision for Harrison Barnes

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 08:43:00 -0400

The Duke-North Carolina rivalry won't be contested on the hardwood for several months. Right now, they are going head-to-head, battling big time. This showdown is at a neutral site, not in Chapel Hill or Durham. Come on, are you wondering what I am talking about? This battle is taking place in Ames, Iowa, home of Iowa State. It is also the home of the top recruit in the minds of many, 6-8 Harrison Barnes. He is very athletic, and he has tantalized many.