When Isaiah Briscoe cut his list to seven schools in late June, Kentucky wasn’t on the list. When he listed five schools in early August, Kentucky wasn’t mentioned then, either. But here we are in mid-November and the 6-foot-3 Roselle (N.J.) Catholic point guard has just committed to the Wildcats on ESPNU. Kentucky, the preseason No. 1 team and prohibitive favorite to win the 2015 NCAA championship, only began actively recruiting Briscoe in late August.
More: Isaiah Briscoe commits to Kentucky
After insisting all along that he would wait until the spring to commit, Derrick Jones saw enough this fall to make a decision. The high-flying 6-foot-7 wing from Radnor (PA) Archbishop Carroll committed to UNLV Thursday on ESPNU, choosing the Rebels over UConn and Auburn. “I’m going to take my talents to UNLV,” Jones said on ESPNU. “Just when I went up there on my visit, I just stepped on campus and I felt like it was a family there. I got to know all the basketball players there, and it just felt like a brotherhood there.”
More: Archbishop Carroll wing Derrick Jones taking his talents to UNLV
The Phoenix Suns assigned first-round draft picks Tyler Ennis and T.J. Warren to the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA D-League. Warren was the No. 14 pick in the 2014 NBA Draft out of N.C. State, and Ennis was No. 18 out of Syracuse. The Suns have a logjam at the point guard spot with Goran Dragic, Eric Bledsoe and Isaiah Thomas.
More: Tyler Ennis demoted from Phoenix Suns to D-League’s Jam
Syracuse wide receivers coach George McDonald was the lead recruiter for Miami (Fla.) Central High School defensive end Keivonnis Davis and a main factor in Davis‘ decision to commit to the Orange on Thursday, Miami Central head coach Roland Smith said in a phone interview Thursday afternoon. “We’ve had a good relationship ever since he was at Western Michigan,” Smith said of he and McDonald. “He always does a good job here in South Florida recruiting our kids. A big reason why Keivonnis went to Syracuse is George. He gave him an opportunity to go there and play right away.”
More: George McDonald was ‘a big reason’ why Miami DE Keivonnis Davis committed to SU
The field for the 2015 Classic is complete with programs that have had great success historically and features a minimum of seven Division I players. On the first night on Friday, January 16th at 7pm, Pope John XXIII from New Jersey will match up with St. Edward’s out of Cleveland. Pope John XXIII is paced by one of the top players in the state in senior Moustapha Diagne. One of the top centers in the country, the 6’8 Diagne had offers from national champion UConn, Cincinnati and Temple before he made the decision to commit to Syracuse.
More: Burger King Classic 2015 Field Released, includes Moustpha Diagne
Harry Giles has helped USA Basketball win a gold medal, played in big Nike Elite Youth Basketball League games with Chris Paul All-Stars and won a NCISAA 3A state title. However, Giles was still nervous in High Point (N.C.) Wesleyan Christian’s first game of the season Tuesday against visiting Thomasville (N.C.) New Hope Christian. The last time he played for the Trojans was in the state title game in February 2013. “I had nerves and I was ready to play,” Giles said. “I just was thinking about having fun, getting a win and that I won’t do too bad. It was mixed emotions.”
More: Star Junior Harry Giles Finally Returns To High School Basketball
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