1. Added a Featured Partner block to Home and Dashboard pages, linking to Fantasy Sports Ventures, D1 Sports Training, Reebok, Sports International Football Camps and Five Star Basketball
2. Allow non-logged-in visitors vote on Challenges and simplified their layouts
3. Allow members to create open challenges that other members can pick up and accept
4. Improved the Add My School link to be more helpful
5. Added Report Content links to member profiles
6. Added D1 training clip to home page
7. Added a Coach Support option to the Contact Us page, and linked college coaches to it from their dashboards
8. Fixed a few miscellaneous bugs
9. Added Club Team Name to athlete and high school coach profiles
10. Added re-usable referral code to allow members to customize a button/badge to display on their websites/blogs/social networking profiles

Welcome to the 15th edition of our weekly High School Sports and Recruiting Digest, which saves you time by giving you the scoop on the stories you may have missed from the last week. Check out the headlines below for what’s been going on in the world of high school sports, and click the links to see the full stories.

Top Point Guard Will Visit Memphis This Weekend

According to Scout.com (subscription required), John Wall, the #1 point guard from the Class of 2009, will likely make his official visit to Memphis this weekend. Wall also may be considering schools such as Baylor, NC State, Kansas and Duke, but he hasn’t said if he is leaning towards one in particular.

The Early Signing Period Approaches for Basketball

Wednesday (Nov. 12) is the first day that high school senior basketball players can sign national letters of intent. Rivals.com has the scoop on what to watch for in this early signing period, and ESPN has a writeup about the ways that the early signing period benefits players and coaches.

High School RB Savors His Senior Season

“For Khiry Watts, it doesn’t get much better. He is having an unforgettable football season — and he has a family to enjoy it with him.” The Post-Gazette has the story about this senior running back from Avonworth High School in Pittsburgh. Thanks to the High School Football Huddle blog for finding this.

Early Signing Period Team Rankings

Rivals.com ranked the teams with the top basketball recruiting classes for 2009 so far in the early signing period. UNC is #1, with five commits in the top 70 players.

Some Athletes Skipping High School Sports

“Some of the best girls’ soccer players in Greater Cincinnati, and indeed the entire state, didn’t play for their high schools this season.” Cincinnati.com has the story. Club teams are also sometimes more important in recruiting than high school for athletes from sports, such as volleyball, tennis and basketball. This is a very interesting article.

Star Volleyball Recruit Picks Texas

The #1 volleyball player in the country, 6′3″ Bailey Webster, did a great job keeping track of the more than 200 coaches who contacted her, spent time figuring out where she wanted to go, and ultimately signed to play at Texas next year.

PrepChamps has partnered with BallisLife, a leading grassroots basketball online community, to help basketball players get noticed and showcase their skills. BallisLife.com, which has ties with Slam Magazine, is a site where fans and athletes of all levels of basketball can discuss stories, share and comment on videos, watch highlight mixes, write blogs and talk about all things basketball. The site features some great highlight mixes including videos of high school basketball stars and under the radar players, which we’ll be featuring here occasionally. Here’s their latest dunk mix:

BallisLife also provides custom videos for players who want a nice highlight mix of their plays created. If you play basketball and are looking to get recogized and recruited, check out BallisLife Services and get them to create a custom highlight video for you or your team.

Check out BallisLife.com if you’re interested in all things basketball, want to see some great highlight videos or want to get your own highlight reel created to feature on your PrepChamps profile and send to college coaches.

**Update** Scout.com’s Early Signing Blog reports that Michael Snaer won’t make his announcement until Thursday or Friday now. The word on the street is that he’s likely to pick Florida State.

According to TheShiver.com, Michael Snaer will make his college announcement on Wednesday. Snaer, who is #30 in ESPNU’s top 100 players from the class of 2009, has recently narrowed his list down to Kansas, Florida State and Marquette.

We’ll keep you posted on Michael Snaer’s decision–when he’ll decide and for who–so check back soon for updates.

At the end of October, Rivals.com launched its first online reality series called “Full Court Press.” The 10-part video series chronicles the beginning of the basketball season for the University of Memphis men’s team. The reality series takes a look at what goes on behind the scenes as the team prepares for its season. Each episode is 9-15 minutes long and a new one will be released each week through December 17.

Part of episode four of this series features a day in the life of coach John Calipari. Calipari has some interesting thoughts about what he looks for in a recruit that I wanted to share:

The whole point of when I recruit is that I’m trying to get to this kid’s heart. Now, when I was at UMass, I went into a kid’s home and he disrespected his mother. Right in front of me. I stayed in the home 12 minutes. Max. And I just said we’ll come back, and I looked at my assistant and said “You didn’t know this kid better than that?”

Kids with good hearts, they do dumb things just like everybody else. But, they handle things differently. They respect other people. They have a caring attitude, a caring heart. Those are the kids I try to recruit.

Session 1 from the 2008 Colorado Fall Shootout took place on October 25 at Chatfield High School and featured some great talent (click the link for the recap). Session 2 was held on November 1 at D’Evelyn High School. See below for some of the top players from session 2 of the Colorado Fall Shootout.

Session 2 Results

Co-Most Outstanding Players:
Eric Swift (6′3″ SG Denver Street School 2009)
Michael Matthews (6′1″ SG Telluride 2009)

Top Seniors (2009):
Eric Swift (6′3″ SG Denver Street School 2009)
Michael Matthews (6′1″ SG Telluride 2009)

Top Junior (2010):
Austin Miller (6′4″ SG Grandview)

Top Sophomore (2011):
Terrell Brown (6′4″ SG Palmer)

Top Freshman (2012):
Jalen Little (5′8″ PG Palmer)

All Event Team

CLASS OF 2009 (SENIORS)

The Class of 2009 had some nice breakout performers who will no longer be flying under the radar after their play in the event. They were led by the Co-Most Outstanding Players and Top Seniors Eric Swift (6′3″ SG Denver Street School) and Michael Matthews (6′1″ SG Telluride). Swift is a silky smooth wing who can get to the rim almost any time he wants to and finishes very well. He is also incredibly athletic and a great on ball defender. Swift had a great summer while leading his Colorado Chaos team to the Championship of the Double Pump Best of Summer and should continue that momentum into the winter and be a hot recruiting commodity. Matthews exploded onto the scene in the event. He has always had the talent, but has flown under the radar playing 2A basketball on the western slope. He is a nice looking wing who has obviously been working hard in the weight room to improve his frame and athleticism. He is an explosive scorer who has already scored roughly 1,700 points in his high school career and has a chance to finish as one of the top five all time leading scorers in Colorado history. He is a deadly shooter from all over the floor who can also get to the rim and handle the ball well. He would be a steal for any RMAC school looking for a solid scoring guard.

Some other seniors broke out and played very well and made the All Event Team. This group is led by the Longmont duo of Dave Edden (6′5″ CF Longmont) and Tom Payne (6′2″ SG Longmont). Edden, who recently moved here from England, has a great frame and plays very hard. He has great footwork and finishes around the rim very well. He also rebounds the ball with a vigor. Payne is an athletic wing who can play a variety of positions. He has a decent handle and gets to the rim and finishes well. Joining them on the All Event Team are two versatile mid-sized players Connor Kloepfer (6′2″ SF Niwot) and Christian Lewis (6′4″ SF Denver Street School). Kloepfer is strong and athletic and has a great motor. He rebounds well for a player his size and finishes around the rim. Lewis is a very nice looking athlete with a ton of upside who ended up leading the event in scoring. He is incredibly athletic and can play almost every position on the floor. He has a nice handle and gets to the rim very well. He also has a serviceable jump shot and rebounds the ball well. With some skill work, he could be a nice college prospect. The final senior to make the All Event Team was Jeremy Sullivan (5′8″ PG D’Evelyn). He is incredibly quick and handles and shoots the ball well, especially from three point range. He also has possibly the quickest hands in the state and is a wonderful on ball defender, creating a ton of steals and fast break opportunities.

A few other seniors who played well but didn’t quite make the All Event Team were Keith Cooper (6′0″ CG Denver Street School), Peterly Celestin (6′3″ SF Denver Street School), Colby Harrison (6′6″ CF Cheyenne East, WY) and Shane Baldauf (6′1″ SG Salida). Cooper is a very strong combo guard who gets to the rim well. Celestin is an athletic wing who finishes well. Harrison is a nice looking post prospect who has nice footwork and instincts and scores well in the paint. Baldauf is a strong wing who shoots the ball well and also gets to the rim in transition.

CLASS OF 2010 (JUNIORS)

The class of 2010 made a decent showing in the event. Austin Miller (6′4″ SG Grandview) was named the Top Junior in the event. He is a very nice looking wing with a ton of athleticism. He is very long for his position and can get to the rim very well in the half court and in transition. Miller is also a great shooter from all over the floor and rebounds the ball very well for his position. He is one of the best “unknown” players in the state and should be one of the leaders for a very underrated Grandview team this season.

Four other Juniors made the All Event Team. This group was led by Matt Martien (5′8″ PG Longmont). He is a strong, heady point guard who handles the ball very well and always finds his open teammates. He also defends well and gets to the rim when he needs to. Another guard, Joel Hegarty (6′3″ SG Faith Christian) also made the All Event Team. He is a long, skilled wing who scores going to the rim and shoots the ball well. He should have a big junior season for one of the best teams in 3A. Two Salida juniors also made the All Event Team; Ron Fore (6′8″ P Salida) and James Bove (6′1″ SG Salida). Fore is a nice looking post player with a ton of upside and looks to have some room to grow. He does a great job working to get position and has decent post moves using both hands. He also has nice defensive instincts and footwork and rebounds and blocks shots well. He should climb up the rankings and with some continued development, could turn into a nice college prospect. Bove is a strong, athletic wing who gets to the rim very well and finishes strong. He is a good scorer and keeps defenders honest with a solid jump shot.

A few other juniors played well but didn’t quite make the All Event Team. They were Devon Grant (6′1″ SG Rampart), Timothy Perry (5′10″ PG Pine Creek) and Jade Pender (6′5″ SF Castle View). Grant is an athletic wing who defends well. Perry is a very solid point guard who plays hard on both ends of the floor. Pender is a nice looking mid-sized player who defends well in the post and has decent moves to the rim.

CLASS OF 2011 (SOPHOMORES)

The Class of 2011 had two standout players make the All Event Team. Both of these players were two of the top five players in the entire camp and both are very nice looking Division I prospects. Terrell Brown (6′4″ SG Palmer) was named the Top Sophomore in the event for the second week in a row. He is a big time prospect who is equally talented on both ends of the floor. He gets to the rim with ease and finishes very well and has a very nice looking mid range jump shot. He is also a tenacious defender and showed off a nice shooting touch from beyond the three point line in the event. Giving Brown a run for his money was Jordan Gregory (6′0″ CG Pueblo East). He has a thick frame for a player his age and can score equally well going to the rim and shooting the ball. He handles the ball well and plays very intelligent basketball. He is easily one of the top prospects in his class and should see some early Division I interest with what should be a strong sophomore season.

CLASS OF 2012 (FRESHMEN)

The Class of 2012 made a nice showing in the event. Two standouts made the All Event Team. This duo was led by Jalen Little (5′8″ PG Palmer), who was named the Top Freshman in the event. He is a lightning quick point guard who handles the ball very well and has a very nice pull up jump shot. He is also solid on defense and can essentially break a press on his own. The other freshman to make the All Event Team was Jourdon Hunter (6′0″ SG Montbello). He can score from various ranges and has wonderful instincts. He is also a strong defender and should grow a few more inches and turn into a very nice college prospect in the next few seasons.

A few other freshmen played well but didn’t quite make the All Event Team. They were Charles Smith (5′8″ PG Thomas Jefferson) and Trey Boykin (6′2″ SG Rangeview). Smith is a very heady point guard who plays hard and shoots the ball well. Boykin is a silky smooth wing who shoots the ball well and would have made the All Event Team if he didn’t have to leave early.

Welcome to the 14th edition of our weekly High School Sports and Recruiting Digest, which saves you time by giving you the scoop on the stories you may have missed from the last week. Check out the headlines below for what’s been going on in the world of high school sports, and click the links to see the full stories.

Some Recruits Aren’t Even in High School

When Kentucky’s basketball coach took a committment from an 8th grader in April, it set off discussions about recruiting and how young is too young to start. An overwhelming majority of ACC coaches said they would NOT accept a commitment from an 8th grader.

Parents Need Education About Recruiting Process

Great article from a Chicago-Sun Times blog about the role that parents should play in the recruiting process. The author says that while they shouldn’t make a decision for their son/daughter, they should stay involved and be sure to ask the right questions throughout the process.

2008 Texas Jamboree Coming Soon

The 2008 Texas Jamboree high school basketball event will be held November 28-29 in Houston and feature some top teams and talent from the Texas and Louisiana area.

Tennessee Recruits Will Wait and See

Following the resignation of Tennessee’s head football coach Phil Fulmer, the Sporting News reports that two football recruits will wait and see which assistant coaches are retained before making any decisions.

Mixing Asthma, Athletics Requires Delicate Balance

The Hartford Courant has an interesting look at how athletes (specifically a few field hockey players) cope with playing their sport while keeping their asthma under control.

Illinois Hoopster Preps For Season Opener

Mouthpiece Sports has the scoop on Class of 2009 combo guard Jeremy Jones of Simeon High School. The 6′2″ guard received some attention after some good performances this summer and is excited for his team’s first game vs. powerhouse Oak Hill Academy.

He didn’t even join a high-school team until his sophomore year, and caused a minor stir when he told The Washington Post that high-school ball is “not that important.”

Renardo Sidney built his reputation on the AAU/summer circuit of tournaments, including the Reebok All-American Camp in Philadelphia, which provides a stage for more than 100 of the top players in the country to compete and show off their skills. Stories about players like Sidney and Thomas Robinson, who attended a Reebok Headliner Camp, show that AAU and summer basketball events are just as/if not more important than high school basketball in the recruiting process these days.

Here’s a video of Renardo Sidney from Ball Is Life if you’re interested in seeing how he plays:

PrepChamps recently became the official recruiting partner of the 2008 Texas High School Basketball Jamboree. This 6th annual event will be held on November 28-29 in Houston, Texas at the gym at Strake Jesuit College Preparatory. This year’s event features features some of the top players and teams from the Texas and Louisiana area. Past participants include current NBA players such as Glen “Big Baby” Davis, Daniel Gibson and D.J. Augustine.

Talent

Some exciting players to watch this year include:

• 6′7″ Tim Frazier (Class of 2009, committed to Penn State)
• 6′2″ Mike Davis (Class of 2009, committed to Texas Tech)
• 5′10″ Blake Jolivette (Class of 2009, committed to American University)
• 6′2″ Mark Brooks (Class of 2009, undecided)
• 6′0″ John Caleb Sanders (Class of 2010, committed to Liberty)
• 5′10″ Phil Pressy (Class of 2010, undecided)
• 6′7″ LeBryan Nash (Class of 2011, undecided)

Schedule

Tickets are $10/day. See below for the full schedule:

Friday, Nov. 28, 2008

12:00 pm    Austin LBJ Tigers                      vs        Westbury Christian Wildcats
1:30 p.m    North Forest Bulldogs                vs.       Port Arthur Memorial Titan
3:00 p.m.   Second Baptist Eagles                vs.       Dallas Kimball Knights
4:30 p.m.   Louisiana Istrouma Indians        vs.       Dallas Pinkston Vikings
6:00 p.m.   Lancaster Tigers                        vs.      St. Thomas Eagles
7:30 p.m.   Dallas Lincoln Tigers                  vs.      Spring Westfield Mustangs
9:00 p.m.   Episcopal School of Dallas Eagles  vs.     Houston Bellaire Cardinals

Sat., Nov. 29, 2008

10:30 am    North Forest Bulldogs              vs     HCYA Warriors
12:00 p.m   Second Baptist Eagles              vs.    Austin LBJ Tigers
1:30 p.m.   Westbury Christian Wildcats     vs.    Louisiana Istrouma Indians
3:00 p.m.   Port Arthur Memorial Titans     vs.    Dallas Pinkston Vikings
4:30 pm     St. Thomas Eagles                    vs        Episcopal School of Dallas Eagles
6:00 p.m.   Strake Jesuit Crusaders            vs.      Louisiana Glen Oaks Panthers
7:30 p.m.   Houston Bellaire Cardinals       vs       Dallas Lincoln Tigers
9:00 p.m.   Houston Wheatley Wildcats      vs       Lancaster Tigers

Location

8900 Bellaire Blvd Houston, TX 77036-4610 US

View Larger Map
If you’re in the Houston area, we hope you get a chance to check out this year’s Texas High School Basketball Jamboree and watch some great players and teams compete. You can check out the official tournament website here.

The 6′9″ Derrick Favors is the #1 center from the Class of 2009. When he makes his annoucement, he is expected to choose between Georgia, Georgia Tech and N.C. State, and will annouce live on ESPNU, like Ryan Kelly and Kenny Boynton did recently.

We’ll let you know here when Favors will make his college decision and what his choice is, so stay tuned for more information.