Jabari Parker (in walking boot) recieves a warm welcome from cheerleaders,
the mascot, and students at Simeon's kick-off event.

1. Simeon 33-1

Most talented Simeon team ever?

2. Young 16-10

Has national-level talent to challenge Simeon.

3. Proviso East 32-1

Sterling Brown (SMU), Paris Lee (ISU) ready to take the reins.

4. Morgan Park 17-9

Billy Garrett and Kyle Davis form best guard tandem in Illinois.

5. St. Rita 16-11

Matthews brothers, Victor Law, Myles Carter provide talent and size.

6. Seton 28-6

6-8 De La Salle transfer Alex Foster (Minnesota) joins underrated guards Mark Weems and Kamal Sashi.

7. Curie 25-3

Big Cliff Alexander needs help from talented but unproven perimeter players.

8. St. Joseph 20-9

Big front line will go as far as sophomore guards Jordan Ash and Glynn Watson take it.

9. Bogan 26-4

No big names, but always among Public League's toughest, best-coached teams.

10. Hillcrest 27-6

PG Kyle Oden and SG Jovan Mooring return for 3A semifinalist.

11. Benet 21-7

6-8 Sean O'Mara and 6-5 Pat McInerney have smart, gritty supporting cast.

12. Marist 26-6

Lexus Williams and L.J. McIntosh were magical before running into Simeon last March.

13. Orr 20-5

Rock-solid PG Jamal McDowell returns with 6-6 junior Tyquone Greer.

14. Hyde Park 13-10

6-8 Moshawn Thomas is among most talented bigs in state.

15. Notre Dame 20-9

Air Force-bound G Matt Mooney leads experienced Dons.

16. North Chicago 25-7

Aaron Simpson gone, but JaVairius Amos-Mays ready to take over.

17. Bolingbrook 15-11

6-8 F Ben Moore (SMU), sophomore G Prentiss Nixon give Raiders to D-I players.

18. Schaumburg 24-6

Three-year starters Jimmy Lundquist and Kyle Bolger have played in two sectional finals.

19. Glenbrook North 20-7

Spartans have a good big (Davidson-bound C Andrew McAuliffe) and a steady PG (Kurt Karis).

20. Bloom 28-5

4A semifinalists have experience but will be hard-pressed to replace PG Donald Moore.

On the verge: Andrew, Evanston, Lake Forest, Marshall, West Aurora.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muddy Waters on November 20, 2012 Dayton Coach Archie Miller Announces 2012 Fall Recruiting Class (Dayton Flyers - November 19, 2012) University of Dayton men’s basketball coach Archie Miller has announced the signing of three top high school players to letters of intent. They are 6-foot-2 guard Kyle Davis, 6-foot-5 wing Kendall Pollard and 6-foot-2 Dayshon “Scoochie” Smith. Davis and Kendall are two of the top high school players out of Chicago this year, while Smith is one of the top point guards out of New York City in the class of 2013. ARCHIE “We are very excited to add these three young men to the University of Dayton men's basketball program,” Miller said. “They will all thrive in what we think is one of the best "quality of life" environments that any major university can provide a student-athlete. They are a great fit for us, and we are a great fit for them. They really embody what we are striving for in our program. They will mix in nicely with our returning players, especially those we brought in last year.” KYLE DAVIS 6-Foot-2 Guard, Chicago Morgan Park High School Kyle Davis became the first recruit in the class of 2013 UD head coach Archie Miller when Davis committed in August. The 6-foot-2 left-handed combo guard averaged 25 points and seven assists for Hyde Park Academy last season. He was Chicago Sun-Times Third Team All-Chicago Public League as a junior. Davis will play for Morgan Park High School as a senior. He selected Dayton after receiving offers from teams in the Big Ten, Big East, ACC and SEC. Both Rivals and Scout.com rate him a “four-star” recruit, and Rivals considers him the 105-th best player in the nation in the class of 2013. Dayton Coach Archie Miller on Kyle Davis: "Kyle is extremely competitive. He is a very smart basketball player and has the skill set to play our style of basketball. He is the kind of player who makes those around him better. But what sets him apart is the kind of competitor he is. I don’t know if I’ve been around a young guy who wants to win any more than Kyle.” KENDALL POLLARD 6-Foot-5 Forward, Chicago Simeon Career Academy A member of the 2011 and 2012 Illinois 4A state champions at Simeon Career Academy and a teammate of Jabari Parker, the nation’s top-ranked player, Kendall Pollard is a three-star recruit who ESPN.com rates as the 35th-best small forward in the country. Pollard has a nearly 7-foot wingspan, and one recruiting service called him “a workhorse who is highly active around the basket. He has good instincts on the glass and a nice shooting touch in the paint area, which explains why he shoots at a high percentage. In addition, he gets out on the break well and is a hard-nosed defender who doesn’t take plays off.” Pollard averaged 9.0 points and 6.3 rebounds a game for Simeon last year. Dayton Coach Archie Miller on Kendall Pollard: "I love Kendall’s basketball IQ. He can play multiple positions, is tough and a winner. In fact he may come to us next year as one of the winningest basketball players ever in the state of Illinois. He brings us the ability to make an impact at both ends of the floor, and can be a productive player inside and outside. His versatility will make him a difficult matchup.” DAYSHON “SCOOCHIE” SMITH 6-Foot-2 Guard, Putnam Science Academy The second member of Archie Miller’s 2013 recruiting class to be ranked in the top 125 nationally is 6-foot-2 point guard Dayshon “Scoochie” Smith. A native of the Bronx, Smith is ranked the 121st prospect in the nation by Rivals. He transferred to Putnam Science Academy in Putnam, Ct. after his high school in New York City closed. Smith averaged 17.2 points and 6.1 assists last season for PSA, while shooting better than 40% from three-point range. The signings of Davis and Smith give the Flyers their first two Top 125 recruits in the same class in school history. Coach Archie Miller on Scoochie Smith: "Dayshon is the one point guard we evaluated extensively during the recruiting process whose approach and decision-making fits perfectly with the way we want to play. He is a pass-first point guard who is a threat to score in any situation. All this, along with his combination of length and quickness will give him a chance to be one of the better point guards in our league early in his career.”

Morgan Park wants to be known as one of the premier teams in the nation and helped back up that claim by downing previously-undefeated Lawrence North (Ind.) 67-58 in the Indy Legacy Indiana vs. Illinois Showcase.


INDIANAPOLIS - Morgan Park players have lofty goals that go beyond winning a state championship.

The Mustangs also want to be known as one of the premier teams in the nation and made a statement in proving that on Saturday in the Indy Legacy Indiana vs. Illinois Showcase at Indianapolis Tech High School.

Morgan Park (4-0) opened the second half with an 8-2 run that put the Mustangs ahead 41-29 and Lawrence North (5-1) never again seriously threatened.

Kyle Davis scored seven of his team-high 19 points in the run to open the second half.

Kyle Davis heard the doubters.

"Everybody thought me and Billy (Garrett) were going to bump heads," Davis said.

Garrett was among them.

"Just because I had never played with him before," he said.

The future Division I guards both are alpha males between the lines, albeit with clashing styles.

The 6-foot Davis, a Dayton recruit who transferred to Morgan Park from Hyde Park this season, is a blur who is always on the attack.

The DePaul-bound Garrett, a 6-5 senior and four-year Morgan Park starter, has, in his words, "a slower, smoother game."

Each has modified his game to accommodate the other, and No. 2 Morgan Park (6-0) appears to be the team to beat at the 52nd Proviso West Tournament, which has expanded from 16 to 32 teams and appears to have reclaimed its status as the strongest of the holiday tournaments.

Davis is averaging approximately 19 points, four assists and four steals, while Garrett is checking in at 17 points, nine assists and seven rebounds.

Irvin likes to press and run for 32 minutes, which plays into Davis' hands.

But instead of attacking the rim at every turn, he now pulls up like a modern pass-first point guard and looks for Garrett spotting up for 3.

Morgan Park picked up a win at the Tarkanian Classic in Las Vegas.

Everyone knows about Morgan Park's talented backcourt. But Friday at the Tarkanian Classic in Las Vegas, Nev. it was promising junior Josh Cunningham that sparkled in a 68-39 win over Compton, Cal.

Cunningham scored 20 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and blocked four shots.

Dayton recruit Kyle Davis scored 16, grabbed six rebounds, and had four assists. DePaul recruit Billy Garrett Jr. added 9 points, seven assists and four rebounds.

Jabari Parker's Chicago Simeon Career Academy dropped out of the No. 1 ranking in the country Monday, four days after the Illinois school lost at DeSoto (Texas) High School 67-57.

The televised game Thursday featured some of the nation's top college basketball prospects. Parker — rated the No. 1 prospect in the country, according to some, and No. 2 prospect, according to others, is returning from a broken foot he sustained in the summer — scored just five points in the loss.

Meanwhile, DeSoto guard Matt Jones, who has agreed to play for Duke, scored 23 points to help knock off Simeon, which was ranked No. 1 by ESPN at the time.

Heading into the fourth quarter, Simeon trailed. They were able to score seven points in the first minute of the fourth quarter to cut the deficit to 43-36, but the run was answered by an 11-0 spurt by DeSoto.

Simeon never recovered.

Multiple players fell short in the loss, but Simeon's Kendall Pollard played well. He scored 10 points, including seven in the final minute, as Simeon desperately tried to get back in the game.

"Right now, Kendall Pollard is our best player," Simeon head coach Robert Smith told the Chicago Tribune.

"Guys have to step up and reach his level. He's out there defending, rebounding, blocking shots, making plays. It's a plus for us when Jabari (Parker) gets healthy."

The win over Arlington lifted Simeon to a 2-1 record on the season.

Parker, the 6-8 All-American and 2012 National Player of the Year is set to announce December 20th where he'll play college basketball.

Many people believe Parker will choose Michigan State or Duke, but BYU, Stanford and Florida are also in his final five.

Tom Izzo and Mike Krzyzewski, the head coaches of Michigan State and Duke, were both in attendance at Simeon's game against DeSoto in Texas.

Simeon coach Rob Smith was pleased with almost everything about his team’s 75-42 victory over Red-South opponent, Brooks, except for one small thing. The team’s dismal free throw percentage. The Wolverines shot 17-for-31 from the charity strip, a number Smith found totally unacceptable.

Playing without coach Chris Head, who had to sit out because he received two technical fouls on Dec. 19, the Eagles fell behind early when Simeon put together a 24 - 4 run in the first half.

Kendall Pollard scored 12 of his 14 points for the game during the run, as the lead ballooned to 40-15 at halftime.

Putnam Science Academy

Coach/Year: Tom Espinosa/7th.

2011-12 record: 19-10.

Top returners: Sr. G Dayshon Smith; Jr. F Berkan Tuylu; Jr. G Sergen Kumas.

Top newcomers: PG C Ugur Hortom; PG G Mairega Clarke; PG F Jonte Rutty; PG F Paul Brooks; PG G Jemal Mosley; PG F Joel Angus; Sr. G Berkay Turetkun; So. G Yasin Gultrkin; So. G Emirhan Ozturk; So. G Burak Eraslan.

Outlook: The Mustangs have only one goal: Make the National Prep Championship Tournament. However, it doesn’t stop them from having personal goals.

Dayshon Smith, who averaged 16 points, seven assists, four steals and three rebounds per game last season, would like to bring the Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year trophy with him to the University of Dayton. "I just have to play the game I’ve been playing all summer and last year, and let the numbers speak for themselves," Smith said.

Espinosa believes basketball is "all about guards" and Smith and Mosley are a great place to start. The Mustangs have the deepest team they have ever had, according to Espinosa, with the 6-foot-11 Hortum being a presence inside and one of the Mustangs’ best outside shooters. "We have some great size, we’re athletic, we’re very skilled and shoot the ball. We just have to work defensively," Espinosa said.

Putnam Science Academy 111, REDA 63

PUTNAM — The Putnam Science Academy sank 18 of its 30 3-point attempts in a 111-63 rout of REDA (Canada) on Saturday for its first victory of the season.

Senior Jonte Rutty led the way with 32 points and six rebounds and senior Dayshon Smith added 11 points, 10 rebounds, and three steals for the Mustangs (1-2).

Mairega Clarke fell a rebound short of a double-double with 16 points, nine rebounds and four steals.

Putnam Science Academy 86, Notre Dame Prep 66

BARRINGTON, R.I. — Jemal Mosley led all scorers with 25 points and added three assists for the Mustangs (2-2).

Teammate Dayshon Smith added 23 points, 10 assists, six rebounds, and three steals, and Jonte Ruddy contributed 20 points and six rebounds.

South Kent 71, Putnam Science Academy 69

HARTFORD — Ugur Hortum’s 3-point attempt at the buzzer failed to fall as the Mustangs (3-5) lost in the Doc Hurley Tournament.

Dayshon Smith scored a game-high 30 points and added nine assists for Putnam Science Academy.

Jonte Rutty added 20 points and five rebounds, and Paul Brooks grabbed 11 rebounds.

Putnam Science Academy 91, Masters 66

SIMSBURY — The Mustangs put on a show on the road, draining 17 3-pointers.

Dayton recruit Dayshon Smith led the way by hitting eight threes on the way to a game-high 36 points. He also had eight assists and five steals.

Ugur Hortum (13 points, 13 rebounds) and Paul Brooks (15 points, 14 rebounds) each registered double-doubles for Putnam Science, who led 51-18 at the half.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muddy Waters H.S. Basketball Roundup (Norwich Bulletin - December 18, 2012) Putnam Science Academy 91, Masters 66 Dayton recruit Dayshon Smith led the way by hitting eight threes on the way to a game-high 36 points. He also had eight assists and five steals.

1 Young (9-1)

LJ Peak has arrived


2 Simeon (9-1)

Parker is a force again


3 Morgan Park (12-1)

In Proviso West Tourney Final - Monday Dec. 31st


4 Proviso East (10-2)

Faces Morgan Park Monday in Proviso West Tourney Final

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muddy Waters Michael O'Brien's Super 25 HS Basketball Rankings (Chicago Sun-Times - December 30, 2012) 1 Young (9-1) LJ Peak has arrived 2 Simeon (9-1) Parker is a force again 3 Morgan Park (12-1) In Proviso West Tourney Final - Monday Dec. 31st 4 Proviso East (10-2) Faces Morgan Park Monday in Proviso West Tourney Final

1. Young 9-1

In final of Beach Ball Classic on Monday.


2. Simeon 9-1

Pontiac champs face Montverde (Fla.) on Saturday.


3. Morgan Park 12-1

Faces Proviso East for Proviso West Tourney title on Monday.


4. Notre Dame 13-1

Hardwood Classic champs.


5. Proviso East 10-2

Avenged loss to Oswego to reach Proviso West Tourney final.