by Alex Schwartz

- Last week Tamir Jackson '09 of St. Benedict's (NJ) committed to Rice, just as Northstar Basketball predicted in early September. "Academics, playing time, the coaching staff, and the advice Ron Harper gave me," Jackson told me when I asked him why he pick the Owls. The talented 6'2 combo guard said that he knows Harper because "he lives in New Jersey and his wife coaches [the] Paterson Catholic girls." He went on to say that Harper "said [that people] will find you wherever you go. It's not the name of the school." Tamir, who had committed to UAB, but de-committed from the Blazers in early July because he felt that Mike Davis and Co. did not stay in contact with him. "Pop" said that it will be "easy" when he plays UAB, which is in the same conference as Rice, the C-USA, adding the he will "just go out and play [his] game." The Garden State star did say that he will indeed have more motivation when he plays the Blazers, saying, "who wouldn't? It will be a lot."

- Tyshawn Bell of Caravel Academy (DE) informed me that he will be do a year as a post-grad prior to college, which will put him in the class of 2010. Due to this, Bell said that his college interest is "not heavy right now."

- I first saw on ZagsBlog.net that Jeremy Tyler '10 of San Diego (CA) committed to Louisville. Tyler, a participant in the 2008 Boost Mobile Elite 24 Classic, is regarded as one of the best big men in the class of 2010.

- Markens Charles '09 of The Nia School (NJ) has another school interested in him: Coppin State. The point guard told me in early September that he was being recruited by a handful of schools.

Note- photo is from http://scouthoops.scout.com/.