by Alex Schwartz

- One of the nation's top high school basketball events, the Prime Time Shootout, got underway last Friday in West Virginia. There were 11 games played over three days, highlighted by Oak Hill Academy (VA) defeating Columbia (GA) and Rice (NY) upsetting Westchester (CA) in the final two games of the weekend on Saturday night. There will be 10 games at Villanova from January 29-31, four at Kean University on February 12, and then 14 more at Sun National Bank Center on February 13-14. This is a very well-run event that features top-notch players, and if you are in the area and want to see some quality high school hoops I highly recommend going.

- Speaking of upsets involving Rice, the NYC powerhouse lost to Holy Cross (NY) on Tuesday night in a major upset. This was Rice's second loss on the season, with the first coming to Westlake (GA).

- According to a source, both Amile Jefferson '12 and Devin Coleman '11 are expected to leave Friends Central (PA) after the year. Time will tell if this does indeed happen.

- Check out this  article on Kevin Boyle and Danny Hurley from Rivals High by Adam Zagoria. It is an interesting read on the two high school coaching giants' interest in moving to the college ranks.

- Chandler Fraser-Pauls '11 of The Pennington School (NJ) became the second Red Raider to hit the 1,000-point milestone this season. The 5'11 point guard hit a three—one of his six treys in the game en route to 24 points—in the first quarter against Steinert (NJ) to give him the magical number. He joins Harold Spears '10 as TPS players to reach 1,000 in the 09-10 season. Fraser-Pauls, a junior who is being recruited by schools in the Ivy League, Patriot League, and America East for hoops and numerous programs for soccer, is a key member of the #10 ranked team in my New Jersey High School Fab 15.

- There are 14 uncommitted players in Northstar Basketball's Class of 2010 Terrific 125, including three from Maryland, two from California (at the same school), two from Florida, and two from Michigan (on the same AAU team). Five of the players are point guards, four are shooting guards, three are small forwards, two are power forwards, and none are centers. See the players below:

     #3 Brandon Knight, PG, 6'3, Pine Crest (FL)
     #6 Josh Selby, PG, 6'2, Lake Clifton (MD)
     #13 Doron Lamb, SG, 6'4, Oak Hill Academy (VA)
     #20 Terrence Jones, PF, 6'8, Jefferson (OR)
     #22 CJ Leslie, PF, 6'8, Word of God Academy (NC)
     #24 Cory Joseph, PG, 6'3, Findlay Prep (NV)
     #25 Justin Coleman, SG, 6'4, Huntington Prep (WV)
     #30 Ray McCallum, PG, 6'1, Detroit Country Day School (MI)
     #45 Trey Zeigler, SG, 6'4, Mount Pleasant (MI)
     #60 Terrence Ross, SF, 6'6, Montrose Christian (MD)
     #96 Dwayne Polee, SF, 6'7, Westchester (CA)
     #105 Jordin Mayes, SG, 6'1, Westchester (CA)
     #107 Jonathan Graham, PF, 6'8, Calvert Hall College HS (MD)
     #121 Jelani Hewitt, PG, 6'3, Northeast (FL)

- In addition to the 14 players listed above, there is one other player who might still be open. Luke Cothron, a 6'8 PF from Flora MacDonald Academy (NC) committed to North Carolina State quite some time ago, but did not sign with the Wolfpack during the early signing period. According to reports, Cothron claims he is still solid to NC State, but one would think that other schools will be trying to sway him.

- My current NCAA top five is as follows: 1. Kansas, 2. Kentucky, 3. Villanova, 4. Syracuse, 5. Texas

- If you want to stay on top of what is happening on the high school hoop scene—game outcomes, rankings, events, etc.—then check out Prep Hoops Assist.