CoBL Staff (@hooplove215)
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The Reebok Breakout Classic continued into its second day on Thursday morning, with the second set of games of the star-studded event. The two courts at Philly U hosted more than 100 Division I college coaches yet again to check out the action.
Here’s a recruiting notebook from the afternoon’s action featuring a mix of 2015, and 2016 prospects:
Terrance Ferguson (2016/SG/Prime Prep, Tx.)
Ferguson entered the Breakout Classic as one of the event’s biggest names, as he has long been regarded as a top recruit in the 2016 class. Returning to Philly U for the second straight year, the 6-foot-7 wing got it going with 17 points this morning and followed that up with 16 in the final game of the night, including a variety of breakaway dunks.
Ferguson did his best to list all of his offers, naming various high majors like Louisville, Texas, Virginia, SMU, Oklahoma State and Virginia as those pursuing him. However, he named two elite programs as those are pushing the hardest: Florida and Kansas.
Although he has not taken any visits yet, he is planning to spend time on both campuses in the near future.
“I’ve been busy. I’m gonna try to go in August to either one of them,” he said. “Probably Florida, and then on the way back to Kansas.”
A key component of Ferguson’s recruitment is the package deal that he confirmed with top 2016 point guard De’Aaron Fox, a fellow Texas native.
“We decided to do that. We’ve been playing in camps and together for so long, and playing against each other for so long, our chemistry is right there, on point,” Ferguson explained. “So we feel like if we go to college we can keep that together so it’s gonna be great. So that is true.”
Ferguson named Florida, Kansas, SMU, Oklahoma State and Texas as schools that have talked to both him and Fox about the two of them committing together.
While he called playing in front of so many college coaches this week “a blessing”, Ferguson is not focusing too much on his recruiting right now. Instead, he has a bigger goal on his mind: representing his country in the U-17 FIBA World Championships next month in Dubai, after winning a gold medal last year at the U-16 FIBA Americas.
“I’m really trying to strive for the USA team again. I really want to make it. I want to be a two-time gold medalist,” Ferguson said. “From Oklahoma, probably the only person that won one was Allonzo Trier. So we’re tied up right now. I’ve gotta get it. I’ve gotta get two.” –Ari Rosenfeld
Kaleb Johnson (2015/SF/Carlisle School, Va.)
This talented 6-foot-6 wing will be very familiar with playing alongside top talent long before he ever sees the floor in a collegiate gym. Johnson will begin a college career having been teammates with the likes of Thon Maker–a 2016 7-footer with offers from practically every major program–and Eric Johnson, an incoming freshman point guard at Boston University.
Getting invited to a camp with the reputation of the Reebok Breakout wasn’t lost on Johnson after he finished play on Day Two.
“It’s an honor,” he said. “That’s the first word that comes to my mind is honor. And [it’s] a blessing, being able to come up here and compete, it’s a wonderful thing.”
Johnson, Maker and the rest of the Carlisle roster will get some help in the backcourt next year with the addition of 2016 guard Curtis Jones, a 6-foot-2 transfer from Paul VI (Va.) with offers and interest from high to high-major interest and offers.
“It’s great,” Johnson said of the talent. “All the great players they make it so easy for me so I get to shine, kind of. We had Thon, and a lot of attention being drawn to him, Eric this year and he was a great basketball player. It kind of took the pressure off of me, coming from a school where I was like the only guy.”
Johnson hasn’t necessarily scored much as of yet, but has been a definite difference maker on both ends of the floor – showing off a dynamic skillset. He claimed scholarship offers from schools like Oklahoma State, South Florida, Auburn and St. Joseph’s.
“I can play a lot of different positions,” he said. “I can handle the ball pretty good so on my AAU team [Squire’s Richmond] I play from 1-2-to-3. I might have to play some four now because big man left. I don’t know, I’m going to just see how it goes.” –Jeff Neiburg
Tim Rowe (2015/PF/Berkmar, Ga.)
This is actually the second time at Breakout for Rowe, though the last time he was here was two years ago as a rising sophomore. Now heading into his final year of high school, the Lawrencevilla, Ga. big man is ready to bang in the post with a few other high-major
“I think I’ve grown myself, talent-wise,” he said, “and I think the talent here is perfect for me to work against so I can get better as a player.”
A 6-foot-10, 235-pound post, Rowe can play both the power forward and center positions. Either way, he just wants to be down around the bucket, where he can do all the dirty work.
But he’s not afraid to step out and shoot the occasional 3-pointer to spread out the defense, and his handle/shot are certainly well developed for a youngster of his size.
Though he couldn’t remember most of his offers, naming only Florida Gulf Coast, VerbalCommits lists those from Binghamton, Sanford, Kennessaw State, George Mason, Towson and Georgia Southern, though those were all added last April.
While a list of schools might have evaded him, what he’s looking for in a college didn’t: “good academics, of course, and then something I can fit in, like a more fundamental, old-school type of team.” –Josh Verlin
Bryce Aiken (2016/PG/The Patrick School, N.J.)
One of the smaller guards at the whole event, the 5-9 Aiken certainly doesn’t let that get to him. Playing at the Patrick School (former St. Patrick’s), the rising junior plays against some of the top backcourt players around, including future high-major talent like Isaiah Briscoe and Asante Gist (Roselle Catholic), Temple Gibbs (Seton Hall Prep), Tyus Battle (Gill St. Bernard’s) and more.
The Breakout Classic just represents the next step up in that level of competition, and Aiken is certainly up for the challenge.
“There’s a lot of talented players here, so playing against them is definitely going to make you better,” he said. “Definitely forces me to pick my game up to the next level to match them.”
Right now, Aiken’s recruitment is just starting to expand from regional to national. Offers from Seton Hall, Rutgers, Auburn, Detroit, Manhattan and Creighton are already on the table, and he’s getting “heavy” interest from Maryland, Stanford, Miami (Fl.) and Oklahoma.
The only school he’s been to so far is Seton Hall, just 35 minutes from home. The Pirates have been recruiting the area extremely hard, landing NY/NJ prospects like Isaiah Whitehead (Lincoln), Ish Sanogo (Newark Eastside) and even one of Aiken’s high school teammates, power forward Angel Delgado.
“I’m there all the time,” he said. “I like it, my teammate Angel Delgado goes there, so I definitely like that campus.”
With two years left before he heads to college, Aiken knows there’s still a long ways he can go in terms of improving his game. He mentioned adding strength, as well as working on his shot, basketball I.Q. and decision-making. In a college, he’s looking for with “a coaching staff that loves me and wants me to run the team, and likes me for who I am.” –Josh Verlin
Ernest Aflakpui (2015/F-C/Archbishop Carroll)
After a very strong showing with Archbishop Carroll at the Temple Team Camp last month, Aflakpui has picked up right where he left off so far this week. Playing with another high-major frontcourt recruit in Horace Spencer, the two have combined to form a strong duo both in the post and on the boards.
With many of the local schools already having offered, it was a surprise to hear a few new schools on his list that had not been reported before this weekend.
Aflakpui named previous offers from San Diego State, Temple, La Salle, Rhode Island, and Drexel, but also mentioned some new high-major offers from Seton Hall, Providence, and VCU. While he has visited almost all of those schools already, he said he does not yet have any favorites.
“It was unofficial visits, so I can’t say I had any favorites,” said the Ghana native. “‘Cause I wasn’t able to really see most of the players and talk to them and chat with them.”
The Breakout Classic has provided Aflakpui, who is still relatively new to basketball, with an opportunity to compete against other elite big men. He is not taking the opportunity for granted.
“It’s great. It’s just a learning experience for me,” he said. “So I just keep on playing hard and trying to learn.”
Aflakpui is still unsure of when he will make his decision, but did not give an indication that it would be anytime soon.
“I don’t know yet. I’m not thinking about it. This is all still new to me,” he said. “I’m just patient.” –Ari Rosenfeld
Jeantal Cylla (2015/G/Lake Worth High, Fl)
Standing at 6-7 inches tall, Jeanthal Cylla is looking to the earn the title of high major recruit. After a successful high school season, Cylla took his talents to the the Showtime Ballers AAU team based out of Florida. His recruiting trail right now has him solidly in the mid-high-major range.
His offers coming into Philly U were Virginia Tech, Houston, East Carolina, Memphis, South Florida, FIU, Old Dominion, Texas Pan American, Cal State Bakersfield and Georgia State. After a good performance yesterday and today at Reebok Breakout he earned himself another offer, this one from UTEP.
Cylla does have interest from many high major programs including Clemson, Wichita State, Tennessee and Florida. The rising senior is making sure he does what he can to turn interest from those schools into offers.
“I’m working on my all around game and hoping I can improve it and be able to get more offers I have a few but I want plenty,” Cylla said.
As a 6 foot 7 player, having a good jump shot can be the difference between getting the offer or not.
“I want to work on my outside game, being able to be a threat in the perimeter, you know not just being a post player I want to have an all around game so I can be hard to guard,” Cylla said.
Cylla seems to be more focused on the next few ahead and getting some high major offers before he makes visits to the schools. As of right now he has a visit planned to East Carolina in August.
“I plan on visiting a lot of other schools but that’s the only one [East Carolina] that’s official right now,” Cylla said.
He has already picked up an offer during the Reebok Breakout Classic and with strong performances like the ones he has displayed so far, many more will soon come. –David Hassinger
Quick Thoughts
–Jon Davis (2015/PG/Hargrave Military, Va.) has seen his recruitment take an interesting path. Davis, formerly a member of the 2014 Class, was originally committed to DePaul before he decided to re-open his recruitment and reclassify in March.
Since officially being released from his commitment back in March, Davis has only added offers from Penn State, UNC-Wilmington, and Rhode Island, as the high-majors contacting him beforehand (he named Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, VCU, NC State, and Rutgers) have not yet gotten involved again.
He is currently planning visits to Penn State and Rhode Island, but is focused on getting his recruitment back into high-major territory.
“I’m gonna just take advantage of my opportunities,” he said. “You can see it’s hundreds of coaches out here. I’m gonna play my best.”
–A native of the Dominican Republic, 6-7 Luis Santos (2015/PF/St. Raymond’s, N.Y.) claims offers from South Florida, Seton Hall, Rutgers and Hofstra.
All 4 schools give Santos some sort of familiarity; Seton Hall, Rutgers and Hofstra are all located near his New York home. South Florida, while clearly located much further away than the other 3, offers Santos a much deeper personal connection.
Both head coach Orlando Antigua and assistant Oliver Antigua, Orlando’s brother are natives of the Dominican Republic and played at St. Raymond’s just like Santos. In addition, Oliver Antigua was the head coach of St. Raymond’s for 10 years, before taking an assistant coaching job at Manhattan under Steve Masiello in 2012.
–Kerry Blackshear (2015/F/Evans, Fl.) entered this Spring with a large variety of mid-major offers, but has since seen his stock rise firmly into the high-major range. He named a long list of high-major offers, and noted Kansas State, Mississippi State, Texas A&M, Florida State, Central Florida, and South Florida as schools who is hearing from the most.
Blackshear sees his “having confidence and playing” as the biggest key to his increased recruitment.
He has not taken any visits yet, but is planning to take some trips in August. Those will come after he cuts his list to either his top five or top 10 schools, which he will do after July.
Blackshear was a hot name among coaches and media as a top performer at Breakout this week, and if he keeps it up, some more high-major offers should start coming in.
–Ahmad Gilbert (2015/SF/Constitution) has had one of the stronger weeks of the numerous local players at the event. The 6-6 wing dropped 20+ points in each of his first two games at Breakout, and then followed that up with nice 16-point, five-rebound effort in the nightcap on Thursday. A sharpshooting lefty, he’s done well from beyond the arc at Philly U, but he’s also been hitting the glass reliably and playing solid defense as well.
The sustained effort from “J.R.” was enough to land him his first high-major offer, with South Florida coming on board after that final game. That joined offers from Delaware and Fairleigh Dickinson, who offered during the week, adding to those from Rhode Island, Quinnipiac, Drexel and Hofstra. If he continues that at the Peach Jam next week, it’s going to be tough for other high-majors not to join in.
