Huntington Prep relying on chemistry
The stakes have been raised in West Virginia.
Last year Rob Fulford coached Mountain State Academy in Beckley to a national ranking and a place in the National High School Invitational. This year he has a new home.
Fulford can't wait for practice to begin later this month at Huntington Prep, a basketball academy modeled after defending national champions Findlay Prep of Henderson, Nev.
The blueprint is simple. By day, Fulford's players will attend Covenant School -- an accredited Christian school founded in 1995, looking to make a splash on the national scene. As far as their basketball is concerned, they will play under the Huntington Prep banner. Their home games will be played at Marshall University's 4,500-seat Memorial Fieldhouse, with games against powerhouses Findlay, Northland (Columbus, Ohio), Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), Princeton (Cincinnati) and Quality Education (Winston-Salem, N.C.).
"We're doing things the right way," Fulford said.
Based on the roster, the Express are ready to roll.
Last year, Fulford's Mountain State Academy club featured 6-foot-9 Turkish import Deniz Kilicli and high-scoring junior guard Noah Cottrill (Poca, W.V./Logan).
"Our top four players were as good as anyone's, but after that we had depth problems," Fulford said. "This year we addressed it and have better athletes."
Practice begins next week in preparation for the opener at home against nationally ranked Northland, featuring 6-8 Ohio State recruit Jared Sullinger (Columbus, Ohio/Northland), who is No. 2 in the ESPNU 100.
Here's a closer look at Huntington Prep's key components:
Ron Mvouika
The 6-6 combo guard runs the pick-and-roll like a pro. The Frenchman has the perfect size to play the point at the college level, with the height to oversee the defense.
J.J. Jackson
He's a polished, athletic 6-7 senior wing whose strength is attacking the rim. Jackson is a Miami resident.
Gorgui Sy Dieng
Aficionados remember the 6-11 Dieng tearing it up for Senegal at the Nike Global Challenge this summer in Oregon. Dieng's 3-pointer at the buzzer beat an American squad in the opening round, and he had 16 points and 11 boards against Michigan State-bound forward Adreian Payne (Dayton, Ohio/Jefferson Township). The junior is "extremely skilled," Fulford said. Several schools have inquired, but WVU coach Bob Huggins visited Wednesday afternoon.
Aleksander Kesic
The 6-8 Serbian is a prototypical European wingman who can bury the 3-pointer and possesses physicality. Kesic is a senior, with several suitors lining up.
Kevin Smith
The 6-foot junior from Baltimore is a true floor general. He played at Freedom Academy, where he averaged 33 points and 12 assists against inferior competition. Clemson, Florida State, Baylor and South Florida are his early leaders.
Herve Senade
The 6-7 native of the Republic of Benin (located in West Africa) was unearthed at a Nike Basketball Without Borders showcase in Africa this summer. "He might be the biggest steal in the nation," Fulford said.
Tre Erby
Marshall has expressed interest in the 6-4 wing guard from Rock Hill, S.C. The junior can create his own shot and is considered a high-major prospect.
Emmanual Ajayi
The 6-7 forward from Toronto, Ontario, is athletic. He played for Grassroots Canada on the summer circuit.
Tyrel Edwards
The 6-5 Toronto native is the "team's freak athlete," Fulford said. The junior can hit the 3-pointer and possesses serious hops.
Idrissa Guidani
The 6-11 junior center is a native of Niger. He's a bit of a project, but is a lethal shot blocker and only needs polish to become a finished product.
During workouts this fall, Smith, a standout on the Baltimore Nike Elite club team, saw the pieces falling into place.
"The chemistry is here," said Smith, who enjoys the transition from Baltimore to rural West Virginia. "We have a real good look; we'll run and gun but play solid defense. We're going to play great teams; we want to be one of the best."
Expect the Express to roll out an up-tempo style, featuring offensive and defensive principles popularized by John Calipari (dribble drive) and Mike D'Antoni when he was off and running with the Phoenix Suns.
Fulford also assembled a crack shot staff, including Ty Holmes, a defensive guru, and Arkell Bruce, a skills master.
"The coaching is great," Smith said. "They are getting us ready for college."
True-blue backcourt
Call them the lunch-pail kids. That's how Albany (N.Y.) City Rocks coach Jim Hart looks at his gritty, under-the-radar guard tandem of Kyle Callanan and Kameron Ritter.
"We had a successful summer; won a lot of games and went to the Final Four of all the major tournaments and they put their stamp on every one of those wins," said Hart, who led the high-end club team to the New York State AAU U17 title in June. "We had 13 Division I kids on our roster, but guys like them are special."
Callanan of Mount Anthony Union in Bennington, Vt., and Ritter of Christian Brothers Academy (Albany), are true to their working-class moniker. No job was too small. They simply rolled up their sleeves, completed the work, punched the clock and did it again.
You might think the recruiters would gladly find a spot on their roster for them -- well, guess again.
Callanan, a 6-3, 180-pound combo guard, took an unofficial to Saint Peter's in October, but that's it. Ritter, a 6-3, 165-pound true point, took the same route to Delaware State last month.
Both are committed to playing for Division I, and likely will sign late or last resort, a year in prep school.
"I'm starting to get some more looks, but colleges are telling we'll watch during the [high school] season," said Callanan, who has drawn interest from Quinnipiac, Hartford, Houston, Stony Brook and Albany. "I've accepted it, though; I have to prove myself again and I will."
His strengths are long-range shooting, but Callanan admits he has to improve his lateral foot speed.
Callanan and Holy Cross-bound shooting guard Joe O'Shea of Burlington are Vermont's top two players according to Scouts Inc. They are the leading candidates for the Gatorade state player of the year award.
Callanan (No. 161 point guard) was a second team all-state pick after last season when he averaged 17 points and nine assists as Mount Anthony Union advanced to the Division I state semifinals.
Hart feels Callanan has a place in Division I.
"Every team needs a guy like Kyle who will knock down the 3-pointer and keep defenses honest, stretching the zone," he said. "Kyle can flat-out shoot it, and colleges are starting to look again."
Ritter looked good early in the recruiting process with Holy Cross and Davidson on board, but that changed this fall. As practice opened this week at CBA, he's getting looks from Delaware State, New Hampshire, Quinnipiac and Elon.
"Somewhere colleges forget he's still available; in the beginning it looked like he's verbal early but [it] didn't happen," Hart said.
Ritter's trademarks are leadership and lockdown defense. The former stems from the Junior ROTC program at CBA.
"I'm a disciplined player," Ritter said. "The military teaches you to respect your superiors, strategy and teamwork."
In spite of the bumps in the recruiting process, both are optimistic.
"One thing's for sure; Kameron doesn't care about points but wins," Callanan said. "We'll find a place; we'll probably sign in the spring."
Hart says six of his 13 City Rocks players already gave verbals. Will Regan (No. 92 power forward) will sign with Virginia, and Taran Buie (No. 24 shooting guard) with Penn State. Tobias Harris, No. 7 in the ESPNU 100, is the big catch but is still mulling a choice, with Tennessee, Maryland, Louisville, Georgia Tech and West Virginia the main players.
Hart's son, Nolan, is a 5-11 senior guard at Albany Academy and hopes to secure a spot in the Ivy League. If not, the honors student has been guaranteed a walk-on role at Notre Dame or Syracuse.
"All of our players [City Rocks] will be playing somewhere [in college] next year," said Hart, who has at least 25 players presently in the Division I ranks.
Christopher Lawlor has covered high school sports for more than 20 years, most recently with USA Today, where he was the head preps writer responsible for national high school rankings in football, baseball and boys and girls basketball. He also for worked for Scholastic Coach magazine, where he ran the Gatorade National Player of the Year program for nine years. Lawlor, a New Jersey resident, grew up in Rochester, N.Y., and is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University.
