The Hoop Scoop

Covering Grassroots Basketball Since 1983

A national recruiting web site and scouting service providing analysis, rankings, and coverage of grassroots basketball since 1983

“Lenny Cooke” Drives Points Home

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“Lenny Cooke” is a documentary about the quick rise, and dramatic downward spiral, of an early 2000’s high school basketball standout from Brooklyn with aspirations of being a first round selection in the 2002 NBA Draft. A poor work ethic, raw and inexperienced game, media and scout-driven over-hype, and a series of shaky off-the-court decisions led to Cooke going undrafted. The documentary captures Cooke’s rise, the seeds of his downfall and where he’s at in life today. “Lenny Cooke” is recommended viewing for young players with NBA dreams, parents who may not know the inner-working of the grassroots basketball machine, or anyone with a general interest in basketball or the education of America’s youth.

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The Early Recruiting Dilemma (Part 2)

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Almost every high school and club sport is seeing athletes being offered—and committing to colleges—at younger and younger ages.  It’s not unusual to see 14-year-olds making verbals today, which carries risks for both athlete and university.  Here, in the second of a two-part series, we take a more in-depth look at the issue…

By Brentt Eads, Special To StudentSportsBasketball.com

Click here for The Early Recruiting Dilemma (Part 1)

 

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Keeping Your Options Open

One of the top freshmen football players in the nation is Dylan Moses, a 6-foot-1, 215-pound linebacker at University Lab High in Baton Rouge, La.

Described by scouts as “an absolute man-child,” the defender committed to LSU in September and has already been featured on the cover of ESPN Magazine.

His father, Edward Moses Jr.,

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The Early Recruiting Dilemma

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Almost every high school and club sport is seeing athletes being offered—and committing to colleges—at younger and younger ages.  It’s not unusual to see 14-year-olds making verbals today, which carries risks for both athlete and university.  Here, in the first of a two-part series, we take a more in-depth look at the issue…

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Updated FAB 50 National Rankings

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FAB 50 576
Defending FAB 50 champion Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) remains in the top spot after staying unbeaten against tough opponents at the Culligan City of Palms Classic, the Wild Wing Café High School Hoops Classic and Cancer Research Classic. The Eagles have some tough upcoming games as well. With a mixed bag of results so far, we reward teams that have played a national schedule. Unbeaten teams that haven’t played as many games or stayed local over the holidays will move up slower.

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UA Holiday Classic: Championship Monday

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FAB 50 No. 21 Loyola (Los Angeles) easily defeats No. 36 Centennial (Corona, Calif.) in Monday night’s National Division championship game at the UA Holiday Classic in Del Mar, Calif. Underclass-dominated Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) take third place in the National Division while Mater Dei (Chula Vista, Calif.) won the American Division championship.

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UA Holiday Classic Semifinal Recaps

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FAB 50 No. 21 Loyola (Los Angeles) advanced to the title game of the 2013 Under Armour Holiday Classic at Torrey Pines High School with a 83-69 victory over previously unbeaten Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.). Loyola will face No. 36 Centennial (Corona, Calif.) in Monday night’s final after the Huskies won their semifinal contest over Chino Hills (Calif.) on a last-second lay-up by Sedrick Barefield.

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Holiday Classics: Top Performers

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We evaluated the first day of the UA Holiday Classic in San Diego and the second day of the Maxpreps Holiday Classic in Rancho Mirage, Calif. and report on the top performers from both events, including North Carolina-bound Theo Pinson and a West Coast pair headed to Michigan.

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No. 1 Montverde Academy In Tough Stretch

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FAB 50 No. 1 Montverde Academy remained unbeaten by outlasting No. 9 Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.) to win the City of Palms Championship early in the morning on Christmas Eve. No. 18 Whitney Young (Chicago) takes third place at prestigious tournament. For Montverde Academy, the tourney victory begins a tough stretch of games that will ultimately decide its chances at a repeat mythical national title. 

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