It is the busy time for basketball recruiting and rumors. The camp frenzy has changed from glorified all-star dunkfests with sneaker sponsorships to actual skill camps with sneaker sponsorships. What hasn’t changed is the volume of coaches in the stands letting the kids know they care by being there.

The Reebok Camp in Philly has the Philly, NY and NJ kids in force. Sterling Gibbs, Aaric Murray, Dan Jennings, Isaiah Epps, Thomas Robinson and others all in attendance. ZagsBlog lists top-3 teams for many of these recruits. Interesting to see that Epps and Jennings both have Pitt in their top-3.

Sterling Gibbs didn’t have his best performance at the Reebok Camp. He struggled on defense and was tentative bringing the ball upcourt.

Sherrod Wright — a guard/forward — looked pretty good at the camp.

Wright is one of those players where you pretty much know what you’re going to get every time you see him. The 6-foot-4 G/F has a great mid-range game and his very difficult to stop going to the basket because of his strength and determination. However, his perimeter shooting is very inconsistent and he tends to turn the ball over often. He can handle the ball well, and also knocks down free-throws.

Pitt has some interest — as do many schools — and may have offered the kid from Mt. Vernon, NY. Whether he plays there this year is up for debate as the school’s athletic budget may be eliminated due to school district budget problems. As a kid with a lot of potential and scholarship chances he may end up somewhere else.

Though, widely expected that Pitt will let the incoming guards battle to be the point guard for a couple years after Levance Fields graduates, and then try to get Sterling Gibbs to come for 2011, don’t discount the plan changing if Ashton Gibbs and Travon Woodall aren’t up to it. That is why PG Tony Cherault appears to be a target for 2010.

Chenault is a very solid player who does everything that a point guard should do. He can run an offense and initiate sets to get his teammates involved. He is mostly an unassuming player and does not immediately command one’s attention like some other players do. His teammate, Taariq Muhammad (a talented 2009 point guard) looked smoother and more flashy than Chenault, but Chenault was equally effective when the 6-foot-2 point guard was able to get to the basket.

While not starred yet by Rivals.com and only 3 by Scout.com, that’s just short term. According to ESPN Scouts, Inc. he “Should be a high major priority over the next two years.” He’s the kind of player that has been flagged as early as 8th grade by recruitniks.

“I’m wide open right now,” he said. “I don’t really have a top five or a top 10 (list of potential schools). A lot of schools have been recruiting me this year.
…
Though Chenault mentioned Villanova, Pittsburgh, Providence, Saint Joseph’s, La Salle and Virginia as having scholarship offers on the table, he won’t be making any decisions anytime soon.

Back to the present, and Thomas Robinson who came out of the Reebok Camp with ever improving stock.

One of the most impressive players of the day, Robinson started slow then began to show his ability. He is very athletic, which helps at both ends of the court. He can block shots consistently at one end, and is also a good finisher offensively. He is strong when going up, and can score even with contact, which explains why he gets fouled on a regular basis. He is also versatile, as he showed the ability to run the break and pass it to an open teammate. His jump shot is inconsistent, but he can take it off the dribble and drive to the basket. Robinson is active on the glass, and picked up several second-chance points.

College List: Georgetown, George Mason, George Washington, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Providence, South Florida, Maryland, Georgia, Kentucky, Texas, Pittsburgh

– Texas, Pittsburgh and Virginia are his top-three.

Robinson is a 4-star PF, with a mid-range jumper.

Pitt’s top PF targets seem to be Robinson, Donte Taylor and Dan Jennings. Given the presently limited number of scholarships for 2009 remaining (one or perhaps two left), I have to assume they will only take one of the three.

Back at the end of June, I made a couple passing mentions of how Ohio State had pulled in some of the top WPIAL talent in this recruiting cycle. Not surprisingly, there was a story on that issue.

Since Trinity graduate Andrew Sweat verbally committed to Ohio State in May 2007, four other WPIAL recruits — former Jeannette quarterback Terrelle Pryor, Jeannette running back Jordan Hall, Gateway linebacker Dorian Bell and Gateway receiver Corey Brown — followed his lead.

Again, it isn’t the volume, but the quality. The Terrelle Pryor commit in April had a significant impact. Even though he goes in as a 2008 recruit, his drawn out decision-making went on 2 months past NLI Day. But, this has as much to do with it as anything.

“When you look at elite programs in the country, there are four right now: Ohio State, USC, Florida and LSU,” Gateway coach Terry Smith said. “Ohio State is the closest to Western Pennsylvania, and Pa. kids tend to stay close to home.”

That actually applies to most recruits, not just the ones in Pennsylvania.

This isn’t to say that Ohio State will now be a regular force in Western PA to contend with recruiting. Outside teams tend to go in cycles.

Just a few years back, it was Michigan that was the major national interloper. Then they faded. With DickRod now there, they might be a factor once more.

Short-term it can be frustrating and bothersome. Long-term, I’m not as worried.