NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. — Trey Lyles has cut his list to four schools.The 6-foot-10 forward from Indianapolis (IN) Arsenal Tech put out on Instagram that his final four were Kentucky, Louisville, Florida and Butler.
UCLA and Duke had previously been on his list.
“Kentucky gets players to the league faster, but Louisville might develop them just a little bit better,” Lyles told Jeff Borzello of CBSSports.com.
Metta World Peace has been amnestied by the Lakers and could wind up with his hometown New York Knicks if he chooses not to retire.
“My gut says he’ll be a Knick,” his father, Ron Artest Sr., told SNY.tv Thursday.
The father previously told SNY.tv that his son told him he planned to retire if he was amnestied.
But now Artest Sr. is changing course.
“He wanted to play for the Knicks for a long time,” his father said. “But now I’m not sure of his plans. I just hope he’s a Knick before it’s all said and done.”
And others close to World Peace feel the same way.
“What kid doesn’t want to give a shot coming home to play for New York,” Cardozo High School coach Ron Naclerio, a longtime confidant of World Peace, told SNY.tv earlier this week, “especially because of how hurt he was when he wasn’t drafted by the Knicks.”
NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. — After winning a gold medal with Jahlil Okafor in Prague, Justise Winslow is still considering joining the Chicago big man and point guard Tyus Jones in a three-man package deal.
If that were to happen, the 6-foot-6 Winslow out of Houston St. John’s believes some school would be getting a special situation.
“I think one, none of us are selfish and two, we’re just high-level guys that want to win and we’re not at the same position,” Winslow said after going for 12 points and four rebounds in the Houston Hoops’ 56-51 loss to Team Scan Thursday night at the Peach Jam.
NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. — A veritable Who’s Who of big-time coaches watched Luke Kennard and V.J. King of the King James Shooting Stars 16U team here Thursday at the Peach Jam.
For the team’s victory over Tyus Battle and Team Final, Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski, Kentucky’s John Calipari, Michigan State’s Tom Izzo, North Carolina’s Roy Williams, Ohio State’s Thad Matta, Villanova’s Jay Wright, and Illinois’ John Groce sat courtside.
PHILADELPHIA — Kentucky coach John Calipari officially offered 2015 Radnor (Pa.) Archbishop Carroll wing Derrick Jones Wednesday night at Reebok Breakout Classic.
Derrick Jones Sr. confirmed the news after it was first reported by Alex Kline.
Before playing, the 6-foot-7, 180-pound Jones said he was hoping to land an offer from Calipari.
“It would be great so I can show him and get that offer,” he told SNY.tv.
Syracuse has also been high on his list from the get-go.
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NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. — Cliff Alexander and his Mac Irvin Fire teammates suffered a tough morning loss here to Boo Williams at the Peach Jam, but that didn’t stop the 6-foot-10 Alexander from talking about his college plans afterward.
Alexander confirmed he has four official visits planned and is still deciding on the fifth.
“I haven’t really thought about it yet,” he said after going for 15 points, 9 rebounds and 2 blocks in Mac Irvin’s 60-57 loss to Boo Williams.
NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. — At one point during Malik Newman’s 40-point outburst here Thursday morning, he drained one of his four 3-pointers and Kentucky coach John Calipari broke out laughing courtside.
Calipari reached over to SMU coach Larry Brown and North Carolina coach Roy Williams and jokingly held them from falling over.
“It makes me feel good but I’m not sure if they’re here watching me or watching someone else, but I just try to show them that I can play and show them that I need a scholarship,” the 6-foot-3 Newman out of Jackson (MS) Calloway, the Rivals No. 1 player in the Class of 2015, said after making 12-of-28 shots and 12-of-16 foul shots in an 80-67 loss to Houston Hoops.
Safe to say those coaches — and many more — were watching Newman put on a show.
