Here’s my game story from last night when No. 4 Pitt downed Washington STate, 57-43, to win the Legends Classic. Brooklyn native Levance Fields had 14 points but is still rounding into shape, so to speak.
If you don’t think Pittsburgh has a recruiting pipeline into New Jersey, consider this:
**The Panthers practiced at St. Anthony Saturday [...]

Having completed his final official visit to Pittsburgh this week, Dominic Cheek has no timetable for making a decision but will sit down next week his coaches to discuss his options.
“Today [Friday] was our first day of practice so we’ve got to concentrate on St. Anthony right now,” Friars associate head coach Ben Gamble said [...]

When Ashton Gibbs and Travon Woodall arrive at the Prudential Center in Newark for this weekend’s Legends Classic, they will be greeted by a slew of family, friends and former teammates anxious to watch them compete at the collegiate level.
This is, after all, a Garden State homecoming for the freshmen duo at Pittsburgh.
“I’m excited,” said [...]

St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark finished 24-1 and ranked No. 2 nationally a year ago but had no postseason tournament to peak for.
That’s because Dan Hurley’s Gray Bees played a national independent schedule that didn’t culminate in a postseason tournament.
That will all change this year.
The Gray Bees have been selected to participate in the National [...]

ESPN will show 15 high school boys basketball games this year on ESPNU, ESPN and ESPN2.
Lincoln star Lance Stephenson will appear three times and Putnam City (Ok.) standout Xavier Henry, who recently committed to Memphis, will appear twice.
Click here for the schedule. It will open with a doubleheader on Thursday, Dec. 11, with Bishop McGuinness [...]

Playing its first game since losing Anthony Mason Jr. for the season to a foot injury, St. John’s routed Howard 79-44 behind a combined 46 points from sophomores D.J. Kennedy, Paris Horne and Justin Burrell.
“I play the starting role just like I play coming off the bench, I just keep the energy up and go [...]

NEW YORK – It was a big night Thursday for two old friends and teammates from St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark.
Lance Thomas scored 8 points and grabbed 3 rebounds to help No. 10 Duke beat Southern Illinois, 83-58, in the 2K Sports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer at Madison Square Garden. Duke will meet Michigan [...]

Lance Stephenson versus Tamir Jackson
Tristan Thompson against Michael Gilchrist
Those delicious matchups will take place in early 2009 at a pair of prep matchups not to be missed.
Stephenson and the three-time PSAL champion Lincoln Railsplitters will face Jackson and the St. Benedict’s Gray Bees in the Brian Doherty Classic on Jan. 24 at 6:30 p.m. at [...]

New Jersey and New York are home to some of the top high school basketball programs in the nation. The Holy Trinity of St. Anthony, St. Patrick and St. Benedict’s in New Jersey routinely produces Division 1 players sought by elite programs from across the nation. A year ago, St. Anthony under Bob Hurley and [...]

Check out our interview with three of the top players in North Jersey who are signing in the early signing period: Tamir Jackson of St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark, who is headed to Rice; Lance Brown out of Paterson Catholic, who committed to Fordham; and Karon Abraham of Paterson Eastside, who will play at Robert [...]