Final Four Preview

Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas will be the home of this weekends final four featuring Kentucky, Connecticut, Butler and Virginia Commonwealth, but the NBA has been the home to the players from these schools once they leave. 11 players from these schools have been drafted to the NBA in the last two seasons. Would you have guessed that VCU has has a player drafted in the top 20 in each of the last two years? (Eric Maynor and Larry Sanders) Syracuse, North Carolina and Wake Forest are the only other schools that can claim that. Shaka Smart has done a great job after replacing Anthony Grant who moved on to bigger and better things @ Alabama. VCU has had some great recruiting classes the past 5 years, especially for a "Mid-Major" school from the Colonial Athletic Association. Whether Shaka stays or goes this has been a year that VCU has been building for years and can continue to improve on for years to come. Kentucky and UConn have been in the press and on TV all season long and for years before this and you certainly don't need to hear yet another opinion on them.

Now for Butler, my pick to win the National Title. Brad Stevens is in his 4th season as the coach there. He has led the Bulldogs to the tournament in all 4 years and boasts a 62-10 conference record in that time. He could've gone to any open school of his choice last year but opted to stay at Butler for the quality of people there and the tradition they have built. In this weekends final four, they have everything you look for in a #WINNING team: A scorer (future NBA player Shelvin Mack), A shooter (Shawn Vanzant- 42% from three), A big time defender (Ronald Nored- Horizon league co-def player of the year last season), An experienced big man (academic all- american Matt Howard) and Superior Coaching (Brad Stevens). Look for the Bulldogs to take down John Calipari and the Kentucky Wildcats in the National Championship.

San Diego High School Basketball Roundup

This weekend features some big SD county HS games.

Tonight features the SDS DII Championship between Hoover HS (26-6) and Lincoln HS (28-1). Lincoln's lone loss on the season was by 1 point against the top team in California: Long Beach Poly. They're led by UCLA bound Norman Powell and versatile wing Resean Simpson. Sophomores Tyree and Tyrell Robinson are Top 50 players in the country for their class. Hoover has managed a good season despite losing their point guard to graduation and senior forward Dame N'Diaye decided to drop basketball and pick up football and has since committed to Arizona. Hoover's star Angelo Chol (23 ppg, 15 rpg and 8 bpg) also committed to Arizona a couple of weeks ago.

Tomorrow's big matchup is the SDS DI Championship between Torrey Pines HS (25-5) and La Costa Canyon HS (26-4). Torrey Pines has won 9 straight and finished the Palomar league undefeated. Only one of their losses came to a San Diego section team, that was a 51-50 loss to La Costa Canyon on January 7th. Max Heller (10 ppg, 5 apg) runs the offense while Joe Rahon (16 ppg, 6 rpg) and Nick Kerr (15 ppg) are the scorers. Guard Jesse Neugarten adds 10 ppg while CJ Vafiadis averages 7 ppg and 5 rpg. La Costa Canyon has won 7 straight, led by junior wing Matt Shrigley and lone senior Drew Kitchens, each average 19 ppg and 7 rpg. Sophomore Jeff Van Dyke (42%) is a deadly 3-point shooter.

February Recruiting Roundup

Last Thursday, Hoover HS big man Angelo Chol made the call to play basketball at the University of Arizona beginning next season. He chose the Wildcats over North Carolina and Kansas. He eliminated Washington and Alabama the week before. He joins an outstanding 2011 class for U of A next year that includes Top 50 players Josiah Turner (PG), Nick Johnson (SG) and Sidiki Johnson (PF). He becomes the 4th basketball player from San Diego to pledge his decisions for 2011.

Norman Powell: (Lincoln-UCLA)

Nick Kerr: (Torrey Pines-USD)

Jesse Neugarten: (Torrey Pines-Oberlin College)

Eric Norman: (Francis Parker- SMU)

Christian Heyward, DT (Point Loma HS) made his decision on signing day to play at USC starting next season. He narrowed his choices down to SDSU, Oregon and the Trojans, but ultimately the Aztecs weren't able to pull in another local big time recruit.

Ian Seau, DE/OLB (La Costa Canyon HS) made his decision to play at Kansas St. following his visit there around signing day. He was down to Arizona State and the Wildcats.

Jonny Martin, RB (Cathedral Catholic HS) Jonny will head east and play at Wofford College in South Carolina.

Alec Fisher, RB (The Bishops School) Alec will continue his college career in the Ivy League at Columbia University.

Matt Wile, K (Francis Parker School) Matt made his decision to follow ex-Aztec coach Brady Hoke and will kick at Michigan.

Zack Brickell, OG (Fallbrook HS) made his decision earlier this month to play at the University of Nevada.

Ryan Ena, DE (El Camino HS) pledged to play at the University of Idaho. Ena, who is 6'6" and very athletic should be a steal for a Vandal team that has fallen on hard times.

Kenny Keys, DB (Helix HS) Keys, the 6'4" starting safety for the Highlanders signed with UNLV on signing day.

Gary Issacson, QB (West Hills HS) Issacson has re-opened his commitment from New Mexico St., but he is still considering the Aggies.

Karl Mickleson, OT (Morse HS) Mickleson gave the Fresno state Bulldogs a commitment on National Signing Day.

Tyrone Sauls, ATH (Christian HS) Tyrone, the California small schools player of the year chose Air Force over Oregon.

Jason Floyd, WR (Carlsbad HS) Jason will head back east and play in the Ivy League and catch passes at Harvard.

Harry Wilburn, OL/DL (Torrey Pines HS) Harry will be heading to Colorado State- Fort Lewis next Fall.

Kevin Cuff (LB) and Patrick Barnes (C) both from Torrey Pines HS will both be heading to Colorado State- Pueblo.

Stefan McClure; a Golden Bear

<<<-----McClure makes the Call:

Vista HS Cornerback Stefan McClure made his college announcement this morning, pledging to the California Golden Bears. McClure's other final suitors included Oregon St, UCLA, Boise St and Michigan before deciding on Cal. McClure has said, even though he is going as a defensive back, the coaches at Cal have talked to him about playing Wide Receiver at Berkeley.

Recruiting Roundup:

Christian Heyward (Point Loma HS) and Ian Seau (La Costa Canyon HS) are among the notable SD County HS football players yet to choose a college. Heyward is visting SDSU this weekend, after seeing Oregon last week and UCLA the week before. He has also visited USC, a decision will likely come on signing day. Meanwhile, Seau picked up offers from BYU, Arizona and Colorado St. before his senior year but is now only considering Arizona St. which he visited last week and Kansas St. which he is visting this week. A decision from Junior Seau's nephew is expected on signing day.

-Beau Reilly Quarterback @ Valley Center HS (Escondido, CA) has said that when he continues his amateur football career in 2014 following his two year mormon mission, it will most likely be in Fort Collins, Colorado; home to Colorado St. His brother Drew (also at Colorado St.) recently returned from his mission and will begin workouts with the rams in the next couple weeks. He is not committed to CSU and is still talking to BYU, Stanford and SDSU. A decision will come in the next couple weeks.

-Torrey Pines Quarterback John Cabot decided earlier this week to commit to Penn St. as a preferred walk-on starting in 2011. Cabot had offers from Idaho and Northern Colorado and took a visit to San Jose St. last weekend. Penn St. is not bringing in a scholarship quarterback in the 2011 class, and freshman starter Robert Bolden has decided to transfer. Cabot works with renowned quarterback coach George Whitfield and made great strides from his Junior to Senior season.

2011 SD County Football Recruits

Here is a list of 2011 San Diego County High School Football Recruits with the Colleges they will be attending.

Cathedral Catholic-

Mustafa Jalil- CAL (DT)

Chance Early- Offer from San Jose St. Interest from Oklahoma

Torrey Pines-

Daniel Murray- Cincinnati (OL)

John Cabot- Penn St. (QB)

Scott Mainquist- U of Chicago (DE)

Rancho Bernardo-

Aaron Wallace- UCLA (LB)

Vista-

Stefan McClure- Announces tomorrow morning; considering Michigan, UCLA, CAL, Boise St. and Oregon St. (CB)

Alex Kelley- Colorado (C)

Jeremiah Kose- Offer from New Mexico St. (LB)

La Costa Canyon-

Ian Seau- considering Arizona St. and Kansas St. Decision expected soon. (DE)

Valley Center-

Travis Bernard- Northern Colorado (RB)

Drew Reilly- Colorado St. (S)

Stehly Reden- BYU (Ath)

Point Loma-

Christian Heyward- Expected to announce on signing day. USC, Oregon, Arizona, San Diego St. (DT)

St. Augustine-

Evan Crower- Stanford (QB)

Bishops-

Micah Seau- San Diego St. (LB)

Francis Parker-

Matt Wile- San Diego St. (K)

Mt. Miguel-

Reggie Jones- San Diego St. (OL)

Helix-

Sam Meredith- San Diego St. (DE)

Hoover-

Dame Ndiaye- Arizona (DE)

Westview-

Taylor Reich- SMU (OL)

Patrick Henry-

Brian Farley- offers from Maryland and New Mexico St. (OL)

El Capitan-

Robert Craighead- SDSU (TE)

San Diego-

Treyvon Martin- Offer from New Mexico St. (DE)

Mira Mesa-

Shamone Fletcher- Offer from New Mexico St. (WR)

Madison-

De'Saan Harkwick- SDSU (RB)

Akeem Woodson- Offer from New Mexico St. (WR)

West Hills-

Gary Issacson- New Mexico St. (QB)

Christian-

Tyrone Sauls- Offer from Oregon (Ath)

NFL Championship Sunday

Green Bay (-4) @ Chicago

Pittsburgh (-4) vs. New York Jets

NFL Saturday Divisional Games

Baltimore (+3) @ Pittsburgh

Atlanta (-3) vs. Green Bay

Last Week: 3-1