Monday Recruiting Notebook

<p>Countless conversations take place in the unglamorous world of virtual recruiting.  While it is not the traditional process, it is necessary now.  Which colleges are talking to whom?</p> <p>Perhaps the biggest news is that <strong>Brandon Huntley-Hatfield</strong> (I.M.G. formerly of Clarksville, TN) is leaving I.M.G. to play at Scotland Prep in Pennsylvania.  Scotland Prep maintains an excellent relationship with Bobby Maze, the director of BMaze Elite AAU, and this move proves it.  Brandon would be a top 2 player in our state if he competed for his old Clarksville Academy.  Instead, we are simply admiring his trajectory from afar and rooting him on.  He moves in this September.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1018120" first="Brevin" last="Klym"]</strong> (Franklin) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="983705" first="Kaleb" last="Meredith"]</strong> (University) are not receiving college inquiries at this time.  They both will ultimately play college basketball. </p> <p><strong>Harper Nea</strong>l (Kingston) intends to take an official visit shortly.  King University will host. "I contacted the head coach about a month ago and we worked out a date to visit," shared Harper via Twitter DM Monday evening. "I also sent him some of my information and game film."</p> <div class="css-1dbjc4n"> <div class="css-1dbjc4n r-wr9vkk"> <div class="css-1dbjc4n r-1awozwy r-18u37iz r-1wtj0ep"> <div class="css-1dbjc4n r-18u37iz r-1h0z5md r-mlyl9t"> <div class="css-18t94o4 css-1dbjc4n r-1777fci r-11cpok1 r-1ny4l3l r-bztko3 r-lrvibr" tabindex="0" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" aria-label="More" data-focusable="true" data-testid="caret"> <div class="css-901oao r-1awozwy r-1re7ezh r-6koalj r-1qd0xha r-ubezar r-16dba41 r-1h0z5md r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-o7ynqc r-clp7b1 r-3s2u2q r-qvutc0" dir="ltr"> <div class="css-1dbjc4n r-xoduu5"> <div class="css-1dbjc4n r-1niwhzg r-sdzlij r-1p0dtai r-xoduu5 r-1d2f490 r-podbf7 r-u8s1d r-zchlnj r-ipm5af r-o7ynqc r-6416eg"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="css-1dbjc4n"> <div class="css-1dbjc4n"> <blockquote> <div id="tweet-text" class="css-901oao r-hkyrab r-1qd0xha r-ubezar r-16dba41 r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-bnwqim r-qvutc0" dir="auto" lang="en"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0">"2021 6’0 PG </span> <div class="css-1dbjc4n r-xoduu5"><span class="r-18u37iz"><a class="css-4rbku5 css-18t94o4 css-901oao css-16my406 r-1n1174f r-1loqt21 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" dir="ltr" role="link" href="https://twitter.com/harper22neal" data-focusable="true">@harper22neal</a></span></div> <span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"> (Kingston) is set for an official visit at King University this week. Holds an offer from Maryville College with heavy interest from Trevecca Nazarene. Avg 18 ppg 6r &amp; 4 dimes leading the pack at Kingston this szn."  -- Team Passion on Twitter</span></div> </blockquote> </div> </div> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="775619" first="Harper" last="Neal"] generally speaks with King University Assistant Coach Michael Phelps.  </p> <p>King University runs out several former TSSAA players: <strong>Connor Jordan</strong> (Morristown East),<strong> Josh Releford</strong> (David Crockett), <strong>Blake Atwood</strong> (Johnson County), <strong>Adam Davison</strong> (Sullivan East), <strong>Tristan Upchurch</strong> (Maryville), <strong>Michael Mays</strong> (Tennessee High),<strong> Griffin Susong-Phillips</strong> (Cocke County), <strong>Adonis Wheeler</strong> (Tennessee High).</p> <p>Why did King spark an interest for Harper?</p> <p>"I know they have been successful here lately in basketball and it’s a good size school with good academics," shared Neal.  Beyond King University, obviously Harper reached out to other schools too.  Of that batch, a couple prominent TN universities reciprocated.  "Lipscomb would like to keep in contact and see me in the future. Trevecca wants me to come to a game and take a visit which would be my second there."</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="775562" first="Kaleb" last="Powell"] (Beech) keeps in touch with nearly 10 schools consistently.  </p> <p>"I heard from Alabama Huntsville, Berry, Centre, Sewanee, Carson-Newman, Asbury, and Bryan all this month," shared Kaleb Monday evening. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1011998" first="Kristian" last="Shaw"] (Beech) picked up fresh interest from Tennessee State University, Lipscomb, and Lee University. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1012002" first="Joshua" last="Scretchen"]</strong> (University School-Nashville) shared a little talk with Lipscomb.  He is one of my breakout players for the fall.  Scretchon looked fully capable of handling a frenetic, annoying Cane Ridge press last winter despite being just a sophomore.  Nice height for the point guard position.  Lipscomb Assistant Coach Kevin Carroll is the point person in his early Lipscomb recruitment. </p> <p>https://twitter.com/Psmithjr2/status/1285381450536280065?s=20</p> <p>Monday morning <a href="https://twitter.com/CourtneyHoops90">@CourtneyHoops90</a> reported that BYU reached out to ’22 star [player_tooltip player_id="787686" first="Braeden" last="Moore"] of C.P.A.</p> <p>Both [player_tooltip player_id="537290" first="PJ" last="Smith"] and [player_tooltip player_id="775542" first="Matthew" last="Sells"] earned Freed-Hardeman basketball offers Monday.  It marks Smith’s first overall offer and Sells’ third.  Interestingly, the pair both play for Pro One Select, an AAU team out of Alabama.  They are the only two TN-based players on the 17u team. Smith worked out for FHU earlier today.  As you might expect, he is elated to get the offer.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="787649" first="Brandon" last="Miller"]. The next middle Tennessee star recently linked up with a recent middle TN star.  "He has picked up a relationship with Darius Garland here lately," shared Brandon’s father via phone call Monday evening.  "I guess because he was doing that Pro-Run on Saturdays.  Actually, he started doing workouts with him for a couple weeks."</p> <p>Though Darius Garland returned to the Land of Giants (NBA), it was really beneficial to kickstart that relationship. It enables Brandon to discuss recruiting, basketball, life with somebody with similar potential.  The world of recruiting is vastly different for players of Brandon’s ilk.  Few prospects live that life, but Darius obviously did go through much of what Brandon now witnesses. </p> <p>"There are other pro players at the run that Brandon has developed an easy conversation with," said Mr. Miller.  "Robert Covington and Ian Clark.  Just having those guys.  And being on the level that they are on right now, they know what he has to do.  He can’t rest now. He has to keep pushing to get better each day.  To play against guys like that is good for him because they are able to beat up on him."</p> <p>His team is not playing at this point.  He is just practicing.    He trains with Mike Holloway and Will Thomas.  He will train a little bit with Jamal, as well.   He likes it there.  The students.  </p> <p>As far as the recruiting enjoyed by Brandon and his family, "We have, I guess really, on a consistent basis [we] speak to Arkansas, Purdue, Missouri," shared Mr. Miller.  "I know North Carolina, they contact him every Thursday. Vanderbilt.  Pretty much everyone who offered him." </p> <p>Virginia Tech also recently checked in.</p> <p>"Pretty much everybody that offered and then UNC," summarized Mr. Miller.  "They have not offered, but we hear from them at least once a week."  Brandon had a physical earlier this month.  He now weighs 189 pounds, standing 6-foot-8 barefoot.  The sky is the limit, and unlike most of us...he can touch that sky standing flat-footed.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="983685" first="Daveonne" last="Warfield"] (Kirby) is attempting to transfer to Wooddale High, per The Memphian.  Beyond his typical college recruiting, Daveonne recently heard from Valparaiso and Campbell.  UT Martin, Murray State, Troy State, and many, many other D1’s and junior colleges are discussing his basketball future with him.</p> <p><strong>Landon Smith</strong> (Adamsville) revealed college contact with the following schools: Seton Hill (PA), Sewanee.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="996904" first="Brian" last="Edwards Jr"]. shared a quick update.  "I talk to Virginia Tech, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, a lot."</p> <p>Pro Skills Nashville 16u Elite [player_tooltip player_id="1006439" first="JJ" last="Wheat"] played wonderfully.. Based purely on his weekend, Wheat’s AAU coaches heard from Morehead State, Tennessee State, and Western Kentucky University.</p> <p><em>If you want to be included in the next recruiting notebook, DM @AndrewForce8 any time.</em></p>