Chris Taft, a 6-9, 195-pound forward from Xaverian High School in New York, is one of the more talented rising juniors in the country.

He is playing again for Brooklyn USA AAU team this spring and summer. Taft, who played in four games this past Saturday, still had enough energy to help his team win a hard fought game against the Playaz Club of Paterson, New Jersey.

Despite being a little tired, Taft found the energy to score 16 points -- several in transition and one thundering dunk. Taft has the skills to be a big time player by the time he is a senior on the high school level. Taft is being heavily recruited by most of the schools along the East Coast and he has some national flavor as well. Most of the Big East and ACC schools are recruiting him hard.

And for good reason: Among them his last game of the season in the always tough CHSAA of New York City. He demonstrated some of those skills against St. Raymond's in a CHSAA Class A semifinal game at Fordham University. Taft led his team in scoring with 19 points though his team lost.

Taft will need to grow into his body. He is thin right now but he could add about 15-20 pounds to his frame and be able to post up players more effectively. Taft already has nice post up moves and ball fakes. He has a soft touch too in the lane.

Several major schools have already expressed interest in him including Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky, Syracuse, Connecticut, St. John's, Georgia Tech, Seton Hall, Rutgers, Boston College, Providence, Ohio State, Virginia, and Maryland.

This list will be long by the time Taft starts playing in his junior season.