Kansas City Prep Tournament Notebook

Some of college basketballs most recognizable coaches have ventured to Shawnee, Kansas this week for the Price Chopper/Kansas City Prep Invitational tournament to get a look at some of the nations top prospects. Tyler Hansbrough, C.J. Miles, Kevin Rogers and Julian Wright are some of the big time players in attendance.

Arizona Extremely Interested in Austin Johnson

Lute Olson and Josh Pastner have spent a great deal of their time this week watching Amarillo, Texas combo guard Austin Johnson in action. It appears that the Wildcats are seriously interested in the No. 73 ranked player in the class of 2005.

“Arizona called me after I got home from Indianapolis,” Johnson said. “They are very interested in me and want me to come out for a visit in the fall. Arizona is a school that I definitely like, so the visit will happen.

“I would also like to visit Oklahoma, Texas Tech and Kansas,” he added. “Kansas is still evaluating me, so I don’t know if a visit will actually happen. I have already been to Oklahoma, but the staff wants me to come down for a football game. I haven’t decided if I am going to take all five visits, but I do know that I will visit some schools and see which one is the best fit.”

Hansbrough Still Undecided About His Future

Despite the fact that the St. Louis Eagles have struggled this week, Tyler Hansbrough has been almost unstoppable at times. The 6-foot-9 power forward scored 40-points on Thursday night and completely dominated the Georgia Elite frontcourt.

Hansbrough indicated that he has no idea when he will make a decision about his future. He is still considering North Carolina, Kansas, Kentucky and Missouri. A decision could come in August, but Hansbrough also said it might take longer.

Quin Snyder and Bill Self flew to Poplar Bluff last week to watch Hansbrough workout inside his high school gymnasium.

Miles, Rogers Talk About Recruitment

C.J. Miles and Kevin Rogers had originally planned to take all five official visits in the fall, but it looks like those plans have changed.

“Right now I am looking at five schools,” Miles said. “Kansas, Texas, Georgia Tech, Arizona and North Carolina are the schools that I really like. I was supposed to take a visit to Kansas this weekend, but my dad could not make the trip with me, so I cannot make it to Lawrence.

“I doubt that I will take all five visits,” he added. “I want to visit some schools that are further away in distance, but if I see a school that I like after one or two visits, I will commit to that school.”

Kevin Rogers, friend and AAU teammate of Miles, made it perfectly clear that a leader has emerged in his recruitment. While the No. 36 ranked player is still in the beginning stages of his recruitment, one team in particular will be tough to beat.

“I would say that Kansas is my top school right now. I definitely want to visit Kansas in the fall. As far as my overall recruitment goes, I am still looking at Kansas, Georgia Tech, Arizona, North Carolina and Texas are my five schools.

“I think that C.J. feels the same way about Kansas that I do,” he added. “I would definitely say that Kansas is our leader right now.”

Miles and Rogers said that playing together in college is still very much their plan. It also looks like they will officially visit each school together.

Wright Down To Three Schools

Julian Wright, the 6-foot-8, 214-pound small forward from Homewood High School in Flossmoor, Ill., has trimmed his list of schools and only three remain. Arizona, Illinois and DePaul are the finalists for the nation’s No. 23 ranked player.

Wright plans to officially visit all three schools in early fall and, if everything goes as expected, will sign his letter-of-intent during the early signing period. It is believed that Arizona is the team to beat for Wright, as the Wildcats are doing everything they can to get the Illinois small forward on campus after he graduates.