Tulsa camp brings JUCO stars

TULSA, Okla.--Oral Roberts University in was home on Friday and Saturday, to the Mullens All-Star Review. Jerry Mullens advertises the event as having "the premier junior college talent in the nation". More than 450 campers from more than 40 teams took part in the two day event.

Sonny Weems was one of the weekend's headliners. JucoJunction has important news and notes in this first installment of our camp notebook.

Coaching Call

Over 150 NCAA Division I coaching staffs from all over the country were represented at the camp.

Every NCAA conference was represented, from the ACC to the Southwestern Athletic Conference and every league in between. Many schools had three staff members (the maximum allowed) present to evaluate the 450 plus student-athletes.

Many high profile head coaches were in attendance. Some of those spotted in the stands were John Calipari (Memphis), Stan Heath (Arkansas), Lon Kruger (UNLV), Bruce Pearl (Tennessee), and Tim Floyd (USC) just to name a few. In addition, the 2005 national champion North Carolina Tar Heels had assistant coach Joe Holliday observing.

These coaches were more than impressed with the array of talent. There were prospects in attendance who would fit the recruiting needs of schools at the elite level of Division I basketball and those of lower tier Division I schools.

It was a smorgasboard of juco talent. It was also available at every position, from slick point guards to intimidating centers. Many reputations were made and many were enhanced.

Best of the best

JucoJunction did want to mention ten sophomore prospects who attracted the eye of all the high major programs in attendance. These are not listed in any particular order. However, these may have been the ten best players in attendance at the event. Five of these players were ranked in our top 15 nationally earlier this summer.

1.) Marcus Sikes--Mt. San Jacinto College (CA)

2.) Micheal White--Lee College (TX)

3.) Carlos Williams--Wabash Valley College (IL) *Commited to Charlotte*

4.) Cyrus Tate--Northeast Nebraska Community College (NE) *Comitted to Iowa*

5.) Jerome Habel--San Bernandino Valley College (CA)

6.) Ty Morrison--Redlands College (OK)

7.) Sonny Weems--University of Arkansas-Ft. Smith (AR)

8.) Josh Love--Hill College (TX)

9.) Stanley Billings--Independence College (KS)

10. Eddie Miller--Cecil Community College (MD)

Here comes the Sonny

Without a doubt, Sonny Weems from University of Arkansas-Ft. Smith more than impressed the coaches, fans, and fellow players in attendance with the most outstanding individual play of the camp.

Weems and his Arkansas-Ft. Smith teammates were playing the Compton Magic, a team composed of various California juco players. In the second half, Weems revceived a pass on the left wing while on a fast break. He leaped outside the free throw line on the left hand side. He threw down a tomahawk dunk on top of the helpless Compton Magic defenders. Weems appeared to be eye level with the rim as he threw it down. Everyone in the gym, from players to coaches, dropped their jaws in amazement.

Weems already has offers from the likes of Memphis, Kansas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Cincinnati and many others. His coach recently indicated to JucoJunction that Weems was likely to sign somewhere in November.