HYATTSVILLE, Md. – There were a handful of power conference head coaches running up and down the East Coast evaluating their top targets in the 2018 class. I was on hand at the Victor Oladipo Skills Academy and the Under Armour All-American Camp, and kept an eye on which coaches were paying special attention to which prospects.
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ACC
MIAMI: Jim Larranaga was spotted watching Jalen Carey, Jamal Mashburn Jr., Darius Days, Emmanuel Dowuona, Devon Dotson and Elijah Weaver.
NOTRE DAME: Having already put together one of the best 2018 classes in America, Mike Brey made sure that he was spotted watching top-75 guard commit Prentiss Hubb and his travel teammate with the DC Premier unit, Saddiq Bey.
SYRACUSE: Orange head coach Jim Boeheim was among the first in the gym on Wednesday evening getting a glance at his top guard recruit Jalen Carey, while he also was ready to watch Jalen Lecque, the most recent Syracuse offer, though the top-30 guard sat out the week’s action due to a knee injury.
VIRGINIA: Tony Bennett continues to track some of the top guard talent left on the board this summer as he was spotted getting a look at Devon Dotson, Mike DeVoe, Noah Locke and Jahvon Quinerly, while also showing up for the contests of top-150 wing Saddiq Bey and future five-star 2020 guard Jeremy Roach.
BIG EAST
SETON HALL: Kevin Willard and his staff have done wonders on the recruiting trail within recent years and in the 2018 class, the Pirates would love to hit it out of the park as the program’s head coach caught a glimpse of five-star talents Jahvon Quinerly and Nazreon Reid in Philadelphia, before then heading to Washington DC for Markquis Nowell and Anthony Nelson.
VILLANOVA: Jay Wright was courtside for another productive outing from top-50 commit Cole Swider, while he also watched Jahvon Quinerly, his top point guard target in the 2018 class. Wright also took in a game of Elijah Weaver’s, another top-50 prospect in the rising senior class.
XAVIER: In need of further guard help in the 2018 class, Chris Mack was courtside for top-75 guards Noah Locke and Luther Muhammad, and also was spotted taking another look at top-150 recruits Talen Horton-Tucker, Saddiq Bey and Jermaine Harris.
BIG TEN
NEBRASKA: In need of guard help in the 2018 class, Tim Miles was on hand for Xavier Johnson and Keyshawn Embery, the latter is a prospect for whom Nebraska made his recent cut. The Cornhuskers’ head coach was also spotted giving another look at top-50 2019 prospects Zach Harvey and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl.
NORTHWESTERN: Chris Collins took in the action of top-150 talents Miller Kopp and Talen Horton-Tucker, two prospects that would be able to step in and fill the shoes left by one of the best graduating classes in school history.
OHIO STATE: Chris Holtmann has made it vital that he has been at each of Eric Ayala’s contests this month as the newly named Ohio State head coach was also on hand for the Delaware native, along with top-150 talents Mike DeVoe, Noah Locke, Luther Muhammad and Talen Horton-Tucker.
BIG 12
IOWA STATE: As ISU would love to pair a playmaking point guard alongside incoming scorer Lindell Wigginton for next year, Steve Prohm took in action showcasing Tyler Harris and Xavier Castaneda. A few others to watch out for include Tavin Lovan, Greg Williams and Talen Horton-Tucker.
KANSAS: The Jayhawks have spread out a wide net with their 2018 class as Bill Self got another look at five-star prospects Jahvon Quinerly, Naz Reid, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Scottie Lewis, Bryan Antoine and Precious Achiuwa, along with getting a peek at Jermaine Harris, Devon Dotson, Zach Harvey and Joey Baker.
WEST VIRGINIA: Bob Huggins was getting a look at 2018 guards Noah Locke and Brendan Adams, while also getting another evaluation in on RJ Blakney, an explosive 2019 wing from Baltimore.
PAC-12
STANFORD: Jerrod Haase took in the morning session on Thursday of Jahvon Quinerly, while also watching top-100 2019 talent including Jaiden DeLaire and Cassius Stanley.
UCLA: Steve Alford was a heavy presence at the Under Armour All-American Camp as he was spotted watching his top 2018 targets Jahvon Quinerly and Naz Reid, along with others including 2018 commit David Singleton and 2019 top-50 prospects Josh Green, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Zach Harvey.
USC: Having already solidified its frontcourt with two talented big men, Andy Enfield was out watching top targets Devon Dotson, Elijah Weaver, Darius Days and Mike DeVoe on Wednesday and Thursday.
WASHINGTON: First-year head coach Mike Hopkins has already secured one commitment in the 2018 class and to kick off the second evaluation period, the former Syracuse assistant watched Marcus Zegarowski and Xavier Johnson, while he was also on hand for top-100 big man Bryan Penn-Johnson.
SEC
ALABAMA: Avery Johnson hit it off with a tremendous 2017 class and this week so far, he was spotted watching 2019 top-25 guard Cassius Stanley and 2018 big man Javian Fleming.
FLORIDA: Mike White caught a glimpse of Mike DeVoe, Devon Dotson and Elijah Weaver, while also watching Noah Locke, Scottie Lewis, Bryan Antoine, Joey Baker, Khavon Moore and Darius Days.
LSU: Will Wade was front and center for his top targets in the 2018 class, Naz Reid and Josh LeBlanc, as he also got another look at Darius Days, before flying to Atlanta to check in on five-star big man Emmitt Williams.
TEXAS A&M: The Aggies are looking to replace their perimeter scoring in 2018 along with some muscle within the interior as Billy Kennedy was present for the outings of Miller Kopp and a teammate of his on the Houston Defenders 17-under brigade, Morris Udeze, along with further viewings of Justin Ahrens, Javian Fleming, Micah Peavy and Jahmius Ramey.
VANDERBILT: The Commodores have made a hard push for Miller Kopp, a 6-foot-5 small forward in the 2018 class, as Bryce Drew was courtside for the Texan’s outing on Thursday morning (his brother plays football for Vandy).
OTHER
CONNECTICUT: Kevin Ollie and his UConn staff continue to scour the east coast for the top talent as he was a presence at the games of Mike DeVoe, an emerging top-100 guard in the 2018 class, along with top-50 guard Elijah Weaver.
SOUTH FLORIDA: Brian Gregory was on hand for Mike DeVoe on Wednesday evening, placing a major value on the shot-making and playmaking guard from the Orlando area.
WICHITA STATE: Thanks to the move to the AAC, Gregg Marshall is recruiting more highly touted prospects as he was on hand for 2018 commits Erik Stevenson and Rodgerick Brown on Thursday, along with Miller Kopp, a top-150 forward that the Shockers remain within the top five for, and Tyler Harris.