Is this UA's First recruit for 2007?????

[Patch]

Since I heard a recruit from Chicago was on campus I searched and found this announcement. This might be the kid who someone mentioned earlier was visiting and was seen with Jimmy Covington.

 

 

The University of Albany Steps In And Grabs Another Illinois Recruit, Secures A Verbal From Class of 2006 Rich Central Star Howard Little

 

 

Chicago Hoops

May 12, 2006

 

Email Questions/Comments To brian@chicagohoops.com

 

 

Class of 2006 Rich Central star Howard Little has given a verbal commitment to play basketball for the University of Albany. Little will attend Stoneridge Prep in California for a year, and then will join the team at Albany in 2007-08. Little ranks as one of the top Class of 2006 basketball prospects in the state of Illinois.

 

Little, a 6-5 guard/forward, had an outstanding senior season at Rich Central, and distinguished himself as one of the best players in the Illinois Class of 2006. Little bring good size, athleticism, an ability to shoot with range, and a knack for getting to the rim to the table.

 

Little took a visit to the Albany campus last weekend. Landing Little is a steal for Albany who will have him for four years after Little spends the 2006-07 season at Stoneridge Prep.

 

Albany, a New York-based school, has stepped up their recruiting efforts in Chicago of late, and are seeing big dividends. 6-6 former Chicago Morgan Park star Jimmy Covington was a freshman on the team this year. They now have a verbal from Little, and wouldn't mind adding a point guard like Aaron Johnson (Chicago Hubbard), or Josh Parker (Thornton) to their 2007 recruiting class.

 

This past season, Albany won the American East Conference, and earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament.

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Check out #26

 

Presents The ChicagoHoops.com

Top Class of 2006 Basketball Prospects In The State of Illinois

 

Chicago Hoops

Updated February 27, 2006

 

Player Height Position School

1. Sherron Collins 5-10 Point Guard Chicago Crane

2. Jon Scheyer 6-6 Shooting Guard Glenbrook North

3. Jerome Randle 5-8 Point Guard Chicago Hales Franciscan

4. JaVale McGee 7-0 Center Chicago Hales Franciscan

5. Brian Carlwell 6-10 Center Proviso East

6. Will Walker 6-0 Point Guard Bolingbrook

7. Patrick Beverly 6-2 Shooting Guard Chicago Marshall

8. Manuel Cass 6-7 Forward Carbondale

9. Osiris Eldridge 6-3 Shooting Guard Chicago Phillips

10. Joevan Catron 6-6 Power Forward Thornton

11. Devan Bawinkle 6-4 Shooting Guard Winnebago

12. Darrian McKinstry 6-0 Point Guard Chicago Hales Franciscan

13. Jonathan Peoples 6-2 Shooting Guard St. Joseph's

14. Jeff Ryan 6-7 Small Forward Glenbrook South

15. Jeremie Simmons 6-2 Shooting Guard Chicago Von Steuben

16. Don Lawson 6-9 Center Chicago Leo

17. Willie Veasley 6-3 Small Forward Freeport

18. Andre Walker 6-7 Small Forward Homewood-Flossmoor

19. Mario Little 6-4 Small Forward Chicago Washington

20. Thijin Moses 6-9 Small Forward Chicago Boys to Men Academy

21. Jeremy Nash 6-3 Shooting Guard Chicago Marist

22. Dustin Maguire 6-5 Small Forward Edwardsville

23. Travis Marion 6-2 Guard West Aurora

24. Billy Rush 6-5 Forward Thornridge

25. Cody Yelder 6-0 Point Guard Richards

26. Howard Little 6-4 Shooting Guard Rich Central

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Albany Lands Chicago Area Commitment

May 12, 2006

11:30 A.M. CST

 

Illinois Prep Bulls-eye has learned from reliable sources that 6'4 Howard Little from Olympia Fields (Rich Central) IL has made a verbal commitment to the University of Albany. Little will first attend Stoneridge Prep in California for one post-grad year before becoming a four year scholarship player at Albany. Little will further work on his college preparation skills and basketball development during this post-grad year at one of the nation's top post-grad prep schools.

 

Little chose Albany over Chicago State, Eastern Kentucky, Baylor and others...............

 

Albany continues to recruit well in the Windy City. One of the key players currently on their roster is 6'8 Jimmy Covington, who played his high school basketball at Morgan Park High School in Chicago and they are off to a great start in the class of 2007 with the commitment of Little.

 

Please continue to check in with Illinois Prep Bulls-eye for all the latest news and recruitng updates as they pertain to Illinois high school basketball.

[Clickclack]

I really like what I'm hearing about this kid....check this out

.

.

.

.

.

On the heels of a number of strong performances on the basketball court, star Rich Central High School senior Howard Little is seeing his recruiting stock rise. Little ranks as one of the top unsigned Class of 2006 basketball prospects in the state of Illinois.

 

 

Little, a 6-4 shooting guard, has been doing it all on the basketball court for Rich Central. He is a big time shooter with range out beyond the three-point arc, and also has the ability to get points by slashing to the bucket.

 

Little told ChicagoHoops.com that he has worked hard to elevate his game on the basketball court. Working with a personal trainer enabled Little to improve his explosiveness off the floor, and the results have been obvious. On Monday, at the Big Dipper Holiday Basketball Tournament, Little scored two of his game-high 28 points on a two-handed alley-oop power jam which brought down the house.

 

Little has already added several Division I schools to his fan club with his strong showing this week at the Big Dipper Holiday Basketball Tournament, and should really begin to see his recruiting heat up in the coming weeks.

 

Little competed on the AAU circuit with Larry Butler's Illinois Warriors.

[Clickclack]

Here is a pic of him.....

 

[Dane96]

All I have to say is this: Kid looks great, sounds great (seems like we are in the mix for two PG's as well....a plus), but until he signs...I am not holding my breath.

 

We need him to sign before he starts playing next year.....

[Patch]

D96 - I feel the same as you. I would like to see him sign ASAP. I don't know the procedure but I would imagine the ealiest he would sign would be the Early Signing Period next Fall.

[Dane Pound]

If I remember right Jon Iati verballed in May or June and then signed in November during the early signing period. I'm sure this sounds naive but aren't other coaches supposed to call off the dogs when a player gives a verbal commitment? No doubt there are exceptions but things would get pretty nutty if they didn't.

 

I couldn't find any season stats for Little but he seems like a merciless scorer-37 points in a playoff game this year. Pretty much exactly what we'll need in a year when we'll lose Jamar and Jason Siggers.

 

Stoneridge Prep sends their starting five to D1 schools just about every year and plays a lot of top schools around the country. He certainly shouldn't be overawed by the college game when he gets here.

Edited May 13, 2006 by Dane Pound

[Mattmo]

On a related recruiting note, apparently Albany has taken interest with a 6-8 Vermonter named Pat Bergmann. Pat Filien came back to Vermont a few times to watch him play supposedly. I've seen him play a few times, and he was never one to impress me as a D1 player. He just happened to be about 3-4 inches taller than most people. He also is quite thin. Scores a lot on putbacks. Stony Brook and Vermont are the other schools apparently showing some interest, but I tend to believe that all 3 schools I've said are showing passive interest unless he really proves himself on the AAU circuit this summer and works to improve his game. The kid has some potential, he has pretty decent hands for a big guy, needs a little work on his footwork and should bulk up. The upside is that he could grow to be 6-10 or so and he has long arms...would be a project, but maybe he is convinced to prep if he is serious about playing D1.

 

Just thought I would let you guys know about it. Sort of an exciting time for Vermonters and basketball. We could see 3 kids from the state be playing Division I basketball in maybe a year or twos time. I cannot remember the last time that has happened for the state in terms of possibly getting scholarships. The last Vermonter to get a D1 scholarship was Kyle Cieplicki in 2003.

 

 

Sorry to make it semi-Vermont centric, but I thought I would pass the info on!

[alum73]

Thanks for the info, we can nserstand where you're coing from.

[Patch]

I am sure Coach Filien was up in the Vermont area looking at the kid you mentioned but with our recent verbal we are probably more interested in a PG.

 

I think we only have 2 schollies available next year(Jamar's & Siggers) and with Covington, Connelly, Gifford and Yocum only going to be either Sophs and Frosh I don't know if we'd be that interested in another big.

 

I really would expect a PG or an Athletic (6'6"/6'7") Levi Type(very hard to get at the AE Level).

[Clickclack]

I agree.... and Coach Brown has said so....that we will be going after an athletic forward and PG.....looks like the athletic small forward has verbally commited now we have to find a PG. Makes very little sence to go after a PF since we are very young and stocked at that position.

[Patch]

From Hoopmasters..........

 

 

 

May 13, 2006

Albany adds commitment from Midwestern wing...

By Van Coleman van@hoopmasters.com

 

Will Brown and his staff at Albany dip into the Midwest to add another quality recruit when 6-5 Howard Little decided to head east...

 

Howard Little 6-5 195-pound forward from Olympis Fields, IL Rich Central has made both his prep school and college decisions for the next year.

 

The athletic forward has decided to play his college ball at Albany and will sign with Will Brown's club in November. He chose Albany over Weber State, Illinois Chicago, Eastern Kentucky, Chicago State, Evansville, and recently Baylor.

 

He averaged 25.2 points and 7.3 rebounds for Rich Central as a senior, but has decided to attend prep school and is headed to Stoneridge Prep in Tarzana, CA next fall, then sign with Albany and head back east.

 

He has the opportunity to make an immediate impact at Albany after a year in prep school.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

There isn't much info out there on this kid but the more I do get the more interesting he becomes.

[B9j2j6s]

He has the opportunity to make an immediate impact at Albany after a year in prep school.

 

 

After Jamar and Jason leave he will have a great oppertunity as a Freshman. Now all we need to find a Trimboli/Lillis type PG. But good start I'm sure our recent success has helped with recruiting.

Edited May 14, 2006 by B9j2j6s

[Patch]

Prior to this season - from Stat Hoops (Illinois) TOP 21-40 JUNIORS (2006)

 

 

25. Howard Little-6-4- Rich Central- Warriors

 

Previous Ranking: 23

 

            Howard has a great all around type game.  He rebounds, boxes out, hustles, and does all the little things that make him good.  A decent offensive player, he is even better defensively.  Howard recently transferred to Rich Central HS and it will be interesting to watch him this year.

 

Passing: A-

 

Ball Handling: A-

 

Shooting: A-

 

Rebounding: A

 

Defense: A

 

Knowledge: A+

 

Quickness: B

 

Strength : A-

 

Overall: A

[daneguy04]

A 6'4" shut down player for the perimiter would be awesome, include that with our height next year and we could be a defensive jugernaut (sp?) if the team really wants it!!!!