Class of 2005: Justin Castleberry By Special to MPH info@marylandprephoops.com Justin Castleberry, a 6-2 combo guard from Archbishop Spalding in Severn, Maryland., is ready to step out of the shadow of former teammate and Uconn-bound Rudy Gay and se if he can catch the attention of some high majors. The steady 6-foot-2, 190-pound Castleberry is presently receiving serious interest from some smaller division one schools. Columbia, Yale, Holy Cross, and Lehigh are some of the schools showing earlier interest in Castleberry, but look for the list to grow this summer. Although is main reason when choosing schools is not just focused on the schools with bigger names rather than its commitment to academics. Education is first priority Castleberry, who has a 3.8 GPA and a 1200 on the SAT. “I am looking for a school with a great track record for graduating players. I also want to have a good relationship with the coach, someone I can talk to on and off the court.” Castleberry, averaged 10 points, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds per game this past year for the Cavaliers, has a well rounded game and can do a lot of things to help his team win.

By Andy Katz ESPN.com Monday, April 19, 2004 COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- It was just one all-star game. One of many these days, actually, where defense is never at a premium and the Class of 2004 begins to introduce itself to the country. Yes, Saturday's Jordan Capital Classic gave fans a chance to see a few NBA lottery picks. But not every player wearing black or white was headed to the league in June. Next year's best (or most hyped) freshmen were also in the Comcast Center. And, as first impressions go, Connecticut fans may not be done celebrating. The night before Husky Nation bid its final farewell to Emeka Okafor, Ben Gordon, Diana Taurasi and others -- 300,000 lined the streets of Hartford on Sunday for a parade and rally to celebrate the school's historic dual national championships -- the school's next chapter when it comes to men's basketball just might have been scripted on the campus of Maryland. The national champions can expect Rudy Gay to be on campus this fall. No, Connecticut isn't next year's favorite to win it all. Expect the Huskies to be a factor come March, but a repeat performance? Even with plenty of talent coming back, losing Okafor and Gordon to the NBA lottery means the Huskies can't be expected to double up next year. Well, Rudy Gay isn't so sure. And, national title or not, the freshman will certainly help ease the pain of Okafor's and Gordon's departures. Connecticut's defense may not include a preseason No. 1 ranking or be led by a player of the year candidate. But what UConn will have next year is possibly the best high school player not thinking about NBA riches. And, the 6-foot-8 Gay, who hails from Archbishop Spalding High in Severn, Md., showed Saturday why the Huskies won't fall too far as long as he's on campus. Gay scored 14 points, made a pair of 3s, blocked two shots and had two steals in 22 minutes. He even got a quick sense of life as a Husky, dealing with a little adversity as Maryland fans booed him every time he touched the ball (he chose the Huskies over the Terps). His 14 points included a few jams, but Gay's best moment came during a Friday scrimmage at Trinity College in D.C., when he went by potential overall No. 1 pick Dwight Howard for a one-handed cup dunk. But again, Connecticut could care less what Gay did in the glorified pickup games. Rather, it's was what he reiterated this weekend that meant the most: Gay said he wasn't going to enter the NBA draft. Sure, Gay has garnered the interest of NBA teams. Scouts watched Gay closely last week in the D.C. area. And there is a chance he could sneak into the back end of the first round if he changed his spring schedule. But in the end, Gay said he is committed to attending UConn and trying to become one of the next great guards to come out of Storrs. (Yes, even at 6-8, Gay is the most athletic big guard headed to school out of the Class of 2004.) "It's the best situation for me," Gay said. "They're good at exploiting guards or the three man. I want to go to UConn to expand my game. "We can be the same if not better depending on how hard we work. I would love to be another one of those great players (at UConn)." And Gay isn't arriving alone. The Huskies will also add guard A.J. Price, who had eight points and seven rebounds while playing a reserve role on Gay's team Saturday night. The Huskies also add signee guard Antonio Kellogg for next season. The three join an already loaded UConn squad -- especially up front with the return of Charlie Villanueva, Josh Boone, Hilton Armstrong, Marcus White (who sat out most of 2003-04 with a back injury) and Ed Nelson (who redshirted after transferring in from Georgia Tech). The perimeter isn't too shabby, either, with Rashad Anderson, Denham Brown and Marcus Williams (who played in only 16 games because of academics). "Rudy is a great player, a great all-around player," said Gay's roommate during the week, Al Jefferson, who signed to play at Arkansas but might declare for the draft. "He really feels like he's got a chance to win it again at UConn." Winning it all is always the goal in Kentucky. And for all of those in the Commonwealth wondering about Kentucky's chances next season, well, don't. Actually, Kentucky and Indiana shouldn't fret. Help is on the way. And they can see not only their own, but the next generation of college stars Wednesday (ESPN2, 5 p.m. ET) to judge for themselves. “ It's the best situation for me. ... I want to go to UConn to expand my game. We can be the same if not better depending on how hard we work. I would love to be another one of those great players (at UConn). ” — Rudy Gay Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com.

All-Met's 14 Points Not Enough in Loss: Black 107, White 96 By Alan Goldenbach Washington Post Staff Writer Sunday, April 18, 2004; Page E15 Even though NBA-bound center Dwight Howard was the game's most valuable player, All-Met Player of the Year Rudy Gay of Spalding clearly was the featured attraction at last night's 31st annual Capital Classic at Comcast Center. Howard had 18 points, along with 15 rebounds and 6 blocked shots to lead the Black team to a 107-96 victory over Gay's White team. The majority of the announced 9,725 fans, meantime, seemed to have strong opinions about Gay. One set of voices came from the area near Gay's family in Section 102, cheering loudly for the 6-foot-8 forward who signed with Connecticut. But there was an equally boisterous group sitting behind one of the baselines who booed every time Gay touched the ball. Some Maryland fans were disappointed with his college choice, hoping Comcast Center would be Gay's future home court. "It was an experience, man," said Gay, who finished with 14 points and struggled with foul trouble for much of the game. "I guess I'm getting ready for the future, where a lot of people won't like me." Gay was clearly unnerved by the razzing, and after a ferocious breakaway slam-dunk midway through the first half, he grabbed his headband and tossed it into the section of the crowd that was taunting him. "I was about to take it off anyway," Gay said. "Why not take it off then?" Howard, who received plenty of national fanfare this season, showed some of the skills that might make him the top pick in the NBA draft in June. Even at 6-11, 235 pounds, Howard moves well, both in the low post and on the perimeter. Perhaps his most impressive sequence came four minutes into the second half, when he grabbed a rebound, dribbled to midcourt, and then past two defenders, before firing a no-look pass to Detroit forward Malik Hairston for a dunk. "I don't think I had the greatest game," Howard said calmly. "There's still a lot of other things I can do." Oak Hill Academy point guard Rajon Rando, leading the White team, was the most exciting player on the court for much of the game. Midway through the first half, the 6-1 Rondo, who has signed with Kentucky, threw a beautiful, behind-the-back pass to future college teammate Joe Crawford for a layup. Three minutes later, he scored two of his 12 points on a twisting, off-balance layup over 6-9 Arkansas recruit Al Jefferson. The Black team was in control nearly the entire way, staking itself to leads of 10-2 and 23-11 in the first eight minutes. The margin never got closer than nine until the game's final five minutes. Rondo keyed a 10-0 run that cut the Black team's 75-55 margin in half. But after that, the lead fluctuated between eight and 12 points the rest of the way. Dorrell Wright, a 6-8 forward who signed with DePaul but entered the NBA draft on Friday, scored a game-high 24 points. Wright has not hired an agent and thinks he might return to school. "I still think I'm not ready," Wright said. "But if the opportunity is there, I think I should take it." © 2004 The Washington Post Company ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Howard steals show in win NBA-bound Atlanta player has 18 points, 15 rebounds, earns game's MVP honors By Lem Satterfield Sun Staff Originally published April 18, 2004 COLLEGE PARK -- The Jordan Capital Classic's national game has gone from being a "Who's Who" contest showcasing America's best college-bound senior high school basketball recruits to a star-studded affair of "Who's bypassing college to go straight to the NBA?" Last night's 31st annual classic at the University of Maryland's Comcast Center featured 19 of the country's top prep basketball players performing before celebrities such as Red Auerbach, John Thompson, Michael Jordan, Morgan Wootten, LeBron James and Terrell Owens. But the man of the evening clearly was Dwight Howard, a 6-foot-11 forward out of Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy who might be the No. 1 pick in the NBA's June 24 draft. Howard decided last fall to turn pro before making it official last week. He ran the floor as well as most guards and played with finesse. He also swatted away shots with the authority and power of the big man he is when getting back on defense. He did all this to finish as the night's Most Valuable Player, as his 18 points, 15 rebounds, six blocked shots and three assists led the Black team over the White team in the national game, 107-96. "I just wanted to go out there and have fun. It was my last high school game. I just wanted to have fun tonight, and it feels great, because I ended up on top," said Howard, who joined Dorell Wright, a 6-8 forward out of South Kent Prep School who had signed with DePaul, as the two players who have chosen to become professional players. Another, Archbishop Spalding's 6-8 forward Rudy Gay, The Sun's All-Metro Co-Player of the Year, hinted late last week at a growing desire to join them -- meaning he would eschew his signed scholarship to NCAA champion Connecticut. But Gay, who finished with 14 points and two blocked shots, said, last night, "I'm not thinking about the NBA. It's been brought to me, but I'm not thinking about it seriously." Howard, on the other hand, if picked first would follow the path of James, who drew a crowd when he arrived late in the first half. "I always wanted to go to the NBA since I was 3 years old," Howard said. "I wanted to be the first, but obviously, I wasn't." But Howard proved himself worthy of acclaim, establishing his dominance in the first half. He made a baseline jumper over 6-9 Arkansas-bound Al Jefferson, later blocked shots by Jefferson and Wright, and then ran by Gay in the lane for a dunk. Gay also showed glimpses of the talents required to make the jump to the next level -- all while playing on the floor of the program that lost a recruiting battle to the Huskies and while being booed and jeered from Terps fans each time he touched the ball. Gay once sailed a three-pointer over Howard's outstretched hands. He used his wingspan, defensively, to later block a shot by Howard. And there was his one-handed dunk after stealing a pass -- after which he ripped off his head band and slung it into the stands. "I guess I was getting ready for the future where a lot of people won't like me," Gay said. "It was an experience." In the regional game, the White team beat the Red, 121-96. Abdulai Jalloh of National Christian Academy, a 6-1 guard who is headed for Saint Joseph's, scored 19 points, and was named Most Valuable Player for the White team. Maryland-bound 6-7 forward James Gist scored eight of his 11 points in the second half, including six in the third quarter, to go with seven rebounds for the Red team. Eleanor Roosevelt's 6-9 forward Jared Gaither scored all of his eight points in the second half for the losing team. Copyright © 2004, The Baltimore Sun | Get home delivery

With NBA in mind, all-stars gear up for Capital Classic UConn-bound Gay admits turning pro is intriguing By Gary Lambrecht Sun Staff Originally published April 16, 2004 WASHINGTON - Rudy Gay admits the thought continues to tempt him. The idea of playing in his final high school all-star game, then proceeding directly to collect a fat paycheck in the NBA, is tantalizing. But as he prepared to play in the 31st annual Jordan Capital Classic tomorrow at Comcast Center, Gay, the 6-foot-8 standout forward from Archbishop Spalding, sounded fairly set on reporting to the University of Connecticut late this summer to begin what could be a short-lived collegiate career. "Is there a possibility [of turning pro]? I believe there is. But I believe I could be a better player and also [raise] my stock by going to college. I'll think I'll be there [at UConn]," said Gay, who will be on the Home Team in tomorrow's national game that will feature 21 of the nation's top high school talents. Looking over at Capital Classic teammate A.J. Price, a 6-2 point guard from Amityville (N.Y.) High who also is headed to Connecticut and figures to end up as his roommate in Storrs, Gay added, "I think he knows I'm coming [to UConn]. But if you show up at the right time, anything can happen. If I go out and score 100 points [tomorrow], I'm going pro." Should Gay, the subject of a heated recruiting war last fall between the Huskies and the Maryland Terrapins, decide to skip college, he would not be alone among his fellow Capital Classic participants. Dwight Howard, a 6-11 center from Southwest Atlanta (Ga.) Christian Academy who is widely considered the nation's top high school basketball player and will suit up for the Away Team at Comcast Center, has announced his intentions to enter the June 24 NBA draft. He could be the No. 1 pick. Others said to be seriously mulling over the same decision include 6-foot point guard Sebastian Telfair from Lincoln High in Brooklyn, N.Y.; 6-8 forward Dorell Wright from South Kent (Conn.) Prep School; and 6-9 center Al Jefferson from Prentiss (Miss.) High. Each of them will play for the Home Team. Each is projected as a first-round draft choice. To Stu Vetter, the Montrose Christian School coach in Rockville and the head coach of the Home Team, the star power spicing up this year's event is a sign of the times. The atmosphere is nothing like, say, 1986, when a young sharpshooter from Flint Hill (Va.) named Dennis Scott, who was coached by Vetter and rated the top high school player in the nation, never thought twice about attending Georgia Tech. Scott left for the NBA after three seasons with the Yellow Jackets. "Probably the best player I coached in high school was Dennis Scott. He was by far the best player in the country, and there wasn't even talk about [going straight to the pros]," Vetter said. "Dennis could have done it. He's in the category of a Rudy Gay. It just shows how high school basketball has grown every year." The Home Team and Away Team went through their only Capital Classic preparation yesterday with two practices on separate courts at Trinity College. Vetter said among the lessons he tried to impart to his players was the need to play within the team concept. Isaiah Swann, a 6-1 shooting guard from Magruder High in Montgomery County who also attended Hargrave (Chatham, Va.) Military Academy and is headed to Florida State, said he intends to showcase his talent without forcing shots. "Everybody knows a lot of scouts are going to be there. Everybody wants to prove something," Swann said. "The fans want to see a show. We're going to work our hardest to bring it to them. I want to go out with a bang," added Gay, who said he wouldn't be surprised to hear a few boos, considering the Terps lost out on the local recruit. "It was close, real close. Maryland is a great school. I don't think it suits me best, basketball-wise," he said. NOTE: The regional game will precede the main event tomorrow night. Among the players on the Away Team are 6-8 forward James Gist, the Good Counsel product who has signed with Maryland, and 6-9 forward Jared Gaither from Eleanor Roosevelt High, who has signed to play football for the Terps. Copyright © 2004, The Baltimore Sun | Get home delivery

Capital Classic Preview Spalding's Gay Is Going Places, But Where? He Signed With U-Conn., But Could Jump to NBA By Jake Schaller Special to The Washington Post Friday, April 16, 2004; Page D01 Mike Glick was pretty sure Rudy Gay's career at Spalding High School would be over before it ever really started. It was early in September 2002, and Gay, a lanky junior transfer from Eastern Tech in Baltimore, had struggled in the Cavaliers' first weightlifting session of the school year. He had a hard time bench-pressing 115 pounds and couldn't keep up with junior varsity players doing sets of push-ups. "He was getting teased by all the kids," said Glick, Spalding's head coach. "I didn't think he'd be back." But the day after that workout at 2:38 p.m. -- three minutes after the final bell rang -- Gay knocked on Glick's office door and asked for the keys to the weight room. "He said he had a lot of ground to make up," Glick said. "That's when I knew he'd be a special player." Today, Gay is a 6-foot-8, 220-pound forward who has signed with national champion Connecticut and was named The Post's 2003-04 All-Met player of the year. This week Gay and Glick both insisted Gay would eschew immediate NBA riches and play for the Huskies next season. But the lure of the NBA remains -- "a million dollars is definitely tempting," Gay said Tuesday night -- and it could become harder to ignore if he performs well in Saturday night's national game at the 31st Capital Classic. "Maybe if I score 100 points I'll go," Gay joked yesterday. The deadline for declaring for the NBA draft is May 12. NBA front-office employees are not allowed to comment publicly on high school players who have not officially entered the draft, but they have been in attendance at camps and all-star games and practices -- yesterday's, for instance -- where Gay has shined while playing with players such as Dwight Howard, a 6-10 forward from Georgia who will play in Saturday night's game and already has declared for the draft. Glick said he was contacted by several NBA scouts at all-star games in San Antonio and Oklahoma City who said Gay would be a first-round pick, if he declared. "I think it's difficult for a lot of kids, because there are so many kids now talking about going to the NBA," said Montrose Christian Coach Stu Vetter, who will coach Gay's team Saturday night. "And the success of LeBron James, that's been a double-edged sword. LeBron was certainly ready to go to the NBA, but for every LeBron, there's going to be hundreds that aren't ready to go that might declare for the NBA and are not very successful. Certainly the pressure is on now for someone like Rudy." This season Gay led Spalding to a 30-7 record, a No. 12 ranking in The Post and the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association "A" Conference title. He was a force on both ends of the court, leading the Cavaliers in points (21.2), rebounds (9.2) and blocked shots (3.7) per game. He added 2.1 assists and 1.6 steals per game, shot 52 percent from the field, 33.5 percent from three-point range and 72.6 percent from the foul line. "He's one of the best high school players I've ever seen," DeMatha Coach Mike Jones said. "We played them our last game of the season, and he maybe had 11 points through the first three quarters and they were losing by five. Then he goes off and scores 20 in the fourth to make sure his team wins." But more than any of his tangible accomplishments, Gay's potential is what makes him so attractive. NBA teams now draft primarily on "upside," and Gay has plenty, coaches say. He has a 7-foot-2 wingspan, a 35-inch vertical leap, the ball-handling skills of a guard, a shooting range that extents beyond the three-point arc and an above-the-rim style that allowed him to win slam dunk competitions at the prestigious Slam Dunk to the Beach and Alhambra tournaments this year. "You can go to NBA games and you won't see too many guys more physically gifted than he is," Bullis Coach Bruce Kelley said. "He's going to create a lot of problems at any level," Vetter added. "He has the ability to take his man off the dribble from the perimeter, yet he can post up inside." And he doesn't turn 18 until August. "The sky's the limit," Glick said. "It's scary to think about how good he'll be when he's a 23- or 24-year-old man and he's completely filled out." Gay grew up playing baseball and did not start playing basketball seriously until the summer after eighth grade. He spent two years at Eastern Tech, his neighborhood school, but then decided to transfer to Spalding, an Anne Arundel County private school whose team plays a competitive national schedule. When he arrived at Spalding, Gay was 6-7, 180 pounds and brimming with potential. In the past, he had played in the post because of his height. But in his junior year at Spalding, Gay was encouraged to play facing the basket -- in part because the Cavaliers had two seven-footers, and in part to capitalize on Gay's skills. Between the end of his junior season at Spalding in March 2003 and the beginning of summer league play in June, Gay grew in stature both literally (an inch to 6-8) and figuratively. In the Cavaliers' second summer league game, he scored 39 points, including eight three-pointers, against Washington Catholic Athletic Conference power O'Connell. He then cemented his status as a top 10 recruit with his performance at the Nike All-American Camp. "That's when he blew up," said Florida State-bound Isaiah Swann, who played on Gay's team at the Nike camp and will play against him Saturday night. "A couple years ago, he wasn't doing anything, but he sprouted. I was like, 'What are you doing scoring 30 points?' He was like, 'I don't know.' " This year, despite increased attention and scrutiny, Gay did not disappoint. And in recent weeks, he has shown he can play with the best prospects in the nation. In the McDonald's All American game in Oklahoma City, Gay scored 10 points, including two three-pointers. "I think I held my own," Gay said. "And if I can hold my own with the best players right now, I won't have much of a problem doing it next year." And for now, it seems as though that will be at Connecticut.