Published by The HOOP SCOOP, Inc., P.O. Box 37122, Louisville, KY Copyright 2003 HOOP SCOOP'S RANKING OF THE NATION'S TOP 445 SENIORS (CLASS OF 2004) Published on August 27, 2003 Rank Player Height Class Position Hometown (High School) State College 1. Dwight Howard 6'11 2004 PF Atlanta (Southwest Atlanta Christian) GA 2. Al Jefferson 6'9 2004 C Prentiss (H.S.) MS Arkansas 3. Shaun Livingston 6'6 2004 PG Peoria (Central) IL 4. D.J. White 6'9 2004 C Tuscaloosa (Hillcrest) AL Indiana 5. Josh Smith 6'9 2004 WF Mouth of Wilson (Oak Hill) VA Indiana 6. Marvin Williams 6'9 2004 PF Bremerton (H.S.) WA North Carolina 7. Malik Hairston 6'6 2004 WF Detroit (Renaissance) MI 8. RUDY GAY 6'8 2004 PF SEVERN (ARCHBISHOP SPALDING)MD 9. Sebastian Telfair 6'0 2004 PG Brooklyn (Lincoln) NY Louisville 10. Daniel Gibson 6'3 2004 PG Houston (Jones) TX Texas ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 2004 Pre-Season Top 100 from TheInsiders.com By Dave Telep, Tracy Pierson August 26, 2003 Here's our pre-season list of the Top 100 high school prospects in the United States: 1 C Dwight Howard (SW Atlanta Christian) Atlanta , GA 6-10/225 2 PG Shaun Livingston (Peoria Central) Peoria , IL 6-7/175 3 PF Al Jefferson (Prentiss) Prentiss, MS 6-9/265 Arkansas 4 PF/SF Marvin Williams (Bremerton) Bremerton, WA 6-8/205 North Carolina 5 SF Josh Smith (Oak Hill Academy) Mouth of Wilson, VA 6-8/210 Indiana 6 PF Lamarcus Aldridge (Seagoville) Dallas , TX 6-11/225 Texas 7 C Robert Swift (Highland) Bakersfield , CA 7-0/230 Southern Cal 8 PG Sebastian Telfair (Lincoln) Brooklyn, NY 5-11/165 9 SF Malik Hairston (Renaissance) Detroit, MI 6-6/185 10 SF/PF RUDY GAY (ARCHBISHOP SPALDING) SEVERN, MD 6-8/210 ----------------------------------------------------------------------

By CRAIG ANDERSON, Staff Writer Published September 06, 2003, The Capital, Annapolis, Md. Copyright © 2003 The Capital, Annapolis, Md. While one Spalding boys' basketball player has decided on a Division I college, another is still sifting through offers. Long on potential and short on statistics, 6-foot-11, 225-pound center Jason Loughry has committed to play at Mount St. Mary's in 2004-05. Loughry averaged one point and less than a rebound a game last season backing up Maryland-bound Will Bowers. "The Mount said I would play immediately and I didn't want to go to a school where I would sit the bench for two or three years," said Loughry, who also considered Bucknell, Rice and Furman. After a standout summer camp season, 6-8 all-county swingman Rudy Gay has scheduled visits to Maryland and Connecticut, and will meet with coaches from eight schools overall from Sept. 13-18. Others being considered include defending national champion Syracuse, Kentucky, Villanova, Clemson, St. John's and Georgetown. After meeting with all the coaches, Gay may schedule one or two more visits. He's also on the radar screen of National Basketball Association scouts. Prep coach Mike Glick said Odenton resident Loughry had a chance to succeed at the Northeast Conference school, though the progression might take time. Loughry averaged 1.5 blocks per game in limited playing time, and is considered a solid defender and rebounder who needs to develop offensive skills. "Jason still needs to get stronger, but he'll get there," Glick said. "He'll have the opportunity to play but they won't come in and expect him to be the savior." Loughry, who scored a 1,200 on his SAT and will study business in college, joins Spalding products Landy Thompson (point guard) and Gus Durr (small forward) at the Emmitsburg school. "It was the perfect choice for Jason," Glick said. "Academically, it's a small setting and the proximity to home suits his family. The Northeast Conference is traditionally a guards league, so he has a chance to make a mark with his size as a big man." ----------------------------------------------------------------------

Today as TT caught up with Archbishop Spalding Coach Mike Glick to discuss the recruitment of his 6-8 star forward Rudy Gay and his visits with Maryland. We also touched base about his other D-1 college bound seniors, Spalding’s tough 2003-2004 schedule, how 7-foot Spalding grad Will Bowers is adjusting as a freshman at Maryland and Glick’s prediction for the Cavaliers hopes of recapturing the Baltimore Catholic League (BCL) title this year. TT has covered over 25 Spalding games (summer league, regular season, and tournament games) since we began tracking Bowers as a rising junior in the summer of 2001. We have come to respect the way the Cavaliers play, how their players are developed, and Glick’s willingness to schedule tough non-conference opponents. We scouted national Top 5-10 recruit Rudy Gay at a number of top national summer camps and AAU events this summer. We also scouted Spalding against such top WCAC opponents as DeMatha, O’Connell, Gonzaga, and Paul VI at the 'Ban The Brick' summer league at St. Alban’s. Here is our interview with Glick. TT: We really haven’t spoken much since Gary Williams' Basketball Camp early this summer and there is a lot to catch-up on. First of all, congratulations to you, Rudy, and the Spalding program for the article on Rudy in the September issue of 'Slam' magazine. That was pretty good national exposure. MG: Yeah, that was really cool. Actually, they took the picture of Rudy back in May before he blew up at Nike Camp in July. That was great exposure for Rudy and for our whole school to get in a national basketball magazine like 'Slam'. TT: We spoke in June after Rudy had a monster game against O’Connell at St. Alban’s. You said that by the end of the summer Rudy would be a Top 10 recruit and a preseason McDonald’s All-American. It looks like you were right with that prediction. MG: You could see in that O’Connell game how much he had improved since the end of his junior season. The things he was doing inside, outside, his athleticism, and his versatility...you just knew that there weren’t many players in the country who could play with him. He has gotten so much bigger and stronger, and now he was also hitting three-pointers, beating people off the dribble...he was already a great rebounder and shot blocker. I knew he was going to really show people a lot this summer. TT: It has been widely reported that Rudy has narrowed his list to eight colleges (Maryland, Connecticut, St. John’s, Georgetown, Syracuse, Villanova, Clemson, and Kentucky). Has he scheduled all of his 'in-home' visits with college coaches for September yet? MG: Actually, the college coaches' visits with Rudy will be done at Spalding in the school, not in-home. Yes, those have been scheduled with the eight schools for September 13, 14, 16 and 18. TT: When will the Maryland coaches be meeting with Rudy? MG: On September 18. TT: There have been published reports that Rudy has already scheduled official visits to UConn for September and to College Park for Midnight Madness. Are these reports accurate? MG: We really haven’t definitely set either of those trips for official visits. I would say that it is very likely that these will be two of his official visits, but I wouldn’t say that these are definitely set as official visits yet. TT: Do you think Rudy will take all five of his allowable official visits? MG: I can’t say that yet. The plan is to have the (college) coaches come in and then decide on which schools to officially visit. He could take all five visits, it might be only be two - I would think he’ll take at least three, but we’ll see. TT: Do you think Rudy will sign early, in November, or wait until spring? MG: I’m not sure. I think he might sign early. TT: You are very familiar with the Maryland staff and the Terrapin basketball program, no doubt you've heard that Maryland is involved with a couple of other possible frontcourt recruits for 2004, beyond James Gist of Good Counsel who has already committed. I assume that Rudy is aware of and/or monitoring that situation? MG: Yes. TT: Beyond Rudy, you have two other seniors this year who will likely be D-1 college recruits, Jason Loughery (a 6'11" forward/center who was a reserve last season) and Jesse Brooks (a 5'10" point guard who is already a two year starter). How is their recruiting going? MG: Jason committed to Mt. St, Mary’s last week. He is my third guy to commit to The Mount in three years. Landy Thompson started as a freshman at The Mount last year, and Gus Durr, Jr. will be a freshman forward there this year. Milan Brown (who replaced The Mount’s Hall of Fame Coach Jim Phelan this year) did a nice job recruiting Jason. He is a great kid and very good student, they’ll bring him along slowly. It is a nice match for Jason and the school. Jason improved a lot this summer and he has gotten a little stronger and bigger. TT: How about Jesse Brooks? MG: Jesse will be a late signee. He has done well academically the last year or so and will be a full qualifier. He’ll be a low D-1 to mid D-1 recruit. I think he’ll have a much better senior year than junior year. TT: For the third year in a row you’ve landed a high profile transfer. Two years ago you got Landy Thompson when Newport Prep closed, and last year you added Rudy from Eastern Tech. This year you picked up Justin Castleberry (a 6'1' junior combo guard who was a part-time starter fpr WCAC power DeMatha as a sophomore in 2002-2003). Justin looked very good this summer for you in the Ban The Brick League, you must be excited to have him in the program. MG: Justin is a tremendous addition to our school as both a student and as a player. I’ve always liked Justin. We really wanted him as an eighth grader (out of Mater Dei in Bethesda), but we are happy to have him now. Actually, he was the 'missing piece' that we needed last year, but we are just excited to have him now as a junior. He is a combo guard. We can play him at the point to spell Jesse Brooks but he is also a good enough shooter and scorer to play the 'two' (wing guard). I won’t say before practice if he’ll start or not, but he’ll be in mix for sure. We graduated the three seniors who shared the ‘two’ spot last year, so we’ll be using new people there this year. I actually plan on playing Rudy at the wing guard spot sometimes. TT: You had two very promising sophomores who got playing time last year in Lawrence Dixon (a 6'5' forward) and Marquis Sullivan (a 6-foot wing guard). DCHoops.com. rates both of them as being among the top players in the Class of 2005 in Maryland. I guess we can expect to see a lot of them this year? MG: Lawrence played a lot last year, he was our top frontcourt sub at the end of the season. He is an excellent athlete who just needs to get a little stronger and more consistent. I would guess he’ll start this year. Marquis didn’t play much last year because we had the three senior wing guards (all of whom are now D-III college student-athletes) ahead of him, but he is a very talented player. Two years ago, Marquis was considered the number one eighth grader in Baltimore, he was a huge recruit for us. He is a real good shooter and a great athlete. He is very strong. I’d like to see his defense get a little better, but he is a good prospect. Marquis averaged 22.5 points a game on our undefeated junior varsity as a freshman, so we know he can score. His grandfather is the old Baltimore Colt defensive end Roy Hilton. TT: We were impressed by Johann Jones this summer. He looks like a good forward prospect. MG: Johann was our ‘sleeper’ this summer. He was a JV kid as a freshman, but he really came on this summer. He is going to be a serious player, he is a 6'4," 195 athlete who can jump and always plays hard. He can really rebound. I originally thought he might be on the JV again, but now I think he’ll be a starter or at least in the rotation, for the varsity. I love this kid’s potential and toughness. We have another new big kid who will be in the rotation this year, his name is Anthony Angion. He is about 6'6' and 265 pounds. He is a junior with two years of JV experience. He missed the summer with a dislocated knee cap, but he’ll be back for this season. He is a big kid, very physical. He can play center or power forward. TT: I heard a rumor that Spalding might add a promising 6'8' transfer from Baltimore County, from Timonium I believe. Did that happen? Did you get any noteworthy transfers besides Justin Castleberry ? MG: No, Justin is our only transfer this year. The player you are referring to wound up at Calvert Hall, which is in Towson and a lot closer to where this kid lived. But he is 6'8' and a good prospect, probably a D-1 prospect. Calvert Hall picked up four transfers this year, they could be really tough. TT: You like to be able to go 9-10 players deep, and the last couple of years you haven’t been afraid to play with a three or even four-guard lineup on occasion, so I would guess that seniors Kevin Galinat and Matt Cornell will still be in the rotation as well? MG: They’re both back and they both will have roles. Cornell is 6'3" and very tough and athletic, he’ll be a D-1 college lacrosse recruit. He can defend guards and forwards and rebound the ball. Brian is a solid player who can play all three perimeter positions, he is a ‘shooter’, so, if he can shoot the ball well enough, he’ll have a role. TT: You played a brutal non-conference schedule last year. How does this year’s schedule look? MG: Well, we open against Gonzaga in the St. Alban’s Tournament. In the first round of the Bullis Tournament we drew Good Counsel, which means you’ll see a Rudy Gay-James Gist matchup. We’ll be playing in the top bracket at the Slam Dunk to the Beach Tournament, which will mean three tough games. We’ll also be playing in one-day 'shootouts' in Rochester, New York and at the Eastern Invitational at Seton Hall. We might get matched against Cardinal Dougherty of Philly in the Eastern Invitational. So, it is another tough schedule. TT: We appreciate you spending this much time with us, but we can’t let you go without asking you how Will Bowers is doing at Maryland. I know you saw him running pick-up at Comcast this summer while you were working the Maryland camp. How do you think he is doing? MG: I think he is doing well, a lot better than some people thought he would as a freshman. He still needs to keep working hard and working on his conditioning, but Will has nice skills and he is tougher than people think. I know Gary (Williams), Dave (Dickerson), and Jimmy (Patsos) pretty well, and I can tell you that they are pretty pleased with Will’s development and his potential. Will is very versatile and skilled for a kid who is 6'11', 7-foot, 250 pounds, and who just turned 18 years old. I saw him at Comcast this summer and I agree he needs to get in better condition and get stronger, but I could see him starting to adjust to the speed and athleticism of the college game. I still think he is going to be a good player for Maryland. If he works hard he might be playing more as a freshman than people expect.

By CRAIG ANDERSON Staff Writer July 25, 2003 Rave reviews are pouring in as 16-year-old Rudy Gay plays through the summer circuit for high school basketball stars. Fresh off a sparkling performance at last week's Nike All-American Camp in Indianapolis, Archbishop Spalding's 6-foot-8, 212-pound rising senior is considered one of the elite young talents in the United States. ESPN.com had the East Baltimore native ranked as the No. 4 prospect in the nation this week. Depending on who you read, he's somewhere in the top 10 at least. College coaches and talent evaluators love Gay's long, athletic body, which is filling out thanks to focused work in the weight room. He's starting to show eye-catching perimeter skills after playing close to the basket in his younger years. So what's next for the Baltimore native? Rumors and possible scenarios abound as his final year of high school approaches. Gay isn't tipping his hand, so the speculation heads a variety of ways. These days, college basketball fans can get their fill of offseason news and innuendo through various Internet-based recruiting services. He could commit to Maryland next month, following former prep teammate and 7-foot center Will Bowers to College Park. He's regarded as the Terrapins' No. 1 target and coach Gary Williams has been a regular at summer events. "Rudy is the next great player from the area, and he's Maryland's primary recruit," said Keith Cavanaugh, publisher of Terrapin Times, a magazine devoted to covering Maryland athletics. "It's unusual for Gary to be at so many games for one player, so that says a lot about his interest." The second strong choice appears to be Connecticut, boosted by coach Jim Calhoun's strong in-school visit last spring and a tradition of developing talented wing players like Richard Hamilton and Ray Allen into NBA stars. Then there's defending national champion Syracuse, which has its own local connection of sorts. Baltimore's Carmelo Anthony was the main man for the Orangemen last year, and grew up on the same basketball courts. "I've played against Carmelo a couple times," Gay said. "He's a cool guy. I know him, he knows me, but it's not like we're good friends or anything." Given time for more development, Gay could reach the same lofty heights. He's a great mix of still-blossoming talent and skills already tested by the best prospects around. "He's the real deal, the complete package," Cavanaugh said. "Rudy is a world class athlete, and is probably a better runner and jumper than Carmelo. "Carmelo's advantage is in his strength and savvy. He knows what to do with the ball better, but Rudy is quickly closing the gap. He's only 16 and that's the great thing about him. "Rudy is good enough that in a year or two he can be in the league (NBA)." A fourth possibility is Villanova, which has former Spalding point guard Derrick Snowden on its roster. Less than a week ago, coaches from North Carolina, Louisville, Arizona and Florida called prep coach Mike Glick to express interest in the sweepstakes. Gay has played it so coy when asked about his future plans that even his high school mentor isn't sure what will happen. "At this point I couldn't tell you if Rudy is leaning one way or another," Glick said. "He's had a lot of nice possibilities thrown his way and is taking his time to make the best choice. I'd like to see him decide sooner rather than later so he has his first choice of schools." Gay discounts the rumors that he'll play his senior year at prestigious Oak Hill (Va.) Academy, known for turning out top-flight collegiate prospects annually. Coach Steve Smith made several appearances during his Ban The Brick summer league games in Washington, D.C., but is still just an outsider in the race for the budding superstar. "I like where I'm at (Spalding)," Gay said. "I don't think there's much chance of that (transferring to Oak Hill) happening." Glick is glad to hear his star is still enjoying his stay in Anne Arundel County. The Cavaliers will be loaded next season, led by 6-5 small forward Lawrence Dixon and 6-2 point guard Justin Castleberry. Both are juniors and made the all-star game at the recent Eastern Invitational that's a notch below the Nike camp. Senior center Jason Loughry, 6-11, and guard Jesse Brooks also figure to draw collegiate interest, and 6-4 sophomore varsity newcomer Johanna Jones is a prospect to watch. "I know that Rudy enjoys being a student at Spalding very much," Glick said. "He wants to go to the prom and he wants to stay a part of the student body. His reasons for coming here were to play with talented teammates in his right position and face a national-scale schedule. "He's been able to do all that and has fit in very well with the school's community." Gay's summer season continues later this month in Orlando, Fla., playing with his Cecil Kirk squad in the AAU national championships.

By Mike DeCourcy - SportingNews.com July 9, 2003 INDIANAPOLIS -- This story almost seems too convenient, too perfectly scripted. Rudy Gay and Carmelo Anthony come from the same area of Baltimore. They are friends. Each benefits from an extraordinary growth spurt. Each becomes a prime Syracuse recruiting target. Each arrives quietly in the summer before his senior year of high school, with a general acknowledgement of his promise as a basketball player, but without any hyperventilating from the opinion-making talent scouts. We know how Anthony's story turned out. Is this where the parallels end? So that's the pitch. But the thing is, once Gay starts to play at the Nike All-America Camp, the contrivances no longer matter. What matters is, he is really good. He is much better than most of the recruiting analysts have allowed themselves to believe. And while that ties directly to Anthony's experience in the summer of 2001, Gay is more concerned with trying to establish himself than duplicating his buddy's experience. "I just want to dominate, show people I can be one of the top people in the class," Gay said. "All I can do is work hard. I want to succeed, and I'm going to do whatever is necessary to do it. If it's putting up 500 shots, working on my handle by myself, lifting weights . . ." Gay stood only 5-11 in the summer before his freshman year of high school but quickly grew to 6-4. Last July at the Nike Camp, he was 6-6. The two inches he added since have been a blessing on the basketball court, "But it's hard having to buy new clothes all the time." Syracuse appears to be the leading school in Gay's recruitment, given the occasional nudging delivered by Anthony when the two have played ball together. But Connecticut, Maryland, Indiana, Villanova, Georgetown and NC State are still in the hunt. College coaches weren't allowed in to Monday evening's Nike scrimmages. The open evaluation period started Tuesday. My, what a show they missed from Gay. He stands 6-8 and a very lean 204 pounds and will be a senior at Archbishop Spaulding High in Baltimore County. He is an uncommon breed of basketball prospect: a true small forward. We rarely see players now with the combination of dribbling, shooting and passing skills that work on the perimeter and the toughness to rebound and defend along the baseline. That's one reason Anthony excelled in the 2003 NCAA Tournament. Most colleges have abandoned the small forward position and gone with taller guards in that spot in order to keep three long-distance shooting threats on the floor. Thus nearly every player who defended Anthony was three or four inches shorter. Kansas didn't control him in the championship game until it finally employed 6-10 All-American center Nick Collison to handle the job. Gay showed at the Nike camp he also could be that sort of player. Although he lacks Anthony's pure power, he is a more electric athlete. Gay is a capable ballhandler and shooter, though, and plays with the same rare unselfishness. "They say our games are alike -- I don't know," Gay said. "Probably the closest thing is the mid-range game." The Nike camp has more big bodies than in recent seasons, but stretching the roster to 180 players means guys like Gay too often are forced to perform out of position. Gay was basically his team's center in Monday's scrimmage, although he did not allow that to restrict him on offense. He started his dazzling display by sticking an effortless 3-pointer from near the top of the key. That was followed by a smart decision during a 2-on-1 break, when he drew a defender and fed a teammate for a layup rather than forcing the shot himself. He used his long arms and quick jumping to pull down two impressive offensive rebounds in traffic. From the foul line, he flipped a quick pass through the center of the key that got teammate Matt Shaw a layup. Oh, there was more. He nailed an 8-foot baseline jumper from behind the corner of the backboard, just like Tim Duncan in the NBA Finals. He made a defensive mistake when trying to guard powerful center prospect Ra'Sean Dickey -- a 250-pounder -- by slipping too high as the ball was entered into the post. Dickey had a clear path as he turned toward the baseline. What should have been an easy score, though, was swatted into the metal bleachers as Gay recovered and blocked the shot with an amazing burst of athleticism. If there are more than 10 players in the class of 2004 who could put on a show like this, these seniors should get their own expansion franchise in the ACC. In other words, Gay is dramatically underrated. Should he continue to perform with this sort of hunger and energy, he will close the summer as one of the most coveted recruits in college basketball. He brings one more quality that NCAA teams should desire: his roots. The past two tournament most outstanding players -- Anthony and Maryland's Juan Dixon -- came from his area. Said Gay: "I guess I've got to hurry up and go to college, right?" The coaches who scout him surely will agree. Updated on Wednesday, Jul 9, 2003 1:24 pm EDT By Mike DeCourcy - SportingNews.com INDIANAPOLIS -- This story almost seems too convenient, too perfectly scripted. Rudy Gay and Carmelo Anthony come from the same area of Baltimore. They are friends. Each benefits from an extraordinary growth spurt. Each becomes a prime Syracuse recruiting target. Each arrives quietly in the summer before his senior year of high school, with a general acknowledgement of his promise as a basketball player, but without any hyperventilating from the opinion-making talent scouts. We know how Anthony's story turned out. Is this where the parallels end? ADVERTISEMENT So that's the pitch. But the thing is, once Gay starts to play at the Nike All-America Camp, the contrivances no longer matter. What matters is, he is really good. He is much better than most of the recruiting analysts have allowed themselves to believe. And while that ties directly to Anthony's experience in the summer of 2001, Gay is more concerned with trying to establish himself than duplicating his buddy's experience. "I just want to dominate, show people I can be one of the top people in the class," Gay said. "All I can do is work hard. I want to succeed, and I'm going to do whatever is necessary to do it. If it's putting up 500 shots, working on my handle by myself, lifting weights . . ." Gay stood only 5-11 in the summer before his freshman year of high school but quickly grew to 6-4. Last July at the Nike Camp, he was 6-6. The two inches he added since have been a blessing on the basketball court, "But it's hard having to buy new clothes all the time." Syracuse appears to be the leading school in Gay's recruitment, given the occasional nudging delivered by Anthony when the two have played ball together. But Connecticut, Maryland, Indiana, Villanova, Georgetown and NC State are still in the hunt. College coaches weren't allowed in to Monday evening's Nike scrimmages. The open evaluation period started Tuesday. My, what a show they missed from Gay. He stands 6-8 and a very lean 204 pounds and will be a senior at Archbishop Spaulding High in Baltimore County. He is an uncommon breed of basketball prospect: a true small forward. We rarely see players now with the combination of dribbling, shooting and passing skills that work on the perimeter and the toughness to rebound and defend along the baseline. That's one reason Anthony excelled in the 2003 NCAA Tournament. Most colleges have abandoned the small forward position and gone with taller guards in that spot in order to keep three long-distance shooting threats on the floor. Thus nearly every player who defended Anthony was three or four inches shorter. Kansas didn't control him in the championship game until it finally employed 6-10 All-American center Nick Collison to handle the job. Gay showed at the Nike camp he also could be that sort of player. Although he lacks Anthony's pure power, he is a more electric athlete. Gay is a capable ballhandler and shooter, though, and plays with the same rare unselfishness. "They say our games are alike -- I don't know," Gay said. "Probably the closest thing is the mid-range game." The Nike camp has more big bodies than in recent seasons, but stretching the roster to 180 players means guys like Gay too often are forced to perform out of position. Gay was basically his team's center in Monday's scrimmage, although he did not allow that to restrict him on offense. He started his dazzling display by sticking an effortless 3-pointer from near the top of the key. That was followed by a smart decision during a 2-on-1 break, when he drew a defender and fed a teammate for a layup rather than forcing the shot himself. He used his long arms and quick jumping to pull down two impressive offensive rebounds in traffic. From the foul line, he flipped a quick pass through the center of the key that got teammate Matt Shaw a layup. Oh, there was more. He nailed an 8-foot baseline jumper from behind the corner of the backboard, just like Tim Duncan in the NBA Finals. He made a defensive mistake when trying to guard powerful center prospect Ra'Sean Dickey -- a 250-pounder -- by slipping too high as the ball was entered into the post. Dickey had a clear path as he turned toward the baseline. What should have been an easy score, though, was swatted into the metal bleachers as Gay recovered and blocked the shot with an amazing burst of athleticism. If there are more than 10 players in the class of 2004 who could put on a show like this, these seniors should get their own expansion franchise in the ACC. In other words, Gay is dramatically underrated. Should he continue to perform with this sort of hunger and energy, he will close the summer as one of the most coveted recruits in college basketball. He brings one more quality that NCAA teams should desire: his roots. The past two tournament most outstanding players -- Anthony and Maryland's Juan Dixon -- came from his area. Said Gay: "I guess I've got to hurry up and go to college, right?" The coaches who scout him surely will agree. Senior writer Mike DeCourcy covers college basketball for Sporting News. Email him at decourcy@sportingnews.com. Updated on Wednesday, Jul 9, 2003 1:24 pm EDT Em