Player Profile: 2011 Darwin "Dee" Davis

Name: Darwin "Dee" Davis
Graduation Year: 2011, Rising Senior
Height & Weight: 5'10 160
High School/AAU: Bloomington South/Meanstreets
Position: Point Guard
Schools Considering: Committed to Xavier University (Offers from Purdue and Ohio)
Commitment Date: 06-22-09

Scouting Report:
Davis is an undersized point guard who is lightning quick with the ball. What he lacks in strength, he makes up for in speed and athleticism. Davis is a great finisher near the basket, and possesses acrobatic moves that allow him to convert tough baskets. He has a good first step and is able to take defenders off the dribble and get to the rim. In the full court he is one man fast break, able to dish for an open bucket if necessary. The key for Davis to succeed is to maintain shooting consistency and add a little bit of strength to handle larger opponents.

One of the Top Performances I've Ever Seen: Eric Gordon vs. Loyola Academy

Rewind to Feburary 1st, 2007. It was a cold winter night, and I just wanted to watch some basketball. I went with a friend of mine to watch Eric Gordon and his North Central team play Loyola Academy, which featured Michael Jordan's sons Jeff and Marcus. Gordon was a consensus top 5 recruit that was headed to Indiana University the following season. The game was televised nationally on ESPN2. The game was such a big deal that my friend and I had to scalp tickets outside the school for double the ticket price.

The game started off with to a fast pace, with both teams trading buckets and keeping it close at the 1st quarter break. I can't remember the score exactly, but I know neither team had more than a 4 point lead at the end of the 1st quarter. Eric Goron led North Central with 17 points after the 1st quarter. The second quarter was a much different story as North Central raced out to a 50 -27 lead at halftime. The game went on the be a huge blowout, with North Central defeating Loyola Academy 88-47, but the story of the night was Gordon's performance.

Eric Gordon finished the game with 43 points, and was scoring from all over the court. On two straight possessions he hit NBA range 3-pointers, foreshadowing to his future career. He drove to the basket with power all game long, scoring at will in the paint using his strength and ball-handling. In the 3rd quarter he capped off his performance by stealing a pass and running down the open floor to throw down a reverse dunk. The way he dominated his competition on national TV was extremely impressive, and a game I won't forget.

Here's a SportsCenter recap of what he did that night:

Player Profile: 2012 Dejuan Marrero

Name: Dejuan "Rico" Marrero
Graduation Year: 2012, Rising Junior
Height & Weight: 6'5 200
High School/AAU: Thea Bowman Academy/Spiece Indy Heat
Position: Small Forward/Power Forward
2009-2010 Season Stats: 14 ppg, 12 rpg
Schools Considering: Offers from Indiana, Purdue, Cincinnati, Ohio State, Illinois,
Timetable for Decision: No timetable has been set for Marrero's decision.

Scouting Report:
Marrero is a combo forward who plays with an extremely high motor. Marrero has great athleticism, and when you combine that with his motor, he is a great rebounder even at 6'5. Marrero scores a lot of points on put backs and offensive rebounds, but continues to work on his perimeter game. Marrero needs to continue to improve his ball-handling and shooting to help him transition to the college game. Defensively, he is strong and will block some shots using length and great athleticism. He helped lead his high school team to a state championship while averaging 14 points and 12 rebounds per contest this past season.

Player Profile: 2011 Ryan Taylor

Name: Ryan Taylor
Graduation Year: 2011, Rising Senior
Height & Weight: 6'5 185
High School/AAU: Lawrence North/Eric Gordon Fast Break
Position: Small Forward & Power Forward
Schools Considering: Louisville Verbal

Scouting Report:
Taylor is a combo forward with a great motor. He'll fight for any rebound on the court, and can score points from offensive rebounds. Taylor has great athleticism, and can throw down highlight reel dunks. He absorbs contact well near the rim to finish plays. Taylor's improving his ball-handling, but his shooting still needs some work. Taylor will struggle to make an impact on the offensive side of the ball until he improves his shooting and ability to get to the rim.