Grassroots Canada is having a blazing hot summer and that is in part to the great play of point guard extraordinaire Junior Cadougan.  Junior’s skills and abilities have been flying under the radar in comparison to other point guards on the AAU summer circuit, but his consistent play, leadership and refuse to lose mentality can’t be overlooked anymore.  As his team picks up steam, so does their captains’ stock.

Juniors Grassroots Canada team had a great showing at the GBOA East Regional making it all the way to the quarterfinals only to lose a 4-point heartbreaker to the NY Gauchos.  Juniors play was terrific, with averages of roughly 17 points a game, including a 30-point explosion against New Heights 2010!  At the Adidas Super 64 in Las Vegas he continued his scoring ways, averaging around 23 points, 6.5 assists and 5 rebounds in eight games.

With his stock rising everyday, more and more colleges are taking notice of this junior’s basketball savvy.  Although unfortunately for them, Mr. Cadougan has already verbally committed to Marquette University.  For those other schools, who wish to sway his decision, listen to what Grassroots Canada’s head Coach Ro Russell said on the Golden Eagles blog, “Junior’s 100 percent going to Marquette; he’s not going to change his mind.”  Coach Russell is confident that Junior is happy to be going there, his mom is happy as well as his high school coach in Texas.  The happiness is overflowing about the ’09 Golden Eagles campaign with Junior at the helm, so changing his mind would be a tall feat.    

The New Heights program in New York, in addition to being an excellent learning environment, is also home to some of the best young basketball talent in the state.  One of its rising stars is 6’8 power forward Ashton Pankey.

Pankey had a great showing at the GBOA East tournament back in May, including a dominating 18-point 10-rebound performance in the quarterfinals against the NY Panthers.  His aggressive play has continued thereafter, highlighted by nabbing MVP honors in the underclassmen All-Star game at the Reebok All-American Camp in Philadelphia.

New Heights 2010 Head Coach Kimani Young is confident is Ashton’s abilities as well stating, “Ashton’s play off the glass gets us going.”  Ashton loves the experience he’s receiving as well as his teammates play this summer.

Next season Ashton will be transferring high schools and will be coached by legendary basketballer Bob Hurley.  Pankey anticipates next year and stated “I want to work on my handles because I want to become a more versatile player.  I don’t really like playing inside all the time, so I want to work on my outside game a little.”

Colleges are taking notice of Pankey’s rising skills as well.  Currently making themselves known are Syracuse, Kentucky, Virginia and Virginia Tech.

One could say that Dan Jennings is as big and strong as a mountain itself, so it’s only fitting to continue his basketball career he chose the most suitable place…West Virginia University, home of the Mountaineers.  Morgantown is where he’ll call home in 2009, and Coach Bob Huggins couldn’t be more pleased.

Jennings is a 6’8, 240-pound lefty from New Brighton, N.Y. on Staten Island. His stock has been rising all summer as his Gaucho team has been winning tournaments all over the country.

When speaking on the West Virginia’s Head Coach, Jennings said “Coach Huggins has a reputation for getting players to The League.  Look at Joe Alexander--I never even heard of Joe Alexander until this year.  He blew up under Coach Huggins.  That’s the reason I’m coming to West Virginia.”

A few other schools that courted and offered to Dan included; Pittsburgh, Marquette, DePaul, Memphis, USF, Oklahoma State, Rutgers, Seton Hall and St. Johns.

Jennings has high hopes for WVU in ‘09 and states, “West Virginia--we are on the rise this year, the next year, and the next couple of years.  We’re about to start a whole revolution.”  It seems a storm is coming to the Big East Conference in ‘09, with one of New York’s finest basketball sons at the helm.

At the GBOA East Regional the NY Panthers had a great showing going 3 – 1 losing to eventual runner –up, New Heights 17.  One of the floor generals for Panthers at the regional and this past summer has been versatile Bronx point guard Rashawn Stores.  With steady and consistent play during the GBOA tourney, it’s easy to see why colleges are taking considerable interest in his talents.

At 6’0 with a high basketball I.Q., Stores uses his smarts, creativity and calming demeanor to orchestrate the offense and be leader on defense for a Panther team that is currently ranked #4 in NYC’s entire talented AAU crop.

Stores, who is a team player, says “I like to score but I like to get teammates involved.”  Both of which are qualities held in high regard among college coaches.  Schools like Marist University and Manhattan have already recognized Rashawn’s talents, with the latter offering him a scholarship.  

Having just come back from an unofficial visit to Drexel University, Rashawn still has the rest of the AAU summer to finish up.  Although he has no intention on slowing down his progression and development of his game.  “Right now I’m working on my athleticism,” he says. 

Stores is looking forward to a successful senior season at All Hallows High School in the Bronx and seeks to capture a championship.