The college basketball season tipped off this past weekend with Midnight Madness activities across the country.  While the focus was on who was visiting where, young slashing talent Rodney Purvis proved to be a huge story in his own right.  That and more in today’s news and notes…

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RE-CLASSIFICATION
Former 2013 talent Rodney Purvis of Upper Room Christian Academy (NC) has re-classified himself to the 2012 class.  This is a huge addition to the current junior class as Purvis was a consensus top 5 prospect in the 2013 class and now joins what is shaping up as a nice 2012 group of prospects with this recent decision.  Purvis played with the CP3 All-Stars during the grassroots travel season.


COMMITMENTS
“Midnight Madness” tipped off across the country this past weekend as the first official day of practice for colleges marked the start of the season and while a laundry list of big time names and prospects were on visits from coast to coast, a few prospects offered up their commitments over the weekend as well.  Here’s a quick rundown of those and a few more from this past week…

Arizona State landing one of their prized young prospects as 6-9 2013 Center Maurice Kirby of Poston Butte (AZ) verbally committed to the Sun Devils last week.  He played with the Arizona Gym Rats during the grassroots travel season.

2011 G Kevin Henderson of Auburn H.S. (WA) verbally committed to Montana on Thursday.

Western Kentucky struck twice on the trail the past few days as 2011 PG Cezar Guerrero of Saint John Bosco H.S. (CA) and 2011 SF Nigel Snipes of The Paideia School (GA) verbally committed to Western Kentucky.  Guerrero played with the Belmont Shore program and Sniped rolled with the Worldwide Renegades during the grassroots travel season.

George Mason was active as well this past weekend as 2011 PG Corey Edwards of Christ the King (NY) and 2011 SF Vaughn Gray of St. Benedicts Prep (NJ) both offered up their verbal commitments.  Edwards put it down with the New Heights program this summer while Gray played with the N.J. Playaz during the grassroots travel season.

Georgetown struck big on the trail as well on Saturday as the Hoyas landed 6-8 2012 PF Brandon Bolden of The Miller School (VA).  Bolden played with the Celtics South program during the grassroots travel season.

2011 F Cale Zuiker of Marshfield H.S. (WI) verbally committed to Youngstown State on Friday.  Zuiker played with the Wisconsin Blaze program during the grassroots travel season.

UPCOMING EVENTS
The 2010 Generation Next Tip-Off will take place November 12-14, 2010 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  The tournament is open to boys 9u-14u teams (i.e. 3rd grade – 8th grade) and will feature elite and competitive divisions for grassroots travel teams and school feeder teams and programs alike.  Programs already confirmed to attend include Kingdom Hoops, Playground Elite, DTA Spartans, Full Package, Rising Stars, Illinois T-Wolves, etc.  As for feeder programs already confirmed, Wauwatosa East, Brookfield Central, Sussex Hamilton, and Whitefish Bay are just a few of the feeder programs expected to have teams attend.  The tournament features a 3 game guarantee with all 1st and 2nd place teams in each division receiving customized individual trophies/medals and t-shirts.  There are multi-team discounts for programs with more than one team entering.  For more information on the upcoming tournament including registration forms CLICK HERE

A new holiday tournament for middle school prospects was announced last week as the 2011 Holiday Hoopfest will tip off January 1-2, 2011 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  The inaugural tournament will feature separate elite and competitive divisions for 3rd-8th grade boys and girls.  The tournament will offer up a 3 game guarantee built around pool play and single elimination playoffs with customized individual trophies/medals and t-shirts awarded to all first and 2nd place teams in each division.  The tournament will offer up multi-team discounts as well.  It is open to grassroots travel teams, school feeder programs/teams, etc.  For more information on this upcoming event CLICK HERE

One tournament that needs no introduction is the annual Swish & Dish Spring Warm-Up, which has grown into one of the true measuring sticks for tournaments during the spring and summer.  Next year’s event will tip off April 1-3, 2011 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with divisions for boys 9u-17u teams.  This tournament annually draws many of the top teams and prospects in the country at every level and next year’s is already set to feature a ridiculously loaded field once again with teams from 12 states already confirmed to attend along with a laundry list of top 100 prospects up and down the classes as well.  For more information on the 2011 Swish & Dish Spring Warm-Up CLICK HERE.