Prep schools, with post graduates emerging athletically and, or receiving qualifying test scores, and junior colleges are the places to look for talent as the college basketball season begins to near the second half of conference play.

Sophomore Jamal Hill, a 6-foot-5, 190-pound swingman out of San Jose City College in California, is having a good season, leading Percy Carr's youthful (only two sophomores on the team) Jaguars to a 19-8 record. Hill, who has already had Roy Williams out to view one of San Jose City's games, is averaging 23 points a game and is shooting 40 percent from the 3-point arc. With more schools coming in each week to watch Hill, his list of schools is growing with Kansas, Arizona State, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Wichita State and North Carolina State being among the more ardent suitors.

Hill, a native of the Bay Area (El Cerrito, Calif.) and a high school teammate of current Kansas star Drew Gooden, is a scorer who can shoot it from deep or create his own shot off the dribble. He's not expected to take any official visits or make any decisions until the conclusion of his season.

The other sophomore on Carr's team is 6-9, 255-pound Marcel Jackson, a developing post player who's coming on strong in recent weeks. He's had a couple of games the past two weeks where he's had over 20 rebounds. His biggest problem has been early foul trouble. Jackson is currently averaging 10 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks a game.

Jackson has dropped over 60 pounds in the past year, become more athletic, and really started draw considerable recruiting interest. The native of Santa Cruz, Calif., is hearing from UNLV, Ohio State, Kansas State, Texas-El Paso, South Alabama, Boise State, Texas Tech and Denver.

Bridgton Academy in Bridgton, Maine is another of the traditionally strong programs in the New England Prep School Athletic Conference (NEPSAC) Class A division. Head coach Whit Lesure is one of the nation's top coaches and has spent a large part of his coaching career in the NEPSAC, having been at New Hampton before Bridgton. This year's Bridgton team is not loaded like some of its predecessors, but Lesure does have a go-to player in 6-4 senior David Teague, a slightly built off guard and a native of Indianapolis. Teague has already signed with Purdue.

Lesure calls Teague a "shooter first, slasher second."

"Teague can score in bunches, has great range and is often in constant motion without the ball, and can really run the floor," adds Lesure. Teague is a very good athlete who is averaging around 25 points per game, and is expected to receive impact minutes as a freshman at Purdue.

Giedrus Rinkevicius, a 7-2 senior, will be at Missouri next year. Rinkevicius has had an up-and-down season, having been injured, needing to improve his work ethic and coming in a little thin. He has managed to put on a little weight and now stands around 230 pounds. After a slow start, he has started to come on a little of late, showing a nice baby hook and has started the last three games. In those games his numbers are up to 8 ppoints and 7 rebounds an outing.

Pretty aggressive, Rinkevicius is a developing post player and could possibly wind up red-shirting for Mizzou next year.

Amadou Ba is a hard working 6-10 kid, according to Lesure, with a good work ethic. Very raw offensively, he is a "project" and will need a lot of time to develop. Ba will be at Michigan next year.

Lesure, a widely respected man for both his coaching and his eye for players, feels that some of his currently uncommitted players are being under-recruited. In particular, 5-5 point guard Louis Ford, a Massachusetts native, whom Lesure says, is his toughest kid.

Lesure says that Ford is "a penetrator, but he also shoots the 3 well, plays tough, pesky defense (and) is built like a fireplug."

Fully qualified, Ford is a "low major gift," according to Lesure, a "high character kid". Lesure feels strongly that Ford would be a very good get for a mid-major program.

Lesure also believes that 6-1 combo guard Danny Boyle, who has started every game for him and plays mainly the off guard position for Bridgton deserves a good look. Lesure says unequivocally that Boyle is a "great shooter." And Lesure went on to say that he told Boyle something that he has never told any of his kids. When Boyle came to Bridgton, Lesure told him that "…if you are over half court, you can shoot it."

A mentally tough kid, Lesure compares Boyle to the University of Indiana's Tommy Coverdale (shorter, not as strong, but in skill level with great court sense), who prepped at Bridgton's rival, New Hampton (New Hampton, N.H.). Boyle is averaging 14 points and five assists.

Checking in on New Hampton
Speaking of New Hampton, it has started the season 17-1, and with last night's 103-96 victory over Winchendon, is in sole possession of first place in the NEPSAC Class A. Last night's win avenged the Huskies' sole loss, a five-point defeat to Winchendon on Jan. 18.

Head coach Jamie Arsenault's New Hampton squad is led by 6-4, 205-pound senior Rashad McCants, the high school All-American, who is headed to the University of North Carolina next season. McCants, a Asheville, N.C. native, is averaging 25 points (40 pecent on 3-pointers), eight boards and four assists per game.

"Rashad's game is really coming on," said Arsenault. "He's made some definite improvement, he's taken it to another level. Defensively, he's made some big improvements with his on-ball defense and his helpside defense has been excellent.

"Rashad has really taken over some games. He took over the Bridgton game (a double-overtime win). He probably had about 20 with about eight minutes to play in regulation and he just took over. He had 44 in that game and (David) Teague must have had 30. Rashad had 34 in our first game against Winchendon, he's really been shooting the ball well."

If the nationally-ranked McCants (a strong favorite to make the McDonalds' All-American Game) is the media darling of the team, 6-5, 215-pound post-graduate Michael Clarke is the blue collar worker. Clarke, who was named the MVP of the New York City Championships last year, and All-City when he led Grady High (Brooklyn, N.Y.) to the City Championship, was a full-qualifier and had signed a letter of intent with SUNY-Albany, but was denied admission by the school. Albany's loss is New Hampton's gain. "Michael is a man, he's a terror on the boards," described Arsenault. "He's the ultimate role player. A great kid with quickness, quick leaping ability, long arms, a nose for the ball and a warrior mentality. He had 20 rebounds against Fork Union; if a shot comes off in his vicinity, he's gonna get the ball."

Clarke, who is averaging 13 points and 13 rebounds per game, lives for rebounding and gets a lot of putbacks. He's getting recruited by the likes of Rider, Niagara, Dayton, Quinnipiac, Central Connecticut State and St. Peter's.

New Hampton's 5-11, 185-pound point guard Wes Miller, a native of Charlotte, N.C., is getting recruited by Wofford, James Madison, Furman and Dartmouth. A full-qualifier (3.8 GPA/1,170 SAT), Miller is a shooter (40 percent on 3s), who is averaging 15 ppg for the Huskies.

Arsenault is surprised that his Lithuanian center, 6-11, 225-pound Donatas Rauckauskas isn't getting more recruiting heat. "He can play either post position," said Arsenault. "Donatas is skilled and tough. He struggled early with the speed of the American game, but he's really improved."

Rauckauskas was evaluated early by Kansas, but SMU has been the school that has been his steadiest suitor. New Mexico and La Salle have also shown interest.

Another big man in New Hampton's arsenal is 6-9, 245-pound post-graduate Adam Tancredi, a native of Southern California (Santa Margarita H.S./Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.). Tancredi, who is hoping to return back west, is getting recruited by Niagara and Quinnipiac.

"He's one of the more highly skilled big men I've ever coached," said Arsenault. "Adam is very good in getting the ball in the post and making the kick-out pass for the 3. And he's got a face-up game, he really shoots it. He had 19 for us against Bridgton in limited time (25 minutes)."

New Hampton's leading scorer last night in the win over Winchendon with 29 points was 6-4 shooting guard Mike Konovelchicka, a post-graduate who was a two-time Gatorade State Player of the Year from Litchfield, N.H.

"He's one of our unsung heroes," said Arsenault. "Mike's a pretty good athlete, he's got toughness, he shoots it and he takes it to the bucket. And he can defend; in our first game against Winchendon, he held (Louisville-bound) Francisco Garcia to two points in the second half of the game."

Konvelchicka is getting recruited by James Madison, Manhattan and Rhode Island.

David Benezra and Mark Mayemura cover the national college basketball recruiting scene at their Recruiting USA (www.recruitingusa.com) website. E-mail at: hoopsusa@mindspring.com or call (818) 783-2244 or (818) 783-2212 for subscription information.