Interesting that Ty Lawson basically admitted that his incident in which he was caught underage drinking was what sealed the deal for him to return to college this season.

“I wasn’t going to go as high as I wanted to go,” Lawson told Inside Carolina yesterday. “I probably would have [gone] in the first round, but it wouldn’t have been as high as I wanted. If I came back this year, I could probably do better and go higher, so that’s the reason I came back.”

Lawson said he was told that the Indiana Pacers, who had the 11th overall pick, held him in high regard – until the arrest.

“Coach [Roy Williams] talked to Larry Bird and they were real high on me,” Lawson said. “I was either going to be the No. 1 or No. 2 pick [on their draft board]… They’ve had a lot of problems with things like that, like with Jamaal Tinsley and Jermaine O’Neal – there were a couple of people that he named – so he called and said that they just couldn’t take a chance.”

Lawson has completed 26 hours of community service as part of a plea agreement in which the conviction won’t remain on his record.

PHELPS’ GOAL TO SUSTAIN IN DES MOINES

New Drake coach Mark Phelps knows it could have been worse. He could have walked into a rebuilding situation in which the program won a handful of games last season.

Instead, Drake went to the NCAA tournament in what was arguably the most surprising performance of any team in the D-1 ranks. Keno Davis used the success to catapult himself to the Big East.

Phelps returns two of the Missouri Valley’s top players in Josh Young, who led the league in scoring) and Jonathan “Bucky” Cox – who had 29 points and 16 boards in the thrilling overtime loss to Western Kentucky.

``We feel like we have two player of the year candidates on one team in our league,” Phelps said.

However, he loses the league’s Player of the Year in Adam Emmenecker – as well as fellow starters Leonard Houston and Klayton Korver.

``We’re not necessarily looking at this year as a make or break year,” Phelps added. “We’re hoping to build on the momentum and try to maintain and sustain.”

The key may be who replaces Emmenecker. Look for it to be a battle between sophomore Josh Parker, who played seven minutes a game last season, and junior college floor leader Craig Stanley – who was signed by the previous regime.

``From everything I’ve heard, both are solid,” Phelps said. “Parker has a high motor sna is quick while Stanley is steady.”

RANDOM NOTES: Xavier is hoping to win an appeal so that Indiana transfer Jordan Crawford is eligible to play immediately. Crawford left in good academic standing and was also basically the last one to remain from the IU team before he opted to transfer. … A source also told us that Toledo, Bowling Green and Detroit are all in the mix for Xavier guard Adrion Graves.

Dayton started school yesterday and that meant that Flyers head coach Brian Gregory and his staff immediately got to work, getting their first set of individual workouts in with each player on the team.

The Flyers may have lost their top player in guard Brian Roberts, but Gregory is excited about the season – especially with a healthy Chris Wright.

Remember, Dayton was a Top 25 team with a healthy Wright a year ago. Then he suffered an ankle injury that forced him to miss nearly 20 games in the second half of the year.

``He had a great workout today and has really improved with the ball,” Gregory said. “He’s shooting it better.”

Roberts’ spot will likely be a battle between a pair of quick and vocal floor leaders - London Warren, who has come off the bench for the past two years, and junior college transfer Rob Lowery.

Warren has been a defensive-minded point guard while Lowery should get a chance to see extensive playing time due to his size and ability to shoot the ball from the perimeter. Don’t be surprised if Gregory elects to play them together.

Gregory said that he’s hoping that his team can be dominant on the boards and also able to create opportunities from the defensive end.

- Freshman Paul Williams, a talented wing out of Detroit, has a broken bone in his foot and is out for a couple weeks. It’s the same injury that hampered Charles Little – the two bones attached to the big toe.

- Fellow frosh Luke Fabrizius, a 6-foot-9 face-up power forward, could also see some time because of his ability to stretch the defense.

- Gregory likes freshman wing Chris Johnson out of Columbus Brookhaven, a long 6-foot-5 athlete who has a high motor and is a more competent perimeter shooter than he realized.

- How about the fact that starting center Kurt Huelsman is the only player in the program to have started every game each of the past two seasons.

- While Gregory isn’t allowed to comment, the Flyers have an early commitment from talented local rising junior point guard Juwan Staten.

KANSAS FROSH INVOLVED IN BB SHOOTING

Kansas incoming freshman Markieff Morris has been charged with battery following an incident in which he has been accused on shooting a 47-year-old woman with a plastic BB gun from his dorm room window on Saturday night.

Morris, 18, was also suspected of using alcohol, according to the police report. The woman was not injured after being hit in the arm.

``We take this matter very seriously,” Self told the Wichita Eagle. “Poor judgment was used by even bringing an airsoft gun, (one) that can be purchased at Wal-Mart, on campus that can shoot plastic BBs. I would say, concerning any alcoholic consumption, we do not condone that either. I am still gathering information to see if that actually occurred.”

Morris and his twin brother, Marcus, have still yet to be cleared by the NCAA clearinghouse.

This incident comes on the heels of guard Sherron Collins allegedly exposing himself to a woman in May of 2007. A civil jury trial is slated for April.

ST. ANDREW’S TALENT SURGE

St. Andrew’s (R.I.) coach Mike Hart’s team should be improved after a down year for the program last season.

Hart has three seniors – guard Mike Accaoui (who broke his brother, Joey’s, record for trifectas in a season), 6-foot-7 Russell DeRemer and Nyheem Sanders.

Hart has also added a pair of talented sophomores – 6-foot-5 wing Mike Carter-Williams and Michael LaPlante – and will also have 6-foot-7 junior Youri Dascy and sophomore point guard Miles Brilhante in the fold.

How about this crazy story to start your day?

Incoming Cal Poly 7-footer Anthony DiLoreto was arrested and charged with robbing a bank.

DiLoreto, 18, who averaged 8.2 points per game as the starting center at Hopkins High in Minnesota last season, and a 16-year-old robbed a Wisconsin bank on Saturday morning and DiLoreto is accused of being the getaway driver.

The 16-year-old admitted, in a police report, it was his idea. The plan was to duct-tape the employees in the vault. He brought in a sawed-off shotgun that reportedly didn’t have any bullets, left the bank with about $1,000 – but DiLoreto had already left the scene.

DiLoreto waived extradition rights and will be transported back to Wisconsin to face the charges either today or tomorrow. He could face a prison sentence.

The first day of classes begin at Cal Poly on Sept. 15. My guess is DiLoreto probably won’t be there.

Pittsburgh's Mike Cook was denied an appeal for another year and won't be able to play this year for the Panthers.

I actually spoke with Pittsburgh coach Jamie Dixon yesterday and he said that Cook was taking classes and he wouldn't leave him out in the cold.

However, the ruling on Cook is certainly a blow to Pittsburgh. Now Dixon & Co., will have to rely on Gilbert Brown or one of the freshmen wings .

Remember, Cook tore his knee in the 11th game of the season against Duke. If he hadn't played in that game and the previous, he would have been granted the addition year. But he played in more than 30 percent of the team's regular-season games.

Purdue coach Matt Painter had been planning to take his team overseas for the past few years, but kept canceling the trip due to a lack of returning guys.

Painter finally made the trip to Australia and while he was unable to take his top two point guards (Keaton Grant is injured and freshman Lewis Jackson was unable to participate), he felt as though the players who did play made strides.

E’Twaun Moore, one of the most underrated players in the Big Ten, and Chris Kramer shared point guard duties.

Robbie Hummel has received the most attention out of the entire team, but the reason why the Boilermakers are considered a Top 10 club entering this season is because of their balance and chemistry.

Painter returns all five starters and six of his top seven scorers from a team that went 25-9 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament.

- Painter said the trip home from Australia took a total of 32 hours.

- Purdue will hold Midnight Madness on Oct. 17th

- Painter said the competition was extremely physical. Purdue went 2-3 on the trip.

- Hummel was utilized as a big guard on the trip, but his versatility will likely have him playing power forward this season.

- Grant will likely be ready in about a month after surgery in the offseason on his patella tendon.

- Jackson, while not able to play on the trip, will take pressure off Grant and give Purdue another much-needed ballhandler.

- Talented big man JaJuan Johnson had double-digit rebounds in three of the five games. ``He led us in blocks and got to the free throw line,” Painter said. “He’s really improving. A lot of people would like to see him add 30 or 40 pounds, but with his frame, that’s probably not going to happen.”

- Painter is not concerned about his guys being overconfident. ``We haven’t accomplished any of our goals,” he said. “We haven’t won the Big Ten or the conference tournament. We also haven’t advanced past the second round of the NCAA tournament in the last two years. These guys are grounded.”

WARREN, DOLPHINS MOVING FORWARD

Cliff Warren won a single game in his first season at Jacksonville. A year ago, the Dolphins fell one game short of making the NCAA tournament.

JU won 18 games and returns just about everyone of note from last year’s club – first-team all-league point guard Ben Smith and a trio of frontcourt starters – senior Marcus Allen, Lehman Colbert and Ayron Hardy.

Smith averaged 17 points in Atlantic Sun play, Allen put up 15.1 and 8.3 boards, Colbert went for 14.6 points and 6.9 rebounds and the defensive-minded Hardy added 8.2 points and 5.8 rebounds in league action. The final starter, former walk-on Evan Jefferson, also returns.

``Hopefully we can make another leap,” Warren said. “We’re just trying to continue to move forward. If we keep doing that, eventually we’ll get to the tournament.”

Allen, who plays in the middle for the Dolphins, went on a foreign tour to the Dominican Republic and was able to expand his game by playing power and small forward. Smith went to Chris Paul’s camp down in North Carolina.

``Ben plays with a quiet confidence, but he also plays with a chip on his shoulder,” Warren said. “Last year he really improved his shooting.”

PITT STILL WAITING ON COOK DECISION

Pittsburgh is still waiting to hear back from the NCAA on the appeal for another year of eligibility for Mike Cook.

``It’s on hold,” Panthers coach Jamie Dixon said.

Dixon also said that Cook is taking classes as he continues to rehab from a left knee injury that ended his season in December.

``We’re not going to leave him hanging with nothing to do,” Dixon said.

``He’s started doing workouts, but he’s a long ways away from playing,” he added. “It was a pretty significant injury.”

RANDOM NOTES: Dayton athletic director Ted Kissell is retiring, effective Jan. 1. … Northern Arizona coach Mike Adras has hired Julious Coleman to replace Rob Bishop (head coach at Cal State Monterey Bay). … Ryan Rossiter led Siena with 23 points and 15 boards in the Saints first game on its foreign tour, a 131-86 rout over the Basketball School of Castellanza in Italy. It was the first of five games that Siena will play overseas. … New York Daily News reported that St. John’s has hired local AAU guy, Kimani Young, whose background includes being arrested eight years ago in Texas with 96 pounds of marijuana. … Rhode Island coach Jim Baron has brought on Momir Gajic, who was assistant coach at Patterson School (N.C.) last season and has numerous connections in Serbia. … Northeastern coach Bill Coen has hired John Rhodes to replace Todd Townsend. 9
 

I just got off the phone with former USC guard Angelo Johnson and he confirmed that he is transferring to Southern Mississippi.

He also told me that USC coach Tim Floyd’s statements about Johnson leaving because he wasn’t assured the starting point guard job are accurate.

``That’s all true what Coach Floyd said,” Johnson said. “I thought that being a freshman and playing behind the number three overall pick, I should have the spot handed to me. I felt like I earned it already.”

Johnson said he likes the situation at Southern Miss with coach Larry Eustachy – and most of all, the fact that he needs a point guard.

I also asked Johnson about the incident last year involving O.J. Mayo and Daniel Hackett in which Mayo inadvertently broke Hackett’s jaw.

``It was completely by accident,” Johnson said.

We've already reported the 16 teams that will participate in the Preseason NIT, but the brackets were released for the event - which culminates at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 26 and 28 with the semifinals and championship.

The first-round games will be played on Nov. 17. The remaining 12 teams who don't advance to NYC will play third- and fourth-round games on Nov. 24 and 25 on the home campus of the three highest remaining seeds.

North Regional at Purdue – Purdue vs. Eastern Michigan; Georgia vs. Loyola (Ill.)
West Regional at Arizona – Arizona vs. Florida Atlantic; Santa Clara vs. UAB
South Regional at Oklahoma vs. Mississippi Valley State; Davidson vs. James Madison
East Regional at Boston College – BC vs. Loyola (Md.); St. John’s vs. Cornell

Tasmin Mitchell wants people to know he’s back.

"Let people know,” the 6-foot-7 LSU junior forward said. "I feel great.”

Remember, Mitchell missed nearly the entire season last year after surgery to insert a pair of screws into his ankle to correct a stress fracture.

"I’m 100 percent. It feels like a new ankle,” Mitchell said. “I’m just working out and getting my wind back.”

Mitchell said while it was difficult to sit and watch former coach John Brady fired in the middle of the season, he is ready for a fresh start with new coach Trent Johnson.

"Change is for the better,” he said. "There’s no sense crying about the past. I like Coach J (Johnson). He gets down to business and I can’t wait to go to war together.”

Mitchell received a medical redshirt and will have two years remaining with the Tigers. This is a guy who averaged 14.7 points and 6.0 rebounds as a sophomore and 11.4 points, 5.6 rebounds in 34.4 minutes in LSU’s magical Final Four run what seems like an eternity ago.

LSU finished 13-18 last season and the Tigers lost talented forward Anthony Randolph to the NBA after just one season, but Johnson still has a solid nucleus with Mitchell, guard Marcus Thornton (19.6 ppg), long forward Chris Johnson (11.6 ppg), Terry Martin (8.3 ppg) and solid veteran guard Garrett Temple.

"We’ve got more than enough,” Mitchell said.

N.C. STATE BEGINS PRE-LABOR DAY PRACTICE

N.C. State began practice yesterday in preparation for its Labor Day trip to Toronto.

Sidney Lowe doesn’t have Farnold Degand and Johnny Thomas for the practices or for the trip as they are both recovering from injuries.

Also, Degand told me the other day that senior Courtney Feels could see time at the small forward spot – which could allow Degand to play with Javier Gonzalez in the backcourt.

RANDOM NOTES: Washington senior wing Joel Smith will transfer to D-2 Chaminade for his final year. … St. Bonaventure freshman Marquise Simmons will redshirt this season due to a family emergency. … Ole Miss guard Rodney Jones has transferred to Southeast Louisiana. … Sporting News is reporting that USC point guard Angelo Johnson is expected to transfer to Southern Mississippi.

No surprise with the way my summer went that it doesn't look promising that I'll get to the Annual Fall Clinic put on by Florida assistant Larry Shyatt, UCLA assistant Scott Duncan and a few others down in Gainesville.

I'm still holding out hope, but it doesn't look promising with tropical storm Fay likely to stick around Florida for a few days.

The clinic was an opportunity for me to soak in as much X's and O's as possible and hear from guys like NBA coaches (Doc Rivers and Kevin Eastman of the Celtics, Stan Van Gundy of the Orlando Magic and Memphis Grizzlies assistant Kevin O'Neill).

College guys scheduled to talk included Billy Donovan, Niagara's Joe Mihalich, Bradley's Jim Les, Ken McDonald (Western Kentucky), Randy Peele (Winthrop), Mike Young (Wofford), Travis Ford (Oklahoma State) and Florida AD Jeremy Foley.

The clinic commonly has about 30-40 coaches and all they do is talk basketball for nearly two straight days. It was honestly the event I was looking forward to more than anything else this summer.

The question wasn’t ever whether Alex Stepheson was headed to USC. It was whether he’ll be able to play this season.

The athletic 6-foot-8 ½ forward who left North Carolina after the season is enrolled at nearby USC and could end up getting a waiver – a la Tyler Smith at Tennessee – so he could play this season for the Trojans.

Smith’s father had cancer and he was allowed to play immediately for the Vols. His father died prior to him playing a game for Bruce Pearl’s club. The NCAA also allowed Julian Vaughn a waiver to play this season after transferring from Florida State to Georgetown.

Stepheson’s father, Art, is also ill.

If Stepheson is good to go for this season, it would certainly give the Trojans a chance to compete for the Pac-10 title with a nucleus of Daniel Hackett and Demar DeRozan in the backcourt, Dwight Lewis on the wing and Taj Gibson and Stepheson up front.

One key for the Trojans is whether Leonard Washington can keep his emotions in check. Washington is extremely talented, but the undersized power forward has displayed a knack for losing his cool.

VIRGINIA NETS GAIN, LOSS

Virginia coach Dave Leitao kicked Laurynas Mikalauskas off the team, the same day in which he received the news that fellow big man Tunji Soroye was granted a medical hardship season.

The 6-foot-8 Mikalauskas, from Lithuania, missed much of last season due to a shoulder injury.

The 6-foot-11 Soroye played just two games last season due to knee and back injuries.

RANDOM NOTES: Duquesne senior Philip Fayne won’t play this season due to Still’s disease – a rare form of arthritis. … According to a source, Arkansas freshman point guard Cortney Fortson was cleared by the NCAA on Monday. … Former interim Detroit coach Kevin Mondro landed at Loyola (Ill.). … Marques Johnson has transferred from N.C. State to Georgia State.

OK, now it’s getting ridiculous. People aren’t just saying that I look like Michael Phelps, but also that I sound like him. At least my wife is honest and said that our bodies aren’t anywhere in the same stratosphere (nice, huh?). I think I need to get to the gym a whole lot more.

I’ll have a story on Tennessee’s new point guard Bobby Maze later today. Maze’s comments on fellow Vols newcomer, freshman Emmanuel Negedu, were pretty funny.

First of all, I’ve heard from Maze and a few other people that the 6-foot-7 Negedu ran a 4.35 in the 40-yard dash down in Knoxville.

Maze said Negedu has also been playing in a Baltimore/D.C. summer league (Kevin Durant and Michael Beasley also play in it) and now has become known as “The Secret Weapon”.

``He’s caught so many dunks and jumps so high,” Maze said of his new teammate. “The way he runs up and down the court is unbelievable. He dunks the ball like a donut.”

GRIFFIN EXPANDING RANGE

I spoke to the potential number one pick in next year’s NBA Draft, Oklahoma sophomore big man Blake Griffin, and he said the focus for him this summer has been becoming more consistent with his perimeter shot.

Griffin passed on going to the LeBron James Academy to work on his individual skills.

``I really wanted to work on getting a lot of shots up every single day,” Griffin said.

Griffin said he worked on making 15-foot jumpers all the way out to the new 3-point line.

``I’m hoping I don’t need to shoot (the three) with all the other guys, but I worked on it and I’m hoping it’ll be there if I do need it.”

LUMBERJACKS LOOKING TO MAKE HISTORY

Don’t be shocked if Stephen F. Austin makes its first-ever trip to the Big Dance this year.
 
The Lumberjacks have the Southland’s leading candidate for Player of the Year honors in 6-foot-4 senior small forward Josh Alexander and also one of the top returning big men in senior Matt Kingsley.

Coach Danny Kaspar also has two more starters – diminutive junior point guard Eric Bell and senior forward Nick Shaw – as well as three key reserves.

Stephen F. Austin finished with a 26-6 record last season and won a share of the regular-season conference championship. However, the Lumberjacks were upset by Northwestern State in the semifinals.

But Alexander, arguably the top perimeter scorer in the league and playing with a hip injury, was limited to just nine points in the loss and was 6-of-23 in the two tournament games.

Kingsley is a skilled 6-foot-8 second-team all-conference player who is able to step out and make shots, but needs to become more aggressive.

The key for Kaspar isn’t necessarily talent, but it’s replacing the leadership that left when starting guard Gerald Fonzie and reserve Scott Weaver graduated.

``They were the leaders,” Kaspar said. “We need Josh and Matt to step up.”

Don’t be surprised if newcomers Walt Harris, a highly touted 6-foot-4 junior college wing, winds up battling with returnee Eddie Williams and Preston Davis for the final starting spot.

``I’m excited because we won 26 games and could be better talent-wise,” Kaspar said. “But a lot depends on the chemistry.”

``We had three or four games that could have gone either way,” he added. “And it went our way.”

BRIDGTON ACADEMY

Bridgton Academy’s string of three consecutive New England Class A titles ended this past year, but coach Whit Lesure is hoping to start a new streak this season.

Bridgton will bring in point guard Malik Stith, a North Carolina native who committed to St. John’s, to lead the team.

Lesure also mentioned he’ll have Mbai Olivier, a 6-foot-6 skilled and athletic forward from Chad who played at Bethel High in Virginia last season, and 6-foot-6 wing Kauri Black of California.

BREWSTER TALENTED – AGAIN

Look for plenty of high-major head coaches to flock to Brewster Academy next month and throughout the year.

Coach Jason Smith has one of the summer’s rising prospects in Thomas Robinson, who has a top five of Kansas, Memphis, USC, Texas and Miami.

Smith will also have young point guard Naadir Tharpe, big man Andrew Fitzgerald out of Maryland and Seattle native Reggie Moore on the roster.

EXPERTS PICK TOP 5

I will defer to the recruiting experts for their choices for the top five players this summer. I polled four of the top gurus and got their take:

Dave Telep, Scout.com
Kenny Boynton
John Wall
John Henson
Avery Bradley
Derrick Favors

Evan Daniels, Scout.com
Kenny Boynton
Avery Bradley
John Wall
Tony Wroten
Harrison Barnes

Jerry Meyer, Rivals.com
John Wall
Kenny Boynton
Avery Bradley
DeMarcus Cousins
Brandon Knight

Justin Young, Rivals.com
Kenny Boynton
Avery Bradley
Tony Wroten
John Wall
DeMarcus Cousins

NIKE TEAM IN BRAZIL

Nike’s Raphael Chillious has taken a team that features many of the top Nike guys overseas to Brazil.

The team is playing four games and will also do a clinic and visit an orphanage.

They won the first game, 126-50, against a team from Brasillia. Xavier Henry led all scorers with 29 points, including five 3-pointers. Avery Bradley and Jamal Coombs-McDaniel (UConn) added 20 points while junior Phil Pressey had 19 points and six assists. Tommy Mason-Griffin (Oklahoma) finished with a game-high 10 assists while UConn-bound big man Alex Oriakhi led the team with 14 boards. Tiny Gallon also had 12 points and 10 rebounds in the rout.

RANDOM NOTES: Former South Kent coach Raphael Chillious said he’s been told that Jin Soo Kim is on track to qualify to play at Maryland for this year instead of next season. The talented Korean forward could help the Terps with his ability to make shots from the perimeter. … Chattanooga senior center Qavotstaral Waddell is transferring for more playing time. He started five games last season and averaged 3.3 points and 3.0 rebounds. … Vermont assistant Gabe Rodriguez has resigned to pursue opportunities outside of coaching and has been replaced by John Becker, who was promoted by head coach Mike Lonergan from his director of basketball operations spot. … St. Anthony’s coach Bob Hurley is releasing an instructional DVD with many of the drills he has used in his career to help win 25 state and three national championships. A portion of the proceeds will go directly to St. Anthony’s to help ensure the school remains open. The DVD launches on Aug. 22 on www.shootingtouch.com

It appears as though former Arkansas guard Patrick Beverly is still exploring his options.

Beverly, who was suspended for the season last week, told FOXSports.com earlier in the week that he had signed with BDA Sports and was headed overseas.

However, Beverly now maintains he hasn't signed and may look at other options.

"I was going to, but I'm weighing out my options," Beverly said in a text message. "I haven't signed yet. My options are still open."

If Beverly does elect to stay in college, look for multiple high-major schools to look into the Chicago native's situation.

I know North Carolina fans were upset when I reported that John Wall didn't show up to any Tar Heels games after the season-opener.

The claim is that Wall did, in fact, show to a game. Well, Wall's AAU coach Brian Clifton just confirmed to me that Wall did attend a North Carolina football game with Dwon Clifton.

However, Roy Williams invited Wall to several basketball games after the season-opener - and Wall did not take him up on the offer.

Looks as though I was wrong as far as Will Harris leaning towards Valparaiso.

In fact, the former Virginia forward is expected to transfer to Albany, according to a source close to the situation.

One factor that was in play here is the fact that Albany assistant Jeremy Friel and Harris both played for Brewster Academy coach Jason Smith (Friel actually played AAU ball for Smith).

Harris should be a major mismatch problem for opposing teams in the America East.

Harris has been injured for much of his two seasons at Virginia, but he averaged 13.9 minutes as a freshman and played just 15 games this past year.

Harris also took a visit to Marist.

Patrick Beverly is headed overseas.

The former Arkansas guard, who was slated to be the lone returning starter for John Pelphrey this year, told FOXSports.com that he’s signed with BDA Sports and will play professionally for a year before entering his name in next year’s NBA Draft.

Beverly was terrific last month at the LeBron James Skills Academy in a setting with many of the other top college players. Sources told FOXSports.com that he was suspended for this season due to academics.

However, Beverly said that wasn’t the case.

``It had nothing to do with academics,” Beverly said. “I violated NCAA rules and what happened went over the coaches’ heads. A lot of people thought it was because of grades, but I go to class every day.”

``I’m going overseas for a year and hopefully I’ll be able to come back and get picked in the draft,” Beverly said. ``This was hard because I was working out with the team every day and getting ready for the season.”

Now expect Arkansas to take a hit this season despite the fact that Pelphrey and his staff are bringing in plenty of talent. They’ll be extremely inexperienced having lost six of their top seven scorers from a year ago.

NEW ENGLAND ELITE 75 NOTES

Here are some notes from the New England Elite 75 event run by Adam Finkelstein:

Maine native Thomas Knight came to the event last season with complete anonymity and now the 6-foot-8 senior power forward has offers from Notre Dame, Seton Hall and Davidson. Knight plays as hard as anyone in the gym and knows his role – score in the post, rebound and defend.

Kyle Casey, a senior wing out of Brimmer & May, played well before suffering a minor knee injury. Casey has a list that includes Stanford, Davidson, Harvard, Rhode Island and Penn.

Talk about a kid whose stock has risen in the last month or two. Jordan Williams, a 6-foot-8 power forward/center from Torrington High (Conn.), has offers from Villanova, Marquette, Maryland, Georgetown, Providence, Pittsburgh and Penn State. Wake Forest is also in the mix.

I got my first look at Andre Drummond, a 6-foot-9, 230-pound rising sophomore who attends Capitol Prep in Hartford, Conn. Drummond just turned 15 this past weekend and is a terrific prospect with a college-ready body and impressive skills. Drummond said he’s already received a scholarship offer from Fordham.

Jim Baron’s son, Billy, did a nice job running the point. People have to understand that he and his brother, Jimmy, are completely different players. Billy Baron told me he will spent a year in the prep ranks (as his brother did) and be in the Class of 2010.

Gerard Coleman didn’t play due to a toe injury that kept him out at the very end of July. Coleman, who is in the Class of 2010 and is a big-time scorer from the wing spot, said he has offers from UConn, Louisville, Marquette, Providence and BC. Coleman will team with Alex Oriakhi and Jamal Coombs at Tilton this coming season.

Erik Murphy’s younger brother, Alex, will be a freshman at St. Mark’s this season. Alex is already nearing 6-foot-8 and has terrific perimeter skills. He said he loves Florida and would welcome the opportunity to play with his older brother in college (although we’ll see if he’s still saying that after a year in high school). Also, look out for the youngest Murphy, Thomas, who just might be the best of the bunch down the line!

I got a glimpse of Carson Desrosiers, the 6-foot-10 junior from Central Catholic, in Las Vegas and saw him again yesterday. He’s gone from an offer from UNH to offers from Syracuse, Providence, Oregon State and UMass in the last couple weeks and it’s easy to see why. Desrosiers has tremendous potential, runs the court well and can step out and make shots from mid-range.

ANTEATERS FIGHTING FOR PLAYING TIME

I’m not sure there’s a team other than maybe Cal State Fullerton who lost as much in the Big West as UC Irvine.

Patrick Sanders was a first-team all-conference guy who led the team in scoring (15.1) and also grabbed nearly five boards per game. Darren Fells was a second-team all-conference center who averaged 14.4 points and 7.2 rebounds.

However, Anteaters coach Pat Douglass feels as though he’ll have more depth this season. He just needs to figure out who the go-to guy will be.

``We don’t have an established one,” Douglass said.

Junior Michael Hunter started the season at the point, but sophomore floor leader Patrick Rembert finished the season as the starter. Senior big man Kevin Bland started 20 games a year ago and should be solid up front.

Don’t be surprised if the six-man class of newcomers – as well as redshirt freshman guard Derrick Strings - makes an immediate impact.

Junior wing Derrick Moore averaged 17.8 points last season at Citrus College and could provide offense.

Douglass admitted that he doesn’t have a single player’s name in ink for the starting lineup.

``Kevin Bland is in pencil and that’s about it,” he said.

RANDOM NOTES: Sources indicate that New Mexico State will not hire Clyde Vaughan after all. Vaughan was arrested a few years ago for solicitation and was forced to resign at UConn. … Xavier guard Adrion Graves will transfer. Graves, who has two years left, averaged 1.9 points in 8.1 minutes this past season. … Congrats to Andrew Amigo, who got the head gig at Rivers.