WINCHENDON, MASS. - I just returned from a trip to Winchendon School for another look at 7-foot-2 Sudanese big man John Riek.

I saw him for the better part of three or four days in Akron back in July, but I needed a refresher course - and frankly, I enjoy seeing guys develop and am intrigued with Riek. On Thursday afternoon in front of Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl and a few other college coaches, he went up against another 7-footer, John Hegarty.

While Hegarty isn't likely NBA-bound, it was a good test for Riek to go against the mammoth 370-pounder who was committed to Rhode Island.

Riek, who is now classified as a post-graduate, re-affirmed that he is certainly a Top 10 pick in next June's draft and could even go No. 1 overall. He does take some plays off, but he is a big-time athlete who runs the floor extremely well, rebounds in and out of his area, blocks shots at an impressive rate - and is already a much more adept offensive player than Dikiembe Mutombo (Riek rarely brings the ball down beneath his shoulders).

Riek is already better than UConn's Hasheem Thabeet, who is projected to go in the first half of the first round by a pair of NBA executives.

Winchendon coach Mike Byrnes told FOXSports.com that the plan for Riek is to go to the NBA next year. However, if Riek and those around him aren't content with the projections from NBA types, Byrnes said that Riek could return for another year at Winchendon.

Trust me. Riek won't spend more than one season at Winchendon and it's highly unlikely he spends one day enrolled on a college campus.

EMOTIONAL PEARL

I was having lunch yesterday afternoon with Vols coach Bruce Pearl when he got the sad news that Tyler Smith's father, Billy, died of lung cancer.

Pearl was clearly distraught even though he was told that Smith, who had been fighting cancer for the last few years, probably wouldn't make it much longer.

Billy Smith's last wish for his son to play for the in-state Vols.

``Every coach feels responsible when a family entrusts you with their son," Pearl said. "The message I got from Billy was clear: I'm not going to be around much longer, so you need to help my son."

The younger Smith received a waiver and won't have to sit out this season because he wanted to be closer to his father.

``Tyler's not a good kid. He's a great kid," Pearl said. "He can now go to work every day and honor his father."

WOUNDED WILDCATS

New Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie can't afford to lose any of his top players this season if the Wildcats want to make a legitimate NCAA tournament run.

One-half of his senior backcourt, Joe Crawford, had surgery late last week to clean out cartilage in his left knee that will keep him out for the next month. He's the third player - guard Derrick Jasper had knee surgery and junior big man Jared Carter had shoulder surgery in June - to go on the shelf.

Crawford and fellow senior Ramel Bradley will be one of the SEC's most talented and experienced backcourts. Throw in sophomore wing Jodie Meeks and a pair of freshmen, big man Patrick Patterson and shooting guard Alex Legion, and you've got five guys who can stack up with just about anyone in the SEC.

The key for Gillispie & Co. could be Perry Stevenson, a long 6-foot-9 sophomore, could be the key for the Wildcats this season.

IMPROVED ORANGE

Syracuse coach-in-waiting Mike Hopkins can't hide his enthusiasm for the talented Orangemen freshman class - which includes a pair of McDonald's All-Americans in point guard Jonny Flynn and skilled forward Donte' Greene.

``It's as deep of a class as we've ever had," Hopkins said. "The other time we had two McDonald's All-Americans was when we had Derrick Coleman and Stevie Thompson."

Jim Boeheim and his staff also brought in Neumann-Goretti (Pa.) teammates Scoop Jardine and Rick Jackson, but it'll be Flynn who should be the difference-maker.

Flynn is like a younger brother to Paul Harris and he's also a true point guard, which the program hasn't had for a while. ``He can score, but he's got a point guard's mentality," Hopkins said.

Greene is a poor man's Kevin Durant.

``He's as talented a freshman as we've had," Hopkins said. ``He's in the same mix as Billy Owens and Carmelo (Anthony)."

Another key will be Harris taking on more responsibility as a sophomore after the Orange graduated four seniors. Harris averaged 8.6 points and 7.1 boards per game from the guard position - in just 21.7 minutes per game. If you factor that into 35 minutes a game, Harris would have put up 13.9 points and 11.4 rebounds per contest.

LIONS READY TO ROAR IN IVY

This could be the year for Columbia and Lions coach Joe Jones.

Jones is the only coach in the league who literally returns everyone from last season. Not only that, but he's brought in a pair of freshman - including impact forward Asenso Ampim - and he'll have a healthy Justin Armstrong.

Don't be shocked if Columbia challenges for the Ivy League crown this year.

Senior forward John Baumann led the team in scoring (13.3) last season while shooting an impressive 51 percent from long-range and 58 percent from the field overall.

Baumann is one of six seniors who comprise the core of the team - and also the first recruiting class that Jones brought into the program.

``They've been the foundation since I got here," Jones said.

But the Lions will have plenty of depth when you add Ampim and a healthy Armstrong, who averaged 10.4 points as a sophomore before knee surgery, into the equation.

``Asenso is strong and versatile. He can make an immediate impact," Jones said. ``Kevin is a lot better than he was and he'll be key for us."

Jones echoed the sentiment of many of the coaches in the league, which is that the Ivy title is as wide-open as it's been in years.

``It's the first year I can remember that there isn't a clear-cut favorite," Jones said. "Any team is capable of beating any other team."

RANDOM NOTES: Terrence Jennings, who made the somewhat surprising decision to remain at Mt. Zion (N.C.) since the school that Tracy McGrady made famous is still on the NCAA's "Prep School Watch List", has backed out of his commitment to Maryland, according to Evan Daniels at Scout.com. The talented 6-foot-10 big man mentioned West Virginia and if he ends up going with the Mountaineers, it would be the first big-time recruit that Bob Huggins gets from the Class of 2008. ... According to sources, talented Georgia native and skilled forward Chris Singleton is leaning towards committing to Florida State. ... Kudos to new Minnesota coach Tubby Smith for getting a commitment from 6-foot-9 South Dakota big man Colton Iverson, who was looked at hard by the likes of UCLA and Florida but ultimately chose the Gophers over Iowa State, Nebraska, Creighton and Iowa.