Xavier had nothing to do with Jakarr Sampson leaving St. Vincent-St. Mary in Akron and heading to Brewster Academy (N.H.).

``Nothing,” Brewster coach Jason Smith told FOXSports.com. ``I never spoke to anyone at Xavier. I spoke to Jakarr’s mother.”

In yesterday’s Akron Beacon Journal, Sampson’s hometown paper, SVSM coach Dru Joyce – who coached LeBron James in high school – alleged that Xavier was responsible for Sampson being pushed to Brewster.

``Those guys {Xavier} have made an enemy here,” Joyce told the newspaper.

``That’s not the case at all,” Smith said of Xavier’s involvement.

To further illustrate that point, Xavier hasn’t been recruiting Sampson in months – and the athletic 6-foot-7 forward doesn’t even mention the Musketeers these days among the schools he is considering.

BREWSTER LOADS UP TO DEFEND TITLES

Speaking of Brewster, we’ll begin our annual Prep School Preseason Series with the program that won the NEPSAC Class A and also the Prep National Championships a year ago – the first time that has ever been done.

Sampson was the final addition to a team that Smith said should be as versatile as almost any that has arrived in Wolfeboro, N.H. in his decade since taking over.

``We can play with a really big lineup or go small,” Smith said. ``We have a lot of skill and that will also allow us to be versatile.”

Smith will rely heavily on prep school veteran point guard Naadir Tharpe – who enters his third go-around at Brewster. Tharpe, according to Smith, has official visits scheduled to Rutgers (9-2) and Minnesota (9-17) and is also considering St. John’s and Iowa State.

Brewster will have Winchendon transfer Markus Kennedy, a 6-foot-9, 245-pound post-grad who has been committed to Villanova for more than a year, in the middle and Pittsburgh-bound 6-foot-6 Durand Johnson on the wing.

Smith also has former St. Anthony’s guard Elijah Carter, who committed to St. Bonaventure last year; Indiana big man Mitch McGary – who is receiving interest from numerous high-major schools; Max Hooper, a shooter who came from Mater Dei (Calif.); talented sophomore wing Deonte Burton from Milwaukee; and Khalid McCaskill, a wing who has spent the last few seasons at Phillips Academy.

Here’s the roster:

Naadir Tharpe, 6-0, 170, PG, Post-Grad, Worcester, Mass.
Jakarr Sampson, 6-7, 195, SF, SR, St. Vincent-St. Mary (Ohio)
Markus Kennedy, 6-9, 245, C, Post-Grad, Winchendon (Mass.)
Durand Johnson, 6-6, 190, SG, Post-Grad, Lake Clifton (Md.)
Elijah Carter, 6-2, 175, G, Post-Grad, St. Anthony’s (N.J.)
Mitch McGary, 6-9, 245, C, Sr., Chesterton Senior (Ind.)
Max Hooper, 6-5, 200, SG, Post-Grad, Mater Dei (Calif.)
Deonte Burton, 6-5, 210, SF, Soph., Vincent (Wis.)
Khalid McCaskill, 6-4, 190, SG, Post-Grad, Phillips Academy (Mass.)
Richard O'Brien, 5-11, 165, G, Jr., Bedford (N.H.)