Congratulations to Cadarian "Dot" Raines for being
selected to the NBA's TOP 100 Camp June 17-21, 2008 at the University of Virginia.
Frank
Mason and Willie Magnum,
You're invited to attend the prestigious invitation-only Jr All-American
Camp, the nation's No. 1 elite youth basketball event, June 12-15, 2008 in Chantilly, Virginia near
Washington, DC! You should be proud to be considered among the very best middle
school basketball players in the United States! Colleges now are identifying top young talent earlier and earlier,
even offering scholarships before you enroll in high school! The Jr All-American Camp is the ONLY national camp where
NCAA Division 1 coaches actually work th e camp, and are on our staff!!! Don't miss your opportunity to be seen
by some of the top college coaches in America!
|
|
| Petersburg Elite Trio Much Coveted |
| Thursday, 15 May 2008 | by Brian Crownover durunner@caainsider.com
Cadarian Raines This past weekend, many of the top AAU programs on the east coast
got together for the Southern Invitational in Charlottesville, Virginia. Many of the usual suspects were alive when the playoffs
started on Saturday. One of the surprise teams still playing was a talented Petersburg Elite squad. Unfortunately for
them, they ran into the always tough Playaz squad out of New Jersey in the first round. They didn't exit though without
leaving a strong impression on CAA Insider.
Petersburg Elite brought what might have been the top frontcourt
in the entire event. Cadarian Raines (6-8) is a player that has really started to make a name for himself. Two other forwards, Chris Evans (6-7) and Josh Brinkley (6-6) had a strong showings and were among the surprise players of the event. Cadarian Raines had
an exceptional tournament. The talented post player performed very well with his back to the basket. He'll often uses
spin moves to get by defenders in the paint. He is quite athletic and displayed that on several dunks. He has good hands
and seals off well. Cadarian will kick it back out and repost if necessary. Not only did he show a nice back to the basket
game, but he proved he can hit the face up mid range jumper as well. Cadarian also pulled down a number of rebounds and blocked
a few shots too. Chris Evans is a forward who is most comfortable attacking from the wing. He has good
size and handles the ball well. He gets into the lane with ease and can score over smaller defenders. The lanky forward also
displayed strong athletic ability on several dunks and blocks. Josh Brinkley showed the abilitly to play
with his back to the basket in the post as well. He has good size and can put the ball on the floor. He scored inside several
times and crashed the boards often. Perhaps the most impressive trait from this trio was their unselfish
play. None of the three took too many shots. They were all willing to share the ball and worked well together. Their strong
play hasn't gone unnoticed. Numerous programs up and down the east coast have been tracking this Petersburg
Elite trio. Cadarian Raines has drawn the most interest thus far. His coach, Ty White, tells us that he has already picked
up offers from Maryland, Hampton, Virginia Commonwealth, Robert Morris, Tulane, Delaware, James Madison and Radford. Among
the other schools that are taking a close look are Virginia, Virginia Tech, South Carolina, St. Joe's, George Mason, La
Salle, UNC Charlotte, Mt. St. Mary's, Oklahoma and Penn State. Even with that long list, Cadarian is still probably being
under recruited. Chris Evans and Josh Brinkley certainly haven't gone unnoticed though either. Chris
told CAA Insider during the event that he is hearing from George Mason, La Salle, Old Dominion, Virginia Tech and High Point.
Josh has already picked up offers from Robert Morris, Hampton and Delaware. He also has drawn the interest of Virginia Commonwealth. This past weekend was a strong event for all three of the Petersburg Elite front court players. They already
have a solid list of schools tracking them. More strong play throughout the summer will have them hearing from even more programs.
Look for big things out of them as the AAU season continues. | | Last
Updated ( Thursday, 15 May 2008 ) |
|
| Southern Invitational (Day
1 Part 1) |
| Sunday, 11 May 2008 |
by Brian Crownover durunner@caainsider.com
Chris Evans The live period is over, but the spring action continues. Some of the
top teams from the region were on hand this weekend at the University of Virginia. CAA Insider was on hand and here is a look
at some of the top players from Saturday's action.
Petersburg Elite Chris Evans (2009 6-7 SF/PF) Chris put together two fabulous games. He has good size and actually prefers to use it to
attack from the perimeter. He handles the ball well and can get into the lane. He'll use crossover moves at times. Chris
is very explosive and athletic, and made several plays above the rim after driving. Among those plays was an alley oop. He
also loves to score by using his size in the lane to convert on runners. He banked home one runner and threw down a couple
dunks. Chris has good hands and does a decent job on the boards. He didn't show much of a perimeter shot and if he wants
to continue to play on the wing, he'll need more of that. Chris was outstanding regardless of that and an added dimension
would take his game up another notch. Josh Brinkley (2009, 6-6 PF) Josh is a talented post player. He hit on a short bank shot and used a nice spin move to free
himself on the inside. He has good size and quickness in the low post. Josh can put the ball on the floor too. He was a bit
inconsistent finishing. He does possess good hands though. Josh also missed a jumper. He rebounded well throughout both games
we saw. Josh sure is talented. Cadarian Raines (2009, 6-8 PF/C) Cadarian was one of the best players of the day. He showed just about everything. The athletic
post had several thunderous dunks. He's comfortable with his back to the basket and loves to spin in either direction
and finish. He has great hands and possesses soft touch inside. Cadarian seals off well and is often comfortable passing the
ball back out and reposting. He doesn't force shots. He is comfortable finishing off the glass and has a good sense in
the post. At times, Cadarian would face up too much after a post spin move and not use his body well enough to shield the
defender. That is really getting picky on our end though as there are only little things in his post game that need tweaking.
Cadarian has a solid build and he rebounded very well throughout. He became a defensive presence the second time we saw him.
He blocked shot after shot in that one. Cadarian is already well polished and he played well throughout the day. Karron Williams (2009, 6-1 PG/SG) Karron is a quick handling guard. He really loves to use the pull up jumper and he's
quite effective at it. He did a solid job of getting the ball to his talented front court. |
Congratulations to John Holleman for signing with WALTERS STATE COMMUNITY
COLLEGE

Dolphins select Kendall Langford with 66th pick
Within the first 20 minutes of the NFL Draft's second day, the Dolphins were already active enough to snag another
sixth-round pick while also continuing to bolster their defensive line with a big-bodied athlete.
Miami first moved
down two spots, trading away its opening-round pick in a deal with Detroit that gave the Dolphins the 176th overall selection.
Then, with their new 64th pick, the Dolphins continued to bolster their defensive line by picking Kendall Langford.
Langford
fits the mold of the players typically desired by vice president of football operations Bill Parcells and general manager
Jeff Ireland. At 6-6, 295 pounds, he could be a good fit as a defensive end if the team goes with a 3-4 defensive scheme.
In
three seasons at Hampton, Langford was known for a very aggressive style, a mean player with an impressive initial burst.
He'll take a good deal of development before he's a consistent impact player.
April 4, 2008
Will Garlick
VirginiaPreps.com Senior Writer
Not all the top Virginia AAU boys' basketball teams will play in the
prestigious Boo Williams AAU 17-under tournament that starts next week at the Boo Williams Sportsplex. The Petersburg Elite didn't get the call to make hotel arrangements in Hampton, but instead of sitting home feeling sorry for themselves,
the Elite decided to host their own AAU tournament.
The 5th annual Elite Stars classic kicks off April 11-13 with some of the games being held at the Siegel center on the campus of Virginia Commonwealth. Elite
head coach and tournament co-ordinator Tytrail White said he expects some great competition.
"We're looking forward to going out there and competing against the best talent in the nation," White
said. "This is the best team we have put together--no question. We have some guys we feel can play with anybody."
No doubt the Elite would have made some noise in the 17-under tournament with a frontline featuring
four great shot-blockers. 6-foot-8 Cadarian Raines of Petersburg, 6-foot-6 Chris Evans of Deep Creek, and 6-foot-5 Du'Vuaghn Washington from Hopewell all have hops and they create a no-fly zone in the middle.
Raines
led the Wave to the state semi-finals before losing to the eventual state champions T.C Williams. He averaged 14 points, 10
boards, and four blocks. Wow! Evans averaged 16 ppg and was a 2nd Team all-district selection at Deep Creek. He has the ability
to play the 3 position and he is a great shot blocker. Washington did not play last year, but he impressed me during the pre-season
in a scrimmage against Menchville.
"Our big guys are our strength,"
said White who's entering his fourth season with the program. "When everybody's playing well together it's
a beautiful thing."
A sleeper on the team is Josh Brinkley,
a 6-foot-7 junior who lead Douglas Freeman in points, rebounds, and block shots while earning All-District honors. The Elite's
backcourt features All-State point guard Coron Williams from Christchurch and Drejon Scott, a confident shooting guard from Petersburg High School, who can light
it up from the outside.
Jasper Holloman, who averaged 14 points
with Matoaca, and Gabriel McNeil, a 6-2 combo guard from Hermitage, fills out the backcourt.
White says about half the guys played on the 16-under team that competed in theAAU nationals last
year. His program have grown every year. "Our goal is for each kid in every age group to get a free college education.
I think we are ready to blow up."
DC Metro Showcase Final Results
17 and under
Prymetime (MD)
52 Petersburg Elite (VA) 48
It was not a surprise that these two teams met in the 17 and under final; on this
weekend, both were the strongest teams in their age classification. Their championship battle didn’t disappoint, as
Prymtime used a team-centric approach to defeat a rugged, deep Petersburg crew.
“It was a total team effort”
said Rodney Gould, Prymetime’s coach of his squad’s performance, one in which senior 6’0” combo guard
Justin Bess dropped 17 points, and junior swingman Collin Beatty, a 6’5” player, provided 10.
Prymetime's Gould (right) feels this victory validates
his squad.
Their play in many ways was made possible by 6’1” left handed junior point guard, Francis
Ashe, who frequently broke Petersburg’s pressure and found open teammates for scores, while also scoring 4
points. His coach was impressed.
“He controlled the game very well. He as a quarterback on the floor” said
Gould of Ashe. “He took over the game”.
Petersburg was led by 6’8” junior post player Cadarian
Raines (11 points) and 6’6” junior forward Joshua Brinkley (10 points). Though he only
provided two points, senior point guard Jasper Holleman played tough defense and found open teammates in
positions to score.
“For our Prymtime organization, it’s huge” opined Gould of not only beating a
very formidable Petersburg Elite team, but winning the DC Metro Showcase. “They (his players) don’t get the respect
they deserve”.
Thanks William Lawson III
To the Editor:
I, too, would like to say
a special thanks to Coach Lawson. My thanking him is not for the winning season. My thank you is not for bringing pride to
the city. My thank you is not for winning the championship of the regular season or for the Central District Tournament Championship.
My thank you to Coach Lawson is for all of the good things he taught our children away from the O’s and X’s. I
saw a great number of high school basketball games this year. At almost every game there was one team that did not behave
on the court the way we should expect our children to behave. These teams had players who would curse the other team players
as they passed their bench or try to scare the other team players. To make a long story short, those teams did nothing to
bring pride to their cities or themselves.
Now Petersburg was a completely different team. They played hard but
with pride. They never tried to show the other team up and they never did act in a manner that someone could call them thugs.
Petersburg High went about the business of trying to win as many games as possible while still keeping their sight on the
real goal – preparing themselves for life after basketball. Coach Lawson would not let his team act in the manner that
some of the other coaches allowed. This says a great deal about not only Coach Lawson III but also about Coach Lawson Jr.
Talking with other fans, the one thing everyone says is that Coach Lawson is a real gentleman. That is the same
thing they say about his father. Both Coach Lawson III and Coach Lawson Jr. made a mark on young men who came out for basketball
teams at Petersburg High. If you did not or would not listen, you do not play. If you wanted to break the laws of the city,
you did not play. When I recommended and then demanded the Petersburg High School Gym be named after Coach Lawson Jr. I did
so as much for his building of men as I did for his building winning teams.
I can see the same type of action
or behavior in Lawson III. Like his father, he is more concerned about the lives of his players after the lights are off than
he is about winning a game at all costs.
We need more coaches like Coach Lawson III. We need more role models
like him who would rather lose a game if it means doing something wrong. Thanks Coach for a great season, but most of all,
thanks for teaching our young men the game of life. I know that Mrs. Lawson Jr. is very proud of her son and that Coach Lawson
Jr. is smiling down on him.
Coach, the only thing that I ask of you is that you not change your coaching or teaching
style. We need more gentlemen like you, and maybe, just maybe, if we had more, we would not need all of these correctional
centers being built.
Samuel L. Batts
Petersburg, VA
Elite 2007-2008 Accomplishments
Drejon Scott-MVP of the Fort Lee Holiday Classic, Honorable Mention All District
Jasper
Holleman- Second Team All-District
Chris Evans- Second Team All District
Joshua Brinkley-
Second Team All District
Jacob Hagee- Second Team All District
Dimitri Ross -Honorable
Mention All District
Coron Williams-1st Team All State
Tyler Johnson- 1st Team All District,(Football)
Cadarian Raines- District Player of the Year, 1st Team All District, 1st Team All Region, All Metro Team, Top
Ten Digital Sports
William Lawson III- Central District Coach of the Year, Central Region Coach of the Year
Cadarian Raines Digital Sports Interview
Manchester
Middle has perfect hoops run
Manchester Middle School's Majestic Lions surged to the brink of boys basketball perfection
last year -- then fell just shy. This time, they closed the deal.
Coach Ryan Marable's squad punctuated an unscathed
season with a 53-28 win over Bailey Bridge in the Chesterfield's Middle School League tournament final.
Manchester
finished 13-0 (10-0 regular season, 3-0 in tournament). A year ago, it won 12 straight before bowing to Swift Creek.
"The
key to success was how unselfish the boys played," said Marable, with a coaching record of 25-1 the past two years. "Everyone
learned their role and played their role."
An all-eighth grade lineup of Tim Thaniel,
Joel Caleb, JaQuante Saunders, Tim Crossin and Ben Hauck, plus super sub Robert Johnson, helped
the team average 55 points while allowing just 34. Thaniel averaged 14 points (scoring 20 in the
final) and Caleb 13.
February 19, 2008
Antwyne
Frazier
Special to VirginiaPreps.com
Cadarian Raines is a relative neophyte to high school basketball but with college coaches looking under every rock for the
next impact post prospect, his time to shine may be rapidly approaching.
 |  |
| photo provided by the Petersburg Progress Index |
 |
| Cadarian Raines |
The 6-foot-8, 205-pound junior front court prospect from Petersburg,
Va. averaged 14.5 points, 10 rebounds and an eye-opening 6.4 blocks during the regular season, earning Co-Player Of The Year
in the Central District in Richmond.
"We were the first team to go undefeated in the District since 1993,"
Raines told HokieHaven.com. "My biggest improvement was my offensive moves in the post, rebounding and blocking shots.
"I have always been taught that you play defense first then the offense will come, so I take pride in blocking
shots and playing defense. Don't get me wrong, I love to score but I want to help my team first."
Raines'
game has improved as he has gained m ore experience and playing time.
"I really didn't start taking basketball
seriously until after the ninth grade when I was going into the tenth (grade)," said Raines. "I want to work on
my upper body strength and legs. I want to get more comfortable on the floor because I play better when I play against players
my own size. My game seems to come out when that happens so I know I need to just work on my confidence."
Raines
is finding that his recruitment is in the embryonic stages, but there are already a couple of prominent in-state programs
who are starting to track his progress.
"VCU, UVa, Virginia Tech, Hampton, James Madison and Wake Forest are
interested in me and Clemson and St Joe's were supposed to come in recently to watch me but weren't able to,"
Raines declared, noting that Clemson, the Cavaliers, Rams and Hokies are his favorite schools currently. "Hampton and
James Madison have offered me. Virginia says that they like me a lot and one of their assistants has been to practice."
The Hokies are keeping things simmering with Raines as well.
"Both Coach (Seth) Greenberg and Coach
(Assistant James) Johnson have already been to one of my games and Coach Johnson has watched me practice," Raines continued,
adding that he has unofficially visited Virginia, VCU and Hampton, in addition to Blacksburg. "Virginia Tech is very
interested in me and I am trying to schedule soon going to a game before my season is over. I went up there in the fall to
a football game and had a lot of fun with the players. The coaches and everyone treated me real good."
DAVID MILLER/STAFF PHOTO Petersburg’s Cadarian Raines works inside againts Thomas Dale’s
Michael Goad. Raines finished a game-high 27 points as the Crimson Wave outlasted the Knights 74-69.
By FRED JETER
TIMES-DISPATCH
STAFF WRITER
Towering and intimidating, Petersburg's Cadarian Raines is the Mount Everest
of the Central District.
Climbers beware. When it Raines, it pours.
The high-altitude (6-8, 210 pounds) junior
and his gifted Crimson Wave teammates have left their foes buried in a winter-long avalanche.
"Cadarian is drawing
a lot of attention," Petersburg coach William Lawson III said.
That attention includes doubleand triple-teams on
the block and college scouts converging from all directions.
There's much to like about this tall tale -- starting
with the Wave's 19-2 record heading into tonight's regular-season final with Prince George.
Raines represents
the possibility of a triple-double each night. With the wingspan of a F-22 jet fighter plane, he has three outings with double
digit points, boards and rejections.
The 17-year-old averages 13 points, 11 rebounds and 6 blocks.
His name is
pronounced "Sa-Dare-Ree-Un," according to the 75-page Petersburg media guide.
Stepfather Paul Pritchard said:
"We spell it with a "C" rather than an "S" because an aunt thought "Sadarian" looked like
a girls name."
Raines' biological father is former Wave athlete Mendell Harris.
Raines wears his number
on his chest, on his back . . . and on his head. He has "44" shaved into the rear of his noggin by a barber at Illusions.
Here's
a Q&A with Cadarian:
What do you enjoy most about hoops?
"Defense -- blocking shots . . . if you play
good D, offense comes easy."
Ever play football?
"I was a defensive end until ninth grade. Then, I got
too tall for football."
Any nickname?
"C-Dot."
Who's recruiting you?
"Clemson,
Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Virginia, VCU, George Mason . . . "
Goals?
"Win states."
What
of a possible rematch with Highland Springs?
"We'll have to play hard; they're big and aggressive."
. . .
Interest in Raines escalated after his matchup with 6-8 junior Deshawn Painter
of Booker T. Washington. Though Petersburg fell 60-58, Raines dazzled with 21 points, 12 boards and 6 blocks.
The Wave's
other loss was to state No. 1 ranked Highland Springs. If form holds, the Wave-Springers rematch would be in the Central Region
semifinals.
Raines began dribbling in the Petersburg recreation association at age 7 but chose not to try out at Peabody
Middle. He played JV hoops as a freshman but also practiced with the varsity.
"Really, he's just starting to
blossom," Lawson said. "It was between his freshman and sophomore seasons that his game took off.
Raines said,
"I lived in the gym the whole summer."
Petersburg's man mountain is determined to maximize his sky-high
potential. On his cell phone voice mail he says: "If I'm not playing basketball, I'm sleeping."
Hermitage aide has 'been
there' knowledge
By ARTHUR UTLEY
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
During
his four years of playing professional basketball in Europe, Chris McNeal missed his children.
He also gained an appreciation
for how well European players were taught the game.
These days, McNeal is using the skills he acquired in Europe to
coach his high school-aged sons and their teammates at Hermitage High.
McNeal is an assistant on Joe Coulter's varsity
staff. Oldest son, Gabe, is a two-year starter at guard for the Panthers, and Chris Jr. is a sophomore guard for the junior
varsity.
Guard was not McNeal the elder's position. He was a 6-5 center at Hermitage before transferring to Oak
Hill Academy his senior year. He grew to 6-8 and went on to play at the University of Pittsburgh.
Highland Springs coach
George Lancaster called McNeal "a fantastic player with great, great talent . . . one of the finest ever to come out
of this area," in a December 1987 story in The Richmond News Leader. The comment came after McNeal scored 37 points and
grabbed a school record 24 rebounds in a 102-98 loss to the Springers.
McNeal, 37, still looks like a basketball player.
He has no trouble stepping into the action with the Hermitage players.
"He is able to separate the father and coach
aspects well," Coulter said.
After McNeal returned to the U.S. in 1997, he was an assistant at Hermitage, then
Huguenot and Henrico, in addition to starting home improvements and sports apparel businesses.
"Gabe was 7 when
I came back from overseas. I knew [teaching the game] was one thing I wanted to get into, and I couldn't wait to back
to work with my kids," McNeal said. "I'm a father first. Basketball is easy. Being a father is hard."
When
Gabe had academic problems at Hermitage as a freshman, McNeal sent him to Evangel Christian with the intention of having him
finish high school there. Gabe did so well academically, he was given the chance to return to Hermitage.
"He had
grown up so much as a person and student," Coulter said. "I knew my point guard problem was solved."
Gabe,
a slender 6-3, had a solid junior season and is the Panthers' second leading scorer (10.9 ppg) as the point guard and
shooting guard this season.
"His assist to turnover ratio is unbelievable," Coulter said.
The Panthers,
a preseason top 10 entry, have struggled (3-8, 8-10) for a variety of reasons.
"We know we're a good team,
we're just not coming out good," Gabe said. "We're definitely going to pull it together at the end."
He
reminds the freshmen about the importance of good grades. He encourages his teammates. He enjoys playing for his father.
"He
just loves the game. He has a passion for it," Gabe said. "He's the guy who gets us going."
McNeal,
meanwhile, hasn't expected his sons to follow in his footsteps.
"Not everybody's going to be 6-8,"
McNeal said. "I would like for them to maximize as athletes. Enjoy it and have fun. If they get an opportunity to go
to school, that would be awesome. I do know they have their books in order, and that's the most important thing."
Contact Arthur Utley at (804) 649-6559 or autley@timesdispatch.com
Williams Named Big South Player of the Week

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – VMI senior forward Reggie
Williams (Prince George, Va.) has been selected as the Big South Conference Choice Hotels Men’s Basketball Player of
the Week for games played the week of Jan. 14-20, it was announced today by the League office.
Williams averaged
30.5 points and 15.5 rebounds in two Conference games last week, and also averaged 5.0 assists, .585 percent from the floor
(24-of-41) and .714 percent from the charity stripe (10-of-14). He scored a game-high 38 points along with his 12 rebounds
in a 107-100 win at Coastal Carolina, VMI’s first in Kimbel Arena. Williams accounted for 23 points over the final eight
minutes as the Keydets rallied from a 17-point deficit. In a three-point overtime loss against League-leading UNC Asheville,
Williams scored 23 points and grabbed a career-high 19 rebounds. He was 9-of-14 from the field and also had four assists,
one block and one steal.
Williams has posted double-doubles over his last five games and has 27 for his career.
He currently ranks third in the nation in scoring with a 27.3 PPG average.
The announcement marked the second
time this season that Williams has won the award. He was named BSC Player of the Week December 17.
A basketball
Brinkley, too
Freeman post player gives team strong inside presence
By ARTHUR UTLEY
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
In the
world of Douglas Freeman High athletics, the name Brinkley has been synonymous with sports other than basketball.
Bob
Brinkley has been the Rebels' football coach since 1989. Oldest son, Kevin, a 2006 graduate, played football, wrestled
and became a standout pole vaulter. Youngest son, Robbie, a senior, played football and wrestles.
"Brinkley"
started showing up in the boys varsity basketball box scores this season, and people wondered if the family had branched out.
Nope.
Josh Brinkley isn't related and is going about making a name for himself in a fine way. A 6-5 junior center, Brinkley
is up from last year's junior varsity. His impact on the Rebels, ranked No. 9 in The Times-Dispatch Top 10 Poll, has been
noticeable.
"You never know how someone will react [moving up from JV]," veteran Douglas Freeman coach Larry
Parpart said. "He's done a really good job inside, and he is still learning his way."
Brinkley pairs inside
with 6-5 senior Omari Vaughan-Nelson to give the Rebels a formidable presence on both ends of the floor.
"He's
a great help to the team. He goes hard in practice, listens to the coaches and doesn't complain about a thing," Vaughan-Nelson
said. "He has something like a 7-foot wing span, and I've had to learn how to shoot over him."
While Vaughan-Nelson
will drift to the wing and put up a 3-pointer or two a game, Brinkley prefers the low block.
"On JV, I did my thing.
Posting up, putting the ball in the basket, rebounding," Brinkley said.
He's still doing his thing while giving
the Rebels a third scorer. As the result of layups, stickbacks and dunks, Brinkley leads the Rebels in scoring with 14.9 points
per game. Vaughan-Nelson averages 12.9. Guard/forward Jake Eastman, one the region's top perimeter shooters, is averaging
14.4 points and has assisted on a number of buckets by the two big men after beating the defense off the dribble.
Brinkley
has scored in double figures in 13 of 16 games. His highest output, 27 points, came against Dinwiddie in the Times-Dispatch
Invitational Tournament, in which he was the top point producer. He is shooting 65 percent from the floor, averaging more
than seven rebounds a game and has more than 30 blocks.
Junior Cadarian Raines Looking Strong |

| National Recruiting Director Posted Jan 30, 2008 | |
Petersburg High junior big man Cadarian Raines
is a young man deserving of pub. The 6-foot-8 standout is a prospect worth tracking. Ht: 6-8 Wt: 210 PPG: 14.8
| AAU
Team: | Petersburg Elite |
|
Recruiters who normally breeze through the Petersburg I-95 corridor en route to prospect-rich
D.C. or North Carolina, may want to add a stop to their trip. Petersburg (Va.) High is home to 6-foot-8 center Cadarian Raines. Raines, who boasts offers from Hampton and James Madison, is one of the hidden gems in his state. Why? “He really
didn’t play a whole lot of middle school basketball,” Petersburg coach Bill Lawson told Scout.com. “When
we got him in 9th grade he was real raw. This is his second year on the varsity.” This season Raines has made
strong strides. The big man owns two triple-doubles since the start of the year. He scores 12.5 points a game. “He’s
been getting double-teamed a lot and he’s not able to get ball as much as you’d like.” In a prime
time matchup with Deshawn Painter and B.T. Washington, Raines shined. “He had 21, 12 rebounds and 6 blocks that night,” Lawson said. “He
lived up to it (that night),” Lawson said. According to Lawson, VCU is a regular in his gym. JMU, George Mason,
Clemson, UNC-W, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest have shown interest. |
Holloman lifts Warriors in OT
FROM STAFF REPORTS
01/26/2008
In
OT, Matoaca senior Jasper Holloman hit a trey with three seconds left to seal the game giving the Warriors the 74-72 Central
District win over the Generals.
Check out the Elite Boys in action
Big Josh with his ELITE SWAG before the big game.
Brinkley leads Rebels in blowout
Junior scores 20
for No. 8 Freeman
Teammate and 6-foot-6 junior forward Chris Evans was quite a factor, too, finishing a
block shy of a triple-double as he posted 14 points, 12 rebounds and nine blocks. He had five points, five
boards, two assists and a pair of steals in the first quarter alone to help the Hornets build a 21-10 lead after one period.
"We're a tough team on any given night,"
said Evans. "I strive on helping my team get better as the season progresses, making my teammates
better and getting them more involved."
Chrisco showing that ELITE SWAG!!!
VMI's Williams sets Big South record
Ex-Prince George star becomes career leader in scoring
LEXINGTON - Reggie Williams
had 43 points and became the Big South Conference's career scoring leader, helping high-scoring VMI to a victory over
Southern Virginia yesterday.
Williams, a former Prince George High School standout, was 19 of 22 from the field, including
4 of 6 from beyond the arc, giving him 2,234 points and surpassing Liberty's Larry Blair for the top spot on the conference
scoring list. The 19 field goals broke his own school record by one.
Tyler Johnson is all over
the court as Royals end skid
By ARTHUR UTLEY
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF
WRITER
PRINCE GEORGE - When basketball coaches talk about blue-collar players, Tyler Johnson of Prince George is one of those guys.
Johnson, a 6-3, 230-pound tight end in
football, does the dirty work on the basketball court grabbing rebounds on the weak side, boxing out, going to the floor for
the ball and picking up garbage points.
In last night's Central District home game against Matoaca, Johnson did
his usual and also scored nine points, his second best output of the season, in the Royals' 62-40 victory.
"I
felt more involved in the game than I have been," Johnson, a junior, said.
Prince George coach Bill Russell and
Matoaca coach Charles Payton noticed him, too.
"I thought Tyler was all over the floor. He had one of his best
games and gave us contributions offensively that he doesn't usually give," Russell said.
Aggressive on offense,
Johnson scored seven points in the first quarter. The Royals took an 11-9 lead on one of Johnson's buckets and never relinquished
it again.
Prince George used a 3-2 zone, and dominated the inside because of Johnson, 6-6 Andre Williamson and Treon
Claiborne. Williamson grabbed 13 rebounds, and Johnson and Claiborne had five each.
AC’s Lee signs with Towson
Sophomore hopes to make immediate impact with Tigers next
year
Steve LuseCumberland Times-NewsCUMBERLAND —
Deciding to sign early with the school that has shown the most interest, Allegany College of Maryland center Calvin Lee will
be continuing his career next season at Towson University.
The 6-foot-7, 200-pound sophomore from Etrick, Va. has
signed an NCAA Letter-of-intent to play for the Tigers, who compete as a Division I school in the Colonial Athletic Conference.
Lee joins 5-10 point guard Troy Franklin from Our Lady of Mount Carmel High School in Baltimore as early signees for
Towson coach Pat Kennedy.
“We are very pleased to announce the signing of Troy Franklin and Calvin Lee,”
said Kennedy. “Both players are very talented and will fit into our program and style of play right away. These two
young men will add a significant presence to our 2008-09 team.”
Lee entered his second season at Allegany
as a third-team NJCAA Pre-season All-American after earning first-team all-Region XX honors last year when he helped lead
the Trojans to a 24-9 record and a third straight Region XX title. He averaged 14.9 points and led the team in rebounding
with a 9.6 average.
“Calvin is an excellent athlete who has great offensive skills to go along with his ability
as a strong rebounder,” said Kennedy. “He comes from a junior college program that has a rich tradition and has
prepared him well for the CAA. He is multi-talented and will fit in very well with our front-court players.”
Lee chose Towson over offers from several other Division I schools.
“I thought Towson was the best place
for me to go for my basketball future,” said Lee. “They have been on me for awhile and showed me the most interest.
I really like the school.”
The sophomore center also thinks Towson will be a place where he can contribute
right away.
“I think it will be the right fit,” said Lee. “They have good coaches and in my visit
I got along with the players well.”
Allegany coach Mike Baker is pleased that Lee made Towson his choice.
“I believe it will be a great fit for both,” said Baker. “Calvin is an athletic player who can go
inside or move out and hit the jumper. Calvin has not yet reached his potential and with Towson on the rise both will benefit.
The Towson coaching staff needs to be commended on the professional manner in which Calvin was recruited.”
Having already signed, Lee said he can now stay more focused on helping Allegany (4-8) turn things around in the second
half of the season.
“I’m working harder this season and trying to play hard every game,” said
Lee. “I still see a lot of upside on this team. We played nationally-ranked teams and were close but just didn’t
finish. I think we are going to keep getting better and we want to peak at the right time and get to the national tournament.
Last year we had an opportunity and came one game short.”
After the first 12 games, Lee was second on the
team in scoring with a 15.4 average and was leading in rebounds with 9.9 per game.
Lee was a three-year starter
at Matoaca High School and was a two-time Virginia Class AAA Central District Player of the Year along with receiving second-team
Richmond All-Metro and All-Region honors as a senior. He averaged 20 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks a game his senior
year and finished with 1,019 career points.
ATHLETES OF THE WEEK: Drejon Scott, Petersburg
What he did: The Crimson Wave's 5-9 junior guard showed big in the scoring column
by ringing up 25 points in a Central District victory over Meadowbrook and by scoring 22, 24 and 12 points in three Fort Lee
Invitational games. Petersburg successfully defended its title, and Scott was named most valuable player. He also contributed
13 assists and seven steals.
Age: 16
Three words that describe you best: "Hard-working, loving, passionate."
Strengths: "Energy, offense, passion."
I'm working on: "My defense."
Favorite
food: Macaroni and cheese.
Favorite candy: Snickers
Best sports memory: "Being the most valuable player."
If he had one wish: "Win the state championship."
What bugs him the most: "I don't like loud
talkers."
MySpace or Facebook: MySpace.
Favorite Christmas present: "A new cell phone."
One
thing about you most people don't know: "I still watch cartoons."
Toughest opponent: "My peers.
They pressure me."
- Arthur Utley
Wave guard Drejon Scott started the game with a 3-pointer and Raines dunked on his first touch as Petersburg led
by as many as 15 points in the first quarter.
CADARIAN RAINES SCORES 21 PTS AND GRABS 14 REBOUNDS VS nationally ranked
Deshawn Painter who only recorded 15 pts and 6 rebounds.
If Painter is ranked 22nd in the 2009 class Cadarian Raines
is in the Top 21.
#15 Chris "The General" Moore creates for the Wave.
Drejon Scott scores two over the Hopewell defenders.
Avis Wyatt overseas doing his thing the ELITE way!!!
Many Compete, But Few are the ELITE!!!!
The Elite Boys after being chosen for the ALL-Star Game at the Southern
Exposure.
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Emerging big man brings RainesBy Rob Harrington robharrington@prepstars.com July
18, 2007 Not too many folks are familiar with the name Cadarian Raines. And why would they be? The 6-8 BF at Petersburg
(VA) High has been a rare figure on the travel circuit and at national camps, but just a member of the Class of 2009, he has
plenty of time to draw widespread interest. Raines already has attracted a few followers. Thanks to a slender frame
with above-average athleticism and a workable turnaround jump shot, Raines was among the more intriguing prospects at last
weekend's Big Shots tournament in Myrtle Beach, S.C., and some high-major schools already have jumped into contention
for the Petersburg Elite Stars big man. "I don't have any offers yet, but I've heard from Wake Forest,
N.C. State, VCU and ODU, and I guess Wake was the most recent," Raines said. "I'm just watching them all come
in right now." Chances are, they'll keep coming in. While our initial impression of Raines was that he needs
to become more consistent as a rebounder and defender, as well as expand his skill set, he has the natural size for the college
post and enjoys good mobility as well. For sure, any new name on the 2009 frontcourt landscape is worth monitoring for later.
One source connected to Raines said that the big man has yet to receive the truly serious inquiries that lead to early
scholarship offers, but that he also has improved a great deal and has battled some touted senior big men to earn more extensive
attention.
www.prepstars.com |
August 3, 2007 Starting in September of 2007, I'll be reporting
again on high school football prospects in Virginia.Then when basketball season begins, I'll be scouting high school basketball
prospects in VA as usual. According to the most recent copy of "The Sports Journal"on
July 31, 2007, four juniors to watch in The Commonwealth are Marshawn Powell,
6-7 power forward for Newport News, VA Menchville High School; Deshawn
Painter, 6-8 combination forward for Norfolk, VA Booker T. Washington High School;
Cadarian Raines, 6-8 forward at Petersburg, VA High School;
and Donte Hill, 6-4 forward-guard playing for Norfolk,
VA Collegiate School. |
|---|
Cadarian Raines (top 200 in 2009), 6-8 junior BF, Petersburg (VA) High: Wake Forest, N.C. State, Virginia
Commonwealth, Old Dominion, James Madison, Virginia Tech, Hampton, St. Joeseph and others.