Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Want to amaze your friends? Tell them you know who will be the Atlantic Sun freshman of the year: 6-8 F Justin Cecil of North Florida. He led the team in scoring in two of three games on a Labor Day trip to Canada after a great summer of training with elite personal coach David Thorpe. Cecil is described as an excellent athlete who shoots with range, defends hard and rebounds aggressively. . . .

Western Kentucky SG Courtney Lee never was the same last season after injuring his foot against Nebraska in January. He lost a shade of his amazing athleticism, and his confidence sagged. But he was back to his dynamic self during the summer, particularly while serving as a counselor at the LeBron James Skills Academy. James himself was heard praising Lee's efforts. Lee needs to sustain that level of play if he wants to make his first NCAA Tournament in his final season. . . .

Can you put a price on a Kentucky fan's devotion to the Wildcats? Don't be silly. Of course you can. For $1,200, male fans are invited to spend a weekend getting "the entire program experience," with sessions on scouting, recruiting, conditioning and the chance to attend team practices. Those in attendance will have to cover their own lodging.

By Mike DeCourcy
The Sporting News