Malik Newman and Diamond Stone, a pair of UConn recruiting targets, recently made the list of 17 finalists for the 2014 USA Baskeetball Men's U17 World Championship Team. Tyus Battle also made the cut, along with Pittsburgh-bound Mustapha Heron, who hails from West Haven.

Here's the press release.

Meanwhile, saw Stanley Robinson at the GHPA on Saturday night. "Sticks" is still playing his way back into shape after Achilles tendon surgery, but he's looking pretty good (even if the D.J. kept calling him "Stanley Roberts". Hey, he's not that heavy!) Still dunking, he says, though on this play, he added, he would have dunked it in years past, but on Saturday simply settled for a reverse layup:

Ray Allen, Kemba Walker, Rip Hamilton, Rudy Gay and Shabazz Napier are among the former UConn stars expected to play at this year's Jim Calhoun Charity Classic game on Aug. 8 at Mohegan Sun Arena.

Also expected to be in attendance are: Ben Gordon, DeAndre Daniels, Jeremy Lamb, Donyell Marshall, Donny Marshall, Charlie Villanueva, A.J. Price, Jeff Adrien, Taliek Brown and Scott Burrell.

Charlie Villanueva is still a free agent, and he's still chronicling his foray into free agency in a video blog series called "Crossroads."

In this, Part 3 of his eight-part series, Villanueva returns home to New York, works out at St. John's University, comments on his former teammate/NBA veteran Darrick Martin, meets with a nutritionist, visits the NIKE Pro City League and more (all from July 14-20).

Sports reporters are supposed to be neutral and play it right down the middle when it comes the teams and sports that they cover. There's no cheering in the press box, they say, and with the occasional notable exception, that largely holds true in college basketball.

What we can root for, however, is the story. It makes things much more enjoyable and interesting to cover when there are intriguing storylines behind certain teams, games or -- in this case -- conferences. The American Athletic Conference, to be exact.

While no one was happy to see Louisville leave (and no one really cared about Rutgers' departure), we all knew it was coming. We also were hoping for some good stories to pop up in the AAC, even without Louisville. Danny Manning was joining the league as head coach at Tulsa. His two battles against Larry Brown, who coached Manning to a national title with Kansas in 1988 (or did Manning lead Brown to that title?) was juicy stuff. And joining Brown at SMU was Emmanuel Mudiay, the No. 1 recruit in the nation, per most recruiting services.

Mudiay would make SMU better than it already was -- and the Mustangs already were pretty good, with Nic Moore, Markus Kennedy and Keith Frazier returning and Xavier transfer Justin Martin joining the fray. SMU beat UConn twice last year and would rightfully be not only the preseason favorite to win the conference, but a legit candidate for the Final Four. This was going to be fun.

Then, it all unraveled. Manning joined Louisville as another ACC defection, bolting incoming Tulsa for Wake Forest. All whole bunch of good players transferred (TaShawn Thomas and Danuel House of Houston, to Oklahoma and Texas A&M, respectively; Temple's Anthony Lee to Ohio State; USF's John Egbunu to Florida). 

And the big blow was Mudiay, who apparently had a whole bunch of eligibility concerns stemming from his two years at Deion Sanders' Prime Prep (who ever would have guessed that could happen?), is instead going to play professionally in China.

Suddenly, the AAC just got a whole lot less interesting next season.

Checked out the GHPA on Saturday and had nice conversations with Rodney Purvis, Daniel Hamilton and Sam Cassell, Jr. Purvis played in the late game and looked pretty good.

He certainly looked a bit Ferrari-like on this driving lefty layup:



And on this nifty spin move (the second of the two moves in this clip):



Purvis, who had played in a few pro-am games back in Raleigh, N.C. over the past month, said his surgically-repaired shoulder is 100-percent.

He's an even better interview. Here's some of what he had to say:

(on how he's helped Amida Brimah through his own, similar shoulder surgery)

"Any questions he had, I answered all his questions for him, helped him get through whatever he needed as far as helping him. The day of his surgery, I went to go see him, just to make sure he was in great spirits. Because it is a long process, with a six-month recovery. That's my brother, so I had no choice but to be there for him."

Brimah was also at Crosby High on Saturday and reported that his shoulder is coming along fine.

(on just how difficult it was sitting out an entire season as a transfer from NC State)

"I heard from different guys that it was rough on them. Of course it's rough, having to sit out, but I really couldn't play anyway because of my shoulder. It is what it is. I was around a great group of guys, they always kept me in the loop and never made me feel like I was outside. The only thing I didn't do was play in games. Everything else, I did. I felt a part of the team."

(on Kevin Ollie's constant references to him last season as a "Ferrari in the garage, that I can't use")

"I can't believe he said that. I took advantage of everything, going against guys like Shabazz and Boatright in practice every day. I was in Shabazz's ear all the time, trying to pick up different things -- in the room, watching film with him. He really gave me a lot of great feedback before he left."

(on what was the key to UConn's national title)

"We stayed together, no matter what. Any time you saw one of us, there were probably five or six of us. We stayed together. I don't think people understand how far being close off the court carries you on the court. We don't put on a front for Twitter or the media or anything, we're really brothers. We take our relationship seriously among each other."

"I'm really strong on brotherhood, because that's just how I was raised. I saw what a brotherhood could do last season, and we want that same thing this year."

(on how excited he is to play alongside Ryan Boatright this season)

"I honestly feel like, just having the relationship we have off the court, that'll carry onto the court. That was my roommate last year, he kind of took me under his wing, helped me learn a lot of things. Not many people know this, but the whole entire year, me and 'Boat were in the gym every single night playing one-and-one, basically beating each other up, going back to the room not speaking to each other because one of us got the better of each other that one day. I just appreciate Boatright. He's a great guy, I can't wait to play alongside him."

Purvis added that he and Sam Cassell, Jr. are now roommates. He also noted that he checks in at about 205 pounds and noticeably more toned than when he first arrived last year at about 215.

Hamilton and Cassell, Jr. didn't play because they weren't able to get a ride to their scheduled 3 p.m. game. Both believe they'll definitely play next Saturday.

Here's some of what they had to say:

Hamilton:

"It's good to get on campus, just working out with the coaches and being able to adjust to the college life."

He said he'll head home to Los Angeles on Aug. 8 for a couple of weeks before returning to Storrs to start classes.

(on his new teammates)

"The funniest dudes I've been around. I just like hanging around them, because it brings joy to me. It reminds me of my brothers. That's why I like the atmosphere. It's just fun to hang around with these dudes and fun to be around this program."

(on how good the team can be this season)

"We are loaded with talent, all we've got to do is play for each other and not worry about what other people have to say. If we just play for one another, we're good enough to be able to repeat."

(on what position he'll play this season)

"I'm not sure where he's going to put me, but I just know when I get out there, he wants me to make plays and contribute to the team. Not just scoring, but rebounding, passing, facilitating, playing defense. Much more than just scoring."

(on DeAndre Daniels, who he knew from growing up in L.A.)

"I'm a little disappointed I couldn't play with him, but I'm happy for him at the same time, to be able to see him make it to the NBA and accomplish that goal. That's big."

Cassell, Jr.:

"I"m definitely ready to step on the court and put a UConn jersey on."

"I want to be a point guard, but I can play point and two-guard, a combo. I can bring shooting to the team, leadership, defense keeps you on the floor. Whatever it takes for us to win, that's what I'm going to bring."

"It's a guard-oriented offense. K.O.'s a good guy, he knows what he's doing."

"Hard practices make easy games."

(on rumors that his dad was in the running for some NBA head coaching jobs recently)

"That's his goal. He's always wanted to be a head coach."

(on how tough it was being an academic non-qualifier and spending two seasons at Chipola Junior College in Florida)

"It was real tough, just because a lot of my friends went on to play college basketball and I had to take a longer journey. But, in the long run, I'm at the place where I want to be."

Here's the 2014 GHPA schedule for this season, for those interested:

As part of a story we did this week on UConn's prime recruiting targets, we spoke with Jim Salmon, who coaches Husky target Isaiah Briscoe on the New Jersey Playaz AAU team -- and also happened to coach UConn director of basketball administration Kevin Freeman at Paterson Catholic back in the day.

Here's what Salmon had to say about Briscoe:

"He’s fearless, he’s two plays ahead on the floor. He’d rather give an assist or a Gretzky – the pass before the assist – rather than scoring. This year, he’s put the team on his back. He’s led us all season. He passed out uniforms, collects them after game, washes them, wakes his teammates up in the hotel room. He’s like an assistant coach for us ... He's an ideal teammate."

Briscoe put out a list recently of his final seven schools: UConn, Arizona, Louisville, St. John's, Seton Hall, Rutgers and Villanova. However, he's not likely to start seriously considering anyone until August, at the earliest. He's already an academic qualifier, according to Salmon.

"All the teams have a shot," Salmon said. "He's got a different relationship with at least one person on the staff of all the schools. I'm sure (his dad) is taking the calls right now, but I don't think he's there. He's really tuned in and trying to win." 

As for UConn?

"Kevin Freeman used to play for me," Salmon noted. "I'd be delighted if he went to UConn."

Charlie Villanueva is at a crossroads in his NBA career. After nearly a decade in the league, he is currently a free agent.

The former UConn star has documented this period of his career in "Crossroads", an eight-part video blog series chronicling his free agent journey. Here's Part One (about five minutes), which includes a conversation with his agent, Cheshire's Jeff Schwartz; footage of his workouts; some personal thoughts, and more.

Crossroads, which has been created by Charlie and his brothers and shot on a Samsung phone, is produced by Tivity Social in partnership with SportsBlog, VISalus and WeVideo.

Nice to see UConn reward a scholarship to Pat Lenehan, a Cheshire native, Xavier High grad and 4.0 student. Lenehan has been a walk-on for the Huskies the past two seasons, but Kevin Ollie had a few extra scholarships to give, and why not reward a kid who, as a molecular and cell biology major, also recently earned a prestigious Goldwater Scholarship for math and science students.

Here's a story we did on Lenehan back in December.

Had a brief interview with Norwalk's Steve Enoch the other day, via text messages, for a story I'm writing for later this week. Here's Enoch's highlights video (couldn't figure out how to embed it). And here's how the interview went:

Did you enjoy your most recent visit to UConn, on June 27?

“Yes, I enjoyed my last visit a lot. The thing I enjoyed most was meeting the players and seeing them work out, because I can use some of the drills they were doing.”

What do you like most about the UConn program?

“I haven’t come up yet with what I like most about the program, but overall I think UConn is a great program.”

How much are you enjoying the recruiting process so far?

“I definitely like the recruiting process and the looks I’m getting from colleges because I see all of the hard work paying off.”

Did you grow up a UConn fan?

“Growing up in Connecticut I was surrounded by a major amount of Huskies fans, including my parents, so the team has always been in the atmosphere. Yes, I’ve been a fan of UConn and glad for the entire organization’s success.”

How tight are you with ex-Husky Andre Drummond?

“He’s someone I look up to. I don’t get to see him often because he’s always on the grind but every time I see him it’s like family. I make the most of every time we hang out, whether it’s him giving me good tips and mentoring on and off the court, or getting scraped in a 1-on-1.”

When will you narrow down your list of schools, or make a decision?

“Whenever I feel like the time is right for me to decide the top schools that fit my list of requirements for them.”

As UConn bids adieu to one Class of 2015 recruit, it appears to be in pretty good standing with another.

Will Jackson, who committed to UConn back in February, has decommitted and instead lent his commitment to Georgia, according to multiple reports:

Ga Stars 2015 PG Will Jackson has decommitted from UCONN and committed to Georgia
— Shun Williams (@OntheRadarHoops) July 7, 2014

Along with Prince Ali's recent decision to re-open his commitment, that leaves talented Boston guard Jalen Adams as the Huskies' only Class of 2015 commit at this point.

But it looks like UConn is in good with Philadelphia's Derrick Jones, the No. 33-ranked player in his class, according to rivals.com. Jones, a 6-foot-6 small forward who plays at Archbishop Carroll in Philly, visited UConn last Monday with his AAU coach -- who just happens to be New Haven native and former Hillhouse standout Terrell Myers.

"I think Coach (Kevin) Ollie did a great job while we were there," said Myers, who knows Ollie from his college playing days at St. Joseph's, as well as from playing against him in pro-am leagues. "They crossed the t's, dotted the i's, explained what UConn basketball is all about. He really, really enjoyed his visit. It's a place he can really, really thrive."

Myers added that Jones is "a great kid, an amazing kid, probably the most athletic player we have right now. He has the ability to do so many things."

"He's extremely athletic, and really knows how to play the game of basketball, as well. He understands the nuances of it, all the small details. That's the greatest thing about him. His upside can be tremendous, he's just still scratching the surface. He's so athletic, people don’t understand other things he can do because he wows you with his athleticism."

Jones does need to get stronger, but, as Myers noted, so does Daniel Hamilton. And so did DeAndre Daniels and Jeremy Lamb and any number of recent talented UConn recruits.

Jones went to the Syracuse Elite camp last summer and has visited a few schools locally, but doesn't have anything else lined up at the moment.

"He's 17, so making a decision for college is tough," Myers noted. "He's trying to figure out what to wear tomorrow."

His visit to UConn came largely as a result of Myers coming back to the area.

"I was coming up that way," Myers said, "and I thought it would be a good opportunity for him to see the school."

Myers used to run a basketball camp each summer at which Ollie would come to speak.

"Without calling him, he just showed up and spoke to the kids," Myers recalled. "He's always been a thorough guy."

Jones isn't the only player on the Philly-based We-R1 AAU team that UConn is interested in. There's also Sedee Keita, a 6-9, Class of 2016 center from Delaware who plays at Vermont Academy. And the Huskies have also inquired about Malik Ellison, a 6-5, Class of '15 swingman who is the son of former Louisville star "Never Nervous" Pervis Ellison.

"UConn’s a great place with a great basketball history," Myers said. "I think Coach Ollie is a guy who’s gonna take it to another level."

Some might say he already has.