RECRUITING NOTEBOOK

By Justin Young

updated 12:30 a.m. ET Aug. 21, 2008

Rivals.com analysts spent the summer on the recruiting trail and saw countless games in July.

The result of the busy evaluation period is a shake-up in the Rivals150 national basketball rankings for the Class of 2009.

This wall won't crumble
People have been chasing John Wall his entire life, but no one can catch him. He’s just too darn fast.

And when it comes to the being at the top spot in the Rivals150, Wall is just too good for anyone to catch him.

Wall, from Raleigh (N.C.) Word of God Christian Academy, remains atop the updated rankings. He starred at all of the top spots in July and widened the gap with his great showing in July at the Reebok Summer Championships.

"Wall is just such a unique talent,” national recruiting analyst Jerry Meyer said. “His length for his position, extreme speed, proficient ballhandling and superb body control in the lane allow him to make plays most players can’t even think about making. You also have to love his upside. He improved over the summer as a shooter and defender, and he also proved that he is a winner and not just a talent.”

With a greater value given to guards in today’s game, Meyer said Wall has the tools to be an instant-impact player in the backcourt at the next level and potentially beyond.

“Looking at the impact that great point guards such as Steve Nash, Chris Paul and Derrick Rose are having on the game at the pro and college level, it only makes sense for Wall to be the No. 1 prospect.”

The battle of Boynton and Bradley
When it came to pure performances in the summer, guards Kenny Boynton and Avery Bradley set the tone in July. They matched up against each other at the Reebok Summer Championships and both went on to have sensational endings to the July period.

“Perhaps the best basketball I saw all summer was Boynton and Bradley going at each other in Vegas,” Meyer said. “Both have such competitive spirits and are just killer scorers. The higher the stakes, the more these guys want the ball in their hands. They are also two of the best defenders in the class.”

Boynton, from Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage, moved up a spot, to No. 7. Bradley, from Tacoma (Wash.) Bellarmine Prep, climbed from 16th to No. 8.

“Boynton is a pure scorer,” Meyer said. “Regardless of where he goes to school, I’d be surprised if he didn’t average at least 15 points per game. I wouldn’t be surprised if he averaged more than 20 points per game. He also has the ability to be a lockdown defender.

“Bradley’s defense certainly weighs in heavily in his ranking. In its simplest form, the game breaks down to scoring and not letting your opposition score. Bradley has a pretty good handle on dominating his man on both sides of the ball.”

Welcome to the club
There are three new five-star players in the updated Rivals150.

Guard Michael Snaer, from Moreno Valley (Calif.) Rancho Verde, jumped from No. 47 to No. 11. He dominated the field in Vegas at the Reebok Summer Championships and looked the part of a big-time, instant-impact guard at the high-major level.

“Snaer simply did it all in Vegas, and with a competitive attitude that bordered on nasty,” Meyer said. “We just hadn’t seen that from him. We knew he could score, but we weren’t aware of his competitive instinct and his all-around game. Now we know his capabilities.”

Forward Mouphtaou Yarou, a native of the African nation of Benin who plays at Woodstock (Va.) Massanutten Military Academy, took full advantage of the summer schedule. He entered April as an unknown but now is No. 14 nationally.

“Yarou impressed us out of the gates when we watched him in April,” Meyer said. “Then, when we saw him outplay DeMarcus Cousins on Memorial Day weekend, we knew he was definitely a five-star candidate. His aggressive post play, impressive physique and the athleticism that we saw at the end of the summer in Vegas convinced us that he is a five-star prospect.”

Thomas Robinson, from Wolfeboro (N.H.) Brewster Academy, climbed from No. 82 to 18th overall.

“Robinson is likely the top rebounder in the class,” Meyer said. “He has exceptional balance, explosive athleticism, strong hands and a motor that doesn’t stop. On his rebounding alone, he will make a living playing the game, but he also has impressive upside as an offensive player.”

Climbing the charts

There were a number of players who made big jumps in the new rankings.

Wing Tyler Honeycutt, from Sylmar (Calif.) High, went from 121st to 29th. Forward Reginald Buckner of Memphis (Tenn.) Manassas  is 30th; he previously was No. 91. Illinois commitment D.J. Richardson, from Henderson (Nev.) Findlay Prep, jumped from 74th to 57th. Maurice Creek, an Indiana commitment from Chatham (Va.) Hargrave Military Academy, went from 144th to 59th.

Ukrainian center Kyryl Natyazhko, who’s at Bradenton (Fla.) Pendleton, jumped into the four-star range, going from 132nd to 75th. So did Kawhi Leonard of Riverside (Calif.) Martin Luther King, jumping from 112th to 76th. Georgia Tech commitment Kammeon Holsey of Sparta (Ga.) Hancock Central climbed to 77th from 124th. Texas A&M pledge Naji Hibbert, from Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Catholic, is 88th, up from 142nd.

MORE FROM COLLEGE BASKETBALL

College basketball Section Front

Hope for even the worst FT shooters. Or not. Davis: Youthful UCLA will make noise eventually   Vote: Who will be player of the year? Seton Hall basketball player charged with DWI Beyond the Arc: Celebrating college hoops’ last Rebels 5 Razorbacks suspended for opener Minnesota freshman White under suspicion again Beyond the Arc: Carolina will be scary good by March Men’s Top 25 preview, analysis, stats, more Davis: Kansas tops 2009-10 hoops storylines College basketball Section Front   Add College basketball headlines to your news reader: