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A look at Bishop Gorman big man, Ben Carter, during practice Tuesday, November 30, 2010 at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas.
Thursday, May 19, 2011 | 2:05 a.m.
Related coverage
Bishop Gorman High rising senior basketball player Ben Carter was mentioned all last spring as one of the Las Vegas Valley’s top players.
The forward, as it turns out, is also was one of the nation’s best.
Carter was ranked Monday as the nation’s No. 109 prospect for the class of 2012 by recruiting website Rivals.com in its Rivals 150. Six with ties to Southern Nevada — three each from Gorman and Findlay Prep — were part of the rankings, but none has seen their stock skyrocket like Carter.
The 6-foot-8 Carter went from a reserve during his sophomore year at Gorman to one of the nation’s most sought-after post-player recruits. He averaged 11 points per game and was arguably Gorman’s most consistent player. Rivals releases its rankings about three times each year, with Carter not ranked the last time.
“The rankings aren’t a big deal to me,” said Carter, who has double-digit scholarship offers, including from UNLV, Arizona State, Oregon and USC. “It is just a number. I’m always trying to get better, no matter if I’m No. 1 or No. 1,000 in the country.”
Gorman’s Shabazz Muhammad, a 6-foot-6 guard with scholarship offers from the likes of Duke, North Carolina and Kentucky, is ranked as the No. 2 overall prospect. He was No. 3 last year.
Muhammad is the top college recruit in Las Vegas basketball history, regularly attracting top college coaches to scout his games and practices. He’s a five-star prospect on the Rivals evaluating system of five stars.
Additionally, Gorman’s Rosco Allen is ranked as a four-star recruit and the No. 65 overall prospect. It’s a downgrade for Allen, however, who was rated as No. 23 during the spring.
“This shows that our program is definitely where we want it to be,” Gorman coach Grant Rice said. “These kids have gotten a lot of recognition because they have been seen. We have a lot of colleges here, and they have been seen by a lot of people. Some kids don’t get that opportunity, so they are fortunate.”
At Findlay Prep, the high school power with elite players from across the world that is housed in Henderson, five-star prospect Anthony Bennett is ranked No. 22 and Winston Shepard, a four-star recruit, is No. 38. Landon Lucas, a post player who played sparingly last winter, is No. 125.
Some feel the rankings are a good gauge to determine a player’s success at the next level. Others feel it is an inaccurate science and best used only for entertainment.
“The rankings aren’t always accurate,” Rice said. “There are plenty of kids that are ranked too high and other kids who don’t make the rankings because they have never been seen. To get an accurate evaluation of a kid, you have to seem then practice or play at least five or six times.”
If only there were a few Gorman stories on this website
Oh get over yourself will all of the BS "too much Gorman coverage" crap. Please, go ahead and study those rankings and find another Las Vegas school that has even two players ranked in the same league as these three young men. Its the same crap every time a story comes out about Gorman. I don't root for them either and I don't like the fact that they can essentially recruit and then play against schools that can't recruit to the same degree. The FACT is that when it comes to athletics, Gorman is far and away the top program out here. Believe it or not, the fact that Gorman is so good actually gets more athletes at more schools noticed. Give it a rest!
I'd like to see more stories about other schools and athletes as much as the next guy, but regardless of what school they go to, they are still among the best in the country and should be recognized for it. Hate the school all you want, but the kids are just kids and deserve accolades for being talented. Who can blame these kids for going there considering the exposure they get.
I agree that the kids are extremely talented and deserve recognition. My issue is with the recognition awarded to the school, because they play by a different set of rules than the rest of the NIAA. These students should be at their home schools receiving their recognition. NIAA needs to step up and stop the recruiting or have open enrollment state wide to allow public schools to compete for the same players.
I agree with not wanting the school to get the recognition they get. The CCSD actually did an open enrollment this year for the first time, although there were restrictions and not all schools could add kids through the program. I coach at a middle school and the coach from a school who isn't a feeder school came and gave a presentation to my team to recruit them to his school. I like the open enrollment because it gives kids options they may not have otherwise.
Guru and others: If a player from any high school in town was ranked by rivals, I would profile them, too. Check out my last two profiles:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/may...
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/apr...
Ray,
We know you have a job to do. But, it would be nice if you could shine some light on the illegal recruiting done by Gorman. Perhaps your influence would help level the playing field. For evidence see any junior high game at Ed Fountain Park, and you will see Gorman coaches handing out business cards while recruiting players. Just help even the field Ray, or else high school sports in this town will be ruined.
Both my kids went to the old Gorman location and both played sports. They had average talent, but Gorman support allowed them to excel. They both got a college education and are now productive members of society. Every kid going to Gorman wants to be there for an education, and a Catholic education at that. That's something that would never be tolerated in the the Clark County, prepare me to be a blackjack dealer schools at best. There is no doubt Gorman gives out scholarships. Both CJ Watson and his brother had free rides, but they also got great educations. CJ was also a good student for a so called jock who happens to be in the NBA who also wanted to play for Grant Rice. Kids want to go to Gorman because they want to be there. Gorman doesn't tolerate most of the crap that Clark County deals with. You guys call it illegal recruiting. I paid my county taxes in my case while also paying a subsidized tuition rate. The one thing you find at Gorman is discipline. Until Clark County turns up their standards, and society and the ACLU will dictate they never will, you will always get the good talented kids that proactively want to go there. Remember, if no money comes out of the family's pocket, they could choose to go anywhere for an education. Maybe you guys should figure out how to keep good talent in YOUR public schools in stead of playing the Bishop Gorman illegal recruiting card.