College futures may ride on AAU nationals

By JOE SMITH
Published July 26, 2007

For Mike Morrison, this weekend is filled with opportunity. The Lakewood senior forward will compete in the AAU basketball nationals with some of the top talent in the country.

There will be swoons of college scouts hovering over the high-profile prospects while also digging for diamonds in the rough.

With Clearwater senior point guard Luke Loucks committed to Florida State, here are some of the county's other top hoops recruits, many of whom will look to make their mark the next few days.

Mike Morrison, Lakewood senior

Position: Forward

Size: 6-9, 205

AAU team: Team Florida

Scholarship offers: USF, Butler, James Madison, Tulsa, Tennessee Tech, Lehigh

Skinny: The smooth southpaw has immense potential; his timing and shotblocking skills are tough to top. The key this season for Morrison - third in a line of brothers who became college players - is to stay out of foul trouble as he'll be depended on more for the state-contending Spartans.

Adam Pegg, senior at TBA

Position: Forward

Size: 6-10, 235

AAU team: Team Florida

Scholarship offers: Tennessee Tech, North Florida, Delaware, Charleston Southern, UNC Greensboro

Skinny: Pegg has solid post skills, drawing double and triple teams at Palm Harbor last season. It's still up in the air where he'll play this fall, as he was assigned Lakewood through school choice, but is in the top five on the waitlist for Clearwater.

Chris Perez, Oldsmar Christian junior

Position: Guard

Size: 6-4, 197

AAU team: Team Breakdown

Scholarship offers: Ole Miss, Tennessee Tech; also recruited by Georgia Tech, Missouri, Florida State, Pittsburgh, Xavier

Skinny: As a sophomore, Perez was the county's top scorer at 27.8 ppg. The stocky guard can beat you with his shot - or by slashing through the lane.

Shamon Cox, Lakewood junior

Position: Forward

Size: 6-3, 210

AAU team: Team STAT

Scholarship offers: None; recruited by Florida, Clemson, Northwestern, Stetson, Lehigh, Tennessee Tech, Western Kentucky

Skinny: Cox boasts all the offensive tools for a small forward - shooting touch, post-up presence and explosion off the dribble. Regarded as one of the state's top sophomores last season, Cox will have to pick up his effort defensively to take the next step.

Jake Troyli, Pinellas Park senior

Position: Forward

Size: 6-9, 185

AAU team: Tampa Titans

Scholarship offers: None; recruited by Harvard, Army, Air Force, Lehigh, James Madison, Stetson, Arkansas-Little Rock

Skinny: Troyli has a sweet outside touch and great footwork for a big man; all he needs is to add some bulk. His teammate, Patriots senior guard Cam Carden, also is drawing plenty of college interest and an offer from Stetson.

Joe Smith can be reached at joesmith@sptimes.com or at (727) 893-8129.

Fun Facts

What: Junior and senior boys AAU Nationals

Where: Disney's Wide World of Sports, just outside of Orlando.

When: Today through Aug. 3

Skinny: Some of the best high school basketball players in the nation, from several age groups, converge to showcase their skills in front of tons of college scouts.

On theWeb: For more information, click on http://www.aauboysbasketball.org/blue/index.asp

[Last modified July 25, 2007, 23:13:46]