John Clay's Sidelines

Anthony Davis

Within minutes of each other, Rivals and Prep Stars have released their player recruiting rankings for the Class of 2011.

Rivals ranks Duke signee Austin Rivers as No. 1.

PrepStars, which the 247 network and the Cats Pause is now using, ranks Anthony Davis at No. 1.

Click here for Rivals rankings, which puts Davis at No. 2, Michael Gilchrist at No. 3 and Marquis Teague at No. 5.

Click here for PrepStars rankings, which has Gilchrist at No. 2 and Rivers at No. 3.

Scout and ESPNU both had Anthony Davis at No. 1.

Check out Next Cats for all your recruiting links.
Continue reading ‘Rivals and PrepStars differ on just who’s No. 1′

Big Blue Links for Wednesday:

• Braeden Anderson talks KU and UK to All Ky Hoops.
• Calipari wants Cats to have fun, reports Jerry Tipton of the H-L.
• Jones named SEC Freshman of the Year, reports Tipton.
• Texas Tech might be right fit for Gillispie, says my column.
• What if Kentucky and Louisville play again? asks Eric Crawford of the C-J.
• Kentucky wants to plant high seed, reports Brett Dawson of the C-J.
• Larry Vaught of A-M says he would have voted for Knight over Jones.
• UK’s road woes won’t follow Cats, writes Matt Murray of the Kentucky Kernel.
• Murray also has a Twitter-esque breakdown of the SEC.
• Cats are playing for a high NCAA seed, says Chandler Howard of the Kernel.
• DeAndre Liggins is making it personal, writes Eric Lindsey of Cat Scratches.
• Wildcats growing as tourney approaches, writes Will Graves of the AP.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Braeden Anderson talks Kansas and Kentucky’

Big Blue Links for Thursday:

• USA Today says Kentucky is the biggest mover among merchandise sales, moving up five spots. (Hat tip to Tom Leach.)
• Jody Demling of the C-J reports that Chane Behanan has picked up an offer from Kentucky.
• Derrick Locke leads a deep stable of running backs at UK, writes Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader.
• Cosby reports that Joker Phillips wants Louisville to be recruiting hotbed for the Cats.
• Lexington Christian offensive lineman Zach West commits to Kentucky, reports Mike Fields of the H-L.
• DeAndre Daniels confirms Jerry Tipton’s earlier report, telling Zagsblog he is going to prep school.
• Zagsblog also reports that Quincy Miller wants to play with Deuce Bello in college.
• Kentucky seeks depth at wide receiver, writes Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Kentucky moves up merchandise ladder’

SEC links for Thursday:

• LSU coach Les Miles claims to be feeling no heat, reports Randy Rosetta of The Advocate.
• Houston Nutt says he hopes Jeremiah Masoli situation is resolved by weekend at Ole Miss, reports Kyle Veazey of the Clarion-Ledger.
• Austin Rivers still open to Florida, reports Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun.
• College football has an agent problem, but what can it do about it? asks Jeremy Fowler of the Orlando Sentinel.
• No days at the beach for South Carolina defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson, writes Joseph Person of The State.
• Joe Medley of the Anniston Star on just who the 2004 national champ should be.
• Depth is on its way to Auburn football, writes Charles Goldberg of the Birmingham News.
• Tommy Deas of the Tuscaloosa News looks at the Dennis Franchione Era at Alabama.
• Rumor of a Georgia-Southern Cal football game is merely that, reports Tim Tucker of the AJC.
• LSU running back Richard Murphy is looking for a big year, writes Krysten Oliphant of the Shreveport Times.

Big Blue Links for Wednesday:

• Zagsblog reports that Austin Rivers has Kentucky in his final five.
• My random notes column, with a few UK meanderings sprinkled within.
• Rick Pitino is expected to testify today in the Karen Sypher trial, reports Will Graves and Brett Barrouquere of the AP.
• Bartender says Pitino and Sypher looked happy, reports Andrew Wolfson of the Courier-Journal.
• Football analysts offer insight on Joker Phillips and Kentucky, reports Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger.
• Eamonn Brennan of espn.com on John Calipari’s bold recruiting gambit. (Think there’s a tongue in cheek there.)
• Kentucky, now with more dribble drives, blogs Diamond Leung of espn.com.
• Jody Demling of the C-J has a Chane Behanan update.
• Tailgate Review has video of UK 2012 target Brandon Ashley.

Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog talks to Michael Gilchrist’s mom, who says that her son will not play against Austin Rivers on Monday night on ESPNU.

Excerpt:

“Absolutely not,” his mother, Cindy Richardson, said Sunday.

Gilchrist played his last AAU event this summer at the Peach Jam.

“Given the fact that he won’t have a summer next year, we thought it would be good if he just vacations for five weeks,” Richardson said.

Update: Gilchrist won’t play against Rivers, after all.

Big Blue Links for Sunday:

• Mark Story of the Herald-Leader on the games Kentucky fans will never forget.
• Derrick Locke and Randall Cobb are plotting Act II, writes Chip Cosby of the H-L.
• Michael Gilchrist and Austin Rivers go head-to-head on ESPNU Monday, reports Buddy Collins of the Orlando Sentinel.
• Kentucky coach John Calipari is checking out Memphis product Adonis Thomas, reports Jason Hickman of Maxpreps.com.
• John Adams of the Knoxville News-Sentinel writes that Randall Cobb doesn’t favor being slotted.
• Edgewood quarterback Zeke Pike picks up offer from Florida, reports Bleed Blue Kentucky.
• Big Red Today shoots down rumor that Billy Gillispie will be an assistant at Nebraska. (Hat tip to Aaron’s UK Basketball Blog.)
• Randall Cobb says incoming freshman will eclipse his exploits, writes Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger.
• Ryan Clark of the Kentucky Enquirer is not ready to believe Kentucky football is better than Tennessee.

Derek Dooley (AP photo)

SEC links for Sunday:

• Tennessee officials looking into bar’s VIP status afforded Vols athletes, reports Austin Ward of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.

• A series of summer pluses are set back by Big Orange brawl, writes Ward in the News-Sentinel.

• News-Sentinel columnist Mike Strange writes that Derek Dooley can rip from the headlines.

• Georgia gets duo in trouble, adding to the SEC distractions, writes David Paschall of the Chattanooga Times Free Press.

• Dontavius Jackson and Tavarres King were booked on alcohol charges, reports Marc Weiszer of the Athens Banner-Herald.

• Georgia players didn’t learn after what happened to Georgia AD, writes Jeremy Fowler of the Orlando Sentinel.

• DaRick Rogers’ status with Tennessee remains undetermined, reports Chip Towers of the AJC.

Continue reading ‘SEC: Tennessee, Georgia having summer trouble’

(H-L photo)

SEC links for Friday:

• Vanderbilt’s A.J. Ogilvy will enter the draft, reports Mike Organ of the Tennessean.

• David Climer of the Tennessean writes that Ogilvy’s play never matched his potential.

• Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun reports that Austin Rivers has de-committed from Florida.

• But Patric Young should help the Gators down low, writes Jeremy Fowler of the Orlando Sentinel.

• John Adams of the Knoxville News-Sentinel reports that quarterback Nick Stephens is leaving Tennessee.

• The departure adds to losing streak, writes Adams.

• Wes Rucker of the Chattanooga Times Free Press also reports on Stephens’ senior exit.

• Michael Carvell of the AJC reports that Georgia could be back in hunt for state’s Mr. Basketball.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Ogilvy to enter draft; Rivers de-commits’

SEC links for Wednesday:

• The NCAA denies Renardo Sidney’s appeal, reports Kyle Veazey of the Clarion-Ledger.

• Buddy Collings of the Orlando Sentinel reports that North Carolina has entered the battle for Florida commitment Austin Rivers.

• Dayton knocks off Ole Miss in the NIT semifinals, reports Rick Cleveland of the Clarion-Ledger.

• Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun on ex-Florida assistant Donnie Jones being named the new head coach at Central Florida.

• Tommy Deas of the Tuscaloosa News reports that a deal to have Alabama and Texas Tech play in Cowboys Stadium is not done yet.

• New Tennessee defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox is eager to make  his mark, writes John Adams of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Sidney’s appeal denied; UNC after Rivers’