JaKarr Sampson is headed back to Queens.

After being ruled ineligible at the beginning of the 2011-12 school year, Sampson returned to Brewster Academy for a prep year.

Though he took time to look elsewhere, Brian Snow of Scout.com is reporting that Sampson will return to St. John’s in the fall of 2012.

He was being courted by Baylor, Kansas, Providence, and others.

Sampson is an ultra-athletic wing and the most important target for St. John’s in the Class of 2012. His commitment to return to Queens signals a turn for the better and fruits of labor for Steve Lavin’s inroads on the recruiting trail.

In the fall of 2011, in the wake of Nurideen Lindsey leaving the program and the decommitment of Darrick Wood, Norvel Pelle, Ricardo Gathers, and Sampson, himself, questions were raised about the direction of the program.

It took time, but the questions are being answered. All of the behind-the-scenes work by Lavin and his staff, as St. John’s completed its strong 2011-12 season, is culminating in this grand stage performance, beginning with Sampson’s recommitment.

Sampson was dominant at Brewster this past season, leading his team to a national championship and showing why he is more than worthy of the high-major interest he was garnering.

He is St. John’s third recruit for Steve Lavin in the Class of 2012. Felix Balamou committed last week, while Texas A&M transfer Jamal Branch will be eligible in the second semester of the 2012 season. Lavin has said that the Red Storm are looking to sign five players during the spring signing period.

This post also appears on NBCSports.com’s Beyond the Arc blog.

After an abrupt announcement to leave St. John’s back in early December, Nurideen Lindsey has announced, via Twitter, that he will transfer to Arkansas and play for head coach Mike Anderson.

“One [reason I chose St. John’s] was to be close to my mom, whose health has been up and down due to some past experiences,” said Lindsey of his original commitment to the Red Storm. “The second was to play for Coach [Steve] Lavin. In both instances it has not worked out how I envisioned.”

Lavin, who continues to work back from prostate cancer surgery in the fall, has only coached in a handful of games for the Red Storm this season.

Lindsey tells CBSSports.com’s Jeff Goodman that the original transfer plans did not work out.

“The whole idea of staying close to home was definitely more ideal,” Lindsey told CBSSports.com. “But unfortunately, the schools close to home weren’t a fit and most didn’t have scholarships.”

He cites Temple and St. Joseph’s as schools that had been of interest.

Lindsey is no stranger to that area of the country, having spent a season at Redlands Community College in Oklahoma, prior to joining St. John’s. He averaged 22 points per game in one season at Redlands.

When he joins the team, the Razorbacks are getting a ballhandler with a quick first step and impressive body control around the rim.

Problems arose for Lindsey this season against teams with length and athleticism, including Kentucky and Detroit, games in which he went a combined 2-of-9 from the floor, for four points and 11 turnovers. His inability to step out and work in the midrange became more apparent in assistant coach Mike Dunlap’s half-court system.

And, for just that reason, Lindsey fits well at Arkansas.

He will be part of a youthful backcourt that includes freshman BJ Young, who is averaging nearly 15 points per game, Rashad Madden, Rickey Scott, and Mardracus Wade.

Mike Anderson runs a deep bench, with nine players playing in every game and all nine averaging 15+ minutes per game. They run the floor and attack in transition, which is where Lindsey operates best.

As per NCAA rules, he will sit out this semester and the first of the 2012-13 season, giving him 1 ½ years of eligibility at Arkansas.

Some time had passed since a big recruiting breakthrough came for the Red Storm, but welcome news came on Monday night.

Roger Rubin of the New York Daily News first reported, and Branch later confirmed on Twitter, that the Class of 2011 guard would be headed to St. John’s.

Branch averaged just over four points, two rebounds, and two assists in 18 minutes per game as a freshman for Texas A&M this season under head coach Billy Kennedy.

The 6-3 guard is an interesting case because he committed to play for the Aggies when Mark Turgeon was at the helm back in late 2007. Branch maintained his commitment to Texas A&M, even after Turgeon left for Maryland and Billy Kennedy took over the team.

This time around, Maryland, because of the obvious prior relationship between Turgeon and Branch, was the other school Branch was considering, before ultimately choosing St. John’s.

Branch was a top 75 prospect, coming out of the highly-regarded Grace Prep (TX), making for a possible All-Texas backcourt for the Red Storm, when paired with freshman D’Angelo Harrison.

Jerome Branch, Jamal’s father, told Scout.com’s Evan Daniels that Harrison’s presence had an influence on the decision.

“[St. John's] has a serious need for him. D’Angelo [Harrison] being around helped. It’s a good fit for him,” said the elder Branch.

Branch is said to be an athletic defender and natural scorer, with a knack for distributing the basketball, as well.

With the transfer of Nurideen Lindsey back in December, St. John’s had a vacancy at the point guard position.

In compliance with NCAA transfer rules, Branch would be eligible to play for St. John’s after the first semester of the 2012-13 school year, very similar in timing as to when Amir Garrett joined the team, this season.

St. John’s commit Darrick Wood (Bridgton, ’12) has reopened his recruitment, according to Jeremy Bauman of Five Star Basketball.

“It was based off me wanting to make the right decision for my future, me being patient with the whole recruiting process and just putting myself in the best situation,” Wood told Five Star. “My AAU coaches and parents just told me to take it slow and make the right decision for me. Last time, I jumped into it because I thought the situation was right for me.”

Wood becomes the next in line, following JaKarr Sampson, Norvel Pelle, and Ricardo Gathers, to choose to keep their options open, after initially choosing the Red Storm.

Amir Garrett, who joined St. John’s in December, played alongside Wood for a semester at Bridgton Academy in Maine.

“Me and Amir are cool. We played a few games together and we have that St. John’s bond,” Wood told JohnnyJungle.com in October.

In that same interview, Wood expanded on his relationship with Ricardo Gathers, saying the two had become friends and communicated through text message on a semi-regular basis.

The underlying theme to the recent decommitments of Sampson, Pelle, Gathers, and now Wood, along with the transfer of sophomore guard Nurideen Lindsey, are lingering questions about head coach Steve Lavin’s health and how soon he will return to the sidelines.

Many recruits emphasized the connection to the coaching staff as a reason for choosing St. John’s, so Lavin’s absence has made for a reassessment of their options.

“My big concern was my mom being comfortable with where I was going and St. John’s felt like one big family and they welcomed me in,” Wood told JohnnyJungle.com, in October.

Wood transferred from the embattled NIA Prep before the start of the 2011-12, following the ill fates of two graduated teammates, as they tried to pass the NCAA Clearinghouse.

Academics may also have been in question and contributed to Wood’s decommitment.

But in October, his new coach, Whit Lesure, had nothing but good things to say about his guard.

“He’s off to a good start. He’s adjusted fine academically,” Lesure told JohnnyJungle.com. “He’s a good kid, a ‘yes sir, no sir’ kind of guy. Teachers and advisors really like him.

“On the court, he flips the switch and he’s emotional and competitive, which are two great things to have as an athlete. In addition to athleticism and bounce, he has a great motor.”

Before his commitment to St. John’s, Wood was considering Oklahoma State, Seton Hall, Virginia Tech, and South Florida.

The 6’10 California native, who was ruled ineligible by the NCAA this Fall, was thought to be signing this November and joining the Red Storm in 2012.

Pelle was ranked by ESPN as the #1 center in the 2011 class.

Multiple sources have told JohnnyJungle.com that Pelle has decommitted from St. John’s and will reopen his recruitment.

Touted as one of the top big men in the Class of 2011, academic questions have been raised since the latter part of Pelle’s high school career. After taking summer classes in an attempt to qualify, Pelle enrolled at The Phelps School, outside of Philadelphia.

A source also tells JohnnyJungle.com that Pelle’s involvement with the team has been limited at Phelps, despite being healthy.

At 6’10″ tall, Pelle’s signing in the Fall of 2010 was thought to bring size and shot-blocking ability to the St. John’s frontcourt. His absence, along with the absence of fellow decommitted forward JaKarr Sampson, has left the Red Storm thin on the front line.

There are no immediate indications as to possible schools where Pelle may land, along with no word on where St. John’s stands in his recruitment.

With indications pointing toward Amir Garrett making his St. John’s debut in the second semester, the Red Storm could have some relief in a depleted frontcourt.

Cummings (left) is a walk-on possibility for the Red Storm. (Photo: Facebook)

Introducing, Jerry Cummings.

Sources tell JohnnyJungle.com that the 6’7” swingman, who last played at Garden City Community College in Garden City, Kansas, could possibly walk onto the Red Storm in the second semester.

Cummings is not currently enrolled in classes at St. John’s and says he has not spoken to the staff, but is continuing to work out in preparation.

“I’m originally from New York and am a fan of St. John’s,” he said in an exclusive interview. “I just want to win.”

The Queens native played his high school ball at Notre Dame Prep (Md.), which has produced such NBA players as Michael Beasley, Ryan Gomes, and Lazar Hayward, before heading to a year of prep school at Mississippi Christian Academy.

Steve Keller who is president of one of the largest scouting services in the country, The National Recruiting Report, recalls Cummings in high school:

“Jerry could do a lot of things really well,” said Keller. “But he hadn’t mastered any one particular skill. To make an impact at the Big East level, he would need to become more physical and play with more aggressiveness.”

At that time, two years ago, Keller rated Cummings as a player who could do well at a low-major Division I school.

Cummings would bring another option to the small/power forward position for the Red Storm, with his athleticism and shooting touch.

He has graduated from Garden City with a 2.9 GPA, though the specifics of his academic record in relation to NCAA eligibility are undetermined.

If he were to clear, he would have three years of eligibility.

Check back to JohnnyJungle.com for any breaking news.

Gathers says he will sign in the spring.

His announcement comes on the eve of National Signing Day.

As a 6’7″, 240-pound forward, Gathers was seen as a piece that could solidify the Red Storm presence in the low post. Prior to committing to St. John’s, he was considering LSU, Syracuse, Texas and Arizona.

He was in attendance for St. John’s Tip Off in October, along with Amir Garrett, Norvel Pelle, and Wood.

This is a developing story. Check back to JohnnyJungle.com for any breaking news.

UPDATE: November 8th, 2011, 10:28am

According to Dave Telep of ESPN, Gathers’ brother, Greg, says Ricardo was not yet comfortable enough with his decision to sign with the Red Storm.

“With him going away to New York he wants to be 100 percent sure,” Greg Gathers told Telep of his brother’s decision. “Back in August, that was before the Big East situation, Lavin’s health and then the ineligible players … you want to be 100 percent sure with leaving Louisiana and going to New York. At this point in time he wasn’t totally sure about his decision in going to New York.”

Telep reports that Gathers will have four official visits left, and St. John’s remains at the top of his list.

“He really hasn’t been talking to anybody else,” Greg added. “At this point in time it’s a re-evaluation thing.”

A few days later, the 6’3” rising senior committed to St. John’s. It was then that he knew he needed to make a change.

“[NIA Prep] was having some school issues and problems with the NCAA,” Wood told JohnnyJungle.com. “I just didn’t want to be associated with that.”

Wood will bring instant offense to St. John's as a combination guard. (Photo: iHigh.com)

And along with that came an adjustment.

Bridgton, Maine, boasting a population of 2,751, has very little in common with Wood’s hometown of Washington, DC, and is equally as different from Newark, NJ, home of NIA Prep.

A website for the town lists “100 Things to Do In Bridgton,” among them, “#13 Hunting partridge in a quiet meadow” and “#29 Ice fishing in a bob-house on Moose Pond.”

Some call it “simpler living,” some call it just plain “different.”

But this departure from the norm has given Wood a chance to slow down and work toward his goal: playing for St. John’s.

“[Bridgton] is an all-boys school in the middle of nowhere, so you get to focus,” says Wood. “When you want it so bad, you make those sacrifices because something good is going to happen in return.”

Wood is a lanky, athletic combo guard who is ranked just outside of Rivals’ Top 100 for the Class of 2012, checking it at #104. He is a pure scorer and has the bounce to be a match-up problem against less athletic 2-guards, along with the size to create a problem for smaller point guards.

He averaged just over 14 points per game for NIA Prep last season and was part of a New Jersey Playaz team that won the iS8 championship this Fall.

Wood committed to St. John’s on August 20th, almost three weeks after his newly-found friend and fellow Class of 2012 commit Ricardo Gathers of Riverside Academy (LA) did the same.

“I liked the coaching staff. They really know what they’re doing,” said Wood on his decision to commit to the Red Storm. “I know they were there for Kyle [Anderson] too, but they were out at a lot of my games this summer and showed me love.

“My big concern was my mom being comfortable with where I was going and St. John’s felt like one big family and they welcomed me in.”

Wood says he and Gathers text on and off and they discuss where they see the program going.

“The Cinderella season they had last year showed that the coaching staff matters,” he says. “And with me and Ricardo coming, we’re going to tear it up. We’re bringing back the old St. John’s. We’re just going to be excited to be there.”

Since his move to Bridgton, Wood has put in the work on the court and in the classroom, according to his coach, Whit Lesure.

“He’s off to a good start. He’s adjusted fine academically,” Lesure told JohnnyJungle.com. “He’s a good kid, a ‘yes sir, no sir’ kind of guy. Teachers and advisors really like him.

“On the court, he flips the switch and he’s emotional and competitive, which are two great things to have as an athlete. In addition to athleticism and bounce, he has a great motor.”

Fellow St. John’s commit Amir Garrett, who was ruled ineligible to play for the Red Storm in the first semester of the 2011-2012, is also at Bridgton Academy and is working toward eligibility. The two have become friendly, of late.

“Me and Amir are cool. We played a few games together and we have that St. John’s bond,” says Wood. “He says he’ll be ready [for St. John’s] in December.”

Along with Garrett, Gathers, and ineligible center Norvel Pelle, Wood attended St. John’s Tip Off 2011, an event that he says he enjoyed.

And though he will not step onto campus and enroll in classes for at least another eight months, Wood is quickly becoming a fan favorite because of his presence on social media, where he consistently voices his support for St. John’s and his excitement to arrive in Queens.

“I made a commitment that I was going to be [a member of the Red Storm],” says Wood. “If I have something to say about St. John’s, it’s just me tweeting my excitement. I can’t wait to be in that red and white jersey.”

Garrett will join St. John's commit Darrick Wood at Bridgton Academy. (Photo: SI)

After being ruled academically ineligible by the NCAA less than a week ago, Garrett will join St. John’s commit Darrick Wood at the North Bridgton, Maine prep school.

Garrett will remain committed to St. John’s, unlike his former fellow signee JaKarr Sampson, who is returning to Brewster Academy for a post-grad year and will reopen his recruitment.

Recent developments have been in-line with what Garrett’s father, Darrow, told CBSSports.com’s Jeff Goodman last week, saying, “[Amir] will play at St. John’s in December. Mark my words.”

Bridgton Academy is not new to St. John’s, having turned out junior guard Malik Stith, along with St. John’s graduates Paris Horne and Justin Burrell.

With Sampson decommitted and Garrett and Norvel Pelle ineligible, the Red Storm will have eight scholarship players on the active roster to begin the 2011-2012 season. Guard Jamal White, a transfer from Long Island University and former walk-on, was granted an athletic scholarship, following the rulings of ineligibility.

Sampson will return to Brewster Academy for a post-graduate year. (Photo: Ohio.com)

“[JaKarr] has decided to return to Brewster Academy as a post-grad student and to further his education to complete his academic requirement to attend college academically,” Sampson’s former AAU coach Don Anderson told Borzello.

Amir Garrett and Norvel Pelle, the other two incoming freshmen to be ruled ineligible, will be taking classes to work toward eligibility and be cleared to play for St. John’s, beginning in the second semester.

Sampson is an athletic combo forward with the ability to face up to the basket and score in the post. On the defensive end, he uses his athleticism to block shots from the weak side. He was regarded by many recruiting outlets as the best overall prospect in the Red Storm Class of 2011.

His ineligibility and return to Brewster leave the Red Storm with a depleted frontcourt to begin the 2011-2012 season. God’sgift Achiuwa remains the only post player on the active roster, which could force natural forwards Maurice Harkless and Sir’Dominic Pointer to take on a greater role in defending down low.

Prior to his commitment to St. John’s, Sampson was considering Baylor, Louisville, and Tennessee.

If Sampson rejoins the basketball team at Brewster, he will be another asset on an already-talented squad that includes high-major prospects TJ Warren and Mitch McGary.