St. John’s Recruiting Targets In ESPN, Scout Top 100 for Class of 2012: Part II

ESPN and Scout.com released their new Top 100 rankings for the Class of 2012. JohnnyJungle.com takes a look at where some Red Storm targets checked in. Part II showcases three big men on Steve Lavin’s radar.

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Joel James
Dwyer (FL) | 6’10”, 260lb C | Fort Lauderdale, FL
ESPN: #58 Overall | Scout: #71 Overall

Jeff Borzello of CBSSports.com recently spoke to James, who detailed the current state of his recruiting. Among offers from Florida, Georgetown, Florida State, UCLA, and Maryland, the Red Storm have been in pursuit of the big man from The Sunshine State.

James is a true, bulky, collegiate-level center, compared to the more athletic forward/centers on the roster right now. He still has work to do to polish his post moves, but it seems he understands the power of his body and how he can use it to his advantage down low. But, despite his bulk, he can still get up and down the floor, which would be important, were he to be part of head coach Steve Lavin’s up-tempo, fastbreak style.

He is still not an elite defender, as he is still developing a knack for life on the low block. Ultimately, he is a physically large prospect who will continue to pick up interest, in part, because of that.

It will help his development along if he can trim some more weight, trading that for muscle. The more muscle he adds, the more potential he has both offensively and defensively in the paint.

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Chris Obekpa
Our Savior New American (NY) | 6’8″, 200lb | Centereach, NY
ESPN Overall: #93 | Scout Overall: NR, #24 at PF Position

Obekpa is not a true center, like the other two in this roundup. If the 6’8″, 200lb body type sounds familiar to St. John’s fans, it’s because it is. Red Storm signees Maurice Harkless, Jakarr Sampson, Norvel Pelle, and the now-San Diego State Aztec Dwayne Polee II are all somewhere close to that mold, so St. John’s interest in Obekpa confirms a poorly-hidden secret: Lavin has a “type” and that “type” is the athletic swingman.

ESPN’s Dave Telep highlighted Obekpa as an under-the-radar defensive prospect, thanks to his high-level athleticism. In Lavin’s high-pressue, up-tempo, full-court defense, players with a motor like Obekpa’s are valuable. He alters and blocks shots down low, as well, and has long arms to cover a lot of area.

His offensive game still needs work, but his effectiveness in the open court and his contributions on the defensive end would help him to crack the rotation, were he to sign with the Red Storm. If he were to take the court with three other players 6’6″+, it could make for one of the more athletic lineups in the country.

A number of Big East schools have offered Obekpa, including Cincinnati, UConn, Providence, and Seton Hall, along with Georgia Tech, Memphis, and others.

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Blaise Mbargorba
The Peddie School (NJ) | 7’0″, 230lb | Highstown, NJ
ESPN Overall: #100 | Scout: NR Overall, #27 Center

Mbargorba’s stock is one of the big-time risers during the live recruiting period. Back in the Spring, ESPN gave him an overall rating of 82 (usually indicating mid-major status), but he is now rated a 92 and sneaks into the Top 100 at #100.

Head coach Steve Lavin and assistant coach Rico Hines watched Mbargorba at Hoop Group’s Team Camp at Albright College during the early part of the live period. The Cameroon native did not disappoint in front of so many high-major coaches, showing his wide range of talents, working on the block, knocking down the mid-range jumper, and being a force on the defensive end. His impressively long arms allow him to block or alter most every shot around the rim, changing the overall dynamic of the game when he is on the floor.

Offensively, he is hard to confine because, in addition to his size, he can float out to the perimeter and knock down the open shot, pass with efficiency, and work a two-man gave off screens with the point guard. He has solid fundamentals when it comes to learning how to create space with his long, lanky frame, giving perimeter players a high point of entry when getting the ball into the post.

He must bulk up before heading to the collegiate level, but coaches will like his polished skills, to go along with his true 7’0″ size. Vanderbilt, Clemson, and West Virginia have offered him. St. John’s interest stays lukewarm at the moment, but the Red Storm could jump in if his stock continues to rise.