By Jeff Borzello

When Jarion Henry was not listed on the New Mexico roster at the start of the school year, rumors started swirling about his status as a Lobo.

It was then announced that he would reclassify to the class of 2012 and enrol at La Jolla Prep (Calif.), a new prep school started by former Westwind Prep (Ariz.) head man Gary Trousdale.

On Thursday night, the final step of the mystery was completed. Josh Gershon of Scout.com reported that Henry had reopened his recruitment and was no longer committed to New Mexico.

A source confirmed the news to CBSSports.com.

Henry, a 6-foot-8 small forward from Texas, originally chose New Mexico in April over a slew of high-major schools, including USC, Marquette, Oregon, Georgetown and many others.

He was ranked No. 92 in the class of 2011.

Photo: Dallas Morning News

By Jeff Borzello

The first casualty of St. John’s monster nine-man class is now official.

Jakarr Sampson has decommitted from St. John’s and reopened his recruitment, Don Anderson, Sampson’s former AAU coach, told CBSSports.com.

Sampson was one of three Red Storm freshmen ruled ineligible by the NCAA for the first semester. While Norvel Pelle and Amir Garrett are planning to take classes in order to become eligible for the second semester, Sampson went back to Brewster Academy (N.H.).

“[He] 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,” Anderson told CBSSports.com on Saturday.

When Sampson, a 6-foot-7 forward, originally committed to St. John’s, he chose the Red Storm over Tennessee, Baylor and Louisville. He was ranked in the top 40 by most recruiting outlets.

By Jeff Borzello

Playing on an Oakland Soldiers AAU team filled with nearly a dozen top-100 prospects, Langston Morris-Walker was often overshadowed.

Morris-Walker still managed to prove his worth, though, using his athleticism and aggressiveness to make plays at the rim. The 6-foot-5 small forward from Berkeley (Calif.) is also effective on the defensive end.

Oregon State certainly noticed him, and the Beavers’ interest paid off on Monday, as Morris-Walker decided to play his college ball in Corvallis.

“The instant comfort I felt from the town, players and coaching staff,” he said. “They are all high-character people that I would love to be around for the next four years.”

Georgia picks up in-state prospect

Georgia head coach Mark Fox is making a killing by picking up in-state prospects, and he nabbed his third in the class of 2012 on Monday.

Brandon Morris, a 6-foot-5 small forward from Miller Grove (Ga.), popped for the Bulldogs, a source told CBSSports.com.

Morris is very athletic and long, and he plays hard at both ends of the floor. While his shooting needs work, his aggressiveness bodes well for the future.

He chose the Bulldogs over Auburn and Arkansas.

Recruiting Notes: Ohio State continues to wait for freshman LaQuinton Ross’ clearance. “It hasn’t been determined one way or the other,” a source said . . . Louisville picked up its next point guard on Sunday, as Terry Rozier committed to the Cardinals . . . Illinois needed a point guard in the class of 2012, and the Fighting Illini got him on Sunday in Michael Orris . . . Texas Tech freshman Daouda Soumaoro has left the program, a source told CBSSports.com. The source said he is likely headed back to the New York area, where he went to high school . . . USC nabbed a surprising commitment on Sunday in Serbia native Strahinja Gavrilovic, who plays at La Jolla Prep (Calif.) . . . Isaiah Miles told CBSSports.com that he committed to Saint Joseph’s on Friday . . . James Woodard chose in-state school Tulsa.

By Jeff Borzello

Wednesday morning, Xavier’s recruiting class became significantly lighter and shorter.

Sim Bhullar, a 7-foot-5, 350-lb. Canada native who had committed to Chris Mack’s program in April for 2012, parted ways with the Musketeers and will instead enroll at New Mexico State – for 2011.

Sources indicated to CBSSports.com that there were some clearinghouse issues with Xavier, meaning Bhullar might have to enroll as a partial qualifier at NMSU this season.

“They’ll know that in the next few weeks,” one source said.

Bhullar, who played at Huntington Prep (W.Va.), is more than a gimmick. Although he needs to improve his stamina and lateral movement, he has improved dramatically over his last couple of years of high school. He gets good position and can score around the rim, and he’s also impacts the game defensively because of his size.

With K.C. Ross-Miller and Remi Barry also awaiting word on their fall eligibility, the Aggies’ season could hinge on the next few weeks.

Photo: SI 

By Jeff Borzello

Basketball people in the high school and college community have long questioned the practices of the NIA School in Newark, N.J.

On Thursday, some of those people were vindicated: the NCAA ruled four basketball players –and two other athletes – from the school academically ineligible for the upcoming season.

The basketball players were Cincinnati’s Shaq Thomas, TCU’s Ryan Rhoomes, Towson’s Kelvin Amayo and Fairleigh Dickinson’s Ibn Muhammad.

Alif Muhammad, the school’s president and founder, was told by the NCAA that the courses offered at NIA are not college prepatory classes.

“I’m shocked, man,” Muhammad told the Star-Ledger (N.J.).

Each of the athletes will appeal the decision to the NCAA, and Muhammad told the newspaper that he was confident Thomas, Amayo and Muhammad will win their appeals. TCU starts classes next week, so Rhoomes’ status is up in the air.

NIA, which operates out of the basement of a New Jersey hotel, has had 28 athletes qualify to play Division-I sports since 2006. There have been questions surrounding the legitimacy of the academics at the school, though.

At the NCAA website, EligibilityCenter.org, schools must list the college-prep classes that they offer. Nearly every reputable school on the website has dozens of classes in their profile; NIA Prep, on the other hand, doesn’t list a single class.

After an NCAA investigation last year, Morehead State announced it would no longer recruit at the school. They are certainly not the only ones.

“We have never ever tried to recruit a kid from NIA,” one coach told me. “It’s a factory.”

“We don’t mess with that school,” another coach said.

While the appeals will begin soon, it’s clear NIA Prep is squarely on the NCAA’s radar.

Photo: NJ Hoops Journal (Shaq Thomas)

By Jeff Borzello

With school getting underway in less than a month, the weakness for Texas was clear: lack of frontcourt depth.

The Longhorns helped shore up that problem on Tuesday, though, with a surprising commitment from former Pittsburgh pledge Jaylen Bond.

Bond, a 6-foot-8 forward from Plymouth-Whitemarsh (Pa.), announced his decision on Twitter.

“Just committed to the University of Texas,” he wrote. “Thank God for this opportunity.”

Bond originally made a commitment to Pittsburgh in April of 2010, but reopened his recruitment back in March. He had planned to reclassify to 2012 and attend St. Thomas More (Conn.).

With only two scholarship frontcourt players and two freshman forwards in the fold, Bond should be able to help Rick Barnes in the frontcourt right away.