By Jeff Borzello

When Ed Cooley was hired from Fairfield as Providence’s new head coach, there were some questions regarding his ability to recruit top-flight talent.

Those concerns will be alleviated on Wednesday, as sources have told CBSSports.com that Kris Dunn will announce for Providence over Connecticut.

Dunn, the No. 1 point guard in CBSSports.com’s 2012 rankings, will be on the Friars’ campus on Wednesday. He recently trimmed his list to Providence and UConn, with Louisville and Marquette among the main schools left off his list.

Dunn is a 6-foot-3 New London (Conn.) product who was one of the fastest-rising players on the spring and summer AAU circuit. He has great size for the position, and his explosiveness is unparalleled in the class. Dunn can get by his defender at will, penetrating into the teeth of the defense and making plays for himself and teammates.

His commitment does wonders for Providence, which is also pursuing several other marquee players. Chief among them is Ricardo Ledo, who cut his list to five earlier this week and will likely take an unofficial visit to Providence on Wednesday.

Photo: Max Preps

By Jeff Borzello

July is normally the most important month when it comes to determining where a player ends up in the recruiting rankings. The high school season has inconsistent levels of competition, while the spring AAU circuit has so many events that players can go up and down with every week. On the other hand, July is a chance for every player to be seen multiple times in a three-week span, against the other top players in the country – in game settings. The NBPA Top 100, Nike Skills Academies and Pangos All-American Camp all gather tremendous amounts of talent, but it’s often difficult to truly scout a player in a camp setting. As a result, the evaluations made in July are often the ones that stick for the rest of the year.

CBSSports.com and MaxPreps released their updated Top-100 rankings for 2012 on Thursday morning, and there are plenty of changes since the pre-July rankings. Which players increased their stock the most in July, and which ones went the same direction as the real stock market?

Rising

Marcus Smart (No. 12): The ultimate winner, Smart (above) can play any perimeter position and is a terrific defender.

Kris Dunn (No. 26): Dunn (right) moved up to become the No. 1 point guard in the country after yet another impressive month.

Brice Johnson (No. 29): Johnson really broke out at the Peach Jam, demonstrating a vastly improved offensive game.

Alex Caruso (No. 55): One of the breakout players of June, Caruso is surprisingly athletic and excels at scoring in unconventional ways.

Jake Layman (No. 57): He’s long, athletic and can score in a variety of ways. Layman creates havoc with his perimeter defense.

Georges Niang (No. 70): Niang has always been productive, and it was finally time to reward him with a top-100 spot.

Semaj Christon (No. 80): The Xavier-commit won over all onlookers in July, demonstrating his excellent penetration ability.

Dominic Artis (No. 84): Artis, who committed to UCLA in late July, has terrific handle and knocked down threes with consistency.

Josh Scott (No. 86): The bottom line is that Scott is a different player with his AAU team; he scores effectively around the rim.

Grant Verhoeven (No. 91): Our first look at Verhoeven was a good one. He blocks shots very well, and can score in different ways.

Jordan Loveridge (No. 92): One of the biggest risers in Las Vegas, Loveridge is versatile and proved to be a match-up problem.

Tyrone Wallace (No. 96): A long point guard with great size (6-foot-4) for the position, Wallace has a great feel for the game.

Falling

D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera (No. 39): His scoring ability is impressive, but Smith-Rivera (left) is not a true point guard and has a limited ceiling.

Adam Woodbury (No. 40): This isn’t really Woodbury’s fault – we overrated him after an MVP performance at NBA Camp.

Daniel Ochefu (No. 43): Ochefu is an excellent defender but doesn’t have much of a back-to-the-basket game. High upside, though.

Torian Graham (No. 48): Graham can fill it up with the best of them, but he doesn’t bring effort consistently and is somewhat out of control.

J.P. Tokoto (No. 66): Tokoto continues to spiral down the rankings after peaking in the top five two years ago.

Damien Wilson (No. 75): Wilson is athletic and can really defend, but he lacks the ability to create his own shot.

Tyler Lewis (No. 76): Lewis is fun to watch and doesn’t back down from everyone, but his size and lack of defense could hinder him.

Nino Jackson (No. 81): He is only 6-foot, but is more of a scorer than a point guard. Jackson also disappears from the circuit on occasion.

Steve Taylor (No. 89): It was a down summer for most Chicago prospects, to be honest, and the Marquette-commit was inconsistent.

A.J. Hammons (No. 98): It just doesn’t seem like Hammons really enjoys himself out there. Has to improve conditioning.

Fred Thomas (No. 100): Again, probably not Thomas’ fault that we saw him for the first time when he couldn’t miss from 3-point range.

Jordan Hare (Unranked): This is simply a case of not seeing him. If anyone can remember the last time Hare suited up on AAU, let us know.

Photos: Adidas Super 64, MaxPreps, Indy Star

By Jeff Borzello

LAS VEGAS – For five days, Las Vegas went from being the gathering place for various vices to the epicenter of AAU basketball (during the day, at least). With the Adidas Super 64 and the Fab 48, the majority of the best players and teams in the country descended on the desert for two of the summer’s best tournaments. The individual match-ups that took place at the Super 64 were unparalleled, while the Fab 48 featured plenty of top talent as well.

At the Super 64, the final four consisted of Indiana Elite, Dream Vision, Utah Pump N Run and Texas Assault. Behind the play of Jordan Loveridge, Utah Pump N Run defeated the Atlanta Celtics, Compton Magic and Michigan Mustangs in the tournament. EBC Elite made a run to the Elite Eight with upsets over Family First and DC Assault, while the Nor Cal Pharaohs also made a surprising run.

The Fab 48 was marred somewhat by two brawls, but the Cinderella stories by Wisconsin Swing and Team Breakdown to reach the Final Four were fun to watch. In the end, though, Ishmail Wainright and the KC 76ers rolled to the championship, dispatching of anyone in their path. The favorites heading into the event included the Oakland Soldiers, Belmont Shore, NJ Playaz and Mac Irvin Fire – all three were gone by the final eight, with the Soldiers and Playaz getting shocked in the playoff opener.

Top Performers

Ishmail Wainright, 2013, KC 76ers: Arguably the most impressive overall performer of the week, Wainright led his team to a surprising Fab 48 title. The muscular junior has always been a great defender and energy guy, but he carried the 76ers offensively, including getting the upper hand on Jabari Parker in a head-to-head battle.

Shabazz Muhammad, 2012, Dream Vision: Muhammad had his slow games, but overall, he again showed why he is the best player in the class. He carried Dream Vision to the title game, getting baskets in a variety of ways. Simply unstoppable when going to the rim.

Andre Drummond, 2012, Connecticut Basketball Club: When Drummond is motivated or goes against another top player, he is outstanding. He beat Kaleb Tarczewski head-to-head, adding to his hit list amongst the top big men in the country.

Javan Felix, 2012, New Orleans Elite: With the point guard class down this year, the demand for someone like Felix becomes much higher – especially when he plays like he did this week. He was knocking down shots off screens and was also getting to the rim.

Chris McCullough, 2014, Team Scan 15s: Although many people got their first glimpse of McCullough this week, he is certainly a top-10 player in his class. He is long and athletic, and has a ceiling that is simply through the roof. Raw for now, but his name will be heard for a long time.

Brandon Ashley, 2012, Oakland Soldiers: Ashley has consistently been one of the most impressive players this summer, and this week was no different. He scored around the rim, ran the floor and showed a willingness to handle the ball and knockdown face-up jumpers.

Kaleb Tarczewski, 2012, New England Playaz: Didn’t get the upper hand against Andre Drummond, but he played well the rest of the week. Most of his points come on dunks or layups around the rim, but his defense, work ethic and rebounding ability bode well.

Buddy Hield, 2012, Kansas Pray and Play Players: Overshadowed slightly by Perry Ellis, Hield was the one that shined throughout the week. Hield is a big-time offensive player that can knock down shots from behind the arc or drive the lane and finish in impressive fashion.

Denzel Valentine, 2012, Michigan Mustangs: He wasn’t that impressive at the NBPA Top 100 camp in June, but Valentine has looked good in the two Adidas events in July. He knows how to handle the ball in traffic and uses his body exceptionally well when driving the lane.

Marcus Smart, 2012, Texas Assault: Smart consistently put the Assault on his back at both ends of the floor, and his energy and nonstop motor permeated the rest of the team en route to the semifinals. Smart is an outstanding defender who has steadily improved his shooting and ball-handling 

Other Notables:

Indiana Elite made a run to the Final Four, but no one in particular stood out overall. D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera had his moments, while Jeremy Hollowell was also solid . . . Kuran Iverson is supremely talented, but his lack of interest on defense make some question his work ethic . . . With Drummond on the inside, Kris Dunn was able to make plays in transition and on the perimeter . . . For Belmont Shore, Katin Reinhardt continued to improve his point guard ability, while Grant Jerrett showed his versatile offensive game . . . New York guard Isaiah Whitehead knows how to make tough shots, plain and simple . . . Joe Rahon, the younger brother of San Diego State guard James Rahon, continues to impress. He can hit shots and run a team . . . Going up against Drummond, Coreontae DeBerry held his own defensively . . . Nate Britt again looked good, initiating offense and showing great body control in the lane . . . Kentucky native Taylor Barnette is fun to watch when his shot is falling; his range is unparalleled . . . Got my first glances at Grant Verhoeven and Christian Wood. Verhoeven is a very good defender and scores in the lane, while Wood needs room to grow but is certainly talented . . . One coach told me Chris Walker reminds him of a young Antonio McDyess . . . Charles Mitchell doesn’t have ideal size for a big man, but his hands and length make up for it . . . Mitchell's teammate, Chris Bolden, showed off an improved driving game to go with his knockdown shooting . . . 2013 forward Jordan Bell had 17 blocks in one game. That’s ridiculous . . . The attacking ability of Montay Brandon is impressive; if he gets a jumper, look out . . . One of the breakout players of the event was Jordan Loveridge, who led the Utah Pump N Run team to the semifinals – he knows how to score . . . Double Pump Elite’s Tyrone Wallace is quickly rising up the point guard ranks – he is 6-foot-4 and long . . . Texas shooter Phil Forte simply doesn’t miss . . . Team Breakdown didn’t have too many studs, but guard Brandon Channer used his strength and finishing ability to provide a boost . . . Slightly overshadowed by Chris Thomas’ antics, but Colorado commit Wesley Gordon is a big man who moves well without the ball and can finish . . . Sanjay Lumpkin is a tough matchup for guards at 6-foot-6, and also held his own against forward Gavin Thurman.

Photos: Kansas City Star (Wainwright), 247 Sports (Felix), Utah Pump N Run (Loveridge)

By Jeff Borzello

INDIANAPOLIS – After Nate Britt’s outstanding NBPA Top 100 camp performance in Virginia two weeks ago, buzz started to spread about Britt as the top point guard prospect in the class.

After Tuesday, Andrew Harrison took the title back in impressive fashion.

“You saw the game,” Harrison said afterwards. “Of course I [think I’m better].”

Harrison, a 6-foot-5 rising junior from Travis (Tex.), has the size and vision to be a future pro. He has very good handle and can get to the rim at will. Defensively, he gave Britt problems with his length and lateral quickness.

With fellow stars Aaron Harrison, Shaq Cleare and Derrick Griffin all fouling out, Harrison put the team on his back in the second half.

“I’m used to it,” he said. “I like it, and I’m glad we pulled out the win.”

Harrison, ranked No. 5 by CBSSports.com/MaxPreps, listed Maryland, Kansas, Kentucky, Baylor, Arizona, Texas, Texas A&M and North Carolina.

“I don’t want to be one and done like everybody else,” Harrison said. “I’m looking to go to a family atmosphere and just be able to play.”

Keith Frazier lights it up from deep

While Shabazz Muhammad was filling it up on one wing for Dream Vision, newly-acquired Keith Frazier was holding his own on the other side.

Frazier, a 6-foot-4 shooting guard from Irving (Tex.), is one of the better shooters in the class of 2013. He has a great stroke and deep range on his jumper, and his length makes his shot nearly impossible to contest.

Although he was a new member to Dream Vision, Frazier made a seamless transition.

“I’m trying to do what I can, just to fit in,” he said. “I just want to play within the other players.”

The No. 16-ranked player by CBSSports.com/MaxPreps listed Arizona, Houston, Kentucky, Marquette, Georgia, Baylor and Texas.

“I want a school that gets out and runs, and plays hard,” Frazier said. “And one that lets me shoot.”

Top Performers

Shabazz Muhammad, 2012, Dream Vision: The new No. 1 player in the country made his case for the top spot on Tuesday. The lefty scorer dropped 40 points in a comeback win over Team Indiana Elite, and was consistently unstoppable in transition.

Twymond Howard, 2012, MSM4L: After a subpar NBPA Top 100 camp, the two-sport star was knocking down tough shots all night. Howard finished with 42 points in an overtime loss, driving to the rim and also making 3-point shots with efficiency.

Shaq Goodwin, 2012, Atlanta Celtics: Goodwin didn’t always finish consistently on Tuesday, but he got to the free-throw line better than anyone in the event. He finishes through contact and doesn’t shy away from physicality.

Patrick Ingram, 2012, Eric Gordon Central Stars: One of the more surprising players on the first day with Ingram. He was nearly unstoppable when driving to his right, and he consistently finished against bigger players at the rim.

Kris Dunn, 2012, Connecticut Basketball Club: Against the Atlanta Celtics, Dunn was absolutely dominant. No defender could stay in front of him, as Dunn consistently penetrated past his man and got to the rim with ease.

Craig Victor, 2014, New Orleans Elite: Although he’s young, Victor had a terrific performance in the opening battle. He knows how to score with his back to the basket and he runs the floor extremely well for a young big man.

Other Notables: Of all the Florida Rams big guys, Staphon Blair might be the least-known, but he played the best on Tuesday. He’s an absolute beast down low with a non-stop motor . . . Derrick Griffin might be the best dunker in the country. He will finish anything in his area . . . Kaleb Tarczewski played well in stretches, running the floor and finishing around the rim. He needs to stay out of foul trouble, though . . . Fresh off his commitment to Texas Tech, Jordan Goodman was more active and aggressive than in the past, proving to be a tough match-up . . . Nate Britt had his moments where he was unstoppable, but he was outplayed by the Harrison twins. Still, when his jumper is falling, he’s very difficult to contain . . . If he ever learns how to harness his athleticism, Javonte Hawkins is going to be a big-time offensive player. He’s so explosive when going to the rim . . . Gabe York can simply get off his shot whenever he wants, whether it is off the dribble or from deep-range . . . Apparently Chris Thomas had an outstanding second game, but he was thrown out of the first one after receiving two technicals in the first nine minutes.

Photos: MaxPreps