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REALLY, THIS IS IT, THE LAST REMINDER: SNAPPLE EDDIE-JONES ALL-STAR GAME TODAY AT THE FORUM--(April 19,1998)

Hey, if it's not yet 5:30 p.m. and you're still reading this, it's not too late. For what you ask? Well you haven't been paying attention. Listen up.

The Laker game is over. Tickets are $9 for adults, $7 for students. You get two games for the price of one. At 5:30 the Southern California All-Stars will go at it, and at 7:30 the West All-Stars will battle the USA All-Stars. Here's our preview of the most prominent players competing:

Korleone Young (6'-8" Sr F) Hargrave Military Academy (NBA):
Korleone Young is best described as a man among boys. His physical presence on the basketball court is much bigger than his 6'-8" frame would suggest. Tremendous rebounder who only needs to improve on his perimeter game and ball handling, especially now that he has opted for the NBA Draft instead of college. Played for the CMH 76'ers last year, an interesting experiment in AAU club ball which was actually a failure, since the team (which included Mike Miller, Jaron Rush, Myron Piggie, Jr., and other stars) was great on the fast break, but in a half-court game, they just couldn't get out of each other's way. While this is probably not the place to remind everyone about that experiment, here's an article from last year's Future Stars by Dan Wetzel. Notwithstanding any controversy, Young, however, is a true talent, and should go high in the lottery.

Korleone Young

Ray Young (6'-4") St. Joseph, Alameda (Calif.):
Ray signed with UCLA in the fall as a replacement for the departing Toby Bailey. Tremendous spring in his legs who reminds many of the outgoing Bruin great, but will also provide a very good scoring touch from behind the arc.

Dennis Gates (6'-5" Sr G/F) Whitney Young High, Chicago, Ill (Cal):
Signed last week with Cal. Was actively recruited by Northeastern, Cal, DePaul, Oklahoma, Auburn, Clemson, G-Tech, and Kansas. Whitney Young, a team which featured 5 D-I starters, and which won the Illinois State Championship, was helped by Gates' key role. He averaged about 18 points per game. Midwest Hoops had him rated as the top SG available in the midwest/plains area. Considered a strong defensive player. Selected to the 3rd Team All-State.

Jaron Rush

JaRon Rush (6'-7" Sr F) Pembroke Academy, Kansas City (UCLA):
Jaron is an all-around athlete who does everything well on the court. Originally verbaled to the Jayhawks but has since declared for the UCLA Bruins. Jaron will add an explosive scoring presence which the Bruins will need next year.

Sam Clancy, Jr. (6'-7" Sr F) St. Edward High, Lakewood, OH (USC):
Clancy is a big-time player, who signed early with USC. He is the son of an ex-Cleveland Browns lineman. He was selected to the 4th team Parade All-Americans and was ranked No. 38 in the country by ACC Recruiting. A very strong, muscular power player, loves to dunk. Big time fun.

Korleone Young

Lonnie Baxter (6'-8" Sr F) Hargrave Mil. Acad., Chatam, VA (U of Maryland):
Baxter signed with the Terrapins in the fall. He attended Anacostia High School in Southeast Washington last season, where he averaged 18.2 points and led the Indians to the City Title championship. Since arriving at Hargrave in late August, Baxter has lost 14 pounds and improved his conditioning and weight training, Shepherd said. "He is doing everything he needs to do," Shepherd said. "He is going to be a very good player. He uses his body well and he can score in the post. And he is a pretty good athlete for a kid that size." Shepherd said Baxter chose Maryland over Clemson, Virginia, Xavier and Mississippi State.

Rasual Butler (6'-7" Sr F) Roman Catholic, Phila., PA (La Salle U):
Rasual is a 6'-7" small forward/shooting guard, who was actively recruited by Villanova, he is currently ranked No. 15 in the country on ESPN's national list of wing forwards. Doug Wrenn and Jaron Rush are listed at Nos. 4 and 5 respectively on the same list; Richard Jefferson, who will also play today is No. 17 on the list (which was probably compiled by Clark Frances).

Rashon Burno (5'-8" Sr PG) Winchendon School, Winchendon MA:
Burno was originally recruited by Pittsburgh University last year, but along with fellow recruit Chris Seabrooks, was ruled academically ineligible. Both attended Winchendon Prep, a Boston-area prep school. Burno, a 5'-8" point guard from St. Anthony's High School in Elizabeth, will get major attention from the colleges this year, although he is currently unsigned.

Altron Jackson (6'-5" Sr G/F) Riverview High, Sarasota, Fla (South Florida)
Altron is a scoring machine. In one game this season, he had 47 in the 6A-Division semifinals. Here's the story. Jackson, who averaged 25 points and 12 rebounds a game last year, was rated #91 out the nation's top 100 players by ESPN. He signed with South Florida last fall.

Jerome Moiso (6'-10" Sr. C) Milford Academy, Milford Academy (UCLA):
A member of the 1997 International Select Team which played the USA Men's Junior team in the 1997 Hoop Summit game, Moiso had a game high 8 rebounds (5 offensive and 3 defensive) in that game, and scored 13 points in 20 minutes, as the International Team lost by 7 points to a Baron Davis led USA team. Moiso is being pursued heavily by UCLA, and has said he will sign before the May signing period is over. He will take the SAT again in May. Moiso is a defensive intimidator who goes high for rebounds and hits mid-range jump shots.

Alex Wesby (6'-6" Sr F) Ben Franklin High, Philadelphia, PA (undecided):
Alex was originally recruited this year by UMass, but has not made a decision. He played in one of the "super-secret" Pooh Richardson Classics (the one in Philadelphia, which featured Westchester and Compton traveling to Philly last fall). Also being recruited by Temple, St. John's and Rutgers, he is ranked currently as the No. 88 player in the country just behind Cenque Carey.

Anthony Grundy (6'-3" Sr PG/SG) Hargrave Military Academy (undecided)
Probably the least well known of the Harvgrave team, Grundy doesn't get a lot of press, and it's unclear who is currently recruiting him, but he's a very fine scorer for Hargrave, and plays tremendous pressure defense.

Myron Piggie, Jr. (6'-0" Sr PG) Hargrave Military Academy (UNLV):
Piggie is another of the "quiet" ones. Not much publicity on him except for his connection and play with the CMH 76'er's which was coached by his father, and which included Korleone Young and Jaron Rush. He is the cousin of Korleone Young, and perhaps UNLV thought that with Piggie on board, the road for the Runnin' Rebels to get the big man might be a bit smoother. Only one problem: He declared for the NBA, so no college. Piggie will be a walk-on for UNLV next season.

Ricky Anderson (6'-8" Sr. C) Long Beach Poly (U of Arizona):
An early signee with Arizona, Anderson brings raw talent, size and strength to the middle. More of a post up player than a power type center, he can play with his back to the basket and is a great shot blocker. Look for him to share the inside duties with Bluthenthal, Jefferson and Luke Walton.

Matt Barnes (6'-8" Sr. C/F) Fair Oaks Del Campo, Sacramento (UCLA):
Another UCLA early signee (with Ray Young), who was also a football standout, he will play at least two years of basketball before donning football gear again. Barnes is smooth, strong, and at 6'-8" has the size and speed to play either the center spot or power forward.

Tony Bland (6'-4" Sr. SG/SF) Westchester High, Los Angeles (Syracuse U):
A smooth guard who also doubles at the small forward spot, Tony is versatile enough to play the 1, and at least in high school, had enough size to play the 3. Look for him today to spend time at the 1 or 2 with Cotton.

David Bluthenthal (6'-8" Sr. F) Westchester High, Los Angeles (USC):
Bulthenthal is another member (with Granville and Bland) of the State Champion Division I Westchester team. A powerful forward, he can dunk, rebound and shoot from inside with the best, and can also play the post.

Senque Carey (6'-4" Sr. G) St. Francis, Mountiain View Woodside (U of Washington):
A Best in the West selection, Que will wearing #3 for the Huskies in honor of his guardian Nelson Washington III, whose nickname is "3". Senque will probably start for Washington and will be a very big impact player for that program, and together with Doug Wrenn, they could turn the program into a perennial tourney team. Carey was Mountain View's top scorer and although his team didn't make it out of the NorCals, they were impressive nevertheless.

Shea Cotton (6'-6" 5th yr. G/F) St. Thomas More Prep (NC State):
A 6-6 swingman from Oakdale (Conn.) St. Thomas More, Cotton is a native of southern California who signed recently with NC State after also considering Syracuse and Connecticut. This well-built southpaw is an explosive driver and much-improved perimeter shooter. He projects as an immediate starter for the Wolfpack.

David Hamilton (6'-9" Sr. PF/C) Compton High, Compton (Auburn U):
Hamilton is a very strong, powerful, but often inconsistent player. He suffered this last season when he was shot in a drive-by shooting, which unfortunately killed one of his friends. He recovered, but his mostly young Compton team was unable to hold off Santa Margarita, losing in the Southern Section Division II semis. When Hamilton has his game on, he is powerfully strong, and a very intimidating inside force.

Richard Jefferson (6'-8" Sr. F) Moon Valley High, Phoenix (U of Arizona):
Jefferson is probably, without doubt, the best prep player in Arizona this year. His choices came down to UCLA and Arizona, and he literally flipped a coin to choose. Arizona won, and UCLA lost. Jefferson has played the last two summers at the Pump West-Coast All-Star camps, and was the high scorer on his Moon Valley team. Will be an immediate impact player for the Wildcats.

*Chris Jeffries (6'-8" Sr. F) Washington Union, Fresno (U of Arkansas) * injured:
Too bad Chris won't be playing, since he's one of the most exciting players and has a pure athleticism which is just a joy to watch. Chris broke his ankle and recently had surgery, and will not play. He will be recovered completely by the summer and intends to play at Arkansas this season.

Freddie Jones (6'-5" Sr. G/F) Barlow High, Gresham Oregon (U of Oregon):
A player who has been described by some as "the entire Barlow team", he can rebound, dunk, and block shots. A major signing for the University of Oregon, he was a "Best in the West" selection this year, and has twice been Oregon's high school player of the year.

Tayshaun Prince (6'-7" Sr. G/F) Dominguez High, Compton (U of Kentucky):
Prince is a reed-thin player who is deceptive; most people who look at him just don't believe he can do the things on the court that he actually can do. He will be an immediate impact player at Kentucky next season. He was a McDonald's selection (one of only two from the West Coast this year), and was also selected to the USA Men's Junior National Team. Prince has two State Championships to his credit, and had he not hurt his knee in a semifinal game this year, might have a third. Prince turned down UCLA for Kentucky this past fall, signing with the Wildcats.

Luke Walton (6'-8" Sr. F/C) USDHS, San Diego (U of Arizona):
With most people, its really not fair to describe the as "the son of", but in Walton's case, he's every inch his father's son. Luke played for the Division IV State Champion University of San Diego High School Dons, and he's a quick, agile rebounder and shot blocker, who can also score effectively inside the paint. He signed with Arizona in the fall.

Doug Wrenn (6'-6" Sr. F) O'Dea High, Seattle, Washington (U of Washington):
A teammate of Kevin Burleson, both of whom were Best in the West, it was thought that with the Burleson connection, Wrenn might go for Minnesota. But the O'Dea star decided to stay close to home, and opted for UDub. Wrenn is a major talent, who can slash, score, rebound, and play defense. In short, he can do it all. With Carey also going to UDub, they will be a force to be reckoned with in the Pac-10 for the next four years.