Class Of 2016 Sets The New Standard

Take a look at the talent in the graduating Class of 2012 and 2013. There may be a total of 5 players in the combined classes that have a real shot shot at playing on Div. 1 level. Combine the classes of 2014 and 2015 and possibly up to 10 players have a shot to play D1 ball. The class of 2016/14u has 8 players in that class alone that are being courted by top private schools and some have already received letters of interest from D1 schools. You may ask what makes this class different then the rest? The answer is simple. Almost all of these players were exposed to AAU before turning 10. Their parents recognized that they were not as good as everyone said they were and the players themselves recognized that they had to learn to play the game at a faster pace. In our post yesterday, we talked about the lack of defense on the island. Go to a game at any level and you will see that most kids have no idea how to play defense. That reality allows for players with decent offensive skills to develop habits which are exposed in a more competitive environment. For most players from Puerto Rico they rarely get a chance to play at a high level until reachingHigh School. For most, it's far to late to make changes in their style and the speed in which they play. But for those who have the opportunity to play at the AAU D1 Nationals they typically come back to the island humbled and hungry. More importantly, the parents get a chance to witness lots of players who are superior in every facet of the game. "Eating some crow" tends to change one's one appetite and that is always a good thing. The following players are on the list have a real shot to play D1 ball with a couple of them potentially being really, really special. * the list below is not a ranking. Edwin Cancel Josh Colon Nicholas Washington Robert Aviles Jhivvan Jackson Ebube Ebube Georgie Pacheco Leandro Allende

Who Is Teaching Young Players To Play Defense?

One of the greatest challenges for players making the transition from Puerto Rico to both prep school and college seems to be their inability or unwillingness to play defense. Local coaches do a wonderful job developing fundamentals in young players but defense seems to be the "forgotten fundamental". When talking to stateside coaches the complaint we seem to hear over and over again is how far behind players from Puerto Rico are when it comes to understanding defensive principles. Puerto Rico has earned a reputation of producing undersized fiery PGs and bal pressure on the defensive end is critical to disrupting an opponents offense. Part of this is a result of how local leagues prevent some of the younger age groups from pressing full court along with almost all youthcoaches playing zone defense exclsuviely. It should also be noted that FIBA's influence is ever present thus zone defense is the preferred discipline. We are not suggesting that there is anything wrong with playing zne defense. We take the position that it is impossible to play zone if players have not been taught and understand "ball, you, man", "help and recover" and basic rotations. Players must be taught that playing defense can help them make the team, increase playing time and is the key component in winning championships. Nike has produced a series of videos which should help coaches introduce that defense is cool. Reward players who make defensive plays. Chart deflections, charges and defensive rebounds. See link below and remember, Defense Never Sleeps!

Puerto Rican Coaches Seek Stateside Opportunties

So many players and some really good coaches yet only a handful of D1 programs have Puerto Rican coaches as either Head or Assistant Coaches. Even at the high school/prep school level Puerto Rican coaches are absent. A lot of this has to do with the fact that most Athletic Directors know very little about Puerto Rico basketball and its rich history. Coaches have not done a great job marketing themselves and getting on the grassroots circuit. For years, young stateside coaches have recognized the importance of getting involved in the summer circuit. AAU and Five Star Basketball are two of the many summer based organizations which provide a fantastic platform for coaches to showcase their coaching skills and more importantly network with others in the industry. PRP Founder , Todd Washington is leading the effort to assist coaches from the Caribbean identify and secure opportunities to coach stateside. He has started, The Coaching Placement Program, "CPP". CPP will leverage relationships and assist local coaches secure opportunities to coach at the High School, Prep School, Junior College and Collegiate levels. Washington believes there is an immediate opportunity to place coaches at both prep schools and junior colleges. "We've identified a couple of programs that recognize the value of having Puerto Rican coaches on their staffs. Not only is there a ton of talent here on the island, Puerto Rico is the gateway to the Caribbean and Latin America. Puerto Rican coaches have a unqie advantage in that they can recruit in Latin and Central America. We think this is a huge opportunity and will support our effort to help more student athletes get a chance to further their education", said Washington.

Local Group Tried To Get NBA Superstars To Play In BSN Before Lockout Ended

Media reports in the last several weeks have suggested that a group of basketball powerbrokers were making a run at a BSN franchise. Although reports were never confirmed there seems to be some truth to the story. With NBA players not embracing the way the Euro/Asia teams operate and the cultural issues of being forced to live in places that seem a million miles from home, Puerto Rico was viewed as a real option. The BSN lacks star power and clearly certain parts of the island will always support their teams but the league as a whole cannot generate the type of advertising p and television revenue required to make the league profitable. Clearly a league wide merchandising deal is viable but the failure of the league to capitalize on the Jordan Brand opportunity in 2008 eliminated any possibility of a major apparel company partnering with the league. What only a handful of people knew was that the proposed tour of NBA stars slated to play in Puerto Rico in late October was not about just one game. It was part of a bigger plan, which included getting a handful of NBA players to agree to play in the BSN. Players and agents were looking for a destination to play should the NBA lockout extend past Christmas. Europe and Asia have been a mixed bag for NBA players. Agents believe that the lockout would last the entire season and that at some point players would need to start making some money. IPRB spoke with a local businessman who had been approached about participating in an ownership group that would invest a large sum of money to have 2 NBA All Stars play on a BSN Team. He a agreed to speak to IPRB provided he keep his anonymity,"I was approached a by my friend and client about participating in the tour. It was clear from the outset that the World All Star Classic was about more then just a game. It was about getting NBA guys to come to Puerto Rico and experience what the island had to offer. Had the lockout not ended we had committments from one of the top three players in the NBA and another who is in the top 10. Those two players would have sold out every arena in Puerto Rico in every game they played in. The television and advertising money which we had commitments for would have covered the costs of the players contracts and if we had a chance to secure the final piece which was getting the shoe/apparel company which currently has both players under contract to get behind the idea and support the project financially, we had a real chance to get this done." In the days leading up to the start of the tour which was to begin in Puerto Rico a number of players and their agents started to get cold feet about the viability of the tour and it in fact the lockout was going to end and a new CBA executed in advance of the game in Puerto Rico. Some have suggested that the NBA did not want to see this Tour happen, specifically, the game in Puerto Rico given word had leaked back to NBA that a plan to get players to play in the BSN was a real option. What would of and could of happened is something we can dream about as we prepare for the 2012 BSN season. If I'm a BSN owner and looking to add value to my franchise I'm going to watch very closely what happens with the age limit and the new CBA. If the minimum age is 20 and players are required to spend 2 years in college before declaring for the NBA draft the next KG, Kobe, Lebron, Dwight Howard and Brandon Jennings may see Puerto Rico as the best option to becoming a professional.

Lesson #1: Don't Hate, Congratulate

One of the fundamental rules of competition is that there is always somebody out there better than you. This is part of what drives good players to be great. The recognition that the guy on the other team was better,today. He was bigger, stronger, faster, smarter, tougher and played harder. For parents, this is a tough pill to swallow as we all want our kids to best player on the field/court. Getting young players to respect and recognize the talents and hard work of their peers is critical to assisting them in their development not only as an athete but as a human being. We live in a world where people celebrate the failure of others instead of celebrating people's successes. When playing against a top team or top player, make sure you video the game and watch it. Highlight and point out specific skills and abilities that the team and/or player exhibited. Most importantly, teach young people to embrace the talents and successes of others. In short, don't hate, congratulate.

Fontan Confirms Torn ACL

IPRB just got off the phone with Jio Fontan and he confirmed that he has torn his ACL. This was a big surprise to Fontan who felt before his doctor's appointment this afternoon that his injury was not as serious as when the injury first occured.

Fontan who was clearly saddened and disappointed has the following to say,"I'm down right now but I'll be alright. I'm going to work harder than ever! I had worked so hard all year to get to a point where I was playing the best ball of my life ".

The prognosis is anywhere from 6-12 months. Fontan plans to apply for a medical redshirt for this year. He had already applied for an additional year from his time at Fordham in 2009 when he played only five games before transferring from Fordham and sitting out the Spring/Fall Semesters in 2010.


Fontan's mentor and the person responsible for bringing him to Puerto Rico to play for the 19U National Team, Todd Washington said, "Everyone has a different path in life. Jio is a warrior and if anyone can come back from this in an even better space, it is "G". I've been on the phone with him a couple of times today and he is down but not out. He is going to get a second opinion and then he and his family will sit down and decide the best course of action. While nothing is good about tearing an ACL, he has to feel good about going down to Brazil and dominating. He was averaging close to 30 PPG and putting on a show every night He'll be back better than ever!"

Fontan had averaged over 28 PPG while playing against some of the top professional teams in Brazil.

Jio Fontan Injury Is Not As Bad As Reported

USC point guard Jio Fontan was having a fantastic trip in Brazil. Fontan was averaging close to 30 PPG and showing the Brazilians why many feel that he has a chance to not only play professional ball but could possible be a late second round draft pick. Fontan injured his knee yesterday and some had reported that his injury was career threatening.

IPRB spoke directly to Fontan by phone this afternoon and confirmed that he has yet to get an official diagnosis from a doctor but by his own account it is not as bad as first reported.


"Coach flew me back to LA yesterday and I am on my way to get an MRI done this afternoon. It feels a lot better then it did when I injured it and I am able to put some pressure on it and stand on one leg so it is not as bad as we first thought", said Fontan by telephone.

Fontan played in 2009 for the Puerto Rico 19U National Team with his best friend Michael Rosario. That team finished 6th in the world and Jio led the world in assists while Michael Rosario led the world in scoring.