Papa Dia Shines
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Papa Dia Shines
by Stallion » Sat Dec 02, 2006 3:42 pm
Papa Dia scored 25 points 14 rebounds and had 4 shot blocks in leading his team to the Championship of the Bull City Tournament in Durham NC. (there are multiple Divisions to this tournament-not sure if he was MVP of the entire Tournament or just his Division-another source said he scored 16 in the championship-the above could be 2 game totals) The Tournament is reputed to be one of the top tournaments in the Country and includes 28 teams and 80 Division 1A prospects. More important Dia was named Tournament MVP. It also appears that South Kent won both of its games at the National Prep Showcase-a top tournament for Prep schools. They were 6-0 after these games.
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by Stallion » Sat Dec 02, 2006 3:58 pm
AAU Tournaments Prep School/ HS Tourneys Team Camp Stars of Tomorrow Elite Showcases Day Camps New England Connecticut Massachusetts Maine New Hampshire Rhode Island Vermont
Papa Dia Commits to SMU
November 3, 2006
In the last four months Papa Dia has seen his stock rise as much as any player in the country. He went into the summer “live†period with a lot to prove but shortly after received scholarship offers from a variety of high major programs most notably the University of Louisville and Rick Pittino. But in the end Dia selected a school where he could contribute immediately.
A year ago Papa Dia was thought of by many people as a player with high-major talent who needed to learn to play harder. What a difference a year can make. When Dia left the South Kent campus last spring he must have known that it would be important for him to shed that label during the summer “live†period, and that is exactly what he did. In fact, his summer was so productive that in September Hoop Scoop Online ranked him the 56th best senior prospect in the country.
Around that same time, New England Basketball Services was in the South Kent gym during the first day of the “live†period along with coaches from a variety of high-major and mid-major schools including Louisville, Indiana, Oregon State, Clemson, Rhode Island, Fordham, and others. That day it was obvious to us that Dia was not the same player he was a year earlier. Apparently it was obvious to others as well because it was just a short week later that Rick Pittino himself was in that same gym extending a scholarship offer to Dia.
To Dia’s credit he took his time and evaluated all of his options. He eventually cut the list down to three finalists in Louisville, Oklahoma, and SMU all of which he visited before making his decision.
Ultimately, Dia turned down the bright lights of Louisville and Oklahoma, in order to join SMU and first year Head Coach Matt Doherty. Dia, who joins South Kent teammate Mike Walker in committing to the Mustangs, is unquestionably the prize recruit that Doherty was hoping for in first recruiting class at SMU.
“At the end of the day, the biggest thing with Papa was that he felt he was going to get the best opportunity to play right away at SMU,†said South Kent Head Coach Raphael Chillious according to Jeff Goodman of scout.com. “He felt it was an opportunity to be the cornerstone recruit for Coach Doherty.â€
Dia is expected to be the starting power forward on a South Kent team that boasts one of the most talented frontcourts in the country with Dia playing in between 6’10 Dele Coker who is committed to St. John’s and 6’8 Matthew Bryan-Amaning who will attend the University of Washington next fall.
Papa Dia Commits to SMU
November 3, 2006
In the last four months Papa Dia has seen his stock rise as much as any player in the country. He went into the summer “live†period with a lot to prove but shortly after received scholarship offers from a variety of high major programs most notably the University of Louisville and Rick Pittino. But in the end Dia selected a school where he could contribute immediately.
A year ago Papa Dia was thought of by many people as a player with high-major talent who needed to learn to play harder. What a difference a year can make. When Dia left the South Kent campus last spring he must have known that it would be important for him to shed that label during the summer “live†period, and that is exactly what he did. In fact, his summer was so productive that in September Hoop Scoop Online ranked him the 56th best senior prospect in the country.
Around that same time, New England Basketball Services was in the South Kent gym during the first day of the “live†period along with coaches from a variety of high-major and mid-major schools including Louisville, Indiana, Oregon State, Clemson, Rhode Island, Fordham, and others. That day it was obvious to us that Dia was not the same player he was a year earlier. Apparently it was obvious to others as well because it was just a short week later that Rick Pittino himself was in that same gym extending a scholarship offer to Dia.
To Dia’s credit he took his time and evaluated all of his options. He eventually cut the list down to three finalists in Louisville, Oklahoma, and SMU all of which he visited before making his decision.
Ultimately, Dia turned down the bright lights of Louisville and Oklahoma, in order to join SMU and first year Head Coach Matt Doherty. Dia, who joins South Kent teammate Mike Walker in committing to the Mustangs, is unquestionably the prize recruit that Doherty was hoping for in first recruiting class at SMU.
“At the end of the day, the biggest thing with Papa was that he felt he was going to get the best opportunity to play right away at SMU,†said South Kent Head Coach Raphael Chillious according to Jeff Goodman of scout.com. “He felt it was an opportunity to be the cornerstone recruit for Coach Doherty.â€
Dia is expected to be the starting power forward on a South Kent team that boasts one of the most talented frontcourts in the country with Dia playing in between 6’10 Dele Coker who is committed to St. John’s and 6’8 Matthew Bryan-Amaning who will attend the University of Washington next fall.
- Stallion
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by bagice » Mon Dec 04, 2006 4:39 pm
Hope this commtiment sticks, its good to see him doing so well and making the headlines but it will also make the vultures circle.
Will be exciting to see him in a Mustangs uniform....hopefully.
Will be exciting to see him in a Mustangs uniform....hopefully.
Womack + Wishbone = Heisman
Class of 89
Class of 89
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bagice 
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