Ben Gordon

8/6: "All Star Report has learned that 6-1 2G Ben Gordon of Mount Vernon HS in Mount Vernon, NY has given Coach Jim Calhoun and his Connecticut Huskies program a VERBAL commitment. Gordon just completed an unofficial visit to UCONN's campus this past weekend." - AllStar Report

8/1: "Originally, we thought Seton Hall would take only one guard, but apparently they are willng to give their last available scholarship to 6'1 Ben Gordon from Mt. Vernon (H.S.) NY. However, if this happens, it would be very impressive for the Pirates, because Seton Hall will be loaded for some time at the one, two, and three spots. Seton Hall is the heavy favorite for Gordon, because his other top choice, which was Duke, was no longer in the picture even before they got a commitment yesterday from 6'3 Daniel Ewing from Sugar Land (Willowridge) TX. All this important, because Gordon's recruitment would start over...if either 6'9 Mark Konecny from Waterbury (Holy Cross) CT or 6'5 Greg Tinch from Albany (Westover) GA, both of whom are also high on the Pirates priority list, beats Gordon to the punch and commits first to Seton Hall." - PrepStar

7/28: 4th best SG in the USA, behind Torbert
"Gordon was awesome at ABCD, and hit 56 percent of his three-point attempts to tie for the camp-best mark. He is undersized for a two-guard, but much more shooting-oriented than other guys his size (Wagner, etc.) so he would not be considered a point guard. He and Anthony Roberson were a tough combo at ABCD. (Duke, Kentucky and Seton Hall)" - FastBreak

7/24: "Coach Doherty watched one of Gordon's game, and as a result, Gordon is listing the Tar Heels again, reports the All Star Report. However, as ASR says, a scholarship offer from UNC to Gordon is highly unlikely." - uncbasketball.com

7/24: "was attracting quite a crowd Saturday at the Converse Metro Classic at Seton Hall University. It seemed that no matter where Gordon was playing, an entourage of big time coaches would show up in tow and place themselves in strategic positions at courtside. Seton Hall and Duke: I wasn't sure if Coach Amaker and Coach Krzyzewski were evaluating players, being seen, or just catching up on old times. They were inseparable at Gordon's games, and even went over to watch Connecticut big man Mark Konecny together. These two schools have been on Gordon's list for a while, and they made sure that they saw plenty of him, and perhaps more importantly, he saw plenty of them. Villanova: Villanova may be coming on strong in the race to land Gordon. A few months ago, the Wildcats weren't even mentioned on his list, but now they are the third school out of his mouth. Head Coach Steve Lappas was watching his games religiously, standing under the basket during Mount Vernon's round of 16 game late in the afternoon. Connecticut: Assistant coach Karl Hobbs was positioned under the basket opposite of Coach Lappas for the round of 16 game. Gordon mentioned Connecticut second behind Seton Hall, and we were a little surprised that they were so high on the list. They could be the sleeper here. North Carolina: The Tar Heels are a relatively new addition to Ben's list, and Coach Doherty did watch one of his games. They haven't yet offered a scholarship, and frankly, we'd be surprised if they did with their current needs. UNC has two scholarships left and we expect them to use both on front court players (WF and C). Gordon mentioned UNC Charlotte, but we didn't see them in the building. Not saying that they weren't there, but we just didn't see them. Ben's next event will be the final Five Star Camp in Honesdale, PA in late August. For many of the coaches in attendance, this would be their last opportunity to look at Gordon during the evaluation period. He didn't dominate games here, so I don't know if his performance answered questions or created more of them. It will be interesting in the coming weeks to see who stays in contact with him." - AllStar Report

7/21: "The best known (PG) of the bunch is 6-2 Ben Gordon of Mount Vernon (N.Y.) High, whose suitors also include Seton Hall, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Duke and North Carolina. Gordon is a consensus national Top 25 prospect." - Charlotte Observer

7/14: 3rd best SG at ABCD Camp. - All Star Report

7/11: Shot a Camp best 56% from the trey line and 58% overall from the field (5th best).

7/10: "was a spectacularly flashy performer at last year's adidas ABCD Camp but has settled down into a more highly efficient player with excellent skills to play both guard positions. Seton Hall is the main school heard for athletic 6-2 Gordon." - ESPN/Recruiting USA

7/10: Selected to the ABCD Senior All Star game, July 10, 2000 - Insiders Report

7/9: Q: What schools are atop your list right now?
Gordon: I feel different everyday, but my main three are Kentucky, Seton Hall, and Duke. There are a bunch of other schools that I'm interested in.

Q: Have any of those three schools offered you a scholarship?
Gordon: They haven't come out and said it, but it's at the point where if I said I really wanted to go, then I think they'd offer me a scholarship. - UNCBasketball.com

7/7: "Ben Gordon is one of the top guards in the class of 2001. Gordon told us he is basically down to three favorite schools. Gordon top three are Seton Hall, Duke, and Kentucky. Ben told us he expects, "college to be one of the best times of his life." Gordon played extremely well in his first game but wasn't as impressive in game #2. When I had a chance to talk to him he mentioned three schools, Duke, Kentucky and Seton Hall. Hall seems to be the favorite at this point. He spoke very highly of Tommy Amaker. Gordon said that Amaker has sent him personal hand written letters and has been the most active in his recruitment. When he took an unofficial visit to Seton Hall they had a jersey with his name on it. Ben believes that the decision that he has to make about what college to attend is one of the most important decisions he will ever have to make. - ACC Recruiting Update

According to Prepstars two of the top juniors in the country have Cincinnati #1 on their early list of possible college choices. 6-foot-10 Ousmane Cisse from Montgomery,AL and 6-foot-1 PG/SG Ben Gordon from Mt Vernon,NY both have UC as their early leaders. - Posting from Marcus H on BearcatNews.com

5/24: "6'2 combo guard Ben Gordon who plays for the powerhouse Riverside Church program (same as KSat) is one of the top players in the country and certainly one of the best guards. This 6'2 combo Guard can torch the nets with his outstanding ability to get into the lane and pull up for mid range jumpers. Gordon is one of the top 25 player in the country and has a list of schools that Include: Seton Hall, Duke, Cincinnati, Kentucky, Syracuse, Villanova, Maryland, Virginia, and No. Carolina. Gordon will be showing his stuff this weekend at the Nike Bluegrass Festival in Louisville, KY." - Midwest Hoops

5/4: "..Ben's strengths provided by his high school coach Bob Cimmino: "Its his knowledge. Ben knows how to play the game. He really understands the flow of the game. He understands the game better than any player I have ever coached. As far as physical attributes, it's his jump-shot with the emphasis on "jump". He can really elevate over the defender." In short, I would like to add the cerebral aspect of Ben's game is matched only by his superior athleticism and exquisite "off the dribble" skills.
Interview by Duke.Rivals:
BDC- Who is your favorite NBA player? Ben Gordon - "Stephon Marbury." BDC- What current collegiate player do you admire the most? Ben- "Shane Battier." BDC- At present, what is your GPA? Ben- "3.0" BDC- Have you taken the SAT /ACT yet? Score? Ben- "I have taken the SAT, I got a 940." BDC- What academic discipline will you study in college? Ben- "I'd probably like to major in business." BDC- What programs are you currently considering? Ben- "Maryland, Virginia, UCONN, Duke, Seton Hall, Kentucky, and UCLA." BDC- Do you have a leader or leaders at this point? Ben- "Not yet." BDC- What factors will govern your decision in terms of the program you ultimately select? Ben- "How I interact with the coach, the players already there and going, the location of the school, and what kind of basketball program the school has." BDC- When do you intend to sign with or commit to a program? Ben- "Before my season starts."(next year's high school basketball season) BDC- What facet of your game requires the most work or improvement? Ben- "I would say being more vocal on the court and leading my team." BDC- What facet of your game do you consider your greatest asset? Ben- "Penetration and shooting." - Duke.Rivals.com


3/26: "Last night in the New York State Federation Class A championship game, 6-2 180 lb junior wing guard Ben Gordon went 7 for 14 from the field, including 1 of 2 free-throws with 3 seconds remaining in regulation as Mount Vernon (NY) defeated John F. Kennedy 60-58. Gordon finished the game with 20 points, and Mount Vernon ends their season a perfect 28-0. Ben is a talented marksman who has already received interest from Cincinnati, UConn, Duke, Maryland, Notre Dame, Rhode Island, Rutgers, Seton Hall, Virginia, and Syracuse." -All Star Report


3/00: Gordon's team finished ranked 21st in the USA according to "Basketball Phenoms", 20th according to USAToday and 14th in the FoxSports poll.

1/19/00: "arguably the best junior prospect in the New York metropolitan area, pumped in a career-best 41 points to lift Mt. Vernon (N.Y.) High to a 75-61 victory over White Plains (N.Y.) High on Tuesday. Gordon, a 6-2 off guard, shot 12-for-24 from the field and 14-for-16 from the line. In terms of recruiting, the talented underclassman remains wide open. Seton Hall, according to Mt. Vernon coach Bob Cimmino, has been Gordon’s most ardent suitor up to this point. “No one’s done a better job coming after him than Seton Hall,” Cimmino tells BIGEASTBRIEFS.com. UConn, Notre Dame, Rutgers, Duke and Cincinnati are among the many other programs that have made early inquiries." -Big East Briefs