August 8, 2006

David Fox
Rivals.com Basketball Recruiting Staff Writer

For the first time since prior to his sophomore season, the Cincinnati North College Hill star is not on top of the Rivals150 for the class of 2007. In his place at No. 1 in the post-summer rankings is Oak Hill Academy power forward Michael Beasley.

Mayo's absence from the top spot is not a complete surprise, said Rivals.com national basketball analyst Jerry Meyer. Several players narrowed the gap between themselves and Mayo by making huge strides this summer.

Along with Beasley, Indianapolis North Central shooting guard Eric Gordon and Chicago Simeon point guard Derrick Rose were in the discussion for the No. 1 spot.

Gordon moved from No. 8 in the spring rankings to No. 2 in the Rivals150, while Rose remained at No. 3. Medford (Ore.) South Medford small forward Kyle Singler moved from No. 6 to No. 4. Mayo is ranked fifth.

"It was a very tough call," Meyer said. "O.J. is certainly a great player and a tremendous pro prospect. What's happened is some guys caught up with him. You can make a strong argument for all three."

Beasley earned the top spot by showcasing his versatility this summer. He is a power forward that is strong on the interior and also has the ability to shoot from outside.

"What gave Beasley the edge is that more often his type is drafted higher and more valued by general managers. When you look at the NBA and how the NBA is evolving, a multi-dimensional player with size is so valuable."

After laying low during the spring, Gordon came out strong during July tournaments. Gordon and teammate Rose led the Mean Street Express to a championship in the Peach Jam and a second-place finish in the Big Time.

However, it was Gordon who stood out with consistently dominating performances in both tournaments.

Although he remained at No. 3 in the Rivals150, Rose overtook Mayo as the nation's top point guard. Through the summer, Rose improved his ball handling and displayed elite athleticism for a point guard.

"O.J. is nonetheless a tremendous player and ready to play right now," Meyer said. "One reason O.J. has dominated is because of his physical strength. Now guys are getting stronger. O.J.'s skill level was so refined early on he was far ahead of everyone else. Now you have a player like Derrick Rose whose ball handling has sharpened. He's a true point guard with world-class athleticism. That's how he caught up."

Among other big movers in the post-summer Rivals150:

? Houston Episcopal center DeAndre Jordan moved from No. 33 to No. 8 after playing more consistently and harder over the last year. Going toe-to-toe with center Kevin Love, who is No. 7 in the latest rankings, during the ABCD camp was a testament to his development and maturation.

? Chandler Parsons, AAU teammate of No. 11 prospect Nick Calathes made the biggest jump. Parsons moved from No. 145 in April to No. 30. A 6-foot-8 small forward, Parsons averaged about 30 points per game during the Peach Jam. On the negative side, he needs to put on some weight to improve defensively.

? Indianapolis Pike point guard Jeff Teague moved from No. 142 to 53 after his performance in the Big Time. "He didn't have a lot of star power around him, but he made players around him better," Meyer said. "He showed the ability to get past his defender and make his own shot. He showed us something on the defensive end."

? After dropping nearly 60 pounds, Durham (N.C.) Mt. Zion forward Tracy Smith skyrocketed from No. 96 in April to No. 41. Smith played at 280 pounds last summer before shedding 58 pounds to play at 222 at the ABCD Camp in July. "That revolutionized his game," Meyer said.