Will Joy stay in Virginia?

Joy Caracciolo a 6-2 junior center from Stonewall Jackson High, has decommited from East Carolina since Pirates coach Sharon Baldwin-Tenor left for Georgia State. Among the schools Caracciolo reportedly has an interest in: Old Dominion, where she has already taken an unofficial visit.

This past season, the 6-foot-2 center averaged 20.9 points, 11.2 rebounds and 2.4 blocked shots in helping lead the Raiders to the Group AAA state tournament. She was an all-Cedar Run District and all-Northwest Region selection.

At least 11 Division I schools have shown interest in Caracciolo, including James Madison, Delaware, George Mason and Virginia Commonwealth. Read up on this kid and you'll learn she not only plays a mean game of basketball. She's got quite the singing voice, too.

Radford signs Lake Taylor guard

Breshara Gordon, a 5-6 guard from Virginia Group AAA state champion Lake Taylor, signed a letter-of-intent with Radford Thursday. She is the first addition to the Highlanders' 2010-11 class; a school spokesman indicated one more player may be on the way. And the Highlanders will be really set if a year from now Gordon can convince one of her teammates to join her. Lake Taylor's rising senior class is flat-out loaded.

As for Gordon, she may have been overshadowed at times on such a star-studded roster, but she seized the spotlight all to herself in the 2009 Eastern Region semifinals.

Another tribute to Mel

Love the last anecdote of this tribute to Mel

Mel is just Mel

Something like 100 years ago I was a sports intern at The Philadelphia Inquirer. Despite my journalism pedigree from the University of Missouri, I found the Inquirer an intimidating place. Its mammoth size was daunting. The writers were superstars in their craft. The sports department wasn't used to having interns, so I was rather alone as a newbie trying to figure out the lay of the land. I didn't know the city or the sports or how to drive, for that matter. I spent the summer living above an antique store in the apartment of a rock musician who was on the road. It sounds glamorous, maybe, but it wasn't.

It's always great to have someone who makes the road a little bit easier when you haven't a clue, and that's what Mel Greenberg did for me.

Mel is retiring from the Inquirer this week -- not women's basketball, just the Inquirer. He's an amazing guy, and I'm glad I can call him my friend.

I'd love to say that in the summer of 1990 I hung on every word Mel had to say about women's basketball. But it wasn't like that. I remember Mel from the night desk in Philly. I had trouble figuring out what I was doing on the computer system and everybody seemed too busy to ask. Mel was busy, too, but he always had time to help, whether I had one question or 20, and I usually had 20.

It wasn't until years later when I became a women's basketball writer that I began to understand the role Mel has played in the development of the sport. He knows its past and present, and he's inside enough to be able to tell you what's going to happen in the future. What a head start I could have gotten on the annals of women's basketball if I had loved the sport then the way I love it now. But I didn't know.

Truth is I didn't discover the sport till a few years later. I didn't realize in my intern days what an asset Mel was to the game. My buddy Lou, an editor there, told me about Mel, but I didn't realize Mel invented the women's basketball poll and was a one-man show for many years. What Bud Collins is to tennis, Mel is to women's basketball. I wish I had known at the time.

I didn't know because nothing about talking with Mel says big time. Mel is humble and unassuming and easygoing. He's a storyteller, if you can decipher his stories. I've frequently compared conversations with him to reading a Faulkner novel -- even if you start at the beginning, you still feel as if you've somehow missed something. Mel knows all the layers of the game. He's an encyclopedia of knowledge, and if you can grab on to what's he saying, he'll take you on quite a journey.

Speaking of journeys, Mel is always on one. If he sleeps, I don't know when. I can't imagine the hours he's spent in the car after working the night shift driving to a women's basketball game that anybody else would have blown off. Mel never talks about it like it's a chore. It's just what he does, what he's done, hundreds and hundreds of times.

The first time I ran into Mel a few years after I interned, I didn't expect him to remember me. But Mel has always remembered who I was. Writers can be pretty cliquey at times, but there's no clique with Mel, a member of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame whose Greenberg Award is the Pulitzer in the sport. It doesn't matter if he has a million things to do -- he makes the time and he is genuine all the time. Mel knows a million times more than I do, but he's always made me feel like I had something to add about a sport that's he narrated for nearly 40 years.

Lou used to say, "Mel is just Mel," and that's just it. There's no one like him. One of a kind. The Inquirer was lucky to have him all those years. The sport is richer thanks to him. And me, I'm lucky, too. I'm lucky I know Mel. And I'm flattered Mel knows me, too.

UNC Wilmington fires Ann Hancock

UNC Wilmington has fired head coach Ann Hancock after 10 seasons, the school announced in a release Wednesday.

"We appreciate Ann's hard work and dedication to UNCW during her time here," director of athletics Kelly Mehrtens. "We wish her the best of luck in her future endeavors."

Hancock led the Seahawks to a 138-156 record (72-91 CAA) during her tenure. She earned CAA Coach of the Year honors in 2003, then had things bottom out during the 2006-07 season when UNCW went just 8-23. But the 2007-08 Seahawks went 17-14 to rank among the most improved teams in the nation, and after a 16-15 mark the following year, the hope was for another step forward in 2009-10. But the Seahawks slumped to a 12-19 mark last season, and the campaign ended with a thud in a 27-point loss to eventual champion James Madison in the CAA Tournament quarterfinals.

Hancock had been the fourth-longest tenured CAA coach at her current school. William and Mary's Debbie Taylor just completed her 11th season with the Tribe, Tina Martin her 14th at Delaware and Wendy Larry her 23rd at Old Dominion. Also, Lea Henry just wrapped up her 16th season at Georgia State before resigning last month. The Panthers introduced former East Carolina head coach Sharon Baldwin-Tener as their new leader last week.

UVa., Va.Tech - bring basketballs and bathing suits

Virginia and Virginia Tech will spend part of their Thanksgiving Day on basketball courts in exotic locales.

Debbie Ryan's crew will join West Virginia, TCU and Iowa State - all 2009-10 NCAA Tournament qualifiers - in the Jam Division of the 11th annual Paradise Jam Nov. 25-27 at the University of the Virgin Islands in St. Thomas.

The schedule:

Nov. 25 (Thanksgiving) - Virginia vs. Iowa State, 3:15 p.m. (EST)
Nov. 26 - Virginia vs. West Virginia, 1p.m.
Nov. 27 - Virginia vs. TCU, 1 p.m.

The Cavaliers last appeared in the Paradise Jam in 2005, when they finished second after dropping a 69-64 decision to Minnesota.

Meanwhile, Virginia Tech will join Iowa, Montana and Purdue in the Mar Division of the sixth annual Caribbean Classic in Cancun, Mexico. We're not sure of the schedule yet, but the Hokies will play two games over the Nov. 25-27 time period.

In 2005, Tech defeated Western Michigan and Texas Tech in Cancun to improve to 10-0. The following week, the Hokies were elevated to the No. 25 slot in the Associated Press poll.

Virginia Tech's early, EARLY recruiting pitch

The Salisbury (N.C.) Post is reporting that Virginia Tech has offered a scholarship to eighth-grader Brielle Blaire, a 5-11 phenom who apparently lit things up last weekend at Boo Williams Nike Invitational in Hampton. How good is Blaire? Here's her answer, via Twitter - "I'm a future WNBA player wit mad skillz."
Yep, she's an eighth-grader all right. At least we know she's not bashful.

A more objective opinion comes from John Jordan, the director of girlshoopscout.com who had Blaire in a fall exposure camp - and this was in 2008, when Blaire was just starting seventh-grade.

This young lady totally dominated the camp," Jordan wrote. "Right now she could start for many D2 and perhaps even a few D1 programs... An athletic forward with a great jump shot including 3-point range who has the ability to attack the rim and finish with contact. And when I say finish I mean she's finishing on 6-4 girls who are mid- to high-major level players. Extremely skilled, aggressive and athletic. I predict that she will be getting major D1 offers before she ever starts high school. She is that good."

Hyperbole? Perhaps. I mean, an athletic forward with a great jumper who can attack and finish through contact? That's Maya Moore, right? But Jordan was apparently right about D1 offers coming in before Blaire hits high school. Looks like Virginia Tech may be the first. But if this kid is even half as good as she sounds, the Hokies definitely won't be the last.

Extreme makeover continues at NSU

Make that six incoming recruits for Norfolk State, who have now added 5-10 guard-forward Sarah Daily from Blinn Community College in Texas to the mix. The move creates a reunion of sorts - two years ago NSU's Debra Clark, then the head coach at Florida A&M, was recruiting Daily to become a Lady Rattler.

"But when I didn't go, she didn't go," Clark said. "Now we're back together."

Daily will join guard Tia Moore, Herndon High center Carlon Chambers, New Jersey guard Rae Corbo, Woodbridge High forward Rachel Gordon and Illinois forward Destiny Spence as new Spartans this fall.

Curious transfer at Delaware

We've been expecting some roster moves at Delaware, where Tina Martin's task is to find enough supplementary talent to complement All-American Elena Delle Donne. But we weren't expecting the exodus of junior Tesia Harris, who the school announced last week will transfer.

The move is curious on several fronts. Rarely do juniors with just one year of eligibility remaining transfer, particularly if no coaching change is involved. Playing time wasn't an issue - Harris has been an unquestioned starter the past two years. And Harris appeared to be thriving as a player at Delaware. She averaged 12.2 ppg last season - second among Blue Hens to Delle Donne - and two years ago was a third-team All-CAA pick.

We're not in the speculation business when it comes to why players come and go, and all Martin is offering is the perfunctory "We wish Tesia well." But the News-Journal's Kevin Tresolini, who's has stayed on top of Blue Hens sports for years, suggests the move may have something to do with wanting to be closer to home, and that St. John's is a likely destination.

Obviously we hope things work out well for Harris. As for Delaware, while this hardly qualifies as good news, Harris' departure shouldn't cripple the Blue Hens going forward. Delaware needs players capable of capitalizing on the extra attention Delle Donne demands. Like most of last year's Blue Hens, Harris (a 35.7 percent shooter) struggled in this regard.

So far, Delaware has just one incoming recruit, center Kelsey Buchanan, the Virginia Division 4 Player of the Year from two-time state champion Freedom High. The Blue Hens also appear to be in play for at least one other hotshot. Anna Kestler, a point guard from Pittsburgh and the No. 52-ranked player in ESPN's Top 60 juniors, lists Delaware among the leaders for her services along with Virginia, Rutgers, Vanderbilt, St. John's (maybe to team with Harris?), and Wisconsin-Green Bay.

That a player with Kestler's options is considering Delaware is important because Martin has said that last summer, the lure of playing with Delle Donne at a mid-major school like Delaware wasn't that attractive to high-profile recruits. Now that people have seen that Delle Donne is everything she's cracked up to be, at least one big-time recruit is giving the idea serious thought.

A Who's Who at Boo

If you've never seen AAU ball, you'll be confused by the Boo Williams Nike Invitational playing out for the upteenth year in a row in Hampton this weekend. Maybe you've done some research and you think you know. You know about this kid named Elizabeth Williams, Virginia's Gatorade State Player of the Year. Pat and Geno have her on speed dial. You know Boo's elite squad has four others from the top 100 junior prospects, including Tennessee-bound Cierra Burdick. You've read about future Huskey Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis.

Bria Smith, Rachel Hollivay, Temi Fagbenie. Jewels of the 2011 class.

They're all here is and so is everybody who is anybody in women's basketball. Yet still it's confusing. Starting with the parking lot.

You can't find a spot. Cars are wedged in every which way and it's not exactly a tiny lot. You take a chance and park in the fire lane but are talked out of it. Finally somebody leaves and you're set, gazing at all the big and tall girls headed the same direction as you, walking into Boo's Sportplex arena like a herd of cattle. Orlando Comets. Tennessee Flight. Team Taurasi. Alana Beard's Future. You like that name. You go inside and players are everywhere, and you wonder. Which faces should I memorize so I can say I saw her when?

You head one direction and realize the kids on the court must be 13. You've got years to check those young'ins out, so you wander away, eager to set your sights on the next Maya Moore. Boo's team has tipped off, and you think it will be obvious. Which one is going to Tennessee? Which two are going to Duke? Hey, that kid on the other court over there looks like Kayla Pederson. Is she going to be somebody?

As desperately as you'd like to be the one informing, you need to be informed. You're find yourself trying to overhear the folks in the bleachers who seem to know who's who. You want to fixate on one player, but who? Does anybody have a roster? There's no name on the back of these jerseys. There's no program, that you can afford anyway. That coveted coach's binder that everybody wearing a collegiate shirt is walking around with costs $200, a bargain considering every kid's phone number is alongside her name.

Speaking of coaches, they're all here. You see Pat Summitt walk by in an understated black polo that reads Tennessee. You wonder why it's not orange. You see that blond, blond hair and realize it's Brenda Frese. Andy Landers walks by alone. There's Beth Cunningham and Denise Dillon. No Geno, but assistant Chris Dailey is roaming around.

The shirts read Appalachian State. Monmouth. Delaware State. Hey, that's Sylvia Hatchell.

Summitt gets up after watching Boo's team struggle in the first half, and you wonder. Was she watching Cierra? The kid's already verballed, after all. Is Cierra watching Pat watching her? Wendy Larry sits down where Summitt sat. You know how much Wendy must want one of these thoroughbreds who's in her own back yard. What a coup it would be for her to get one of those Lake Taylor High School kids, who stunned Princess Anne in this year's state title game. Three of the Titans are on this Boo team. One of them is Linda Stepney but you hear she's getting letters from the SEC, ACC and Big East. No UConn and Tennessee, but everybody else.

C. Vivian Stringer sits down when Larry moves along. Is there something about that seat?

The answer is no. It's not a luxury box. It's a portable bleacher roped off that says "NCAA Coaches Only." Don't know if anybody would stop you from walking right up to Stringer or Summitt and plopping down. You'd think somebody would like an autograph, but that's not what this scene is about. Everybody is used to each other because on a smaller scale, this scene is played out all over the country most of the spring and summer.

Some teams are jogging around the track that encircles all these courts in this huge facility of Boo's. Other teams collect in the stands. "When do you play tomorrow?" a mom asks her. Her daughter rolls her eyes. Don't know, she says. "When do we play?" she yells to a teammate two rows in front. Somebody says 1 something and then 7:30.

All the while these games go on, like a TV droning in the background. This is no child's play. It's physical, more physical than any college game you've watched this season, yet you hear whistles, whistles, whistless. But where are they coming from? With so many courts bunched together, you don't know which way to turn. Is that whistle coming from this court or that court? No matter because the game keeps rolling as if there's a plane to catch.The coaches don't seem to be throwing a fit on the sidelines over the refs, either. You could get used to this.

You've only been there a few hours, but you're bleary eyed. No high school game feels like this. No college game, either. This is AAU -- one day, one slice, one game at a time.