Blue and Gold Illustrated

team on Friday and Saturday. The pro- jected Notre Dame starters — junior guard Demetrius Jackson, junior guard Steve Vasturia, junior forward V.J. Beachem, sophomore forward Bonzie Colson and senior forward Zach Au- guste — all represented one team, while the recruits teamed up with a few other special visitors on the opposing squad. "Playing pickup alongside [former Irish stars] Pat Connaughton, Jerian Grant and Jack Cooley, that was a blast with all those NBA guys," John Mooney said. "The whole weekend was great, but that was the highlight. That was the best crew I've ever played with." It's been less than a month since Mooney decommitted from Florida, so the recruiting process with the Irish went from start to finish in a matter of weeks. "There just comes a time where a kid knows and a family knows," Kevin Mooney said. "It just felt so right. "I just can't begin to explain the whole Irish Catholic phenomenon. It's a mystery and it's magical — but it got into his blood, and we just knew." Mooney averaged 16.3 points and 12.0 rebounds per game as a junior at Lake Brantley. He's not ranked in the Rivals top 150 for the senior class. However, that's solely because he didn't play summer ball, and Rivals analysts have been unable to see him play. Mooney's high school coach, Mike Cuff, said he thinks Mooney's skill easily places him in the top-150 range nationally. "I think there's not a coach in Flor- ida that wouldn't want him on their team, I'll put it that way," Cuff said. "This is my 16th year in high school in Central Florida. We've seen kids NOTES FROM THE RECRUITING TRAIL • As noted by Temple Gibbs Jr., Notre Dame continues to pursue Mono (Ontario) Orangeville Prep senior center Thon Maker. The 7-0, 210-pound center is one of the elite players in the 2016 class. The five-star prospect will host Notre Dame on an in-home visit Sept. 14. • Clifton Park (N.Y.) Shenendehowa four-star senior guard Kevin Huerter committed to Maryland Sept. 7 following his second trip to see the Terrapins. Many considered his recruitment a Notre Dame- Maryland battle entering that visit to College Park. Huerter is ranked the No. 80 player nationally. • In addition to Javin DeLaurier and John Mooney, Notre Dame has also visited Wynnewood (Pa.) Friends Central School senior forward DeAndre Hunter and San Antonio Churchill senior forward Clevon Brown during the start of the fall recruiting period. Hunter — a 6-7, 195-pounder who is ranked as a four-star prospect and the No. 67 player nationally — is scheduled for an official visit to South Bend for the USC home football game over the Oct. 17 weekend. Brown — a 6-8, 215-pounder who is rated as a three-star recruit — has Notre Dame among his top 10 schools, but hasn't scheduled a visit yet. • Santa Monica (Calif.) High four-star senior forward Jayce Johnson had put Notre Dame in his top five and scheduled an official visit for the Sept. 25 weekend, but that was tabled after the Irish took Mooney's commitment. Johnson is ranked as the No. 83 player nationally in the 2016 class. • Four-star center James Banks also visited campus unofficially Sept. 5 for the Texas game. The 6-10, 230-pound senior — who is listed as the No. 86 player nationally — recently transferred to nearby La Lumiere School in La Porte, Ind., from Stockbridge (Ga.) Mt. Vernon.

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