With national spotlight on CIA Bounce and Andrew Wiggins, Tyler Ennis and Xavier Rathan-Mayes flourish

Posted: August 1, 2012 at 9:17 pm


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ATLANTIC CITY, N.J.Its difficult to say that this July live recruiting period has been more centrally focused on anyone other than Canadian phenom and No. 1 2014 prospect Andrew Wiggins.

Wiggins not only enjoyed personal success, distinguishing himself as perhaps the best high school player in the country, regardless of class, but also carried his CIA Bounce to the finals at Nike Peach Jam in South Carolina this month.

But behind the long shadow cast by Wiggins are two other prospects, Tyler Ennis and Xavier Rathan-Mays, who have prominent high-major recruitments of their own and are as integral to the success of CIA Bounces success as the standout, Wiggins.

Well, you know, Tyler and I always talk about this is the dream weve had since we were young, Rathan-Mayes told NBCSports.com at the Live in AC tournament. To have Coach Self and all the big-time coaches calling our phones for our services, were just embracing it and taking it day by day.

Wiggins was not in attendance for Live in AC, giving Ennis and Rathan-Mayes a larger share of the spotlight for the week.

Rathan-Mayes, a 6-4 guard from Toronto, Can., is a Top 50 national recruit and a pure scorer, gaining more visibility because of this crossover and game-winning shot from last summer that went viral.

He plays at Huntington Prep (W.V.) alongside Wiggins and has a unique perspective on the team dynamic that exists between himself, Ennis, and the No. 1 overall prospect in the country.

Ive know Andrew since I was about two years old and weve grown up playing together, said Rathan-Mayes. Playing with him, it makes things easier because you have to send double teams at him and it opens up free shots for me and Tyler.

Listed at 205 pounds, Rathan-Mays uses his body well, often backing down guards from the perimeter and creating space to get an open shot. On one sequence at Live in AC, he hit a fallaway jumper from the baseline off a crossover, then came down on the next possession and hit an identical shot with a defenders hand in his face.

Rathan-Mayes works as a complement to the savvy, poised Ennis, who is a Top 25 player in the class and the point guard of this talented CIA Bounce team. Ennis, much like Rathan-Mayes, feels the media spotlight that comes with playing alongside Wiggins, but maintains an impressively mature approach.

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With national spotlight on CIA Bounce and Andrew Wiggins, Tyler Ennis and Xavier Rathan-Mayes flourish

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August 1st, 2012 at 9:17 pm

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