PLAYER PROFILES
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ISAIAH EPPS 6-2 185 Freshman* Guard Plainfield, N.J. Hargrave Military Academy (Va.) V Plainfield H.S.
THE STORYLINE A lefthanded point guard, Isaiah Epps is a quick and agile player with elite level speed. One of the nation’s most prolific passers coming out of high school, Epps is a pass-first player who makes his teammates better. He has been compared to former Pitt point guard Levance Fields for his unique passing ability, shifty ball-handling skills and spot-up shooting in clutch situations. Epps can shoot the three, drive to the hoop or knock down pullup jumpers. He also has 3-point range. On the defensive end, his long arms enable him to get steals. He is a creative, intense, hard working player with speed, athleticism and court vision.
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2010-11 Redshirted the 2010-11 season.
HIGH SCHOOL Played his senior season at Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Va. for head coach Kevin Keatts…Led Hargrave to the nation’s No. 1 prep school ranking and 23-1 overall record…Averaged 18.0 points and six assists per game over the final half of the season…Led Hargrave to the national prep school championship semifinals where it lost an 86-83 decision to Northfield Mount Hermon… Led the squad with 20 points in Hargrave’s only loss of the season… Hargrave entered the 2009-10 season ranked No. 1 nationally in the ESPN prep school rankings…Named team captain…Played three years at Plainfield High School for coaches Jeff Lubreski (2008-09) and Pete Vasil (2006-08)…Second Team All-State, Group Four First Team All-County and All-Union First Team selection as a junior…Named to All-Area First Team by CentralJersey.com…Averaged 15.6 points, six rebounds and 5.5 assists as a junior in 2008-09…Led Plainfield to a 23-7 overall record and North NJSIAA championship in 2008-09…Scored 24 points (four 3-pointers) in a 70-67 Group Four Semifinal win against Paterson Eastside…Finished with a game-high 21 points in leading Plainfield to a 70-52 North 2 Group Four title game win over Piscataway... Registered a game-high 27 points, including four 3-pointers vs. St. Peter’s
Prep…Totaled 13 points and a careerhigh 14 assists in a 91-70 win over Elizabeth…Scored 30 points with five 3-pointers vs. Seton Hall Prep… Registered 26 points vs. Shabazz… Scored 24 points and named MVP of the Hoop Group Tipoff Showcase after a come-from-behind 73-61 win over Paterson Catholic…Hit five 3-pointers and finished with 23 points vs. Watchung Hills…Averaged 16.5 points, 6.4 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 3.6 steals as a sophomore…Guided the Cardinals to an 18-7 record as a sophomore… Attended the Deron Williams Skills Academy, sponsored by Nike and attended by the nation’s top high school point guards…Rated one of the “top passers” at the Williams Skills Camp…Played AAU basketball with the New Jersey Playaz for Head Coach Jim Salmon…Rated the nation’s No. 50 recruit by ESPN-U…Ranked the nation’s No. 58 recruit by Bob Gibbons…Rated the nation’s No. 69 recruit and No. 16 point guard by Rivals.com, The Sporting Newss and Lindy’s Magazine…Ranked the nation’s No. 92 recruit by Scout.com…Invited to attend the 2008 Reebok All-American Camp in Philadelphia…Named the 2008 Rumble in the Bronx MVP…Selected as the Most Outstanding Prospect at the Hoop Group Elite Camp…Played in the Pittsburgh Jam Fest, an AAU Tournament held at the Petersen Events Center.
PERSONAL Born Isaiah S. Epps on August 16, 1990…Son of Danielle Epps… Originally from New York City, moved to Plainfield, N.J. with his mother before the eighth grade…Nicknames are “Zeke” and “Easy”…Became the first Plainfield player to sign with a Big East school in more than 25 years… Second cousin is teammate Tray Woodall…Pitt assistant coach Brandin Knight is a New Jersey native and also played AAU basketball for the Playaz… Favorite player is LeBron James because he “looks for his teammates before he scores”…Committed to Pitt on January 12, 2009, midway through his junior year…Selected Pitt because he felt “comfortable, loved the school, loved his visit and loved everything about it”…Attended the same prep school (Hargrave) as former Pitt AllAmerican and current Memphis Grizzlies star Sam Young…Eight of his Hargrave teammates signed to play
NCAA Division I basketball…Played on same team with fellow Pitt signee Cameron Wright at the Lebron James Nike All-American Camp…Also considered Maryland, Florida, Texas, Seton Hall, Rutgers, St. John’s,
Georgetown, UCLA, Kansas, Ohio State, Providence, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech and Michigan State during the recruiting process...Enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences and plans to major in communications.