Eli Holman’s basketball story has taken another twist.

The IU basketball recruit has returned to school and is hoping to play basketball when his suspension is terminated from the California Interscholastic Federation.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Holman originally decided to be home schooled when he believed he was targeted in the Jan. 20 shooting. But police recently told him that Richmond gang members were actually the targets of the shooting.

For more on this story read the San Francisco Chronicle’s story.

Could there be a greater honor for a high school basketball player than to be named to a team that honors Michael Jordan?

Can’t think of one.

Here’s the release.

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2007 Jordan Brand All-American Team Announced

O.J. Mayo, Derrick Rose and Eric Gordon Highlight Star-Studded Lineup For High School Basketball Event on April 21st at Madison Square Garden

NEW YORK, NY (January 31, 2007) – Jordan Brand, a division of Nike, Inc., announced today that O.J. Mayo (Huntington, WV/Southern Cal), Derrick Rose (Chicago, IL/Memphis) and Eric Gordon (Indianapolis, IN/Indiana) headline the nation’s top 20 high school senior basketball players at the 2007 Jordan Brand All-American Classic, presented by Foot Locker and Boost Mobile, at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, April 21st.  This year’s event will be televised nationally live on ESPN2.  The Jordan Brand All-American Classic will also continue to include a regional game, showcasing the top prep players from the New York City metropolitan area in a City vs. Suburbs showdown.  A portion of the proceeds will once again benefit the New York City-based charity, The Children’s Aid Society.

 “There have been so many stars in the Jordan Classic over the years,” said Mayo, who has been an All-USA Today first-team selection since his sophomore season.  “I am thrilled to play my final high school game at Madison Square Garden with the best players in the country.”

 In addition to Mayo, Rose and Gordon, the Jordan Brand All-American Team also includes Jerryd Bayless (Phoenix, AZ/Arizona), Michael Beasley (Fitchburg, MA/Kansas State), Nick Calathes (Winter Park, FL/Florida), Corey Fisher (Elizabeth, NJ/Villanova), Austin Freeman (Hyattsville, MD/Georgetown), Donte Greene (Towson, MD/Syracuse), Blake Griffin (Edmond, OK/Oklahoma), Gary Johnson (Houston, TX/Texas), Jeffrey Jordan (Wilmette, IL/Undecided), Kosta Koufos (Canton, OH/Ohio State), Jai Lucas (Houston, TX/Undecided), Chandler Parsons (Winter Park, FL/Florida), Patrick Patterson (Huntington, WV/Undecided), Kyle Singler (Medford, OR/Duke), Durrell Summers (Redford, MI/Michigan State) and Chris Wright (Washington, DC/Georgetown) and Chris Wright (Trotwood, OH/Dayton).

 The 2006 Jordan Brand All-American Classic was highlighted by a co-MVP performance from two of the NCAA’s top players this year, Kevin Durant from the University of Texas and Thaddeus Young from Georgia Tech.  Young posted 28 points and 13 rebounds to lead his team to a 108-95 victory.  Durant finished with 16 points, seven rebounds and three blocks.

  “These Jordan Brand All-Americans continue to represent the future of basketball,” said Larry Miller, President of Jordan Brand.  “The game will again feature the best players in the country at the World’s Most Famous Arena and benefit a great cause in the Children’s Aid Society.”

 Sponsored by Jordan Brand, the event is also annually attended by some of sport and entertainment’s biggest stars, who have included Michael Jordan, Spike Lee, LL Cool J, Warren Sapp, Terrell Owens, Floyd Mayweather, Kanye West, Ahmad Rashad, Al Harrington and Vince Carter.  Atlanta-based rap sensation, T.I., performed at the 2006 All-American game.

 Recent Jordan Brand All-Americans have included NBA stars Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James, Amare Stoudemire, Dwight Howard and Chris Paul as well as current NCAA standouts Durant, Young, Tyler Hansbrough (North Carolina), Brandan Wright (North Carolina), Corey Brewer (Florida), D.J. White (Indiana) and Spencer Hawes (Washington).

In addition to the game, the Jordan Brand All-Americans have a number of special events around New York City.  Last year’s players held an autograph session at a local Foot Locker with artists Fat Joe and Trey Songz, participated in a basketball clinic at the Children’s Aid Society’s Dunlevy Milbank Center in Harlem for over 100 New York City kids, visited Ground Zero, toured BET’s studios and attended an intimate awards dinner with Michael Jordan where they received their All-American rings.

 This year’s event doubleheader will begin with the Regional Game at 6:30 p.m., followed by the All-American Game at 9:00 p.m.  The regional rosters will be announced in early March. 

 Tickets are now on sale at all Ticketmaster locations, the Madison Square Garden box office, online at ticketmaster.com or by calling 212-307-7171.  For more information, please visit the official web site, www.JordanBrandAllAmerican.com.

Well, I’ve just about reorganized my thoughts following the weekly Kelvin Sampson Comedy Hour. Good session this week with a few interesting tidbits.

Here are a few that I won’t be able to fit in the paper tomorrow.

– Sampson said the Big Ten has a rule stating that traveling teams must arrive the night before a game. He’d prefer not to do that in many cases because it creates so much down time for his team. When he was at Oklahoma — the Big 12 has no such rule — he’d have the team leave the day of a game and never even bother with a hotel. This season, he’s learning to use the idle time. He said that’s the best time for players to watch game film, since they don’t always get many hours to do that during a typical week.

– D.J. White said he started really feeling comfortable — with new coach Kelvin Sampson, with his healed left foot, with a new offense — in December. He’s become a much more versatile player since then, according to Sampson. Of course, Sampson added his own jovial barb at his best player: “I don’t think D.J. made a jump shot in November.”

– After the Michigan game, in which the Wolverines went to the line 35 times compared to Indiana’s 18, Sampson said the disparity could be blamed on the Hoosiers’ aggressive defense and stupid play. He was upset with the number of times his players fouled on jump shots. He realizes that free throws will be a major factor on Wednesday night — the Badgers get to the line more than anyone in the conference — and is hoping the game is not called too tightly.

I’ll post more once I go through my notes more thoroughly.

Indiana basketball coach Kelvin Sampson met witht he media today.

Click here to listen to the entire press conference.

I apologize in advance to my elders for this next sentence.

I’ve heard a lot of “old people” complaining about the IU student section lately, with the biggest complaint surrounding the student’s timeliness. These complaints are probably fair, most students do come within minutes of tip-off and I can’t blame them. When I wake up for my 11:15 a.m. class I have to tell myself the British are coming just to motivate myself out of bed.

But you can’t be too critical about the student section. Why you ask? Because then the students will fire back and complain about your respective weaknesses (bathroom breaks, leaving to beat the traffic, standing…).

But I can. I’m one of “them” — a student. I can be as self-critical as Peyton Manning watching film. After all, I am technically a student season-ticket holder, although my roommates cash in on this more than I do. So I’ve come to your defense old people, enjoy.

1. No White Out
Maybe you forgot, but thanks to former athletic director Michael McNeely, IU’s school colors are not red and white — but CREAM and CRIMSON. So why are the students trying to white out Assembly Hall? Wouldn’t a “Cream” out be much more appropriate? This has nothing to do with Eric Clapton, calm down “old people.”

And call me negative, but I can definitely see this back firing. Isn’t white a sign of weakness? If Wisconsin gets up early are Hoosier fans going to take their shirts off and construct makeshift flags?

2. Get rid of the costumes
This gets me more than anything. Costumes are appropriate on Halloween, every other day of the year you look either crazy or like Clinton Portis. I’ve see more banana costumes than I have Hoosier jerseys at home games this season. And just to make things worse, this fad is starting to catch on. For the sake of IU basketball, save your Ninja Turtle costumes for the fal and put on the cream and crimson when visiting Assembly Hall.

By the way, this message specifically goes out to the individual who wore the Wonder Bread costume to the Michigan game. If you didn’t see him (how?!) he was sitting in the front row at half-court celebrating every timeout like it was New Years. I don’t want to say this guy was begging for attention, but he wore a Wonder Bread costume to a basketball game. I’ve more entertained by the sling-shot that launches shirts than Wonder Boy.

3. Show some respect
Was “old people” the best we could come up with? For all of the alcohol the student section consumes, this was the most creative chant we could come up with? Sigh.

I’d also like to see the student section show some more common sense. For example, if you’re rooting for the Hoosiers, it most likely isn’t a good idea to scream at Mike White when he is trying to shoot free throws.

Did I forget anything? Have any advice for the student section? Any recent Clinton Portis sightings? I’ll grant you temporary immunity: stand up and air your grievances regarding the Assembly Hall student section.

Eric Thomas, a 6-foot-4, 250-pound defensive end, has given Indiana a verbal commitment, according to the Cleveland Plain-Dealer.

To read the Plain-Dealer story, click here.

Thomas, from the powerhouse Glenville program that also produced Indiana receiver Ray Fisher, is rated as the 42nd-best senior in Ohio by Ohio High Magazine.

IU basketball recruit Eric Gordon and the North Central Panthers have lost three of their last four, but they’ll have a chance to recover on national television.

On Thursday, North Central’s game versus Loyola Academy (Ill.) will be broadcast on ESPN2 at 7 p.m.

The sold-out home game on Thursday is the first of two games Gordon will play this weekend. After Friday’s showdown, the Panthers will go on the road to take on Terre Haute South the next night.

The game against Loyola on Friday may bring a celebrity to North Central’s home gym. Loyola’s basketball team features two of Michael Jordan’s sons.