Over the next month, The Post will bring you into the world of Cardinal Hayes/Team SCAN point guard Shavar Newkirk as he travels from Reading, Pa., to Springfield Mass., Augusta, Ga. and Las Vegas during the live recruiting period. One of the city’s top floor generals for nationally ranked Team SCAN, the 5-foot-11 Newkirk is looking to add to an already impressive AAU season. This is entry No. 1 of 4, as told to The Post’s Zach Braziller, which will appear over the next four weeks. The rest are slated for July 16, July 23 and 30.
I’m getting ready for the Hoop Group [Elite] Camp tomorrow. I’m just going to go out and showcase my skills, show that I’m better than what people think. I’ve been to Hoop Group before. I made the All-Star team every time I went.
People think I’m average, I believe I’m above-average. I’m going to play my game, do what I I do best and hopefully people see. I’m playing with a chip on my shoulder. Everybody has negative things to say about me. I want to show I should be recognized.
If I keep doing what I’m doing, eventually I’m going to get looked at. I don’t care about rankings. I could be No. whatever, that’s not gonna stop my opponents from coming at me.
I like this month, but I like the previous month because that allows our team to get in a groove, practice and get ready for July. We look forward to finishing [the AAU season] No. 1 but we have to take one game at a time, we have to play hard.
I’ve been working out in the gym, getting ready for school, working on every aspect of my game to get better.
Me and my teammates have been getting ready by having five-hour practices. That’s getting us ready for college. We’re working on our chemistry, working on individual skills, getting ready for July. My hopes for July are to win every tournament we enter and for everybody to show we’re a good team and show we’re No. 1.
I have college looks from St. John’s, Temple and West Virginia and I have offers from Manhattan, Iowa State, Seton Hall, Iona and Providence.
I’m going to put up shots in a little bit and [do some] weight-lifting. I’m been working on repetition on my jump shot and it’s giving me confident in the game to stretch the defense out.
Locally, I’ve been playing unlimited, to get use to playing taller, stronger defenders. It’s hopefully going to help me mature in my age group.
Check back with Shavar Newkirk for his next diary entry July 16.