Sports

Live in AC notebook: Boys High’s Andrews continues winning ways with Sports U

ATLANTIC CITY – Wherever Rashad Andrews goes, he wins.

After being part of St. Anthony of Jersey City’s undefeated 2010-11 campaign, winning a PSAL Class AA crown with Boys & Girls, the program’s record-setting third in a row, and a state Federation Class AA title, the uncommitted Queens native has continued his winning ways this month with Sports University/Team IZOD, a northern New Jersey-based AAU program.

After de-committing from Adelphi and opting to go prep, Andrew decided to spend July on the road after missing the live recruiting period in the spring. He had other AAU options, but chose Sports U because of familiarity — he played in the program last summer — and its winning pedigree.

Sports U began the month by winning the Reebok Showdown Series in Philadelphia, took home hardware at the Under Armour Summer Jam in Milwaukee, Wis. and went 1-1 on Wednesday at Richard Stockton College to kick off the inaugural Live in AC event.

“It’s comfortable, I feel at home,” Andrews said. “They let me play my game. Every school is at our games. … It’s a good experience playing against top players. You have to bring your game all the time.”

Because the team is so loaded, featuring top New Jersey prospects like Josh Brown and Hallice Cooke from St. Anthony of Jersey City, Jared Dickens of St. Patrick, Kasim Chandler of Imani Christian, Andrew comes off the bench, a role he has embraced.

“I come in and bring a lot of energy on offense and defense,” said Andrews, who has recently drawn Division I interest from Nebraska and Robert Morris and will either prep at Lee Academy (Mass.) or The Gunnery School (Conn.). “I don’t mind. It’s been fun.”

Clarke, formerly of Holy Cross, ready to prove he’s Division I material: Mairega Clarke spoke with family, friends, teammates, opponents — virtually everyone he could think of — when it came time to decide his future. On the one hand, the Holy Cross forward held Division II offers from Adelphi, St. Rose and Assumption, but on the other had the option of attending prep school at burgeoning program Putnam Science Academy (Conn.), where he could pursue his dream of a Division I scholarship.

Virtually everyone told him the same thing: Do one year of prep school and see what happens.

“I put a lot of work into this and to see for less than what I want wouldn’t be a good decision,” said Clarke, who helped Holy Cross reach the CHSAA Class AA finals in March and averaged over 13 points per game. “I feel like I’m a Division I talent.”

Playing this spring and summer on the AAU circuit with the New Rens and Raising Champions, Clarke has heard from Florida Atlantic, Rhode Island and Delaware State. He’ll get plenty of opportunities over the winter with Putnam Science, a team that included highly recruited Bronx guard Dayshon Smith and former Boys High wing Joel Angus.

“It’s another opportunity to prove myself, prove I’m a Division I player,” he said. “I’m excited. I have one more shot. I might as well take it.”

zbraziller@nypost.com