HUNTINGTON -- For months, basketball fans around town have been hearing a buzz about the new prep academy in Huntington.

Now, that buzz is picking up steam as the Huntington Prep Express gets ready to start its inaugural season. Not only does Huntington Prep feature a lot of talent, but the first-year team will take on some of the nation's best right here in Huntington.

Huntington Prep is a privately-owned basketball academy with the players attending Covenant School.

"We have an extremely tough schedule. The majority of the higher level teams that we play are actually at home, so we are excited about the hard work on the schedule paying off this first year," head coach Rob Fulford said. "Hopefully, Huntington backs the work that we are doing. It's a great product on the floor and it's a great group of guys."

Opponents such as Oak Hill Academy (Va.) and Findlay Prep (Nev.) are synonymous with top-tier prep basketball because of their talent. In last year's inaugural ESPN National High School Invitational, Findlay defeated Oak Hill Academy 74-66 to claim the national championship.

Huntington Prep's first season will feature both opponents as Findlay comes to Huntington on Jan. 8 before the Express travels to Mouth of Wilson, Va., to battle Oak Hill on Feb. 8. Both foes are ranked in ESPN Rise's Preseason Fab 50. Findlay is ranked No. 1 and Oak Hill is No. 3 in that poll.

Other ranked Huntington Prep opponents include the season-opener at home against No. 16 Columbus Northland (Dec. 5) and No. 43 Cincinnati Princeton (Feb. 6). The Express also take on No. 43 Paterson Catholic (N.J.) on Jan. 1 at Wheeling Jesuit University.

Fulford considered Huntington a great location after seeing the success of the 2006-07 Huntington High School team that featured O.J. Mayo and Patrick Patterson.

During that year, Huntington High's games were moved to Veterans Memorial Field House and a couple were even on ESPN at the Cam Henderson Center.

Fulford has similar dreams for his infant program, and with home games against Findlay and other top 50 schools, it is a distinct possibility.

"High-level basketball is definitely going to be a draw and we know that," Fulford said. "Once the community sees what we are doing and gets a chance to meet the kids and sees what product we actually have, they will definitely back it."

The 2009-10 team is made up of some international players such as Gorgui Sy Dieng, a 6-foot-10 center from Senegal who turned heads at the Nike Global Challenge when he limited Michigan State recruit Adreian Payne to just four rebounds on 0-of-3 shooting and hit the game-winning 3-pointer in Team Senegal's 66-65 win over USA Midwest.

"Gorgui is an NBA prospect that has a tremendous upside and college coaches want to come see it," Fulford said.

Sy Dieng is one of four players on the team from Africa. Fulford also has two Canadian players as well as players from France, Antigua and Serbia.

The players range from sophomore to senior in grade status. The team features four seniors, eight juniors and one sophomore.

The international talent mixes in with players such as Baltimore's Kevin Smith, a lightning-fast point guard with terrific handles and great court awareness, and Tre Erby, a 6-foot-4 pure shooter from Rock Hill, S.C., who is is interested in Marshall University.

"I think if you look from top to bottom, we will have 12 kids on the roster -- all of which are (NCAA) Division I players," Fulford said.

College coaches obviously agree, given the recent interest at Huntington Prep practices in the Marshall Recreation Center. Fulford said some of the interested spectators at practice have included Marshall head coach Donnie Jones, West Virginia head coach Bob Huggins, Virginia Tech assistant Ryan Odom and University of Kentucky assistant coach Rod Strickland.

If anyone knows the impact of a prep academy on a player, it is Strickland, who went from being a prep star at Oak Hill Academy to an NCAA All-American at DePaul and then an 18-year NBA career before getting into coaching.

"That's why they are here," Fulford said. "They are here to play at a higher level and get used to a Division I atmosphere which is created on a daily basis."

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