It's almost March and you know what that means; March Madness! With that being said I figured I would take it back to my balling days just a bit. When I moved from Boston, I got situated in Harford County, Maryland. It would turn out to be a place that consisted of ballers that got slept on. It would turn out that nobody could sleep on Jai Lewis (Gary Neal-his teammate as well). Recently, we got with him to talk Harford County recruiting, his Final Four appearance with George Mason, and Gary Neal.

Courtcred: Tell us about when in high school you started to get D-1 looks and what made you choose George Mason?

Jai Lewis: I started get interest for basketball after my junior, when I started playing AAU basketball with Baltimore Select. But I started getting recruited hard when i attended prep school at Maine Central. I choose GMU because they had a lot of things in place to make sure i would excel on and off the floor. I also decided on Mason cause it was far enough but close enough from home.

Courtcred: There has been a a lot of talent to come out of Harford County why do you think that people sleep on it?

Jai Lewis: Yes, there has been a lot of talent to come out Harford county and there could have been so much more. The one major reason why i think the county is slept on is because there is no big time/named schools with exposure like the city schools. But if as long as the County school schedule to play a lot of city schools in the out conference schedule things will be fine.

Courtcred: Tell us about your experience of not only making the tourney but knocking teams out that you were "supposed" to lose to?

Jai Lewis: My experience from making the tourney and going on that run is something that will last a life time. From being an 11th seed and beating 3 teams that won the national tourney in the 3 past years of the 06 tourney in incredible. One thing in sports and in life no matter how big of an underdog you are there is always a chance.

Courtcred:  What's different from playing in the states vs playing overseas?

Jai Lewis: The major thing in playing in the states than overseas is family. You are so many miles away from family and you are unable to just pick and go see them when you get a break like you would in the states. Playing overseas is basically learning how to adjust to different cultures and how things are done. But the basketball is pretty much the same.

Courtcred: Do you and Gary Neal (old teammates) still talk

Jai Lewis:  Yes, Gary and I talk whenever we get a chance. We may send a twit or a facebook message here and there. Whenever we are home during the summer we do play and the same gyms so we get to chat about things going on in the world.

Courtcred:  What's one word of advice you would give to those in Harford County that feel they will get overshadowed by the city?

Jai Lewis: I don't think i can say it in one word, but i would tell them just to advantage of the times you play the city schools cause you never know who is watching. Also to keep working at what you do and try to find ways to get the exposure that you want.