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Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
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Friday / November 22.
  • Here are a few quick hits from around the hoops recruiting world…

    **Fordham commit Chris Gaston continues to play well on the summer circuit. He had 42 points and 19 rebounds in a game in Orlando last night for the New Jersey ShoreShots, and added 35 and 17 in today’s quarterfinals, where the Jersey team lost.

    Gaston, a 6-7, 205-pound forward from St. Anthony in Jersey City who’s committed to Fordham for 2009, was previously named MVP of the Triple S Harley Davidson Shootout at West Virginia. He will prep next year at New Hampton (N.H.).

    **Shaq Thomas, a 6-3 wing from Paterson (NJ) Catholic who is the nephew of NBA star Tim Thomas, has picked up an offer from Syracuse. Thomas is also being courted by Xavier, Fordham and Virginia Tech.

    **Ryan Kelly of Ravenscroft (NC) Prep, who moved from NYC to Raleigh when he was a child, is the focus of some high level schools, including Stanford, North Carolina and Notre Dame. Davidson, Virginia and Georgetown have also offered. Most think UNC will land Kelly, especially if David and Travis Wear de-commit. Kelly teamed with the Wear twins on the USA U18 team that lost in the FIBA Americans U18 Championship to Argentina.

    As first reported here last month, former Paterson Catholic and Paterson Eastside head coach Tommie Patterson is the new coach at Clifton (NJ) High School, the second-largest school in the state. The hiring became official Wednesday night.

    “I feel tremendously honored to be given the opportunity to be the next head boys basketball coach at Clifton High School,” Patterson said. “Our conference is very competitive but I believe the program is untapped with all the support it has — both in terms of fan base and resources.”

    Patterson will continue to teach at Eastside and work toward obtaining a Special Education certificate.

    Some quick hits from around the world of recruiting…

    **Glen Rice Jr. committed to Georgia Tech Thursday, picking the Jackets over Miami and Florida State.

    “It is a done deal; Glen is going to Georgia Tech,” Rice’s high school coach, Joy Goydish, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

    Paul Hewitt’s recruiting class now includes Rice (Rivals No. 46); Mfon Udofia (Rivals No. 30); Kammeon Holsey; and Brian Oliver (Rivals No. 108).

    **Los Angeles big man Renardo Sidney, one of the top recruits in the Class of 2009, says he will take an official to Memphis this fall. He previously told me his list included Texas, Texas A&M, Arizona State, USC, UCLA and Memphis.

    “(I’m going to decide) after my season, after my senior season,” the 6-9 Sidney said recently.

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