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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.
  • Lamont “Momo” Jones will suit up next year for Bob Hurley.

    Jones, a talented 6-foot, 196-pound shooting guard, last year played alongside Tyreke Evans for Tony Bergeron at American Christian in Aston, Pa. When American Christian shut its high school wing, many figured Jones would follow Bergeron when he went to coach nearby Blair Christian (Pa.).

    But Bergeron has opted to take a job at East Longmeadow High (Mass.) to be near his ailing father, and Jones is coming to St. Anthony.

    “His GPA in school is over 3.0. I think that’s a positive,” Hurley said in a phone interview. “St. Anthony doesn’t normally take seniors. But the fact that his school (American Christian) closed and he’s got grades and the third thing is that he has a Catholic school background. His first two years he was at Rice, then he went to the Christian school this year. So I think those things would be the consideration.

    Dalton Pepper and Danny Jennings both committed to West Virginia within a few hours on Friday, once again proving that Bob Huggins and his staff are a force to be reckoned with from New York to Philly. Pepper committed at about 3 p.m., and Jennings followed suit around 7.

    Pepper, a 6-5 shooting guard from Pennsbury (Pa.) High ranked No. 134 in the Class of 2009, chose West Virginia over Temple, Villanova, Wake Forest and Miami.

    “I went to West Virginia (in early July for an unofficial),” said Pepper, named Most Outstanding Player at the Hoop Group Camp at The College of New Jersey earlier this month. “I worked out with (Devin Ebanks and Kevin Jones) when I went down there. We went out and stuff. I got to know them.”

    The U.S. U18 team lost to Argentina, 77-64, in the gold medal game of the FIBA Americas U18 Championship in Formosa, Argentina.

    It was the first loss of the tournament for the Americans, who already qualified for the 2009 FIBA U18 World Championship in New Zealand.

    UConn-bound guard Kemba Walker was named MVP of the tournament after scoring 21 points and dishing 3 assists in the final. UCLA-bound guard Malcolm Lee scored 13 and Kansas frosh TRavis Releford 12. Dominic Cheek scored just 5 points. Alabama commit JaMychal Green posted a double-double of 10 points and 14 boards.

    Count the Memphis Tigers as the latest team to enter the Kyrie Irving Sweepstakes.

    A source close to John Calipari’s program says “Memphis is very interested” in the 6-1 combination guard from St. Patrick of Elizabeth, N.J.  St. Pat’s assistant Ray Miller said he wasn’t sure if Memphis had officially offered Irving yet.

    “I would be surprised if he doesn’t get more offers from those types of schools,” St. Pat’s coach Kevin Boyle said of Irving. “If he would’ve went to the LeBron (James US Skills Academy), he would’ve had everybody on him.”

    Former St. Patrick standout Jeff Robinson will be a sophomore this season at Memphis, so Calipari has proven he can recruit Boyle’s talent-rich program.

    A tremendously polished guard with a knack for scoring, Irving also holds offers from Rutgers, Seton Hall, Texas A&M and St. Joe’s. He was named the Most Outstanding Prospect at the Hoop Group Elite Camp and was selected to the Top 20 All-Star Game. Last season, he led Montclair Kimberley to its first-ever New Jersey Prep ‘B’ State title last season, averaging 26.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4. 8 assists and 3.6 steals. He had the two highest scoring totals in New Jersey, dropping in 47 points in one game and 48 in another.

    PHILADELPHIA – One of the fastest rising young stars in the Class of 2010 is Paterson Catholic junior forward Fuquan Edwin.

    At the recent Reebok All-American Camp, Edwin was named to the Underclassmen All-Star Game — where he had a vicious putback dunk in transition — and also reached the Championship Game of the event,. Despite playing alongside Renardo Sidney, Edwin’s Answer XII team lost, 70-66, to Pump Omni in the final.

    “He’s a good player,” the 6-10 Sidney, one of the top players in the Class of 2009, said of Edwin. “He’s a great team player. He’s energetic. He’s a defensive stopper. I love him, man. I wish he could play for my AAU team because we need players like that.”

    6-11, 240-pound center Augustine Okosun is leaving Seton Hall.

    “Yes (I’m transferring),” Okosun said in a very brief phone conversation Thursday night.

    “Augustine worked hard for us and was a solid contributor last season,” Seton Hall head coach Bobby Gonzalez said in a release Friday. “Unfortunately, we were not able to afford him the playing time he desired. With his release, he’ll be able to play more at another school. I wish him the best of luck.”

    Okosun, a native of Benin City, Nigeria who played JUCO ball at Harcum (Pa.) College, saw the handwriting on the wall, with 6-11, 340-pound frosh Melvyn “Big Mel” Oliver coming in from Mississippi Elite Christian Academy, and Brandon Walters and John Garcia both getting better in the offseason. He averaged 1.8 points and 2.0 rebounds in 30 games for the Pirates last season, averaging 9.7 minutes.

    Okosun is the second player to leave Seton Hall since last season ended. Sophomore guard Larry Davis transferred to Loyola Marymount in April.

    We hear Okosun may end up playing for Rollie Massimino at Northwood (Fla.) University, an NAIA school.

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