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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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Wednesday / December 25.
  • Rutgers will visit Cincinnati Oct. 11, but Ben Mauk won’t be the Bearcats QB.

    Mauk, one of the key components in Cincinnati’s rise to Top 25 prominence last season, had his final appeal for another year of eligibility turned down Friday by the NCAA. It was the third time that Mauk’s request for another season has been rejected by the NCAA.

    “I’m disappointed for Ben,” coach Brian Kelly said after the team’s practice Friday. “But he’s a pretty resilient kid. Obviously he’s quite disappointed himself. But he’s got a lot of good options out there.”

    Read the rest of the AP story below.

    Here are a few quick notes on defending national champion Kansas….

    **Neither Lance Stephenson of Brooklyn Lincoln nor Dominic Cheek of St. Anthony in Jersey City has yet to schedule a visit to Kansas, although both have mentioned the Jayhawks on their short list.

    “He would like to make visits in the fall,” St. Anthony coach Bob Hurley said of the 6-foot-5 Cheek, who has also mentioned UConn, Villanova, Tennessee and Wake Forest near the top of his list. “The good thing with New Jersey starting time so late, we don’t have to rush into anything. He has a test score. He’s able to make his visits. We can get the process started. There’s no real rush.”

    **The Dallas Independent School District has concluded that the allegations of improper grade-changing at South Oak Cliff High School, which involved former Kansas forward Darrell Arthur, are unfounded, according to The Kansas City Star.

    It will be a busy August for St. Patrick sophomore Michael Gilchrist .

    The 6-foot-7, 185-pound standout from St. Patrick of Elizabeth, N.J. is among those at the Nike Global Challenge, which began Friday in Portland, Ore. Later this month, he will compete alongside teammate Dexter Strickland in the Boost Mobile Elite 24 event at Harlem’s Rucker Park. Lance Stephenson of Lincoln, Durand Scott of Rice and Tristan Thompson of St. Benedict’s Prep will also compete in that event.

    Gilchrist is one of the elite players in the Class of 2011 and has already been called a potential future NBA lottery pick by some.

    “Based on watching high major-[college players] and NBA kids, Michael fits the same profile as O.J. Mayo, Greg Oden and Kevin Durant” as rising ninth graders, Spencer Pulliam, founder and publisher of the Generation Next Basketball recruiting service, told the Philly Inquirer last year. “He has everything you want in a prospect.”

    Brian Freeman, a 6-8, 220-pound senior power forward from Potomac (VA) Potomac Falls, committed to Fordham on Thursday.

    “Fordham had been in it since the beginning of his junior year,” said Potomac head coach Sean Whalen. “A lot of teams came on late after the last Eastern, but he had a really good relationship with (assistant coach) Travis Lyons and Coach (Dereck) Whittenburg.”

    Omari Lawrence will visit UConn this weekend as part of his tour of Big East schools.

    The 6-foot-4, 185-pound Lawrence, ranked No. 32 among shooting guards in the Class of 2009 by Rivals, also lists St. John’s, Florida, South Florida, Providence and Marquette among his top options.

    “St. John’s is my favorite,” Lawrence said in a text message.

    Lawrence was uncertain if he will also attend Jim Calhoun’s Charity All-Star Game this Saturday at Mohegan Sun Arena. The event will feature many former UConn greats, including Ray Allen, Caron Butler, Ben Gordon, Emeka Okafor, Rudy Gay, Marcus Williams, Josh Boone, Donyell Marshall and Donny Marshall.

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