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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.
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    • Coaching moves, St. John's, UConn

    St. John’s has two openings on its staff and rumors are rampant that Kimani Young of New Heights and/or Oswald Cross of the New York Panthers could get hired by the end of the month by Norm Roberts.

    Cross coached current SJU player Justin Burrell at Our Saviour Lutheran in the Bronx.

    “It’s Oz’s job to turn down,” a source told me.

    Young is the director of a New Heights program that features talented juniors JayVaughn Pinkston of Bishop Loughlin and Devon Collier and Ashton Pankey of St. Anthony.

    “Officially, there are no basketball staff changes at this time,” said a St. John’s spokesman.

    A previous rumor had Lincoln coach Dwayne “Tiny” Morton also in consideration, but Roberts told me that was not the case…Stay tuned.

    Seton Hall

    Keon Lawrence could suit up for Seton Hall this season if he obtains a hardship waiver, although that is far from a certainty at this point.

    A Newark, N.J., native, Lawrence transferred from Missouri and is in school at Seton Hall. He’s currenty in the process of working with the school to send in an appeal to the NCAA and there is a chance he could win the appeal.

    Still, it is early in the process and nothing has yet been decided.

    Dominic Cheek, Hurleys, Recruiting, Rutgers, Seton Hall, St. Anthony

    St. Anthony head coach Bob Hurley says Dominic Cheek is in “no rush” to trim his list of schools and make a final grouping.

    The 6-foot-5 Cheek, the No. 4 shooting guard in the Class of 2009 according to Rivals, told reporters in Connecticut last weekend that UConn, Villanova, Tennessee, Wake Forest and Kansas will make the list and that he’s planning an official visit to UConn.

    “When I make my list they’re definitely going to be one of the top schools,” Cheek said of UConn. “They have a great coach, they get people to the league (NBA), and they’re known for making deep runs in the NCAA Tournament.”

    Hurleys, Recruiting, St. Anthony

    St. Anthony coach Bob Hurley says Lamont “Momo” Jones won’t be coming to the Jersey City school after all.

    “School policy has been not to take seniors, so in talking to the principal they just felt that that was a good policy to maintain,” Hurley said by phone Wednesday afternoon. “I didn’t really have any strong feelings about it one way or another. I only met the young man once. I don’t think we want to change policy.”

    Hurley said he was uncertain where the 6-foot Jones, a Manhattan native who once played at Rice, would end up, but rumors have circulated that he may follow Tony Bergeron to Blair Christian (Pa.). Jones did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

    High School Transfers, Recruiting, Rutgers, Tobias Harris

    Tobias Harris, one of the top area players in the Class of 2010, is considering transferring from Dix Hills (N.Y) Half Hollow Hills West.

    “South Kent (Conn.) and Long Island Lutheran are trying to recruit Tobias to play for them,” Torrel Harris, Tobias’ father, said in a text message.

    The 6-8 Harris is the No. 21 power forward in the Class of 2010 and has numerous scholarship offers. Rutgers has made him a prime target for the Class of 2010.

    Recruiting, Rutgers, St. John's, Xavier

    Kevin Parrom has trimmed his list to five schools — and two of them are local.

    “I narrowed it down a little bit,” the 6-foot-6, 200-pound Parrom said Tuesday night by phone. “Right now it’s Xavier, St. John’s, South Carolina, Marquette and Rutgers. I don’t have a favorite.”

    Parrom, the No. 18 small forward in the Class of 2009 according to Rivals, said he hopes to make a decision before his senior season at South Kent (Conn.). He and former St. Raymond’s of the Bronx teammate Omari Lawrence both transferred to the Connecticut prep school during the offseason, and are part of a mass exodus from the New York Catholic League to various prep schools and New Jersey parochial powerhouses that also includes Devon Collier and Ashton Pankey (to St. Anthony) and Doron Lamb (to Oak Hill).

    Hurleys, Rutgers, St. Benedict's

    Greg Echenique, an incoming Rutgers freshman from St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark, N.J., is coming off an impressive showing in the FIBA Americas U18 Championship in Argentina. Playing for his native Venezuela, Echenique led the tournament in scoring (22.2 ppg) and blocks (3.6 per game) and was second in rebounding (13.6). Beginning Thursday, he will compete for South America in the adidas Basketball Experience in Dallas.

    Here is a brief interview with Echenique conducted by email while he is in Brazil preparing to head to Dallas for the event, which will also feature Americans Lance Stephenson and Dexter Strickland.

    AZ: How did you enjoy the time in Argentina and how do you feel you played?

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