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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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Sunday / November 17.
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    • Baylor, Duke, Fordham, John Wall, Kansas, Kentucky, La Salle, Louisville, Memphis, Miami, N.C. State, Siena, St. Joe's, Syracuse, UConn

    John Wall is down to two schools — Kentucky and Miami — according to multiple sources close to the situation.

    “It’s down to the two of them, no question about it,” one source said. “It is Kentucky and Miami. The kid is leaning toward Kentucky. There is a little bit of a concern with the people closest to him that if he goes to Kentucky that they’re going to lose control.”

    Said a second source at one of the schools: “That’s what we’re hearing.”

    Brian Clifton, Wall’s adviser, told Luke Winn of SI.com that it was “accurate” to say that the race was between Duke, Kentucky and Miami, but my sources indicate it’s a two-horse race between Miami and Kentucky.

    The 6-foot-4 Wall has not publicly cut his list. Asked by text on Sunday when he might cut it, he said, “I don’t know.”

    Wall is the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2009 and has long considered Baylor, Duke, Florida, Kentucky, Memphis, Miami and N.C. State.

    Kentucky coach John Calipari pursued both Wall and Alabama point guard Eric Bledsoe, with the idea that Wall would start at the point and Bledsoe would play 10-15 minutes as a backup. If Wall followed former Calipari guards Derrick Rose and Tyreke Evans by jumping to the NBA after one season, Bledsoe would take over in 2010.

    Memphis, Rutgers, St. Anthony

    Mike Rosario sure is going to rack up the frequent flyer miles this summer.

    Rosario, a member of the Big East All-Rookie team at Rutgers, heads to Madrid May 23 with his Rutgers teammates for a trip that includes four games in four days against club teams.

    From there, Rosario heads to Puerto Rico to meet up with Fordham guard Jio Fontan and the other members of the Puerto Rican U19 National Team. The team will also include Raymond Cintron, the No. 1 point guard in Puerto Rico.

    Rosario and Fontan are best friends and former teammates at St. Anthony in Jersey City. Under head coach Bob Hurley, they led the Friars to the 2008 Tournament of Champions title and a mythical national championship. The team’s story was captured in the upcoming film, ‘The Street Stops Here.’ Check out the trailer here.

    “We’re excited that these guys are playing,” said Todd Washington, senior adviser to the President of the Puerto Rican Basketball Association. “These guys come from St. Anthony. They have the discipline and experience. We think they’re going to bring a lot in terms of experience. We ‘re excited about the team. We think we have a medal-level team here.”

    Americans in Europe, Arizona, Lance Stephenson, Memphis, Siena, Sonny Vaccaro, St. Joe's, UNLV

    Sonny Vaccaro has served as an advisor to Lance Stephenson and his family during the recruiting process and even the Godfather of Grassroots Basketball is mystified by this particular recruitment.

    Vaccaro said during a recent  interview with a Memphis radio station that he initially thought Memphis would land the 6-foot-5 Stephenson, but now he is uncertain.

    “For some reason his family can’t make this decision,” Vaccaro said. “Last week at this time I would’ve thought he was going to Memphis. That was the last time I talked to ‘Stretch,’ that’s his dad. He texted me and said they’re interested in another school right now.”

    Arizona, Lance Stephenson, Louisville, Memphis, Pittsburgh, Villanova

    Lance Stephenson dropped 38 points to lead the New York Panthers to an 84-76 victory in the quarterfinals of the 2009 Is8/Nike Spring High School Classic in Queens, N.Y. on Sunday, but the biggest news about the Brooklyn star came off the court.

    Arizona-bound wing Kevin Parrom, who played with Stephenson on the Panthers, told reporters Stephenson would visit the PAC-10 school shortly with his father, Lance Stephenson Sr.

    “I guess he’s showing some interest in Arizona because he said he will come out there to visit,” Parrom told UAHoopscoach.com. “With all the questions I’m getting I feel like I’m part of the coaching staff recruiting him, but that’s cool. I understand it.

    “If we can bring another player like him to add to what we have, that would be great. He’s one of those ‘wonder kids.’ If we get him, great. I can’t get mad at that. That would be a plus.”

    Sources at Arizona said no plans are currently in motion for Stephenson to visit Arizona this week or next weekend.

    “It wouldn’t surprise me [if he visited],” a source close to Stephenson said. “I’ve been hearing about Arizona for two weeks now.

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