Nova’s Yarou Listed as Doubtful
Villanova freshman forward Mouphtaou Yarou continues to
Villanova freshman forward Mouphtaou Yarou continues to
**Read the feature on Duke and UConn invading MSG for the Preseason NIT here**
NEW YORK — For what it’s worth, Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni has the backing of Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski.
Coach K was the head coach on Team USA when it won the gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and D’Antoni was one of his assistants.
“I love Mike D’Antoni. I think he’s a brilliant coach and a really good guy. He’s a guy that as a coach you can spend a long season with and enjoy it,” Coach K said.
Now, D’Antoni is struggling with a Knicks team that is 3-11 after Tuesday night’s blowout loss to the Lakers.
NEW YORK — UConn coach Jim Calhoun says he doesn’t think sophomore point guard Kemba Walker will leave early for the NBA.
“No, I don’t think it’s going to happen. I personally don’t think he’s in that position quite yet,” Calhoun said Tuesday as the Huskies prepared to face LSU in the Dick’s Sporting Goods Preseason NIT Season Tip-Off at MSG.
Asked if he’d had that conversation with Walker, Calhoun said, “Yes, yes. Right now the only thing he’s trying to do is get better.”
Calhoun will lose two seniors to the pros next season in forward Stanley Robinson, a likely first-round pick, and guard Jerome Dyson.
The 6-foot-1, 172-pound Walker out of Manhattan Rice High School is averaging 14.7 points and 3.3 assists on the young season. Speculation has him considering a potential leap to the NBA after this season but Calhoun doesn’t think it will happen.
**Read the feature on Duke and UConn invading MSG for the Preseason NIT here**
NEW YORK — Coach K doesn’t really care where LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh end up next summer, but he hopes they figure it out quickly.
“Hopefully, whatever they have to take care of will be done before the World Championships,” Coach K said Tuesday in advance of the Dick’s Sporting Goods Preseason NIT Season Tip-Off this week at MSG.
UConn faces LSU at 7 p.m. Wednesday and Duke plays Arizona State at 9. The winners square off on Friday.
James, Wade and Bosh all played for Coach K on Team USA when it won the gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
That trio will also lead the free agent parade beginning July 1, 2010.
Krzyzewksi hopes James, Wade and Bosh sign their free-agent deals well in advance of the FIBA World Championship in Turkey Aug. 28-Sept. 12.
Numerous teams, including the Knicks, have worked to get under the salary cap to make a run at one or more of these elite free agents.
Rutgers appears to be the leader at
Now that his season has ended with another State sectional championship, Paterson Catholic defensive end Trevor Clemmings is set to take college visits.
The 6-foot-6, 263-pound Clemmings will visit Pittsburgh Dec. 11 but no other visits have been set, according to PC coach Benjie Wimberly.
The top New Jersey recruit in the Class of 2010 despite playing in just his second year of organized football, Clemmings initially verballed to Pitt in June but then reopened his recruitment. He is also considering Florida, Ohio State and Rutgers.
“He’s high on Pitt but he’s looking at Ohio State and Florida,” said Chris Melvin of EliteRecruits.com, an advisor to Clemmings. “I think the frontrunner has to be Pitt.”
NEW YORK -- Doc Rivers on Sunday
