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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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Thursday / December 26.
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    • Rutgers

    Rutgers sophomore forward Greg Echenique will miss the rest of the season and will seek a medical redshirt.
     
    Echenique, a 6-foot-9, 265-pound forward from Guatire, Venezuela, underwent successful surgery Dec. 9 to repair a detached retina in his left eye. His surgeon told him not to touch a basketball for eight weeks and he would not have been eligible to return to action until at least mid-February.
     
    Echenique then underwent a follow-up procedure on Thursday.
     
    “The well-being of my players is always the top consideration,” Rutgers coach Fred Hill said. “Our primary concern is for Gregory’s complete recovery, so that his academic and athletic development continues in good health.”

    Paterson Catholic, Seton Hall, St. Patrick

    Seton Hall-bound forward Fuquan Edwin dropped 24 points as Paterson Catholic, No. 24 in the PrepNation.com poll, downed Fort Myers 75-47 Friday at the City of Palms Classic in Fort Myers, Fla.

    Junior forward Derrick Randall had 15 points, 11 rebounds and 7 blocks.

    “Fuquan was just Fuquan. Derrick Randall, he was a rebounding, blocked-shot machine down here,” PC coach Damon Wright said by phone. “He did really well.”

    Virginia Tech, St. John’s, Providence, Temple, St. Joe’s and Seton Hall have offered Randall, Wright said, while Georgetown and Pittsburgh “really like him.”

    Old Knicks, Rock 'n' Roll

    photoI met Warren Haynes Friday night at the Clippers-Knicks game — won by the Knicks, 95-91 — and he was kind enough to pose for this photo, taken by my man Scott Mandel of sportsreporters.com.

    For those who don’t know, Warren is a guitarist for The Allman Brothers Band, The Dead and his own band, Gov’t Mule. Rolling Stone ranked him No. 23 on the list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of all time.

    I’ve probably seen 30-40 Allmans shows in my life, many at the Beacon Theater during the annual March run.

    Warren said The Brothers would be back in NYC in March 2010, but not at the Beacon because the theater is booked. Huh? Booked after all these years of the Allmans?

    Anyway, they will appear for their ‘Peakin’ at the Beacon’ run at the United Palace Theatre on 175th St. That is also a great venue, which has recently hosted Bob Dylan and Neil Young, among others.

    Seton Hall, St. Patrick

    Bobby Gonzalez’s Seton Hall Pirates are a perfect 8-0 heading into Saturday’s tilt with Temple at the Prudential Center.

    That’s the same Temple team that is coming off a 75-65 victory over then-No. 3 Villanova last Sunday, meaning this gives the Pirates a chance at their first signature win of the season.

    The game will also mark the debut for not one, but two Seton Hall players.

    Junior forward Jeff Robinson, a Trenton, N.J. native, told me earlier this year he had circled this date on his calendar because he knew he would be making his first appearance with the Pirates after transferring from Memphis and sitting out a year.

    Junior guard Keon Lawrence of Newark will also take the court for the first time after being reinstated after causing a two-car accident on the Garden State Parkway.

    You have to figure both guys will be pretty keyed up making their debuts in front of friends and family at the Prudential Center.

    Indiana, Kentucky

    John Calipari on Friday responded to Bob Knight’s comments.

    Sweating after a strenuous practice, Calipari told reporters in Kentucky:

    “What I can tell you is, I’m a big fan, respect him as a basketball coach, always have,” Calipari said. “Matter of fact, I took my [Memphis] staff down to Texas Tech, spent a day, watched him practice. [He] helped me with the dribble-drive — made it even better. [I] don’t agree with what he said, but it doesn’t change how I feel about him.”

    Knight became the highest-profile person in the college basketball world to call out Calipari when he made these comments Thursday at the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.

    “We’ve gotten into this situation where integrity is really lacking and that’s why I’m glad I’m not coaching,” Knight said. “You see we’ve got a coach at Kentucky who put two schools on probation and he’s still coaching. I really don’t understand that.”

    Calipari is the only coach in history to have two Final

    Alabama, Fordham, Tennessee, USC

    Former Fordham guard Jio Fontan plans to visit Alabama after he trips to USC and Tennessee.

    The 6-foot-1 Fontan leaves Friday for USC and will see the Tennessee-USC game Saturday.

    He goes to Tennessee Tuesday and will visit Alabama sometime before the New Year. 

    “I spoke with Coach [Anthony] Grant in Alabama,” said Jorge Fontan, Jio’s dad. “We’re probably going to visit them after Tennessee and after Christmas. They have a game on the 30th [against Tennessee State].”

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