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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 / December 22.
  • St. Patrick and Paterson Catholic are the two top high school teams in New Jersey and two of the Top 10 teams in the USA Today Super 25 rankings.

    Basketball fans had looked forward to a possible matchup of the two programs in the New Jersey state tournament.

    But with just three days to go before the start of the tournament and St. Patrick’s future in the hands of the courts, we still don’t know if the teams will meet this year.

    “I am hoping to play against St. Pat’s,” said Paterson Catholic senior guard Jayon James, who has verbally committed to Fordham. “I want a rematch with them to prove to everyone that we are undefeated for a reason.”

    **Click the Video Player at right for my interviews with Tom Konchalski, where he talks New York and New Jersey high school playoffs and recruiting**

    WROTEN LISTS NEW TOP 5

    Seattle (Wash.) Garfield junior guard Tony Wroten listed a new top five on his Twitter page Thursday.

    “My top 5. 1.uconn 2.nova 3.syracuse 4.uw and the5th choice is up to my bro @QCook323.”

    As for UConn, Wroten wrote, “i wanna play wit kemba walker and i love coach calhoun.”

    On Villanova, he said, “Villanova= 4 guard offense,there no better offense for me to play for. I love coach wright and malik wayns is my dude. Pause. Love philly

    On Syracuse, “Syracuse= love the big east and i loVe that 2-3 zone and syracuse coaching is great.”

    St. Patrick advances to what could be its last game at Union County finals

    Duke-bound point guard Kyrie Irving and Western Kentucky commit Derrick Gordon combined for 25 points to lead St. Patrick over Union 64-47 in the semifinals of the Union County tournament Wednesday night in Elizabeth, N.J.

    Michael Gilchrist added 9 points, 14 rebounds and 3 blocks.

    The Celtics are in the final for the 18th straight year and will face Tyrone Johnson and Plainfield Saturday at 3 at Kean College.

    “That’s a big-time game. I know everybody wants to see me and Kyrie match up. Everything is on, the lights are on. Throw the ball up and I’m coming out to play hard,” Johnson, a junior point guard who dropped 21 points as Plainfield beat Linden, 55-41, told Mike Kinney of The Star-Ledger.


    My wife, Jen, and I went to see the second of two ‘Further‘ shows Wednesday night at Radio City Music Hall, and I must say…the experience exceeded all of my expectations.

    Phil Lesh will be 70 in March and Bobby Weir is 62, but they sounded just about at the top of their game. It was my first experience listening to John Kadlecik of the Dark Star Orchestra, who sings the Jerry Garcia parts and sounds just like him.

    It’s a little eerie, honestly. Close your eyes and it sounded like Jerry is right there in the room. It’s kind of like the film ‘Rock Star,’ based on the real-life story of Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens, a Judas Priest tribute singer who was eventually chosen to replace Rob Halford in the real Judas Priest.

    Check out this version of ‘Mr. Fantasy’ from Tuesday’s show.

    Last night’s show included ‘Scarlet Begonias,’ ‘Fire on the Mountain,’ ‘Touch of Grey,’ ‘St. Stephen’, ‘Uncle John’s Band’ and a tremendous ‘Brokedown Palace’ to close.

    Anyway, the energy was great and I highly recommend catching some of this tour if you can. They play at Mohegan Sun on Friday.

    Here’s the setlist, courtesy Phantasytour.com:

    Elizabeth (N.J.) St. Patrick High School filed suit in federal district court in Newark Wednesday against the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, claiming numerous civil rights violations and seeking to enjoin the NJSIAA from barring the school’s boys’ basketball team from the State tournament, which begins March 1.

    The complaint alleges that the NJSIAA violated St. Patrick’s student-athletes’ rights to due process, privacy and the free exercise of religion by ignoring its own regulations, entering the school’s gym under false pretenses, taking secret video of students on school property and disregarding NJSIAA precedents.

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