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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.
  • Kavon Stewart and Reggie Cameron were two of the rising stars on a Paterson Catholic team that went undefeated through much of the high school season and peaked at No. 3 in the nation.

    With Paterson Catholic closing this month, both players have elected to attend Hudson Catholic beginning next year, where they will play for Nick Mariniello, one of the top coaches in the Garden State.

    “That’s where I’m going,” the 5-10 Stewart, pictured above, told ZAGSBLOG contributor Alex Kline.

    Asked if the 6-4 Cameron was coming with him, Stewart said, “Yes.”

    Mariniello said Stewart was currently playing with Hudson Catholic in various summer events and will be attending in the fall.

    JaKarr Sampson says he has an idea where LeBron James is going, but isn’t certain where he himself will wind up.

    Sampson is a 6-foot-7, 193-pound power forward from Akron (Ohio) St. Vincent-St. Mary, LeBron’s high school alma mater.

    Sampson has spoken with King James several times when LeBron returns to the high school for practices, workouts and to watch games.

    “I think he’s going to stay in Akron,” Sampson said, referring to James’ pending free agency. “That’s where his family is, that’s where all his people are at, that’s where’s he grew up at.”

    When the free agency period begins July 1, James could elect to re-sign with the Cavaliers — thus allowing him to stay home near Akron — or join a team with cap space, such as the Knicks, Nets, Bulls, Heat or Clippers.

    Lance Stephenson has won more championships in Madison Square Garden in the last five years than the Knicks have in their entire history.

    Yes, those were PSAL high school titles at Lincoln High School, but there is no denying Stephenson’s comfort factor in the World’s Most Famous Arena.

    The Brooklyn native nicknamed “Born Ready” could end up playing professionally in the Garden if things fall a certain way.

    The 6-foot-5, 220-pound Stephenson will work out Saturday for the Knicks at their Westchester Campus.

    J.P. Tokoto had just returned from seeing “Karate Kid” with his friends late Tuesday night, when his phone rang at 12:01 a.m. Wisconsin time

    “It was Coach [Roy] Williams,” Tokoto said by phone from the NBA Top 100 Camp in Charlottesville, Va.

    The 6-foot-6 Tokoto had spoken to the North Carolina coach numerous times but this call was different. Tuesday marked the first day college coaches could call members of the Class of 2012.

    “I was very excited,” Tokoto said. “It wasn’t my first time talking to him so at first I thought it was just another phonecall with coach Roy. I was not expecting at the end of the conversation to get an offer, which took me by surprise and left me speechless.”

    LeBryan Nash has a top five but says he’s “wide open” beyond that.

    A 6-foot-7, 225-pound small forward from Dallas Lincoln, Nash lists Baylor, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Syracuse  and Kentucky as his top five.

    “I’m wide open to everybody. They are all equal,” Nash, the No. 2 small forward in the Class of 2011, said by phone from the USA U18 trials in San Antonio, Texas.

    The Texas native has taken unofficials to Baylor, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.

    “I’m taking my officials to Kentucky and Syracuse in September,” he said.

    Nash said he wants to “be a big fish in a big pond,” wherever he goes.

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