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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.
  • With the Knicks set to play their first exhibition game inside the United States against the Boston Celtics Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden, they may turn to a foreigner at center.

    Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni is strongly considering giving the start to 7-foot-1, 250-pound Russian Timofey Mozgov.

    “We’re trying to look at everybody in different spots, but that’s one we definitely want to look at,” D’Antoni told reporters Monday after practice. “I don’t know, do you really want him to go up against Shaq first time around? You’ve got to be able to find him on Thursday.”

    Siena leads for St. Benedict’s Prep guard Vaughn Gray, but new players are involved in his recruitment.

    After taking an official to Siena last weekend, the 6-foot-5 Gray will get a special visitor today at the Newark school.

    “Arizona State head coach Herb Sendek called St. Ben’s Coach Roshown McLeod last week inquiring about Vaughn and he is flying into town on Tuesday  to watch Vaughn and the team work out,” said St. Ben’s assistant coach Billy Diamond, who is coordinating Gray’s recruitment.

    Mario Moody, a 6-foot-7, 210-pound senior small forward from East Orange (N.J.) Campus, is the latest player to commit to Wagner coach Dan Hurley.

    “It was last [Sunday] night, actually,” Moody said by phone.

    “I liked that it was  good local school and I got accustomed to being there. I’ve been there five or six times.”

    He added: “I picked the school because I thought it would help me achieve my goals in the short term, mid term and long term. My long term goal is to be a successful person and  to make to the NBA.”

    The Eddie Griffin Challenge will take place Sunday at Trenton Catholic. The address is 175 Leonard Ave., Trenton, N.J. 

    Here are the game times and rosters:

    Sophomore Game – 3 p.m.

    Junior Game – 4:30 p.m.

    Senior Game – 6 p.m.

    New Jersey Seniors

    LaQuinton Ross     Life Center Academy (Ohio State)

    Myles Mack           St Anthony (Rutgers)

    Sterling Gibbs        Seton Hall Prep (Maryland)

    There is a lot of rumor and speculation out there about much-traveled power forward Karron Johnson, but his mentor, James Black, said the 6-foot-8 Johnson will sign with Oklahoma State this fall.

    “He’s definitely going to Oklahoma State,” Black, pictured here with Johnson, said Monday by phone. “Karron’s set to sign this November at Oklahoma State. He’s going to do an early signing.”

    Johnson, 20, initially committed to Oklahoma State and then decommitted and was recruited by other schools, including West Virginia.

    Today will be a busy day at Oak Hill Academy.

    UCLA head coach Ben Howland and Villanova assistant Jason Donnelly are both scheduled to visit senior point guard Quinn Cook, sources said.

    Cook, who is primarily considering Duke, UCLA, Villanova and Kansas, visits Duke Friday, along with Austin Rivers and Quincy Miller.

    Cook’s Oak Hill teammate, Ben McLemore, trips to Kansas on Friday.

    Also, Jabarie Hinds of Mount Vernon said UCLA assistant coach Scott Duncan will be in today to watch him lift and work out.

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