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.
In case there was any doubt about the talent that comes out of the New York-New Jersey-Philly area, this week’s Player of the Week results should put them to rest.
**Kentucky freshman Doron Lamb of Queens was named SEC Player of the Week after he scored 32 points in leading the Wildcats to a win over Winthrop. Lamb went 11 of 12 from the field, making 7 of 8 3-pointers to break Kentucky’s freshman record of 31 points set by another New York City native, Jamal Mashburn.
**USC junior guard Jio Fontan of Paterson, N.J., a former star at St. Anthony, was named the Pac-10 Player of the Week after averaging 17 points, 4 assists and 3.5 steals in wins over No. 19 Tennessee and Lehigh. Those were just the second and third games of the season for the Fordham transfer since he became eligible for the game at Kansas Dec. 18.
**Kansas junior forward Markieff Morris of Philly, who finished up at Apex Academy in Jersey, was named Big 12 Player of the Week after he scored a career-high 21 points in the Jayhawks’ only game of the week, a 78-63 victory at California. The junior forward connected on 8-of-14 (.571) shots from the field, including one 3-pointer.
**Texas freshman Tristan Thompson, who is Canadian but spent part of his high school tenure under Dan Hurley at St. Benedict’s, was named Big 12 Rookie of the Week after he recorded his third double-double of the year with 17 points and a career-high 15 rebounds as Texas beat Michigan State, 67-55, to end Sparty’s 52-game home winning streak.
**Rider junior guard Novar Gadson of Philly was named MAAC Player of the Week after he tied his career-high of 25 points in Rider’s 77-68 win at La Salle.
**That comes after Iona’s Mike Glover of The Bronx previously won the award three straight weeks.
**UConn star Kemba Walker of The Bronx leads NCAA Division 1 in scoring and went for 31 in Monday night’s 78-63 loss to Pitt on ESPN2. In that same game, Pitt’s Ashton Gibbs, who starred at Seton Hall Prep in New Jersey, led his team with 21 points.
**North Carolina sophomore guard Dexter Strickland, a Rahway, N.J. native who starred at St. Patrick, is coming off a career-high 19 points in a win over William & Mary and comes to MSG tonight to face Rutgers.
Read more about that game here.
And like ZAGS on Facebook.
Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle.
A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013.
He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.
In case there was any doubt about the talent that comes out of the New York-New Jersey-Philly area, this week’s Player of the Week results should put them to rest.
**Kentucky freshman Doron Lamb of Queens was named SEC Player of the Week after he scored 32 points in leading the Wildcats to a win over Winthrop. Lamb went 11 of 12 from the field, making 7 of 8 3-pointers to break Kentucky’s freshman record of 31 points set by another New York City native, Jamal Mashburn.
**USC junior guard Jio Fontan of Paterson, N.J., a former star at St. Anthony, was named the Pac-10 Player of the Week after averaging 17 points, 4 assists and 3.5 steals in wins over No. 19 Tennessee and Lehigh. Those were just the second and third games of the season for the Fordham transfer since he became eligible for the game at Kansas Dec. 18.
**Kansas junior forward Markieff Morris of Philly, who finished up at Apex Academy in Jersey, was named Big 12 Player of the Week after he scored a career-high 21 points in the Jayhawks’ only game of the week, a 78-63 victory at California. The junior forward connected on 8-of-14 (.571) shots from the field, including one 3-pointer.
**Texas freshman Tristan Thompson, who is Canadian but spent part of his high school tenure under Dan Hurley at St. Benedict’s, was named Big 12 Rookie of the Week after he recorded his third double-double of the year with 17 points and a career-high 15 rebounds as Texas beat Michigan State, 67-55, to end Sparty’s 52-game home winning streak.
**Rider junior guard Novar Gadson of Philly was named MAAC Player of the Week after he tied his career-high of 25 points in Rider’s 77-68 win at La Salle.
**That comes after Iona’s Mike Glover of The Bronx previously won the award three straight weeks.
**UConn star Kemba Walker of The Bronx leads NCAA Division 1 in scoring and went for 31 in Monday night’s 78-63 loss to Pitt on ESPN2. In that same game, Pitt’s Ashton Gibbs, who starred at Seton Hall Prep in New Jersey, led his team with 21 points.
**North Carolina sophomore guard Dexter Strickland, a Rahway, N.J. native who starred at St. Patrick, is coming off a career-high 19 points in a win over William & Mary and comes to MSG tonight to face Rutgers.
Read more about that game here.
And like ZAGS on Facebook.
