February 2012 | Page 16 of 28 | Zagsblog
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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.
  • GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Before about a week ago, the Erie (Pa.) BayHawks’ most famous alumnus was Ivan Johnson, a rookie forward now averaging 5.5 points a game with the Atlanta Hawks.

    “We had Ivan Johnson last year,” Erie coach Jay Larranaga told SNY.tv Monday during a phone interview. “He’s been a pretty big story for the Hawks who we’re very proud of as well.”

    As grand as Johnson’s stint in Erie was — he averaged 22.6 points in 49 games with the NBA D-League outfit — he has already been supplanted in BayHawks’ lore.

    GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Even Spike Lee is embracing Linsanity.

    The Knicks’ No. 1 fan agreed to wear Jeremy Lin’s No. 4 Palo Alto High School jersey this weekend at Madison Square Garden.

    “Tell that coach, bring the jersey Friday night because then I’ll wear it,” Lee told Michael Kay Monday after calling into his ESPN radio show. “I will wear Jeremy Lin’s high school jersey Friday night.”

    Peter Diepenbrock, Lin’s coach at Palo Alto, had earlier said on the show he was “trying to get Jeremy’s high school jersey on Spike Lee this weekend.”

    Diepenbrock said he planned to attend Sunday’s game against the defending NBA champion Dallas Mavericks, not Friday’s game against the New Orleans Hornets.



    GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Carmelo Anthony
     can only laugh.

    He actually let loose a chuckle when asked about the rising anxiety of Knicks’ fans who openly question how he’ll fit into Linsanity when he returns to the lineup from a groin injury — likely later this week.

    “No, actually it’s funny to me,” Anthony, who has been out since the first quarter of last Monday’s win over the Utah Jazz, said Monday at the Knicks’ training facility.

    “When I’m reading the stuff, it’s more funny than anything because at the end of the day I know what I bring to the game, I know what I bring to this team. My teammates know that. But to say is it going to work? How can I fit in? It’s easy; give him the ball and space out. I get back to doing what I know how to do best. So we’ll see.”

    Two of the four finalists for the Naismith Boy’s High School Player of the Year awards have yet to pick a college.

    The four finalists include 6-foot-6 small forward Shabazz Muhammad and 6-10 shot-blocker Nerlens Noel, both of whom are undecided and will sign in the spring.

    The other two finalists are 6-9 St. Anthony point guard Kyle Anderson, committed to UCLA, and 7-foot Baylor bound big man Isaiah Austin.

    By ALEX KLINE

    ROSELLE, N.J. — At 6-foot-10, St. Joe’s Metuchen freshman Karl Towns may end up being the anchor of the class of 2015.

    The Piscataway native has made a name for himself with his play on the court, as well as his other accomplishments. Towns boasts a 4.0 GPA and is the president of his class at St. Joe’s.

    Practically every college in America is after him, too, according to his father, Karl Sr.

     

    Magic Johnson has a four-word message for Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire once they return to Linsanity.

    “Jump on his back.”

    “Those guys both better  realize — Stoudemire and Anthony — that it’s a new sheriff in town and just jump on [Jeremy Lin’s] back and get along on the ride because the guy has taken them all on a ride that is great for the city and it would be great for their games if they buy into it,” Johnson, the No. 4 all-time assists leader in NBA history, said Sunday night on SportsCenter.

    Yes, but will Melo buy into it? That is the ultimate question facing the Knicks once he returns from a groin injury — potentially this week.

    He is already taking heat from fans who view him as an offense-stalling, ball-stopper.

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