Noel’s reclassification will impact 2013 NBA Draft
It is entirely possible that a decision
It is entirely possible that a decision
UConn coach Jim Calhoun will take an indefinite medical leave of absence, effective immediately, to deal with worsening spinal stenosis, a lower back condition that causes him severe pain and hampers mobility, the school announced Friday.
Calhoun, a Hall of Famer who turns 70 in May, will not coach Saturday’s game against Seton Hall nor Monday’s game at Louisville and his condition will be evaluated on a daily basis as options for treatment are explored. Associate head coach George Blaney will be in charge of the team in Calhoun’s absence.
It is Calhoun’s second medical leave in two years and third since 2003. He also missed three games earlier this year because of NCAA sanctions.
Former Denver Nuggets and Nets forward Kenyon Martin has agreed to a deal with the Clippers for the mini midi-level, his agent, Andy Miller, confirmed Friday to SNY.tv.
The Los Angeles Times first reported the development.
The 6-foot-9 Martin was originally supposed to wait until his Chinese team, the Xinjiang Tigers, were done playing, but FIBA on Thursday cleared Martin to return to the NBA immediately.
The Knicks, Hawks, Spurs and Lakers were also interested in Martin, who averaged 13.5 points and 7.2 rebounds in 11 NBA seasons.
St. John’s is taking a look at junior college shooter Brandon Parga.
Parga is a 6-foot-5, 200-pound shooting guard from Citrus College (Calif.) averaging 18.8 points and shooting 48 percent from beyond the arc.
St. John’s assistant Tony Chiles was out to see him Wednesday.
“They came out and they’re serious,” Citrus College coach Chris Victor told SNY.tv by phone.
Iona and Manhattan may both be capable of winning a few games in the NCAA Tournament this year, but it’s likely that only one of them will get to Dance.
The MAAC has historically been a one-bid league, and first-year Manhattan coach Steve Masiello doesn’t see that changing this March.
“Don’t get me wrong, the regular season matters and the seeding matters and you want to win the conference,” Masiello, whose team hosts Iona Saturday night, told SNY.tv Friday by phone. “But it all comes down to what you do on March 2-5.”
Two Syracuse stars named Melo will both play on the Madison Square Garden court on Saturday.
But Fab Melo stands a much better chance of competing for a championship this season than Carmelo does.
The return of the 7-foot Melo from a three-game absence bodes well for Syracuse’s chances at challenging for Big East and NCAA championships.
“Fab Melo is back now so I think that that strengthens Syracuse,” Marquette coach Buzz Williams said Thursday. “Not that they needed strengthening. I think they’re back to what they once were.”
When The Associated Press Top 25 rankings were released Jan. 9, defending national champion UConn was No. 17 in the nation and Seton Hall entered the poll for the first time in more than a decade at No. 24.
Not much has gone right for either program since.
Entering Saturday’s contest in Hartford (noon, SNY), Seton Hall (15-7, 4-6 Big East) has lost five straight and UConn (14-7, 4-5) has dropped four in a row. Neither team is ranked.
Saying both teams are on the bubble might be unkind to the bubble.
“Seton Hall kind of did the same thing that we’ve done,” UConn associate head coach George Blaney said Thursday. “Got really high in the rankings, won some games in a row and all of a sudden, as many teams do in this league, when you’re playing tough teams every single night, you get caught in a cycle where it seems like you can’t get yourself out of it. It’s going to be a real mental game.”
