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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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Thursday / December 26.
  • Every member of the 2011-12 All-Big First Team has departed for the NBA, meaning a new wave of players will ascend to dominate the league next season.

    Here are 21 players to watch entering the 2012-13 season listed in alphabetical order.

    Steven Adams, C, Pittsburgh— Perhaps no new player will be more intriguing than the 7-footer whom coach Jamie Dixon brought over from New Zealand, where he led the adidas Nations tournament in scoring (22 ppg) and rebounding (16.8 rpg).

    Chane Behanan, F, Louisville — A member of the All-Big East Rookie Team, Behanan averaged 9.5 points and 7.5 rebounds last season. He could be in the mix for Big East Player of the Year honors if he breaks out as many expect he will.

    Former Maryland forward Ashton Pankey will visit Iona, Fordham and Manhattan this week, his AAU coach, Jeff Rivera, told SNY.tv.

    The 6-foot-8 former St. Anthony standout will trip to Iona on Tuesday, Fordham Wednesday and Manhattan Friday.

    Iona has not been afraid to land transfers in the past few years, picking up Arizona’s Lamont “Momo” Jones and Iowa State’s Tavon Sledge.

    Fordham recently signed a four-man class for 2012, including 6-8 former TCU commit Ryan Rhoomes.

    Virginia Tech transfer Dorian Finney-Smith is targeting a late-June decision for his next stop, his mother told SNY.tv.

    “We are going to try to decide before he goes to the Kevin Durant camp June 22-23,” Desiree Finney-Smith said by text.

    His mother said he was primarily considering Florida, Louisville, Texas, Marquette and Iowa State.

    Their only visit currently set is to Iowa State June 7-9.

    The last time Mike Rosario went to Puerto Rico to train with a National Team, Todd Washington recalls that Rosario didn’t take things as seriously as he could or should have.

    “Three years ago when he came down here, he was all caught up in the nightlife and the girls,” Washington, founder of the Puerto Rico Playmakers AAU team and a longtime Rosario mentor, told SNY.tv by phone from San Juan, P.R.

    Yet Rosario went on to lead the 2009 FIBA U19 World Championship in New Zealand in scoring at 24 point per game, highlighted by a 54-point outburst in Puerto Rico’s win over France. Puerto Rico ended up finishing sixth overall.

    Davon Reed, one of the top shooting guards in the Class of 2013 out of the Princeton (N.J.) Day School, will be contributing periodically to ZAGSBLOG heading into his senior season. Here’s his first entry:

    What’s up, everyone?

    I’m Davon Reed and I’ve been working out all week trying to get ready for the fourth EYBL session in Oakland, Calif.

    Our mission with Team Final is to go 6-0 and secure first place in our division for Peach Jam.

    As school wraps up I’m getting ready for the summer circuit and the Kevin Durant Skills Academy.  I also recently was invited to NBA camp and I’m really looking forward to that camp.

    Pittsburgh coach Jamie Dixon scored a major coup Friday when incoming transfer Trey Zeigler was declared immediately eligible for the 2012-13 season by the NCAA.

    Zeigler transferred to Pitt in April after starring the past two seasons at Central Michigan University. His father, Ernie, was fired as the head coach at Central Michigan, which likely facilitated the waiver process. He chose the Panthers over Duke, UCLA and Arizona State.

    He will join an impressive incoming group that includes potential future NBA forward  Steven Adams and DeMatha Catholic guard James Robinson in what will be Pitt’s final year in the Big East.

    Savon Goodman, an athletic 6-foot-6 wing from Philly Constitution High, will visit SMU Sunday and Monday, his high school coach, Rob Moore, told SNY.tv.

    Goodman remains uncommitted and Moore said his list currently includes Pittsburgh, SMU, N.C. State, West Virginia, Temple, UNLV and USC.

    He has already visited Pitt and Seton Hall, but aside from the SMU visit nothing else is planned, Moore said.

    “He’s a terrific athlete,” New York recruiting expert Tom Konchalski previously told SNY.tv of Goodman, who averaged 28 points and 14 rebounds this season. “He’s a 6-6 and he has a motor with a four-year warranty. He plays extremely hard.

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