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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.
  • PHILADELPHIA — Former St. Benedict’s Prep guard Melvin Johnson is back on the market after he received his release from Miami.

    “They released him and he’s free to go anywhere he wants,” St. Ben’s coach Mark Taylor told SNY.tv.

    Sources close to the situation said there was an issue related to Johnson’s test scores, but Taylor said the 6-foot-2 Bronx native was “fully qualified.’

    Taylor said Johnson “hasn’t decided” where he will go but has “plenty of looks.”

    PHILADELPHIA — Jabari Parker, the No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2013, has trimmed his list to 10 schools.

    If you can call going from 14 to 10 a trim.

    He Tweeted this list on Wednesday: “UK, Stanford, michigan state, Kansas, Florida, Duke, BYU, Georgetown, Depaul, UNC.”

    Parker told SNY.tv last month by phone from Colorado Springs, Colo., that he planned to announce in November.

    “I’m on a setback not making as much progress as I should be [cutting his list] but I’m looking to make my choice in November,” he said then.

    PHILADELPHIA — Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard says he has not been informed one way or the other by the NCAA about whether Texas transfer Sterling Gibbs has received a hardship waiver to play in the 2012-13 season.

    “My compliance director has not heard,” Willard told SNY.tv here at the Reebok Breakout Challenge.

    A source close to the situation said the NCAA had asked for more information on Gibbs’ case, and that Seton Hall would provide it.

    Willard is watching prospects here and is awaiting the arrival of 2013 commit Aquille Carr, who has missed his team’s first two games. He said he had no further comment.

    The 2012 ESPN College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon will run Nov. 13.

    The day will be highlighted by two games in the Champions Classic at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Michigan State vs. Kansas and Duke vs. defending NCAA champ Kentucky.

    Kentucky hopes to having incoming freshman Nerlens Noel eligible for the event after a report surfaced in the Boston Herald that the 6-foot-10 Noel is taking summer classes at Everett (Mass.) High to boost his grade-point average to the NCAA standard.

    Kentucky coach John Calipari said he’s confident the issue will be resolved after Noel reclassified to 2012 from 2013.

    “Since he reclassified, he had to do a few more academic things and he’s finishing school,” he told ESPN.com. “We only have one summer session (to work the team out).”

    Here’s the schedule:

    PHILADELPHIA –Rysheed Jordan is one of the top point guards here at the Reebok Breakout Challenge.

    The 6-foot-3, 180-pound floor general from Philly Vaux Roberts says he plans to cut his list later this summer.

    “I’m ready to narrow it down in July, still wide open,” Jordan told SNY.tv after putting up 9 points, 4 assists and 5 turnovers in the Rams’ 64-59 win over the Zigs.

    Jordan’s group of suitors includes Villanova, Kansas, St. John’s, Xavier, Maryland, Temple, La Salle, Rutgers, Marquette, Georgetown, Syracuse and UCLA.

    PHILADELPHIA — You know the recruitment of Jermaine Lawrence is taking some interesting turns when North Carolina coach Roy Williams is in the stands watching him.

    The Carolina coach was indeed here for the Reebok Breakout Challenge, but he has yet to offer the 6-foot-10 Lawrence a scholarship.

    “They haven’t reached out to me yet,” Lawrence said after scoring 10 points and grabbing 6 rebounds in the Zigs’ 64-59 loss to the Rams.

    PHILADELPHIA — By far the most intriguing player here at the Reebok Breakout Challenge is 6-foot-10 center Tony Trocha of Houston St. Thomas Episcopal.

    A slew of high-major coaches watched Wednesday as Trocha scored 10 points and grabbed 4 rebounds as his team, the Answers, were blown out, 100-61, by a JWALL team that featured the Harrison Twins, who combined for 39 points.

    A native of Colombia, Rocha, 18, is a long, athletic big man who gets up and down the floor well and scored all his points in this guard-dominated game on dunks and layups.

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