November 2012 | Page 21 of 24 | 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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    • Articles, Montverde Academy, Recruiting

    Dakari Johnson, one of the best high school big men in America regardless of class, has reclassified to 2013 from 2014.

    “Dakari’s a great kid, a good student and a very talented basketball player,” Montverde (Fla.) Academy coach Kevin Boyle said in a statement provided by the school.

    “Would I like to have him at Montverde for another year? Sure I would, but I don’t think this decision will hurt Dakari; he will earn a scholarship to a high Division I program, and we will likely see him in the NBA as well.”

    Articles

    The Chris McCullough Sweepstakes is over.

    The 6-foot-9 2014 New York forward committed to Syracuse on Monday and announced it on Twitter. Alex Kline was the first to report it.

    “Cuse Babbbbbyyyy!” McCullough Tweeted.

    He is Syracuse’s fourth commit in the last 21 days, following three players in the Class of 2013 — B.J. Johnson, Chinonso Obokoh and Ron Patterson.

    McCullough had previously told SNY.tv that Syracuse was the school showing him the most love.

    “That’s one school that came to visit me about five times this year for workouts and they keep in touch with a call or text about once a week,” McCullough said recently.

    Articles

    Every year I try to compile a list of some of the most high-profile high schools hoops tourneys. These events feature some of the top recruits and coaches in the nation and are great stops to see future Big East and other college standouts.

    Here is a preliminary list; click on the name of the event for schedule and details.

    If I’ve missed anything, shoot me an email at zagoria@hotmail with the tourney info and link.

    NATIONAL PREP SHOWCASE, Nov. 16-18, Albertus Magnus College, New Haven, CT

    MARSHALL COUNTY HOOPFEST, Nov. 30-Dec. 1, Benton, KY

    PLAY BY PLAY CLASSICS, Dec. 8-9, Coatsville, Pa. & Philly

    HOOP GROUP TIP-OFF, Dec. 15-16, West Orange, N.J.

    Articles, Memphis

    Memphis is loading up for its entrance into the Big East in 2013.

    The Tigers scored big-time Monday when they landed a verbal commitment from Austin Nichols, a 6-8, 215-pound power forward from Memphis Briarcrest Christian.

    “I put on for my city!! Go Tigers!,” he Tweeted.

    “I know the air in the ball eventually runs out, and I need something to fall back on,” Nichols told the Memphis Commercial Appeal. “If I go to Memphis, I can get my degree, come back, and be sort of like a Penny (Hardaway), a figure like that. That’s what I wanted.”

    The Rivals No. 6 power forward in the Class of 2013, Nichols also considered Virginia, Vanderbilt, Duke, Tennessee, and Auburn.

    Nichols told SNY.tv this summer that he had a strong relationship with Memphis coach Josh Pastner.

    Knicks

    NEW YORK — Rasheed Wallace knows defense.

    He won an NBA championship with a defensive-minded Detroit Pistons team in 2004 and he played on a Boston Celtics team that reached the NBA Finals in 2010 playing tough on the defensive end.

    Now he’s coming off the bench for a Knicks team that has held the defending NBA champion Miami Heat and the up-and-coming Philadelphia 76ers to 84 points apiece and leads the league in points allowed.

    So, what’s Wallace’s message to his teammates in the wake of their first 2-0 start since the 1999-2000 season?

    Knicks

    NEW YORK –– J.R. Smith was drafted by the New Orleans Hornets in 2004 and lived through Hurricane Katrina first-hand a year later.

    Now, seven years after Katrina, Smith’s native New Jersey has been ravaged by Hurricane Sandy and once again he’s seeing the damage and destruction up close.

    “Just going to the Shore, the Jersey area, it just wasn’t the same,” Smith said after putting up 20 points off the bench, including 4-for-5 from downtown, 9 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in the Knicks’ 100-84 victory over the 76ers Sunday at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks are now 2-0 for the first time since the 1999-2000 season.

    Knicks

    NEW YORK –– Knicks coach Mike Woodson said he’d like to see sharpshooter Steve Novak put the ball on the deck a little more.

    “I think as the year goes along and we’ll continue to work with him where he feels comfortable in putting the ball down on the floor more than one or two dribbles,” Woodson said before Sunday’s Sixers game at MSG.

    “I’d like to see him put it down all the way to the hole and get knocked on his butt and go to the line and shoot free throws. When that day comes, boy, life will be pretty good.” 

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