November 2012 | Page 6 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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Sunday / November 24.
  • NEW YORK — While some of his Knicks teammates are downplaying the team’s first game in Brooklyn Monday night, Carmelo Anthony is embracing the big moment.

    Anthony, after all, was born in Brooklyn and says the first Knicks-Nets game in the Barclays Center will be especially meaningful.

    “If we don’t get up for this game, then I don’t know what game we’ll get up for,” Anthony said after scoring a game-best 29 points as the Knicks routed the Detroit Pistons, 121-100, Sunday at Madison Square Garden.

    “It’s an in-city game, New York versus Brooklyn. For me, going back home, going back to that borough, playing my first game over there, is a very special moment for myself.”

    NEW YORK — Sunday was a homecoming of sorts for Andre Drummond.

    The 6-foot-10 rookie out of Mount Vernon, N.Y., made his first appearance at Madison Square Garden with the Detroit Pistons in a game the Knicks won, 121-100.

    Drummond managed a game-best 11 rebounds, two points and three blocks.

    “He’s got a long way to go but he works at it every day and when you have that sort of character and approach, good things will happen,” Pistons coach Lawrence Frank said before the game.

    Andrew Wiggins is planning a visit to Florida State for early December, Huntington (W.V.) Prep coach Rob Fulford told SNY.tv.

    Fulford said he wasn’t certain of the exact date but thinks it’s the first weekend, which is Dec. 7-9. Florida State hosts Florida Dec. 5 and Maine Dec. 9.

    “He is trying to get to FSU in early December with his parents,” Fulford said. “Nothing is set in stone yet.”

    Both of Wiggins’s parents — former NBA player Mitchell Wiggins and former Canadian Olympic track star Marita Payne-Wiggins — attended Florida State.

    “Obviously, FSU is interested in Andrew,” Fulford told SNY.tv. “He could be the best player in the history of their program. I’m sure they are interested.”

    Florida State head coach Leonard Hamilton and associate head coach Stan Jones were in attendance Friday at the Charlotte Hoops Challenge to watch both FSU commit Xavier Rathan-Mayes and uncommitted Andrew Wiggins.

    The 6-foot-8 Wiggins scored 18 points as Huntington (W.V.) Prep beat Quality Education (N.C.), 50-42.

    “I just try and make the big play,” Wiggins told USA Today. “Whatever that means. Whatever we need I like to be the one to make the big play.”

    There were more Kentucky fans supporting Wiggins at the game than North Carolina fans, sources told SNY.tv.

    By CHIP MILLER & ADAM ZAGORIA

    UPDATE: Julius Randle limped off the floor in the first half of Prestonwood Christian’s 58-48 loss to Duncanville on Saturday at the Thanksgiving Hoopfest, according to MaxPreps.com.  It was later reported that he will miss three months with a fractured right foot.

    Prestonwood is already playing without 6-foot-7 sophomore Mickey Mitchell, who tore his ACL playing quarterback during football season.

    On Friday, Randle talked about entering the next phase of his recruitment.

    The 6-foot-9 power forward from Prestonwood Christian has set up official visits for Texas, Kansas and N.C. State.

    Randle will visit Texas Dec 15-16 , Kansas Dec. 28-30 and N.C. State Jan. 25-27, his mother told SNY.tv.

    Coaches from Kansas and Texas both watched Randle Friday at the Thanksgiving Hoopfest.

    The NCAA on Friday upheld the nine-game suspension of Indiana freshmen Peter Jurkin and Hanner Mosquera-Perea for  taking impermissible benefits from a university booster.

    The nine-game suspensions were levied on Nov. 6 after the NCAA determined they received impermissible benefits from Mark Adams, a coach with the adidas-sponsored Indiana Elite AAU squad and a booster by the NCAA’s definition.

    Jurkin was found to have accepted approximately $6,000 in benefits and Mosquera-Perea accepted approximately $8,000. Jurkin must repay $250 of those benefits to “a charity of his choice” and Mosquera-Perea must repay around $1,590 to charity.

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