March 2013 | Page 9 of 28 | 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 17.
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    • Articles

    PHILADELPHIA — Creighton coach Greg McDermott called his team a “mid-major” after they knocked off Cincinnati, 67-63, in the NCAA Tournament here Friday.

    And technically, until July 1 when they join the new 10-team Big East, they are.

    The Blue Jays represented the Missouri Valley Conference when they beat Cincinnati, a tough, physical, defensive-oriented Big East school, at last until they leave this summer for the America-12 Conference (or whatever it will be called).

    And Doug McDermott, Gregory Echenique and Ethan Wragge — who combined for 52 points in the win — will still represent the Missouri Valley when they take on big old Duke on Sunday.

    And what an opportunity that represents.

    Articles, Harvard

    PHILADELPHIA — Mike Krzyzewski confessed that he fell asleep during halftime of Harvard’s upset win over New Mexico Friday night, but then he caught the fever.

    “I watched and I didn’t fall while they were playing,” Coach K said after his No. 2 Blue Devils beat No. 15 Albany, 73-61, behind a combined 49 points from Seth Curry and Mason Plumlee at the Wells Fargo Center.

    “I fell asleep at halftime. When I woke up they had the lead and I didn’t turn off the game.”

    Harvard, a No. 14 seed, went on to mess up a lot of people’s brackets with their 68-62 win over No. 3 New Mexico for the program’s first-ever tourney win.

    Articles, Kentucky

    PHILADELPHIA — After landing arguably the greatest recruiting class in the history of college basketball, Kentucky could have as many as eight first-round NBA Draft picks next season, one NBA Director of Scouting told SNY.tv.

    Kentucky spokesman DeWayne Peevy told SNY.tv Friday that there is no official list of which players will return to campus next year, but freshmen Willie Cauley-Stein, Archie Goodwin and Alex Poythress have all said they plan on returning.

    Freshman big man Nerlens Noel has yet to announce his plans, but he is projected as one of the top couple picks in the 2013 draft, along with Kansas’s Ben McLemore, Indiana’s Cody Zeller, Oklahoma State’s Marcus Smart and UCLA’s Shabazz Muhammad.

    Articles, Hofstra

    After a tumultuous year that saw numerous players get into legal trouble and the team win only seven games, Hofstra has fired coach Mo Cassara and named Pat Sellers the interim head coach.

    “We are very thankful to Mo Cassara for his hard work and dedication to the Hofstra Basketball program over the last three years,” AD Jeff Hathaway said.  “Mo is a tireless worker and has tremendous passion for the game and the students that he coached.  I personally want to thank him for his commitment to Hofstra Athletics and the University community during his tenure.  We wish him the very best.”

    Sources said Iona coach Tim Cluess would be high on Hofstra’s list of potential replacements. Cluess is a Hofstra grad and a Long Island high school coaching legend who has led the Gaels to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances.

    Articles, Rice High School

    PHILADELPHIA — It has been two years since the doors closed for good at storied Rice High School in Harlem.

    The Catholic school that produced Kemba Walker, Andre Barrett, Felipe Lopez and Kenny Satterfield shut down in 2011 for financial reasons, but several Rice players hope to represent the school in this NCAA Tournament.

    “It’s really weird being that the school is closed and no more players can come out of there, but it’s great to be one of the last guys to do it,” Cincinnati sophomore forward Jermaine Sanders told SNY.tv in advance of today’s second-round game with Creighton here.

    Articles, Recruiting

    Christ the King senior guard Jon Severe will cut his list on Saturday, head coach Joe Arbitello confirmed to SNY.tv.

    The news was first reported by NYCHoops.net.

    The 6-foot-2 Severe is considering Fordham, Duquesne, George Washington, Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Rutgers, Seton Hall, Kansas State and Creighton.

    Fordham, George Washington, Duquesne and Pitt are among those considered to have the strongest chance.

    Severe and Christ the King (25-3) take on Bishop Kearney (17-7) of Rochester in the state Federation Class AA semifinals in Albany tonight at 6:45 p.m.

    Articles, Rutgers

    PHILADELPHIA — Rutgers fans can imagine any number of scenarios for how their program might have taken off in recent years.

    One goes like this: What if Greg Echenique and Mike Rosario had both chosen to stay at the school instead of transferring in 2010 during the turbulent Freddie Hill Era?

    Echenique was a 6-foot-9 man-child out of St. Benedict’s Prep, and Rosario was the program’s first McDonald’s All-American and had led Bob Hurley’s St. Anthony team to the mythical national championship in 2008.

    Hill trumpeted the pair as crown jewels of his recruiting class and cornerstones of the program’s future.

    Then it all fell apart.

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