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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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Friday / November 22.
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    • Iona, Pittsburgh, Transfers

    Transferring Rutgers big man Derrick Randall is headed to the ACC.

    “I committed to Pittsburgh,” Randall told SNY.tv Sunday evening.

    “It felt like a new home and a new start and I need to get away and start clean.”

    The 6-foot-8, 240-pound Randall also considered Iona and Minnesota. He visited Pittsburgh last Thursday.

    Randall, a Bronx native who played at South Kent (Conn.) and Paterson (N.J.) Catholic, averaged 2.1 points and 1.5 rebounds as a sophomore at Rutgers.

    He opted to transfer in the wake of the Mike Rice scandal and could obtain a waiver to play immediately.

    USA Basketball

    Head coach Billy Donovan and the U.S. U19 team trimmed its roster to 16 players on Sunday.

    Selected as a USA U19 finalist were Ryan Arcidiacono (Villanova University/Langhorne, Pa.); Damyean Dotson (University of Oregon/Houston, Texas); Michael Frazier (University of Florida/Tampa, Fla.); Marcus Georges-Hunt (Georgia Tech/College Park, Ga.); Aaron Gordon (Archbishop Mitty H.S./San Jose, Calif.); Jerami Grant (Syracuse University/Bowie, Md.); Montrezl Harrell (University of Louisville/Tarboro, N.C.); Jahlil Okafor (Whitney Young H.S./Chicago, Ill.); Elfrid Payton (University of Louisiana at Lafayette); James Robinson (University of Pittsburgh/Mitchellville, Md.); Marcus Smart (Oklahoma State University/Flower Mound, Texas);Jarnell Stokes  (University of Tennessee/Memphis, Tenn.); Rasheed Sulaimon (Duke University/Houston, Texas); Mike Tobey (University of Virginia/Monroe, N.Y.); Nigel Williams-Goss (Findlay Prep/Happy Valley, Ore.); and Justise Winslow (St. Johns H.S./Houston, Texas).

    Okafor and Winslow are the only two high school players in the group, and they have been discussing a college package deal along with Minnesota point guard Tyus Jones.

    “We had 26 really, really good players and all of the guys made the selection very, very difficult,” Donovan said. “I think the things that stand out about this team is just the athleticism; the speed and quickness; the ability to defend and put pressure on people; and offensive rebound.

    Maryland

    Jared Nickens didn’t need to take all of his official visits after all.

    The 6-foot-6 2014 wing from Westtown (Pa.) High verbally committed to Maryland Saturday night on his official visit.

    “I loved everything about it,” Nickens told SNY.tv. “When I first stepped on campus I felt this positive vibe, I love the campus, I like the [Washington] D.C. and College Park area around the campus. The atmosphere was great, the fan base is great.

    “I really like the Coach [Mark] Turgeon and his honesty with his players, he’s a players’ coach, and is great with individual development, he looks out for his players. He knows what he’s talking about.

    Articles, UConn, USA Basketball

    Rodney Purvis will have a lot of time to practice in the upcoming year.

    After transferring to UConn from N.C. State, the 6-foot-4 Purvis must sit out the 2013-14 season.

    He will be able to practice with the Huskies, but won’t play in games.

    Purvis has gotten another golden opportunity to practice this week as he tries out for the U.S. U19 World Championship team by battling guards like Duke’s Rasheed Sulaimon, Oklahoma State’s Marcus Smart and Texas‘ Javan Felix, among others.

    “With Rasheed he’s really quick off the dribble and he can really shoot and he has a really quick release, and same thing with Marcus,” Purvis, who averaged 8.3 points and 2.4 rebounds as a freshman at N.C. State, told SNY.tv by phone from Colorado Springs, Colo.

    Articles, Recruiting, USA Basketball

    The U.S. U19 roster was cut to 16 on Sunday, and Jahlil Okafor and close friend 6-6 Justise Winslow are the lone prep players still in the mix for the USA Basketball Men’s U19 World Championship Team.

    So far in practices, Okafor has been battling college big men such as Shaq Goodwin of Memphis, Jarnell Stokes of Tennessee, Robert Carter of Georgia Tech and Montrezl Harrell of Louisville.

    “It’s been very competitive playing with all these college guys and I’m working very hard and it’s been a lot of fun,” Okafor told SNY.tv Sunday morning by phone from Colorado Springs. Colo.

    Articles, Recruiting, USA Basketball

    Justise Winslow and Jahlil Okafor are the only high school players in training camp with the U.S. U19 team.

    That seems to make perfect sense since the pair are talking about a potential package deal to college that could also include Minnesota point guard Tyus Jones.

    “So far it’s been great,” Winslow, a 6-foot-6 forward from Houston St. John’s High School, told SNY.tv by phone from Colorado Springs, Colo.

    “It’s a little adjustment playing against guys that are stronger, faster and the game’s quicker, but I made the adjustment and I think it’s been going great so far. I’ve been getting better and I think it’s definitely going to help me in the long term.”

    Articles, Syracuse, USA Basketball

    Jerami Grant doesn’t know if he will make the final cut for the U.S. U19 team when the roster is announced Sunday morning, but the experience has already been valuable.

    “It’s been a good experience getting ready to play with some great players,” the 6-foot-8 Grant out of Syracuse told SNY.tv by phone from training in Colorado Springs, Colo.

    “I’ve played with great players so far since we’ve been here, so it’s definitely been a humbling experience like it was last year.”

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