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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 / December 22.
  • Sean Kilpatrick is just a kid from Yonkers, N.Y., who has never been outside the United States.

    After making the 12-man final roster for the USA World University Games Team, he will finally head overseas on Monday.

    To Kazan, Russia for the big event.

    “This is my first time [overseas],” the 6-foot-4 senior guard from Cincinnati told SNY.tv after making the roster.

    “I’d be able to say that I made my mom and my dad proud by representing my country by doing something that I enjoy doing. I’m just happy to be here.”

    By JOSH NEWMAN
    Special to ZAGSBLOG

    ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Headlined by Creighton senior forward and probable Big East Preseason Player of the Year Doug McDermott, USA Basketball announced the 12-man roster for the World University Games on Saturday afternoon.

    The event runs July 7-16 in Kazan, Russia. The Americans will continue training at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs through June 30 before departing for Russia on July 1. They will practice in Russia from July 3-6 before opening play in Pool C against United Arab Emerates on July 7

    McDermott is the only USA Basketball veteran on the roster, while Yonkers native and University of Cincinnati senior swingman Sean Kilpatrick made the cut. Louisville senior small forward Luke Hancock, who was named Most Outstanding Player at last season’s Final Four, is also Russia-bound. Hancock made the team after forging ahead following the death of his father on Monday morning. 

    “Clearly versatility, we have guys that can play more than one position, that’s one of the great strengths we have,” said USA and Davidson College head coach Bob McKillop said in a statement. “I think we shoot the ball particularly well from a number of positions and we’ve got guys who want to be teammates. Those two things, to me, are the biggest advantages that we have, or the biggest strengths for our team.”

    Syracuse sharpshooter James Southerland went undrafted Thursday night but has hooked on with two teams this summer.

    The 6-foot-8, 221-pound Queens native will play with the Philadelphia 76ers in the Orlando summer league and with the Golden State Warriors in Las Vegas, his high school coach, Ron Naclerio, told SNY.tv.

    Naclerio said the San Antonio Spurs wanted to draft Southerland at No. 58 and stash him overseas for a year, but there was no guarantee what would happen after the overseas years.

    Isaiah Whitehead and JaQuan Newton, a pair of elite guards in the Class of 2014, are discussing a potential package deal with one another.

    “Minnesota, USC, Syracuse [and] possibly more,” the 6-foot-3 Newton of Neumann-Goretti told SNY.tv.

    “Whoever comes at us with positive words,” the 6-foot-4 Whitehead, out of Brooklyn Lincoln, added of a possible landing spot.

    The two played together at the Mary Kline Classic earlier this month and have been in touch often since then.

    “We play great together,” Whitehead said.

    Bronx native Terry Larrier of the Phelps (Pa.) School is one of the top small forwards in the Class of 2014.

    He holds offers from Florida, Florida State, St. John’s, Minnesota, Providence, Penn State, Rutgers, George Mason, Seton Hall, West Virginia, Pittsburgh, USC, Memphis and Maryland,.

    Larrier will be contributing periodically to ZAGSBLOG entering his senior season. Here’s his second entry:

    What’s up, world?

    It’s your basketball junkie Terry Larrier.

    Undrafted Texas point guard Myck Kabongo will play for the Miami Heat summer league team, according to multiple reports.

    The 6-foot-1 Toronto native shares an agent, Rich Paul, with Heat star LeBron James.

    Sources close to Kabongo say he is deeply disappointed at going undrafted, but will now get a chance to prove himself with the world champs.

    Kabongo is no stranger to disappointment.

    He played just the final 11 games of last season at Texas after the NCAA leveled

    Kyle WiltjerAll signs point to Kentucky transfer Kyle Wiltjer landing at Gonzaga, multiple sources told SNY.tv Friday.

    “Gonzaga,” one coach at another school trying to recruit him said.

    The 6-foot-10 Wiltjer visited the Gonzaga campus this week, ESPN.com reported.

    The Oregon native won’t land at Oregon or Oregon State, sources told SNY.tv. Oregon did land 6-3 Houston transfer Joseph Young, according to ESPN.com.

    Wiltjer is friendly with Gonzaga junior guard Kevin Pangos, who are both are currently on the Canadian National Team Development roster.

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