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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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Thursday / December 19.
  • The Tyus Jones-Jahlil Okafor package deal will likely come to fruition at some point.

    But it won’t happen this week at the Nike Global Challenge in Washington, D.C.

    The dynamic duo had been set to play together on the loaded USA Midwest team, but now Okafor and his Mac Irvin fire teammate, Cliff Alexander, are no longer in the event. Neither is Houston St. John’s wing Justise Winslow, who is considering joining the Jones-Okafor package in college.

    It remains unclear why all three players — who were on the original rosters — are out, but Alexander and Winslow confirmed it by text to SNY.tv. Sources added that Okafor won’t appear, either.

    (Updated rosters are here.)

    Led by Jones and fellow Minnesota star guard Rashad Vaughn, the Midwest team will take the court for the first time at the event at 8 p.m. Wednesday when they scrimmage a USA East team featuring Syracuse-bound Chris McCullough and other East Coast standouts.

    Team Takeover shooting guard Phil Booth has cut his list to five.

    The 6-foot-3 Baltimore Mount St. Joseph guard is now considering Georgetown, Indiana, Villanova, Virginia and Temple.

    Booth briefly broke down the five schools for SNY.tv:

    “Indiana – Great tradition, good relationship with coaching staff.” (Former Takeover coach Kenny Johnson is an assistant at IU.)

    Ismael Sanogo, a 6-foot-7, 190-pound combo forward from Newark East Side, committed to Seton Hall on Tuesday during a conference call with reporters.

    He made the announcement on his 17th birthday.

    Sanogo also considered VCU, UPenn and George Mason and visited UPenn, George Mason and St. Joe’s.

    Sanogo is coach Kevin Willard’s first 2014 commitment.

    “It’s very unreal,” Sanogo said of staying at home to play games in Newark at the Prudential Center. “To have the opportunity to go to a school that’s right in my city it’s something amazing.”

    Syracuse pledge Tyler Roberson is taking summer classes at Roselle (N.J.) Catholic and is expected to be eligible this coming season.

    “Tyler’s working hard to finish his summer courses and then he’ll be up at Syracuse,” RC coach Dave Boff told SNY.tv Tuesday.

    Mike Waters of the Syracuse Post-Standard reported that Roberson “will still be able to play on the Orange’s four-game tour of Canada in late August. That also means Roberson will be able to participate in the 10 practice sessions the NCAA allots teams prior to summer exhibition tours.”

    Jalen Lindsey, a 6-foot-7 small forward from Huntington (W.V.) Prep, committed to Providence late Monday night, giving head coach Ed Cooley a long, athletic wing and the Rivals No. 48 prospect in the Class of 2014.

    He also considered  Tennessee, Memphis and Mississippi State.

    Lindsey is a Tennessee native, but his father, Walt, is a Rhode Island native.

    “Basketball-wise, it’s giving me an opportunity to play right away,” Lindsey told ESPN.com. “Knowing that I’m playing for Coach Cooley gets me excited. I think he’s a great coach, and I know we can do great things.”

    Walt told ESPN.com that Providence had worked hard on Jalen, even watching him win a state title at Christ Presbyterian in Tennessee last season.

    The Knicks could be without guard J.R. Smith when they open training camp in late September.
    The team announced Monday that Smith, the reigning NBA Sixth Man of the Year, had patella tendon surgery and arthroscopy on his left knee that likely will keep him out for 12-16 weeks.The team said the operation was performed Monday by Dr. Answorth Allen at the Hospital for Special Surgery.“The injuries were chronic and gradually worsened,” the Knicks said in a statement.

    Angel Delgado, the rebounding machine who plays for Long Island Lightning, is on the move to Huntington (W.V.) Prep.

    The 6-foot-9 Delgado will join fellow newcomers point guard Josh Perkins and small forward Jalen Lindsey in coach Rob Fulford’s program. He spent last season at Troy (N.Y.) Redemption Christian Academy.

    “Plays every possession like its his last!” Fulford Tweeted.

    The move could have implications for Delgado’s recruitment as Louisville has offered and Kentucky is monitoring his situation.

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