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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.
  • Seven players scored in double figures as the USA beat Canada, 109-67, to advance to the U19 World Championship semifinals in Prague.

    In Saturday’s semifinals, the Americans will take on Lithuania, who beat China in the day’s first quarterfinal.

    Marcus Smart had 14 points while Aaron GordonJahlil Okafor and Michael Frazier had 12 each.

    “I thought our guys got off to a pretty good start offensively, I just though defensively we had some breakdowns and loose balls that allowed them to stay close,” said USA and University of Florida head coach Billy Donovan.

    “I really, really like the fact that things were not necessarily going well for our team and we kept battling though. I was really pleased with the way we started the second half.”

    By JOSH NEWMAN
    Special to ZAGSBLOG

    [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmHeKIzLUUo&w=560&h=315]

    EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Kansas University graduate and four-year starter Tyshawn Taylor made his way back to Lawrence last month for the Bill Self Basketball Camp, which included a scrimmage between current players and alumni. In that contest, Taylor, got his first live look at Jayhawks freshman and Canadian sensation Andrew Wiggins, widely-regarded as the probable No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.

    As shown in the video above, that scrimmage opened with Wiggins getting the ball in the open court and dunking on Cole Aldrich, a video clip that quickly made the rounds on Twitter and YouTube.

    Taylor, who knows a little something about being a focal point at Kansas, came away very impressed with the 18-year-old.

    “He’s an athlete, just a freak athlete,” Taylor, a second-year Nets point guard told SNY.tv following the Nets’ third of summer league practices on Friday afternoon. “It’s crazy, he gets off the ground so quick and jumps so high and his arms are crazy long and it just looks crazy when he dunks the ball. He has skill, he can handle the ball, decent shooter, he has a little bit of everything. He does a little bit of everything really well. You could play him at the 2, 3 or 4. Again, he’s a freak.”

    With the stunning news that Brad Stevens is now the head coach of the Boston Celtics with a six-year-deal worth $22 million, Butler must now find a new coach just a few days after officially joining the Big East Conference on Monday.

    Keep in mind that the July live period is about to start and coaches will be heading out on the road next week for recruiting.

    “Understanding the situation, I would expect someone from the Butler family and someone who understands the Butler way to get the job,” ESPN college basketball analyst Seth Greenberg told SNY.tv. “They have great pride in the culture that they established and I would expect them to keep it within the family and keep this system consistent.”

    Stanley Johnson and Emmanuel Mudiay both said they will visit Kentucky for Big Blue Madness Oct. 18.

    The 6-foot-7 Johnson from Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei also said he will visit Arizona’s “Red-Blue Game” Oct. 12 and he said on Twitter he will visit Florida Oct. 30.

    His former AAU teammate with the Oakland Soldiers, Aaron Gordon, is an incoming frosh at Arizona.

    Johnson has cut his list to eight schools and is also considering UCLA, USC, Duke, Oregon and Kansas.

    Syracuse-bound point guard Tyler Ennis will lead Canada into the FIBA U19 World Championship quarterfinals against the USA in Prague.

    All four quarterfinals will take place Friday.

    Despite battling the flu, Ennis, who played at St. Benedict’s Prep, went for 17 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists Wednesday as Canada (3-3) fended off Argentina, 78-62.

    Uncommitted 2014 forward Trey Lyles of Arsenal (Ind.) Tech led Canada with 21 points and 12 rebounds and Florida State commit Xavier Rathan-Mayes added 16 points.

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