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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 26.
  • Reid Travis spurned both perennial powerhouse Duke and home-state school Minnesota in order to go play for Johnny Dawkins at Stanford.

    “It just kind of came down to the feeling,”  said Travis, who averaged 26.1 points and 9.0 rebounds per game last season, according to the Star Tribune. “I went out to Stanford and immediately it just felt like home and it was comfortable there … [Cardinal coach] Johnny Dawkins did a great job of building a relationship with me since sophomore year. It got to the point this last year where it wasn’t even like he was recruiting me anymore, it was like I was talking to a family member — he was just checking in on me.”

     Leroy Butts is headed to Rutgers.

    The 6-foot-8, 200-pound 2015 power forward from Clinton (Md.) Christian coach picked Rutgers over Miami, Cincinnati and DePaul.

    “It’s a great fit for me,” said Butts, the Rivals No. 114 prospect in the Class of 2015.

    Asked what skillset he will bring, he said, “Scoring, rebounding, athleticism.”

    Said DC Assault coach Damon Handon: “He’s wired to score the ball, has a good mid-range game and is a rebounder.”

    PAYTON-DASTRUP_150_6_4

    By JACK LeGWIN

    Special to ZAGSBLOG

    Payton Dastrup committed to The Ohio State University on Thursday.

    A 6-foot-9, 220 pound power forward out of Mesa Mountain View High School (AZ), Dastrup will add considerable length to the front line of a new-look Buckeyes team.

    Dastrup’s father, David Dastrup, said that the Ohio State visit was mostly about seeing how Payton would like the atmosphere.

    “Having the opportunity to see the way the coaching staff creates a unity and a family-type atmosphere between themselves and the players was important to us,” David told Eleven Warriors.com, following the visit. “We were impressed with the unity and support demonstrated by everyone associated with the program.”

    When the 2013-14 college basketball season tips off Friday night, some key coaches and players won’t be involved.

    Here’s a quick list of some of those who will be missing in action.

    **Missouri associate head coach Tim Fuller (pictured) will coach the team in its first five games while coach Frank Haith serves his suspension.

    **P.J. Hairston and Leslie McDonald of North Carolina will sit out Friday’s season opener against Oakland due to what the school called an “ongoing compliance issue.”

    **Michigan sophomore C Mitch McGary will miss the season-opener Friday vs. UMass-Lowell with a back issue.

    Kentucky, Michigan State, Kansas and Duke have agreed to renew the Champions Classic for an additional three years.

    “We are excited to continue and be a part of this season-opening event,” UK head coach John Calipari said. “The Champions Classic does a couple of things for our schedule. One, it allows us to play an early-season marquee game at a neutral site, which is important for our team to play in before the NCAA Tournament. Secondly, when you talk about Duke, Kansas, Michigan State and Kentucky, you’re talking about four of the best programs in our sport. So it’s a great event for our fans. We’re happy we could renew it for three more years.”

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