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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.
  • By CHIP MILLER & ADAM ZAGORIA

    FRISCO, Texas — Mac Irvin point guard Jalen Brunson is targeting a summer decision after recently announcing he had cut his list to eight schools.

    The 6-foot-1, 175-pound Brunson will choose between Michigan State, UConn, Purdue, Illinois, Kansas, Villanova, Michigan and Temple.

    “Before the [high school] season starts,” Brunson said of his timetable on a decision. “I think when I find the best fit for me, I will know.”

    Between now and then Brunson says he’ll continue to focus on his game.

    Transferring Cincinnati forward Jermaine Lawrence is down to four New York-area schools and will visit Iona on Thursday (today) and St. John’s in the coming days.

    The 6-foot-9 Queens native is now considering St. John’s, Manhattan, Hofstra and Iona, according to Zach Braziller of the New York Post.

    We previously reported that Seton Hall would not attempt to recruit Lawrence.

    Wherever he lands, Lawrence is expected to apply for a hardship waiver to play immediately in 2014-15. He said his father “is ill” and he “wanted to be closer to him.”

    Lawrence visited Hofstra Wednesday.

    Hofstra has a three-man recruiting class for 2014, including former Brooklyn Boys & Girls wing Malik Nichols, who signed an NLI this week.

    Jerome Seagears is headed to UNLV.

    The 6-foot-1 former Rutgers guard committed while on a visit to the Las Vegas school on Wednesday.

    “He liked the style of play and the chance to play point guard in a more traditional offense,” his former high school coach, Darrick Bond, told SNY.tv. “He was also comfortable with the coaching staff.”

    Seagears also considered Oregon, Oregon State, Tennessee, San Diego, Rhode Island, Cal State-Northridge and Cal Poly, but never visited those.

    Seagears will seek a waiver to play immediately next season and could get one, even though he’s a year removed from the Mike Rice scandal at Rutgers.

    A native of Silver Spring, MD, Seagears averaged 7.1 points and 3.2 assists last season.

    Heading into this weekend’s Nike EYBL stop in Hampton, Va., two players triggering a ton of high-major college interest are 2016 guard Jamal Murray and 2015 big man Kyle Alexander of CIA Bounce.

    “We get probably 20 calls a day from high-major schools on Jamal,” Larry Blunt, the head coach at Canada’s Athlete Institute and an assistant with CIA Bounce told SNY.tv.

    Blunt listed Syracuse, Georgetown, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Virginia and Virginia Tech among those calling on the 6-foot-5 Murray.

    “Everybody, he’s really blowing up,” Blunt said.

    TyndallNew Tennessee coach Donnie Tyndall continued to transform his roster with the addition of four players on Monday and Tuesday.

    Tyndall has now added seven players in the last week.

    On Tuesday, the Vols added Devon Baulkman, a 6-foot-5 guard from Bainbridge, Ga.; Willie Carmichael, a 6-7 power forward from Apopka, Fla.; and Ian Chiles, a high-scoring 6-1 guard who is transferring from IUPUI.

    On Monday, Eric McKnight, a 6-9 transfer from Florida Gulf Coast, committed to the Vols.

    Both Chiles and McKnight will be eligible immediately.

    Jeylani Dublin, a 6-foot-6 forward from Longwood, will transfer to Iona and be eligible immediately in 2014-15 as a graduate transfer.

    The Brooklyn native has one year remaining.

    He averaged 10.4 points and 4.2 rebounds last season.

    “Iona has been recruiting me ever since I received my release,” Dublin told SNY.tv. “They showed the most interest and the coaches were really cool guys. They program also has a winning history. My main goal is to win games and make it to the NCAA Tournament. They also have a hardworking group of returnees who are eager to win.

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