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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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Wednesday / December 25.
  • Derrick JonesBy NICK MEDLINE

    Special to ZAGSBLOG

    On Monday, Derrick Jones visited UConn and officially received a scholarship offer from the reigning NCAA champions — which would be enough to satisfy most elite prospects.

    But instead, the 6-foot-7 Jones out of Radnor (PA) Archbishop Carroll followed his visit by traveling from Storrs, Conn., to New York City and poured in 30 points in a Dyckman Park summer game  —  just another example of how much Jones loves basketball.

    Just last month, Jones poured in 31 points in the Mary Kline Classic in New Jersey.

    “Derrick lives on the basketball court,” his father, Derrick Jones Sr. told SNY.tv. “Coming from Pennsylvania to play on that court is a real privilege for a kid that’s trying to come up in the world and do his thing.”

    DialloBy ADAM ZAGORIA & JOHN PAVIA

    Cheick Diallo, the 6-9 Our Savior New American big man, enjoyed his visit to Kentucky which ended Monday, and says five schools are pursuing him the hardest.

    Diallo said Kentucky, Kansas, St. John’s, Pittsburgh and Iowa State are working the hardest for his services, and he plans to visit those schools in the coming weeks.

    Kentucky coach John Calipari said that he likes Diallo’s athleticism and ability to run the floor. Diallo also had a chance to speak with incoming point guard Tyler Ulis

    Ronald RobertsAfter going through more than a dozen workouts with NBA teams, Ronald Roberts thought there was a decent chance he might hear his named called during Thursday’s NBA Draft.

    But when the Draft was over, the former St. Peter’s Prep star was still waiting.

    “The whole time when I was going through the process, I felt like it was a 50/50 chance that I would have my named called,” the 6-foot-8, 220-pound Roberts told SNY.tv by phone.

    “Obviously, I was disappointed just because I worked so hard ever since I was playing basketball and it was tough not hearing my name called, but it definitely gave me more motivation to show everybody what I got in a five-on-five setting where I showcase what I can do.”

    A couple hours after the draft, Roberts got two doses of good news from agent Adam Pensack.

    As we creep toward the busy month of July, high school recruits across the country are taking visits to college campuses.

    On Monday, two players who may end up reclassing by a year will take visits that could be pivotal in their recruitments.

    **Thon Maker, a Class of 2016 7-footer from the Carlisle (Va.) School, who may reclass to 2015, will visit Duke. Maker recently tripped to Kansas and Missouri and also plans to hit Arizona, UCLA, Kentucky and Indiana later this summer.

    **Speaking of Mizzou, Montaque “Teki” Gill-Caesar, a Class of 2015 wing from Huntington (W.V.) Prep who may reclass to 2o14, will trip to Missouri. The link there, of course, is that the Tigers just hired former Huntington coach Rob Fulford as an assistant.

    By NICK MEDLINE

    Special to ZAGSBLOG

    EVANSTON, Ill. — Before a midday game at the Northwestern Saturday team camp, the entire Rice Lake (WI) team simply watched Henry Ellenson warm up.

    During the game against Stevenson (IL) — without uncommitted 2015 guard Jalen Brunson — they watched his usual show. He scored a handful of buckets from the low post, and then stepped out to hit more. It was everything that explained his sudden rise.

    Once a hidden gem in the Midwest, the 6-foot-10 power forward “blew up” and became the No. 17 player in the class of 2015, according to Rivals.com. He holds 19 offers, and most important, tried to list eight of the schools most involved in his recruitment. [He did not offer a top list.]

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