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.
Minnesota assistant Kimani Young, UConn assistant Glen Miller and Villanova assistant Kyle Neptune all tripped this weekend to watch the Putnam (Conn.) Science Academy duo of Hamidou Diallo and Mamadou Diarra.
The 6-4 Diallo (pictured) is a 2017 shooting guard ranked No. 38 in that class by Rivals with offers from UConn and Minnesota, among others.
“Hamidou has a great feel for the game which allows him to execute at a high level on the floor,” New York Jayhawks coach Jay David, also an assistant at Long Island Lutheran, told SNY.tv. “His ability to score and pass at such a high level is what I think makes him special.”
The 6-8 Diarra is a 2016 power forward with an offer from Minnesota, among others.
“Mamadou has a great motor and knack for chasing down rebounds to go along with really good footwork,” David said. “That will only improve with stretching out his skill set to beyond 15 feet.
“Defensively they both are two of the better players I’ve coached.”
Minnesota head coach Richard Pitino and Young also planned to watch 2016 Brooklyn Thomas Jefferson guard Shamorie Ponds and 2015 Burlington (N.J.) Life Center wing Malik Ellison on Sunday. Ellison has already visited Minnesota and is in the process of setting up other trips.
**Indiana is the latest school to call on 2016 Our Savior New American forward Kassoum Yakwe, sources confirmed after Andrew Slater Tweeted the news. “They love him and they want him to visit ASAP,” one source said. “Coach Tom Crean went to see him three times already.” The 6-7 Yakwe visited Iowa State this weekend and is also being pursued by St. John’s, Kansas, Villanova and others.
**The Vermont Academy trio of Bruce Brown, Sam Japhet-Mathias and Tyrique Jones attended Sunday’s SMU-Conn game, head coach Alex Popp said. Corey Evans previously reported it.
**2016 St. Anthony’s guard Jagan Mosely added offers from Princeton and Columbia, according to Alex Kline. Rutgers, Creighton and Northwestern were all in to see him and junior forward Taurean Thompson last week. Temple also saw the 6-9 Thompson. “Mosely is very underrated and will be a high-major Russell Westbrook-type guard,” St. Anthony assistant Eric Harrield said. “He’s very coachable. He’s an excellent student and never takes a day off. He just keeps adding components to his game every year.”
**Otis Livingston, a senior guard from Linden (N.J.) who scored 21 points Saturday night to lead the Tigers over Isaiah Briscoe and Roselle Catholic to win the Union County championship, picked up an offer from FDU to go with one from Robert Morris.
Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle.
A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013.
He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.
Minnesota assistant Kimani Young, UConn assistant Glen Miller and Villanova assistant Kyle Neptune all tripped this weekend to watch the Putnam (Conn.) Science Academy duo of Hamidou Diallo and Mamadou Diarra.
The 6-4 Diallo (pictured) is a 2017 shooting guard ranked No. 38 in that class by Rivals with offers from UConn and Minnesota, among others.
“Hamidou has a great feel for the game which allows him to execute at a high level on the floor,” New York Jayhawks coach Jay David, also an assistant at Long Island Lutheran, told SNY.tv. “His ability to score and pass at such a high level is what I think makes him special.”
The 6-8 Diarra is a 2016 power forward with an offer from Minnesota, among others.
“Mamadou has a great motor and knack for chasing down rebounds to go along with really good footwork,” David said. “That will only improve with stretching out his skill set to beyond 15 feet.
“Defensively they both are two of the better players I’ve coached.”
Minnesota head coach Richard Pitino and Young also planned to watch 2016 Brooklyn Thomas Jefferson guard Shamorie Ponds and 2015 Burlington (N.J.) Life Center wing Malik Ellison on Sunday. Ellison has already visited Minnesota and is in the process of setting up other trips.
**Indiana is the latest school to call on 2016 Our Savior New American forward Kassoum Yakwe, sources confirmed after Andrew Slater Tweeted the news. “They love him and they want him to visit ASAP,” one source said. “Coach Tom Crean went to see him three times already.” The 6-7 Yakwe visited Iowa State this weekend and is also being pursued by St. John’s, Kansas, Villanova and others.
**The Vermont Academy trio of Bruce Brown, Sam Japhet-Mathias and Tyrique Jones attended Sunday’s SMU-Conn game, head coach Alex Popp said. Corey Evans previously reported it.
**2016 St. Anthony’s guard Jagan Mosely added offers from Princeton and Columbia, according to Alex Kline. Rutgers, Creighton and Northwestern were all in to see him and junior forward Taurean Thompson last week. Temple also saw the 6-9 Thompson. “Mosely is very underrated and will be a high-major Russell Westbrook-type guard,” St. Anthony assistant Eric Harrield said. “He’s very coachable. He’s an excellent student and never takes a day off. He just keeps adding components to his game every year.”
**Otis Livingston, a senior guard from Linden (N.J.) who scored 21 points Saturday night to lead the Tigers over Isaiah Briscoe and Roselle Catholic to win the Union County championship, picked up an offer from FDU to go with one from Robert Morris.
