October 2015 | Page 17 of 21 | Zagsblog
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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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Friday / November 22.
  • 4_2942307Kentucky freshman 7-footer Skal Labissiere, the projected No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft, has not yet been cleared by the NCAA, according to a report from ESPN.com.

    “Not yet,” Labissiere’s guardian, Gerald Hamilton, told ESPN, declining to specify the reason why. “We’re just trying to get everything squared away. They are asking a few questions.

    “They haven’t cleared him, but we’re sticking with our faith,” he added. “There’s no real concern about anything from the Kentucky compliance people.”

    Labissiere is allowed to practice with the team while he awaits NCAA clearance.

    ToroArnaldo Toro, a 6-foot-9 2016 power forward from St. Benedict’s Prep, is considering three schools and is honing in on a decision.

    The native of Puerto Rico is down to George Washington, St. Joe’s and Kansas State. He has visited GW and will visit St. Joe’s the weekend of Oct. 16 and Kansas State Oct. 29. St. Joe’s coach Phil Martelli is expected to watch him during a scrimmage on Wednesday.

    “I already did my visit to GW,” he said. “I like the GW staff and it’s a great environment to be in. And a great academic school.”

    Toro still plans to trip to the other two. 

    349771-330-0Kansas may not learn about Cheick Diallo’s NCAA eligibility for another couple of weeks or so, according to head coach Bill Self.

    “He’s been cleared to practice,” Self told hosts Steven St. John and Nate Bukaty of “The Border Patrol” on WHB-AM 810, via NBCSports.com. “[His status] is depending on what they find throughout from the information we submit to them whenever we get it all together.

    “A lot of people think, ‘Well, why wouldn’t it all be together?’ Well there’s a lot of reasons why. It’s because they told us recently some things that they just wanted. Instead of just throwing it to them piece by piece, they requested we to just submit it all together, so it may be a couple of more weeks before we’re able to submit everything when you’re talking about getting information from schools in Mali and everything like that.

    LauriFinnish power forward Lauri Markkanen will begin his American swing this weekend.

    The 6-foot-11 Markkanen will visit Utah Oct. 11th, North Carolina Oct. 13-14 and Arizona Oct. 16-17.

    Markkanen averaged 18.2 points and 6.3 rebounds at the recent FIBA U18 World Championships. He is projected as the No. 20 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft by DraftExpress.com.

    “He is an ideal stretch power forward,” Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com said. “Good athlete, terrific shooter, can create a little bit off the dribble. Can take the rebound and go coast-to-coast. Competes on defense even though he’s not a great shot-blocker or rebounder. I really like his upside. It’s very hard to find guys like him these days, everybody’s looking for guys like that. He can play a little bit of five in college because he’s got such got great size. He’s really improved in the last year and a half. 

    2015 NIKE EYBL. SESSION 4. Minneapolis, MN.

    Kevin Marfo, a 6-foot-8, 235-pound power forward from Worcester (Mass.) Academy, will announce his college choice on Friday afternoon, he told SNY.tv.

    A native of Bergenfield, N.J., Marfo is considering Boston College, Providence and George Washington, and has visited all three schools.

    Here’s his take on each school:

    Boston College: “Great academics and a young team. The coaching staff is motivated to change the culture of the program.”

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