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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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    • Articles, Recruiting

    Ohio State added a pair of Class of 2018 recruits in Versailles wing Justin Ahrens and Cincinnati Princeton forward Darius Bazley who committed as a package.

    “We’ve been talking about it for a while, but it really got serious when they decided to offer me,” Ahrens told 247Sports.com. “We put the two of us and Coach [Thad] Matta in a group chat and we asked when we could make it over there for a visit. Today was that day.”

    The two had planned on a package to make it unique.

    “Darius and I called (assistant Chris) Jent and told him we were committing, but we told him not to tell Coach Matta,” Ahrens told 247Sports.com. “We asked him if he could get Coach Matta out of his office and add some humor to it. We went to a store beforehand and got an Ohio State shirt and hat.

    “They got Coach Matta out of his office and we snuck in. He walked back in and it was kind of like, ‘Surprise,’ and we put our hat on and our shirt and told him we were committing.

    “He was pretty excited.”

    Arizona, Recruiting

    Alex Barcello, a 6-foot-2 point guard from Tempe (AZ) Corona Del Sol, committed to Arizona coach Sean Miller on Friday.

    Ranked No. 16 among point guards in the Class of 2017 by 247Sports.com, Barcello is Arizona’s first 2017 pledge. He also considered Indiana, Stanford, Butler and Virginia.

    “I felt that it was the best fit for me,” he said. “I have a close relationship with Coach Miller and know that he played the point guard in college so he will help develop my game into the best player that I can be. We see eye to eye because we both want to compete for Final Fours and win a national championship. I fit in really well with the guys and really had a special bond. I can’t wait to play in McKale. Arizona has the best fans in the country.”

    Duke, Recruiting

    The same week he received an offer from Duke, Alex O’Connell committed.

    O’Connell, out of Alpharetta (GA) Milton, is ranked the No. 16 shooting guard in the Class of 2017 by 247Sports.com and also considered Louisville, among others.

    Duke also this week offered Class of 2017 wing Jermaine Samuels Jr., and remain in the hunt for 2017 shooting guards Hamidou Diallo and Gary Trent Jr., who has been linked to a potential package with big man Wendell Carter Jr.

    Articles, Kentucky

    On the same day Kentucky coach John Calipari praised freshman Edrice “Bam” Adebayo, the big man’s high school coach reiterated he could be in the mix for the No. 1 overall pick in 2017.

    Calipari compared the 6-foot-10 Adebayo to former No. 1 overall picks Anthony Davis and Karl-Anthony Towns, according to a dispatch from Kyle Tucker.

    Look,” Calipari said Thursday, “my prediction will be kind of like Karl (Towns) and even Anthony (Davis), some of these guys that other players were more highly thought of, but when you start hitting late January and February, you’re going to say, ‘Oh, my goodness.’

    “Because he’s a beast with skills. Greatest kid. I mean, he’s the greatest teammate aside from that (talent) – unselfish in all kinds of ways – but he’s a beast who can play basketball. And he wants to win.”

    DraftExpress.com currently has Adebayo projected as the No. 9 pick in 2017, but Adebayo’s high school coach, Brandon Clifford of High Point (N.C.) Christian, reiterated to SNY.tv. that he believes Adebayo could potentially be the No. 1 overall pick.

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