January 2017 | Page 24 of 30

By CHRIS BARCA & ADAM ZAGORIA

As expected, Hamidou Diallo plans to redshirt at Kentucky this semester and then go full bore for the 2017-18 season, something that his AAU coach thinks could become a trend going forward.

“It makes so much sense,” Andy Borman, Diallo’s coach with the NY Rens, told ZAGSBLOG on Saturday after his commitment. “Hamidou is going to get to lift with the college strength coach. He’s going to get to practice with college kids as opposed to high school. When the team goes on a road trip, he can stay home with a grad assistant and work out two hours a day.

“I could see it becoming more common. If I had a kid that graduated early, I can send him to college for a semester and could spend nine months getting ready. When everyone comes in June for summer school as freshmen, he’s already a sophomore.”

St. Anthony, St. Patrick

Bob Hurley, St. Anthony’s Taking 40-Game Winning Streak Into Brutal Stretch

January 9, 2017

author: Adam Zagoria

The last time Bob Hurley and the St. Anthony’s Friars lost a basketball game, it was March 14, 2015.

That came against a Roselle Catholic team led by Isaiah Briscoe in the New Jersey Non-Public B title game in Toms River.

For a frame of reference, the last time St. Anthony’s lost, Donald Trump was three months away from announcing his candidacy for President.

Now, nearly two years since that Roselle Catholic loss, the Friars have won 40 straight games after edging a tough Blair Academy team, 52-48, on Sunday at the Hoops to Help Basketball Showcase at the County College of Morris.

The winning streak includes a perfect 32-0 campaign last season that resulted in the school’s 13th New Jersey Tournament of Champions title and an 8-0 start to the 2016-17 campaign.

Kentucky, Recruiting

Kentucky Recruits Fired up to Add Hamidou Diallo to 2017 Class

January 9, 2017

author: Adam Zagoria

Kentucky’s fans and coaches aren’t the only ones excited about the impending arrival of Hamidou Diallo, who committed to the Wildcats on Saturday and is expected to redshirt this semester.

Most of his fellow Class of 2017 Kentucky commits are, too.

The 6-foot-6 Diallo played on the Nike EYBL circuit with the NY Rens and faced most of Kentucky’s incoming class there. He also won a gold medal on the USA U18 team alongside Kentucky commits Quade Green and P.J. Washington.

“He brings length, energy, and freakish athleticism,” said 6-foot-7 small forward Jarred Vanderbilt, who played for the Houston Hoops on the Nike circuit. “He also a great defender/rebounder and [he] plays hard.”

Butler

Big East Fines Butler $5K for Court Storming, Chris Holtmann Expected to Help Pay Fine

January 8, 2017

author: Adam Zagoria

The Big East on Sunday fined Butler

Recruiting, Syracuse, UConn

Syracuse, UConn Among Schools Targeting Eric Ayala for Reclassification in 2017

January 8, 2017

author: Adam Zagoria

Having both lost out on high-profile Class of 2017 guards, Syracuse and UConn are focusing on a 2018 guard whom they hope will reclass.

Eric Ayala, the 6-foot-5, 2018 guard from Putnam Science (CT) Academy, is considering reclassifying to the 2017 class, and Syracuse and UConn are hoping he reclasses down a year. Both schools missed out on guards who chose Kentucky when Quade Green spurned Syracuse for the Wildcats and Hamidou Diallo on Saturday denied UConn to head to the Bluegrass.

“Eric has been a priority for Syracuse, UConn, Indiana, and Maryland the past for the past year,” Terrell Myers of the WE-R1 AAU program told ZAGSBLOG on Sunday. “Lately Syracuse has done a great job communicating with us about how important he is. We haven’t made a decision on which year he will come out. At the moment we are looking for the school that fits his style of play and where he will make the greatest impact.”