St. Patrick's Archives | Page 5 of 6 | Zagsblog
Recent Posts
Breaking News, Creighton
Recruiting
About ZagsBlog
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.
Follow Zags on Twitter
Couldn't connect with Twitter
Contact Zags
Email
Facebook
Twitter
Advertising
Connect with Zags:
Thursday / December 12.
SECTION
logo
mobile-logo
    • Recruiting

    By DAVID DORSEY

    FORT MYERS, Fla. – Two members of the “Jelly Fam” had vastly different expressions on their faces as they played in front of a fleet of Division I college basketball coaches Sunday evening at the 44th Annual Culligan City of Palms Classic.

    The Patrick School, ranked No. 1 in New Jersey and No. 9 in USA Today’s Super 25, defeated Jersey City Hudson Catholic 65-53 in the quarterfinals. If played in the Garden State, it would have drawn about 5,000 fans and had a state championship-like atmosphere.

    Instead, it had an intense, national-caliber tournament quarterfinal atmosphere with about 2,500 fans in attendance in capacity 3,500 Suncoast Credit Union Arena at Florida SouthWestern State College.

    Kentucky, Recruiting

    NEW YORK — Nick Richards and Quade Green both attended Kentucky’s win over Michigan State in the Champions Classic last month at Madison Square Garden.

    Four days after that game, the 6-foot Green committed to Kentucky over Syracuse, giving the Wildcats their point guard for the 2017-18 season and perhaps beyond.

    Richards’ immediate reaction when he heard the news?

    “Right away, I thought national championship, to be honest with you,” a smiling Richards told me Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden, where he watched Seton Hall edge No. 16 South Carolina, 67-64, in the Under Armour Reunion.

    St. Patrick

    You might have missed new Tulane coach Mike Dunleavy Sr. in the cozy gym at The Patrick School in Hillside, N.J. this fall.

    After all, Kentucky coach John Calipari passed through on several occasions and Arizona’s Sean Miller and Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim was there, too.

    They were busy recruiting Nick Richards, the 6-foot-11 big man who ultimately signed with Kentucky.

    But Dunleavy snuck in and out of the Garden State long enough to land two steals in 6-foot-9 Bul Ajang  and 7-footer Buay Koka, who will be key frontcourt players this season as The Patrick School, loaded with five Division 1 signees, looks to win the New Jersey Tournament of Champions title. The two natives of South Sudan signed with Tulane last month, as first reported by ZAGSBLOG.

    Associate head coach Doug Stewart, a New Jersey native with prior coaching experience at Nevada, Oregon State and in the NBA D-League, was the point man on the recruitment.

    Breaking News, Kentucky, Recruiting, St. Patrick

    HILLSIDE, N.J. — Growing up in Kingston, Jamaica, Nick Richards loved competing in soccer, volleyball and track and field.

    But his life changed forever when, in the summer of 2013, a New York City basketball scout named Andre Ricketts discovered Richards at a basketball camp in his home country.

    “He found me in Jamaica and he brought me up here,” the 6-foot-11 Richards told me.

    At that stage, Richards never imagined he could earn a Division 1 scholarship based on his raw basketball abilities.

    “No, when I was there that never really came across my mind,” he said. After initially landing at St. Mary’s High School on Long Island, Richards didn’t realize basketball could get him to college — and maybe beyond — until “probably like the beginning of my junior year.” By that stage, he had transferred to New Jersey power St. Patrick’s, now known as The Patrick School.

    Recruiting, St. Patrick

    HILLSIDE, N.J. — With five players headed to high-major Division 1 programs, Marcus McClary knows there’s only one acceptable ending for The Patrick School this year.

    Led by legendary former coach Kevin Boyle, the school won five Tournament of Champions titles as St. Patrick’s (1998, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009), but is seeking its first since reorganizing in 2012 into a private school.

    “That’s the goal, TOC,” McClary told me Wednesday, the first day of the NCAA early signing period. “We have seven seniors. I’ve been at St. Pat’s since eighth grade so TOC that’s the only goal.”

    He added: “It will be a failed season if we don’t win it.”

    Along with the 6-3 McClary (Monmouth), 6-1 guard Jamir Harris (Minnesota), 6-9 forward Bul Ajang (Tulane) and 7-foot center Buay Koka (Tulane) all signed on Wednesday. Nick Richards, the team’s star 6-11 big man, will announce Thursday between Kentucky, Syracuse and Arizona.

    Copyright 2016 Zagsblog. Partner of iOne Digital / Cassius Network
    } });
    X