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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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Saturday / November 23.

Louisville head coach Rick Pitino paid a special visit to Tobias Harris’ new school today.

Pitino came to watch the 6-foot-8 Harris at Long Island Lutheran.

“Coach Pitino came to watch Tobias for a two-hour workout after school today (Wednesday),” Torrel Harris, Tobias’ dad, said. “Tobias told me he was very happy to see Coach Pitino’s interest in him and felt that it really meant something that he chose to be there rather than sending an assistant coach. The visit motivated Tobias to continue working hard as he came home to jump rope with his younger brothers Terry and Tyler for another hour while expressing his desire to be the best he can be.”

I’m writing a story about Bobby Gonzalez and Seton Hall transfers Herb Pope and Keon Lawrence that will appear Thursday on SNY.tv. In going through my interview with Gonzalez, here are some quotes that won’t make the story but might be of interest to fans….

ON HOW TOUGH THE BIG EAST IS THIS YEAR

“We’re trying to get good (with the transfers), and this league is unmerciful. It’s like growing old, nobody’s going to wait for you. Like they say, ‘Time waits for no man.’ In this league, no one cares, no one feels sorry for you. You have to get players and win games, man. This league is just brutal.”

ON WHO WILL COACH THE SUSPENSION GAME AGAINST SYRACUSE

“I’ll probably have Dermon (Player) do the defense and I’ll probably have Kevin Murphy help him with the offense because he knows how I think in terms of stuff I call offensively. I’ll have Scott Adubato talking to the guys on the bench. It’ll sort of be by committee, a joint group effort kind of thing.”

Bob Hurley says Dominic Cheek’s visit with Seton Hall coach Bobby Gonzalez on Tuesday night went very well.

“It thought their presentation went very well,” Hurley said Wednesday morning. “I thought we had a good hour and a half. Coach Gonzalez was right on the money with the amount of time he used. He gave an explanation of the school and the role they would see the player having. I think Dom really got a chance to know as much about Seton Hall as you would need.”

Seton Hall assistant Scott Adubato also attended, as did Cheek’s uncle, Omari Knight, and grandmother, Izaphine “Ice” Howard. The 6-foot-5 Cheek has already made unofficial visits to Seton Hall on various occasions.

David Bruce, a 6-foot-9, 210-pound senior forward from Linden (NJ) High, is still on the board.

Bruce did not travel with an AAU team this summer, staying at home instead.

Still, “St. Joe’s, Maryland, St. John’s, Seton Hall, they’ve all offered,” Linden coach Phil Colicchio said.

**Indiana picked up a commitment from Christian Watford, a 6-7, 215-pound SF rated the No. 34 senior in the country.

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