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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.

Lamont “Momo” Jones is enrolled at Rice High School and could suit up for the Raiders this year if Catholic League officials approve.

Jones, a 6-foot-1 senior point guard, began his high school career at Rice before transferring to American Christian in Aston, Pa. When the high school wing of that school closed, Jones considered attending St. Anthony in Jersey City, but St. Anthony coach Bob Hurley said the school had a rule prohibiting the admission of seniors.

Erin Andrews will be at the Rutgers-North Carolina game on 9/11. Will Barack Obama?

Andrews will be a sideline reporter, helping out ESPN talents Chris Fowler, Craig James and Jesse Palmer.

Meantime, rumors are swirling at Rutgers that Democractic Presidential nominee Barack Obama might attend the game. Obama and Republican nominee John McCain will be in New York for a 9/11 event that day.

Yet campaign officials at Obama’s New Jersey headquarters said they didn’t have the Senator’s schedule that far out and could not comment at this point.

“We don’t comment on his schedule,” said Andrew Poag, Communications Director for Obama’s New Jersey campaign.

Derrick Caracter’s next stop appears to be Southern Mississippi.

Louisville sent his release to Southern Miss on Wednesday and the 6-foot-9, 270-pound Caracter could enroll in classes next week.

“The release has been sent to them (Southern Miss),” a source close to the situation said. “They have permission to contact him and speak with him. They’re pretty much recruiting him, so to speak. They have inquired for his release and it’s been granted. He’d have to sit out a year.”

“All is know is that there were talks that he could be transferring here, but as of (Thursday) night he hadn’t,” SMU spokesman Timothy Andrzejewski said. “The compliance department has to look everything over.” He added that Caracter was not on campus as of Friday morning.

Caracter had considered NAIA national champ Oklahoma City University, but that option now appears dead in the water, perhaps because OCU coach Tommy Wade make take a job under Travis Ford at Oklahoma State. Caracter would not have had to sit out a year if he made that move.

Herb Pope’s transfer to Seton Hall has become official and the 6-foot-8, 235-pound forward will sit out the upcoming season unless he receives a waiver from the NCAA.

Pope, who transferred from New Mexico State, will be eligible to practice with the Pirates this season and then will have three years of eligibility remaining.

“Herb will fill a huge need for us, as the one area we haven’t been able to address is a big-time power forward,” Pirates coach Bobby Gonzalez said. “He is a special recruit and a talented young man. He’s been through some tough times in his young career, but he’s looking forward to a new start at Seton Hall. WE believe he has a very bright future with unlimited potential.”

In a move that could have profound implications for the Passaic County boys basketball landscape, Asmar Edwards will play football and basketball for Kennedy this year instead of Passaic Tech.

“He came down and he transferred in to International High School,” Kennedy coach Jim Ring said, referring to the new high school on Paterson, NJ’s Grand St.  “His paperwork has been completed. Our football coach (Ron Jackson) is just working on some clearance papers with Tech in terms of transferring waivers and stuff.”

The 5-foot-11 Edwards will play linebacker for the football team and will be eligible for the season opener Sept. 12 against Paramus.

“The Tech coaches told me he’s a monster hitter,” Jackson said.

On the hardwood, Edwards is a ferocious competitor and two-time All-Passaic first-team selection who led the Bulldogs basketball team to the Group 4 state semis in 2007.

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