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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.

Ryan Arcidiacono, the No. 8 point guard in the Class of 2012 out of Langhorne (Pa.) Neshaminy, has verbally committed to Villanova.

Arcidiacono was one of many recruits to attend Villanova’s Midnight Madness event Friday night and said he called head coach Jay Wright to commit on Sunday.

“It was a great fit,” he said by phone. “They love to push the ball. They’re an up-and-down type of team.”

The 6-foot-4, 190-pound Arcidiacono said his decision came down to Villanova and Florida. But location was the deciding factor.

Rodney Hood, the No. 7 small forward in the Class of 2011, will announce on Wednesday at noon CST, according to Meridian High (Miss.) coach Randy Bolden.

Bolden said Hood will choose from among Florida State, Mississippi State, Louisville, Marquette and Alabama.

“At this point it’s pretty much him doing some soul-searching deciding what he wants to do,” Bolden said.

Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl is operating without a contract, yet the father of star freshman forward Tobias Harris said the situation won’t impact his son.

“There’s no impact on Tobias,” Torrel Harris said. “He’s very focused and ready for the basketball season. He’s working extremely hard and his energy level is very high. I expect great results for Tobias and the UT basketball team.”

Pearl, in turn, called the 6-foot-8 Long Island native  “the hardest working guy I’ve ever had.” Pearl said 13 of 14 Vols also cited Harris when asked to name the team’s hardest working player.

In cutting their roster to 15 players, the Knicks did not make a sentimental move.

Instead of keeping Patrick Ewing Jr., the Knicks waived him and opted to keep Shawne Williams as the team’s 15th man. Ewing Jr. reportedly had a $100,000 guarantee.

It marks the second time in three years that the franchise cut the son of their legendary former center, now an assistant with the Orlando Magic.

Knicks president Donnie Walsh initially drafted Williams to Indiana with the No. 17 pick in the 2006 NBA Draft out of Memphis.

Xavier got its second major commitment of the weekend when 6-foot-10 Mike Chandler verbally pledged during an official visit.

“I really want to go in there and help them do special things,” he told the Indianapolis Star. “I want to help them go to a Final Four.”

Chandler, the No. 4 center in the Class of 2011 out of Indianapolis Lawrence North, also considered Providence, UConn and Indiana.

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