St. John’s Hicks Gave Statement to NCAA

Moe Hicks, the Director of Basketball Operations at St. John’s, gave a written statement Wednesday to the NCAA regarding his past involvement with incoming St. John’s player Maurice Harkless, according to a source with direct knowledge.

“He had to give a statement yesterday,” the source said.

St. John’s declined comment, other than to confirm they are working with the NCAA on the matter.

As first reported Wednesday night by ZAGSBLOG, St. John’s is working with the NCAA to decide whether the 6-foot-8 Harkless, the jewel of Steve Lavin’s nine-man recruiting class, will be eligible to play at St. John’s next season.

At issue is whether Hicks, the former program director with the New York Gauchos AAU program, is considered by the NCAA an “individual associated with a prospect,” or IAWP as it relates to Harkless.

St. John’s Drawing Distinction Between Mo and Momo

In the eyes of St. John’s, there is a distinction between Mo and Momo.

St. John’s signee Maurice “Mo” Harkless played a couple of events with the New York Gauchos AAU program in the spring of 2010, but was never directly coached by Moe Hicks, now the Director of Basketball Operations at St. John’s.

Lamont “Momo” Jones, by contrast, was directly coached by Hicks for two years at Rice High School.

St. John’s believes an NCAA rule implemented in 2010 means that while Jones likely can’t play at the school until at least 2012, Harkless is free and clear to join the program this fall.