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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.

The news that N.C. State sophomore forward C.J. Leslie will return to campus next year is good for the Wolfpack and bad for everyone else in the ACC.

“He could be the ACC Player of the Year next year,” one ACC assistant coach told SNY.tv.

Leslie averaged 14.7 points and 7.3 rebounds last season as N.C. State made the NCAA Tournament under first-year coach Mark Gottfried for the first time since 2006. There, they beat San Diego State and Georgetown before losing to Kansas in the Sweet 16.

Bradley “B.J.” Hayes, a highly coveted 6-foot-11 senior center from Jacksonville (Fla.) Sandalwood, is down to four schools.

“Basically, it’s UConn, Georgetown, Florida and Texas A&M,” Todd Washington, a family friend and founder of the Puerto Rico Playmakers, told SNY.tv.

Florida is the only school that has yet to offer a scholarship.

Hayes currently has no visits set and will trip this weekend with the DH Warriors to Pittsburgh and then go on a school trip the following weekend.

St. John’s 2012 recruiting class could take shape even more beginning Friday when Orlando Sanchez and Marco Bourgault of Monroe (N.Y.) College visit campus.

St. John’s coach Steve Lavin would love to add the duo to a 2012 class that already includes 6-8 forward JaKarr Sampson and 6-3 wing Felix Balamou.

The 6-foot-6 Bourgault told SNY.tv he could commit on the visit if he likes what he hears.

“Yes,” he said by text. “I am looking forward to find out what Coach Lavin wants me as and what situation he has to offer me. I also want to visit the school and the facilities.”

Sources say Lavin is enamored with Bourgault as a potential spot-up shooter who can be a zone-buster. St. John’s current roster is loaded with wings but, other than D’Angelo Harrison, no shooters.

NEW YORK — Carmelo Anthony has come close to triple-doubles in his career but he had only pulled it off once before.

Until Tuesday night.

Anthony completed his second career triple-double in the fourth quarter and finished with 35 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists as the Knicks beat the Boston Celtics, 118-110, to move a game ahead of the Philadelphia 76ers for the No. 7 seed in the East.

NEW YORK –– While Tuesday night was good for just about everyone on the Knicks, Baron Davis had a rough time for himself.

The 33-year-old point guard, already coping with a stomach illness before the Knicks’ 118-110 victory over the Boston Celtics, said he re-injured his hamstring in the game, too.

“Hopefully, it was just like a little bite, it was nothing serious,” said Davis, who went scoreless on 0-for-3 shooting with one assist and two turnovers.

By JOSH NEWMAN

Special to ZAGSBLOG

NEW YORK — Ask the average NBA fan who is going to the win the title in less than two months and you’re going to get very standard answers with the Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls and Oklahoma City Thunder rolling off tongues first.

However, this is a different type of NBA season. This is a 66-game, lockout-shortened season with little rest, lots of back-to-backs and even more nicks and injuries to key pieces on contending teams.

Long story short, there is enough parity right now across the league that maybe just getting into the playoffs gives you a shot at sticking around longer than you should.

On a night the Kentucky basketball program lost five underclassmen, they got some good new on the recruiting front.

Troy Williams, a 6-foot-6 2013 wing, officially cut Georgetown from his list and is now down to Kentucky and North Carolina.

“Georgetown was dropped because they didn’t play my style. They didn’t keep in touch as much as Kentucky and North Carolina,” Williams, out of Phoebus (VA), told NationofBlue.com by text Tuesday night.

Williams will now pick between traditional powerhouses Carolina and Kentucky.

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