May 2012 | Page 20 of 23 | Zagsblog
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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.

Kentucky coach John Calipari and assistant coaches Orlando AntiguaKenny Payne and John Robic have signed multi-year contract extensions, the school announced.

“It’s rare, in this day in age, to be able to keep a staff together that has helped produce a national championship and back-to-back Final Four runs,” Kentucky AD Mitch Barnhart said. “We want to show them how appreciative we are of their hard work and dedication, and how much they mean to this program.”

Calipari, who signed a new eight-year deal last spring, was awarded an 8.3 percent increase annually in guaranteed compensation from media rights and endorsements over the remaining seven years of his current contract. Calipari’s contract amendment also added a retention bonus of $1 million on July 31, 2015.

At this point, Mariano Rivera may be healed up from his ACL tear and back pitching for the Yankees before three of the top prospects in the Class of 2012 make their college decisions.

Anthony Bennett, Amile Jefferson and Devonta Pollard are still on the board and there’s just no telling when any of them will announce.

The end of the late signing period is May 16, but it’s possible one or more of these guys could wait until after then.

The 6-foot-7 Bennett is considering Florida, Kentucky, UNLV and Oregon, but has yet to take an official to any of those schools. He was on the UNLV campus Thursday with his mother, Findlay assistant Todd Simon confirmed to SNY.tv  He has also tripped unofficially to Oregon and Kentucky.

New SMU coach Larry Brown continues to reshape his roster with the addition of former Arizona point guard Josiah Turner.

“It’s a great fit for me,” Turner told Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com.

SNY.tv reported Monday that Turner was headed to SMU assuming the school got past his legal troubles.

Turner, 19, was arrested last week on “extreme DUI suspicion,” blowing a 0.15 or 0.16, per Bruce Pascoe of the Arizona Daily Star.

NEW YORK — The Knicks’ season has come down to one game.

One game on Sunday at Madison Square Garden to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Miami Heat.

And as much as Amar’e Stoudemire talks about the “great chance” of him playing in Sunday’s do-or-die Game 4, odds are he won’t. He’s officially listed as doubtful for Game 4.

During the Knicks’ 87-70 loss in Game 3 Thursday night — their NBA-record setting 13th straight postseason loss — Stoudemire sat on the bench with his heavily bandaged left hand in a sling after his losing battle late Monday night with a fire extinguisher.

By JOSH NEWMAN

Special to ZAGSBLOG

NEW YORK – With Amar’e Stoudemire (lacerated left hand), Iman Shumpert (torn left ACL, lateral meniscus) and Jeremy Lin (slightly torn left meniscus) all on the shelf for the Knicks on Thursday evening, it was crucial that certain guys stepped up in Game 3 of their first round playoff series against the Miami Heat.

With Landry Fields and Steve Novak getting starting nods and J.R. Smith assured of heavy minutes, the Knicks didn’t get nearly the production they needed to turn this into a series in falling to the Heat, 87-70.

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