October 2012 | Page 3 of 22 | 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.

NEW YORK — Knicks coach Mike Woodson didn’t get his wish because Hurricane Sandy washed out practice on Monday.

“We probably need to get cots and put them in in the practice facility because I still want to practice regardless of what the weather looks like,” Woodson said Sunday at the revamped Madison Square Garden.

Instead, the Knicks announced Monday morning that practice had been cancelled — meaning Woodson will have to wait at least one more day to see how injured bigs Tyson Chandler and Marcus Camby look as they recover from injuries.

NEW  YORK — In a best-case scenario for the Knicks, they will get both of their centers — Tyson Chandler and Marcus Camby — back to practice this week.

Hurricane Sandy permitting.

Camby, the backup to Chandler, went through a non-contact walk-through Sunday at Madison Square Garden in what amounted to his first action  in three weeks while he has coped with a sore left calf.

Afterward, he and coach Mike Woodson both said they hoped Camby could practice with the team this week in advance of Thursday’s season-opener at Brooklyn.

“I’m hoping so,” Camby said. “I’m hoping to get out there this week, get a couple practices under my belt and hopefully try to get ready for this opener.”

The long and winding recruitment of Troy Williams has come to an end.

As reported on my Twitter earlier Sunday, the 6-foot-6 wing out of Oak Hill (Va.) Academy has committed to Indiana.

“Troy is a freak athlete who can help any team on both ends of the court,” Oak Hill coach Steve Smith told SNY.tv. “A high-energy guy who rebounds his position as well as any player in the country. He is continuing to work on his shot and getting stronger in the weight room. He thrives in transition and is a really good passer. That is a skill most people don’t realize he is so good at.”

Duke fans welcomed Jabari Parker on his official visit this weekend with a sign that read, “Jabari Welcome Home” and chants of “Jabari Parker” from the Cameron Crazies.

(The photo was Tweeted by Mark Joseph Baden.)

The 6-foot-9 Parker — who lost his top spot in the 2013 recruiting rankings to Andrew Wiggins — recently cut his list to Duke, Michigan State, Florida, Stanford and BYU.

He has now visited Michigan State and Duke, with Florida (Nov. 2-4), Stanford (Nov. 9-11) and Brigham Young later in November all set up.

Knicks coach Mike Woodson doesn’t know how long Amar’e Stoudemire will be out of action, but he’s going ahead and planning for life without him.

“Well, Amare’s a big piece of the puzzle, guys,” Woodson told reporters after practice Saturday. “Make no mistake about that. He brings offense, he brings rebounding, he brings a number of things to our ball club, so we’re going to miss him. But until he gets back, it gives other guys an opportunity to step up and play, and that’s what I’m going to be pushing guys to do.”

The Knicks originally said Oct. 21 that Stoudemire would miss 2-3 weeks with a knee injury, but it has since been reported that Stoudemire sought a second opinion with the Phoenix Suns doctors and could be out 4-5 weeks.

Having taken an unofficial visit to Villanova Friday night for their Hoops Mania event, Austin Colbert will be back in a few days on an official.

The 6-foot-9 Gill St. Bernard’s power forward will trip to the Big East school Thursday-Saturday on what could be his last official visit.

“It was good,” Colbert told SNY.tv. “It was a lot of fun. Nova did a good job with everything. They even started a new tradition last night. They threw steamers after the first basketball.”

Colbert had previously cut his list to Illinois, Miami and Seton Hall, but recently announced on his blog that he would add Villanova as well.

UNIONDALE, N.Y. — With all the hype and hoopla surrounding the Brooklyn Nets, their array of stars and their new arena, Knicks legend Walt “Clyde” Frazier says the pressure is on Brooklyn to live up to the expectations.

“The Net fans now think they’re on par with the Knicks,” Frazier, who broadcasts Knicks games for MSG, told SNY.tv before the Knicks beat the Nets, 97-95, Wednesday night at the Nassau Coliseum.

“The pressure’s on them now, the expectations of living up to that, which is why New York is so difficult to play. There’s always those expectations.”

Frazier helped lead the Knicks to two NBA championships in the early 1970s, but by next spring it will have been 40 years since the Knicks last won a title.

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