October 2012 | Page 9 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.

Knicks forward Amar’e Stoudemire will be sidelined 2-3 weeks due to a ruptured cyst on the back of his left knee, thus opening the door for Carmelo Anthony to play some power forward going forward.

Stoudemire scored 18 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in Friday’s game against the Toronto Raptors in Montreal, but then complained of knee pain the following day.

“He was having discomfort [Saturday] night in Albany, so we sent him home,” coach Mike Woodson said Sunday in Syracuse, according to the New York Post.

The news comes as the Knicks are about to face the Philadelphia 76ers Monday night at the Carrier Dome, and means Stoudemire will miss the season-opener Nov. 1 at Brooklyn.

Garland Owens, a 6-foot-5, 205-pound small forward from Massanutten (Va.) Military Academy, pledged to Boston College Sunday, choosing the ACC school over Seton Hall after visiting the Pirates this weekend.

“The coaching staff made me feel like I was a part of the family,” Owens, a Maryland native, told SNY.tv after it was previously reported by several outlets.

“They have something special in store for me. And it’s in the ACC, arguably the best conference in the world.”

Asked what skillset he will bring, Owens said, “Just my athleticism and my energy to make momentum-changing plays whether it be a dunk or a block, just big play-making ability.”

Former Penn State commit Brandon Austin took his latest visit to UConn this weekend and heads on an official to Texas next weekend.

“It was good,” the 6-foot-5 Austin told SNY.tv Sunday. “I got back this morning. I was watching practice, just sitting down and hanging out with the guys and coaches.”

Among the coaches Austin talked to was former UConn head man Jim Calhoun, as first reported by ESPN.com.

Austin considers himself a point guard but said he could also play on the wing depending on whether junior point guard Shabazz Napier and/or sophomore combo guard Ryan Boatright leave after this season.

Julius Randle’s mother says her son is still considering Kentucky even after the commitment of Marcus Lee and that he will commit in the spring as originally planned.

“We’re happy for the young man and his family,” Carolyn Kyles told SNY.tv Saturday in reference to the 6-foot-8 Lee, who pledged to Kentucky last week, becoming the fifth member of John Calipari’s 2013 recruiting class.

“That was their commitment [based] on what was best for Marcus. Great players complement other great players on their team. Julius and his family will talk in the spring and decide the best place for him. Nothing has changed his thought about Kentucky. He’s still considering Kentucky.”

http://web.sny.tv/media/video.jsp?content_id=25430407

NEW YORK — In this video interview from Wednesday’s Big East Media Day, Villanova head coach Jay Wright told SNY.tv he’s likely to start freshman Ryan Arcidiacono at the point.

“Arch is a freshman point guard who’s really wise beyond his years,” said Wright, whose team was picked 12th in the 15-team Big East. “He’s going to play above his years.”

Arcidiacono is a 6-foot-3 native of Langhorne, Pa., who averaged 20.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game as a junior in 2010-11. He had December surgery to his back that caused him to miss the 2011-12 high school campaign at Neshaminy.

Knicks shooting guard Ronnie Brewer will practice Sunday on a day off and could play for the first time this preseason on Monday when the Knicks play the Philadelphia 76ers in Syracuse.

“Coach Woody said he wanted me to go and practice with some contact,” Brewer, who has been out while he recovers from knee surgery, told MSG’s Tina Cervasio on air.

Coach Mike Woodson said he would give Brewer a chance to show himself on Sunday.

“There’ll be enough guys where he can run up and down and bang a little bit to see where he is,” Woodson said in Montreal, according to the New York Post. “It depends. If he reacts well and responds well to the banging, we’ll evaluate Monday and see where it is. And I’ll possibly give him a few minutes to see where he is (Monday).’’ 

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