January 2013 | Page 19 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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    • Knicks

    GREENBURGH, N.Y. –– The Knicks haven’t won an Atlantic Division title in 19 years.

    The Celtics have won five in a row.

    Tonight the first place Knicks (23-10, 13-3 at home) will try to take another step toward separating themselves from the Celtics (16-17. 6-11 road) by winning the first encounter between the teams this year.

    “Tonight is a big game. Anytime you have the opportunity to face a division rival and be able to gain a full game, it’s always good,” Knicks center Tyson Chandler said.

    The Knicks enter the day 4 1/2 games ahead of Brooklyn and seven ahead of the Celtics for the division lead.

    Articles, Big East

    Enjoy Big East basketball while you can.

    Because two months from now — after the Big East Tournament wraps up at Madison Square Garden on the night of March 16 — it will cease to ever be the same.

    Syracuse and Pittsburgh will be gone to the ACC next season.

    And as many as 10 more schools — the Catholic 7, Rutgers, Louisville and Notre Dame — could well be gone after the 2013-14 season.

    The latest news on that front — per ESPN — is that the Catholic 7 are reportedly in negotiations with Fox Sports on a 12-year TV deal worth $500 million. Under such a deal, the seven schools — DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, Seton Hall, St. John’s and Villanova — would earn “in the $5 million range” annually, while the three or five new schools would earn “less than half that.”

    Articles, Hurleys, Rhode Island

    By ALEX SCHIFFER

    Special to ZAGSBLOG

    UNION, N.J. — Curtis High School on Staten Island has been having an under-the radar season despite being 9-2, with one of those losses coming at the hands of perennial power St. Anthony, 61-31, Saturday night at Kean University.

    One of the biggest reasons for Curtis’ early success is due in large part to 6-foot-7 senior small forward Hassan Martin.

    Martin, a Rhode Island commit, has been the main scoring option for the team as he’s able to use athleticism to the max, whether it is on the boards, through the lane, or wherever his team needs him. Curtis is one of two 2013 Rhody commits for Dan Hurley’s squad, the other being top tier shooting guard E.C. Mathews.

    Montverde Academy, Recruiting

    [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPwETYV90lM&w=560&h=315]

    Kevin Boyle will lose Dakari Johnson, Kasey Hill and Devin Williams to college next year, but the Montverde (Fla.) Academy coach is adding a 2015 star in Ben Simmons, a 6-foot-8 small forward from the Australian Institute of Sport in Melbourne.

    “Ben Simmons, the best player in the world under 18, will be at our school next week,” Boyle told reporters in Wheeling, W.V. Saturday night, according to this video from the Louisville Courier-Journal.

    Dave Telep of ESPN.com reported the news Friday, adding that Dave Simmons, Ben’s father and an Oklahoma City, Okla., native, wants his son to attend college in the U.S.

    “The primary reason he’s coming to the United States…is to get in college,” Boyle said. “Obviously, you gotta be qualified for the NCAA.”

    Andrew Wiggins, Articles, Huntington Prep, Montverde Academy

    Two of the premier high school teams in the nation appear to be headed toward an early March collision at Freedom Hall in Louisville.

    Montverde (Fla.) Academy and Huntington (W.V.) Prep are in talks to play one another March 2 or 3 in a game that would feature Kentucky-bound big man Dakari Johnson against Kentucky target Andrew Wiggins.

    “I think it’s pretty sure,” Montverde coach Kevin Boyle said Saturday after his team pounded Duke commit Jabari Parker and Chicago Simeon, 82-53,, according to hthoops.com. “Until we get the contact in the mail, you never know.”

    Articles, Kentucky, Montverde Academy

    By ADAM ZAGORIA & SEVE COUSINS

    Dakari Johnson pledged to Kentucky Saturday night as Coach John Calipari and the Wildcats took another step toward assembling arguably the greatest recruiting class in the history of college basketball.

    With the addition of the 6-foot-11 center from Montverde (Fla.) Academy, Kentucky now has the Nos. 3, 5, 6, 12 and 30 players in the 2013 ESPN 100.

    They remain in the mix for the No. 1, No. 4 and No. 7 players as well in Andrew Wiggins, Julius Randle and Aaron Gordon –– all of whom will sign in the spring.

    “If they land any combo of those guys it will be without a doubt one of the greatest classes of all time,” one veteran NBA scout told SNY.tv Saturday.

    Articles, Montverde Academy, Recruiting

    Dakari Johnson will make his college announcement tonight.

    The 6-foot-11 big man from Montverde (Fla.) Academy will choose among Kentucky, Georgetown and Syracuse and announce at halftime of the Gonzaga (D.C.) vs. Salesian (Calif.) game at 8 p.m. ET on ESPNU, according to Paul Biancardi.

    Johnson and Montverde will play Duke-bound Jabari Parker and Chicago Simeon at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

    Ironically, Johnson is down to the same three schools that current Kentucky freshman Nerlens Noel had on his final list.

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