April 2013 | Page 26 of 32 | Zagsblog
Recent Posts
About ZagsBlog
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.
Follow Zags on Twitter
Couldn't connect with Twitter
Contact Zags
Connect with Zags:
Saturday / November 23.

ATLANTA — It was early in the second half when Kevin Ware jumped from his courtside seat on to the elevated court at the Georgia Dome — without the use of his crutches.

“Why are you up here,” Louisville trainer Fred Hina shouted furiously at Ware, who suffered a gruesome leg injury in the Midwest Region final against Duke before undergoing surgery earlier this week.

“I’m fine,” Ware said before rushing to join his teammates in the huddle.

Ware wasn’t happy with the defense the Cardinals were playing in the national semifinals, when they got down by as many as 12 points to Wichita State before rallying for a 72-68 victory that propelled them into Monday’s national championship game.

By ADAM ZAGORIA & MATT SUGAM

ATLANTA — Rhode Island head coach Dan Hurley may not turn out to be Rutgers’ next men’s basketball coach after all.

Hurley and Rhode Island are close to an agreement on a contract extension through the 2019-20 season, although it has not yet been finalized, sources confirmed to SNY.tv.

The news was first reported by SI.com.

Theoretically, if Rutgers were to make a hard pitch in the next few days, Hurley might still be an option.

KEvin BoyleKevin Boyle finally has his first national championship.

After losing back-to-back national championship games in 2011 and 2012, Boyle led Montverde (FL) Academy to a thrilling 67-65 victory over St. Benedict’s Prep in the ESPN National High School Invitational championship game at Georgetown Prep in North Bethesda, MD.

“It means so much…coming out here and winning a national championship,” Kentucky-bound big man Dakari Johnson, who played for Boyle as a freshman at St. Patrick when they lost the mythical national championship game to Bob Hurley and St. Anthony, said on ESPN after putting up 18 points and eight rebounds in the win.

“And I’m going to win a national championship at Kentucky next year.”

ATLANTA –– Want to know what a veteran NBA scout thinks about this Final Four?

Here are the thoughts of one NBA scout, who gave his evaluations of the top seven prospects playing here this weekend.

1. Trey Burke, So. G, Michigan

Scout’s take: “He can set the table better than anyone this year, outstanding handle and passer who can score.”

Projected NBA Draft range: 6-12

2. Michael Carter-Williams, So. G, Syracuse

Scout’s take: “He has really helped himself in the Tournament. Great size for position, makes teammates better with his penetration and passing, improving his

ATLANTA — North Carolina isn’t here in Atlanta, but that hasn’t stopped Daggum Roy from expressing his opinions on the Final Four.

In this exclusive interview with SNY.tv, Daggum Roy gives his thoughts on a few hot topics dominating the weekend.

1. What do you think of Rutgers dominating the talk at the Final Four?

Sounds to me … and of course I’m just on the outside lookin’ in at it… but sounds to Me like it’s them uppita media types tryin’ a tell a feller how to run his daggern ballclub.  That’s what I thank.  

By DAN KELLY

Special to ZAGSBLOG

NEW YORK — On the same night that the Knicks won their 11th straight game behind yet another big night from Carmelo Anthony, Phil Jackson returned to Madison Square Garden  for a reunion with the rest of the 1973 world championship team.

It has been 40 years since the Knicks last won a title and Anthony is playing like he wants to end that drought. He dropped 41 points in a 101-83 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, and has now scored 131 points in his last three games, the most during a three-game stretch by an NBA player this season.

J.R. Smith added 30 points off the bench and Jason Kidd hit a high-arching three-quarter-court shot to end the third quarter.

“They’re a good team,” said Jackson, the owner of 11 championship rings as a coach.

Uncommitted sophomore guard Isaiah Briscoe scored seven straight points down the stretch and Pittsburgh-bound forward Mike Young hit two huge foul shots as St. Benedict’s Prep snapped Findlay Prep’s 54-game winning streak en route to a place in the ESPN NHSI championship game.

St. Benedict’s 60-57 victory in the semifinals at Georgetown Prep in North Bethesda, Md., sets up Saturday’s championship game against Montverde Academy, which earlier knocked off Prime Prep, 57-55.

The game will tip at 1 p.m. on ESPN.

Montverde is coached by former St. Patrick coach Kevin Boyle, whose teams used to play St. Benedict’s annually in New Jersey.

“Kevin and I have played a few times,” St. Benedict’s coach Mark Taylor told SNY.tv by phone. “He’s a great coach and they have a great program and a terrific team and it’s going to be fun.

“We’re very excited, we feel like we can play with anybody with right now and we’re playing at a very high level, so it’s gonna be exciting.’

X