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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.

By DAVE SPAHN

Special to ZAGSBLOG

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — In order for schools to compete with teams like Duke, Kentucky, Louisville, and college basketball’s other historic programs, they must substitute hard work for history and tradition.

Providence seems to be catching the drift.

After signing two top 25 players last season in Ricky Ledo and Kris Dunn, Providence head coach Ed Cooley has not taken his foot off the gas pedal. He recently hosted Nashville, Tenn., native Jalen Lindsey on an official visit and left quite an impression.

“The visit went very well,” Lindsey said at the NBPA Top 100 Camp. “Coach Cooley seems like he’s a great guy off the court. From the talks we had, he looks like he can be a great mentor.”

By JOSH NEWMAN
Special to ZAGSBLOG

MoMo JonesEAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Reigning MAAC Player of the Year and former Rice High School star Lamont “MoMo” Jones worked out for the Boston Celtics on Wednesday, then made his way to New Jersey to work out for the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday.

Before the Harlem native got to his hotel Wednesday evening, he spoke with his best friend, who informed him a familiar face, Kevin Parrom, would also be at PNY Center working out for new Nets head coach Jason Kidd, General Manager Billy King and Assistant General Manager Bobby Marks.

“That was my college roommate, it’s great, I didn’t know he was gonna be here,” Jones said of Parrom, a Bronx native and his teammate at the University of Arizona for the 2010 and 2011 seasons. “I saw him last night, we talked for about two hours. It was great to catch up with him, it’s great to see guys like us growing up where we came from and the predicaments we were in just to be here together.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — When the NBA Draft tips off next Thursday night, Marcus Smart won’t be anywhere near the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Instead, the 6-foot-4, 220-pound Oklahoma State guard will be in Prague, Czech Republic leading the USA U19 team into the World Championship.

Of course, Smart does let his mind wander to what it might have been like to hear David Stern announce his name — possibly as the No. 2 overall pick.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Aaron Gordon doesn’t know where Jahlil Okafor and Justise Winslow will end up playing college basketball.

But he knows one thing for sure.

Wherever they go — especially if they end up comprising a three-person package deal with point guard Tyus Jones — that team will be a force to be reckoned with.

“Wherever they go, they’ll be very good,” Gordon told SNY.tv following USA U19 practice Thursday at the Verizon Center.

Twenty-nine players will compete for 12 spots on the 2013 USA Basketball Men’s World University Games Team.

The team will train June 24-30 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Looking for one of 12 roster spots on the 2013 USA Basketball Men’s World University Games Team will be: Eric Atkins (Notre Dame/Columbia, Md.); Markel Brown (Oklahoma State/Alexandria, La.);Deonte Burton (Nevada/Los Angeles, Calif.); Bryce Cotton(Providence/Tucson,

By JOSH NEWMAN
Special to ZAGSBLOG

Isaiah CanaanEAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Murray State point guard Isaiah Canaan injured his right ankle on Tuesday while working out for the Atlanta Hawks. With the NBA Draft coming in one week, the projected first-round selection doesn’t know what his workout situation is moving forward, nor does he seem too concerned about it.

“It’s getting better, it’ll probably have me out a couple of days,” Canaan told a small group of reporters at PNY Center on Thursday afternoon. “Probably won’t be back until next week, but it’s getting better. I’m sure my agent (Mark Bartelstein) is talking to some people. I’ll know when I get back to Chicago tonight, but I’m just trying to get healthy as fast as I can. I’ll be out a couple of days and we’ll go from there.”

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