September 2013 | Page 11 of 27 | 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.

PATERSON, N.J. — On Tuesday night, about 48 before he announces his college choice Thursday afternoon at Lincoln High School, Isaiah Whitehead had a conversation with his good friend, Isaiah Briscoe.

The talk turned to Whitehead’s imminent college announcement and the Brooklyn Lincoln star said he wanted Briscoe, who is a junior at Roselle (N.J.) Catholic and a year younger than Whitehead, to join him in college.

Among Whitehead’s final five schools — St. John’s, Seton Hall, Indiana, Minnesota and Pittsburgh — St. John’s and Seton Hall are both actively recruiting Briscoe, too.

If nothing else, Justise Winslow is going to see a lot of high-profile football games this fall.

The 6-foot-6 Houston St. John’s wing visited Texas A&M last weekend for Johnny Football’s big showdown with Alabama, and he will take an official visit to Florida this coming weekend when the Gators host Tennessee in an SEC tilt.

The following weekend Winslow will take an official to UCLA, though there isn’t any football on campus that weekend.

“We went to Texas A&M last weekend and this weekend we’re going to Florida,” Robin Davis, Winslow’s mother, told SNY.tv by phone Wednesday night.

Another day, another get for Cincinnati and head coach Mick Cronin.

One day after landing New Jersey big man Quadri Moore, Cincinnati secured a pledge Wednesday from Gary Clark, a 6-foot-7 power forward from Clayton (N.C.). who announced at his high school.

“Next year I’ll be playing college basketball at the University of Cincinnati,” he said.

Clark held offers from Maryland, Clemson, Wake Forest, Pitt, N.C. State and Miami, among others.

Clark credited Cronin and assistant Larry Davis for recruiting him and said he made the decision “last Monday.”

Michael Chandler, the 6-foot-10, 245-pound center from Northwest Florida State, has opted to sign in the spring instead of the fall as originally planned.

“Mike won’t be deciding until after the season’s over,” Allan Chandler, his uncle, told SNY.tv. “We decided that was best.”

A former Louisville, Xavier and UCF commit, Chandler has received interest from Arizona, Oregon, Memphis, Gonzaga and Iowa State, and Seton Hall called Wednesday as well.

Northwest Florida head coach Steve DeMeo said Chandler wants to wait until the spring both for academic and basketball reasons.

In what must be considered a stunning development, Isaiah Whitehead will announce his college choice this Thursday.

“I Will Be Choosing Between St. John’s, Seton Hall, Pitt, Minnesota and Indiana Thursday At My High School At 2:30,” Whitehead Tweeted.

Syracuse, Arizona, UCLA and Louisville had also been involved at various times, but are now out. SNY.tv reported over the summer that there was no longer mutual interest with Syracuse, and The Post-Standard confirmed that with this story.

Brooklyn Lincoln AD Renan Ebeid sent a text message saying there would be a press conference Thursday at 2:30 in which “our very own Isaiah Whitehead makes his official announcement on what his future plans are.”

ELIZABETH, N.J.  — Bryce Aiken remembers sitting in the stands at the Rutgers Athletic Center watching the star-studded St. Patrick teams of Dexter Strickland, Kyrie Irving and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist when they played in big-time games against arch-rival St. Anthony.

“I was kind of young, but I remember the intensity of the game, how packed it was and the players that were on the court,” the 5-foot-10 Aiken told SNY.tv Monday after practice at the Mickey Walker Community Center.

“I like how they played and Kyrie obviously, everyone likes him.”

Over the summer, Aiken, a skilled point guard considered one of the top players in New Jersey in the Class of 2016, opted to transfer to The Patrick School (formerly St. Pat’s) from Pope John in Sparta, N.J. And now he and his teammates are intent upon bringing the school back to the lofty heights they enjoyed when Kevin Boyle was the coach and St. Pat’s was a perennial national powerhouse.

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