April 2014 | Page 16 of 28 | 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.

It isn’t often that  you see a basketball player commit to two different schools in two days on Twitter.

But that’s exactly what 7-foot-1 Kingsley Okoroh of Phoenix (AZ) Westwind Prep did.

On Monday, Okoroh announced via Twitter, “Just committed to the university of Tennessee! Can’t wait to play in the SEC next year.”

Okoroh then proceeded to retweet a lot of people congratulating him on Twitter for his decision.

Yet that didn’t last long.

GioBy ZACH SMART

Special to ZAGSBLOG

Giovanni McLean’s prodigious handle and ability to pilot a team has allowed his stock to balloon the past three months.

The 6-foot-1 guard is suddenly a sought after product on the recruiting agora. A sophomore at Westchester Community College, where he averaged 16.8 points, 7.3 assists, and five boards to help the Vikes (28-4) earn their first NCAA tournament berth since 1996 this season, McLean has been receiving steady interest from Missouri, Texas State, Eastern Illinois, St. John’s, Fordham, Oklahoma, Memphis, Virginia Tech, Quinnipiac and Duquesne.

While Fordham and St. John’s have been making a late push, according WCC head coach Tyrone Mushatt, Mizzou and Eastern Illnois may have the upper hand in McLean’s pursuit.

“Right now, I like Mizzou a lot,” said McLean, who spent a lot of time at Missouri’s campus while he was playing at Moberly Area Community in Moberly, Mo.

Franklin Howard, a 6-foot-4 2015 combo guard from Fairfax (Va.) Paul VI and Team Takeover, committed to Syracuse on his 17th birthday.

Howard also considered Maryland, Georgetown, Ohio State, Virginia and N.C. State.

He missed this past season after undergoing ACL surgery last summer.

“Frank is on his way to full recovery from ACL last July,” Paul VI coach Glen Farello told SNY.tv. “Frank’s got the combination of skill, IQ and competitiveness that coaches appreciate. The kid is a winner. And he will be even more hungry coming back.

OliverNew South Florida coach Orlando Antigua officially added his brother Oliver Antigua and Rod Strickland to his staff on Monday, thereby opening up a spot on Kevin Willard’s staff at Seton Hall.

SNY.tv reported April 4 that this was in the works.

Seton Hall can now move Lincoln High School coach Dwyane “Tiny” Morton into the open spot on the coaching staff, assuming Willard opts to do so. Morton coached both Isaiah Whitehead and Desi Rodriguez at Lincoln.

“Oliver is a terrific recruiter and coaches with great energy and passion which will benefit us here at USF,” Orlando Antigua said. “He helped assemble a recruiting class at Seton Hall that was ranked No. 10 in the nation and No. 1 in the Big East Conference.”

GordonArizona freshman forward Aaron Gordon and junior guard Nick Johnson will declare for the NBA Draft during a press conference Tuesday at the school, sources told SNY.tv.

The 6-foot-9 Gordon is projected as the No. 8 pick by DraftExpress.com, while the 6-2 Johnson is projected at 48.

Gordon averaged 12.4 points and 8.0 rebounds, while Johnson led the team in scoring at 16.3 points per game.

“Gordon is a great athlete,” one veteran NBA scout told SNY.tv. “He’s not a 3, but an energy guy who needs to become a more skilled perimeter player. He has good upside and will be a backup to start his NBA career.


ParkerJabari Parker
plans to “set up an appointment” with Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski when he returns to Durham, N.C., on Tuesday and he will decide Wednesday whether to declare for the NBA Draft or return to college for his sophomore year.

The Associated Press reported the news Monday. The 6-foot-8 Parker is currently in Oklahoma City to accept the Wayman Tisdale Award as college basketball’s top freshman.

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