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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.
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Articles, Recruiting

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By JACK LeGWIN

Special to ZAGSBLOG

Markus Howard has made quite a name for himself in Arizona.

The 5-foot-10 freshman tore it up this past winter, averaging 23.0 points per game, including a 40-point, 6-rebound and 4-assist performance in a win over Dobson (Ariz.), leading Perry (Ariz.) to a 26-6 record. Howard was a Max-Preps Second-Team All- Freshman selection nationally.

“It was a pretty easy transition for me from playing club basketball,” Howard told SNY.tv. “I would personally attribute it to being an all-around leader. Not only vocally, but also being a facilitator on the court.”

Howard, who just turned 15, plays up two age groups for Arizona Power 17U, facing off against some of the best talent that the west coast has to offer.

Howard recently had a showdown against UCLA-bound Lonzo Ball, in which Ball had a triple double, and Howard had 30 points.

“Right now, I’m doing everything that I can to get ready for the next level,” Howard told SNY.tv. “Even when I was younger, I’d always play an age group or two up, so I could get that experience.”

Recruiting, St. Anthony

McDuffieThe summer ahead promises to be a big one for Markis McDuffie.

A 6-foot-7, 186-pound small forward from St. Anthony and the Sports U AAU program, McDuffie is poised to pick up more offers in the coming weeks and months. He recently added offers from Penn State and Duquesne to go with Seton Hall, Boston College, Fordham, Buffalo and Quinnipiac.

SMU, VCU, Creighton, Florida, Florida State, St. Joe’s, Stanford and Princeton are just some of the programs currently reaching out to McDuffie, who will be at the Providence Jam Fest this weekend with Sports U.

“I want to show people I can handle the ball more,” he said. “I can dribble, I can get other guys shots. I can score, not just shoot. And most important, I can play defense.”

Articles, Tennis

NadalEchoing comments he made last October, Andre Agassi says Rafael Nadal — not Roger Federer –– is the Greatest of All Time on a tennis court.

“I’d put Nadal No. 1, Federer No. 2,” Agassi, an eight-time Grand Slam champion, told Singapore’s Straits Times newspaper.

“Federer separated himself from the field for four years. He separated himself from (Andy) Roddick and (Lleyton) Hewitt.

“Nadal had to deal with Federer, (Novak) Djokovic, (Andy) Murray in the golden age of tennis. He has done what he has done and he’s not done yet.”

Articles, Recruiting

After recently picking up offers from ACC schools N.C. State and Syracuse, Jessie Govan may visit both this summer.

“I might visit N.C. State in June and Syracuse in August,” the 6-foot-10 Govan out of Wings Academy and the New York Lightning AAU program told SNY.tv.

Govan added the offers following a strong performance at the Nike EYBL stop in Sacramento, Calif., in which he went for 22 points and six rebounds in one game and 17 points and seven boards in another.

At Syracuse, Govan is being recruited by assistant Red Autry.

Recruiting

Rayjon TuckerBy JACK LeGWIN

Special to ZAGSBLOG

Rayjon Tucker has made quite a name for himself in recent weeks, proving that he is one of the most explosive players in the Class of 2015.

Recently picking up offers from Boston College, Charlotte, UNC-Greensboro, Gardner-Webb and Campbell, Tucker will see a big spike in recruiting after the Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions, in which he had a 37-point explosion against the Southern Kings.

“I feel like I played well for the most part this weekend,” Tucker told SNY.tv. “I feel like I’m an all-around player that brings every aspect to the floor. Right now, I’m just working on my jump shot and my ball handling.”

Articles, NBA Draft

NEW YORK — If the NBA Draft were held today, Shabazz Napier, star of the newly-minted NCAA champion UConn Huskies, would go No. 28 to the Los Angeles Clippers according to Draft Express.com.

If Clippers owner Donald Sterling had not been banned from the NBA by Commissioner Adam Silver for his racist comments, his role with the team might have been an issue for a young player like Napier — or whoever the Clippers end up selecting. DraftExpress has also recently listed Napier’s UConn teammate DeAndre Daniels and Wichita State’s Cleanthony Early in the No. 28 slot.

“I don’t want to speak for anybody, but I think there was going to be concern moving forward for anyone, especially with that organization if there wasn’t action taken but it seems like that’s been taken care of,” Virginia Commonwealth coach Shaka Smart told SNY.tv of the Clippers situation vis-a-vis the Draft.

Andrew Wiggins, the projected No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft who is in no danger of getting selected by the Clippers, did speak out on the issue on Twitter.

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