April 2015 | Page 27 of 29 | 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.

4_2971242INDIANAPOLIS — New Texas coach Shaka Smart is wasting no time getting started on recruiting.

After getting the job on Thursday, Smart offered a scholarship to Bruce Brown, a powerfully built 6-foot-4 2016 shooting guard from Vermont Academy.

ESPN’s Jeff Goodman first reported the news on Twitter.

“Bruce is a priority to Texas recruiting and it makes a lot of sense for many reasons; on the court fit and an established relationship,” Vermont Academy coach Alex Popp told SNY.tv. “Bruce is a winner and any high major coach who is serious about winning should be recruiting him.”

INDIANAPOLIS — New St. John’s coach Chris Mullin and his assistant Matt Abdelmassih are wasting no time making moves in recruiting.

One day after offering 6-foot-5 Christ the King junior guard Rawle Alkins, the St. John’s coaches reached out to offer Naz Reid, a 6-10 freshman man-child from Roselle (N.J.) Catholic and the Sports U AAU program. Both players were targets we suggested Mullin should offer.

Reid already owns offers from UConn, Virginia, N.C. State, Maryland and Iowa State, among others.

NCAA Basketball: NCAA Tournament-3rd Round-Kentucky vs CincinnatiINDIANAPOLIS — Seven Kentucky players are expected to leave for the NBA after the NCAA Tournament is over, one veteran NBA scout told SNY.tv on the eve of the Final Four.

“I think all seven leave,” the scout, who has attended numerous Kentucky games and practices, told SNY.tv. “If they win it all, there’s no doubt in my mind all seven of them leave. No doubt.”

He added: “I’m telling you what I hear from some pretty good sources that seven of the 10 are gone.”

bryantBy KHADRICE ROLLINS & ADAM ZAGORIA

INDIANAPOLISWith Chris McCullough’s departure to the NBA Draft, Syracuse has an even bigger need now for Thomas Bryant.

The 6-foot-10 forward from Huntington (W.V.) Prep went for 27 points, 19 rebounds and 3 blocks Thursday to lead his team to a 73-70 quarterfinal victory over Jaylen Brown and Marietta (GA) Wheeler in the Dick’s Sporting Goods High School Nationals at Christ the King High School in Queens, N.Y. The 6-7 Brown went for 29 points and 15 rebounds.

Bryant is considering Syracuse, Kentucky, Indiana and Missouri, but said this week at the McDonald’s All-American Game that he hadn’t heard from Syracuse or Kentucky since January.

Bryant has said that Indiana has been pursuing him hard, but he also said that Missouri is making a strong case.

The two schools are appealing to Bryant for very different reasons, but it seems that both will have a good chance at landing the 240-pound big man.

NCAA Basketball: Florida State at SyracuseINDIANAPOLIS — Syracuse freshman forward  Chris McCullough will declare for the NBA Draft, a source confirmed to SNY.tv.

RealGM.com first reported the news Thursday morning.

Evan Daniels of Scout.com also reported that McCullough had signed with agent Andy Miller.

The 6-foot-10 New York City native tore his ACL in January and had been expected to return to Syracuse for his sophomore season.

He was averaging 9.3 points and 6.9 rebounds at the time of the injury.

McCullough is currently projected as the No. 21 pick in 2016 by DraftExpress.com.

Caleb Swanigan

BY: CHIP MILLER

Caleb Swanigan, the 6-foot-8 2015 center from Fort Wayne (IN) Homestead High, is set to announce his decision at the Nike Hoop Summit on April 11.

“I will announce which college I will be going to at the Nike Hoop Summit next week,” Swanigan tweeted Wednesday afternoon.

The five-star Swanigan recently cut his list to seven schools consisting of some of the biggest names in college basketball and one that may surprise some. His final seven are Kentucky, Purdue, Arizona, California, Michigan State, Duke and Chicago State.

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