NEW YORK — Maurice Harkless is going to be a Pied Piper.

The 6-foot-8, 190-pound wing from Queens is the first player from the Class of 2011 to commit to St. John’s and new head coach Steve Lavin, and he made the announcement Tuesday at the SNY studio in Manhattan.

“I will be going to St. John’s University in New York,” Harkless said.

“I always wanted to look into St. John’s but they weren’t that good in the past few years and with a new coach, I feel like it’s a brand new opportunity and the coaches are hungry. I’m in New York. I can represent my city in my city.” (more…)

After a 15-year hiatus, the Golden Hoops basketball tournament returns Saturday to Edmond’s Playground in Fort Greene, Brooklyn from noon to 8 p.m.
Among those expected to participate are NYC basketball legend and Queens native Kenny Anderson (Team NYC), Brevin Knight (Team Jersey), John Wallace (Team Empire State), Kyle Lowery (Team Philly) and Cappie Pondexter (Girls Team NYC).

“Golden Hoops was a tournament I looked forward to playing in every summer,” Anderson said. “It brought together all the best players from the New York City metropolitan area for a great competition in a great atmosphere. I am excited Golden Hoops is coming back and I look forward to being a part of it this summer as an Honorary Coach.”

THE MATCHUPS

Noon Team NYC vs.Team Philly 2 p.m.

Team Jersey vs. Team Empire 4 p.m.

Team NYC vs.Team Jersey (girls) 6 p.m. (more…)

One of the most exciting point guards in the New York area is Tavon Sledge of Half Hollow Hills West on Long Island.

Though he is undersized, Sledge is tremendously quick, fierce and athletic.

When Hills West downed JayVaughn Pinkston and Bishop Loughlin last January, Sledge dropped 21 points in a 75-72 victory.

The 5-foot-9, 165-pound Sledge currently holds offers from St. John’s, Rutgers, West Virginia, Cincinnati, Seton Hall, Fordham, Rhode Island, Hofstra, Iowa State, UTEP and Marshall. (more…)

Seton Hall junior shooting guard Jeremy Hazell practiced with the team Friday in Morgantown, West. Va. and will start in Saturday’s Big East game against the Mountaineers.

“He’s been cleared. His hand will be heavily taped and padded,” Seton Hall spokesman Matt Sweeney said.

The second leading scorer in the Big East at 22.4 points per game, Hazell sustained a deep cut on his right (shooting) hand during the Pirates’ 59-50 win Wednesday at St. John’s Wednesday. He took eight stitches.

But senior point guard Eugene Harvey is “unlikely” to play with a bruised wrist.

“Eugene Harvey is now unlikely to play as his wrist is bothering him quite a bit.  [He] will be a game-time decision,” Sweeney said.

Harvey suffered a bone bruise to his right wrist in last Sunday’s win over DePaul.

WEST VIRGINIA OFFERS SLEDGE

West Virginia has offered a scholarship to Tavon Sledge, a 5-9, 160-pound junior combo guard at Dix Hills (N.Y.) Half Hollow Hills West. (more…)

By Alex Kline

BoxofMess.com

Special to ZAGSBLOG.COM

TRENTON, N.J. -- Here’s a complete rundown on Saturday and Sunday”s action at the PrimeTime Shootout at the Sun National Bank Center…

In the last game Saturday night, Doron Lamb scored 49 points — three shy of LeBron James‘ 2003 tournament-record 52 — on 21 of 29 shooting but Oak Hill Academy fell to St. Peter’s Prep, 84-81.

Lamb’s college list now includes five schools: Arizona, Kansas, Kentucky, UConn and West Virginia. West Virginia assistant Larry Harrison was in the house.

“Coach [Jim] Calhoun’s leave of absence got me a little worried, but now he is back so I am not concerned,” Lamb said of his decision to add UConn to his list. (more…)

Duke-bound point guard Kyrie Irving has done it again.

Irving earned MVP honors by posting 24 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals to lead St. Patrick to a 70-50 rout of Christian Brothers Academy in the Boardwalk Hoop Group showcase at Monmouth University’s Multipurpose Activity Center.

Irving had 16 points on 7-for-11 shooting in the first half as the Celtics (10-0) took a 40-17 lead.

“We knew we would struggle man-to-man because (Kyrie) Irving can’t be guarded by anyone man-to-man and also because of their size on the inside,” CBA coach Geoff Billet told The Asbury Park Press. “We wanted to mix the defenses up because we didn’t want to play zone the whole game. Our plan was to mix in box-and-1 and zone and switch back and forth.” (more…)

I caught up briefly this morning with Raleigh (NC) Word of God forward C.J. Leslie before he headed into school.

The 6-foot-8, 205-pound Leslie had an in-home visit Wednesday night with Seton Hall head coach Bobby Gonzalez and assistant Dermon Player.

“It was good. It was real good,” Leslie said.

Asked if he was planning an official visit to South Orange, N.J., Leslie said: “I don’t know yet. I haven’t scheduled any visits yet.”

Leslie said he’s also considering Kentucky, Florida, Maryland and North Carolina.

Georgetown also comes in tonight for Leslie’s final home visit.

(more…)

St. Patrick of Elizabeth (N.J.) is losing Dexter Strickland to North Carolina and Paris Bennett to George Mason from its Tournament of Champions team, but the Celtics served notice that they will still be the team to beat in New Jersey next year.

The NJ Celtics — featuring Kyrie Irving (pictured), Michael Gilchrist, Derrick Gordon, Kevin Boyle Jr. and Chase Plummer — went 7-0 to win the recent Providence Jam Fast.

The Celtics beat the Mass Rivals in the final after knocking off a Boo Williams team in the semis that included Carolina-bound Kendall Marshall, Duke-bound Andre Dawkins and Georgia Tech commit Travis Mckie (2010).

St. Patrick coach Kevin Boyle said Rob Kennedy of the Hoop Group told him: “I don’t know who Oak Hill and Findlay [Prep] get [next year], but I don’t know a high school team that’s going to be better than you guys.”

(more…)

After starting the season with 19 straight victories, St. Benedict’s of Newark is now riding a two-game losing streak.

Undefeated Mater Dei of Santa Ana, Calif., No. 1 in the ESPN Rise Fab 50, hammered No. 3 St. Benedict’s 73-61 late Saturday night in Santa Ana.

Mater Dei (24-0) built a 10-point late in the first quarter and was never threatened, stretching it to a 20-point lead early in the fourth.

North Carolina-bound senior forward David Wear had 18 points and seven rebounds and junior guard Tyler Lamb had 17 points for the Monarchs, who won without Stanford-bound forward Andy Brown (ACL injury) and with junior guard Gary Franklin Jr. playing only four first-half minutes because of foul trouble. (more…)