As first reported on my Twitter, former Seton Hall forward Anali Okoloji is transferring to George Mason.

“Anali is excited about playing for a coach who has coached in a high major college program, who is also a great teacher of the game and who has a good number of players in the NBA,” said his high school coach, Wendell Saunders of Banneker. “He also would like to experience playing in the NCAA Tournament and he feels George Mason would have a better chance by the time he plays because Coach [Paul] Hewitt has a track record for recruiting talent.” (more…)

By ALEX KLINE

On Sunday night, two very different — but talented – players made their college decisions.

Erik Copes, a a 6-foot-8 2011 center out of Imhotep Charter in Pennsylvania, is headed to Geroge Mason.

And Georges Niang (pictured), a 6-7 2012 forward out of the Tilton School in New Hampshire, has pledged to Iowa State.

Copes, who was released from his letter of intent with George Washington on Tuesday, decided it was best to move on. The program fired head coach Karl Hobbs, who along with Copes’ uncle, Roland Houston, recruited the star senior to George Washington. Houston was recently hired by new George Mason head coach Paul Hewitt as an assistant. This led to Copes taking an official visit this weekend and his ultimate decision. (more…)

One of Paul Hewitt’s first priorities after taking the George Mason job was to come to the New York area and meet with commits Vaughn Gray of St. Benedict’s and Corey Edwards of Christ the King.

The former Georgia Tech coach met Wednesday with both players and both will remain committed to George Mason. (more…)

UPDATE 5/3: After this was initially posted, Corey Edwards texted to say he spoke with an assistant coach at Miami, not directly with head coach Jim Larranaga. He said the assistant coach “asked me  what do [you] think of Miami. He didn’t come out blatant and say would you come to Miami.”

He also said, “In June I am goin to George Mason.”

****

George Mason signee Corey Edwards said new Miami coach Jim Larranaga talked to him about following the coach to Miami and that he is considering it.

“The coach from George Mason is talking about me going over to Miami,” Edwards said Monday by phone. “I told him it could be a possibility.”

The news broke April 22 that Larranaga was leaving George Mason for Miami.

Edwards said Larranaga called him “a couple days after he took the job.” (more…)

Paul Hewitt is the new coach at George Mason, according to CBSSports.com, which first reported the story.

Georgia Tech fired Hewitt after 11 seasons, including five NCAA Tournament trips and an appearance in the 2004 national championship game. He was 190-162 during his tenure with the Jackets.

George Mason features several local products on its roster, including sophomore guard Sherrod Wright of Mount Vernon, redshirt-freshman forward Paris Bennett of Linden, N.J., and junior forward Ryan Pearson of Christ the King. (more…)

Jim Larranaga’s move to Miami from George Mason could have an impact on several players from the New York/New Jersey area.

Sophomore guard Sherrod Wright of Mount Vernon, redshirt-freshman forward Paris Bennett of Linden, N.J., and junior forward Ryan Pearson of Christ the King are all on the George Mason roster.

Mount Vernon coach Bob Cimmino and St. Patrick assistant Rae Miller said it was too early to comment on how the coach’s departure may impact those players. (more…)

George Mason got a double-dose of good news on Sunday when St. Benedict’s Prep shooting guard Vaughn Gray (left) and Christ the King point guard Corey Edwards (below) both committed during their official visits.

“We talked about it when we got down there,” the 5-foot-10, 176-pound Edwards said by phone. “We felt mutual. I’m a pass-first point guard and he’s a scorer. That would be a perfect situation for both of us.”

Edwards chose George Mason over UNLV, Fordham and Hofstra.

“I liked the whole atmosphere, the crowd, the team, the coaches,” Edwards said. (more…)

NEW YORK – If you’re holding on to your high school basketball rosters from last season, they won’t be much use once all the dust clears for next year.

After a couple of days at the Rumble in the Bronx at Fordham University, this much is clear: there is a lot of movement on the prep scene.

**Vaughn Gray, a 6-foot-5 off guard, is transferring to Newark (N.J.) St. Benedict’s Prep from Don Bosco Prep and will play for first-year coach Roshown McLeod.

“Yes, he’s going to St. Benedict’s,” said June Gray, his mother. “It was pretty much Vaughn’s decision. We wanted him to have more development and play more on a national level.” (more…)

Villanova has become Guard U under head coach Jay Wright, producing a string of talented players in Scottie Reynolds, Corey Fisher, Corey Stokes, Dominic Cheek and Maalik Wayns.

Three of those players – Fisher, Stokes and Cheek — played at New Jersey high schools.

Now, as Wright plans for the future, he has his gaze focused on yet another talented Garden State guard.

Myles Davis, a 6-foot-2, 180-pound combo guard from Jersey City (N.J.) St. Peter’s Prep, is the No. 9 shooting guard in the Class of 2011. (more…)

NEW YORK — The North Carolina Tar Heels are the defending national champions until the night of April 5.

And when that Monday night comes around, the Heels hope somebody besides the Duke Blue Devils are raising the championship trophy.

“Ahhh, I want to see them lose because their Duke. I’d rather have West Virginia win,” freshman point guard Dexter Strickland of Rahway, N.J. told me Monday afternoon in Manhattan.

While Duke advanced to the NCAA Final Four to play West Virginia Saturday in Indianapolis, Carolina will play Rhode Island Tuesday night in the NIT Final Four at Madison Square Garden. Dayton meets Mississippi in the other NIT semi. (more…)