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…)

NEW YORK – During a hearing Monday morning in Brooklyn Criminal Court, the sexual assault case involving Lance Stephenson and Darwin “Buddha” Ellis was adjourned until July 15.

Attorneys for both sides huddled briefly before Judge Alexander Jeong said, “We will meet on July 15.”

Jeong had previously adjourned the case once, to Monday from May 19.

“It’s a process,” said Alberto Ebanks, Stephenson’s attorney.

Stephenson and Ellis are alleged to have groped a 17-year-old girl outside Lincoln High School last fall. If convicted, Stephenson could face up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Ebanks has maintained his client’s innocence throughout.

(more…)

Lance Stephenson is currently on an official visit to the University of Cincinnati, a program that up until this point has not been involved in his recruiting process.

“He got here yesterday [Friday],” said a player on the team. “We just got through playing open gym. [He played] with the whole team and a couple old players.

“He was doing good. I guarded him. He played good. We could use him. If we get him we’ll be good.” (more…)

Lance Stephenson will graduate from Lincoln High School in Brooklyn on Wednesday afternoon, his future awash in uncertainty.

Just over 24 hours later, the NBA Draft will take place just 10 miles away at Madison Square Garden.

Had Stephenson graduated in 2004 instead of 2009, he likely would be hearing NBA commissioner David Stern utter his name from the podium Thursday night and preparing for life as a young multi-millionaire.

“Late lottery,” said draft expert Chris Monter of Monter Draft News, referring to where Stephenson would have been picked if he were eligible. “He’s talented but he has a lot of baggage and is perceived as a selfish player.”

Read the full story here.

GREENBURGH, N.Y. — It was late in the third quarter of the Frankie Williams Charity Classic when Lance Stephenson finally donned a white No. 24 jersey and checked into the game.

After taking a test at school and getting delayed by traffic, Stephenson played only about 15 minutes in a contest his White team lost 128-122 to the Blue team, but he sure made news in the time he was there.

In a wide-ranging interview, Stephenson and his father, Lance Stephenson Sr., talked about the schools they’re still considering; the recruiting process; the pending sexual assault case; the recent Washington Post story which was highly critical of Lance and his father; the BornReady.TV Website; and whether Lance Sr. has ever asked for money in the recruiting process.

The 6-foot-5 Stephenson is a McDonald’s All-American and the all-time leading scorer in New York State history. He seemed poised to pick Kansas in late March, but held off and the Jayhawks eventually received a commitment from Xavier Henry instead. Now Stephenson says he’s considering four schools.

“Arizona, Florida, Memphis and Maryland. I don’t have a favorite,” Stephenson said after scoring 21 points in the loss. (more…)

Fairleigh Dickinson fired head coach Tom Green last week.

The story was first reported by the New York Post.

“For 26 years I was the coach of this team and an ambassador for this university,” Green told the newspaper. “I called this place home. For them to treat me this way shows a complete lack of respect for me as a person, as a coach and as a loyal employee.”

He also told The Bergen Record: “This decision kills my career. To get fired in June of year 26 kills a career. I’d hoped to coach another five or six years before I even thought about retiring,” Green said. “It not only affects me, but I’ve got three assistant coaches and two of them have families. There are no Division I college basketball head coaching jobs available in June.” (more…)

Recruiting expert Tom Konchalski talks Lance Stephenson, John Wall and Kevin Parrom.

LANCE UPDATE NO. 1: A source within the Lincoln High school athletic department said the school is “planning a press conference at Lincoln within the upcoming weeks” to announce Stephenson’s decision. Take that for what it’s worth. No date has been set, and as far as we know Lance has still not made a decision.

LANCE UPDATE NO. 2: Lance scored a game-high 21 points on 7-for-13 shooting (including 3-for-3 from 3) Saturday as the New York Panthers beat NYABC 91-81 in the second-round of the Is8/Nike Spring High School Classic.

The Panthers will meet Syracuse-bound guard Brandon Triche and New York Elite in the quarterfinals on Sunday at 1. (more…)

Maryland head coach Gary Williams had an in-home visit last Friday with Lance Stephenson and his family, according to two sources close to the situation.

One of the sources said Stephenson told Williams that he will decide by the end of the week.

“I think everything will probably come to a head by next weekend,” a third source close to the situation said. “Everything hinges probably on what Xavier Henry does.”

If the 6-6 Henry ends up at Kansas, Stephenson could wind up at St. John’s or maybe even Maryland, although that school had seemed to be out of it.
If Henry lands at Kentucky or remains at Memphis, Stephenson could go to his first choice: Kansas. (more…)

Wednesday marks the beginning of the NCAA late signing period and several of the top basketball recruits in the nation — including Brooklyn’s own Lance Stephenson — have yet to pick a college.

Three of the Top 10 recruits in the Class of 2009 according to Rivals.com — No. 1 John Wall, No. 3 Xavier Henry and No. 9 Stephenson — are keeping college coaches and fans sweating until they make their final decisions.

“It’s unusual that that many of the elite players are still available,” said Queens-based recruiting expert Tom Konchalski. “Part of it is due to the dislocation and movement in the college coaching ranks. Xavier Henry would’ve been all settled [at Memphis] had John Calipari stayed. … Some of them like to be the last guy [to pick a school] because that gets them into print more.”

Read the full story here.

**In a related story, Tim Stevens of the News & Observer reports that John Wall could potentially be eligible for the 2009 NBA Draft because he is 19 and is a year removed from his high school graduating class. It should be pointed out that Wall himself has not expressed any interest in going to the NBA this year and instead says he’ll pick a college in the late period.

**Also, Kentucky center Patrick Patterson will test the NBA waters but won’t hire an agent, meaning he could return to play for John Calipari for his junior season. Teammate Jodie Meeks will do the same thing. DraftExpress.com projects Patterson as the No. 23 pick by the Portland Trailblazers.

Lance Stephenson will take an official visit to St. John’s beginning Friday night, according to sources at St. John’s. An official visit can last 48 hours so Stephenson would leave the Queens campus Sunday.

The 6-foot-5 Stephenson has taken officials to Kansas and Maryland, but not St. John’s. He has been to campus several times unofficially.

Additionally, Kansas coach Bill Self will visit with Stephenson Friday afternoon at his Coney Island home, according to another source.

“They’re getting closer to making a decision,” a third source said of the Stephenson family. “They [the coaches] are all making their last minute pitches and I think this is St John’s last chance to beat the other couple [schools, including Maryland]. This is their best opportunity right now. This is their last chance right now.” (more…)