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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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Friday / December 13.
  • Sylven Landesberg, a Virginia freshman from Queens Holy Cross who spurned St. John’s last year, has lifted the Cavaliers to two exhibition victories during the team’s trip to Montreal.

    Landesberg scored 18 points and grabbed 13 rebounds as five Cavaliers scored in double figures in a 107-60 rout of St. Lawrence College in the morning. Then, Landesberg had 16 points and 10 boards in Virginia’s 85-70 win over Concordia University in the afternoon.

    “Overall, I think we did a little bit more what I wanted us to do, which is push the basketball and defend with some pressure,” Virginia coach Dave Leitao said of the first game. “Calvin (Baker) did a good job and obviously Sylven, with 18 points and 13 rebounds, showed his versatility and that told me he’s a basketball player. He’s got to continue to use this as an opportunity to get better.”

    Good read in today’s Daily News on Lincoln’s Lance Stephenson, including his comments about getting cut from the USA U18 National Team earlier this summer.

    “When I got cut, I was just told I wasn’t what they were looking for, I wasn’t a good fit,” Stephenson says. “But to find out that they thought I’m a selfish player . . . I don’t think I’m a selfish player. I don’t think I have to score to win the game. I think I worked hard. I tried my best to make the team. I think I wasn’t (head coach Bob McKillop’s) fit. I take it as a learning experience and try to get better.”

    Former ABCD Camp founder Sonny Vaccaro thought the selection of Stephenson wasn’t right in the first place.

    If it seems that every day brings a Tobias Harris update, well, that’s because it does.

    The 6-foot-8 Harris is at the Syracuse Elite Camp this weekend after seeing Maryland, Georgetown and Virginia last week.

    “Tobias had a excellent meeting with the Coaching staff,” his father, Torrel, wrote in an email. “Tobias was impressed that the business program is ranked No. 20 in the country. He wants to major in Business.

    Herb Pope is returning to New Mexico State, ending his flirtation with transferring to Seton Hall, according to Gary Parrish of CBSSports.com. Parrish cites no quotes but says he spoke with NMSU head coach Marvin Menzies, who told him Pope was returning.

    Seton Hall had hoped to land the 6-foot-8 Pope, a talented but troubled big man, to help a frontcourt badly in need of a capable big man.

    Meantime, Rivals reports that John Wall, the No. 1 prospect in the nation, will visit Memphis Sept. 12, Kansas Sept. 19 and Oregon Oct. 3. NC State, Baylor and Oklahoma State are also in the mix.  Wall is also slated for a Sept. 9 home visit with Memphis head coach John Calipari.

    Givon Crump will visit Oregon State, Michigan and Rutgers, although no dates have yet been set.

    Crump is a  6-foot-6, 210-pound small forward ranked No. 26 among small forwards in the Class of 2009.

    “Currently there is no leader but Oregon State seems to be mentioned the most, probably because he’s intrigued by the Pac 10, (Barack) Obama’s brother-in-law, Coach (Craig) Robinson, and the curiosity of the school,” said Crump’s travel coach, Marcus Matthews.

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