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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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Wednesday / December 4.
  • (Photo courtesy fiveborosports.com)

    NEW YORK — Lincoln got the better of Jefferson again. And the Railsplitters didn’t need 35 points from Lance Stephenson to do it.

    Senior Anthony Allen scored a game-high 25 points and added 10 rebounds, Stephenson tallied 20 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists and Allen West made two clutch free throws in the final minutes to give Lincoln an 87-83 victory over Jefferson in PSAL Brooklyn AA action before a capacity crowd at Lincoln that included St. John’s head coach Norm Roberts.

    “I don’t want to lose, so I want to go undefeated in the PSAL,” Stephenson said. “I’m trying to win every game so that’s why I got my teammates involved in the first half.”

    NEWARK, N.J. — Bob and Dan Hurley will both coach their respective teams in the inaugural Newark National Basketball Invitational — but not against one another.

    St. Anthony, coached by the legendary Bob Hurley, will face Marcus Jordan, son of Michael Jordan, and Whitney Young of Chicago, while St. Benedict’s, coached by Dan Hurley, will meet Lance Stephenson and Lincoln in the event Jan. 24 at the Prudential Center. The event, formerly known as the Brian Doherty Classic, will feature six games in one day (see schedule below), including a girls game between Jersey powers Bloomfield Tech and Shabazz. Click here for ticket info.

    Yet Joseph DiVincenczo, the Essex County Executive, called for the Hurleys to play one another in a game everyone wants to see.

    Memphis sophomore guard Jeff Robinson is strongly considering transferring during or after this year, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.

    The 6-foot-5, 230-pound Robinson is unhappy with his playing time and is considering Seton Hall, Rutgers, UMass, Xavier, St. Joe’s and Miami. He would have two years of eligibility remaining if he leaves after the season and two-and-a-half if he transfers in December.

    “I know that he hasn’t made up his mind yet [about where to go to],” the source said. “The final decision has not been made.”

    John Riek is expected to get cleared by his doctor to play basketball next month, but still hasn’t heard from the NCAA Clearinghouse on his eligibility at Cincinnati.

    In that respect, his situation is similar to that of Melvyn Oliver at Seton Hall and Ater Majok at UConn.

    “On Jan. 19 he should get cleared to play as far as full participation,” said Fatah Muraisi, the guardian for the 7-foot-2 Riek, a native of the Sudan. “If we haven’t heard from the NCAA, he’ll just stay at IMG.”

    Dexter Strickland may have to miss St. Patrick’s season opener in the City of Palms Classic, but he hopes he won’t have to.

    The 6-foot-3, North Carolina-bound Strickland is slated to sit out Saturday’s quarterfinal, potentially against John Wall and Word of God Academy, for disciplinary reasons.

    But Strickland hopes to persuade Chris Chevannes, a St. Patrick assistant and the Dean of Students, to let him suit up.

    “I think I’m going to miss the first game,” Strickland, who sat out the preseason schedule with some minor disciplinary infractions, said by phone. “I’m going to try to talk to the assistant principal to let me play that game. He’s trying to teach me a lesson in life. I’m just going to learn from my mistakes. Hopefully, I can convince him to let me play the first game.”

    Joe Theismann says he’s “disappointed” with Notre Dame’s performance this year, but is glad that head coach Charlie Weis is returning.

    “I’ve spent a lot of time in conversation, both talking to Charlie and people at the University and we’re all disappointed,” Theismann, the former Irish QB who led the Washington Redskins to victory in Super Bowl XVII, said on a recent conference call. “We expected more this year. Certainly it’s an improvement over last year, but not the leap that they made.”

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