April 2009 | Page 15 of 17 | Zagsblog
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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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Thursday / April 25.
  • DETROIT – DeMarcus Cousins will spend the weekend huddling with his mother and weighing his college options.

    “He and his mom and are going to talk over the next two days and then they’ll make a decision or open it back it up,” said Otis Hughley, Cousins’ coach at Mobile (Ala.) LeFlore High.

    The 6-foot-10 Cousins initially committed to Memphis but did not sign a Letter of Intent. Now he is reevaluating his options after John Calipari signed on for eight years and $32 million at Kentucky.

    Cousins is now considering Kentucky, Alabama, Kansas State, Washington and N.C. State.

    DETROITCarl Henry says his sons “should have their releases [from Memphis] as early as Monday” and are still trying to determine if they will be able to play together next season at Kansas or Memphis.

    C.J. Henry is a non-scholarship player at Memphis and would have to get an NCAA waiver to suit up immediately next year after transferring. He did not play as a walk-on last year because of a broken foot. Xavier Henry chose Memphis over Kansas last November and could wind up playing for Bill Self.

    “I’m thinking they would like to play together,” Carl said Saturday morning by phone. “If it doesn’t happen and C.J. wants to play right away, Xavier could leave and go where he wants to go and C.J. would have to stay right here in Memphis.”

    And where does Xavier want to go?

    DETROIT – The Naismith Hall of Fame has once again decided in its infinite wisdom to keep legendary St. Anthony coach Bob Hurley outside of its hallowed walls.

    The official word won’t come until Monday, but it’s a fact that Hurley won’t be among those joining Michael Jordan, David Robinson, John Stockton and Rutgers women’s coach C. Vivian Stringer in this year’s class. This is the second straight year Hurley was nominated and the second year he’s been shut out.

    “It’s a disgrace,” said Adrian Wojnarowski, the author of “The Miracle of St. Anthony,” the tremendous bio of Coach Hurley’s undefeated 2004 team.

    “It’s a disgrace he’s being made to wait this long. People with far less credentials and far less of an impact on the game off basketball are in the Hall of Fame and continue to get in the Hall of Fame.

    DETROIT – A day after North Carolina guard Ty Lawson said he won $250 playing craps at a Greektown casino, UNC coach Roy Williams defended his senior.

    “We’ve had two of our guys go to the casino, Ty Lawson and Marc Campbell,” Williams said Friday. “I talked to them before they left. They’re both old enough. It is legal. I find it humorous that somebody would want to ask. It’s strange, if we don’t want those kids doing it, don’t put the Final Four in a city where the casino is 500 yards from our front door. And they got a great buffet in there. I mean, come on…

    DETROIT – Bob Hurley believes Jio Fontan should remain at Fordham for at least another year instead of transferring.

    “He and his father have discussed transferring with me,” Hurley, the Naismith Hall of Fame nominee and St. Anthony coach, said Friday by phone. “I’ve talked with the Fordham people. I believe that he should stay through next year.

    “I think they’re on the verge of being much better next year. He may be rushing the thing. He should give the school another year. The whole world is filled with everybody rushing to do things. Part of growing is battling through situations. My advice was stay one more year.”

    DETROIT – Xavier and C.J. Henry will spend Friday talking on the phone about their futures and could elect to remain at Memphis under a new coach.

    That’s what their father, Carl Henry, said in a morning interview.

    “We’re going to wait,” Carl said. “We’re just going to wait and see who Memphis hires.”

    Asked if both brothers could remain at Memphis instead of going to Kansas or Kentucky, Carl said,  “Yes, it’s a chance. I’ve been told [by sources at Memphis] either Reggie Theus or Avery Johnson [could be the new coach]. That’s what I  hear.”

    Baylor coach Scott Drew has also been mentioned, but Memphis spokesman Lamar Chance said the school hasn’t officially requested permission to speak with Theus, Johnson or Drew. Tennessee Coach Bruce Pearl is now out of the mix, having restructured his six-year deal at UT.

    If Xavier remains at Memphis, it could open things up for Lance Stephenson to go to Kansas, as he had originally planned.

    Alternatively, Stephenson could still go elsewhere — Maryland or St. John’s — and Kansas could wind up empty-handed. Despite a report that Stephenson is considering other Big 12 programs, a source close to the family told me it’s still Kansas, Maryland or St. John’s.

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