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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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Monday / October 7.
  • PISCATAWAY, N.J. — The Rutgers football team reported today ahead of the start of tomorrow’s camp. Here are a few quick notes from head coach Greg Schiano:

    **OL Keith Newell transferred to Delaware State.

    **Davon Smart, a DB out of Hackensack, N.J., transferred to Norfolk State. He has one year of eligibility left.

    **Defensive end Gary Watts will pursue his degree but won’t play football because of a knee injury.

    **Tight end Marquis Hamm has opted to “give up football.”

    **6-1, 185-pound cornerback Darrell Givens, a four-star recruit according to Rivals, was admitted to Rutgers after failing to get into Penn State. He is fully qualified.

    NEW YORK — While virtually every other college basketball coach is back on campus regrouping from the brutal July recruiting period, Kentucky coach John Calipari is in China paving ground for the future.

    “Just watched team China down the United Arab Emirates team, 82-59, in a FIBA-Asia contest. Team China looked great and is so well-coached,” Calipari Tweeted Monday morning.

    The ‘Cats new head coach and Del Harris are in the Far East from Aug. 8-14 as part of a partnership Calipari helped develop between Kentucky and the China Basketball Association after reading an article by Bill Rhoden in The New York Times that spurred his interest.

    The China Basketball Association had a relationship with Memphis officials prior to the time Calipari became head coach of the Tigers.

    “When I read it, I said, ‘I’m going to be in China. I’m going to get in China,” Calipari said in a recent interview at St. John’s.

    I got a chance to speak with new Big East Commissioner John Marinatto last week at Big East Football Media Day. Here are his thoughts on a few topics:

    **ON THE NEED TO WIN A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN FOOTBALL

    “It would be nice. It would certainly be nice if we won a national championship. I think every conference would love to do that.”

    **ON POSSIBLY ADDING A 9TH TEAM FOR FOOTBALL

    “We talk about it and we recognize the fact that we’d love to have a balanced schedule and the way to do that obviously is to add a ninth football member. But we don’t want to solve one problem and possibly create another, because now you’re dividing revenues nine ways…If

    ***Watch the game here.***

    Kyrie Irving’s tremendous summer continues.

    The rising senior guard at Elizabeth (N.J.) St. Patrick scored a team-high 26 points on 10-of-15 shooting and was named Tournament MVP as the USA East team overcame a 59-53 halftime deficit to down Canada 105-104 at the Nike Global Challenge Sunday in Hillsboro, Ore.

    “It feels great to win the championship for the USA and to win MVP,” Irving said via text.

    Okaro White, a 6-8 forward committed to Florida State, made 1-of-2 foul shots with 7 seconds on the clock for the game’s final points.

    Canada’s Myck Kabongo of St. Benedict’s Prep missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer.

    Cameron Wright, a 6-foot-4, 195-pound combo guard from Cleveland (OH) Benedictine who initially committed to Ohio State, committed to Pittsburgh on Sunday night after visiting the school Saturday.

    “Yes, I did about an hour ago,” Wright said by phone.

    Wright chose Pitt over an impressive slate of schools including Indiana, UCLA, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Georgia Tech and Cleveland State. Florida and West Virginia also showed interest.

    “Pitt was constant,” Wright said. “Their system fitsĀ  my style perfectly. I’m a-pass first team player. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to win.”

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