December 2009 | Page 4 of 14 | Zagsblog
Recent Posts
About ZagsBlog
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.
Follow Zags on Twitter
Couldn't connect with Twitter
Contact Zags
Connect with Zags:
Thursday / March 28.
  • Jio Fontan is headed from the Atlantic 10 to the Pac-10.

    The former Fordham guard committed to USC Monday morning after a weekend visit to the school.

    “Yeah, I committed early this morning,” the 6-foot-1 Fontan said Monday afternoon. “I just came back last night.”

    He must sit out a year as per NCAA transfer regulations before he can suit up for the Trojans in December 2010.

    A Paterson, N.J., native, Fontan visited Miami and USC and was to visit Tennessee and Alabama, but he saw enough at Southern Cal to make the call.

    The Trojans on Saturday upset No. 9 Tennessee, 77-55, behind 12 points and 10 assists from Charlotte transfer Mike Gerrity, making his Southern Cal debut.

    Here’s an interesting stat from The New York Times in the wake of St. John’s 72-60 victory over Hofstra Sunday in the Holiday Festival. The Johnnies will face Cornell Monday night in the title game at 9:30.

    This is a list of the New York-area programs with the most victories this decade:

    1. Hofstra – 188

    2. Manhattan – 172

    3(t). Seton Hall – 165

    3(t). Rider – 165

    NEW YORK – Disgruntled guard Nate Robinson says his preference is to play with the Knicks, but at the same time his agent has asked Donnie Walsh to trade him.

    “I want to play the game of basketball,” Robinson said Sunday before the Knicks beat Charlotte, 98-94, at Madison Square Garden. “I want to be a Knick. I want to stay here. This is here I want to be. And I want to play. I want to help this team win. I think I can do that. I expend energy. I do all the little things and I just feel I haven’t got that privilege to play the way that I like to play.”

    Aaron Goodwin, Robinson’s agent, called Walsh late Saturday afternoon and told him, “I’m disappointed Nate not’s playing, and I may want him out of New York if this is going to keep going on.’” Walsh said Sunday.

    Asked if Goodwin indicated whether Robinson asked him to call Walsh, Walsh responded, “No, but I assumed it.”

    Senior point guard Cory Joseph dropped 27 points as Findlay Prep defeated Winter Park 86-75 on Saturday night at the 37th Annual City of Palms Classic.

    Minnesota coach Tubby Smith was in the stands scouting Joseph, a Canadian native who has cut his list to Texas, UConn, UNLV, Minnesota and Villanova, according to the new-press.com, which is all over this event.

    Texas-bound senior forward Tristan Thompson, also of Canada, added 23 points for Findlay, which was coming off its first loss Thursday to Jared Sullinger and Columbus (Ohio) Northland.

    Junior guard Austin Rivers, the tournament’s reigning MVP, scored 22 for Winter Park.

    UConn coach Jim Calhoun has agreed in principle to a new deal that will give him four additional years, not five as has been reported.

    It is a five-year deal, but the current season counts as one of the years, according to a source with a direct knowledge of the situation. His current deal expires June 30, 2010 and the new one runs through the 2013-14 season.

    “This year is one of the years,” the source said. “It’s actually four additional years.”

    Calhoun will be paid “north of $2 million” per year, a raise from his current annual salary of $1.6 million, the source said.

    Nate Robinson’s agent has requested that the Knicks deal the diminutive guard and says the team has agreed to try and move him.

    “Yes, I have because coach has not played him, does not plan to play him and does not want him on the team,” Aaron Goodwin wrote in an email.

    “Coach told the press, ‘I would play SATAN if that could help me win,’ and when his team shot 4-for-23 in the 3rd quarter against Chicago, he didn’t even look Nate’s way.”

    Asked if Knicks president Donnie Walsh had agreed to work with him on a trade, Goodwin said: “Yes, Donnie has agreed to work with me.”

    Walsh was not immediately available for comment, but on Dec. 6 he said he was open to trades that would make the team better.

    “We’re out there talking to teams to see if there’s interest in a way to see if we can get somebody who can help us,” he said. “That’s it.”

    } });
    X