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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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Tuesday / December 10.
  • Villanova commit Tyrone Johnson will spend his senior season at Montrose Christian (Md.) High School instead of Plainfield (N.J.) High.

    “We enjoyed a lot of success at Plainfield and I am really appreciative of the support from my coaches and the community. The decision to leave was very difficult. I chose Montrose to help take my game to the next level and better prepare me for college,” Johnson said.

    Current Villanova sophomores Mouphtaou Yarou and Isaiah Armwood both played for Montrose Christian coach Stu Vetter and graduated from the school.

    Johnson averaged 18.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.2 steals last season. He made 31 of 86 3-pointers (36 percent) and 154 of 218 free throws (71 percent). He led Plainfield to a 26-4 record and appearances in the Union County Tournament and Group 4 state title games.

    By DAVID PORTER (AP)

    Photo courtesy Jennifer Brown/Star-Ledger

    NEWARK, N.J. — Former Seton Hall basketball coach Bobby Gonzalez pleaded not guilty Wednesday to shoplifting a satchel at an upscale shopping mall last month.

    Gonzalez spoke during the five-minute arraignment only to verify his address in Harrison, N.Y. His attorney, Anna Cominsky, entered the plea on his behalf. Neither commented after the proceeding.

    Gonzalez is accused of taking a satchel worth about $1,400 from the Polo Ralph Lauren store in The Mall at Short Hills on June 29. Police said he removed the sensor device from the satchel and walked out of the store without paying for it.

    NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. — Kentucky already has commitments from the No. 1 and No. 5 players in the Class of  2011 in Michael Gilchrist and Marquis Teague.

    Could John Calipari add No. 8 Anthony Davis as well?

    “I gotta get on him, huh?” Gilchrist said last week at the Peach Jam. “ASAP, huh?”

    Rivals currently ranks the 6-foot-10, 195-pound Davis No. 8 in the class, but he is in the conversation for No. 1 after the way he’s played this summer.

    NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. — That Oakland Soldiers are one of the most star-studded outfits on the summer recruiting trail.

    With guards Nick Johnson Josiah Turner and Jabari Brown and 6-9 bigs Kyle Wiltjer and Brandon Ashley (2012), the Soldiers drew everyone from Roy Williams to Gary Williams to Ben Howland at last week’s Peach Jam.

    “Before the game I notice who’s in the building. But when the game starts, I’m all about the game,” Wiltjer said.

    Wiltjer missed at least one game at the Peach Jam with painful migraine headaches that forced him to visit the emergency room.


    NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. — Last week at the Peach Jam I got a chance to interview musician Bruce Hornsby, whose son, Keith, is a 6-3 rising senior at Oak Hill (Va.) Academy committed to UNC-Asheville.

    UNC-Asheville coach Eddie Biedenbach recruited David Thompson to N.C. State, I was told by my Peach Jam roommate, NYC recruiting expert Tom Konchalski.

    “Eddie Biedenbach is a legend of N.C. State basketball,” Hornsby said.

    The elder Hornsby, 55, said he played basketball growing up but opted for a career in music instead.

    “I played basketball in high school,” he said. “I had an offer to play at Randolph Macon when they were Division 2. Now they’re Division 3. But I told the coach I wanted to play the piano. I think it’s the only time he’s ever been told that.”

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