September 2013 | Page 15 of 27 | 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 / May 16.
  • As expected, Tyler Ulis verbally committed to Kentucky Friday night, seemingly solving coach John Calipari’s point guard issues for at least a year or two.

    The 5-foot-9 Ulis fast became the object of Kentucky’s desires after losing out on Emmanuel Mudiay (SMU) and potentially Tyus Jones.

    Back in early July, Ulis was working with a list of Michigan State, Iowa, Florida State, USC, Purdue, DePaul and Northwestern.

    After Kentucky expressed interest following the Mudiay commitment, Ulis cut his list to Kentucky, Michigan State, Iowa and USC.

    “We talked about Kentucky being a place where the expectations are high,” James Ulis told the Herald-Leader before the commitment. “You’re expected to win and you’ve got a fan base like no other.”

    The NCAA has done the right thing in the Kerwin Okoro case.

    After initially denying him a waiver to play immediately at Rutgers this season, the NCAA reversed course on Friday.

    “I would like to thank the NCAA for granting me a waiver,” said Okoro. “I am very humbled by all the support I have received throughout the process, both from my basketball families at Rutgers and Iowa State. I look forward to working with my teammates and coaches to have a successful season. I feel very fortunate to be at Rutgers and close to my family. I can’t wait to play ball.”

    As the game of point guard musical chairs continues, Lourawls “Tum Tum” Nairn has opted to take a “spur of the moment” visit to Michigan State this weekend, his high school coach confirmed to SNY.tv.

    “Yes, he is visiting Michigan State this weekend,” Belaire (KS) Sunrise Christian Academy coach Kyle Lindsted said.

    Nairn had trimmed his list to Minnesota, Oklahoma and Indiana, but now the Spartans are making an 11th-hour push after previously backing off on him. He has visited Minnesota and Oklahoma, with Indiana due up next weekend.

    “Michigan State as far as we’re concerned is on equal footing,” Lindsted added to MILive.com. “We’ve had a relationship with the (Spartans) before all this started. There was a parting of ways on both sides, and now we’re back together.”

    Isaac Hamilton will be a huge addition for coach Steve Alford and UCLA beginning in 2014, his former high school coach told SNY.tv.

    “He has been admitted academically but he has not committed yet. If (he goes) he will be a great addition because he can play the one and the two,” Los Angeles (CA) St. John Bosco coach Derrick Taylor told SNY.tv. “He’s just a scoring machine.

    “And he’s a crazy good teammate who will never cause a problem. He’s the greatest, most versatile person you could imagine.”

    According to BruinSportsReport, the 6-foot-4 Hamilton was admitted to UCLA and will enroll in 2014.

    BLAIRSTOWN, N.J. — Elijah Burns left La Salle Institute in Troy, N.Y., for Blair Academy after last year in order to play basketball at a higher level and enroll in one of the top prep schools in New Jersey.

    After reclassifying to the Class of 2015 from 2014, the move already seems to be paying dividends.

    Coaches are filing into Blair to watch the 6-foot-7, 210-pound Burns, as well as teammate Marial Shayok and other players on coach Joe Mantegna’s squad.

    Burns, who averaged 17.8 points and 10 rebounds a game last season at Troy, told SNY.tv Georgetown, Temple, Siena and Holy Cross are working on him the hardest right now. But that list figures to grow and morph in the coming year.

    Coach K was the latest heavyweight coach to meet with 6-foot-11 Texas big man Myles Turner on Thursday.

    The Duke coach met Turner at Euless (TX) Trinity High School and also had a home visit.

    “We met with Duke [Thursday], Coach K came to practice,” Euless coach Mark Villines told SNY.tv.

    “It went great, it was awesome. [Turner] did have a good conversation with Coach K. I think they had already offered, but once again they reiterated that they wanted him to come to Duke.”

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