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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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Friday / November 8.
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    The USA and Canada appear headed for a title-game clash in the FIBA Americas U18 Championship.

    Both teams swept their pool play games and will play in Monday’s semifinals.

    Canada will meet Argentina Monday at 3:15 p.m. Mountain Time in one semifinal, and the U.S. will take on the Dominican Republic afterward.

    The championship game is Tuesday afternoon.

    All four medal semifinal teams earned a berth to the 2015 FIBA U19 World Championship, which will be hosted by Greece.

    Jalen Brunson scored 16 points Sunday to pace the U.S. to a 118-64 win over Argentina.

    Derryck Thornton and Tyus Battle are seriously talking about packaging together in college beginning in 2016 — with Kentucky, UConn, Michigan and now Florida the four schools in discussion at this point.

    “I still want to see them play together and they sound like still want to play together,” Tank Thornton, Derryck’s father, told SNY.tv Monday by phone after Derryck picked up a Kentucky offer on his weekend visit.

    “And after speaking to Gary and Tyus, it sounds like they want to play together as well.”

    Kentucky, UConn, Michigan and Florida have offered both players, Tank said.

    “Those are the schools that have offered them both,” Tank said. “They’ve offered both kids. Villanova hasn’t offered Derryck and Arizona hasn’t offered Tyus.”

    Kentucky and a slew of blueblood programs are recruiting 6-foot-7 2015 shooting guard P.J. Dozier, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader.

    North Carolina, Kansas, Michigan, Georgetown, Indiana and Ohio State have all offered, and Kentucky coach John Calipari recently called, according to a report from Ben Roberts of the Herald-Leader.

    “It’s a good feeling,” P.J. Dozier, who plays for Columbia (S.C) Spring Valley, told the Herald-Leader. “Who wouldn’t want to be able to say that Kentucky is jumping on board? I’m just trying to build a relationship with their coaching staff. I’ve talked to Coach (Kenny) Payne a lot, talked to Calipari a couple of times.

    “They pretty much just told me that they have a very strong interest and would be following me throughout the summer circuit. I’m looking forward to it.”

    FIBA Americas U18 Mens ChampionshipThe USA and Canada continued to roll on Saturday in the FIBA Americas U18 Championship in Colorado Springs, CO.

    One day after hammering Uruguay by 96 points, the U.S. crushed Mexico 100-46.

    Arizona freshman Stanley Johnson (Mater Dei H.S./Fullerton, Calif.) paced the U.S. attack with 18 points, Allonzo Trier (Montrose Christian/Seattle, Wash.) and Duke frosh Justise Winslow (St. John’s School/Houston, Texas) scored 14 apiece, Jalen Brunson (Adlai E. Stevenson H.S./Lincolnshire, Ill.) added 11 and Chase Jeter (Bishop Gorman H.S./Las Vegas, Nev.) was one board shy of a double-double after scoring 10 points and hauling in nine rebounds.

    Jabari ParkerBy JOSH NEWMAN
    Special to ZAGSBLOG

    Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker, now considered mortal locks for the top two picks at Thursday’s NBA Draft with Joel Embiid injured, are the biggest names among 21 confirmed as green room invites.

    The NBA has not released its official list yet, but ESPN’s Chad Ford has confirmed 21 players to be present Thursday evening at Barclays Center. Aside from Wiggins and Parker, Dante Exum, Noah Vonleh, Aaron Gordon, Julius Randle, Marcus Smart, Doug McDermott, Dario Saric, Gary Harris, Elfrid Payton, Nik Stauskas, James Young, Zach LaVine, Jusuf Nurkic, Adreian Payne, T.J. Warren, Tyler Ennis, Rodney Hood and Shabazz Napier have been invited.

    Defending Wimbledon champion Andy Murray could meet top seed Novak Djokovic in one Wimbledon semifinal, while longtime rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are seeded to meet in the other.

    The draw was made on Friday.

    Murray last year became the first British man in 77 years to win Wimbledon when he took out Djokovic in straight sets in the final.

    Federer has won Wimbledon seven times, with the last of his all-time best 17 Major titles coming there in 2012.

    Djokovic captured the Wimbledon crown in 2011 and Nadal in 2010, meaning each member of the Big Four has taken home the title in the last four years.

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