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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 / March 28.
  • Ray Smith, a 6-foot-7 small forward from Las Vegas High, had an “awesome” visit to UConn last week and is now planning several future trips, including potentially one to Kentucky.

    “UConn was awesome, man,” Bobby Smith, Ray’s father, told SNY.tv Tuesday by phone. “[Coach] Kevin Ollie’s a great guy. We were actually at UConn watching when Shabazz [Napier] got drafted, it was kind of cool. Great program, all the way around. I like UConn.”

    Ray also said he enjoyed the visit.

    “It was nice, it was a nice campus, nice little environment,” he said. “They showed me the facilities and all those things, so it was nice going to UConn.”

    By JACK LeGWIN

    Special to ZAGSBLOG

    Tennis has a new rising star in Nick Kyrgios.

    The youngest player in the Wimbledon men’s singles draw at 19 years old, Kyrgios took out Rafael Nadal in four sets in the Round of 16 at Wimbledon 7-6 (5), 5-7, 7-6, 6-3, closing the match out with his 37th ace.

    Kyrgios is the first player ranked outside the top 100 to beat the No. 1-ranked player in the world at Wimbledon since 1992.

    DeckerTodd Decker, who helped forge St. Peter’s Prep into one of the top boys basketball programs in New Jersey and the Northeast, has resigned in order to focus on his family and career, he told SNY.tv by phone Tuesday afternoon.

    Decker’s former assistant, Alex Mirabel, was set to meet Wednesday with athletic director Rich Hansen about the job.

    In three years as a head coach at the Jersey City school, Decker won two Non-Public A North titles and reached three Hudson County finals. In five years as an assistant to Mike Kelly before that, St. Peter’s Prep won four Hudson County titles.

    “The last eight years have been great,” Decker told SNY.tv. “I will always appreciate my time at Saint Peter’s Prep for the great school and tremendous community it is. I am extremely proud of all that has been accomplished here both on and off the court.

    Thon MakerThon Maker, who may or may not reclass from 2016 to 2015, continued his tour of colleges on Monday with a trip to Duke and came away impressed.

    “The visit was very good,” Maker’s guardian, Ed Smith, told SNY.tv. “Coach K has a professional approach that is personalized. Thon viewed video on past post and wing players, culminating with a longer segment on Jabari [Parker]. Coach K went into how they put their system in based on personnel and he felt excited about the propect of teaching Thon how to be a better pro.”

    Parker, of course, was the No. 2 pick in Thursday’s NBA Draft.

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