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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 / March 29.
  • Jalen Brunson, one of the top point guards in the Class of 2015, committed to Villanova over in-state Illinois on Wednesday.

    Brunson, who grew up in South Jersey but now plays for Lincolnshire (IL) Stevenson, visited Illinois and then Villanova over the past two weekends, and by all accounts the Villanova visit went very well.

    Asked at a press conference what he knew about Villanova, Brunson, whose father Rick Brunson played at Temple and was set to be hired as an assistant at Temple before he was charged this summer in a sexual assault, said, “I knew that it was my parents’ rival school… I didn’t like them growing up. I knew they were a really good program, they’ve had a lot of big-time players and good guards.”

    He also said Wildcats coach Jay Wright was a factor in his decision and that it’s “my goal” to stay at Villanova all four years.”

    Wright Tweeted: “It’s a great day to be a Villanova Wildcat! #novanation”

    2014 adidas NationsYou can expect to see more and more high-major American college basketball coaches flocking North of the Border to Orangeville, Ontario in the coming weeks and months.

    When one high school roster includes Thon and Matur Maker, Jamal Murray, Jalen Poyser, Kyle Alexander and more, coaches have no choice but to get out to see them.

    That’s exactly what’s going on at Athlete Institute, which was already growing into a must-see program before the 7-foot Maker committed there on Friday.

    On Tuesday, the first day college coaches were allowed to be out watching high school prospects, Kentucky, Michigan State, Oregon, Washington State, Hawaii, Rhode Island and Old Dominion were all at the school.

    Ernest Aflakpui, a 6-foot-9 power forward from Radnor (PA) Archbishop Carroll, has taken official visits to Philadelphia schools St. Joe’s and Temple, and still plans to visit VCU and Rhode Island.

    “Last weekend he went to Temple and had his official there and loved it, really enjoyed getting to meet the players and stuff,” Carroll coach Paul Romanczuk told SNY.tv Wednesday morning.

    “I think that’s what it’s coming down to now. He has a real comfort level with the staffs of Temple, St. Joe’s and Rhode Island and VCU. He’s visited everywhere unofficially, all of those four schools. Now it’s a matter of getting to know the team a little bit more and that’s what he’s done these last two weekends with St. Joe’s and Temple.”

    Derrick Jones, the 6-foot-7 small forward from Radnor (Pa.) Archbishop Carroll, may wait until the spring to make a college decision.

    “I think Derrick is kind of focusing in on maybe committing sometime in the spring and trying to start feeling things out this fall,” Carroll coach Paul Romanczuk told SNY.tv Wednesday morning. “Hopefully, he gets a chance to go out and get some visits before the season but I don’t think anything’s set right now.”

    UConn coach Kevin Ollie is expected to have a home visit with Jones on Thursday. Jones already visited the reigning national champion Huskies over the summer.

    Tyus Battle USA hoopsOn the first day of the fall recruiting period, Louisville coach Rick Pitino spent about two hours on the campus of Gladstone (N.J.) Gill St. Bernard’s while recruiting 2016 combo guard Tyus Battle.

    “Tyus is a top priority for them,” Gill coach Mergin Sina told SNY.tv after the visit. “He thinks Tyus can play multiple positions in his system and he loves Tyus’s length and athleticism.”

    The 6-foot-5 Battle visited Louisville this past summer unofficially during a trip in which he picked up offers from both Louisville and Kentucky.

    [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5cyv3V8SnY]

    By JACK LeGWIN

    Mark Fox got a huge boost to his recruiting for the class of 2016, when he landed Jordan Harris and Tyree Crump Tuesday night.

    Two consensus top 100 players in the class of 2016, Crump and Harris bring star potential to a UGA team. Crump, one of the best shooters in the nation teamed up with Harris over the summer, who, at 6-foot-4, brings serious athleticism to the table. Their relationship brings some reasoning to believe they will be cohesive on the court.

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