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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 / April 19.
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    • Articles, Recruiting

    Two days after Coach K and Duke put on a “very impressive” presentation for Tyus Battle, Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim and his staff pulled off a similar feat and now Battle will visit Syracuse Oct. 11.

    That day the Orange will play Florida State in ACC football action.

    “We’re going to visit on Oct. 11,” Gary Battle, the player’s father told SNY.tv. “They’re playing Florida State.”

    Battle now has three visits set for October, with Syracuse, Kentucky and Duke on tap. He may also visit Florida in November after head coach Billy Donovan and assistant Rashon Burno stopped by Gladstone (N.J.) Gill St. Bernard’s on Friday, too.

    Articles, Kentucky

    Briscoe Peach Jam action

    Roselle (N.J.) Catholic point guard Isaiah Briscoe will visit Kentucky on Sunday following his official visit to UConn this weekend and could add a Kentucky offer before he leaves.

    His father confirmed to visit to SNY.tv.

    “[Kentucky coach John Calipari] didn’t offer, he said he doesn’t think it’s fair if he offered me and I was able to take the scholarship without going to see Kentucky,” Briscoe told SNY.tv last week when talking about his home visit.

    “He wants me to go visit and I’ll go visit within a couple weeks or so. He said he loves guards, he needs guards and the people that he puts in the NBA and what they’re doing in the NBA is shocking. It’s just a blessing”

    Briscoe also has official visits slated to Missouri Oct. 10 and St. John’s Oct. 17.

    The Star-Ledger previously reported Briscoe would visit Kentucky this weekend.

    Meantime, following his in-home visit with Calipari and assistant Kenny Payne, Antonio Blakeney may visit the school, too, Steve Jones of the Courier-Journal reports.

    Articles, Kentucky, NBA Draft

    TownsJonathan Givony and his colleagues at DraftExpress.com are busily cranking out videos and scouting reports on prospects for the 2015 NBA Draft.

    As we look ahead to the upcoming college basketball season, and to next June’s draft, a couple of things stand out.

    First, Kentucky, as we all know, is just loaded.

    Givony produced videos on 10 SEC players “considered serious first-round prospects in our view,” and seven of them are from Kentucky: Karl-Anthony Towns, Willie Cauley-Stein, Dakari Johnson, Andrew and Aaron Harrison, Alex Poythress and Marcus Lee.

    The three other SEC players?

    Florida’s Chris Walker, Arkansas’ Bobby Portis and LSU’s Jarell Martin. 

    “It says more about the overall strength of Kentucky,” Givony told SNY.tv. “We did videos on 10 guys but seven of them are on Kentucky.”

    Articles

    Briscoe Peach Jam actionHere’s your look-ahead to the weekend’s recruiting visits and other news:

    **Isaiah Briscoe, a 6-foot-3 point guard from Roselle (N.J.) Catholic, will take his official visit to UConn beginning Friday and will then trip to Kentucky Sunday. He’s also set to visit Mizzou (Oct. 10) and St. John’s (Oct. 17).

    **Chris Clarke, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard from Virginia Beach (VA) Cape Henry Collegiate School, trips to Virginia Tech. He’s also been to UConn and Creighton and will hit Tennessee later.

    **Cheick Diallo, the 6-9 big man from Our Savior New American (N.Y.), takes an official visit to Iowa State following last weekend’s visit to Kansas. He will also visit St. John’s with Briscoe and Brandon Sampson Oct. 17. Both Briscoe and Diallo are among those targeting a late announcement.

    Articles, Louisville

    Five-star combo guard P.J. Dozier will take an official visit to Louisville the weekend of Oct. 30 following an in-home visit Wednesday with head coach Rick Pitino and assistant Kenny Johnson.

    Louisville hosts Florida State in football Oct. 30.

    “The visit went extremely well,” Perry Dozier Sr. told SNY.tv Thursday. “Coach came in and he was very warm and just got right to the point. We talked; it a was a great visit.”

    Louisville has zeroed in on the 6-foot-7 Dozier to join Brewster (N.H.) Academy guard Donovan Mitchell in its backcourt beginning in 2015 now that Antonio Blakeney has decommitted. (Blakeney met Wednesday night with Kentucky’s John Calipari and Kenny Payne.)

    “It was pretty clear, coming in the backcourt and playing with Mitchell,” Perry said. “He’s a pretty good friend with P.J. They played together at the Reebok Camp so that’s a big plus, but he told P.J. he’s his point guard and that’s what he wants him to do, is run the ballclub.”

    Articles, Michigan State

    McQuaidMichigan State on Thursday landed a pledge from 6-foot-5 shooter Matt McQuaid, his father confirmed to SNY.tv.

    McQuaid, out of Duncanville (TX), initially committed to SMU, only to change course in July. He also considered Creighton, but chose the Spartans after taking a visit this past weekend.

    “I think a big part about it was Coach [Tom] Izzo and what they’ve done throughout his career there as far as a program and just the type of guy he is and the opportunity to play for somebody like that and be developed by someone like that and a program like that was pretty high on the list,” Rob McQuaid, the player’s father, said.

    Articles

    Buffalo coach Bobby Hurley landed a pledge Wednesday night from Nick Perkins, a 6-foot-8, 240-pound power forward from Milan (MI).

    Perkins also considered Akron, St. Bonaventure, Cleveland State, Toledo, Kent State and Northern Illinois, among others. He was at Akron last weekend for an official.

    Perkins said he chose Buffalo because of “The great coaching staff and the opportunity to be an impact player as a freshman.”

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