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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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Sunday / April 28.
  • Rawle wins

    Rawle Alkins scored 18 of his 26 points in the second half Monday night as Team Rose beat Team Wall, 113-93, to win the adidas Nations championship in Long Beach, Calif.

    The 6-foot-5 Alkins won MVP honors while shooting 9-for-16 from the field and 6-for-8 from beyond the arc in the victory.

    “When we play together, we’re all amazing as a group, as a unit,” Alkins told ESPNU . “We were unstoppable.”

    Alkins recently named his Top 10 schools and plans a visit to Kentucky for Big Blue Madness in October.

    Alkins won three New York Catholic League titles at Christ the King High School, but will attend a prep school for the 2015-16 season, he announced.

    ATLANTA, GA - July 10, 2015:The adidas Gauntlet Finale at North Gwinnett High School in Atlanta Georgia.  (Photo by Kelly Kline/adidas)

    Rawle Alkins will appear Monday night on ESPNU. (Photo by Kelly Kline/adidas)

    Rawle Alkins, Mustapha Heron, Kobi Simmons, Frank Jackson and Edrice “Bam” Adebayo are among the Class of 2016 stars who will be showcased Monday night in the adidas Nations event on ESPNU.

    The third-place game featuring Team Lillard vs. Team Africa will air at 7 p.m. EST followed by the championship game featuring Team Wall vs. Team Rose will air at 9 p.m.

    Team Rose features Alkins, Heron, Simmons, Jackson and Adebayo, along with Javin DeLaurier, Mario Kegler and others. Alkins went for 28 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists in Team Rose’s win over Team Africa on Sunday. He recently named his Top 10 schools.

    Team Wall includes Markelle Fultz, Dennis Smith Jr., Braxton Blackwell, Payton Prichard and Udoka Azubuike.

    In the third-place game, Team Lillard features 2017 stars Gary Trent Jr., Jaylen Hands, Trevon Duval and EJ Montgomery, among others.

    Team Africa includes Wenyen Gabriel, who has added scholarship offers from Kentucky, Duke, Kansas and North Carolina over the past few days and is averaging 18 points and 15 rebounds at adidas Nations.

    In all, 11 players with Kentucky offers will be showcased on ESPNU, according to Ben Roberts.

    Jontay Porter, the younger brother of prized 2017 forward Michael Porter Jr., committed to coach Lorenzo Romar and Washington on Sunday.

    “I just really felt like this was the place I was looking for,” Porter, a 6-foot-8 2018 small forward from Father Tolton (MO), told Scout.com. “I want to play how I was taught to play. I feel like this place is the only place I can do that with how Romar does things.”

    Jontay appears to already be working on getting his brother to commit to Romar, who is his Godfather.

    “A little bit,” he told Scout when asked if he was working on getting his brother to go to Washington. “I slid in a couple of comments.”

    Meantime, Michael Porter Jr. and Trae Young, his point guard on Mokan Elite, have discussed a package deal, with Duke, Washington and Virginia among those courting the duo.

    4_3018534Markelle Fultz has scheduled an official visit to Louisville beginning Wednesday and will then trip to Arizona Aug. 10-12.

    “I am going to Louisville on Wednesday, which is after this camp ends,” he said. “I am looking to meet the players and just get more detail. An official is different than an unofficial so I am looking forward to seeing the environment and talking to Coach (Rick) Pitino.”

    Fultz has already been on unofficials to Louisville, Kentucky and Xavier.

    As for Arizona, the 6-foot-4 Fultz out of Hyattsville (MD) DeMatha Catholic previously told SNY.tv, “It’s a great fit, they let their guards play. The have a couple bigs that can play. And I have a good relationship with Coach [Book] Richardson and Sean Miller.”

    Maverick Rowan is off the board to N.C. State.

    4_2915507The 6-foot-7, 210-pound small forward from E1T1 will reclass to 2015 from 2016 and be eligible for the 2015-16 season. He also considered Louisville, St. John’s and West Virginia.

    “I have a great relationship with the coaches, [Mark] Gottfried and [Orlando] Early,” he told SNY.tv. “They have been loyal and stayed with me through everything  this year. Gottfried does a great job for his wings and I feel I can go in and be the same type of player T.J. Warren and Trevor Lacey were.”

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