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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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Tuesday / March 19.
  • NEW YORK — Super-sophomores Bryan Antoine and Scottie Lewis and their Team Rio teammates were among the many recruits on hand at Madison Square Garden on Sunday night for the Xavier-St. John’s game.

    The 6-foot-5 Lewis is ranked No. 13 in the 2019 ESPN 25, and the 6-4 Antoine is No. 14. Both play at the Ranney (N.J.) School.

    “On Sunday night they got a taste of how exciting playing in New York City at Madison Square Garden would be,” said Team Rio director Brian Klatsky, whose son, Alex, also attended the game. “The Garden came alive and they are still in the early stages of rebuilding the St. John’s program.”

    NEW YORK — Xavier held off a rally from St. John’s at Madison Square Garden but lost sophomore point guard Edmond Sumner to a left knee injury that will require an MRI on Monday.

    Sumner was helped off the floor by his teammates with 6 minutes left in No. 24 Xavier’s 82-77 win over St. John’s at Madison Square Garden on Sunday night.

    Trevon Bluiett notched 21 points and 10 rebounds for the Musketeers (15-6, 5-3 Big East), Sumner scored 17 points with seven assists, Quentin Goodin added 16 points and JP Macura had 14 points.

    Sumner is Xavier’s second-leading scorer at 14.4 points per game to go with 4.9 assists and 4.4 rebounds.

    “My first concern is for our point guard Edmond Sumner,” Xavier coach Chris Mack said. “Obviously, it didn’t look good. We’ll find out [Monday] and get an MRI. Keep him in your prayers and hopefully he’s back on the court sooner than later. But I really don’t know.”

    Roger Federer finally won his elusive 18th Grand Slam title.

    And in so doing he took a major step toward solidifying his position as the GOAT in men’s tennis.

    With his epic 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 win over his arch-rival Rafael Nadal, Federer won his first major title since capturing Wimbledon in 2012 and stretched his Grand Slam lead over Nadal to 18-14.

    Had Nadal prevailed, the lead would have shrunk to 17-15 with the French Open looming. Nadal has won nine of his 14 majors in Paris. Now Nadal remains tied with Pete Sampras for second all-time.

    “Roger Federer has solidified himself as the Greatest of All Time,” John McEnroe said on ESPN.

    With the win, the 35-year-old Federer became the oldest man since Ken Rosewall in 1972 to win a major.

    Federer also won the title as the father of four, as the No. 17 seed and after having taken a six-month layoff after re-aggravating a knee injury at Wimbledon last year.

    “Tennis is a tough sport,” Federer said. “There’s no draws but if there was going to be one I would have been very happy to accept one tonight.”

    “It was a great match, I think probably Roger deserved it a little bit more than me,” Nadal said. “I’m just gonna keep trying. I feel that I’m back at a very high level, so I’m just going to keep fighting the whole season.

    “I’ll let Roger get the trophy and I’ll see you next year,” Nadal told the crowd with a huge smile.

    By DENNIS CHAMBERS

    ROSELLE, N.J. — The inaugural New Jersey vs. D.C. Collision kicked off Saturday at Roselle Catholic High School in an effort to showcase the talents of the two basketball-rich breeding grounds.

    Eight teams participated in the event hosted by Jimmy Salmon and the EYBL NJ Playaz to put to rest the debate of which area reigns supreme for high school basketball.

    For New Jersey, the representatives boasted an impressive lineup of Hudson Catholic, Immaculate Conception (NY), Roselle Catholic, and The Patrick School.

    The nation’s capital sent Bishop McNamara, St. Mary’s Ryken, Paul VI (VA), and DeMatha Catholic.

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