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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.
  • By ADAM ZAGORIA

    WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — During an open gym Thursday afternoon at Archbishop Stepinac High School, A.J. Griffin dribbled up court, spun around a defender above the foul line and drained a 12-foot jumper.

    As a half dozen Division 1 head and assistant coaches sat watching on the sideline, one said to me, “He could help us right now.”

    The 6-foot-7, 196-pound Griffin is only a sophomore but he and teammate R.J. Davis, a Class of 2020 point guard, are already drawing a parade of coaches to Stepinac, the reigning New York State Federation champs. And assuming both players stay there until graduation, that will be the case for the next couple of years.

    “At the age he’s at, his skillset, his mindset is definitely more mature than what his actual age puts him at,” Stepinac coach Pat Massaroni said of Griffin, who looks like a man among boys already. “He has unbelievable upside. To be skilled as he is, not only shooting the ball at the two, but being able to back guys down, finish at the rim,, defend, rebound, deflect passes, he’s got high-major, pro-level upside.”

    By ADAM ZAGORIA

    Justin McKoy, the 6-foot-8, 215-pound forward from Cary (NC) Panther Creek and Team Loaded, committed to Penn State on Wednesday.

    He also considered Cincinnati and Clemson.

    “I chose Penn State because of the relationship with the coaching staff, the way I see myself fitting in, and the players,” he said. “On my visit, I bonded well with everyone and I loved it. More importantly I thought about what a degree Penn State could do for me. I know the academics are top of the line and the alumni program that they have built is second to none. I couldn’t be happier anywhere else.

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