ZAGSBLOG

Ebanks Still Open

Despite an Internet report indicating that Devin Ebanks has cut his list in half, Lawrence McGugins, Ebanks' AAU coach, says the 6-9 forward is still considering four schools.

"False," McGugins wrote in an email message in reference to the Internet report. "Dev never wrote anything."

Ebanks visited Memphis this past weekend and is considering that school along with Rutgers, West Virginia and Texas.

He told Memphis reporters he would announce his decision after his graduation from St. Thomas More (Conn.) on May 18.

A source at West Virginia said he had no knowledge that the list had been cut and added that Ebanks has done everything he initially said he was going to do, including visiting all four schools and then planning an announcement.

Rashad Green Has Options

Shooting guard Rashad Green is drawing interest after announcing his plans to transfer from Manhattan College.

"St. Louis and St. Bonaventure inquired about his situation," said Gary Charles, Green's AAU coach with the New York Panthers. "St. Bonaventure would like to take him. St. Louis would not get involved until he was officially released (which happened last week)."

There has been some speculation that Green might end up at Georgia Tech, especially after GT coach Paul Hewitt recently announced that he would be introducing a transfer in the coming weeks. But Charles said nothing was imminent.

A 6-foot-4, 195-pound native of North Babylon, N.Y., Green averaged 7.8 points and 5.0 rebounds in 21.3 minutes as a freshman at Manhattan and is seeking more playing time.

Green is the younger brother of Danny Green, a junior at North Carolina who declared for the NBA Draft but did not hire an agent.

Rashad Green played high school ball at St. Mary in Manhasset, N.Y., and then prepped a year at Bridgton Academy in Maine.

Kyrie Irving to St. Patrick ?

Kyrie Irving is in the building at St. Patrick.

The question is, Will he stay there?

Irving, a talented 6-1 sophomore point guard, spent two years at The Montclair Kimberley Academy, scoring 1,000 career points. He led MKA to its first-ever New Jersey Prep 'B' State title last season, averaging 26.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4. 8 assists and 3.6 steals. Irving dropped in 48 points in one game and 47 in another, the two highest totals in New Jersey last season.

"Our team described him as having a Kobe Bryant-like skill set," said Eastern Christian coach Barry Veeenstra, whose team beat MKA, 68-65, in the Non-Public B state tournament despite 29 points from Irving. "He's unstoppable one-on-one with the turnaround fadeaway from the corner. He buried one with 6-6 Nate Van Eck in his face. The kid just fades away from the double-team and nothing but net, and you walk to the locker room shaking your head, 'How do you stop that?'"

If Irving -- or anyone -- transfers prior to Sept. 1 -- he only has to sit 30 days. After Sept. 1, transfers have to sit a year.

Mitchell Decision Looming

A decision from Jonathan Mitchell won't come until at least Friday.

The 6-7 Mount Vernon native will decide between Rutgers, Seton Hall and Marshall. He is transferring from Florida and must sit out the 2008-09 season.

"We don't anticipate making a final decision until the earliest on Friday," said Herb Mitchell, Jon's uncle. "We've spread-sheeted each situation, the pros and cons, and we're going to sit down and review all of those things and then make a decision."

Mitchell recently visited Marshall after seeing both Rutgers and Seton Hall last week.

"It was a good visit down at Marshall," Herb said. "They certainly put out the red carpet for him and basically told him how he fits, what they see him as and it was a great visit."

Cougars Seek Independence; PCT to Play St. Anthony

The Paterson Catholic boys basketball team is seeking independence from the Bergen-Passaic Scholastic League for the next two years.

The program could learn whether its request will be granted at a June 3 league meeting at The Brownstone in Paterson. Paterson Catholic has gone independent in the past, most recently the 2005-06 season.

"They're going to put (a proposal) together 10 days prior to the meeting and then the athletic directors will vote ... and then approve it or not approve it," said Marty Bosland, executive director of the B-PSL.

Read the full story here.

Pitt Offers Plainfield's Epps

Plainfield head coach Pete Vasil checks in with the news that Pittsburgh assistant coach Tommy Herrion offered sophomore guard Isaiah Epps a scholarship.

"Tommy Herrion told me that after he saw him work out," Vasil said Saturday by phone. "They're offering him a scholarship."

The 6-2 Epps already holds offers from Maryland, Rutgers and Seton Hall, with Maryland head coach Gary Williams telling Vasil he's targeting Epps as his guard of the future out of the Class of 2010.

Epps averaged 16.5 points, 6.4 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 3.6 steals for a Tigers team that finished 18-7.

Epps rolled his ankle at a tournament in Virginia over the weekend, but Vasil said he should be OK after talking with Playaz head coach Jim Salmon.

In other news, Plainfield has been invited to Lexington, Ky. next year to play Lexington Catholic on Jan. 10. The Tigers will also play defending Tournament of Champions winner St. Anthony Jan. 17 at the Dan Fin Classic and Jersey rival Piscataway Jan. 23 in the PrimeTime Shootout at Rutgers, giving RU fans a look at the terrific backcourt of Epps and current freshman Tyrone Johnson.

Rosario, Theodore Star at IS8

Rutgers and Seton Hall have to be feeling good about their respective incoming guards.

Seton Hall-bound guard Jordan Theodore of Paterson Catholic poured in 30 points, as did his teammate, UConn commit Kemba Walker, as the Gauchos seniors beat the New Heights Seniors, 103-93, in the second round of the I.S.8 playoffs.

PItt-bound guard Ashton Gibbs dropped 41 for New Heights and Vanderbilt commit Lance Goulbourne scored 25.

Not to be outdone, RU commit Mike Rosario poured in 18 of his game-high 21 points in the second half, including a game-winning 3-pointer, to lift the Playaz over a feisty New Heights 2010 team, 86-85.

Paterson natives Jio Fontan and Travon Woodall each scored 17 points for the winners. Interestingly, those two St. Anthony players were competing against a New Heights team that features Ashton Pankey and Devon Collier, who will suit up next season for Bob Hurley's Friars.

Dooley 'Wired to Compete'

Good story today by Gary Bedore of KUSports.com on Kansas assistant Joe Dooley.

Dooley, a New Jersey native who played at St. Benedict's Prep, is responsible for bringing Quintrell Thomas of St. Patrick, Tyshawn Taylor of St. Anthony and twins Marcus and Markieff Morris of Apex Academies in Cherry Hill to Kansas for 2008.

Gary was kind enough to ask me for some comments for the story and here they are:

"Joe Dooley has done an excellent job recruiting some of the top talents in his home state of New Jersey. This year alone he has pulled in players from two of the premier teams, not only in the Garden State, but in the country as a whole in Tyshawn Taylor, from mythical national champion St. Anthony, and Quintrell Thomas of St. Patrick,” Zagoria said.

“The Morris twins, although from Philadelphia, played last year in New Jersey. In large part because of Joe Dooley, Kansas is getting extremely well-coached, hard working, talented players used to playing in pressurized situations on the big stage.

“I think the Big East schools in the New York, New Jersey area hope to be as successful recruiting New Jersey as Joe Dooley has,” Zagoria exclaimed. “The coaches in New Jersey know him well.”

**In other Kansas-related news, Marcus Morris tallied 15 points as he and his brother Markieff helped the Unique All-Stars beat West Virginia-bound F Kevin Jones and Mount Vernon, 83-71, at the IS8 in New York. The 6-8 Jones dropped 25 points for Mount Vernon.

ESPN: Mayo Got Illegal Payments

If you haven't yet seen the latest version of ESPN's "Outside the Lines," we highly recommend watching it as soon as possible. This Sunday's program presented tremendous reportering by Kelly Naqi, who conducted a four-month investigation into the relationship between USC freshman basketball player O.J. Mayo and Los Angeles event promoter Rodney Guillory.

Louis Johnson, a former member of Mayo's inner circle, comes forward with all kinds of evidence, including numerous receipts, alleging that Guillory received an estimated $250,000 from BDA Sports Management to cultivate a relationship with Mayo from the time he was in high school so that Mayo would ultimately chose that agency to represent him when he turned pro, which he did in April. BDA, owned by agent Bill Duffy, also represents Steve Nash, Yao Ming and Carmelo Anthony.

Johnson says that of that $250,000, about $30,000 of it went directly to Mayo in the form of cash, clothing, food, a cell phone, a flat-screen television and other benefits, all in violation of NCAA regulations. Guillory, meanwhile, drove a $50,000 Infiniti SUV that was bought from the money he received from BDA.

PrimeTime Shootout Schedule

Talked to Jeff Hewitson of the PrimeTime Shootout today and he gave me the tentative schedule for games next January and February in New Jersey and Philly. Mark your calendars because there are some great games to be showcased here.

January 23, Rutgers

Immaculata-St. Joe's (Metuchen), 5 p.m.

Duncanville (Texas)-Paterson Catholic, 6:30

LeFlore (Ala.)-Lincoln (N.Y.), 8

Plainfield-Piscataway, 9:30

January 30, Villanova

Holy Ghost Prep-Plymouth Whitemarsh, 4

Lower Merion-Coatesville, 5:30

Roman Catholic-Penwood, 7

Chester-Neumann-Goretti, 8:30

American Christian-Norristown

Sutton Talks About Indiana

Doug Wilson of the Herald Times in Indiana has a good blog post today with a video interview with Largo (Md.) big man Maurice Sutton.

The 6-10 Sutton is down to Indiana, Kentucky, Seton Hall and Villanova, but the video sure makes it sound as if Indiana is the team to beat.

Sutton finished with 15 points, five rebounds and three blocks in less than three quarters in leading Indiana Elite at the May Classic in Bloomington.