Why this JUCO star is drawing interest from NY-area teams

St. John's, Rutgers and Seton Hall are often chasing the same prospects because of their proximity to one another, but the latest apple of their eyes doesn't have a 718 or 973 area code.

The area's three high-major programs have been crisscrossing the country in search of forwards to beef up their recruiting classes, and all three have stopped in at Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College for one reason: Deshawn Freeman, a gifted 6-foot-8, 220-pound forward from North Carolina.

After an injury-plagued freshman year at Hutchinson, Freeman is off to a fast start, averaging 22 points and more than nine rebounds in nine games, impressing at both ends of the floor.

"The fact that he can play inside both offensively and defensively makes him an attractive prospect," Hutchinson assistant coach Jay Cyriac said. "He's a tenacious rebounder. I think Division I schools see that he has an outstanding knack to score around the basket in crafty ways."

At the moment, Freeman said he is open to all interested schools.

Tennessee, Oklahoma, Arizona State, Virginia Tech and Marquette also are involved. Freeman plans to take visits during the Christmas break, and has tentative plans to see Rutgers and St. John's in the next few weeks.

He has developed a close bond with St. John's assistant coach Rico Hines and has an affinity for Rutgers head coach Eddie Jordan, remembering the days Jordan was a head coach in the NBA with the Wizards. Freeman never has been to the Northeast, but it does interest him.

"It would be something new for me," he said.

The three locals could all use him. Rutgers and Seton Hall all will lose a key member of their frontcourt, seniors Kadeem Jack and Brandon Mobley, respectively, while St. John's has a number of open scholarships to fill, and junior shot-blocking dynamo Chris Obekpa could opt to declare for the NBA after this season.

Freeman isn't sure what he is looking for yet because he hasn't made any visits. But joining a winning program and getting immediate playing time are high on his list of priorities. St. John's, Rutgers and Seton Hall certainly can offer the latter.

"I want to try to play at the next level," he said.

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St. John's assistant coach Tony Chiles was in Chicago on Tuesday to see guard Marcus LoVett Jr. St. John's recently offered him a scholarship.

Cardozo junior Rashond Salnave attended St. John's victory over Niagara on Tuesday at Carnesecca Arena. Seton Hall and Rutgers are also after the Queens guard.

Iona offered Mount Vernon sophomore guard Marco Morency a scholarship on Thursday after his impressive varsity debut.

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Harvin’s thoughts on return to Minnesota, where it all began

Here's the typical "Player Goes Back to Where it All Began" story. Jets wide receiver Percy Harvin was drafted 22nd by the Vikings in 2009, was the Offensive Rookie of the Year and spent his first four years in Minnesota. So his first trip back to play there Sunday should be emotional, get-out-the-handkerchief stuff.

"No, no emotions at all. I'm glad to play, be out there and see some of my old teammates," said Harvin, who faced the Vikings — but in Seattle — with the Seahawks last season. "So no emotions."

OK, then it's probably a revenge game.

"I don't think anything stands out other than it's our next game. For me, it'll be good just to go back out there and see some fans, some of my old teammates," said Harvin, who has made an impact, but not a huge one, in his five Jets games.

So what is special for Harvin is merely the chance to play. With four games remaining in a mess of a season, Harvin takes nothing for granted. He insists he is not looking to next year, but remains focused on the current task.

"We've got to play four games and I'm looking forward to every last one of them. I've been in this situation once, with Minnesota, and you've just got to keep coming, keep working hard each day and try to build some momentum going into the next year," said Harvin, who has 19 receptions for 182 yards and another 96 rushing yards on 17 carries in five Jets games.

"The coaches see how hard I work. This team has been working hard.

Nobody's let off the gas everybody's coming in head held high, shoulders up. There's been no whining, no complaining," Harvin said. "The record doesn't show for it but this team, everybody works extremely hard."

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TE Jace Amaro (concussion) and DE Muhammad Wilkerson (toe) are out, but showing progress. All others are probable, said coach Rex Ryan.

"Jace is actually doing more, so he was limited exercise wise," Ryan said. "But apparently he's doing a little more than that now.

"[Wilkerson] is progressing well. He did do some jogging. So I don't know if he'll definitely go next week, but it looks pretty good."

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Nick Folk (right hip flexor) performed kickoffs Friday after not practicing Wednesday and having a limited day Thursday. Ryan said Folk "feels pretty good."

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Sunday is a homecoming of sorts for rookie CB Marcus Williams who has made the most of his chance.

Undrafted out of North Dakota State, Williams went through training camp with the Texans, was cut and signed to the Jets' practice squad in September. He joined the active roster in October and has started the last four games. Williams is from Minneapolis and, besides playing in front of family and friends, wants to impress his bosses.

"It's going well. It [stinks] that we've been losing but for the most part I'm having fun, trying to just enjoy every single moment because you can't take it for granted," said Williams, who said his path "definitely puts a chip on your shoulder because you always want to prove how well you can do and how good of a player you are so every time you get an opportunity you want to go out there and show what you can do.

"Sometimes you don't get a second chance so when you get that chance, you want to make the most of it."

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American hostage killed in failed rescue attempt: sister

SANAA, Yemen — An American photojournalist held by al-Qaida militants in Yemen has been killed in a failed rescue attempt, his sister said Saturday.

Lucy Somers told The Associated Press that she and her father learned of her 33-year-old brotherLuke Somers' death from FBI agents at 0500 GMT (12 a.m. EST) Saturday. There was no immediate comment from Washington, nor from security officials in Yemen's capital, Sanaa.

"We ask that all of Luke's family members be allowed to mourn in peace," Lucy Somers said from London.

Yemen's local al-Qaida branch, Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, posted a video Thursday that showedSomers, threatening to kill him in three days if the United States didn't meet the group's demands, which weren't specified. He was kidnapped in September 2013 from Sanaa.

The news of the failed rescue comes after a suspected U.S. drone strike in Yemen killed nine alleged al-Qaida militants early Saturday, a Yemeni security official said before news of Somers' death. The drone struck at dawn in Yemen's southern Shabwa province, hitting a suspected militant hideout, the official said. The official did not elaborate and spoke on condition of anonymity as he wasn't authorized to brief journalists.

At least six suspected militants were killed in an airstrike in the same province last month. Later Saturday, tribal leaders said they saw helicopters flying over an area called Wadi Abdan in Shabwa province.

American authorities rarely discuss their drone strike campaign in Yemen. The strikes are incredibly unpopular in Yemen due to civilian casualties, legitimizing for many the attacks on American interests.

Before her brother's death, Lucy Somers released an online video describing him as a romantic who "always believes the best in people." She ended with the plea: "Please let him live."

In a statement, Somers' father, Michael, also called his son "a good friend of Yemen and the Yemeni people" and asked for his safe release.

In a statement Thursday, Pentagon press secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby acknowledged for the first time that a mysterious U.S. raid last month had sought to rescue Somers but that he turned out not to be at the site. The U.S. considers Yemen's al-Qaida branch to be the world's most dangerous arm of the group as it has been linked to several failed attacks on the U.S. homeland.

Kirby did not elaborate on the joint U.S-Yemeni operation to free Somers, saying details remained classified. However, officials have said the raid targeted a remote al-Qaida safe haven in a desert region near the Saudi border. Eight captives — including Yemenis, a Saudi and an Ethiopian — were freed. Somers, a Briton and four others had been moved days earlier.

Somers was kidnapped in September 2013 as he left a supermarket in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, said Fakhri al-Arashi, chief editor of the National Yemen, where Somers worked as a copy editor and a freelance photographer during the 2011 uprising in Yemen.

Somers, who was born in Britain, earned a bachelor's degree in creative writing while attending Beloit College in Wisconsin from 2004 through 2007.

"He really wanted to understand the world," said Shawn Gillen, an English professor and chairman of Beloit College's journalism program who had Gillen as a student.

Fuad Al Kadas, who called Somers one of his best friends, said Somers spent time in Egypt before finding work in Yemen. Somers started teaching English at a Yemen school but quickly established himself as a one of the few foreign photographers in the country, he said.

"He is a great man with a kind heart who really loves the Yemeni people and the country," Al Kadas wrote in an email from Yemen. He said he last saw Somers the day before he was kidnapped.

"He was so dedicated in trying to help change Yemen's future, to do good things for the people that he didn't leave the country his entire time here," Al Kadas wrote.

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Why Larry Donnell has come down with a case of fumble-itis

There aren't many drills in which you can practice holding on to the football while landing upside down on your head. If there were, Larry Donnell would be doing them over and over again to make sure there's not a repeat of what happened at Jacksonville last Sunday.

The Giants blew a 21-0 lead to the Jaguars, whose second-half comeback was helped in large part when a fumble by Donnell was returned 41 yards for a touchdown that gave Jacksonville a 22-21 lead early in the fourth quarter.

The Jaguars' eventual 25-24 win has haunted Donnell throughout this week as he prepares for Sunday's game against the Titans.

"When I think about that play, it makes me think about holding the ball much tighter," Donnell said on Friday. "It's hard to think about. But I don't ever want to forget about it. It's left a bad taste in my mouth. I've got to figure this thing out."

Donnell's fumble was one of two plays that resulted in Jacksonville defensive touchdowns. In the third quarter, Eli Manning fumbled while being sacked. The ball was recovered in the Giants' end zone by Jaguars linebacker J.T. Thomas, cutting the Giants lead to 21-10.

Both could be considered freak plays that may not happen again, but Donnell knows it probably won't be the last time he finds himself upside down with the football. At 6-foot-6, Donnell is a tall target for defensive backs who aim for his legs.

"I try to get low, but when those smaller guys get low, I can't get under them," Donnell said. "Linebackers will just try to take my head off, but the smaller guys go low because of my long legs."

Donnell has lost four fumbles this season, a troubling trend compounded by the propensity for the 26-year-old tight end to land on his head. The Giants have worked with him on securing the football tighter while running, but again, there aren't many drills for rehearsing holding on to the ball while landing on your head.

"It's tough, but you've got to find a way," Donnell said. "It's easy to hold it upright, but when you're upside down, man. … But I've got to find a way to do it. That's cost us."

An undrafted free agent from Grambling, who spent 2012 on the practice squad, Donnell has shown plenty of promise, catching 51 passes for 516 yards and six touchdowns this season. But the fumbling and his deficiencies as a run-blocker are keeping him from being a reliable starter.

"He's obviously a young guy coming literally out of nowhere that is talented that quite frankly we're trying to get more out of," coach Tom Coughlin said this week. "We're trying to make him the best player he can possibly be. We want to see him step up in the areas that are not natural for him; the blocking areas for example and obviously ball security."

Donnell's crucial fumble against the Jaguars came on a third-and-15 play. He caught the ball in the flat and tried to jump over a defender.

It wasn't a smart move.

"You always want to get an extra two yards, but with the situation I was in it was third-and-long," he said. "I might just have to get down. I'm sure the Titans have seen the play, too, so you have to expect them to do it."

Donnell said it took the support of his wife, father and especially his teammates to help lift his spirits after what happened in Jacksonville.

"The guys here have stuck together all season," he said. "They told me 'Don't worry about it. You're going to come back and make something happen.' That really helps. But it's still a bad feeling no doubt."

A bad feeling Donnell hopes to erase in Nashville.

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Why Bartolo Colon might now be easier for the Mets to trade

In their quest to move a starting pitcher, the Mets may consider eating part of Bartolo Colon's salary for next season, according to a major league source.

The 41-year-old Colon is due $11 million in 2015, and the Mets last summer had remained steadfast that any team acquiring the veteran right-hander should pay his entire salary. But in a congested pitching market, the Mets now might be willing to pay some of the freight in a potential trade.

Team officials will head Sunday to the winter meetings in San Diego with the idea of potentially trading Colon, Dillon Gee or Jon Niese to create payroll flexibility and unclog a pitching rotation that also includes Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom and Zack Wheeler. The club has additional possibilities in top pitching prospect Noah Syndergaard and Rafael Montero.

The Mets placed Colon on the trade block last July, but interest in him
was limited, due largely to the financial obligations. Colon signed a two-year contract worth $20 million at last year's winter meetings and was an anchor in the Mets' rotation in 2014, going 15-13 with a 4.09 ERA over 202¹/₃ innings.

Niese is guaranteed $16 million over the next two seasons, with club options for 2017 and 2018 that total $21 million.

Gee is arbitration-eligible and is projected to make close to $5 million in 2015.

The Mets haven't received many inquiries on Colon, Niese and Gee to this point, according to a source, but that could change at the winter meetings, especially if the Big Three — Max Scherzer, Jon Lester and James Shields — were to come off the board.

The Diamondbacks last month asked about Syndergaard in a potential deal for shortstop Didi Gregorius, according to a source, but the Mets weren't interested.

Gregorius was dealt to the Yankees on Friday as part of a three-team trade, and a source said the Mets weren't interested enough in the shortstop to surrender even "lesser young pitching" than Syndergaard.

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How LeBron ruined buddy Carmelo’s chance at an upset

LeBron James said he feels for his buddy Carmelo Anthony for the hell he is going through in this Knicks season.

Despite all the sympathy, James added to Anthony's misery Thursday. James made critical plays in the fourth quarter then guarded Anthony into a miss on a potential game-tying 3-pointer at the end.

Some pal.

"I always feel for a friend of mine that goes through losing. You never want to see a friend lose," said James, whose Cavaliers outlasted the Knicks, 90-87, at the Garden. "But at the same time, I've got so much to try to figure out on this side that's it's hard for me to kind of think about what he's going through even though I see it."

So on a night when James admitted to having a sore elbow and a game in which Kyrie Irving shouldered Cleveland's scoring, the Cavs superstar still got the best of Anthony by far. James recalled getting burned by Anthony for a critical baseline jumper in Cleveland's 95-90 home-opening loss to the Knicks on Oct. 30. Wasn't going to happen twice.

It didn't.

"The shot clock was going down, the game clock was going down. I knew he was going to take the shot. I just tried to get him out of rhythm," said James, who handed the scoring duties to Irving (37 points) while he compiled 19 points and 12 assists. "I jabbed at the ball a couple times, not trying to steal but just to get him to get out of rhythm."

And no he wasn't going to foul, even with the Cavs up three.

LeBron James' tight defense forced Carmelo Anthony to miss a game-tying 3-pointer in the closing seconds of the Knicks' 90-87 loss to the Cavaliers Thursdaynight at the Garden.Photo: NBAE via Getty Images

"The last thing I wanted to do was contest his shot even though I'm supposed to contest every shot. I didn't even want to put it in the ref's mind that I got too close," James said. "It's a make-or-miss league. He's made that shot plenty of times. I've watched shots where he's made it — in Cleveland first game of the season he made one on me right on the left baseline across from my bench. And I contested that one, so maybe I need to not contest. It's a make-or-miss league."

So Anthony missed from 26 feet. And James didn't feel the least bit bad.

"I want him to win. Obviously, don't want him to win against us," James said. "Hopefully, things will turn around for him."

But compassion only goes so far. Throughout the night, the planet's best player gave an uneven effort. Oh, the assists were there — double-figures came by the third quarter. But the shooting was off (7-of-17).

Yeah, the elbow was achy.

"A little sore in there, I don't know why," James said. "I'll be fine.

It hasn't been sore for a while, but I'll be all right tomorrow."

And the Cavs could survive because Irving was, well, LeBron-like.

"He was the best player on the court," said Cavs coach David Blatt.

"Spectacular. Any time we needed a bucket he made it. Any time we needed some energy he gave it. I took over the point-guard duties as far as getting guys involved and he took over the scoring," James said, praising Irving, who made the dagger shot as "a great finisher … as far as finishing around the rim he's probably one of the greatest this game has ever seen."

But the finish last night came on the defensive end, James against Anthony. And LeBron didn't feel bad in the least that he added to his friend's misery.

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Armed thugs swipe $250K in jewels on Coney Island

Two armed thugs swiped nearly $250,000 in jewelry from a Coney Island store Wednesday afternoon — a daring heist caught on video.

Both suspects, wearing masks and dark hoodies, entered Farrah's Gold & Diamond Inc. at 1064 Coney Island Ave. just before 1:30 p.m., police said.

One of the men pulled out a pistol while the other used a hammer to break a glass display case and snatch a quarter of a million dollars in watches, necklaces, rings and bracelets, according to police.

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Here’s the latest Giant who could miss Sunday’s game vs. Titans

The Giants could be without several key players Sunday at Tennessee, with Rashad Jennings likely among them. Big Blue's starting running back missed a second straight day of practice Thursday with a sprained ankle suffered in last week's upset loss to Jacksonville, and is looking more and more likely to have to sit out Sunday's game against the Titans.

Jennings said Wednesday he was hoping to return to practice on Friday. Rookie Andre Williams — who started when Jennings was out with an earlier knee injury — took reps with the first team. But the rookie from Boston College is averaging just 2.9 yards per carry, and contributed little in the passing game with just 11 catches.

"I know we had some tough matchups with Andre Williams in there. Not to say we didn't with Rashad, but you'll learn more about that when you do the offseason studies and the scheme studies,'' offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo said. "Some guys run some things a little better than others. Strengths and weaknesses are different."

Rookie Orleans Darkwa, signed last month off the Dolphins' practice squad, would be the primary backup if Jennings can't go, with Chris Ogbonnaya — signed on Tuesday — also in the mix. McAdoo has been impressed with Darkwa's "good set of hands" and ability in the passing game.

"He's done a nice job. He's been good on special teams, he's impressed everybody with how fast he's picked things up,'' coach Tom Coughlin said of Darkwa.

"He's working his way into it. He's been here a little while. He's smart, he's conscientious and we trust him. He has a little different flavor back there for us,'' McAdoo said. "He's a shiftier type of guy, and we like his … stayed tuned. We'll leave it at that.''

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LB Jacquian Williams' concussion symptoms flared up after Wednesday's practice and he was held out Thursday. Although it is possible he could be cleared for Sunday, it is a safe bet he will miss a fourth straight game.

"Yeah, he didn't work. We thought he would, but he didn't. … There was a chance that he was going to practice and play. That's what we thought. He's in the third week,'' Coughlin said. "He seemed to be OK, and then he gets symptoms.''

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LB Mark Herzlich and OL James Brewer also missed practice again with concussion symptoms. But RT Justin Pugh (quad) practiced fully and should play. LB Jameel McClain (knee) and CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (back/shoulder) were limited, as was DT Cullen Jenkins (calf), who could be forced into playing some end with Robert Ayers and Mathias Kiwanuka out.

With Herzlich having started in place of Williams, defensive coordinator Perry Fewell said "Spencer [Paysinger] is next up on the weak side. We're a little thin at that position right now, so we're using some different combinations."

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How this St. John’s walk-on is making a name for himself

From his 6-foot-5 frame to his slender yet muscular build, Myles Stewart doesn't look like a walk-on. The Los Angeles native also doesn't act like one — and he certainly doesn't shoot like one, either.

The real question — the one St. John's fans ask after watching the freshman sink 3-point shots in key situations — is: How did Stewart go unnoticed by so many schools?

"I have no idea," DeWitt Cotton, his assistant coach at Los Angeles powerhouse Westchester High School, said in a phone interview. "We don't understand it either."

Cotton said Stewart had Division II options last spring and Division I interest, but no scholarship offers. So Cotton called St. John's coach Steve Lavin, who recruited Trevor Ariza from Westchester High while he was coach at UCLA. Cotton said Lavin was impressed with Stewart's ability during his visit, promising him a spot on the team and the opportunity eventually to earn a scholarship.

Scout.com recruiting analyst Josh Gershon said he felt Stewart was a mid-major Division I prospect. Stewart averaged 13 points and five rebounds per game last season for Westchester, but a knee injury cost him most of the postseason, limiting his exposure to college coaches at the most important time. More significantly, Cotton said, was that Stewart rarely got on the court with his AAU team, Cali Supreme.

"That's the only thing I can see," Cotton said. "He's a talented kid. He has a lot of ability."

St. John's fans are thrilled the California kid went unnoticed.

Stewart has quickly convinced Lavin he deserves a spot in the rotation, receiving key minutes in last week's loss to Gonzaga and even starting in Tuesday's win over Niagara as a reward for his impressive play and all the extra time he puts in shooting after games.

He's developing into the spot-up shooter St. John's has lacked for years, the kind of player Lavin thought he had in Max Hooper and Marco Bourgault, a player who can stretch opposing defenses and open up the lane for the Red Storm's many slashers.

"It's not only that he makes shots from distance, but the threat of Myles on the perimeter distorts defenses," Lavin said. "That creates better offensive spacing for us. He's a real threat. He helps us immensely, even if he's not scoring."

Stewart took advantage of his start against Niagara, scoring a career-high nine points. Lavin indicated he will have a role in Saturday's showdown at Syracuse against the Orange's renowned 2-3 zone, whether starting or coming off the bench.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he's on scholarship soon," senior D'Angelo Harrison said.

Lavin insisted Stewart isn't merely a specialist. At this point, his value is from beyond the 3-point arc, but Lavin said he can see him developing into much more. He even compared Stewart to former NBA player Reggie Theus while talking to Fox Sports 1 analyst Tarik Turner.

"He's long, he's athletic, he's confident," Lavin said. "He's a fluid player, very efficient, kind of like an old-school basketball player. Myles keeps it simple.

"He either shoots it or keeps the ball moving along with an occasional prudent use of the bounce."

At the moment, the Red Storm's 2014 recruiting class is a bust. Keith Thomas was ruled ineligible and left the school. Adonis DeLaRosa is waiting on the NCAA to see if he will be able to play this year. And Amar Alibegovic has yet to make an impact.

Stewart — not a recruited player — may end up salvaging the group.

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Why this Knicks big man received a demotion

Coach Derek Fisher finally pulled the plug on Samuel Dalembert as starting center before the Knicks' 90-87 loss to the Cavaliers Thursday night at the Garden.

Dalembert, who had started the first 19 games, has been a major disappointment offensively, showing bad hands, a poor shot and the inability to be a post-up guy in a triangle offense that demands it. He played 18 minutes against the Cavs , scoring six points and grabbing nine rebounds.

Amar'e Stoudemire got the call at center, Dalembert came off the bench and Quincy Acy remained as starting power forward. It was Fisher's 11th different starting lineup in 20 games.

"I don't think it's a personal thing,'' Dalembert said before tipoff. "I have a lot of respect for coach [Derek] Fisher. He'd call me if it was. You can start and not play that much. I've seen that. He's trying things out.''

Fisher also de-emphasized Dalembert in the game in Cleveland, benching him in the second half, though the former Seton Hall center was battling calf woes at the time.

"Sam does some good things for us defensively, rebounding changing shots,'' Fisher said. "He find ways to just hang around in the paint and around the rim and he keeps teams aware of his presence.

"As we search for what's going to work best for the team, some guys have had to kind of make some adjustments and changes in terms of the lineups. We're trying to work through what we need to in order to find the right combination that can sustain high performance.''

Dalembert said it's "confusing'' the Knicks aren't playing well during games because their practices have been crisp. When asked about Fisher's performance so far, Dalembert said he's "like a rookie, like we have a rookie [player] on the team. He was on the other side not long ago. He's finding himself.''

Dalembert said the ever-changing starting lineups and rotations present challenges for the players.

"We put a lot of pressure on ourselves to do more when we're out there,'' Dalembert said.

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