Sam Federman

Lower Saxony, Minneriya, Syracuse, White Plains

MAAC and NY Hoops Writer at Mid-Major Madness

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Articles

Syracuse Orange men’s basketball: Scouting Oregon State transfer Nate Kingz

2 days ago | nunesmagician.com | Sam Federman

Kevin Neri/Statesman Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Syracuse Orange men’s basketball’s second transfer addition of the 2025-26 cycle was Oregon State wing Nate Kingz. Kingz is a sharpshooting, 6 foot 5 wing who played his first few years of college at levels below Division I. In 2024-25, he started all 31 games for the Beavers, averaging 11.8 points, 2.5 rebounds, and shooting 44.6% from three on 4.2 attempts per game.
Syracuse Orange men’s basketball: Scouting UCLA transfer William Kyle III

1 week ago | nunesmagician.com | Sam Federman

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Syracuse Orange men’s basketball’s first transfer acquisition of the 2025-26 cycle was UCLA big man William Kyle. Kyle is a versatile threat at the five who can guard multiple positions and a major finisher at the rim. In his only season at UCLA after transferring from South Dakota State, he averaged just 2.9 points and 1.8 rebounds per game.
Syracuse women’s basketball: Orange lands USC transfer Dominique Darius and Miami transfer Aurora Almon

1 week ago | nunesmagician.com | Sam Federman

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images With the transfer portal open for nearly three full weeks, the Syracuse Orange women’s basketball program had not made any movement in either direction. There hadn’t even been rumors thrown out there about what Felisha Legette-Jack was up to after her team finished year three 12-18. Then, on Sunday, the dam finally opened, and the Orange added its first commit of the 2025 transfer portal cycle.
Gator Boys Stayed Hot

2 weeks ago | bracketsbubblesandbidstealers.com | Sam Federman

By Sam FedermanThe great irony of Florida's national championship was that none of it would've happened had its former head coach jumped ship for a soft landing at the Gators' longtime rival. Mike White was tapped as the successor to Billy Donovan in 2015-16, and led Florida to four NCAA Tournaments and five 20-win seasons. Sure, he wasn't quite Billy, but he was still probably a year away from truly being on the hot seat. Then, he left, and the domino effect led to Monday night.
One sentence for every 2025 NCAA Tournament game

2 weeks ago | midmajormadness.com | Sam Federman

Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images The confetti has cleared from the court. One Shining Moment has been played, and the season is officially over. Here’s one sentence to encapsulate each of the 67 games from this year’s tournament. First FourThe Hail Mary never works, until it did for Alabama State’s Amarr Knox to defeat Saint Francis in the First Four.
Ranking the last 10 National Championship games

2 weeks ago | bracketsbubblesandbidstealers.com | Sam Federman

By Sam FedermanAs tonight's national championship game between Florida and Houston looms, with potential to be one of the all-time greats considering the quality of both teams, it's worth a look back at the last ten deciders, seeing how they stack up. The games are ranked on quality of game, quality of teams, the buildup and payoff of storylines surrounding the game, and how memorable the game itself was. 2016, Villanova 77, North Carolina 74This one is a no-brainer for the top spot.
Kevin Hovde brings the nerdball back to Columbia … once Florida’s season ends

2 weeks ago | midmajormadness.com | Sam Federman

Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images SAN ANTONIO — The day after Florida defeated UConn to advance to the Sweet 16, assistant coach Kevin Hovde jetted up to New York City for a preview of his new life. The week prior, he’d accepted the head coaching job at Columbia, replacing Jim Engles, but he’s not about to leave the Gators out to dry in search of a national championship.
Walter Clayton Jr. evolved from a talented freshman at Iona to the nation’s best guard

2 weeks ago | midmajormadness.com | Sam Federman

Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images SAN ANTONIO — It’s past 2 a.m. in Spain, but that wouldn’t stop Dylan van Eyck from watching his former teammate, Walter Clayton Jr., in the biggest moment of his career. After all, notifications from the 2021-22 Iona Gaels Snapchat group chat won’t let him sleep even if he tried. “Everyone was going crazy in the group chat, it was insane,” Parker Weiss, who was a junior guard on that team, told Mid-Major Madness.
Syracuse Orange MBB lands Georgia Tech transfer Naithan George

2 weeks ago | nunesmagician.com | Sam Federman

Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images Syracuse has its point guard. Georgia Tech transfer Naithan George has committed to play his junior season for the Syracuse Orange, according to multiple reports. George averaged 12.3 points per game, and led the ACC with 6.5 assists per game. His 34.6% assist rate ranked 33rd in the country, and he did it with a 2.16 assist to turnover ratio.
Syracuse men’s basketball: Orange land transfer guard Nate Kingz from Oregon State

3 weeks ago | nunesmagician.com | Sam Federman

James Snook-Imagn Images The Syracuse Orange have another commitment out of the transfer portal. Oregon State guard Nate Kingz announced his decision to play for the Orange next season after a visit this week, per his Instagram. The 6 foot 5 Kingz averaged 11.8 points and 2.5 rebounds per game for the Beavers last season, draining 58 threes on 44.6% from beyond the arc.