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8/21/05
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Ohio prep stars barnstorming Indiana
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By Jeff Rabjohns
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jeff.rabjohns@indystar.com
Basketball fans in the state of Indiana will have a unique opportunity this week to get a sneak peak at the nation's top-ranked high school juniors.
O.J. Mayo and Billy Walker of North College Hill High School in Cincinnati are playing four exhibition games along with three incoming Indiana University freshmen.
If the tour had been played as originally planned, high school eligibility for Mayo and Walker would have been in jeopardy.
On Thursday, organizers said that Mayo, Walker and North College Hill teammate Keenan Ellis were going to play on the same team with the three incoming IU players -- Ben Allen, Joey Shaw and Earl Calloway.
But having three players from one high school on the same team in a contest after Aug. 1 is against Ohio High School Athletic Association rules.
"That's a violation and could place the students eligibility in jeopardy," OHSAA assistant commissioner Deborah Moore said.
When notified by The Star of the potential violation, Criss Beyers, one of the event organizers said, "Is it really? I was not aware of it. Obviously, we don't want that."
Later on Thursday, Beyers said the format would be changed to include only two North College Hill players on the same team, with the other on the opposing squad. Which two play together likely will change from game-to-game, Beyers said.
Organizers began sending out fliers last week, touting the games. When asked about it on Thursday, Mayo said, "I didn't know anything about that. I haven't heard anything about it."
Beyers said he's been assured the three will be playing.
Games are scheduled for Milan High School on Monday, Ben Davis on Tuesday, Marion on Wednesday and IU-Southeast in New Albany on Thursday. Tipoff is 7 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for students.
The touring team will play squads comprised of current or former high school players or former college players. It's legal in the NCAA's eyes because the incoming IU freshman aren't "student-athletes" until the fall semester begins. They are allowed to be in events with other high school players, as long as all rules are followed (players aren't paid, etc.).
What's interesting is that it could be an amazing recruiting tool for Indiana and coach Mike Davis.
The 6-4 Mayo and 6-7 Walker likely would have gone straight to the NBA out of high school under the old system.
Mayo is ranked No. 1, Walker No. 2 and Ellis No. 50 in the 2007 class, by one scouting service.
All three have said they're a package deal and will attend the same college. All three have said Indiana is in the mix of a long list of colleges they've mentioned at various points during the summer, including Florida A&M.
The inclusion of Mayo, Walker and Ellis in the mini tour is a case of interesting bedfellows, at the very least. Their AAU team, D-I Greyhounds, is sponsored by Reebok. This week's tour was originally being promoted by Indiana Elite, an Adidas program, but now will go under the Bloomington Red flag, Beyers said. Indiana University is an Adidas school.
What does all that mean? Who knows?
But this is the summer of Love: the summer when Kevin Love, the top-ranked center in the class of 2007, was kicked off his Nike-sponsored AAU team for playing in the Reebok ABCD camp because he wanted a chance to play against the nation's No. 1 player, Lawrence North center Greg Oden.
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