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12/8/05

Lights, camera, Dunbar ready for ESPN2 action

By Mark Gokavi
Dayton Daily News
Remember the time you played your buddy's high school basketball team on ESPN2? No, you don't, because — unless you're LeBron James or one of a few others — your games weren't on TV.

Times are changing.

Dunbar's 7:30 p.m. game tonight against Indianapolis Lawrence North at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis will be televised on ESPN2.

"It features two programs that have highly ranked players," said ESPN senior publicist Tilea Coleman. "Of course that would appeal to a national audience."

The matchup showcases Greg Oden, Lawrence North's 7-foot center considered the nation's best high school player. It also features Dunbar's Daequan Cook.

Cook, Oden and Lawrence North guard Mike Conley Jr. all are AAU teammates and friends who have signed at Ohio State.

THE IDEA: Paragon Marketing has been co-producing high school games for ESPN since James' debut Dec. 12, 2002.

"The whole idea kind of comes from the thought of, 'Wouldn't you like to see Michael Jordan or Shaquille O'Neal play in high school?' " said Paragon's T.J. Cohen, a 1998 UD graduate.

"Some of the high school players are going on ... to be lottery picks in the NBA. We'd like to bring those names to the country before they hear about them the night of the NBA draft."

FULL-COURT COVERAGE: Dunbar's Cook, Aaron Pogue and Mark Anderson join a growing list of players who can TiVo themselves. ESPN has shown six prep games. Said Cohen: "We're doing nine games this year."

TICKETS: $10 tickets are available at Dunbar after school today and at the gate at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Parking is free.

WHAT IT'S WORTH: Dunbar coach Peter Pullen said Paragon provides his team a charter bus, hotel rooms, all meals and $1,000.

"It wasn't the money," Pullen said. "We were looking for the competition and the exposure."

Contact Mark Gokavi at 225-6951.