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Cincy

UC nabs early recruit

BY BILL KOCH | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

The last high school basketball player to make an oral commitment to the University of Cincinnati as a sophomore was Lima Shawnee guard Jamar Butler five years ago.

By the time Butler?s senior year rolled around and it was time to sign a letter-of-intent, he had changed his mind and signed with Ohio State.

Danny McElroy, a La Salle High School sophomore who orally committed to UC and head coach Mick Cronin on Monday, said he understands that a lot can happen between now and his senior year in 2008-09, but McElroy said his commitment is solid. He grew up a UC fan, he said, and wants to stay home for college.

?To me,? he said, ?this is a done deal. I feel really strongly about this and I feel really good about staying in Cincinnati.?
Why did he commit so early?

?To do it now,? he said, ?that?s really where I want to be, to stay in the city and to take a lot of pressure off me from other colleges. If I do it now, I can focus on other things like school work.

Me and coach Mick have a real good relationship. I think he?s a real good coach. He demands a lot from his players. That?s the man I would like to play for.?

McElroy, a a 6-foot-7, 210-pound forward/center, averaged 6.0 points and 5.5 rebounds last year as a freshman playing on the La Salle varsity. He?s ranked No. 46 nationally in his class by recruiting analyst Clark Francis of Hoop Scoop.

La Salle head coach Dan Fleming said McElroy also considered Xavier and Dayton.

The early commitment, he said, was new to him in his 17 years as a head coach, but he said it could work to McElroy?s advantage.

?It can be a good thing,? Fleming said. ?He can concentrate on his development and not worry about AAU stuff and being seen. We?re hoping this can be a real benefit.?

At La Salle, McElroy?s role is to score inside, demand the ball and pass out of double teams, Fleming said.

?He really rebounds the ball,? Fleming said. ?He has terrific hands. His best attribute is that he has no fear. He competes against anybody. He started every game as a freshman.

?He needs to work on his shooting from the perimeter, his passing and his ball handling. He can block shots and play inside defense but he doesn?t move his feet very well (defensively).

"He?s a very good player.?

McElroy is wearing a sling around his right shoulder as he recovers from a pulled rotator cuff muscle, but he?s expected to be ready for the start of practice on Nov. 6.

He said he knows he has a lot of work to do to make his game strong enough to compete successfully in the Big East Conference in a few years.

?I need to put in as much work as I can, keep working on the little things like footwork, shooting, and keep doing what I need to do in school,? McElroy said, ?and I should be fine.?

Cronin can?t comment on McElroy until McElroy signs a letter-of-intent.

The UC coach is a graduate of La Salle. His father, Hep, and his brother, Dan, are assistant coaches at the school.