PG Mike Conley (Memphis Grizzlies)

[tsteele316]

Originally Posted by wadc45

Bucknuts $

3/28/05


Mike Conley, Sr. talks about Daequan committing to OSU and how it is a real good fit for both Cook and OSU. He calls Daequan one of the best offensive players he has ever seen. His son is considering Wake Forest, Ohio State, Illinois, and North Carolina. He does not think Daequan's decision will affect Mike, Jr.'s decision. He will probably make a decision some time this summer. The rumors surrounding Prosser and the fact that Matta signed an 8-year deal helps OSU as well.

In my opinion, after reading this article, if there is anything that may sway Mike, Jr. to OSU, it is Thad Matta, not Daequan Cook. I still like our chances a lot.

i think the bottom line is that as long as there are no coaching changes at wake, and wake says that he is their man at pg, he goes there.

[jwinslow]

This article was semi-positive for tOSU, as most of us did not have our hopes set too high about Conley. If this DJ Augustin kid commits to Wake, we have a better shot at him, and it sounds like Conley might wait a while to decide (which makes DJ committing first a large possibilty).

Here's how I see it:

His favorite - Wake
His favorite coach - Matta (coached average talent with no hopes of playoffs to 20 wins... Wake took a top team and underachieved in the tourney)
Future of program - push... Wake is up there but Matta already had a 20 win team and will only get better players down the stretch (and conley realizes Matta will continue to bring in some of the amazing Ohio talent)
Timetable - advantage tOSU (with Conley waiting and DJ sneaking into wake before Mike commits)

In the end, he might still end up at wake. However for those of us who see thru scarlet lenses, this is a somewhat positive update.

[wadc45]

Originally Posted by BuckeyeFROMscUM

This article was semi-positive for tOSU, as most of us did not have our hopes set too high about Conley. If this DJ Augustin kid commits to Wake, we have a better shot at him, and it sounds like Conley might wait a while to decide (which makes DJ committing first a large possibilty).

Here's how I see it:

His favorite - Wake
His favorite coach - Matta (coached average talent with no hopes of playoffs to 20 wins... Wake took a top team and underachieved in the tourney)
Future of program - push... Wake is up there but Matta already had a 20 win team and will only get better players down the stretch (and conley realizes Matta will continue to bring in some of the amazing Ohio talent)
Timetable - advantage tOSU (with Conley waiting and DJ sneaking into wake before Mike commits)

In the end, he might still end up at wake. However for those of us who see thru scarlet lenses, this is a somewhat positive update.

I agree...I think he likes Prosser and Matta a whole heck of a lot. If either Augustin or Tywon Lawson commits to Wake before Conley does, that bodes really well for OSU. Tywon is down to UNC, Wake, Georgia Tech, and UConn. He claims no favorite at this point, although I think he ends up at UNC. Augustin is more of a threat to commit to Wake at this point. He also probably is leaning towards either Wake or UNC. If Tywon pulls the trigger any time soon and commits with his teammate Kevin Durant to UNC, then maybe Augustin goes ahead and commits to Wake.

[BuckeyeNation27]

The rumors surrounding Prosser and the fact that Matta signed an 8-year deal helps OSU as well.

sorry to be off topic.....but what rumors?

[wadc45]

Originally Posted by BuckeyeNation27

sorry to be off topic.....but what rumors?

The ones about Prosser wanting to get out of the ACC and having some interest in either the Pitt or Tennessee jobs. Supposedly the Tennessee AD was granted permission by the Wake AD to talk to Skip.

[OilerBuck]

Originally Posted by wadc45

The ones about Prosser wanting to get out of the ACC and having some interest in either the Pitt or Tennessee jobs. Supposedly the Tennessee AD was granted permission by the Wake AD to talk to Skip.

Tennessee is having a press conference this afternoon to announce they have hired Bruce Pearl as their next head coach.

[wadc45]

The point still being that Prosser supposedly (according to Wake insiders) has expressed interest in leaving the ACC.

[Oh8ch]

We can all be grateful to MSU, Illinois and Wisky for putting on a great show in the tourney. Not a direct reason for a kid to select a school by any means, but it pulls the rug our from under those who would argue the Big Ten is an inferior conference.

Sometimes the reason a kid selects a school is because he has one less reason not to.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

LINK

Oden tops All-State team again

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=210 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=10></TD><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD bgColor=#cccccc><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=10 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD bgColor=#eeeeee>Related content
• Boys All-State
• Girls All-State</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Associated Press
March 28, 2005


For the second straight year, 7-footer Greg Oden led Lawrence North to the Class 4A championship, and for the second straight year he was the top vote-getter on The Associated Press All-State basketball team.

Oden, still just a junior, set a 4A championship record with 29 points in a 63-52 victory over Muncie Central on Saturday. Even though All-State voting was completed before then, a panel of sports writers put Oden at the top of a dominating front line that also includes 6-11 Luke Zeller of 3A champion Washington and 6-10 Josh McRoberts of Carmel.

"He's a talent. I don't know when we've had a talent like that come through Indiana," Lawrence North coach Jack Keefer said.

"He works hard," Keefer said of the reason for Oden's success. "He comes in every morning at 6:30 and does his job. He's very unselfish. He's just a neat kid."

Oden's Lawrence North teammate Mike Conley, also a junior, was a second-team All-State selection in the voting announced today.

Except for Oden, the first team was loaded with seniors, all Division I college recruits.

Zeller, a Notre Dame recruit who averaged 19 points and nine rebounds a game, led the Hatchets to the No. 1 ranking in Class 3A and scored the winning basket on a 3-pointer at the buzzer ending overtime in a 74-72 victory over Plymouth.

McRoberts, a Duke recruit, led Carmel to the No. 7 ranking in 4A and a 21-4 record, losing in the sectional tourney finals. Both Zeller and McRoberts were third-team All-State picks last year as juniors.

Joining them on the AP first team this season are a pair of 5-foot-11 guards, Dominic James of Richmond and Deonta Vaughn of Indianapolis Arlington.

James, who has signed to play at Marquette, led the state in scoring at 31.1 points a game for the 4A No. 9-ranked Red Devils. Vaughn, an Indiana recruit, averaged 23 points a game and led Arlington to the 4A No. 1 ranking, with its only loss to Lawrence North in the tourney sectionals.

Besides Oden and Conley, the only other underclassman on any of the AP boys teams is sophomore Eric Gordon of Indianapolis North Central, who was fourth in the state in scoring at 25.5 points a game.

Joining Conley and Gordon on the AP second team are seniors Jordan Armstrong of Muncie Central, Jason Holsinger of Class A champion Lapel and Arman Bassett of Terre Haute South, which lost to Lawrence North in the 4A semistate.

Third-team picks, all seniors, are Kyle Benge of Plymouth, the state's second-leading scorer at 27 points a game, Adam Gore of Monrovia, Adam Arnold of Bellmont, Wacey Hall of Evansville Mater Dei and Darren Cloud of Evansville Reitz.

Armstrong is a Southern Illinois recruit, Holsinger and Hall are headed to Evansville, Gore will play at Cornell and Arnold is headed to Indiana State.

James, Hall, Conley, Benge, Armstrong and Arnold all were high honorable-mention All-State picks last year.

Congratulations to Conley.

[crazybuckfan40]

The story on bn sounds very encouraging. Sounds like Cook is really getting in his head about tOSU.

[OSU2006]

Originally Posted by crazybuckfan40

The story on bn sounds very encouraging. Sounds like Cook is really getting in his head about tOSU.

Can someone who is a member of bn copy the story to this thread

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

SCOUT$

4/2/05

Conley Faces Tough Decision
By Kyle Lamb
Date: Apr 1, 2005

It's getting closer to decision time for five-star point guard Mike Conley of Indianapolis Lawrence North. More than ever, Conley seems torn between the schools on his list. Where does Ohio State stand, and what does the commitment of AAU teammate and friend Daequan Cook do for the Buckeyes' chances? Kyle Lamb had a chance to chat with Conley today and received some interesting feedback concerning OSU's status.

-Talked about winning the state title and next year.
-Conley and the rest of the AUU team including Cook went to the McDonalds
All American game.
-Conley said his game is similar to Greg Paulus' game as far as passing the ball
-He is still looking at Wake, OSU, North Carolina and Illinois
-Conley says that he likes Wake and OSU the same way (ie the coaches, school) the only disadvantage for OSU is the fact he doesnt like the Big 10 as much as the ACC, but the fact that OSU is close to home is a major factor. He mentions his desire to play close at home several times in the article. He wants his parents to be able to see him play, but he would love to play in the ACC.
-Apparently the distance factor is playing a major role for Conley right now, at first he didnt think it would but as he has gotten closer to being a senior it is a real big factor in his mind right now.
-Conley already liked OSU a lot, but now since Cook verbaled it has opened his eyes even farther to the possiblity of playing with Cook at OSU and Cook has been getting on him hard about coming to OSU.


I have to believe our chances with Conley have gone to about 55% at this point . I think he is definetly giving OSU a hard look and the fact he mentions wanting to play close at home several times and the fact Cook is a very close friend makes me feel encouraged. I have stated in the past he ends up a Buckeye and this article is a positive sign that may happen before the summer is out. I think he is leaning towards OSU at this point but the summer can change a kids mind, so we will have to see just how important the distance factor will play not to mention his best friend playing at OSU has. I really like our chances.

If Matta can close the door on Cook and Conley and then add another top prospect, the program will take right off in a few years.

[wadc45]

After reading that interview I have never felt more confident than I do right now that we land Conley...

Mom's usually win out...just ask Mrs. Ginn.

[Cornerback6]

Thanks for the great optimistic update gentlemen!

With that out of the way, does anyone know if there are recruits/commits from any of his other favorite 3 pulling him in their direction? Cook could really be the hero here if he's as pushy as it sounds, but does Conley have that pressure coming from any other high school player? Hopefully not.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

does anyone know if there are recruits/commits from any of his other favorite 3 pulling him in their direction?

I am not aware of any right now.

After reading that interview I have never felt more confident than I do right now that we land Conley...

Mom's usually win out...just ask Mrs. Ginn.

wadc45.....I am very encouraged also. I will say it again...Conley ends up a Buckeye .

You are so right about Moms....