C Greg Oden (Portland Trailblazers)

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

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11/10/05

Ohio State Lands Ballyhooed Recruit Oden

Ohio State Registers One of Best Recruiting Classes in School History When It Lands Greg Oden

COLUMBUS, Ohio Nov 9, 2005 — Ohio State coach Thad Matta expressed relief on Wednesday that he had gotten letters of intent from 7-footer Greg Oden and one of the best recruiting classes in school history.

"Any time you have national letters of intent come in, you're always nervous that the fax machine may be broken or anything along those lines," Matta said Wednesday, the first day high school seniors were allowed to sign with colleges. "This signing today is unique because I think we've got every position filled. There aren't many times in college basketball you have that opportunity."

The centerpiece of the five-man 2006-07 recruiting class is Oden, who averaged 20 points and 9.6 rebounds a game last season as a junior at Indianapolis Lawrence North High School. Oden was considered a shoo-in to jump to the NBA directly out of high school before the league changed its minimum age rule last summer. Players now must be at least 19 or out of high school for one year before they can play in the NBA.

"I think the thing that Greg is going to bring is a defensive presence. He's one of the best shot-blockers I've ever seen," Matta said. "His ability to finish around the basket is very good as well. The thing I noticed this summer is that he was able to step out and knock down 12- to 15-foot jump shots, which was good to see."

Oden, who led Indianapolis Lawrence North to the last two Class 4A state championships, was selected as the national player of the year by several publications.

"He has a chance to be special," Matta said. "But it all starts with the humility he carries for 17 years old."

Joining Oden is Indianapolis Lawrence North teammate Mike Conley, a 6-1 guard who averaged 10.7 points and 5.0 assists last season. He is the son of former Olympic triple-jump champion Mike Conley, who was a track star at Arkansas before winning a silver medal at the 1984 Olympics and a gold in 1992.

"The first time I called their house, I didn't know whether to talk to him about his son or ask for an autograph," Matta said.

Rounding out the recruiting class are 6-4 Daequan Cook and 6-6 David Lighty, both from Ohio, along with 6-9 Othello Hunter, who played last year at Hillsborough Community College.

"They all fit in," Matta said. "They're all great kids and they all have great character."

[Thump]

This is from the Indy Star.

Him head-faking three guys at once.

[OSUsushichic]

That is a great pic! Someone needs to Photoshop some Illini jerseys on those 3 opponents.

[Thump]

Here's the link to the story where you can zoom in and get the bigger pic.

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dl...42/1004/SPORTS

[SanAntonioBuck]

The kid is going to be a great baller at the collegiate level.

[BearBuck27]

Welcome aboard Greg!!!

[AirForceBuck]

Originally Posted by OSUsushichic

That is a great pic! Someone needs to Photoshop some Illini jerseys on those 3 opponents.

Or maybe some Wake Forest jerseys as much as Wake has been bitching all offseason for us getting these famed recruits over them.

[Mr. Clutch]

Wow. That is some crazy stuff. It gives me chills thinking that we got this guy.

[Steve19]

Great find Thump! Greenies for you!

Somebody really needs to get the fark on those guys. How about a caption contest?

[DCBuckFan]

[Thump]

Originally Posted by DCBuckFan

AWESOME!!

How in the hell did you get the unis to match up that good?

[DCBuckFan]

LOL - a bit of luck... that and I am just that damn good

[osustamm]

Wow, some great pics....

On the link you can find like 11 pictures on Ogden. Any one else think he looks more like he's in his mid 30's?

And to be that good and Carry a 4.0.

This is probley the most pumped up i've gotten for OSU basketball ever.

Go Bucks!

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

link

11/11/05

'Unprecedented' agreement

Ohio State's offer of a potential release to recruits surprises some officials, worries others

The college basketball world was buzzing Thursday about the agreement Ohio State has with its new recruits.

Buckeyes coach Thad Matta sent a letter to the recruits, including Lawrence North seniors Greg Oden and Mike Conley Jr., stating the Buckeyes would release each player from his letter of intent in the unlikely event upcoming sanctions keep the school out of the 2007 NCAA Tournament.

The sanctions would stem from recruiting violations that occurred before Matta got to the school, and for which Ohio State already served a self-imposed ban for the 2005 NCAA Tournament. An NCAA infractions committee will meet Dec. 9-10 to determine if there should be more penalties.

"In the 30-odd years I've been doing this, that is totally unprecedented," Bob Gibbons, one of the nation's most respected recruiting analysts, said of the agreement. "It's certainly a move of integrity on (Ohio State's) part and should be reassuring to Mike Conley and Greg Oden and the other kids. But I've never heard of it."

Said Dave Telep of national scouting service scout.com: "That's not standard policy, but in a case like this, it's a heck of a thing for (Matta) to do. That tells you what a stand-up guy he is."

The normal routine before signing day is for colleges to send a blank letter of intent form to recruits. Along with that, Matta sent the letter offering the possible release, Ohio State spokesman Dan Wallenberg said.

Wallenberg said the letter was signed by Matta, Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith and school president Karen Holbrook.

"We made a letter and sent it to all four guys," Wallenberg said. "It said if there is any postseason ban for '06-07, we would let them out of their commitment."

Oden, Conley, Daequan Cook of Dayton (Ohio) Dunbar and David Lighty of Cleveland were the four high school players who signed with Ohio State on Wednesday, giving the Buckeyes one of the highest-profile recruiting classes in the nation.

The national letter of intent (NLI) program is run by the Collegiate Commissioners Association, separate from the NCAA.

For a player to be released from a letter of intent, a standard release form must be signed by the recruit and the school. That policy began in October 2004. Before that, a player had to appeal directly to the NLI program for a release.

With a release, a player can sign with another school and wouldn't have to sit out a year and lose a year of eligibility.

However, one of the stipulations in the letter of intent, provision 18, says, "My signature on this NLI nullifies any agreements, oral or otherwise, which would release me from the conditions stated within this NLI."

So, according to the NLI program, Ohio State could back out of its side agreement with the recruits on the basis of provision 18. But given that the agreement was signed by the coach, athletic director and school president, that could lead to a legal battle, and certainly would be a public relations nightmare and have catastrophic consequences on Matta's future recruiting.

Torie Johnson, director of the national letter of intent program, said the agreement is not against NLI rules. But in general she was wary of coaches using such tactics.

"Is the program OK with this? I would say probably not," Johnson said. "We understand and think it's necessary that schools need to be straightforward with prospects if there is a question of potential NCAA probation. . . . By putting something in writing, the institution could be obliging the families of those students, but at the same time, prospects need to be wary of provision 18."

The NCAA is not involved in letter-of-intent issues prior to a player enrolling in college. Bob Williams, NCAA managing director of public and media affairs, said Ohio State broke no NCAA rules "as far as I can tell."

"If a school is in a position in which it is awaiting word on any potential sanctions, that's a unique situation," Williams said. "We would handle that on a case-by-case basis."

Mike Conley Sr., who has coached his son and Oden in summer basketball since the two were in junior high, said Matta sent the letter without prompting.

"It's not about the letter," Conley Sr. said. "The letter is fine because it gives you a sense of comfort, but the reason the boys are going there is because of Matta and the administration that's there now. If I need a letter to assure me a person is going to keep their word, the boys wouldn't be going to school there.

"In the end, it's about Matta as a person and what he's started there. The boys are not going to Ohio State because they're lifelong Buckeye fans. They're going to Ohio State because they like what he has to offer and they believe and trust in him."


Call Star reporter Jeff Rabjohns at (317) 444-6183.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

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11/12/05

Lawrence North again the favorite as 2005-06 season begins


STEVE HERMAN

Associated Press


INDIANAPOLIS - The biggest unknown in Indiana high school basketball this season might be which team is going to end up as the Class 4A runner-up to Lawrence North.

The Wildcats have won the past two championships and are ranked No. 1 by several national publications, and the return of 7-footer Greg Oden and guard Mike Conley for their senior season should make them the big favorites again.

"I think this team will be more aggressive and physical in their approach to the game," Lawrence North coach Jack Keefer said. "I feel we will come at you a little harder. What we will need to work on the hardest is to come up with the great chemistry that last year's team played with. The last two years, we played great team basketball."

The Wildcats (24-2) lost to Indianapolis Arlington and North Central in the regular season last year but avenged both of those defeats in the tournament and beat No. 2-ranked Muncie Central 63-52 for the state championship. Oden, a first-team All-State pick, and Conley, a second-teamer, have already made commitments to Ohio State for next year.

"Lawrence North is the definite favorite going into this season," Muncie Central coach Matt Fine said. "With Oden and Conley, you have the best 1-2 combo in the nation."

The Bearcats (27-2) lost their top player, Jordan Armstrong, but might still have enough talent to contend later in the season as the younger players develop. Junior Ben Botts and senior Terry Jenkins are both Division I prospects, Fine said.

"We will have more size and athleticism this year but lack the mental and physical toughness at this point to be considered a serious threat ... We will also be very inexperienced," Fine said.

Lawrence North will begin the season Nov. 23 against Lawrence Central in the inaugural KeyBank Tipoff Classic at Conseco Fieldhouse. It will be the final game of a tripleheader that also includes Hamilton Southeastern against Anderson and defending Class A champion Lapel against Wapahani.

Lawrence North was third in the final Associated Press 4A poll last season, behind Arlington and Muncie Central.

Besides Oden and Conley, the Wildcats have 6-3 Brandon McDonald, who started more than half the games last season, along with three juniors who played on an 18-2 JV team. Keefer also expects a trio of freshmen - 6-8 Stephen VanTreese, 6-7 Chris Read and 6-3 Larry Smith - to contribute.

"I think as long as you have two of the nation's best players on your team, you must be considered in the running, but this is a completely different team than the last two years," Keefer said. "I think we have strengths this year that we have never had before, but I also think that last year's team, with six Division I players on it, had strength that we have not shown with this group."

The tourney loss to Lawrence North was the only defeat last season for Arlington, which lost first-team All-Stater and Indiana recruit Deonta Vaughn. Vaughn, who averaged 22 points last season, withdrew from Arlington in May and enrolled in an Ohio prep school to bring up his grades to meet IU entrance requirements.

But another top Indianapolis player is 6-3 Eric Gordon of North Central, who was a second-team All-Stater last season as a sophomore. North Central was 17-9 last year, with two losses to Lawrence North.

Other top players and teams this year include 6-9 Jamil Tucker of Gary West, DeJovaun Sawyer-Davis of Anderson, Cole Holmstrom of Bloomington South, E'Twaun Moore of East Chicago, and Marques Johnson and Ryan Sims of Fort Wayne Snider.