Dayton Dunbar @ Lawrence North
Tonight 7:30 PM on ESPN2
Tonight 7:30 PM on ESPN2
Tonight is the night many of us basketball recruiting junkies and OSU basketball fans have been waiting for...a chance to see three of the "Thad 5" in a battle between two powerhouse high school basketball programs in a game that will be broadcast on national television. So in preperation, bucknuts44820 and wadc45 have prepared the following primer to get you ready for all the action tonight.
DAYTON DUNBAR WOLVERINES
Players To Watch:
#14 Senior G Daequan Cook
#14 Senior G Daequan Cook
This 6-4 guard is the top player on the Dunbar squad. An excellent shooter with a NBA body, Daequan is the #1 player in Ohio in the 2006 class. He is a very explosive player who can finish in the open court as well as anyone. Look for him to challenge Greg Oden in the lane. Daequan is very versitale...he can play inside or outside. He is regarded as one of the best pure scoreres and finishers in the country and has the ability to take over a game, especially if he hits a few early shots. Daequan scored 18 points in Dunbar's season opener.
#44 Junior C Aaron Pogue
Aaron Pogue is one of the more interesting players who will be suiting up tonight. While not the typical 6-10+ that you see in most centers in today's game, Pogue fits more in the mold of Sean May, the center from last year's national championship UNC team. Suprisingly agile for 275 pounds, Aaron is rated by Scout.com as the #12 center prospect in the class of 2007. Last year he averaged 14.5 points per game and 10.1 rebounds per game and provided Dunbar with a solid inside option to go along with Daequan's outside game. Against Cincinnati Hughes and Yancey Gates earlier this month, Aaron was Dunbar's leading scorer with 21 points as Dunbar won 75-66.
Others of note:
Dunbar also features the talented play of 6-8 senior forward Mark Anderson, who averaged 9.6 points per game and 6 rebounds per game last year. Another player to watch should Aaron get into foul trouble is 6-9 sophmore center Josh Benson. Dayton Dunbar loves to play above the rim...junior guard Norris Cole and senior guards Darran Powell and Antoine Sain are adept at setting up Daequan and Aaron in the open court. At one point against Cincinnati Hughes, Dunbar had five consecutive dunks...two by Aaron, two by Daequan (including an acrobatic, off-the-backboard alley-oop from Norris), and one by Mark. Look for Dunbar to try to pressure the Wildcats defensively and to try and force enough turnovers to turn the tempo of this game way up. The last thing the Wolverines want is to turn this game into a half-court game.
LAWRENCE NORTH WILDCATS
Players To Watch:
#11 Senior G Mike Conley, Jr.
#11 Senior G Mike Conley, Jr.
This 6-1 senior point guard is considered by some as the top point guard in the 2006 class. He is the prototypical point guard who is adept at getting in the lane and keeping his teammates involved. Mike also has an uncanny ability to get the ball to players in the perfect position to score. He is an excellent defender and has great range form beyond the arc. Watch for Mike to control the tempo and go to teammate Greg Oden early and often. Mike is averaging 16.5 PPG, 4.3 APG and is shooting 46% from beyond the arc thru four games.
#50 Senior C Greg Oden
The 7-0 senior center is widely regarded as the #1 player in the class of 2006 and is likely one of the most heralded recruits to ever sign a letter of intent to play basketball at Ohio State. Last season Greg averaged 20.3 points per game on 65.8% shooting. He also pulled down just under 10 rebounds a game and just under 4 blocks per game. His height and range versus Aaron Pogue's frame and athleticism should provide for an interesting matchup. But not unlike any other prospect in the country, Aaron will most likely be overmatched against the nation's top player. Through four games this year, Greg is averaging 20.7 points and 10 rebounds per game. Look for him to dominate early and often.
Other of note:
Coming off a 24-2 season last year, everyone knows that Lawrence North is the favorite to repeat as state champs in Indiana. But don't tell that to head coach Jack Keefer. He was quoted on IndyStar.com as having said "We're not as good right now as the rankings say we are." Regardless, with Mike and Greg providing an excellent nucleus, Lawrence North only needs a solid core of role players to be successful this year. At 6-3, senior guard Brandon McDonald will be the biggest role player this year for the Wildcats and is already averaging 7 points per game this season. Lawrence North also sports a couple of freshman on the inside who will try to take some of the pressure off of Greg from time to time...6-6 Chris Read and 6-8 Stephen VanTreese. The Wildcats are a very unselfish team and will distribute the ball to find open looks. Junior guard Qadr "Q" Owen will look for open shots on the perimeter should the Wolverines focus too much of their defensive attention on the pair of future Buckeyes.
Check back tomorrow when bucknuts44820 and wadc45 will post a review of the game and some individual comments about the players from tonight's matchup.
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