GDC
3/21/2006, 08:46 AM
A talent infusion
By GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writer
3/21/2006
Sooners should be able to call on a few freshmen next season.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Terrell Everett, one of the quietest Oklahoma basketball players ever, said the one thing that could lift the program's spirits in the aftermath of its NCAA first-round loss.
"They could be like Kansas from this year," Everett said of the 2006-07 Sooners.
The Jayhawks, with a lineup of freshmen and sophomores, just began the NCAA Tournament as a No. 4 seed after winning 15 of their last 16 games to seize a share of the Big 12 Conference championship.
"It might take them a while to get on track, but I think they'll be really good," Everett added. "They've got some talented players coming in."
Damion James, Tony Crocker, Keith Clark, Jeremy Mayfield and McDonald's All-American Scottie Reynolds make up the No. 4-ranked class in the nation according to Rivals.com.
"Scottie and Damion are impact-type freshmen," Sampson said. "And then Tony Crocker's athleticism will help us."
While Clark, who must qualify academically, and Mayfield are iffy, Reynolds, James and Crocker should inherit immediate playing time. The key will be how they blend in with OU's holdovers,
and how those holdovers advance over the offseason.
"We've got a guy who I think can lead our team in Michael Neal," Sampson said of his senior-to-be shooting guard.
What Neal must do is heal the tender Achilles that hampered him down the stretch of this season, and develop an off-the-dribble game to complement his pure shooting ability.
Reynolds and sophomore Austin Johnson will vie to replace the departed Everett at point guard. James, Rivals' No. 16 prep player nationally, joins Crocker, junior David Godbold and senior Nate Carter on the wing.
Carter's progress -- he was expected to provide more than the six points he averaged this year -- will be crucial.
"He's got to get to where he plays with confidence," Sampson said. "Look at David (in Thursday's loss to Wisconsin-Milwaukee, when he equaled a career high with 15 points). David looked like he was just playing the game, whereas Nate sometimes fights the game."
Whether or not Carter comes along, OU's perimeter should be their strength next season. There are more questions than answers in their interior.
The first is: Can Longar Longar and Taylor Griffin, who combined to average five points and 19 minutes, replace Taj Gray and Kevin Bookout?
"Longar and Taylor will play better with more minutes," Sampson claimed. "Playing a minute here, a minute there, you can't judge a guy off that."
Maybe not. The skeptics include the Sooners themselves.
"We may sign one more guy," said Sampson, believed to have targeted 6-10 Jerome Habel of San Bernardino (Calif.) Valley College.
Interesting, since OU would appear to be maxed out on scholarships (it has 12 to offer next year instead of 13, as part of the probation it recently self-imposed for its phone call violations). It either shows the concern over Clark's and Mayfield's viability, or hints that someone -- perhaps Chris Walker, a senior-to-be who is far down the point guard depth chart -- will be transferring.
"We've got a great group coming in and a solid group coming back," Sampson said. "I think in some ways we've got a chance to be better next year than we were this year."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Guerin Emig 581-8355
[email protected] .
By GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writer
3/21/2006
Sooners should be able to call on a few freshmen next season.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Terrell Everett, one of the quietest Oklahoma basketball players ever, said the one thing that could lift the program's spirits in the aftermath of its NCAA first-round loss.
"They could be like Kansas from this year," Everett said of the 2006-07 Sooners.
The Jayhawks, with a lineup of freshmen and sophomores, just began the NCAA Tournament as a No. 4 seed after winning 15 of their last 16 games to seize a share of the Big 12 Conference championship.
"It might take them a while to get on track, but I think they'll be really good," Everett added. "They've got some talented players coming in."
Damion James, Tony Crocker, Keith Clark, Jeremy Mayfield and McDonald's All-American Scottie Reynolds make up the No. 4-ranked class in the nation according to Rivals.com.
"Scottie and Damion are impact-type freshmen," Sampson said. "And then Tony Crocker's athleticism will help us."
While Clark, who must qualify academically, and Mayfield are iffy, Reynolds, James and Crocker should inherit immediate playing time. The key will be how they blend in with OU's holdovers,
and how those holdovers advance over the offseason.
"We've got a guy who I think can lead our team in Michael Neal," Sampson said of his senior-to-be shooting guard.
What Neal must do is heal the tender Achilles that hampered him down the stretch of this season, and develop an off-the-dribble game to complement his pure shooting ability.
Reynolds and sophomore Austin Johnson will vie to replace the departed Everett at point guard. James, Rivals' No. 16 prep player nationally, joins Crocker, junior David Godbold and senior Nate Carter on the wing.
Carter's progress -- he was expected to provide more than the six points he averaged this year -- will be crucial.
"He's got to get to where he plays with confidence," Sampson said. "Look at David (in Thursday's loss to Wisconsin-Milwaukee, when he equaled a career high with 15 points). David looked like he was just playing the game, whereas Nate sometimes fights the game."
Whether or not Carter comes along, OU's perimeter should be their strength next season. There are more questions than answers in their interior.
The first is: Can Longar Longar and Taylor Griffin, who combined to average five points and 19 minutes, replace Taj Gray and Kevin Bookout?
"Longar and Taylor will play better with more minutes," Sampson claimed. "Playing a minute here, a minute there, you can't judge a guy off that."
Maybe not. The skeptics include the Sooners themselves.
"We may sign one more guy," said Sampson, believed to have targeted 6-10 Jerome Habel of San Bernardino (Calif.) Valley College.
Interesting, since OU would appear to be maxed out on scholarships (it has 12 to offer next year instead of 13, as part of the probation it recently self-imposed for its phone call violations). It either shows the concern over Clark's and Mayfield's viability, or hints that someone -- perhaps Chris Walker, a senior-to-be who is far down the point guard depth chart -- will be transferring.
"We've got a great group coming in and a solid group coming back," Sampson said. "I think in some ways we've got a chance to be better next year than we were this year."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Guerin Emig 581-8355
[email protected] .