OU: Recruiting: Early pledges to OU for 2007-08 season
By GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writer
6/30/2006
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NORMAN -- Oklahoma added the third member of its 2007-08 recruiting class Wednesday when Huntington, W.V., forward Chris Early committed during his official visit to OU.
Early, a 6-foot-6, 215-pounder ranked No. 140 on Rivals.com's national prep basketball board, joins Oklahoma Christian School forward Blake Griffin and Elk City guard Cade Davis as early '07-08 pickups for coach Jeff Capel.
"He can play the 2, 3 or 4 position," said Lloyd McGuffin, Early's coach at Huntington High School. "Last year he played a lot at (power forward). We needed him more at that position. But his true position, where he'll likely play in college, is the (small forward)."
Early averaged 14 points and nine rebounds last year, although McGuffin said: "Those stats are misleading. We've got five Division 1 recruits, and he has to share the ball. If Chris was on another team, he could easily average 25 (points) and 12 (rebounds)."
That kind of potential attracted Capel to Early when he coached at Virginia Commonwealth through last season.
Assistant coach Mark Cline, in particular, fostered a relationship with Early, and when both Capel and Cline relocated to OU, the relationship continued.
McGuffin listed Tulsa, Cincinnati, Virginia
Tech and George Mason among Early's suitors.
Asked if he was surprised Early made his decision when he did, McGuffin said: "Not at all. Oklahoma is a heck of a place with pretty good tradition. Anytime somebody like that talks to you, you're going to listen."
Sooner fans are hopeful that Patrick Patterson, Huntington's national top-50 forward, might tune OU in as well, now that his teammate is on board.
"He's not going to make any decisions until the end of summer or early fall," McGuffin said. "Right now, the plan is to narrow it down to five schools."
Among those Patterson is expected to choose from are Florida, Duke, Kentucky and West Virginia.
Capel continued to recruit for next season Thursday when he hosted Lon Morris (Texas) Junior College center Hernol Hall.
A 6-10 245-pounder rated the No. 4 junior college prospect by JUCO Junction, Hall originally signed with Duquesne, but opted out of his letter of intent when coach Danny Nee resigned last March. Hall is also considering Gonzaga and Cincinnati.
Capel is trying to replace Scottie Reynolds, Damion James and Jeremy Mayfield, three prospects who former coach Kelvin Sampson signed last November.
After Sampson left for Indiana in April, OU released Reynolds, James and Mayfield from their letters of intent.
Capel signed Patterson (NC) Prep guard Bobby Maze earlier this month.
If Hall signs, he and Maze would join a revamped recruiting class including November holdovers Keith Clark and Tony Crocker.
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Guerin Emig 581-8355
[email protected].