#1 Ohio State 78, Valparaiso 58 (Final)

[OSU_Buckguy]

excellent points, jim.

i really like what i'm seeing from hunter. only eight games in and the progress can be seen. showed today that he has a thirst to score. hunter as a role player (rebound, defend) is much different than hunter as an all-around player. he has the moves (whoa, just had deja vu here... weird... anyway). definitely quick for a big. loved that drop step i saw today. oden and hunter are a lethal duo of swatters.

butler seems to be going 5 mph again. it took for him to notice the drive in foster to become what we saw last year. there's no one like that for him now. it's his decision and his only to become more impactful. everyone knows what jamar can do. does jamar?

right now, the full court press is pitiful. the third pass should never be to an opponent underneath his basket. but pressing is all about proper practice. it will come. there's no reason to think that this team's athletes can't become successful in the press. having oden as the last resort should help immensely.

i still see conditioning as a concern. i know, wednesday was a phrenetic pace for a team of only eight, and today's periodic sluggishness might have been a result of it. i hope that is the case. again, having oden should help immensely. it's impossible to exaggerate this.

 

[Oh8ch]

Also not sure if anyone noticed, but it is crazy that if Oden is going to shoot his free throws left handed shouldnt he at least put his left foot in front of the right like a lefty would shoot.

Noticed that as well. That is so fundamental I was shocked it had not been addressed.

 

[crazybuckfan40]

Noticed that as well. That is so fundamental I was shocked it had not been addressed.

It is about as fundamental as stepping with you left foot forward when you throw a ball...

Speaking of throwing, one of these days Oden is going to take someones head off in the first row with as hard as he throws some of them outlet passes...

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

No. 3 Ohio State 78, Valparaiso 58

Oden makes debut in Buckeyes' victory

Freshman 7-footer has 14 points, 10 rebounds

By Rusty Miller

Associated Press

COLUMBUS - The wait was worth it for No. 3 Ohio State and prized big man Greg Oden.
In his first competition in seven months, the 7-foot freshman, touted by some as the best U.S.-born big man in a generation, had 14 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Buckeyes past Valparaiso 78-58 on Saturday.
Oden had not played summer ball or with the Buckeyes since having surgery June 16 to repair a torn ligament in his right wrist.
Daequan Cook scored 20 points, and Ron Lewis had 10 for Ohio State (7-1), coming off a 98-89 loss at No. 7 North Carolina on Wednesday night. Mike Conley Jr., Oden's teammate at Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis, added seven points and seven assists.
Samuel Haanpaa had 18 points, Brandon McPherson 11 and Urule Igbavboa 10 for Valparaiso (3-4), which lost its fourth in a row.
Valparaiso pulled even at 18-18 on McPherson's layup with just over nine minutes left in the opening half, but was outscored 15-4 before the break. Ohio State then opened the second half with a 14-0 run.
One of the highlights for Oden came with 6 ? minutes left. Ducking behind a teammate and then leaping high, he swatted Moussa Mbaye's shot back at him. When McPherson got the rebound and drove the lane, Oden blocked that, too, prompting the crowd of 17,311 to shower him with a standing ovation.
Oden had worked on his conditioning and had occasionally participated in drills, and the target date for him to begin full practices was Jan. 1. He healed quickly and passed a strength test given to him by team doctors Friday night. His surgeon in Indianapolis then cleared him to play Saturday.
A roar went up at 16:37 of the opening half when Oden stood, stripped off his warmups and walked slowly to midcourt to check in. He was greeted by a standing ovation.
Seconds later, the Crusaders' Igbavboa put up a looping 12-footer. Oden jumped high -- the ball barely going over the tips of his fingers before falling through the net. Oden scored his first point at 12:56 of the opening half with a left-handed free throw. He wore an elastic brace on his right wrist and hand. He hit just 8-of-15 free throws and was 3-for-4 from the field. He also had five blocked shots in 23 minutes.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

OHIO STATE 78 VALPARAISO 58
Oden?s debut was well worth the wait
Freshman has double-double for Buckeyes

Sunday, December 03, 2006

Bob Baptist
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Greg Oden, a 7-foot, 280-pound freshman center, makes his longawaited college debut for the Buckeyes.


Greg Oden said he was in a Target store Friday night when the Indianapolis surgeon who operated on his wrist in June called him on his cell phone.
Yesterday, Oden re-enacted the wide, toothy grin that crossed his face when he got the news he could begin playing basketball for Ohio State.
Coach Thad Matta, seated next to his prized catch, said, "That was my reaction, too."
It was everyone?s after they saw the 7-foot freshman make his much-anticipated debut in a 78-58 victory over Valparaiso in Value City Arena.
With one good hand, Oden had 14 points, 10 rebounds and five blocked shots and fouled out two opponents in 23 minutes on the floor.
"I think you people in the state of Ohio have a real treat coming as you watch Greg get back in shape," Valpo coach Homer Drew said.
Oden, who had surgery June 16 to repair a torn ligament in his right wrist, had been practicing nearly full-go and anxiously awaiting medical clearance in recent weeks after having a stabilizing screw removed from the wrist. The hole in the bones from the screw needed to sufficiently heal, and his grip strength in his right wrist had to reach a certain threshold, before he could be cleared to play in a game.
The OK came after results of tests done earlier Friday showed the wrist to have more than 80 percent of the strength in his healthy left wrist.
It also came two days after the Buckeyes? first loss of the season, at North Carolina, where Oden watched helplessly from the bench Wednesday night as the Tar Heels? inside game turned the tide their way in the second half.
"I (wanted to) take off my button-up shirt and go out there in my dress shoes," Oden said.
Matta said he was not "completely" sure why Oden could have been cleared for the game yesterday but not Wednesday.
"So much of it was the testing and timing of it," Matta said. "Thursday was six weeks from when Greg had the screw removed.
"And as we?ve said all along, as bad as Greg has wanted to play, as bad as I?ve wanted him to play, we wanted to do what was right. It?s been hard. But he?s got a tremendous future ahead of him."
That future started 3 minutes, 59 seconds into the game, which Oden began on the bench.
Valparaiso (3-4) took a onepoint lead half a minute after Oden entered the game and increased it to as much as five in the next few minutes. But Oden?s presence at the back of the Buckeyes? pressing defense gradually took its toll.
Valparaiso had 18 points 11 minutes into the game and scored four in the next 14. The Crusaders turned the ball over nine times as the Buckeyes surged from an 18-all tie to a 47-22 lead with 14:49 left in the game.
"It was excellent to know you had Greg on the inside," said fellow freshman Daequan Cook, who led Ohio State (7-1) with 20 points. "That just made them scared to come inside."
Samuel Haanpaa led Valparaiso with 18 points. Mousa Mbaye fouled out in 20 minutes and Calum MacLeod in nine trying to defend Oden.
The only flaw in the big man?s game, understandably, was his free throw shooting, which he must do left-handed until he has enough flexibility in his casted right wrist to follow through on his shot. Still, he made 8 of 15 as Valparaiso sent him to the line more than half the time he got the ball in the low post.
Drew said opponents may adopt a "hack a Shaq" strategy with Oden until he shows he can make a higher percentage of free throws. Oden said he did not know how soon he will be able to shoot with his right hand. But he did not seem concerned.
"All I need to do is play defense and block shots," he said.
[email protected]

Sunday, December 03, 2006

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

OSU?s prized recruit scores 14 in first action during home rout
Sunday, December 3, 2006
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS


COLUMBUS Greg Oden?s much-anticipated college debut was a lot of fun ? even if he didn?t get to show off one of his favorite skills.
?It felt really good. I had fun out there with my teammates,? Oden said after getting 14 points and 10 rebounds in No. 3 Ohio State?s 78-58 victory over Valparaiso on Saturday. ?I didn?t get a chance to dunk. You could tell I was anxious. I traveled, like, eight times.?
Not really. In his first competition after sitting out seven months with a wrist injury, the 7-foot freshman, touted by some as the best U.S.-born big man in a generation, did not disappoint. He was welcomed with a standing ovation that was followed by an encore during the game.
Still, he never got to dunk.
?My brother was sitting behind the bench,? Oden said, a slight smile creasing his face. ?He was telling me, ?What?s going on? You haven?t dunked.? ?
Oden, who said he was shopping at Target on Friday night when he got a text message telling him he could play, had not participated in summer ball or with the Buckeyes since undergoing surgery June 16 to repair a torn ligament in his right wrist.
?There were times when, I think both of us would agree, it?s been hard,? Coach Thad Matta said. ?He has a tremendous future in front of him, as does this team. To be honest, I was shocked with his conditioning today. I thought he?d get a little bit more tired, but it goes back to how much work he did to put him in position when this day came.?
Daequan Cook scored 20 points and Ron Lewis had 10 for Ohio State (7-1), coming off a 98-89 loss at No. 7 North Carolina on Wednesday night. Mike Conley Jr., Oden?s teammate at Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis, added 7 points and seven assists.
Samuel Haanpaa had 18 points and Urule Igbavboa 10 for Valparaiso (3-4), which lost its fourth in a row. Brandon McPherson ? yet another former high school teammate of Oden?s ? had 11 points for the Crusaders.
Valparaiso pulled even at 18 on McPherson?s layup with just over 9 minutes left in the opening half but was outscored 15-4 before the break. Ohio State then opened the second half with a 14-0 run.
With 61⁄2 minutes left in a game that had long been decided, Oden leaped high to swat Moussa Mbaye?s shot back at him. When McPherson got the loose ball and drove the lane, Oden blocked that, too, prompting the crowd of 17,311 to shower him with a second standing ovation.
?He had a double-double and he only played 23 minutes,? Valparaiso Coach Homer Drew said. ?He?s fun to watch. As he gets back in a little more game-playing shape, you?re going to see some exciting things from him. We didn?t have anyone to contend with him on the inside.?
Beats target date
Oden had run, worked out and occasionally participated in drills with the Buckeyes but didn?t play in their first seven games. The target date for him to begin full practices was Jan. 1, but he healed quickly and passed a strength test given to him by team doctors Friday. His surgeon in Indianapolis then cleared him to play.
Oden, a two-time national high school player of the year, said he had jitters for the previous 48 hours just knowing that he might finally be making his collegiate debut.
A roar went up at 16:37 of the opening half when Oden stood, stripped off his warmups and walked slowly to midcourt to check in. He was greeted by a standing ovation of almost 30 seconds.
?When Greg came in, the momentum changed,? Drew said. ?The crowd got into it a little more and he made some blocks and we got a little hesitant on our inside play against him.?
Oden scored his first point at 12:56 of the opening half with a left-handed free throw. He wore an elastic brace on his right wrist and hand. He hit just 8-of-15 from the line and was 3-of-4 from the field. He also had five blocked shots in 23 minutes.
He said he wasn?t worried about re-injuring his wrist. ?My doctor told me specifically don?t dive for a loose ball, and if I do fall to put my hand up and bust my head,? he joked.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

DDN

Oden dominant in debut, protects hand


By Mark Gokavi
Staff Writer

Sunday, December 03, 2006


COLUMBUS ? Greg Oden single-handedly showed what kind of college basketball player he can be. Just wait until he can use both hands.
Ohio State's 7-foot freshman center made his debut during Saturday's 78-58 victory over Valparaiso at the Schottenstein Center.
The two-time national high school player of the year from Indianapolis Lawrence North scored 14 points. He added 10 rebounds and five blocked shots in just 23 minutes.
Because of his limited follow-through and wrist guard, he shot free throws left-handed, hitting 8-of-15.
"I didn't know if he'd get a double-double," said a smiling Thad Matta, Ohio State's coach. "The one thing we had talked about the before game was just the rebounds coming off, if he'd be able to grasp them. But that didn't seem to be a problem."
A month ahead of his planned return from June 16 right wrist surgery, Oden found out Friday he could play.
"I had jitters two days ago because it was a possibility," he said. "But (Friday) night was killing me.
"I just needed to calm down. My teammates, they just started getting in the flow. I mean, I'm coming in and playing with them, so I have to adjust to what they're doing."
That didn't take long.
Oden entered the game at 16:01 of the first half as the crowd of 17,311 gave him a 30-second standing ovation. He moved tentatively at first and gradually found a rhythm.
At 12:56, Oden hit one of two free throws lefty-style, something he'll do for the foreseeable future.
"I have to get my motion back," Oden said. "I can shoot a hook shot and shot put it or whatever I was doing today. But that's about it."
Oden intimidated Valpo's players inside, changing several shots and drawing fouls. Asked if he didn't do something he wanted to, Oden said: "Get a dunk."
He'll protect his right wrist at all costs. "My doctor told me specifically, don't dive for a loose ball," Oden joked in his first interview as a Buckeye. "And if I do fall, just put my hand up and just fall and bust my head."
Key plays
OSU's Daequan Cook hit a bank shot, converted a three-point play and hit a 3-pointer in a 14-4 run that gave OSU the lead for good at 21-18. Cook's 3 at the first-half buzzer started what became a 24-6 run and 55-28 lead.
Key players
Oden and Cook, who led OSU (7-1) with 20 points and added five rebounds and three steals. OSU's Ron Lewis scored 10 and Ivan Harris had nine in his first start since his sophomore year. Samuel Haanpaa led the Crusaders (3-4) with 18 points.
Key stats
OSU had season highs in blocks (9) and free-throw attempts (22-of-37). The Buckeyes, ranked No. 1 in the USA Today/ESPN poll and No. 3 by AP, will drop after Wednesday's loss at North Carolina.
Quote
"It was great, but once we get the real Greg Oden back, it's amazing. The sky's the limit," Cook said. "He can dunk, block shots. I mean, he can do everything."

 

[Dryden]

2. I am aghast at the impact Oden had. Forget the blocks and points. He drew enough fouls to put two players out of the game. Both of Twigs baskets were off of plays where Greg (he told me I could call him Greg) was doubled. On one play he stepped out from the basket taking two defenders with him and opened a lane for a layup.

I watched the game yesterday, and that is precisely what jumped out at me. Two Valpo players fouled out within about five minutes of each other, and over the course of fifteen minutes overall, just trying to guard Oden. Oden is allegedly an 80% FT shooter with his right hand. That borders on unfair.

Watching Valpo players receiving a pass in the lane was comical. Funnier still was seeing Oden bail from the paint and take one 6 foot step to the arc to put a big paw in the face of the 3 point shooters.

Valpo played like they had had the fear of God put into them the moment Oden stepped onto the court.