There aren’t a lot of opportunities for a 7-foot high school player in southeastern Ohio to find corresponding size to play against.
It was with that in mind two years ago that Gary Harrison, the boys’ basketball coach at Gallipolis Gallia Academy made the decision to bring his team to Ohio State’s summer team camp.
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Ohio State offered him a scholarship last fall, and he spent time with coach Chris Holtmann and his staff during the two-day camp. Buckeyes assistant coach Terry Johnson, who coaches the team’s big men, was on hand watching.
Since the OSU offer, “I got a Xavier offer,” Loveday said. “I got a George Washington offer a couple days ago. Louisville I believe is supposed to offer, and Clemson I believe is supposed to offer as well. That’s all I know of. If I can make a really good impression this July, that can really skyrocket (things) as well.”
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Through it all, Loveday said, he’s looking for a situation that can help him grow on and off the court.
“I don’t really want to be a one-, two-year (player) and go to the draft unless I really, truly believe that I am mentally and physically superb to come in and compete for a really good spot,” he said Thursday. “I want to really focus on an education because Ohio State, we met with coach Holtmann today and they had a slideshow: there’s a 500,000(-member) alumni base around the world. If you go here, if you go four years and you get a degree and you need a job, you’re going to get it because so many people watch you and follow you and pay attention to you.”