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O.J. Mayo (Official Thread)

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1/6/06

Mayo-mania keeps coach, school on their toes

Friday, January 06, 2006

Steve Blackledge
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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Jeremy Treatman, founder, president and promoter of the seven-game Scholastic Play-by-Play Classic on Saturday in Value City Arena, tried his darnedest to arrange a teleconference this week with Cincinnati North College Hill phenom O.J. Mayo.

Although the purpose of staging such an event in a large college venue is to showcase elite players and teams, Mayo’s handlers weren’t biting.

Everyone wants a piece of the 6-foot-5, 210-pound junior point guard hailed as the next LeBron James since he was in seventh grade, and North College Hill’s coaches and administrators are doing what they can to keep the circus-like atmosphere surrounding him stable.

"O.J.’s guardian and I work together in handling all the interview and O.J. has decided that he’d rather not do one-on-ones during the season . . . that he’ll wait and talk after the games," North College Hill coach Jamie Mahaffey said. "I’m dealing with situations that few highschool basketball coaches can imagine. I’m learning how to handle things on a daily basis. I have no choice but to learn quickly or else things could get out of hand."
Mahaffey said he speaks frequently with Dru Joyce — James’ coach at Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary — about how to deal with the hoopla surrounding a team featuring the top-rated and most visible high-school player in America.

Nothing is ordinary about Mayo or his situation at North College Hill (10-0).
Ovington J’Anthony Mayo grew up in Huntington, W. Va., but because that school district prohibits students from playing varsity athletics until ninth grade, he attended to Rose Hill Christian Academy 15 miles away in Ashland, Ky., where he led his team to a 55-10 record and was first-team all-state as an eighth-grader.

The parents of Mayo and close friend Bill Walker (the second-rated junior player in the nation) relinquished guardianship to AAU coach Dwaine Barnes so the players could live with him and attend North College Hill. A third blue-chip player, 6-11 junior center Keenan Ellis of Indianapolis, followed suit last year. The three led the Trojans to the Division III championship.

In agreeing to bring Mayo and Walker to North College Hill, Barnes was granted certain concessions, such as input on future schedules, that college recruiters and media requests run through him, and that the gymnasium be accessible to his players 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

This season, North College Hill has been declassified to an associate member of the Miami Valley Conference so it can play 12 nonleague games against top teams around Ohio and the Midwest. The Trojans spent much of last week playing in a southern California event.

Nonetheless, the meeting at 7 p.m. Saturday against defending Division I champion Canton McKinley (7-1) is a red-letter game on North College Hill’s schedule.

"The kids have responded exceptionally well to playing such a strong schedule and traveling as much as we do," Mahaffey said.

"They’ve learned the importance of practicing hard every night and focusing on one game at a time. With our schedule, they know they can’t afford a letup or else they could lose the rankings they’re worked so hard for. Being in the spotlight hasn’t been a detriment in that respect. They place high expectations on themselves."

Speculation on Mayo’s future has run rampant. Now that the NBA requires players to be one year removed from high school before entering the draft, many top college programs are lining up for his services — limited as they might be. It is practically a given that he’ll be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 NBA draft.

Although the comparisons with James are inevitable, they’re probably unfair. Mayo will be 19 when he graduates; James was 17.

Mayo has mentioned Louisville, Kentucky, Ohio State, Arizona, Connecticut, North Carolina, Syracuse and West Virginia as potential suitors in preseason interviews.

According to Mahaffey, Mayo has continued to hone the skills that landed him Ohio’s Mr. Basketball Award last season. He is averaging 29 points and slightly more than six assists.

"O.J. is such a perfectionist, he’s always looking for ways to become a better all-around player," Mahaffey said.

"Specifically, we’re looking for him to be more precise with his shooting and to be the floor general that we know he can be. He’s done everything you could expect of him."

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So Kentucky is not in the picture? And how much is West Virginia in the picture? I would think playing in their home state would be something, especially if Huggins gets the WVU job after this season.
 
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2/1/06

Mayo honored by Teen People

BY TOM GROESCHEN | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

<!--ARTICLE BODY TEXT-->North College Hill basketball star O.J. Mayo has been selected one of Teen People magazine's "Teens That Will Change The World."

Mayo is one of 20 teens being named, according to NCH athletic director Joe Nickel.

Teen People recently came to NCH for a photo shoot, and Mayo will be flown to New York March 10 to be honored at a banquet, NCH athletic director Joe Nickel said.

Mayo, a junior, has led NCH to a 16-0 record and No. 2 rating in the USA Today national poll this season. As a sophomore, Mayo led NCH to the Division III state championship and was named Ohio Mr. Basketball.

NCH has won 37 straight games dating to last season.
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Cincy

3/23/06

Mayo is Mr. Basketball

<!--ARTICLE BODY TEXT-->Ohio had plenty of great basketball players again this season, but O.J. Mayo is still the greatest.

Mayo, a North College Hill junior guard, won his second consecutive Ohio Mr. Basketball award Wednesday night.

The Associated Press chose Mayo over a field that included Division I player of the year Raymar Morgan of Canton McKinley (signed with Michigan State) and Division II player of the year Daequan Cook of Dayton Dunbar (signed with Ohio State).

Mayo shared AP Division III player of the year honors earlier this week with three others, including teammate Bill Walker. Mayo is averaging 28.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 2.7 steals a game as NCH (24-1) enters the Division III state semifinals today vs. Archbold (24-1) at 5:15 p.m. at Value City Arena in Columbus.
Mayo is rated the nation’s No. 1 junior by many scouting services, and will have his pick of college. With so many accomplishments, including 1,999 career NCH points entering today, how can Mayo possibly get better?

“My game is more efficient now on the offensive end,” Mayo said. “I’ve got a different focus now … to play better every time I walk on the court and to play hard for 32 minutes.”

Mayo (6-foot-5, 208 pounds) plays a combination shooting guard/point guard for NCH. He is not sure where he will play in college and beyond.

“I want to play both spots well,” Mayo said. “If you can play the point, though, you can play just about anyplace.”

NCH coach Jamie Mahaffey said Mayo has tried to be more consistent in terms of shot selection, and in getting his teammates more involved. Mahaffey said Mayo also has improved his defense, an overlooked facet of Mayo’s game.

“That’s the one thing he’s tried to work on,” Mahaffey said. “Defensively, he’s playing a lot better. He always wants to guard the key players.”

Mayo next year will try to tie the Ohio Mr. Basketball haul of LeBron James, who won the award three times (2001-03) at Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary.

Mayo last year became the first Cincinnati boys’ player to win Mr. Basketball since the AP began the award in 1988. Cincinnati has had four girls win Ms. Basketball, most recently Mount Notre Dame’s Mel Thomas in 2004.

Mayo also repeated this week as Gatorade Ohio Boys’ Basketball Player of the Year.
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Cincy

4/1/06

Mayo a Parade All-American

<!--ARTICLE BODY TEXT-->North College Hill junior basketball player O.J. Mayo has been named to the Parade magazine All-America first team.

NCH junior Bill Walker made the second team, and Ohio State recruit Greg Oden of Lawrence North (Ind.) repeated as player of the year.

Mayo, a second-team Parade pick in 2005, and Walker last week led NCH to its second consecutive Division III state title.

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