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PG Mike Conley (1st Team All BIG, NBA All-Star, Oscar Winner, Minnesota Timberwolves)

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11/8/05


Quote:
It looked like panic might set in at Ohio State and chaos would take over the recruiting world on the first day of the early signing period which begins Wednesday. There were reports that the nation's consensus No. 1 prospect Greg Oden and the Buckeyes' four other verbal commitments from the 2006 class – which has been called one of the greatest recruiting classes ever – were considering not signing until the NCAA released its final results of an ongoing investigation into the Big Ten program in December.

But, Oden's high school coach Jack Keefer at Lawrence North in Indianapolis said the 7-foot, 240-pound center will be signing his letter-of-intent Wednesday along with teammate Mike Conley, Rivals.com's No. 3-ranked point guard in the class.

Mike Conley Sr., who has coached the duo at the AAU level, recently reaffirmed that news.

"They are going to sign," the elder Conley told the Indianapolis Star Friday. "We feel that the 2007 postseason won't be an issue, looking at previous (NCAA penalty) decisions," he added.

Ohio State imposed a one-year ban on postseason play in December last season, saying that former coach Jim O'Brien paid a recruit $6,000.

The Buckeyes three other commits, five-star wings Dequan Cook and David Lighty and junior college power forward Othello Hunter, are all expected to sign Wednesday too.

"Ohio State had to be on pins and needles concerning Oden and company signing before an NCAA verdict," Rivals.com recruiting analyst Jerry Meyer said. "You can't blame [these guys] for holding out. Now Ohio State has to rerecruit [them] even harder."

What would have happened if Oden and company had let the signing period pass? Programs from all over the country would be making a mad rush to contact the prospect who has been called the best big man in more than a decade.

"I would be surprised if every school with a scholarship or potential scholarship did not come after Oden," Meyer said. "Just the attention that an up and coming program would get for being in the mix with him would be worth the recruiting effort. And if a contender landed him, national championship prospects greatly increase."

Chances are that Ohio State still would have landed the recruits in the late signing period beginning April 12. The Buckeys aren't expected to receive any more major penalties, and Oden didn't consider many schools during the recruiting process.

"I don't think it would have changed a lot," Rivals.com recruiting analyst Tim Watts said if Oden had chosen not to sign this week. "If (Oden) had decided to wait then I still believe he still would have went to Ohio State barring a major catastrophe handed down by the NCAA. It certainly would have perked some people up and sent them after him again but his recruitment had been very low key considering his status."
 
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WHAT A DAY!! CONGRATULATIONS MIKE CONLEY ON MAKING A GREAT DECISION TO COME TO OHIO STATE. CONGRATULATIONS TO THAD MATTA FOR GETTING ONE HECK OF A BALL PLAYER.


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11/10/05


Oden, Conley sign -- with a catch

If Ohio State is banned from 2007 postseason, Lawrence North stars can go elsewhere

Greg Oden is a Buckeye -- for now.

The national high school Player of the Year and Lawrence North teammate Mike Conley Jr. signed national letters of intent with Ohio State on Wednesday, but they have the option of switching schools if the Buckeyes aren't eligible for the NCAA Tournament when they arrive in college in the fall of 2006.

Oden and Conley have a written agreement with the school that it will release them in the unlikely event the Buckeyes are banned from the 2007 postseason for NCAA violations.

"What the letter said is, I would sign off if that's the case," Ohio State coach Thad Matta said Wednesday. "I'm sure there are a lot of schools that do this."

A release means Oden and Conley would be free to play as freshmen at another school without losing a season of eligibility. Without it, they would have to either play at Ohio State or sit out one season at another school and lose a year of eligibility.

Ohio State won't know the full scope of penalties until an NCAA infractions committee meets Dec. 9-10. The Buckeyes are facing sanctions from violations that occurred under former coach Jim O'Brien and former athletic director Andy Geiger.

"I'm pretty sure that I'm going to Ohio State," said Oden, who joined current NBA star LeBron James as the only players to be named national Player of the Year as high school juniors. "That (agreement) is a comfort to my parents. That's stuff they worry about. I'm just worried about playing ball at a school I'm comfortable at."

It's highly unlikely the NCAA will ban Ohio State from the postseason for both the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons. The Buckeyes issued a self-imposed ban for the 2005 NCAA Tournament. If past NCAA decisions are an indication, what amounts to a three-year ban would be a stunning penalty for violations that center on illegal payments to help a player.

Even at Baylor, where one player killed another and a coach was taped trying to cover it up, the school issued a one-year postseason ban. The NCAA levied harsh penalties but did not further ban Baylor from the postseason.

Oden and Conley said they haven't discussed a fallback school if the NCAA bans the Buckeyes from the 2007 postseason.

"We've got the agreement and if anything were to come up, we would have the chance to be released," Conley, one of the top point guards in the nation, said. "I haven't gone that far (to look at other schools). I really don't believe I will."

Matta said there is a form for such agreements from the national letter of intent program, which is administered by the Collegiate Commissioners Association.

"It was my idea," said Matta, in his second year at Ohio State. "I was like, hey, if kids who were in third grade when this happened can't go to postseason play, I want what's best for them."

Matta said he cleared the agreement with Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith. Matta said he signed the letter, but neither the players nor their parents were required to do so.

"I took it to Gene and said, 'I want to do this,' " Matta said. "These guys were in third grade when it happened. I hope they're not going to be penalized, which I can't see happening."

The NCAA violations date to the career of former Buckeye Boban Savovic, who played at Ohio State from 1998-2002.

Oden, who has been called the best player to enter college since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar went to UCLA in 1965, averaged 20 points, 9.6 rebounds and 3.7 blocked shots as a junior. He headlines a class that could make Ohio State a Final Four contender.

Ohio State's class has the consensus No. 1 player in Oden and three others ranked in the top 30 in Conley, Dayton (Ohio) Dunbar shooting guard Daequan Cook and Cleveland small forward David Lighty. The fifth member of the so-called "Thad Five" is 6-9 junior college transfer Othello Hunter.

"I'm very excited, and I feel very grateful for these guys having the trust in Ohio State and our staff," Matta said. "I think from their perspective as well as mine, I know the kids are excited."

Matta, a former Butler coach and player, made national headlines when Oden and Conley made their oral commitments to Ohio State in June.

Wednesday's signing signaled the end of a pursuit that included building relationships with Oden and Conley for several years.

"I think it's a great statement," Matta said of the class, ranked No. 2 behind North Carolina by most recruiting experts.

"It's been a long road from the time we got here because the guys have been such priorities. On July 7, 2004, when I accepted the job, (assistant) John Groce and I were talking about where David, Greg, Daequan and Mike were going to be tomorrow."
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11/11/05

Quote:

'Unprecedented' agreement

Ohio State's offer of a potential release to recruits surprises some officials, worries others

The college basketball world was buzzing Thursday about the agreement Ohio State has with its new recruits.

Buckeyes coach Thad Matta sent a letter to the recruits, including Lawrence North seniors Greg Oden and Mike Conley Jr., stating the Buckeyes would release each player from his letter of intent in the unlikely event upcoming sanctions keep the school out of the 2007 NCAA Tournament.

The sanctions would stem from recruiting violations that occurred before Matta got to the school, and for which Ohio State already served a self-imposed ban for the 2005 NCAA Tournament. An NCAA infractions committee will meet Dec. 9-10 to determine if there should be more penalties.

"In the 30-odd years I've been doing this, that is totally unprecedented," Bob Gibbons, one of the nation's most respected recruiting analysts, said of the agreement. "It's certainly a move of integrity on (Ohio State's) part and should be reassuring to Mike Conley and Greg Oden and the other kids. But I've never heard of it."

Said Dave Telep of national scouting service scout.com: "That's not standard policy, but in a case like this, it's a heck of a thing for (Matta) to do. That tells you what a stand-up guy he is."

The normal routine before signing day is for colleges to send a blank letter of intent form to recruits. Along with that, Matta sent the letter offering the possible release, Ohio State spokesman Dan Wallenberg said.

Wallenberg said the letter was signed by Matta, Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith and school president Karen Holbrook.

"We made a letter and sent it to all four guys," Wallenberg said. "It said if there is any postseason ban for '06-07, we would let them out of their commitment."

Oden, Conley, Daequan Cook of Dayton (Ohio) Dunbar and David Lighty of Cleveland were the four high school players who signed with Ohio State on Wednesday, giving the Buckeyes one of the highest-profile recruiting classes in the nation.

The national letter of intent (NLI) program is run by the Collegiate Commissioners Association, separate from the NCAA.

For a player to be released from a letter of intent, a standard release form must be signed by the recruit and the school. That policy began in October 2004. Before that, a player had to appeal directly to the NLI program for a release.

With a release, a player can sign with another school and wouldn't have to sit out a year and lose a year of eligibility.

However, one of the stipulations in the letter of intent, provision 18, says, "My signature on this NLI nullifies any agreements, oral or otherwise, which would release me from the conditions stated within this NLI."

So, according to the NLI program, Ohio State could back out of its side agreement with the recruits on the basis of provision 18. But given that the agreement was signed by the coach, athletic director and school president, that could lead to a legal battle, and certainly would be a public relations nightmare and have catastrophic consequences on Matta's future recruiting.

Torie Johnson, director of the national letter of intent program, said the agreement is not against NLI rules. But in general she was wary of coaches using such tactics.

"Is the program OK with this? I would say probably not," Johnson said. "We understand and think it's necessary that schools need to be straightforward with prospects if there is a question of potential NCAA probation. . . . By putting something in writing, the institution could be obliging the families of those students, but at the same time, prospects need to be wary of provision 18."

The NCAA is not involved in letter-of-intent issues prior to a player enrolling in college. Bob Williams, NCAA managing director of public and media affairs, said Ohio State broke no NCAA rules "as far as I can tell."

"If a school is in a position in which it is awaiting word on any potential sanctions, that's a unique situation," Williams said. "We would handle that on a case-by-case basis."

Mike Conley Sr., who has coached his son and Oden in summer basketball since the two were in junior high, said Matta sent the letter without prompting.

"It's not about the letter," Conley Sr. said. "The letter is fine because it gives you a sense of comfort, but the reason the boys are going there is because of Matta and the administration that's there now. If I need a letter to assure me a person is going to keep their word, the boys wouldn't be going to school there.

"In the end, it's about Matta as a person and what he's started there. The boys are not going to Ohio State because they're lifelong Buckeye fans. They're going to Ohio State because they like what he has to offer and they believe and trust in him."


Call Star reporter Jeff Rabjohns at (317) 444-6183.
 
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11/12/05


Quote:

Lawrence North again the favorite as 2005-06 season begins

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[SIZE=-1]STEVE HERMAN[/SIZE]
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[SIZE=-1]Associated Press[/SIZE]
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INDIANAPOLIS - The biggest unknown in Indiana high school basketball this season might be which team is going to end up as the Class 4A runner-up to Lawrence North.

The Wildcats have won the past two championships and are ranked No. 1 by several national publications, and the return of 7-footer Greg Oden and guard Mike Conley for their senior season should make them the big favorites again.

"I think this team will be more aggressive and physical in their approach to the game," Lawrence North coach Jack Keefer said. "I feel we will come at you a little harder. What we will need to work on the hardest is to come up with the great chemistry that last year's team played with. The last two years, we played great team basketball."

The Wildcats (24-2) lost to Indianapolis Arlington and North Central in the regular season last year but avenged both of those defeats in the tournament and beat No. 2-ranked Muncie Central 63-52 for the state championship. Oden, a first-team All-State pick, and Conley, a second-teamer, have already made commitments to Ohio State for next year.

"Lawrence North is the definite favorite going into this season," Muncie Central coach Matt Fine said. "With Oden and Conley, you have the best 1-2 combo in the nation."

The Bearcats (27-2) lost their top player, Jordan Armstrong, but might still have enough talent to contend later in the season as the younger players develop. Junior Ben Botts and senior Terry Jenkins are both Division I prospects, Fine said.

"We will have more size and athleticism this year but lack the mental and physical toughness at this point to be considered a serious threat ... We will also be very inexperienced," Fine said.

Lawrence North will begin the season Nov. 23 against Lawrence Central in the inaugural KeyBank Tipoff Classic at Conseco Fieldhouse. It will be the final game of a tripleheader that also includes Hamilton Southeastern against Anderson and defending Class A champion Lapel against Wapahani.

Lawrence North was third in the final Associated Press 4A poll last season, behind Arlington and Muncie Central.

Besides Oden and Conley, the Wildcats have 6-3 Brandon McDonald, who started more than half the games last season, along with three juniors who played on an 18-2 JV team. Keefer also expects a trio of freshmen - 6-8 Stephen VanTreese, 6-7 Chris Read and 6-3 Larry Smith - to contribute.

"I think as long as you have two of the nation's best players on your team, you must be considered in the running, but this is a completely different team than the last two years," Keefer said. "I think we have strengths this year that we have never had before, but I also think that last year's team, with six Division I players on it, had strength that we have not shown with this group."

The tourney loss to Lawrence North was the only defeat last season for Arlington, which lost first-team All-Stater and Indiana recruit Deonta Vaughn. Vaughn, who averaged 22 points last season, withdrew from Arlington in May and enrolled in an Ohio prep school to bring up his grades to meet IU entrance requirements.

But another top Indianapolis player is 6-3 Eric Gordon of North Central, who was a second-team All-Stater last season as a sophomore. North Central was 17-9 last year, with two losses to Lawrence North.

Other top players and teams this year include 6-9 Jamil Tucker of Gary West, DeJovaun Sawyer-Davis of Anderson, Cole Holmstrom of Bloomington South, E'Twaun Moore of East Chicago, and Marques Johnson and Ryan Sims of Fort Wayne Snider.
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indystar

11/15/05

Quote:

Wildcats No. 5 in nation

Lawrence North is No. 5 in the USA Today boys' basketball national rankings that are to be released today. The Wildcats, led by national high school Player of the Year Greg Oden and point guard Mike Conley, were ranked No. 1 in the nation by SchoolSports magazine and in Student Sports' Fab 50.

In the USA Today ranking, Lawrence North was behind top-ranked Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.), No. 2 Oak Hill (a prep school in Mouth of Wilson, Va.), No. 3 Fairfax (Los Angeles) and No. 4 Saint Patrick's (Elizabeth, N.J.).
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usatoday

11/15/05

5. Lawrence North, Indianapolis (24-2)
Returning starters: 3. Why they're good: C Greg Oden, USA TODAY's player of the year in 2005, averaged 20 points, 9.6 rebounds and 3.7 blocks for the two-time Class 4A champions. PG Mike Conley Jr. (10.7 ppg) is his running mate and future Ohio State teammate. F Brandon McDonald, 6-3, only averaged four points as a junior, but will have an expanded role. Opens: Nov. 23 vs. Lawrence Central (Indianapolis) at Indianapolis Conseco Fieldhouse.
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Regional Rankings

Midwest
1. Lawrence North, Indianapolis (24-2)
2. North College Hill, Cincinnati (27-1)
3. McKinley, Canton, Ohio (26-1)
4. Vashon, St. Louis (29-1)
5. Glenbrook North, Northbrook, Ill. (32-2)
6. Rufus King, Milwaukee (16-6)
7. Simeon, Chicago (24-5)
8. North Central, Indianapolis (17-9)
9. Santa Fe, Edmond, Okla. (25-4)
10. Solon, Ohio (25-1)
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11/16/05


Quote:
Lawrence North unanimous preseason No. 1 in AP poll

STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS



INDIANAPOLIS -- Lawrence North, returning 7-footer Greg Oden and guard Mike Conley from a team that won its second straight championship last spring, was the unanimous pick for No. 1 in The Associated Press Class 4A preseason basketball poll.
Central, which lost to Lawrence North in the 4A title game last season, is ranked No. 3 in the preseason poll. Pike is second.

The Wildcats were 24-2 last season and return an experienced squad led by Oden and Conley, both Ohio State recruits, along with 6-3 Brandon McDonald, who started more than half the games last season, plus three juniors up from an 18-2 JV team.


"This group of kids are great defensive players, so we will try to capitalize on this strength, plus the rebounding ability of our junior class," Lawrence North coach Jack Keefer said.

Lawrence North will begin the season Nov. 23 against Lawrence Central in the inaugural KeyBank Tipoff Classic at Conseco Fieldhouse. It will be the final game of a tripleheader that also includes Hamilton Southeastern against Anderson and defending Class A champion Lapel against Wapahani.
Anderson was ranked eighth in the 4A preseason poll, while Lapel was ranked No. 1 in Class A.

North Central, which lost in the regionals, was voted fourth; and Indianapolis Arlington, which was the No. 1-ranked team last season but lost to Lawrence North in the sectionals, was picked fifth in the preseason voting.

Andrean, which returns Luke Harangody, a 6-8 Notre Dame recruit, was voted No. 1 in the preseason 3A poll.

New Castle was voted second, and Lakeland was picked third. Defending 3A champion Washington, which was ranked No. 1 last season, lost Mr. Basketball Luke Zeller to Notre Dame and was ranked fourth.

Plymouth, which lost in overtime to Washington in the 3A championship game on Zeller's 3-pointer at the buzzer, was voted fifth, and Vincennes, which lost to Washington in the sectionals, was picked sixth.

In Class 2A, Forest Park has eight returning lettermen, including 6-7 Brandon Hopf, the tourney Most Valuable Player and a Southern Indiana recruit. Knightstown, which lost to Forest Park in the semistate, was picked second.

Providence, which was 19-1 and ranked second but was barred from the tournament because of an IHSAA penalty, returned its top two scorers and was picked third in the preseason poll. Lapel was picked No. 1 in Class A despite the loss of three starters, while Loogootee, which was the tourney runner-up to Lapel, was voted second. Tri-Central, which was No. 1 last season, suffered its only loss to Lapel in the regionals and was picked third in the preseason voting.
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12/10/05

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NCAA delays Ohio St. hearing
Conley Sr. says his son, Oden aren't surprised or worried about development

By Jeff Rabjohns
[email protected]

The NCAA hearing that could affect Greg Oden's commitment to Ohio State was postponed Friday and may not resume until late January.

The NCAA committee on infractions was scheduled to meet Friday and today to determine possible penalties for violations committed under former men's basketball coach Jim O'Brien. If the penalties include a ban for the 2007 NCAA Tournament, Ohio State has promised to release its high school recruits from their letters of intent.



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The Buckeyes' recruiting class, considered one of the best in the nation, includes Oden and Lawrence North teammate Mike Conley, both of whom signed letters of intent Nov. 9.

The postponement came after both sides in the case presented arguments. No reason was given. NCAA spokesman Kent Barrett said it had "nothing to do with the case or arguments."

The situation was complicated Wednesday by court filings in regard to O'Brien's lawsuit against Ohio State. Though that's a separate matter outside NCAA purview, subpoenas were filed for four members of the NCAA, including one of the directors of enforcement, requesting they give depositions at 4 p.m. Friday or one hour after the NCAA hearing on Ohio State finished.

Barrett declined to comment when asked if the delay was related to the subpoenas. He said the hearing probably won't be rescheduled before late January.

If Oden and Conley exercise the escape clause, they wouldn't be able to sign with another school until the late signing period (April 12-May 17). Because many of the top schools will likely have filled their scholarships, the players' options could be increasingly limited should the hearing and possible appeals drag deep into spring.

Mike Conley Sr., who has coached Oden for years in summer basketball and remains an adviser, said Friday's delay wasn't a complete surprise, and "it doesn't make Mike or Greg or ourselves or his parents move or anything. I imagine it's tough on the kids already at Ohio State."

Ohio State issued a self-imposed postseason ban, in addition to other penalties, last year, but the hearings will determine if coach Thad Matta's team is eligible this season.

In related news:

Dayton (Ohio) Dunbar shooting guard Daequan Cook, also in the Buckeyes' 2006 recruiting class, was diagnosed with a mild concussion after he was elbowed in Thursday's 69-54 loss to Lawrence North at Hinkle Fieldhouse, his coach said.

"He was back to the hotel by 1 (a.m.)," coach Peter Pullen said. "All X-rays were negative."

Rashid Ghazi of Paragon Marketing, the firm that arranged the ESPN2-televised game, said he didn't know if the company lost money due to the snowstorm, which limited the crowd at Hinkle to 600.

He said it didn't dampen his desire to put high school games on TV. The next local game on ESPN2 is Lawrence North at North Central on Jan. 19.
"I think that will be one of the best games we do," Ghazi said. "It'll be in a high school gym, a great rivalry that will really showcase Indiana high school basketball."

Call Star reporter Jeff Rabjohns at (317) 444-6183.

Copyright 2005 IndyStar.com. All rights reserved
 
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