I feel exactly the same way. I remember just a couple months ago after Andre Mathis visited Tennessee he told OSU insiders that they were dead even. And he followed up by telling Tennessee insiders that Tennessee lead. After saying this ill go out on a limb and say Conley 85% to OSUbucknuts44820 said:
bucknuts44820 said:
Oden starting playing his 6th grade year and was terrible. He never started and no AAU team in Indiana that was a national level program wanted him. He never got big mins until 9th grade year. Cook didn't start until 9th grade year, who do you think was winning all of those tourneys/nationals before then? Conley had major D1 programs who wanted committments the beginng of his freshmen year. Right now Oden's game is like Amare Stoudamire, he runs the floor well and just dunks everything. Conley gets him the ball in the situations where he can just dunk. Oden plays much better with Conley in the game, than the other way around. Did you not see the game in Ft Wayne against Marques Johnson? Oden was in foul trouble and Conley only had 21 pts 11 rebs, 9 assists, and 6 steals. I watched the kid score 16 pts before halftime when Oden was out with fouls.
I am not trying to argue Conley's skills, but Greg being there takes him to a different level. Just to get the facts straight -- Greg was playing for a Terre Haute AAU that finished top 5 in the nationals 6th and 7th grade - that in my mind would constitute a national level AAU team in Indiana. When Mike Conley Sr. started really pursuing Greg was after the nationals when Greg was in 7th grade, and he went for 22 and 20 against a team from Dallas. So to say nobody wanted him is simply not true. I agree he wasn't very good through 6th grade, but the teaching of the game he received from three coaches in Terre Haute prepared him fundamentally to become the breakout player he is -- when that potential started coming to light in 7th grade was when Conley and others in Indy started recruiting Greg for their AAU teams.Reebokbigtime said:
Yertle....I don't think hairston should be considered, because that was a different staff completely. You are right, Cook only makes 1, but that verbal plus all of the sudden we have several big time prospects visiting the campus and listing us, I have to ask how you can not be excited about the future of basketball recruiting? Do you realize in less than a year, Matta has blue chip prospects in the 06/07/08 classes listing OSU and some even have us as the leader!
I don't know where you got your information from but it is not correct. Greg Oden played on the Terre Haute Stars AAU team. 6th grade nationals was held in Coca Beach, Conley Jr and his Arkansas Hawks team won his 2nd in a row in the title game they defeated Indy Riverside Oddbreakers who had Curtis White, Reece Cheathem, and Devin Williams who currently play for Pike. Riverside got to the finals by defeating a team out of Oklahoma who had Drew Haymaker. Conley Jr got to the finals by defeating Memphis Bellevue with Wille Kemp.hoopsfan said:
bucknuts44820 said:
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Greg Oden
</TD><TD noWrap width=3></TD><TD vAlign=top>Spiece Tourney Tips Tonight
By Evan Daniels Basketball Recruiting Editor
Date: Apr 28, 2005
Wake Forest recruits Greg Oden and Mike Conley are sure to be in attendance this weekend in Fort Wayne, as well as a lot of young talent. DeaconSports.com will have full extensive coverage.
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The Spiece Run N Slam in Fort Wayne is one of many stops on the AAU circuit that will be filled with all kinds of talent. While Boo Williams and Kingwood were loaded from top to bottom with talent, the Spiece Run N Slam isn’t going to be any different.
Among the top AAU teams in the country in attendance this weekend will be 64 senior division teams including the host team Spiece Indy Heat, The Family, Michigan Hurricanes, Illinois Wolves, Illinois Fire, D-I Greyhounds, Blessed IJN and many, many more.
The tournament will feature many of the top players in the class of 2006, but features a strong contingent of players from the class of 2007, including 8 of Scout.com’s top 20. There are also several top 2007 stars in attendance including:
O.J. Mayo- D-I Greyhounds
Billy Walker- D-I Greyhounds
Keenan Ellis- D-I Greyhounds
Derrick Rose- Meanstreets Express
Eric Gordon- Spiece Indy Heat
Cole Aldrich- Minnesota Magic
Darquavis Tucker- Michigan Hurricanes
Alex Legion- Michigan Hurricanes
For more on the tournament and the participants stay tuned or check out their Official Site
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<hr size="1"> Thad Matta recruited Angelo Smith who played for LN when Conley and Oden were in 8th grade. The LN basketball team would go to team camps at Xavier along with other high schools in the Indianapolis area. Conley and Oden have known Matta since they were in 8th grade. Matta also recruited Indiana Mr. Basketball Justin Cage a few years ago from Pike HS. Daequan Cook pickup was just good recruiting, but Conley and Oden have had a long standing relationship with Matta. More importantly Matta has had a good relationship with the LN coaching staff as well as Pike coaching staff. Those 2 schools have produced most of the D1 talent in Indianapolis the past 7 or so years.
