Shaw’s Release No Stunner
Jarred Shaw surely saw the handwriting on the wall at OSU.
By John Helsley
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The news of OSU granting Jarred Shaw his release was unexpected, yet hardly stunning. The signing of 6-11 Philip Jurick, combined with the Cowboys’ commitment to playing fast next fall, likely sent Shaw packing.
OSU coaches always felt Shaw had upside. And we saw it, too, in glimpses of games here and there — remember the Kansas game in the Big 12 Tournament? — if never in abundance.
The slender Shaw was hampered somewhat by Chron’s Disease, an inflammatory illness of the intenstines, which affected both his ability to gain weight and his cardio fitness. Shaw was a polite kid who always offered a smile and he seemed to be well-liked by teammates.
But players want to play. And Shaw’s place in the program going forward was in question, especially with Jurick on board, so he’s seeking a transfer.
Cowboys coach Travis Ford has vowed to run and gun next season, making best use of a roster that finally offers the athletes able to fit the system we’ve all awaited since Ford was hired from UMass three years ago. Even Jurick’s role is somewhat sketchy, although his size and proven rebounding and shot-blocking skills won’t go to waste.
But if the Cowboys run with regularity next season, it’s easy to project plentiful playing time for Markel Brown, Keiton Page, Jean-Paul Olukemi, Mike Cobbins, LeBryan Nash, Reger Dowell and Cezar Guerrero. And Darrell Williams’ status remains in flux while his legal situation plays out. Fred Gulley and Brian Willliams are also in the mix. And then there’s Jurick.
Shaw had to understand it all. So his departure is no stunner in a roster overhaul that will require a roster for 2011-12.
Ray Penn and Roger Franklin have also departed, meaning three key pieces of Ford’s 2009 recruiting class are gone.
The question now is when will OSU fill Shaw’s scholarship? The Cowboys hold out hope that La Salle transfer Aaric Murray heads their way, although all indications are that he’ll go to West Virginia. OSU is also involved with Chicago prep power forward Jamari Traylor, who may need to go to junior college first.
Ford won’t just add a body, not with a bevy of top prospects supposedly on the radar in what is considred a rich recruiting class nationwide next year.
Nash Scores and More
By John Helsley
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The obvious assumption upon LeBryan Nash’s signing with Oklahoma State hinted at some influence from Nash’s half-brother, former Cowboy Byron Eaton.
LeBryan Nash competes in the slam dunk contest at the McDonald's High School All American basketball Jam Fest at Chicago State University in Chicago, Monday, March 28, 2011. Nash won the contest. (AP Photo/Brian Kersey)
And while Eaton’s OSU career offered a younger Nash reasons to attend Cowboys games — which he did, several times – don’t overplay that connection. Nash has long credited Travis Ford as the tipping point in his desire to go orange and black. And while at 39th Annual Derby Festival Basketball Classic in Louisville over the weekend, Nash reiterated that fact, as the locals pressed him on his coach and former Kentucky star.
“Every time I walked around, somebody has got something to say about him,” Nash told the Louisville Courier-Journal. “That’s why I committed to Oklahoma State. He’s a great coach who is going to push me and hopefully get me to the next level.”
Nash admitted to not knowing so much about Travis Ford, the player.
“He was a shooter, I know he was a shooter,” Nash said. “He knew how to control the offense and can show me how to play point guard when I’m there.”
Point guard? Consider that another tip on how the Cowboys want to play next season — fast. Ford, too, has hinted at putting the ball in Nash’s hands out front; probably not full-time, with Reger Dowell returning and Cezar Guerrero coming in. But expect to see some of it.
As for the Classic, Nash produced 19 points, six rebounds and three assists in 22 minutes. Reports suggested he was one of the most athletic players on the floor.
Nash’s athleticism couldn’t land him another dunk contest title, although he was a crowd favorite. Nash, who won the McDonald’s All-American Jam Fest dunk contest in Chicago, produced two dunks that wowed the crowd, including one in which he passed — behind his back to himself – off the backboard for a throwdown.
While the crowd approved, the judges graded Nash a bit harsher, drawing boos from those in attendance.
“I think that dunk was a better dunk than they gave me,” Nash said. “The fans know I should have won and I know I should have won, but the judges didn’t give it to me.”
OSU Hoops: Who’s Your Five For 2011-12?
Did Reger Dowell do enough to solidify his status at the point for 2011-12?
By John Helsley
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As we close the book on the 2010-11 Cowboys hoops season, it’s easy to look ahead to next year.
This season was disappointing in many ways and next year offers much more optimism, with expected growth for OSU’s young players and the anticipated arrival of LeBryan Nash and Cezar Guerrero, if not a big man to add to the recruiting list.
One of the fun things to ponder going forward: Who will be the starting five?
There could be serious competition, especially if Darrell Williams is cleared from his legal troubles and rejoins the team. Consider the contenders for a starting role:
G Keiton Page. A senior and three-year starter, Page will benefit from what should be a permanent place at the off guard spot, where he can concentrate on perimeter shooting.
G Jéan-Paul Olukemi. Had his ups and downs, with the latter coming especially on the road. His adjustment to Big 12 basketball took time, but revealed progress. His offseason should be focused on diversifying his offensive game and learning to play hard for 40 minutes.
G Markel Brown. Exciting freshman gained confidence as the season moved along. An inconsistent shot is the only keeping him from being a big-time scorer. He’ll put up thousands of shots in the offseason in an effort to improve.
G Reger Dowell. His explosiveness off the dribble is as good as anyone in the Big 12. And he has scoring skills. But to be a long-term answer at the point, he needs work as a playmaker. He didn’t have a single assist in the NIT loss to Washington State.
F Darrell Williams. He was just starting to get it, when his season was shut down amid rape charges. His status for 2011-12 is unknown.
F Mike Cobbins. Redshirted this year and needs to add bulk, but everybody around the program believes he’ll be a dynamic player for the Cowboys. And if OSU turns up the tempo next season, he’ll fit right in with that scenario.
G/F LeBryan Nash. All the talent scouts confirm that Nash is a superstar. The big questions appear to be whether he can play hard all the time and how he’ll fit in.
G Cezar Guerrero. Should at least share the point with Dowell, joining the Cowboys as a guy who can score and run an offense. He’ll give the Cowboys a guy who can create offense for himself and teammates.
Who do you like for the starting five? Send me suggestions and an explanation why, either here or at jhelsley@opubco.com.
As always, send me any questions or comments, too.
OSU-Washington State: Five Keys
Marshall Moses would love nothing more than a return to Gallagher-Iba Arena for another Senior sendoff.
By John Helsley
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Oh, boy, another road challenge for the Cowboys.
And way out west, at Washington State, reminding of OSU’s botched trip to Gonzaga earlier this season, a hint of what the Cowboys would become in enemy gyms.
Bad.
This time, however, there are definite carrots dangling out in front.
* A return home to Gallagher-Iba Arena to play Northwestern; not to mention one final fling for OSU’s seniors – Marshall Moses, Matt Pilgrim and Nick Sidorakis – who would relish another Senior Night.
* Extending their NIT run, with that game against Northwestern for a spot in the NIT Final Four in Madison Square Garden. As Matt Pilgrim pointed out, it’s for a ring!
Cowboys coach Travis Ford has wanted this chance, despite OSU’s rocky road record. And he’s not backing off now.
“I think it all goes back to wanting to win, period,” Ford said. “But road games, I’ve always told my teams, are the greatest challenges in all sports. Trying to go onto somebody else’s field or court or whatever it may be is the greatest challenge.
“Any time you go try and win one on the road is rewarding. Obviously, we haven’t done that too well this year.”
Maybe tonight. Late tonight.
If you hoped for a move to the Pac-10 when all that conference flirting was going on, this is a taste of what you’d have for basketball.
Long-distance travel and games past your bedtime, let alone your kid’s bedtime.
How do you like it now?
Can the Cowboys win tonight? Sure.
If they can solve the road.
Five Keys:
1. Road Rage. We’ve discussed this for months now – and again above – but the Cowboys are just a different club on the road. Just look at the Bedlam game in Norman. Maybe they gained something from back-to-back good games in the Big 12 Tournament, on a neutral floor, mind you, although Sprint Center sure looked like Allen Field House East. WSU had just 4,213 in the stands for its opening NIT win over Long Beach State, but expects many more with students back on campus from spring break. If OSU can manage what figures to be a pretty rowdy environment, it’s got a chance.
2. Come Together. Doesn’t it seem like this reduced roster has produced better chemistry? Maybe tightening things up has brought the Cowboys together. But there have been times in the last few weeks when OSU actually looked like decent team. Matt Pilgrim is playing with more passion, and producing. Reger Dowell adds an explosive element at the point. Those wild cards, combined with Keiton Page, Marshall Moses, Jéan-Paul Olukemi, Markel Brown and Nick Sidorakis have given the Cowboys a glossier new look late.
3. Mold Klay. Washington State guard Klay Thompson is the Pac-10’s leading scorer, a legitimate threat who can dominate a game. Who handles him? The Cowboys don’t have anything resembling a lockdown defender, but have had some luck with Brown and Olukemi on athletic guys Thompson’s size. The challenge will be in forcing Thompson into shots he doesn’t want to take.
4. Rely on Reger. The Reger Dowell experiment continues, mostly to positive results. And Dowell is one Cowboy who hasn’t been overwhelmed on the road so far. If he can keep the offense moving, while providing a take-it-to-the-rim threat, everything will run more smoothly. If Page has to handle the point for an extended time, the offense suffers.
5. Get Home. That should read, get home with a purpose. Suddenly, the Cowboys carry a realistic shot of making it to Madison Square Garden. Northwestern’s upset of No. 1-seed Boston College allowed for a quarterfinal home game at Gallagher-Iba Arena – if OSU wins tonight. And at home, inside GIA, the Cowboys would be favored. And let’s not forget, they’ve done well against the so-called “smart” schools this season, already owning wins over Stanford and Harvard. Why not Northwestern, too?
OSU-Harvard: Five Keys
By John Helsley
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The NIT comes to Gallagher-Iba Arena tonight.
Fired up?
Semi-sort of? Yeah, me, too. Not what I was expecting this season. I did think the Cowboys were in for a transition, losing Big Game James Anderson and Obi Muonelo and counting on so many kids. But I thought they’d find a way into the NCAA field.
Didn’t happen, as OSU’s offensive inadequacies made scoring a very difficult endeavor all season long.
So it comes to this. A chance to play on, maybe even get a trip to New York City and a spot in the NIT Final Four, which would be a nice bonus for these Cowboys… if they care.
That’s one of the always obvious questions with the NIT – do the players care? If so, teams can find a purpose in the postseason and make a deep run. If not, if they’re wishing instead for sandy beaches or ski slopes for Spring Break, it usually ends soon. Therein lies the challenge for coach Travis Ford.
Harvard, OSU’s visiting foe in this first-round game, figures to bring it. The Crimson has never been in the NIT and hasn’t made the NCAA Tournament in 65 years.
So this is new. And exciting.
And that’s one thing to watch tonight, when the Cowboys come together at least one more time.
The Five Keys:
OSU's Marshall Moses goes to the basket between Kansas' Josh Selby, left, and Mario Little during the college basketball Big 12 Championship tournament game between Oklahoma State-Kansas in Kansas City, Mo., Thursday, March 10, 2011. Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman
1. Spring Break or Spring Breakthrough? As mentioned above, it’s hard to gauge a team’s interest in the NIT. So right away, check out OSU’s intensity. It should be apparent immediately, or at least through the first sign of adversity. The Cowboys have played hard in recent weeks, even when it looked like some guys might be playing out their careers and the NCAA Tournament went from longshot to no shot. Do they still have that in them?
2. Matching Smarts. Harvard is one of the renowned institutions of higher learning in the land. It’s an honor just to be accepted into school. So academically, the Crimson own a massive edge. But what about basketball IQ? Hasn’t been a strong point of this Cowboys club all season, although it has improved lately. We always assume the smart kids at the smart schools play smart, too. That may be a generalization. We’ll see.
3. Other Matchups. Physically, the Cowboys should hold the edge, with Matt Pilgrim, Jéan-Paul Olukemi, Reger Dowell and Markel Brown getting the athletic checkmark in the matchup box. Forward Keith Wright was the Ivy League MVP and must be accounted for. But the Cowboys should be in good shape if they just play relatively mistake free, and…
4. Don’t Foul. I know, I know, we’ve been spewing this advice for months. But it’s a plague for these Cowboys, who lost all three big men to foul outs in their near-miss against Kansas in the Big 12 Tournament. Foul the Crimson and you’re asking for trouble. Their 81.1 free throw percentage ranks No. 2 nationally. And a march to the foul line is the great equalizer to overcoming a talent disadvantage.
5. Cheap Tickets. With students gone for Spring Break – and certainly some fans, too – it’ll be interesting to see what kind of crowd shows up at Gallagher-Iba Arena. Give athletic director Mike Holder credit for tossing out cheap tickets of $10, $8 and $4, about half what Wichita State is charging.
OSU-Tech: Five Keys
The Cowboys could use a lift from a slumping Jean-Paul Olukemi.
By John Helsley
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The Cowboys have lost four straight and fallen out of NCAA Tournament at-large consideration.
And the tone around the team is taking on a build-for-the-future feel.
And yet, there are still games to be played and things to be accomplished. And that returns to focus today, when OSU hosts Texas Tech at Gallagher-Iba Arena.
Five Keys:
1. Just Win. Sure, the season is a disappointment. But there are opportunities for some feel-good moments ahead, aka, wins. Of OSU’s final three regular season games, all are winnable: Tech today, Baylor at GIA Tuesday and at Oklahoma next Saturday. A few wins would make everyone – players, coaches, fans – feel better.
2. Continue Auditions. Reger Dowell has already made his case for an enhanced role with some solid play in the past two games. And he’ll continue to take the stage. Who else might be ready to step up? Roger Franklin? Jarred Shaw?
3. Make Amends. Among OSU’s disappointing road losses, an overtime setback at Texas Tech might be the most regrettable. If the Cowboys had won there – and they should have – they’d still be holding NCAA Tournament hopes. And, who knows, they might have found something positive to carry into other enemy gyms.
4. Single Out Singletary. Tech has a veteran team with several solid players. They’ve underachieved and it may ultimately cost Pat Knight his job. But the No. 1 item on any scouting report of the Red Raiders is slowing Mike Singletary. That will be key again today, as he’s a difficult matchup because of his strength and athleticism. Expect Jéan-Paul Olukemi or Markel Brown to draw that tough assignment.
5. Polish Up. Hey, it’s not what everyone hoped for, but the NIT is OSU’s next best option. Travis Ford acknowledged, naturally, that the Cowboys would accept a bid. For a young team building for the future, there’s something to be gained from any postseason experience. Barring a total collapse at the end, the Cowboys look like an easy choice for NIT officials. Still, winning at least a couple of games here late would solidify that status.
OSU Hoops: What Now?
Reger Dowell is making a case for more playing time going forward.
By John Helsley
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The Cowboys have lost four straight and by all accounts dropped from NCAA Tournament consideration, confirming the disappointment that has surrounded the program for much of the past two months.
So, what now for OSU, with three regular season games and the Big 12 Tournament remaining?
Five things to watch as the Cowboys finish their stretch run:
1. Recruiting. Travis Ford and his staff are hardly satisfied with how this season has played out. They never expected to contend for a Big 12 title, but they did count on making a strong play for inclusion on the NCAA dance card. Instead, the team has frustrated Ford from the get-go with its inconsistencies and lack of basketball IQ. Ford isn’t sitting still. Incoming super-recruit LeBryan Nash will infuse the team with an elite talent and Ford is looking for more, especially after cutting ties with former commitment Karron Johnson. The Cowboys are looking for a point guard, a shooting guard and help in the post. A new name to the point guard mix: Jeremy Jones, a Juco prospect at Seward Junior College. Academic issues hurt Jones out of high school, but he’s fast becoming a hot target. Along with the Cowboys, Jones is drawing interest from OU, Kansas State, Arizona State, Indiana, North Carolina, Arkansas and others.
2. Personnel Push. We’ve already seen Reger Dowell make a play for a more prominent role with two strong games back-to-back. Now’s the time for that, with Ford watching to see who’s serious about helping the team going forward. He’ll likely get Jarred Shaw and Roger Franklin more playing time, as both will be needed next year.
3. Alternate Postseason. The Cowboys would appear headed for the NIT, or one of the lesser postseason tournaments (CBI/CIT). With a couple of wins, OSU could secure its place in the NIT and make a case for hosting a first-round game.
4. Style Points. With Dowell gaining more and more exposure at the point, it’ll be interesting to see if the Cowboys pick up the pace in these final games. They’ve already made more of an attempt to attack the rim, and that’s one of Dowell’s major strengths. It’s also a style that figures to fit next year’s team, so why not start revving it up now?
5. Body Language. When there’s an emergence of new faces, somebody gets kicked to the curb. Ray Penn has already seen his playing time decrease and the Dowell experiment cuts into his PT further. In the second half at Kansas, Jéan-Paul Olukemi was left on the bench. How will those guys respond? The answers could be revealing on next season.
