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| | Tuesday, November 2 | |||||||||||||||
COACH AND PROGRAM
JAMES "SCOONIE" PENN (5-10, 185 lbs., SR, PG, #12, 16.9 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 4.3 apg, 2.6 tpg, 2.0 spg, 34.6 minutes, .449 FG, .384 3PT, .741 FT, Salem HS/Salem, Mass.) After sharing Big Ten Player of the Year honors with Michigan State's Mateen Cleaves, Penn decided to return for his senior season with the Buckeyes and promptly earned preseason All-America honors. He would already be in the pros if he hadn't left Boston College when O'Brien did, just after being named MVP of the 1997 Big East Tournament. For that decision, his coaches, teammates and fans should be eternally grateful. No Big Ten newcomer since Earvin Johnson has had as great an impact on a struggling program. Penn averaged 13.2 ppg and 13.1 ppg at BC, then picked up his offensive output when many wondered if there would be enough basketballs in a backcourt tandem with Michael Redd. Instead, they combined to average 36.4 ppg and form one of the two best guard tandems in the country. If the best matchup in the league this season isn't Michigan State-Ohio State, it would be an unscheduled two-on-two game with Cleaves and Morris Peterson playing Penn and Redd. The real battle only occurred once last year, with the Spartans rallying for a 76-71 win in East Lansing. An eagerly awaited rematch in the Big Ten Tournament never took place after the Buckeyes were stunned by Illinois. Yet more often than not, it was "Scoonie-Do" in his OSU debut. Penn gave his team more that statistics. He offered O'Brien's program a huge infusion of personality and leadership. Though his shoulders aren't the biggest in the league, they were big enough to carry a program. Penn was fifth in the conference in scoring, seventh in field-goal percentage, 12th in free-throw accuracy, fourth in assists, third in steals, eighth in three-point shooting and fifth in assist-turnover ratio. The only thing he didn't do was drive the bus on road trips. Drives to the basket were good enough for Penn and the Buckeyes in 1998-99. A short drive west on I-70 to Indianapolis and a repeat visit to the Final Four would be preferable this season. MICHAEL REDD (6-6, 205 lbs., JR, SG, #22, 19.5 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 2.4 apg, 2.5 tpg, 2.4 spg, 34.6 minutes, .466 FG, .341 3PT, .614 FT, West HS/Columbus, Oh.) When Redd stayed home and signed with OSU, no one knew how important that decision would be, even after he averaged 25.7 ppg and shot .630 from the field as a high school senior. In 1997-98, he averaged 21.9 ppg and became the first freshman to lead the Big Ten in scoring. If you consider all the players the league has produced, it was an amazing accomplishment. But Redd was a flawed player, if not a selfish one that season. He was the conference Freshman of the Year, of course, but just a third-team All-Big Ten pick, a strange ranking for the scoring champ. Redd shot .438 from the field, .303 from beyond the arc and .616 at the foul line. He took 550 shots and often seemed to play one-against-five. In his defense, the Buckeyes were so bad at times, his choice was either to shoot or be whistled for shot-clock violations. Redd was better in several ways as a sophomore, although his scoring average dipped by 2.4 ppg. His only real weakness was at the line, where a player of his ability should have made about 25 more shots, with 85 misses. Once he learned to play with Penn, a process that was accelerated up by the Acropolis Cup Tournament in Greece, OSU was off and running literally. Redd was virtually unstoppable in one-on-one situations. One ball proved to be plenty. And Redd's defense was as good as he wanted it to be. It was probably a slight that Redd was only a second-team All-League selection. Redd certainly felt that way. He wanted to make a statement when everyone figured he would face Peterson in an Ohio State-Michigan State Big Ten Tournament Final. Instead, the Buckeyes were ousted in the semifinals, the same spot they would exit the NCAA Tournament. With 1,361 points, look for Redd to become the first junior to join the Big Ten's 2,000-point club. And in the unlikely event Redd chooses to play four seasons of college ball, Calbert Cheaney's conference mark of 2,631 points would be obliterated. KEN JOHNSON (6-11, 225 lbs., SR, C, #32, 6.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 0.2 apg, 1.1 tpg, 2.8 bpg, 26.4 minutes, .521 FG, .486 FT, Henry Ford HS/Detroit, Mich.) No one in the Big Ten had more blocked shots than Johnson's 100 rejections last season. If he had more help up front, he could really be dangerous. Johnson scored just 14.1 ppg as a high school senior and sat out his first season in Columbus. But he picked up some adequate offensive moves after arriving on campus, using his height and mobility to score as OSU's No. 3 option. He also plays the piano and majors in art. But Johnson's sweetest music and prettiest pictures are still the sky swats that energize teammates and fans. He can improve as a rebounder. The danger, though, is always early foul trouble, especially with the lack of frontcourt depth on this team. That means Johnson will have to be smart on defense. He can't take foolish chances on low-percentage plays. If he does, the Buckeyes might not finish second in the league, regardless of what Penn and Redd do. BRIAN BROWN (6-3, 190 lbs., SO, SG, #12, 4.1 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 1.9 apg, 1.7 tpg, 0.8 bpg, 18.8 minutes, .391 FG, .364 3PT, .519 FT, Bishop Loughlin HS/Brooklyn, N.Y.) It was Brown's surprising improvement last season, along with some team deficiencies, which made O'Brien switch starting lineups after the Big Ten Tournament. Brown plays the game with a New York state of mind. And his versatility should allow OSU to use him in multiple roles. He was a winner in high school and showed the same intentions as a freshman, although his shooting percentages will have to improve. They should, with so much attention directed elsewhere. GEORGE REESE (6-7, 230 lbs., SR, PF, #40, 5.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 0.5 apg, 1.4 tpg, 0.6 spg, 19.1 minutes, .420 FG, .593 FT, Independence HS/Columbus, Oh.) Another home-grown product returned to town last season after signing with South Florida, attending Columbus State as a non-athlete for a year and then earning second-team junior college All-America honors at John A. Logan (Ill.) College. Reese had a huge first half at Michigan State but was often invisible. There is a running debate among OSU beat writers about whether Reese can dunk without an unimpeded running start. And his scoring ability from the field and the line are often questioned. But Reese will have every chance to silence his doubters. If he can play strong defense, help Johnson on the boards and not be a huge liability on offense, Reese can help the Buckeyes rule. He doesn't have to be Clark Kent, or even Clark Kellogg, but he needs to be reliable. At his fourth school, Reese should know how to do that.KEY RESERVES SLOBODAN "BOBAN" SAVOVIC (6-6, 230 lbs., SO, G-F, #21, 3.5 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 1.3 apg, 1.2 tpg, 0.7 bpg, 12.3 minutes, .402 FG, .322 3PT, .660 FT, Eastside HS, N.J./Montenegro, Yugoslavia) Savovic has a nice feel for the game, as many Europeans do, and can help this team in many ways. He can hit the long-range shot and hit the open man better than most players his size. Savovic also anticipates well and has a knack for delivering in the clutch. If he can contribute solid defense and improve as a rebounder, he might be big enough to help around the basket. But that's not where Savovic chooses to live. WILL DUDLEY (6-9, 230 lbs., SO, F, #43, 2.3 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 0.2 apg, 0.2 tpg, 6.4 minutes, .667 FG, .500 FT, Bishop Loughlin HS/Brooklyn, N.Y.) Someone has to play inside. Dudley is third in a three-man rotation at two spots, and will have to improve his quickness to be a factor. Dudley averaged 14.5 ppg for a talent-laden team as a high school senior, so there shouldn't be a problem with him hogging the ball. If he can play 15 minutes per game without hurting OSU, it will be huge. If he has to play more than that, the Buckeyes are in trouble. DOYLAN ROBINSON (6-4, 185 lbs., SO, G, #10, 17.8 ppg, 13.1 rpg, 6.0 apg, Buchtel HS/Akron, Oh.) Robinson sat out last season but should make a significant contribution this winter, once the rust disappears. He was Ohio's co-Player of the Year in 1997-98 and led his high school team to a combined 45-5 mark as a junior and senior. If he was four inches taller and could play inside, instead of competing at a crowded position, he would be the perfect Christmas present for O'Brien.OTHER RETURNEES KWADJO STEELE (6-6, 195 lbs., SR, F, #31, 0.7 ppg, 0.9 rpg, 0.2 apg, 13 appearances, North HS/Westerville, Oh.) Steele was a walk-on who stuck with the program through troubled times. He was rewarded with a trip to the Final Four and will be back for more this season. DEVON SMITH (6-0, 175 lbs., SR, G, #24, 0.0 ppg, 10 appearances, Greenbrier East HS/Ronceverte, W.Va.) Like Steele, Smith's big contributions come on the practice team. With all the guards on campus this season, he might not even see the ball in workouts.OTHER NEWCOMERS BRENT DARBY (6-0, 185 lbs., FR, G, #4, 25.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 6.5 apg, River Rouge HS/River Rouge, Mich.) O'Brien has been talking about Darby as a candidate to help immediately. On any other team in the league, he would be a lock for the playing group. And he would start today for some coaches. Hailing from a quality high school program, Darby is more of a scorer than most guards his size. And his crossover dribble should sprain some defenders' ankles before he's through. A team-camp matchup with Lansing, Mich., mega-prospect Marcus Taylor in the summer of 1998 was a classic, with Darby's team winning. Darby needs to be more selective with his shots. But he can learn from Penn and step into a key role next season as an offensive creator and a defensive force. SLOBODAN OEOKOLJIC (6-8, 210 lbs., FR, SF, #34, 18.8 ppg, 8.9 rpg, .429 3PT, Washington HS, Oh./Kraljevo, Yugoslavia) O'Brien likes physical players, although you wouldn't know that from the look of his lineups. OEOKOLJIC (oak-SOAK-a-litch) has decent size but is not considered a bruiser, either. He might be a year away from contributing. But he should be more than a human eye chart.STARTERS NOT RETURNING JASON SINGLETON (6-5, SF, 8.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.0 apg, 2.0 tpg, 1.8 spg, 25.9 minutes, .635 FG, .555 FT) Singleton was one of the Big Ten's best athletes and often looked like he could have been a spectacular wide receiver in football. His leaping ability made him play like someone two or three inches taller. Unfortunately, he also shot that way. Singleton realized his range, or lack thereof, and lived within those limitations as seen by his lofty field-goal percentage. But that couldn't help him at the foul line, where he shot just .464 in his final two seasons. If he had ever developed the offensive skills to match his physical gifts, Singleton would have been an NBA draft pick. And the Buckeyes could have been national champions. Instead, he was strictly a complementary player and a classic "tweener" with the ability to lift any crowd to its feet. Singleton can always say he was part of a team that won 19 more games last season than the year before. For a team-oriented player, it might be the biggest compliment of all. JON SANDERSON (6-7, PF, 5.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 0.8 apg, 0.9 tpg, 0.4 spg, 17.2 minutes, .477 FG, .309 3PT, .614 FT) Sanderson believed O'Brien played him in the wrong position last season. To become a pro, he reasoned, he would have to be a small forward or maybe even a shooting guard, not an undersized power forward. The fact is, his NBA potential was extremely limited at any spot unless his family owned a team. That should have been painfully obvious when he was benched before the NCAA Tournament. His replacement, Brian Brown, gave OSU a quicker unit and a three-guard lineup, exactly the look Sanderson couldn't provide. After five games as a reserve, Sanderson met with O'Brien, seeking some assurances and a little tenderness. Instead, O'Brien said Sanderson should consider transferring if he wasn't happy in Columbus. And Sanderson took him up on that offer, moving on to Ohio University. That same day, the Buckeyes learned Radojevic wouldn't be coming to campus. By then, it was a little too late for Sanderson, even with OSU in serious need of inside players. Sanderson started 58 of 66 games the past two seasons. But after a mandatory redshirt year, he'll follow ex-Buckeye forward Shaun Stonerook in Athens, Ohio. If either wants to complain about their former school, at least they'll know where to turn.OTHERS NOT RETURNING NESHAUN COLEMAN (6-3, G, 4.6 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 0.6 apg, 0.3 tpg, 0.3 spg, 13.1 minutes, .364 FG, .364 3PT, .833 FT) Coleman's career never took off the way it seemed it would at times as a freshman and sophomore. His scoring average dipped from 9.1 ppg to 6.5 ppg to 4.6 ppg in O'Brien's program. And his minutes were more than cut in half from a high of 26.4 per game under Ayers. Coleman always thought he could hit a long jump shot. And he stroked 147 from beyond the three-point line the past four years. But he didn't do enough other things to stay in the game. Eventually, better all-around players took his place. SHAMAR HERRON (6-9, C, 1.1 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 0.0 apg, 0.3 tpg, 0.3 bpg, 5.1 minutes, .385 FG, .250 FT) Herron had a Big Ten body. But, at 255 pounds, he didn't develop in other areas and finally transferred to Eastern Michigan, where he'll sit out this season. The Buckeyes could have used another inside banger as a backup to mainstay Ken Johnson, another Motor City product. Herron was one of two center prospects OSU recruited from Detroit in little more than a year. A success rate of 50 percent isn't bad.QUESTIONS Help on the boards? If Johnson and Reese can't hold their own, Ohio State's defensive pressure needs to create a ton of turnovers. And Johnson must avoid early foul trouble. Free-throw shooting? Can any team go all the way when just one player shoots better than .660 at the line? It can if Penn shoots half the Buckeyes' free throws (instead of just under 20 percent of them). Complacency? It's often harder to maintain success than to attain it. That could be a problem if OSU gets lazy and forgets how it went from comedy act to serious contender.ANSWERS Penn! Any team with a point guard this good has a chance to be playing the first week in April. In an ideal world, he'd lead the Buckeyes into an NCAA first-round matchup with Penn(sylvania). Redd! Ohio State didn't pick its colors to honor its most explosive player. But it might want to think of a way to thank him, whenever his career in Columbus ends. Crowd support! The new $110 million facility isn't as cozy as St. John Arena. But it was loud enough to make the Buckeyes a tough team to visit, however. O'Brien's team was 14-1 at home.
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Conferences ACC Atlantic 10 Big East Big Sky Big South Big Ten Big 12 Big West Colonial Conference USA Independents Ivy League MAAC Mid-American Mid-Continent Mid-Eastern Athletic MCC Missouri Valley Mountain West Northeast Ohio Valley Pac-10 Patriot SEC Southern Southland Sun Belt SWAC TAAC WAC West Coast | |||||||||||||||
