Tilting at Windmills

OU signee Andrew Fitzgerald, the Top 100 recruit out of Brewster Academy in New Hampshire, has been selected to play in the Reebok All-American game in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, April 18th. The roster seems to be the next group of elite players not selected to the McDonald’s game or Jordan All American game, the players are all in the 30 to 60 ranking range by most services. Hopefully this game will be on TV, so we will have more coverage on OU’s great class.

Here’s some AAU footage of Fitzgerald:

In other recruiting news …

Keith Gallon’s Oak Hill team was on ESPN Sunday playing Findlay Prep from Ohio for the National Invitational Title. Watching Oak Hill is pretty frustrating, at first you wonder why Gallon is patrolling the perimeter until you realize that’s the only way he’s getting the basketball. His guards never look for him in the post, and when they do they have no idea how to make a post entry pass. Therefore, Gallon is forced to patrol the perimeter on offense looking for the ball to hit his NBA range 3 point game. When Gallon did get the ball on the blocks he was pretty much unstoppable. He showed again a variety of moves, soft hands, and the ability to handle basketball. Even in a game where Oak Hill guards didn’t really get him the ball, Gallon ended up with 18 points and 15 rebounds.

Looks like Daniel Orton is waiting to see what Demarcus Cousins’ next move is. If Cousins follows Calipari to Kentucky, then Orton will probably reopen recruiting. Course, you have to wonder if Memphis can keep Xavier Henry then will they be able to make a run at Orton as well?

Marcus Jordan has verbaled to UCF. I’m not sure what OU’s level of interest really was. 

Memphis has hired Josh Pastner as their coach. Pastner was the principle AAU recruiter for Arizona and followed that role to Memphis. Already there are rumors that Pastner will hire Carl Henry, Xavier’s dad, in some staff capacity such as Director of Basketball Operations. This hire would primarily be to keep Xavier at Memphis. I’m not sure if Kansas can/would match this job offer to Xavier’s dad. And before KU fans cry foul, let’s not forget KU hiring Danny Manning’s dad.  

OU Basketball Recruiting Wrapup:

I’m going to try and write up a Basketball Class review similar to the Football one that I wrote up.

Center/Power Forward

OU needed to sign a replacement ahead of Blake Griffin bolting to the NBA, and appeared to be in the running for 6-10, OKC Bishop McGuinness post Daniel Orton. However, when Orton chose Kentucky, OU appeared to lose their best chance to replace Griffin. Apparently, Capel was ready for this setback and had Houston native Keith “Tiny” Gallon next in line, who weighed as much as 360 during his junior year at prep powerhouse Oak Hill Academy. Apparently after a come to Jesus meeting with his coaches at Oak Hill, Keith, or “Tiny” as he likes to be called, dedicated himself to his conditioning and his game. Tiny dropped 40+ pounds and by this summer was dominating on the Houston Hoops AAU team. Helping OU with Tiny was his AAU PG was Tommy Mason-Griffin. It didn’t hurt OU either that Tiny was good friends with Willie Warren. Gallon faxed his letter of intent on almost the very last day of fall signing day period. Gallon has continued the weight loss/conditioning improvement and has had a dominant senior year to be named a McDonald’s All American and move into the top 30 players in the nation.

Tiny will be an immediate impact player.

OU’s first inside player signee was a verbal from almost two years ago, Kyle Hardrick. Hardrick as a HS freshman was projected as one of the top players in the nation, Hardrick also was projected to be 6-11 or 7-0. Two years and one bad knee injury later, Hardrick is still 6-7. Hardrick is a good defender and solid rebounder but doesn’t appear to have the game or speed to be a 3. The final post signee is Andrew Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald was very much a surprise recruit. He literally visited and verbaled before anyone really knew that OU was recruiting him. Fitzgerald has had a great senior year on a loaded prep school team. He will be a great post partner for Gallon inside.  

Keith Gallon, 6-9, 280, Mouth of Wilson, VA Oak Hill Academy
Andrew Fitzgerald, 6-9, 250, Wolfboro, NH Brewster Academy
Kyle Hardrick, 6-7, 230, OKC, OK Putnam City HS

Quality Grade: A (Gallon is almost a 5 star, Fitzgerald is a 4 star, and Hardrick is still ranked in the top 150 by one serivce)
Quantity Grade: A (two elite post players including perhaps a go to post scorer to replace Blake)

Point Guard

This has been the weakest area of Capel’s recruiting to date. Starting with not being able to keep Scottie Reynolds to losing John Roberson in the pursuit of Jai Lucas to the fast departure of Tony Neysmith, the PG spot has been a huge weakness of Capel’s first 3 squads. That’s all changed with the signing of Houston Madison’s Tommy Mason-Griffin. Tommy originally verbaled to LSU, but their coaching change last year put him back on the market. OU was able to lock him up in late summer, and he’s been the PG that Capel has needed. Tommy is a McDonald’s All American and ranked as high as 23 by Scout and he was just named the Gatorade player of the year for Texas. Comparisons on Griffin would be DJ Augustin from Texas or Ty Lawson from UNC. 

Tommy Mason-Griffin 5-11, 200, Houston, TX Madison HS

Quality Grade: A+
Quantity Grade: A (would like to see Jeff sign an elite PG every other year)

TMG can hit the three as well as create off the dribble.

Shooting Guard/Wing

Capel reached back to his Virginia recruiting roots to sign Steven Pledger from Chesapeake, Virginia. Pledger had a great AAU summer campaign where he showed an improved attack the rim game to go along with an elite 3-point shooting touch (almost .500 shooting percentage from 3). Pledger ranked in the top 100 players nationally by ESPN, and considering OU’s woes 3-point shooting is a definite threat to play next year.

Steven Pledger 6-4, 195 Chesapeake, VA Atlantic Shores HS

Quality Grade: A (4 star Top 100 player)
Quantity Grade: B+ (Be nice to have another tall swing forward, less of an issue if Ray Willis can improve in his 2nd year)

Class Summary

What can you say about a class with two McDonald’s All Americans and two additional Top 100 players. It’s a great class. ESPN ranks it in their Top Five and Scout has it in their Top 10. Either way, it puts OU in the rankings category with Memphis and North Carolina. The class also keeps OU on pace with Texas and Kansas who both have Top 10 type classes as well. I’ll bestunned if it doesn’t generate two instant starters in Griffin and Gallon at PG and Center, respectively. In addition, I’d project that Pledger and Fitzgerald provide quality depth off the bench at SG and PF. Long term, Gallon and Griffin could have the same kind of impact on OU as Blake and WW (as well as NBA potential), while Pledger and Fitzgerald are the type of 4 year talents that help build programs. 

Overall Class Grade: A
Quantity Grade: A