Andrew Fitzgerald...

[elmocarp]

One of my best friends is from New Hampshire and his brother is actually a high school basketball coach up there. Anyway, we get together for MNF every week, and like clockwork, every week he is pumping me for info on how Drew is doing. He says his brother is borderline obsessed with Fitzgerald, that he thinks he is one of those guys that was born to play college basketball. Seriously, he goes on and on about how he believes we get so caught up in the qualities players need to get to the NBA that we forget that the college game really is a very different game.

The comparison he keeps relaying to me about Drew is Lonnie Baxter. Says he is just a guy who knows how to play and produce and no matter who he is going up against, he is going to be able to get his. The line he gave me this week is the one I liked the most...he said that Drew is one of those guys that plays hard instinctively. By that, he means that playing hard isn't something that Drew has to will himself to do, its hard-wired into his game.

Anyway, I really could go on and on with the stuff he tells me about him. Maybe I have just let my guard down after a couple months of hearing about it, but I think we are all sleeping at least a little bit on Drew. I can't wait to see what type of contribution he makes this season. If Capel has hit on Fitz and Pledger as much as some of us suspect, then the program is in great shape for a while.

Hope this post doesn't sound too sunshiny, but I had to finally share all the good vibes I've been getting.

 

[MNsooner]

If Capel has hit on Fitz and Pledger as much as some of us suspect, then the program is in great shape for a while.

These two and TMG for four years will do so much for sustaining our program. I really hope your friend is right.

 

[AdaSooner]

Drew has been my pick to take over the other post position for sometime. I don't believe he will start to begin the season, but IMO, his toughness, work ethic and ability to do work inside as well as face up and hit shots from 17 feet and in will be difficult for the other two post players to overcome. Like you friend in New Hampshire, I see something special in this kid.

With two MickeyD All-Americans in last year's recruiting class, it's easy to forget that Drew Fitzgerald was a pretty good player in his own right. He worked (and played) himself from a virtual unknown to a nationally ranked player who earned several impressive honors, playing against solid competition at Brewster Academy. As a reminder for everyone about what he accomplished last season, here's his bio:

"A four-star recruit according to Rivals.com and Scout.com ... Ranked No. 68 overall by ESPN.com, No. 70 by Rivals.com and No. 85 by Scout.com ... Regarded as No. 9 center in 2009 recruiting class by Rivals.com ... Averaged 22.5 points and 8.0 rebounds per game in 2008-09 at Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, N.H. ... Earned first-team national prep school All-America honors ... Also named to National Prep School Invitational All-Tournament Team ... Helped Bobcats to a 22-12 record and final No. 4 national prep school ranking ... Participated in Reebok All-American Game in April ... Coached at Brewster by Jason Smith ... Also attended Owings Mills (Md.) High School where he averaged 21.0 points, 18.0 rebounds and 5.0 blocks per game as a junior ... Led Owings Mills to Class 1A North Region state finals (lost in three overtimes)."

 

[Sooner23]

If he turns into Lonnie Baxter, then he will be a hell of a player for us.

 

[gracefor24]

If he turns into Lonnie Baxter, then he will be a hell of a player for us.

No kidding, that guy was a beast in college, and ended up being decent in the NBA for a couple years.

 

[soonerborn77]

I agree, we need these guys who just want to play solid basketball in college and do the little things to win. If we get a big guy like Drew to be like that, then we are in great shape. He's the type of guy who sounds like he will run up and down the court and be a manchild on the glass.

I'm EXCITED!!!!

 

[elmocarp]

Drew has been my pick to take over the other post position for sometime. I don't believe he will start to begin the season, but IMO, his toughness, work ethic and ability to do work inside as well as face up and hit shots from 17 feet and in will be difficult for the other two post players to overcome. Like you friend in New Hampshire, I see something special in this kid.

With two MickeyD All-Americans in last year's recruiting class, it's easy to forget that Drew Fitzgerald was a pretty good player in his own right. He worked (and played) himself from a virtual unknown to a nationally ranked player who earned several impressive honors, playing against solid competition at Brewster Academy. As a reminder for everyone about what he accomplished last season, here's his bio:

"A four-star recruit according to Rivals.com and Scout.com ... Ranked No. 68 overall by ESPN.com, No. 70 by Rivals.com and No. 85 by Scout.com ... Regarded as No. 9 center in 2009 recruiting class by Rivals.com ... Averaged 22.5 points and 8.0 rebounds per game in 2008-09 at Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, N.H. ... Earned first-team national prep school All-America honors ... Also named to National Prep School Invitational All-Tournament Team ... Helped Bobcats to a 22-12 record and final No. 4 national prep school ranking ... Participated in Reebok All-American Game in April ... Coached at Brewster by Jason Smith ... Also attended Owings Mills (Md.) High School where he averaged 21.0 points, 18.0 rebounds and 5.0 blocks per game as a junior ... Led Owings Mills to Class 1A North Region state finals (lost in three overtimes)."

That 22 and 8 is pretty impressive playing for Brewster, especially considering he was sharing the paint with Thomas Robinson who went for 16 and 13 himself.

 

[thebigabd]

That 22 and 8 is pretty impressive playing for Brewster, especially considering he was sharing the paint with Thomas Robinson who went for 16 and 13 himself.

Very impressive, actually. He played with Givon Crump (Baylor), Melvin Ejim (Iowa State), and Thomas Robinson (Kansas).

 

[elmocarp]

Very impressive, actually. He played with Givon Crump (Baylor), Melvin Ejim (Iowa State), and Thomas Robinson (Kansas).

Great point abd...people seem to always want to talk about level of competition as it regards to opponents, but I've always felt that the way a guy stacks up on his high school and AAU teams says a lot about him as well. To be the top producer on a team loaded with D1 players says more to me then producing for a weak squad against good players (hope that made sense).

 

[MNsooner]

Great point abd...people seem to always want to talk about level of competition as it regards to opponents, but I've always felt that the way a guy stacks up on his high school and AAU teams says a lot about him as well. To be the top producer on a team loaded with D1 players says more to me then producing for a weak squad against good players (hope that made sense).

Definitely true. Especially with a guy like drew whose stats aren't going to be inflated by an offense built around him or by taking a ton of shots. If he is producing like that while still having to share so many touches to to other D1 quality guys then he must have been pretty efficient.

 

[AdaSooner]

Great point abd...people seem to always want to talk about level of competition as it regards to opponents, but I've always felt that the way a guy stacks up on his high school and AAU teams says a lot about him as well. To be the top producer on a team loaded with D1 players says more to me then producing for a weak squad against good players (hope that made sense).

Makes perfectly good sense to me, Elmo. Drew put up some impressive numbers competing against, and with, players who were good enough to earn scholarships to major universities. That has to count for something.

The same is true of Steven Pledger. One has to believe that competing at a high level in the prep school ranks and in AAU ball has prepared Steven and Drew very well for what they will face as Sooners this season. I believe fans are going to be pleasantly surprised by how good they are.

 

[OKURanger]

Makes perfectly good sense to me, Elmo. Drew put up some impressive numbers competing against, and with, players who were good enough to earn scholarships to major universities. That has to count for something.

The same is true of Steven Pledger. One has to believe that competing at a high level in the prep school ranks and in AAU ball has prepared Steven and Drew very well for what they will face as Sooners this season. I believe fans are going to be pleasantly surprised by how good they are.

Great points Ada and Elmo. Something else that I like about Drew and Steven is that they produced on championship quality teams--teams that were loaded with talent. They will know how to find their productive role at OU without having to worry about being "the man" since they already understand how to be a team-first player.

 

[DenverSooner]

Very impressive, actually. He played with Givon Crump (Baylor), Melvin Ejim (Iowa State), and Thomas Robinson (Kansas).

How can one high school team have so much talent? I seriously don't recall a kid taller than 6'5" in my high school. I also don't think more than a handful of kids played d-1 sports plus or minus a few years of me and I went to a big high school (Edmond pre-split). Those guys are all going to Big XII schools that is a high level of D-1.

 

[Seymore Cox]

Very impressive, actually. He played with Givon Crump (Baylor), Melvin Ejim (Iowa State), and Thomas Robinson (Kansas).

They recruit. This year they have Will Barton along with Richard Peters

 

[FaithfulSooner]

Drew and Bird will be wonderful four year players that every college team has to have to be successful. I can't wait to see both of them in game time situations. Drew has a big heart that our fans will love because of the effort that he plays with. Same thing for Bird. It's going to be fun watching these two young men for the next few years. BOOMER SOONER BABY!!!:clap

 

[Cheno]

Great thread and posts....I second everything...I think Fitz and Pledger are both sleepers and could be key 4 year guys in the program. Glue guys that every program needs. Two great gets IMO.

 

[thebigabd]

They recruit. This year they have Will Barton along with Richard Peters

I take it they are allowed to recruit? I don't know much about prep school athletic programs but I would guess they are allowed to recruit because teams like Brewster, Oak Hill, Laurinberg, and others have entire rosters of D-1 players.