OU Basketball Roster as of 3/30/2013

[SoonerTraveler]

As of now, the roster will have five (5) returning scholarship players that played in 2012-13, plus six newcomers. Three of the newcomers were redshirts on the team.

Out: Romero Osby, Steven Pledger, Sam Grooms, Andrew Fitzgerald, Casey Arent, Amath M’Baye

In: Jordan Woodard, Frank Booker, Keshaun Hamilton

2012-13 Redshirts: Ryan Spangler, D.J. Bennett, C.J. Cole

**********

2013-14 Roster (11 Scholarship Players)

Seniors (2 Scholarship Players)
Cameron Clark ... 6-6, 208, G/F ... Sherman, TX (Sherman HS)
Tyler Neal ... 6-7, 229, F ... Oklahoma City (Putnam City West HS)

Juniors (2)
D.J. Bennett ... 6-8, 210, F ... Orland Park, Illinois / Indian Hills CC, Iowa
Keshaun Hamilton ... 6-10, 270, F ... Palatka, FL / Labette (Kan.) CC

Sophomores (4)
Ryan Spangler ... 6-8, 227, F ... Bridge Creek, OK / Gonzaga
Buddy Hield .. 6-3, 199, G .. Wichita, KS (Sunrise Christ. Academy) / Bahamas
Jelon Hornbeak ... 6-3, 180, G ... Arlington, TX (Grace Preparatory Academy)
Isaiah Cousins ... 6-3, 182, G ... Mount Vernon, NY

Freshmen (3)
Jordan Woodard ... 6-0, 170, PG ... Edmond, OK (Memorial HS)
Frank Booker ... 6’4, 185, SG ... Augusta, Georgia
C.J. Cole ... 6-6, 225, F ... Sperry, OK

Walk-on Players
James Fraschilla ... Junior, 5-10,142, G ... Dallas Highland Park
Steve Noworyta ... 6-7, 200, F ... Hainesport, NJ

*****************

Very young in the backcourt.

Backcourt
Buddy Hield ... 6-3, 199, G, Sophomore
Jelon Hornbeak ... 6-3, 180, G, Sophomore
Isaiah Cousins ... 6-3, 182, G, Sophomore
Jordan Woodard ... 6-0, 170, PG, Freshman
Frank Booker ... 6’4, 185, SG, Freshman

Not much D-1 experienced in the post.

Frontcourt
Cameron Clark ... 6-6, 208, G/F, Senior
Tyler Neal ... 6-7, 229, F, Senior
D.J. Bennett ... 6-8, 210, F, Junior
Keshaun Hamilton ... 6-10, 270, F, Junior
Ryan Spangler ... 6-8, 227, F, Sophomore
C.J. Cole ... 6-6, 225, F, Freshman

 

[SoonerTraveler]

It will be very interesting to see:

(1) How much the 5 returning players improve .. Buddy, Je'lon, Isaiah, Cam and Tyler.

(2) Who becomes the best player on the team in 2013-14.

(3) Who becomes the leader on the team.

(4) How good Spangler and Bennett are in their first season playing at OU.

(5) How big of a project is Hamilton. Will he help next year.

(6) If Woodard and Booker make significant contributions as freshman.

(7) If Coach Kruger redshirts somebody next season.

(8) If C.J. Cole will be a pleasant surprise to Sooner fans.

 

[AdaSooner]

It will be very interesting to see:

(1) How much the 5 returning players improve .. Buddy, Je'lon, Isaiah, Cam and Tyler.

(2) Who becomes the best player on the team in 2013-14.

(3) Who becomes the leader on the team.

(4) How good Spangler and Bennett are in their first season playing at OU.

(5) How big of a project is Hamilton. Will he help next year.

(6) If Woodard and Booker make significant contributions as freshman.

(7) If Coach Kruger redshirts somebody next season.

(8) If C.J. Cole will be a pleasant surprise to Sooner fans.

All good questions, Trav! If Kruger does indeed go with the players on the current roster as you have them listed next year, our entire season may depend on the best outcome possible on numbers 1, 4, 5 and 6. It would also be nice if C. J. Cole (#8) turns out to be a pleasant surprise.

IMO, the first in your list will be critical to any success we have. I feel good about predicting that Buddy, Je'lon, Cam and Isiah will be better. I've got my fingers crossed on Tyler.

Spangler and Bennett will have to play a major role in their first season in the C&C. We're going to be in big trouble if they're not up to the task. Project or not, Hamilton may have to be better than expected, too, or our front court depth will be thin at best. Cam can swing to the four, of course. But I wouldn't want to count on Tyler to guard most of the PFs he will have to face next season.

I can't see anyone on the roster sitting out the year with a redshirt. If Kruger does decide to go with eleven eligible players, he's going to need every able body available to make it through the season.

 

[slappy in OP]

Not to be pessimistic, but next year's roster has a LOT of questions to answer. I will be ecstatic if Lon can get us back to the NCAAs and in the upper half of the league. Good luck to the team.

 

[DenverSooner]

Not to be pessimistic, but next year's roster has a LOT of questions to answer. I will be ecstatic if Lon can get us back to the NCAAs and in the upper half of the league. Good luck to the team.

If he does, you have to start to feel pretty confident that he will win with the players he has. If OU wins 20 games next season you have to think that 2014 could be a strong year because the Sooners will return so much of their team.

 

[BoulderSooner]

Clark played almost no 4 in the final 15 games

 

[SoonerTraveler]

If he does, you have to start to feel pretty confident that he will win with the players he has. If OU wins 20 games next season you have to think that 2014 could be a strong year because the Sooners will return so much of their team.

Year three of the Lon Kruger era is coming up. By the end of year four, we should know if Lon Kruger has put the basketball program back onto a solid foundation.

 

[pnkranger]

Years 4 and 5 will look VERY good if Coach can shore up the post and pull in another scorer in next year's class.

 

[CoachTalk]

Year three of the Lon Kruger era is coming up. By the end of year four, we should know if Lon Kruger has put the basketball program back onto a solid foundation.

I think we are back on a solid foundation now. We just went to the ncaa's

 

[MercedeSooner]

We really need some size.

 

[WTSooner]

Clark played almost no 4 in the final 15 games

That had more to do with Hield's injury, and Osby needing to play as much as possible, as anything. Offensively Cam offers nothing at the 3 spot. And against SDS, and perhaps ISU in the Big 12 Tourney, Cam was back to playing the 4.

 

[SoonerTraveler]

I think we are back on a solid foundation now. We just went to the ncaa's

I very much like the way Coach has moved things forward in his first two years. OU basketball is fun again. It is relevant again.

In my view, the foundation is being laid, but it has a ways to go to properly cure and turn solid. I will feel better if we look back in a few years and the Sooners have been to 3 of the last 4 NCAA tournaments, with a 4 or 5 seed in there somewhere (or better).

The foundation will be truly solid when the Sooners are in the Top-25 on a regular basis. If next year's sophomore class develops like I hope, then the future is bright.

 

[garyeb2]

That had more to do with Hield's injury, and Osby needing to play as much as possible, as anything. Offensively Cam offers nothing at the 3 spot. And against SDS, and perhaps ISU in the Big 12 Tourney, Cam was back to playing the 4.

Yes, that is what I saw too. Cam was playing the #4 for the majority of the minutes he was in those two games. And next season I think he will likely get more minutes in that role depending on opponents and matchups.

Whether or not he is worthless at the #3 depends on ones definition of what a #3 is suppose to be. I don't think one has to be a 3 pt. sharp shooter to get along with Kruger from that position. Kruger wants his #3 to be able to take his defender off the dribble. ( I know, Pledger was in that spot and all he could do was shoot. But, that is over now.)

From my observation over the last two seasons. It appears Kruger's main complaint with Cam was that Kruger thinks Cam can take smaller defenders off the dribble. But, he lacked the aggression and will to do it. That shortcoming led Kruger to go with a guy that couldn't do that either. But, was a better shooter.

In the end, if Cam can't or won't play the #3 like Kruger wants it played, next years team could be in a little trouble.

 

[DenverSooner]

In the end, if Cam can't or won't play the #3 like Kruger wants it played, next years team could be in a little trouble.

I am thinking OU starts Woodard, Hornbeak, Hield, Clark and Spangler next season with Clark as a small, quick PF.

Some have said Clark regressed but I would argue in reality he played the 4 as freshman and was pretty good at it. As a sophomore he was asked to play the wing and struggled a bit but was still a valuable player. If I recall correctly in Capel's last season during conference play OU typically started Carl Blair, Stephen Pledger, Cade Davis, Cam Clark and Andrew Fitzgerald.

 

[garyeb2]

I am thinking OU starts Woodard, Hornbeak, Hield, Clark and Spangler next season with Clark as a small, quick PF.

Some have said Clark regressed but I would argue in reality he played the 4 as freshman and was pretty good at it. As a sophomore he was asked to play the wing and struggled a bit but was still a valuable player. If I recall correctly in Capel's last season during conference play OU typically started Carl Blair, Stephen Pledger, Cade Davis, Cam Clark and Andrew Fitzgerald.

Yes, it could go exactly like that. That would be a quick athletic team. But, there is always more than one right way to do anything. Going small doesn't always get the money. They may run into teams and circumstances that they would need Spangler, Bennett, and Cam on the floor together.

All I am saying is that if Cam can't play the #3 like Kruger wants and when he wants. Cam will be in the dog house and the team in a little trouble.

 

[BigTime]

We have the potential to be an improved defensive team next year.

 

[kcsooner]

Why does he only have 11 scholarship players? Why does he not recruit at least 2 more players this year and then save 2 more for next year.

 

[WTSooner]

Why does he only have 11 scholarship players? Why does he not recruit at least 2 more players this year and then save 2 more for next year.

How can he recruit 2 more players, and save more for next year?

There probably aren't two players out there right now that are better than our top 9-10 guys. Maybe one, doubtful there are two.

This is the situation I was talking about a week ago when I said LK was going to build this program back up the right way. A lesser coach would panic, and go and waste two scholarships, thus not allowing the roster ample opportunity to improve with 2014 scholarships. LK won't do that. Even if it hurts us a tiny bit next year, he is thinking long-term (ie, 2, 3, 4 years down the road). He may very well use one, or even both of the scholarships. But if he doesn't it'll be because he stumbled upon talent that he considers worthy of a scholarship at OU. Not b/c he had two openings.

JMO.

 

[kcsooner]

I am not just talking about now, why did he not recruit 2 more quality players in the early recruiting period. He signed 1 high school player.

 

[WTSooner]

I am not just talking about now, why did he not recruit 2 more quality players in the early recruiting period. He signed 1 high school player.

He was probably busy figuring out our true needs. Plus, M'Baye left just last week, in case you've forgotten. Assuming LK didn't know that was a possibility, it's really hard to recruit for that loss in the fall.

LK signed Booker late, b/c he saw that other than Pledger, we struggled from the outside. I suspect, even though he'd never admit it, Cousins' struggles late had him worried. That really isn't a need you can foresee, until you see your freshmen on the court.

We also had both Henry and Elliott, both of whom I have to think LK liked as basketball players, or he wouldn't have recruited them. He probably figured one might not make the grades, but I doubt he thought both wouldn't. Truth is, we really don't know what LK was thinking in regards to recruiting. I don't think with his experience that he simply "dropped the ball" though. We were after quite a few HS kids in the Fall. Unfortunately, we lost out on most of them.