OU offers a high school guard for the late signing period

[OUHoops]

After some twitter stalking by Sam and I, it looks like Lon Kruger was up in New York today watching Mount Vernon guard Isaiah Cousins.

Also, according to a tweet tonight by recruiting analyst Adam Zagoria, it looks like Cousins' coach has confirmed that OU has offered:

Mount Vernon coach Bob Cimmino confirms @HankMiller that Isaiah Cousins offered by Oklahoma, S. Carolina & Xavier today

Cousins is a 6-4, 188-pound guard from Mount Vernon, NY. There's also info out there that says he has offers from Virginia Tech, Iona, Manhattan, Dayton, Hofstra among others.

And in an article by Rivals affilliate NYCHoops.com on March 3, a UConn assistant was also in attendance at a recent game watching Cousins. Pitt is apparently also interested.

 

[OUHoops]

I've seen him listed as both a point guard and a shooting guard, but this latest article from February mentions him as a point guard.

There's a bunch of videos of one of his games on YouTube. Here's the first in the set. He's #11 in blue:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmT83Yt_tpA[/ame]

 

[OUHoops]

Just edited into the original post that Kruger was in New York today watching Cousins. Click here to see a pic someone took with him and posted on twitter.

 

[WTSooner]

Any info on the kid, like is he ranked by anybody? The list of offers is nice, might be a late bloomer. We need all the guard help we can get, IMO.

 

[AdaSooner]

Found a more recent article dated March 3rd, covering Mount Vernon's playoff win over Clarkstown. Cousins led the team with 20 points, 7 rebs and 3 assists.

http://nychoops.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1338714

 

[garyeb2]

Any info on the kid, like is he ranked by anybody? The list of offers is nice, might be a late bloomer. We need all the guard help we can get, IMO.

Apparently he is ranked by Kruger.

 

[atlantasooner]

With OU recruiting a JUCO PF/HS PF and now this HS combo guard.
Does OU have 2 ships for this spring?

 

[Sooner23]

With OU recruiting a JUCO PF/HS PF and now this HS combo guard.
Does OU have 2 ships for this spring?

It certainly looks like it. Someone posted that Skeeter Henry was on the radio last week and said that Jarion was hoping to be at OU for the second semester of the 2012-13 season. So that could be the second ship. Then again, we'd need to hold a ship for Henry for December/January. So in conclusion, I have no idea where the second one comes from. Maybe someone is leaving.

 

[AdaSooner]

It certainly looks like it. Someone posted that Skeeter Henry was on the radio last week and said that Jarion was hoping to be at OU for the second semester of the 2012-13 season. So that could be the second ship. Then again, we'd need to hold a ship for Henry for December/January. So in conclusion, I have no idea where the second one comes from. Maybe someone is leaving.

An article in the Oklahoman still has Henry among the newcomers next year. If so, my math tells me someone on our roster has to be leaving to open up a ship.

It's certainly not like we don't have a candidate or two who would do themselves and everyone else a favor by seeking a transfer. Sorry, just stating the obvious.

 

[WTSooner]

My guess is that if we sign two kids, it means Henry won't be here next year at all.

 

[soonernutt]

My guess is that if we sign two kids, it means Henry won't be here next year at all.

I don't know. Unless somebody has some real information, this is just speculation. One could just as easily say Kruger is going to encourage someone like Arent to transfer out.

 

[WTSooner]

I don't know. Unless somebody has some real information, this is just speculation. One could just as easily say Kruger is going to encourage someone like Arent to transfer out.

Maybe. But there was other information posted a while back about Henry's struggles. How many grade mishaps is he allowed before cutting bait is simply the smart move? He didn't qualify out of HS. He didn't qualify out of prep school. Doesn't sound like a kid that has his head screwed on right to me.

 

[DenverSooner]

I have no idea where the second one comes from. Maybe someone is leaving.

I seroiusly doubt anyone is leaving. Who would leave? Neal is an Oklahoma kid, making good grades and getting playing time. Blair is from Texas and getting playing time (I don't know that Blair is or is not making good grades, I just recall Neal made the All Big XII Academic Team). He is not going to play professionally so getting a degree from OU makes more sense than transfering to a smaller school and getting more playing time.

Cam Clark has started for two years and is pretty local being from Sherman. Everyone else (except Arent) starts and will be seniors. Where is Arent going?

 

[Sooner23]

I seroiusly doubt anyone is leaving. Who would leave? Neal is an Oklahoma kid, making good grades and getting playing time. Blair is from Texas and getting playing time (I don't know that Blair is or is not making good grades, I just recall Neal made the All Big XII Academic Team). He is not going to play professionally so getting a degree from OU makes more sense than transfering to a smaller school and getting more playing time.

Cam Clark has started for two years and is pretty local being from Sherman. Everyone else (except Arent) starts and will be seniors. Where is Arent going?

This type of post gets made about this time every year, and every year someone leaves. It's not outside the realm of possibility.

 

[atlantasooner]

You don't usually recruit guards and forwards if you only have one ship available.
You focus on the position that is the greater need.

Now it is entirely possible that Kruger is going for the "best player available regardless of position" this spring with just one ship.

 

[DenverSooner]

This type of post gets made about this time every year, and every year someone leaves. It's not outside the realm of possibility.

I agree that kids leave but teams also typically have 13 players. OU doesn't. OU has 9 scholarship players: Osby, Fitzgerald, Pledger, M'Baye, Clark, Neal, Blair, Grooms and CJ Washington. Washington is graduating. That means OU only has 8 potential guys to leave and 6 of them will be seniors. I think the odds of someone leaving this year are quite low. With that said, I didn't see Newell leaving so anything is possible.

 

[OUHoops]

Sam says he's heard that UConn has now offered Cousins.

 

[sooner333]

Can Nick Thompson leave again?

 

[SoonerInJersey]

Are we restricted to 12 scholarships this coming year? I thought we took the 1 scholarship hit this year. Or is it a 2 year hit?

 

[AdaSooner]

Are we restricted to 12 scholarships this coming year? I thought we took the 1 scholarship hit this year. Or is it a 2 year hit?

The NCAA accepted OU's self-imposed santions that included a loss of one scholarship in the current season. The probation will continue for one more year after this. But we'll have a full compliment of scholarships (13) next season and beyond.