18. Oklahoma
Following last year’s act in Norman isn’t going to be easy. The Sooners won 30 games - third most in program history - and made an appearance in the Elite Eight. Making things even more difficult will be the departure of the Griffin brothers to the NBA (you may have heard of Blake) and senior guard Anthony Johnson who graduated. Still, there is reason to be optimistic in Oklahoma thanks to the return of a pair of standouts from last season’s squad and a Willie Warren top flight recruiting class that features several players who will make an instant impact in the Big 12.
The OU backcourt will be brimming with energetic young talent, beginning with sophomore Willie Warren who would have been a first round selection had he opted for the NBA Draft. The scary thing about the 6-4 guards game is that he tends to excel as a scorer in nearly every offensive scenario, proving to be most effective in transition and isolation situations where he can take advantage of his tremendous athleticism and excellent first step. Warren, though not a deadly three-point shooter, shot a very respectable 37-percent and showed he can light it up from time to time beyond the arc, like the 7-for-11 performance he dropped on Arkansas. Tony Crocker will be back for his senior year and will need to become a more consistent scorer this season in order to help fill the void left by the three departed contributors from last year. The 6-6 two-guard played his best basketball during the month of December before seeing his production take a dip in the new year. He did however show some impressive flashes late in the season, including a 28-point explosion against Syracuse in the Sweet Sixteen. The Sooners will get some added firepower to join their two veterans with the arrival of All-American Tommy Mason-Griffin and sharpshooter Steven Pledger. Mason-Griffin is an excellent point guard, possessing a solid build, great court vision and strong handles that will make him a perfect running mate for Warren when those two are on the court together. Pledger will help to stretch defenses given his 6-6 frame and extensive range that reaches well beyond the three-point line.
All of the questions in Oklahoma will center around the frontcourt, where the loss of Blake Griffin will certainly be a tough one to fill immediately, but head coach Jeff Capel signed a pair of capable replacements. Arguably the most intriguing recruit in the Big 12 this season, Keith Gallon will be the player expected to step into the role that was held by the number one overall pick in the NBA Draft this past June. The Oak Hill product is a tantalizing combination of size and skill, standing 6-9 and weighing 290 pounds, but having the quickness and range to operate on the perimeter when faced with slower big men. While it might be a lot to ask of the freshman to post the kind of numbers that Griffin did last season (22.7 ppg and 14.4 rpg) he certainly has the potential to emerge as an top flight player in the conference in his first season. Joining him inside will be another wide body in Brewster Academy’s Andrew Fitzgerald, a 6-8 240-pound power forward with a fantastic post up game. He isn’t a stellar athlete, but in situations where Gallon can help pull a defender to the outside, that should give Fitzgerald the room to operate in an isolated post up situation.
Sooner fans shouldn’t necessarily be banking on another 30-win season in 2010, but the loss of Blake Griffin doesn’t spell a rebuilding season either. Capel and co. have reloaded and will once again be one of the better teams in the Big 12 and will find themselves competing in March again.
attillo!
