ORUalum Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 nice profile....FULL ARTICLE Quote Bill Haisten: Rookie coach Paul Mills strives to restore the pop in ORU’s basketball program ... Among newcomers is freshman guard R.J. Fuqua, who last season drove Booker T. Washington to the Class 6A championship game. During a recent practice session, Mills says, “R.J. was the best player in the gym.” The son of ORU basketball legend Richard Fuqua, R.J. Fuqua probably is in the starting lineup on Friday, when the Golden Eagles open at home against an NAIA opponent (Avila University of Kansas City). ... A constantly vocal, high-energy guy who presides over seriously intense practice sessions, Mills seems to have achieved the ideal relationship with his players. He works them hard, and he critiques their every movement during video study, but they seem to like him. “You won’t get in trouble with coach Mills if you play with effort and energy,” said the 6-foot-9 Owens, who weighed 275 pounds as a freshman but now is down to 250 and in the best shape of his life. “During practice, we have to match his energy. He brings it every day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vcboy2000 Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 Really good article! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUTerry Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theeagleman5 Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 That's a wonderful statement above by Coach Paul Mills......but can he give us some wins???... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUalum Posted November 9, 2017 Author Share Posted November 9, 2017 46 minutes ago, theeagleman5 said: That's a wonderful statement above by Coach Paul Mills......but can he give us some wins???... I thought the same thing. He certainly is checking all the boxes for ORU. Now, the last box to check.......can he coach? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theeagleman5 Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 So far, TheEagleman has to say that Coach Mills seems like a Godsend...the perfect match for ORU and a breath of fresh air after the past few seasons on a losing treadmill of same old same old....this guy seems to have energized the student body and season ticketholders and makes a wonderful impression in the media and apparently the players have bought in....RJ Fuqua just might be the link to the glory days of the past that ORU has needed....but I guess I am just wondering if this guy is really all that....how is it that he toiled in relative obscurity for 14 years at a successful program like Baylor with no other mid majors beating down his door?...just sayin'.....gonna be really interesting to see how we compete next week at TU and OSU....I realize this rebuilding project will take a season or two but TheEagleman surely is fascinated and impressed by what Coach Mills has done thus far....sure hoping the squad shows some promise in front of the Homecoming crowd vs. Avila tomorrow night........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Titan Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 Honeymoons are awesome. Now comes the challenge of meeting life's ups & downs, day after day. Things are gonna get REALLY real, REALLY quick - get yer popcorn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUIsbig Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 Striking quote at the end where the facilities 'looked like we don't even care about basketball'. I know having a new coach gives you the opportunity to open up the pocket book and buy things perhaps you wouldn't for the old coach. But I have to wonder 1) what exactly was so outdated and 2) why weren't these upgrades made previously. I have seen very little of that area so I don't know, but was it really that bad? Didn't we get some upgrades a few years ago? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theeagleman5 Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 Those are GREAT questions, Big...and TheEagleman had the exact same thoughts when I read that....I just for some reason didn't have the courage to put it on the board like you did...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUParentLurker Posted November 10, 2017 Share Posted November 10, 2017 Maybe Bill has unknowable inside info... but I'll be totally shocked if RJ starts at PG after pretty much missing the whole preseason as a true freshman. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EagleManiac Posted November 10, 2017 Share Posted November 10, 2017 11 hours ago, ORUParentLurker said: Maybe Bill has unknowable inside info... but I'll be totally shocked if RJ starts at PG after pretty much missing the whole preseason as a true freshman. RJ must have REALLY surprised some people in his limited practice time or we're very limited at PG, probably the latter. I guess we'll find out tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUParentLurker Posted November 11, 2017 Share Posted November 11, 2017 Well I was wrong and or clueless in a good way. RJ started and looked great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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