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ORU History


Keenan Henderson

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As I recall, back then in the NAIA, there were no “at-large” bids.  You had to win your conference tournament in order to make the NAIA tournament.  The Sooner Athletic Conference (I think that is what it was called) was the most competitive conference in the NAIA.  

OCC, OCU, OBU, and ORU would probably each have won most other NAIA conference tournaments but only one of them could win the SAC tournament.  I think we won it one year and lost in the finals the other year.  At least one of those years the Mabee Centwr hosted the NAIA national tournament.

Those other good NAIA teams didn’t have as much height, but they had athleticism, quickness, and shooters and they were scrappy.

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3 hours ago, Keenan Henderson said:

Thanks everyone for the posts.  For some of us who are newer to the forum, all this jumping from NAIA and back to D1 in such a short time, now makes sense.  Also it is intersting to see how the school's all time leading scorer, Greg Sutton, helped the Eagles to be a power team in the NAIA.   So from reading these articles did ORU lose in the championship game of the NAIA tournament to OKC or was that just a regional tournament game?  

ORU made it to the elite 8 of the 1990 tourney losing to Georgetown (ky) 80-78.

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58 minutes ago, jmg1984 said:

ORU made it to the elite 8 of the 1990 tourney losing to Georgetown (ky) 80-78.

And lost in the District 9 championship in 91 to eventual champ OCU

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I was at that game in 91.  We took several busses of students down to OKC and it was a packed house and a great environment for the NAIA level.  It was close and we scored plenty of points but just needed a little more defense (very similar to this last year’s team).

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Who was the coach in the NAIA era? I was not involved with ORU basketball back then. I disengaged a bit after the mid 1980’s and got back involved in Self’s 2nd year with the Gill, Walls, McCellen, Kruse, etc. teams. 

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It was the end of Ken Trickey’s second stint with ORU.  Soon after Bill Self took over.

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  • 3 months later...

Vintage Hinson:

 

____________________________________

 

re: Brian Chang

theres-a-name-ive-not-heard-in-many-year

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8 hours ago, ORUalum said:

Vintage Hinson:

I have to admit, I could listen to Barry Hinson's stories all night long.  However, he didn't leave ORU in a better place than when he found it as a HC.

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Who is Brian Chang?

No one by that name listed as an ORU letterwinner in basketball.

He didn’t mean Daniel Chee, did he? 😳

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1 hour ago, Old Titan said:

Who is Brian Chang?

No one by that name listed as an ORU letterwinner in basketball.

He didn’t mean Daniel Chee, did he? 😳

part of Self's first recruiting class....he was hyped as one of the best PGs from the state of California and the first Asian American to sign D1 

there was also a set of twins from Bartlesville and a sharpshooting white guy from Wisconsin....i don't think any of them made it past summer workouts much less to  when the season began.

 

_____________________________________________________

 

Edit:

PREP SIGNINGS : Huntington Beach Guard Chang Signs With Oral Roberts

BY BARBIE LUDOVISE
APRIL 16, 1993 12 AM PT

Bryan Chang, a 6-foot point guard from Huntington Beach High, signed a letter of intent Thursday with Oral Roberts, said his father, Howard.

The elder Chang said Oklahoma State basketball Coach Ed Sutton reviewed a videotape of the Southern California playoff game between Huntington Beach and Los Angeles Crenshaw, and relayed word of Bryan’s abilities to a former assistant, now with Oral Roberts.

“They said they liked that Bryan was a true point guard,” Howard Chang said. “They said they were impressed by his quickness and nimbleness.”

Chang, who averaged 9.8 points, was an All-Sunset League second-team selection.

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9 hours ago, ORUalum said:

part of Self's first recruiting class....he was hyped as one of the best PGs from the state of California and the first Asian American to sign D1 

there was also a set of twins from Bartlesville and a sharpshooting white guy from Wisconsin....i don't think any of them made it past summer workouts much less to  when the season began.

 

He's listed on the final stats for 93'-'94, but with no numbers.  Looks like he may have redshirted before moving on? 

Untitled 3.jpeg

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how about that list of names....i think the Self guys were Crenshaw, Fields, Morrissey, Chang, with walk ons McClellan and Sorrett

_____________________

Self's Phone Just Keeps On Ringing

John Rohde
 

Bill Self used to be able to return phone calls promptly, within hours, sometimes within minutes.

But no more.

Self's biggest adjustment since becoming Oral Roberts University's basketball coach?

"All the phone calls," he said Monday morning.

It took roughly 170 hours for Self to return this initial phone message. "Was it that long? Sorry, (the message) must have got lost in the shuffle," he said.

When ORU hired Self on March 8, the former Oklahoma State assistant said he averaged 80-100 phone messages per day. That number is now down to 40-50.

Some people still call to offer congratulations. Others call to wish him well. Most phone calls, however, concern recruiting.

Self didn't actually take office until March 22, the day after Louisville eliminated OSU from this year's NCAA Tournament.

Despite a late start in the non-stop world of recruiting, Self has revamped his roster trying to overcome the fallout of last year's 5-22 disaster (the worst season ever at ORU).

He signed twin forwards Gerard and Jerome Harris from Bartlesville High School, guard Bryan Chang from Huntington Beach (Calif.) High and Kenny Meyers, a 6-8 guard from Baker, La., ranked as the 94th best prep prospect in the nation by Basketball Times.

Clifford Crenshaw, a 6-4 forward from Edmond High, chose ORU over Kansas State.

Raymond Roberts, a 6-1 forward from Bartlesville who originally signed with Texas Christian, has decided to transfer to ORU but won't become eligible until the 1994-95 season.

Self still hopes to sign a center.

With only four scholarships available, simple arithmetic reveals two, perhaps three, members of last year's team are about to lose their scholarships.

"I've had to tell a couple kids we're going in a different direction and our plans don't include them," Self said. "It's no fun (taking away a scholarship), I'll tell you that. It's just a business decision. " Self's revamped roster definitely has an Oklahoma flavor, which is by design.

"I want to build with Oklahoma players, from high schools and junior colleges," the 30-year-old Self said. "We've missed out on some juco players this year. " So far, his former boss is impressed. "I think he's done a good job recruiting," OSU coach Eddie Sutton said. "Those are nice players he's got. He's gone about things in the proper manner. " There are other chores during Self's average 16-hour workday.

He's also recruiting coaches. Later this week, he plans to name his assistant and limited-earnings coaches. (The day he was hired, Self chose Barry Hinson of Tulsa Kelly High School as his No. 1 assistant.) Away from the office, things are just as hectic.

- He's full-swing into speaking engagements, promoting the program. "We've got to get some people in the stands," Self said.

- He's trying to finalize the 1993-94 schedule. OSU and OU are possibilities, but Self needs a home game. "Hopefully, we'll be able to work something out," he said.

- His wife, Cindy, already has sold their home in Stillwater. "She sold it without a Realtor, which is pretty impressive," Self said.

"Then about three weeks ago we found out she's pregnant, which is even more impressive. " - Self is living in a hotel room near campus while his new home in Tulsa is being renovated.

Has Self been overwhelmed?

"Just by the phone calls," he said. BIOG: NAME:

Archive ID: 539307

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Funny how time changes things.....Coach Self now spends most of his time writing out checks to prospective 5 star recruits........😜

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  • 2 weeks later...

Bill Haisten: 25 years ago – Bill Self’s unexpected and life-changing move from ORU to Tulsa

 

https://tulsaworld.com/sports/college/tu/bill-haisten-25-years-ago-bill-self-s-unexpected-and-life-changing-move-from-oru/article_e35d4c66-0c52-11ed-b93a-8714fb150854.html#tracking-source=article-related-bottom

 

Quote

The next day, he was on the TU campus for an interview with then-Hurricane athletic director Judy MacLeod. Two days after that, Self was introduced as Tulsa’s head coach.

 

“The timing was bad,” Self said on Monday. “I didn’t want to leave ORU just yet because Tim (Gill) and Rocky (Walls) were going to be seniors, but I couldn’t say no to Tulsa.

 

“The process didn’t take very long. It was an emotional time. Believe me — it was very difficult to leave ORU. We loved ORU.”

....

As ORU’s first-year, first-time head coach in 1993-94, Self was paid $60,000. By the end of his four-year run — during which the Golden Eagles got measurably better each season — he was making $90,000.

 

At the University of Tulsa, he more than doubled his money with a starting compensation figure of slightly more than $200,000. At Kansas, his current pay amounts to $5.4 million per season.

 

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Bill Self is aptly named....that's who he always thinks about SELF......he could have said NO to Tulsa.....but with him money always talks.......his timing was Bad???  Ya Think??......eh....it was almost 30 years ago.....TheEagleman will move on.......too much time we have wasted on the way......which is a great CSN song by the way......😎

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30 minutes ago, theeagleman5 said:

Bill Self is aptly named....that's who he always thinks about SELF......he could have said NO to Tulsa.....but with him money always talks.......his timing was Bad???  Ya Think??......eh....it was almost 30 years ago.....TheEagleman will move on.......too much time we have wasted on the way......which is a great song by the way......😎

CS&N Summer 1982!🎶🎼

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