Vealy showing potential - Tulsa World (11-17-2006)

[ORUTerry]

Vealy showing potential

By MIKE BROWN World Sports Writer

11/17/2006

His seven 3-pointers in KU win show his increased confidence and maturity.

Marchello Vealy had made only one 3-pointer in his Oral Roberts University career, but the 6-foot-7 sophomore proved in high school that he could shoot the trey.

He did a little of everything in leading Oklahoma City Southeast to back-to-back state titles, including a 27-0 record in his senior season (2004-05).

As unquestioned leader of his team, he often directed traffic more than playing a single position. He scored when necessary, but also set up his teammates. Often, he floated around the perimeter, playing free safety on defense to prevent against the fast break.

And he shot 3-pointers, hitting 45 percent his senior year.

Vealy struggled at ORU in his first collegiate season, showing flashes of brilliance while lacking maturity on and off the floor, coach Scott Sutton said.

He may have grown up Wednesday night in the bright lights and glamor of Allen Fieldhouse during a 78-71 upset of third-ranked Kansas. Or he may have just been feeling good.

"I've always known he was a capable shooter," head coach Scott Sutton said. "We've given him freedom to shoot at the appropriate time. Never would I have dreamed he would 

go 7-of-8 (from 3-point range). But you make your first two or three -- I'm sure that gave him a great deal of confidence -- and you just kind of get in that zone."

Vealy made five treys in a 3:38 first-half span that pushed the Eagles to a 35-25 lead.

"My coach kept telling me to shoot," Vealy said. "Ken (Tutt) kept telling me to shoot, and all my teammates kept telling me to shoot."

He finished with 22 points in support of 6-foot-8 senior Caleb Green, who played so well -- 20 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists, five steals -- that KU head coach Bill Self was ready to anoint him as the eventual Wooden Award recipient as the nation's top collegiate player.

But it was Vealy's performance that had veteran sportswriters shaking their heads and scrambling for a spare ORU media guide.

Who is this guy?

Vealy was the Tulsa World's high school player of the year in 2005 and arguably one of the state's top two prospects, with OU-bound Taylor Griffin.

But he received only limited recruiting interest because he hadn't posted the required scores on the ACT in November when high school players sign early letters of intent.

Vealy was sold on ORU but did not make his intentions known until the following spring. By then, he had posted a 21 on the ACT, his mother told the Tulsa World.

He had a career-high six baskets and 12 points against Southern Utah in February and scored five points with three rebounds against Memphis in the NCAA Tournament. He finished ninth in the Mid-Continent Conference, with 24 blocked shots, most by a Mid-Con freshman in 18 years.

"A lack of maturity is the best way to describe it. Some kids mature at a different rate than others. He needed to grow up a little bit, and I think he's done a good job of doing that," Sutton said.

Sutton complained about the lack of consistent effort by Vealy in preseason drills. But Vealy showed signs in the second exhibition game, posting eight points, eight rebounds, a steal and a blocked shot in an 89-69 win over Central Oklahoma.

He chipped in with two points, four rebounds and a steal in the 68-65 loss at Loyola Marymount to open the regular season.

"I think we knew he had the potential, and we need him because we don't have a deep bench. I don't think Caleb can play 37 minutes every night. It was just a matter of Marchello putting forward effort on a consistent basis, and he's done that for the last few weeks. And of course he was terrific (Wednesday)," Sutton said.