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08 Recruiting


dchief42

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Other than Rotnei Clarke, Does anyone know what other players we are looking at, or is it too early to tell?

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I'm assuming we're still in on shooting guard Dominique Gaines of Muskogee, who signed with ORU a year ago but didn't meet academic requirements.

I wish I could find the article I read online quoting him as saying how regretful he was of not qualifying, and how much he still wanted to play at ORU.

He tore it up last season at NEO junior collegein Miami, where he will be a sophomore this year.  Since he did not qualify out of high school, he must earn all his juco credits before he can play at the D-1 level, as a junior coming in.

Here's his picture

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We will have four openings in 2008: King, Liberty, Ogunoye and Ehambe.

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ORUAlum posted this back on Valentine's Day - is it what you were looking for, OT?

MHS grad adjusts to life at NEO

By Kenton Brooks

Phoenix Sports Writer

lg

WARNER ? For Dominique Gaines, it?s not Oral Roberts University and Tulsa ? the places he hoped to be after graduating from Muskogee High School last year.

Instead, it?s Northeastern A&M and Miami. That?s quite a bit of difference, but the 6-foot-2 freshman continues to adjust.

?I?m not going to lie. It hurt that I couldn?t go to ORU,? he said. ?But this is just another stepping stone for me to take.?

Gaines, an all-state selection after last season, didn?t qualify academically to enroll at ORU. His ACT score wasn?t high enough to get in, but he?s been working on improving his grades and basketball at NEO.

He scored 10 ? including two free throws with 26.7 seconds left and then getting a steal and layup with 5.5 seconds remaining ? Monday night in NEO?s 61-57 over Connors State at Melvin Self Field House.

Gaines is playing more point guard than he?s had to before in his basketball career.

?The hard part he?s had to experience is coming into our program and there?s a lot of freshmen and we?re just learning as program. He?s had to step into a different role,? NEO coach Dustin Grover said. ?He?s also had to make adjustment how he plays. In high school, it was all about giving him the ball and letting him go score. Dominique isn?t necessarily familiar with point guard and defenses have toughened up in the second half of the season. That takes any younger player time to adjust.?

Gaines hasn?t had any problems with his scoring. He?s averaging 18 points per game and one of his better games was 30 against West Plains College earlier this season.

An All-Phoenix MVP last season, Gaines said playing at NEO has helped him.

?It?s made me more hungry to play,? he said. ?The game?s more fast-paced than high school.

?The best thing has been my teammates. There?s some really cool people on this team.?

While Gaines is optimistic about moving up to the next level after playing his two years at NEO, Grover is equally sure Gaines will take the next step without any problem.

?It?s tough when you have the opportunity to go to a Division I program right out of high school and you don?t get to, that?s obviously a tough blow,? Grover said. ?He?ll be a better player next year than he is today. But he?ll have a good career when he gets out of here.?

Gaines was one of four NEO players in double figures Monday. Tulio Cobos led the Norsemen (12-14) with 13, while Tremaine Luellen had 12 and Reggie Mathis added 10 points.

Wagoner?s John Boyd scored seven points.

http://www.muskogeephoenix.com/sports/l ... ndarystory

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I wonder if we are still looking at Justin Robinson 6'4 SG from Edmond Memorial.  He also didnt qualify academically

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Where did Robinson land? A guy I work with a guy that knew Robinson from coaching AAU a few years ago and was surprised that he did not make grades/scores to qualify. I have not heard anything about Robinson. Not sure that we need another guard, though you always sign the best athlete(s) available. My guess is that we will be looking for some 'big' bodies to replace Ogunoye and King.

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We will have four openings in 2008: King, Liberty, Ogunoye and Ehambe.

With Howard coming in this year as a walk-on, that number could drop to three. If that is the case, Rotnei will probably be the only guard we sign next year. The coaches will probably go after 2 bigs with the other scholarships.

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