Re: Rotnei Clarke

[Bogus Smith]

Haven't seen anything yet about RC's trip to Stillwater this weekend.  After this weekend, it should be decision/commitment time. 

It's UA, OSU and ORU in the final heat.  Is there a wildcard team still in the mix after taking the official visits that RC would still entertain?  UK?  KU?  Whatever happens, RC will have done his "due diligence" and made an informed decision.  I, for one, will be happy for him regardless of the decision (happier if the decision is ORU, but happy nonetheless).

[Ting]

there was a mention of it in yesterday's tulsa world under the OSU homecoming section. It also mentioned some other players that were visiting OSU this weekend. Chris Babb was not mentioned in the blurb.

[ashVID]

I think the only wildcard would be him re-opening his recruiting to wait for a spring commitment. I dont think this is very likely but I think it is more likely than him going outside ORU, OSU or Ark.

ash  =o)

[Bogus Smith]

OSU Basketball: OSU totally positive

by: BILL HAISTEN World Sports Writer

10/20/2007

Link

Nearly 11,000 celebrate homecoming bash at Gallagher-Iba Arena.

excerpts include:

STILLWATER -- Oklahoma State conducted its "Homecoming and Hoops" celebration on Friday night at Gallagher-Iba Arena.

There were 3-point contests. There was a Napoleon Dynamite look-alike. Verdigris' Rotnei Clarke and Pawnee's Keiton Page were among seven recruits seated at courtside. Cowboy sophomore guard Obi Muonelo squeezed off three rounds from Pistol Pete's registered handgun.

Clarke and Page are making official visits to the OSU campus this weekend. Also visiting OSU are five other recruits: Dee Proby (Angelina College in Texas), Roger Franklin (Duncanville, Texas), Daniel Orton (Oklahoma City McGuinness), Lebryan Nash (Dallas Lincoln) and Joey Brooks (Houston Strait Jesuit).

Page is the only one of the visiting recruits who has announced a commitment to OSU.

After midnight, when the fans had exited the arena, Clarke and Page launched a few dozen 3-pointers at the Gallagher-Iba Arena rims. Both connected on a high percentage of their shots.

[ORUTerry]

Story on Scout.com (GoPokes) about the OSU basketball bash and Rotnei Clarke.....

Seven Recruits Attend Homecoming and Hoops

By Terry Tush

Posted Oct 20, 2007

excerpt:

STILLWATER ? Gallagher-Iba Arena was rocking Friday night as seven potential future Cowboys watched from the sidelines during Homecoming and Hoops activities. Three OSU targets for the upcoming Class of 2008 were courtside ? Rotnei Clarke, Keiton Page and Dee Proby ? as an estimated 11,000 Cowboy fans gave them an indication of why GIA is known as the "rowdiest arena in the nation."

Link

[Old Titan]

For all those who seem to think Rotnei Clarke is a slam-dunk for ORU, here's a little something to (as usual) balance the scales.  It's excerpted from an article on OStateIllustrated.com by Reed Coldiron:

In our initial effort to get in contact with Verdigris High School sharpshooter Rotnei Clarke, we got a hold of his father who attended the official visit to OSU with his son.

"Yeah, he had a great trip," said the elder Clarke. "He had a great time, everything went great, and he got to hang around one of his best friends in Keiton Page who he hadn't seen in a long time and everything went fantastic. He really enjoyed himself."

Does he still have the same list of favorites that has been circulating as of late?

"You can get it from him but it is ORU, OSU, and Arkansas that are his final three," he said.

We were then able to talk with the four-star prospect himself and he...confirmed what his father had alluded to earlier in that the Golden Eagles, Cowboys, and Razorbacks are still his final three schools.

"Yeah that's my last three for now," he stated. "I'd say right now they are all on the same level."

Now that he has had a chance to see all of the programs up close, what is it that will be the determining factors in where Clarke ultimately chooses to go to school?

"It mainly comes down to the coaching staff and how well I have a relationship with them and how well I trust them. Those three that I have left are where I feel are the places I need to be and I feel like God could want me at either one of those three. I will base my decision on the fact that I believe God has a purpose for me and he is going to have a will for me and a plan for me and those three are places I can see myself going and places I can see myself fitting in. Having a trustworthy coaching staff is a big key to all that," he said.

Are there any other influential aspects that he will pay attention to?

"Probably just the playing style and if I fit it, my teammates in who I'm going to be playing with, the coaching staff, religious background, things like that. That's about it because everything now is pretty close to home so I don't really have to worry about that but that pretty much covers all of it," stated Clarke.

Clarke then elaborated on the style of play that he feels best suits his game along with what he feels he can bring to the division one level.

"I think the style of play I fit best in is the run and gun, which is get it up and down the floor fast and a guard momentum type stuff and that's the stuff I like to do so that fits me pretty well. The [best] thing I think as much as anything that I have is the ability of running the point guard or the shooting guard positions and I feel comfortable at either spot. I create a unique thing at both spots to where I think it is a good advantage for me being able to run either spot because that makes a better chance of me of having more playing time wherever I'm at," he noted.

Lastly, does he know when he would like to make his final choice?

"I want to make a decision as soon as possible," he said. "I want to try to do it before basketball season but if not then I'm not going to push myself and I'm going to be patient with it and make sure that I make the right decision for myself and my family."

Sounds like he had a great time in Stillwater, and really likes the Pokes.

And the Razorbacks.

And ORU.

Rotnei really can't go wrong with any of those three choices, for reasons that have been stated ad nauseum. 

Whatever he does, I truly wish him and his family well...

[tmh8286]

I like the orange colored text, OT.  Nice touch.

[OKC Eagle]

Scott Sutton just announced that ORU will switch to the "run and gun" starting in 2008.

Seriously though, "run and gun" does not exactly describe OSU or any Big 12 (the 12 standing for average points scored per 10 minutes) team.  Does Arkansas run?

[djenkins13]

ORU does a good job of pushing the ball up and getting into their offense. I am sure they will push the ball more this year and take good shots out of the early offense with no Caleb around.

[Old Titan]

Scott Sutton just announced that ORU will switch to the "run and gun" starting in 2008.

Seriously though, "run and gun" does not exactly describe OSU or any Big 12 (the 12 standing for average points scored per 10 minutes) team.  Does Arkansas run?

Scott Sutton's ORU teams have typically averaged around 75 points a game, and were among the national leaders in scoring in '03-'04 at 80.9 points a game.

Last year's 71.8 average was a 6-year low, but it was countered by our third straight year of holding opponents under 70 points a game.  At 64.9 points per game, it was the lowest opponent average since the Bill Self NIT team 11 years ago.

Offense fills the seats; defense fills the trophy case... 

[vcboy2000]

Rotnei's recruiting has been so unpredictable. I am just glad that we are still in it. Out of all the message boards in the nation that were talking about this kid all last year, we're one of the last three schools still discussing him that have a legitimate shot at landing him.

[Old Titan]

It is now 10:23 A.M. on Tuesday, October 23rd, 2007.

RC has now officially visited the three schools he says are his finalists.

Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick....

 

[ORUTerry]

So will he give a verbal commitment before the signing period? Or will he even sign a LOI this Fall or wait until the Spring? You would have to think that he and his family are weary of the process and would like to get this over. It will be interesting to hear him discuss this recruiting process once it is over.

[Bogus Smith]

If the decision hasn't been made by Friday, I wouldn't be surprised to see RC at the Slam 'n Jam on Friday night since it is open to the public.  If that's the case, it may make that event even more important for the long-term benefit of the men's basketball team if he sees a good showing of students and supporters at that event (IMHO).

[Old Titan]

I wouldn't be surprised to see RC at the Slam 'n Jam on Friday night.

I would.

[ORU Eli]

I would.

yeah i'd love to hear about him showing up but i think that's probably why he wouldn't...just another stir in the warm cup of wild speculation.

[tmh8286]

yeah I'd love to hear about him showing up but i think that's probably why he wouldn't...just another stir in the warm cup of wild speculation.

The way this has all gone I wouldn't think that would be a disincentive.

[Bogus Smith]

BTW, congratulations on getting this post past the 10,000 view milestone!!  It was a team effort!