a few questions...

[ORUalum]

i've been out of pocket the last month and got my first chance to catch an ORU game this season last night.  who is the guy doing color on the broadcast?  does he have any connection to ORU?

what is wrong w/jarvis...why can't he start games? will he continue to come of the bench or was that a one shot thing?

it sounds like the coaches found another gem in morrison.  why wasn't this guy more heavily recruited?

[tmh8286]

I'll try to answer your questions the best I can, alum, and others can add more if need be.

After a similar question about the new color guy earlier in the season, Mike Minyard posted:

"His name is Brent Mackey.  His dad is a Hall of Fame high school coach.  Brent is one of the good guys in high school basketball.  Brent had been the coach at Sapulpa, but decided to hang it up.

He has followed ORU basketball as much as a high school coach can, but obviously he will have to get to know the program better.  It will take some time, but I think he could do a good job for us.  I don't doubt his knowledge of the game one bit.

I've heard that he also has radio experience."

Mike posted a picture of Brent here.

Jarvis HAS been starting until this game, but his play has been inconsistent, he has been accused by some of resorting to a more street-ball style, and he seems to be struggling to get back to last year's form.  If you remember, he came off the bench most of last season, even though he was ORU's top scorer.  Scott Sutton said in a recent interview that he doesn't care too much about who starts - he said if you have a guy like Jarvis coming off the bench, you just get better when you start making substitutions - and they may be trying Jarvis off the bench to see if  reverting to last year's style helps get him back in the groove again.  I remember when they used to do the same thing with Reggie Borges Coach said that some guys are kind of superstitious about it - they think they play better coming off the bench.  OR, they may by disciplining Robert for his play, either in games or in practice.  I know that Coach Sutton prefers to start his seniors.  So there are a lot of possible reasons for that - we'll probably eventually find out.

As for Morrison, he was a star in the KC area as a high schooler last season, and it looks like he's making the transition to D-I just fine.  He signed with ORU in the early signing period, so other programs didn't have the opportunity to recruit him last season.  I think there will be a lot of programs around that will wish they'd worked a little harder to get him.  It sure looks like he's going to be a four year star for ORU.  Morrison is one of those cases where ORU was able to get in early on him, built a strong relationship with the player and his family, and when the time came he knew who he wanted to play for.  Another great job of recruiting by Coach Sutton and his staff.

[ORUTerry]

Jarvis is off - he is having trouble getting his shot off because he is the focus of the other team's defense. His shots are not falling and he is forcing things. He needs to let the game come to him and not shoot so much. We have him playing the point (not his natural position) and that is also affecting him. He has the ball in his hand as point guard but he cannot create his own shots - thus forced attempts. In my opinion, we need Guyton or someone else to run the point and allow Jarvis to come off screens.

Morrison is a special player and a match-up problem for opponents. He is 6'6" and can play several positions (post and perimeter). He is long and skinny - sort of a 1970's 'throw back' type player. Dominique is learning and still making mistakes, but he is getting better each game.

[ORUJason]

Morrison was the best player on a team (Raytown - KC area) which won the state basketball tournament for his class, which was basically the equivalent of a 6A program in Oklahoma. 

I spoke with his parents at the Tulsa game, and they said they were surprised that Missouri and other Missouri area schools did not recruit him at all.  It sounds like he was happy to go to a place not too far from home where he was wanted and where he could shine.

[theeagleman5]

Morrison sounds like a winner!....from what little theEagleman has seen....he likes!....Jarvis got off to a slow start last year then kicked it in coming off the bench....agree he needs to be playing 2 guard...hopefully, he will find his shot before we play in the Dakotas next weekend....

[Bogus Smith]

Morrison was the best player on a team (Raytown - KC area) which won the state basketball tournament for his class, which was basically the equivalent of a 6A program in Oklahoma.  

I spoke with his parents at the Tulsa game, and they said they were surprised that Missouri and other Missouri area schools did not recruit him at all.  It sounds like he was happy to go to a place not too far from home where he was wanted and where he could shine.

Jason, you're correct that DoMo was the best player on his Raytown team, but...the team went 26-1 last season, losing in the semi-finals of the Missouri basketball tournament and missing the chance to go undefeated during 2007-08. 

Morrison is a great addition for this year's class.  With he and Stokes in this class and DBH in next year's class, Sutton and Co. have the foundation for another few years of successful basketball at ORU.  In time, if Holdman, Hardy and Rogers develops as we would like and expect, the team's long-range prospects could be special.

[ORUalum]

I'll try to answer your questions the best I can, alum, and others can add more if need be.

After a similar question about the new color guy earlier in the season, Mike Minyard posted:

"His name is Brent Mackey.  His dad is a Hall of Fame high school coach.  Brent is one of the good guys in high school basketball.  Brent had been the coach at Sapulpa, but decided to hang it up.

He has followed ORU basketball as much as a high school coach can, but obviously he will have to get to know the program better.  It will take some time, but I think he could do a good job for us.  I don't doubt his knowledge of the game one bit.

I've heard that he also has radio experience."

Mike posted a picture of Brent here.

Jarvis HAS been starting until this game, but his play has been inconsistent, he has been accused by some of resorting to a more street-ball style, and he seems to be struggling to get back to last year's form.  If you remember, he came off the bench most of last season, even though he was ORU's top scorer.  Scott Sutton said in a recent interview that he doesn't care too much about who starts - he said if you have a guy like Jarvis coming off the bench, you just get better when you start making substitutions - and they may be trying Jarvis off the bench to see if  reverting to last year's style helps get him back in the groove again.  I remember when they used to do the same thing with Reggie Borges Coach said that some guys are kind of superstitious about it - they think they play better coming off the bench.  OR, they may by disciplining Robert for his play, either in games or in practice.  I know that Coach Sutton prefers to start his seniors.  So there are a lot of possible reasons for that - we'll probably eventually find out.

As for Morrison, he was a star in the KC area as a high schooler last season, and it looks like he's making the transition to D-I just fine.  He signed with ORU in the early signing period, so other programs didn't have the opportunity to recruit him last season.  I think there will be a lot of programs around that will wish they'd worked a little harder to get him.  It sure looks like he's going to be a four year star for ORU.  Morrison is one of those cases where ORU was able to get in early on him, built a strong relationship with the player and his family, and when the time came he knew who he wanted to play for.  Another great job of recruiting by Coach Sutton and his staff.

thanks tmh for the answers...

[tmh8286]

Sure, man !