BobcatAttack.com - For Fans of Ohio University Sports

Welcome Guest!
Create an Account

site search

about us

advertise with us

help

BobcatAttack.com Message Board

Ohio Basketball

Topic: Who Was Your ONE Guy?

Topic: Who Was Your ONE Guy?

Author

Message

GoCats105
General User

Member Since: 1/31/2006
Location: Seattle, WA
Post Count: 7,406

Status: Offline

Who Was Your ONE Guy?

Posted: 5/14/2025 4:08:04 PM

A little offseason boredom, but I got to thinking the other day about some of my favorite Bobcat recruits that didn't end up panning out for whatever reason. Who were yours?

Ryan Taylor - excellent Freshman season and would have been an amazing Robin to Tony Campbell's Batman in the next two seasons after that. A Saul Year 2 lineup could have looked like this:

G: Simmons
G: Dartis
G: R. Taylor
F: Kaminski
F: Campbell
Bench: Setty, Block, D. Taylor

Jaaron Simmons: He's been discussed at length on this board and often overlooked as a great Ohio PG because he transferred, came after DJ Cooper, but before Jason Preston. All I'll say is that he led the MAC in assists two years in a row and has the Ohio single season assist record. Love him or hate him, the dude could play.

Zach Butler - Came from a championship pedigree in high school and we were in desperate need of PG help after Jaaron's departure. Teyvion Kirk took most of the minutes mostly out of desperation, but we needed a do-it-all type guy which Butler was in high school. His 6-3 frame would have caused fits for smaller guards in the MAC. Turns out the guy I was really waiting for was Jason Preston who came in the next season and Butler transferred out prior.

Wadley Mompremier/Khari Harley - Lumped these two together because from what I remember they both had loads of potential but could just never stay healthy.

James Kinney - He was averaging about 10 ppg during his Freshman season before he got busted and dismissed from the team. A trio of he, Basset and Cooper would have been lethal the later that season went on - not that it ended up mattering in the long run since we still won an NCAA Tournament game. His per 40 minutes scoring stats are outstanding for this day and age of college basketball.

https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/james-kinney...

Steven Coleman - Stevie Fressssshhhhhh could ball back in the day, man. How in the hell did we win a tournament game in 2010 with that turmoil? Jesus.

Jeremy Fears - This one is pretty self explanatory. Took us to a MAC title and took Florida to the brim in the NCAA Tournament. Had mostly everyone coming back the next year and it just completely fell apart. Fears was the perfect compliment to Leon Williams, Mychal Green, Sonny Troutman and a young Jerome Tillman. A lengthy PG who could defend, drive and distribute - something we definitely need now.

Then there's also a different category of guys who finished here and you wish we had more than a couple years of: Walt Offutt, Bubba Walther, Travis Wilkins, Justin Orr, Maurice NDour, Jason Carter

Last Edited: 5/14/2025 4:36:31 PM by GoCats105

shabamon
General User

Member Since: 11/17/2006
Location: Cincinnati
Post Count: 6,793

Status: Offline

RE: Who Was Your ONE Guy?

Posted: 5/14/2025 4:42:33 PM

Of guys who actually enrolled as students, it's a tie between Jay Kinney and Maurice Pearson.

I sat behind some IUPUI old head at Conseco Fieldhouse the game Bassett hit the buzzer beater and he kept raving about Kinney. "Man I like that kid's game" "Just a freshman??" "That kid can really play...". My 1,000 foot view tells me maybe he had some bad influences on the team. Revives his career as the do-everything guy at San Jose State including a 30 point performance at Allen Fieldhouse.

Pearson had some serious high school senior playoff performances that I think could have played himself into a higher conference had he not already signed to Ohio. I guess Washington beat him out for the last backup big behind Williams, Tillman, and KVK because he dressed for every game in 2008 but didn't play. I think the university came down way too heavy handed on the whole BB gun thing... didn't one of the Morris twins do the same thing at KU? Could've made for an extremely ath-a-letic big pairing with Washington and given Coop a senior big to run with during the sweet 16 season.

Here's one I guarantee no one but me would say - Ken Ottrix. No I don't think he was going to be a star, but I think we could have salvaged the 2006 season even after Fears left if Williams and Tillman could play on the floor together. In garbage time I though Ottrix looked competent enough to get seven minutes or so to spot one or the other. Instead, Tillman at 6'5" served as the backup center.

Bobcat Tattoo
General User

Member Since: 12/11/2022
Post Count: 135

Status: Offline

RE: Who Was Your ONE Guy?

Posted: 5/14/2025 5:23:23 PM

Rio Adams?

I know he was mentioned on another thread in jest, but there was some major buzz around that signing. Had the profile of an Armon Bassett--combo guard, not many minutes on a P5 team, and yes, some off-court baggage. He and Mo could've been a freakish combo...but then again, can you imagine a backcourt of Bean and Rio together? Yikes!

shabamon
General User

Member Since: 11/17/2006
Location: Cincinnati
Post Count: 6,793

Status: Offline

RE: Who Was Your ONE Guy?

Posted: 5/14/2025 5:30:18 PM

I can't imagine Saul Phillips trying to manage Rio Adams on top of the least together senior class in school history.

greencat
General User

Member Since: 3/12/2005
Post Count: 2,515

Status: Offline

RE: Who Was Your ONE Guy?

Posted: 5/14/2025 7:47:43 PM

I'm still amazed at how little Ike Cornish has done in college ball after being such a heralded h.s. player. Picked Maryland over Georgetown, St Johns, Xavier, etc. I really thought we had found a diamond in the rough but it wasn't to be.

MonroeClassmate
General User

Member Since: 8/31/2010
Post Count: 2,158

Status: Offline

RE: Who Was Your ONE Guy?

Posted: 5/14/2025 9:14:38 PM

Mine has to be Greg Cobb, 1974,75 Bobcat freshman from Olmsted Falls HS who I never saw play in HS but heard from Medina fans how special a scorer the kid was. Really lit it up as a Bulldog. Rumor was his father was pissed that Greg missed his girlfriend and left OHIO. He wound up at Cleveland State and went on to become the Viking all-time leading scorer by the time he graduated.

Showing Replies:	1 - 6 of 6 Posts
Jump to Page:	1

View Other 'Ohio Basketball' Topics

There are 620 Active Visitors on BobcatAttack.com

620 Guests
0 Registered Users

There are no other users looking at this page.