Men’s Basketball Preview: Buckeyes Looking to Make Strides – Ohio State Buckeyes
8/11/1998 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
August 11, 1998
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Following the first year in Columbus for Ohio State head coach Jim O’Brien, the Buckeye coaches and staff are working toward many goals in an effort to lift the OSU program back to its traditional winning ways.
“Our goals for this season are to show marked improvement over last year.” O’Brien said. “We are interested in the continued growth of our young players and to reinforce some of the very positive things they did last year.”
Ohio State finished the 1997-98 campaign with an overall record of 8-22 with a 1-15 Big Ten record. Plenty of individuals displayed talents that should give Ohio State fans reason for optimism in the years to follow.
The Returnees
Among the list of seven returning letterwinners, sophomore guard/foward Michael Redd has distinguished himself not only among his peers at OSU but among those nationally and within the Big 10 Conference. Redd was named by both Big Ten coaches and media as the league’s Freshman of the Year after leading the conference in scoring (21.9 points per game). It marked the first time a true freshman accomplished the feat in the prestigious history of the Big Ten Conference. In addition to league recognition, Redd has gained the attention of national followers of college basketball as well. He was selected by Basketball Times to its All-Freshman squad after leading all Division I freshmen in scoring last season. O’Brien knows where opponents will be concentrating next season when facing the Buckeyes.
“Our strengths clearly will be on the perimeter with Michael Redd returning after a stellar freshman season,” O’Brien said. “With (6-7, So., F) Jon Sanderson and (6-3, Sr., G) Neshaun Coleman returning and with the additions of (5-10, Jr. transfer G) Scoonie Penn, (6-5 Fr., G) Slobodan Savovic and (6-3, Fr., G) Brian Brown we will have significantly more depth in the backcourt than we had last year.”
Frontline returners (6-9, So., F) Shamar Herron, (6-11, Jr., C) Ken Johnson, (6-8, Sr., C) John Lumpkin, (6-6, Sr., G/F) Jason Singleton and (6-6, Jr., F) Kwadjo Steele all are expected to contribute again this year. Coleman enters the season ranked second in both career three-pointers made (115) and attempted (348). He needs 30 made threes and 75 attempts this season to pass Jamie Skelton (1991-94) for the top spot in both categories. Skelton ended his OSU career hitting 144 of 422 three-pointers to hold down the career lead in both categories at OSU. Singleton and Coleman both have logged over 2,000 career minutes. Singleton is steady from the field, hitting over 50 percent of his shots for his career. He had the highest point total of his career last season with 309 points for a career-high average of 10.7 points a contest. Johnson returns as one of OSU’s most prolific shot blockers after just one season. His 58 blocks last season was the ninth best single-season effort and already ranks No. 10 for career blocks at OSU. Steele returns for his third season at OSU. He provides some size down low and is expected to improve in his second season under O’Brien and his staff. Steele is a two time OSU Scholar Athlete majoring in zoology. Herron played in 28 games as a true freshman last season, starting three contests. He has the potential to be a power player down low with his 6-9, 250-pound frame. Sanderson was another player to make an immediate impact as a freshman. He started 28 games in his rookie season and averaged nearly 32 minutes a game. He averaged 10.3 points a contest in Big Ten games and at 6-7, can step out and drain the three-pointer. He was third on the team a year ago in made three pointers, hitting 38 of 116 treys for 33 percent, which ranked second in three-point shooting percentage. The Newcomers
Six of the 13 Buckeyes on the 1998-99 roster are new to the program. O’Brien and his staff inked three incoming freshmen and a junior college transfer. Two others, Boston College transfer James “Scoonie” Penn and walk-on Brad Hosket, will suit up for the first time with the Buckeyes this year.
“It’s hard to tell what contributions new players will make,” O’Brien said. “Scoonie is a known commodity after two fine seasons at Boston College. Brian and Boban will give us depth in the backcourt.”
Also joining OSU this season will be (6-8, Fr., F) Will Dudley, a teammate with Brown at Bishop Laughlin High School in Brooklyn, N.Y., and junior college transfer George Reese, a 6-7 forward from John A. Logan College in Carterville, Ill. Reese played high school basketball at Columbus Independence.
The addition of “Scoonie” Penn
When Jim O’Brien accepted the position at Ohio State prior to the start of last season, he took over a squad unfamiliar to him and his staff. That soon changed when O’Brien’s star point guard at Boston College decided to become a Buckeye. James “Scoonie” Penn sat out last season because of NCAA transfer rules but was able to practice with his new teammates.
“Scoonie has already established himself as one of our team leaders,” O’Brien said. “He will provide good leadership both on and off the court. He will give us quickness, scoring, toughness and a strong work ethic.”
Schottenstein Center Opens
Ohio State’s $105 million Jerome Schottenstein Center opens for the 1998-99 season and will host a variety of athletics events in addition to many other concerts and shows. A total of 54 Ohio State men’s and women’s basketball and hockey games are scheduled this season. Performers Bill Cosby and Andy Williams also are scheduled. The Ohio High School Athletic Association State Championships for wrestling and boy’s basketball, The Wizard of Oz on Ice, the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, the Harlem Globetrotters and a visit from Sesame Street Live will be just a few of the acts to perform in the Schottenstein Center’s first season.
“After being here for a year, it is easy to see why St. John Arena has a place in so many OSU hearts,” O’Brien said. “It has been a great place to watch a game and a great place to play. There is no denying the tradition that has been established here.
“Nevertheless, the opening of the Schottenstein Center should help us as we attempt to rebuild our program and bring it to another level,” O’Brien said. “Clearly, our new facility will be one of, if not the finest college basketball arenas in the country.”
The Schedule
“Our schedule is very competitive,” O’Brien said. “In addition to a very demanding Big Ten schedule and a home game with Alabama, we have some very difficult road games at Vanderbilt, Miami (Fla.) and Toledo. That, combined with a tremendous field in the Puerto Rico Classic, provides us with a very challenging schedule.”
Schedule Notes
Ohio State will play a minimum of 12 games against teams thateither played in the NCAA Tournament (8) or National InvitationTournament (4) last year. The Buckeyes could face a combination offour more postseason squads at the Puerto Rico Holiday Classic.During one stretch (Jan. 16-Feb. 17), the Buckeyes will play eightof nine games against postseason tournament teams from 1998. OhioState will play its first game in the Schottenstein Center Nov. 3in an exhibition contest against Worldwide All-Stars (8 p.m.). Theregular season will commence Nov. 13 against Oakland University (8p.m.). The Schottenstein Center will be officially dedicatedagainst the University of Alabama Nov. 15 (4 p.m.). Ohio Stateopens the season with six-consecutive home games and eight of thefirst 10 contests in the Schottenstein Center. The first Big Tengame hosted in the Schottenstein Center will be Nov. 20 againstPenn State on the eve of the Ohio State vs. Michigan football game.OSU will play five of its first seven Big Ten games at home (Nov.20-Jan. 23) before heading to the road for five of six contests(Jan. 27-Feb. 17). This season the Buckeyes will play Big Tenhome-and-home contests with Penn State (H-11/20, A-2/27), Wisconsin(A-1/2, H-2/24), Indiana (H-2/9, A-2/17), Iowa (H-1/12, A-2/13),Michigan (A-1/16, H-2/9) and Purdue (H-1/19, A-2/6). Single gameswill be played against Minnesota (H-1/23), Illinois (A-1/30),Michigan State (A-1/27) and Northwestern (H-2/20). Ohio State willspend the Christmas Holiday on the road. The Buckeyes will playthree games at the Puerto Rico Holiday Classic (Dec. 21-23) beforeheading to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., for a meeting with Miami (Fla.)at the HIP Health Plan Orange Bowl Basketball Classic, Dec. 27(4:30 p.m.).
The Big Ten
“The Big Ten Conference year in and year out is one of the premier conferences in the country,” O’Brien said. “This year will be no different. Michigan State should be considered the team to beat along with Indiana and Purdue.”
Summer Activities
Michael Redd, Scoonie Penn, Jon Sanderson and Jason Singleton were active over the summer on a variety of traveling teams. Penn toured Italy with the NIT All-Stars and went to Athens, Greece to play in the Acropolis Cup Tournament, a tuneup for the 1998 World Championships, also held in Athens. Penn, along with OSU teammate Michael Redd led a team of college all-stars to a second-place finish in the Acropolis Cup, won by the host Greek National Team. The team was coached by Rick Boyages, associate head coach at OSU. Redd was the second leading scorer in the tournament with a total of 50 points in three games. Redd also spent part of his summer as a counselor at the All-American Nike Camp held in Indianapolis. He was one of several college stars selected to work at the camp. Sanderson participated with a group of college players Aug. 19-30 touring Greece. Jason Singleton played in Belgium, The Netherlands and Germany with the Big Ten All-Stars, coached by Michigan head coach Brian Ellerbe. The squad played seven games from Aug. 11-19.
1998-99 Ohio State Men’s Basketball Roster
Numerical
NO. NAME POS. HGT. WGT. CL. HOMETOWN H.S. / LAST SCHOOL 3 Neshaun Coleman*** G 6-3 195 Sr. Toledo, Ohio St. John’s H.S. 12 James “Scoonie” Penn G 5-10 175 Jr Salem, Mass. Salem/Boston College 13 Brian Brown G 6-3 187 Fr. Brooklyn, N.Y. Bishop Laughlin 21 Slobodan “Boban” Savovic G 6-5 210 Fr. Montenegro, Yugoslavia East Side (N.J.) 22 Michael Redd* G 6-5 193 So. Columbus, Ohio West 23 Jason Singleton*** G/F 6-6 200 Sr. Detroit, Mich. Southgate Aquinas 25 Brad Hosket G 6-3 215 So. Columbus, Ohio Upper Arlington 32 Ken Johnson* C 6-11 220 Jr. Detroit, Mich. Henry Ford 33 Jon Sanderson* F/G 6-7 213 So. Lexington, Ohio Lexington 40 George Reese F 6-7 220 Jr. Columbus, Ohio Independence H.S./John A. Logan College 43 Will Dudley F 6-8 210 Fr. Brooklyn, N.Y. Bishop Laughlin H.S. 54 Shamar Herron* F 6-9 247 So. Detroit, Mich. Pershing 55 Kwadjo Steele* F 6-6 198 Jr. Dayton, Ohio Westerville North
Head Coach: Jim O’Brien (Boston College ’71) Associate Head Coach: Rick Boyages (Bowdoin College ’85) Assistant Coaches: Paul Biancardi (Salem State ’85), Dave Spiller (Canisius ’78) Director of Basketball Operations: Randy Shrout (Indiana State ’73) Alphabetical
NO. NAME POS. HGT. WGT. CL. HOMETOWN H.S. / LAST SCHOOL 13 Brian Brown G 6-3 187 Fr. Brooklyn, N.Y. Bishop Laughlin 3 Neshaun Coleman*** G 6-3 195 Sr. Toledo, Ohio St. John’s 43 Will Dudley F 6-8 210 Fr. Brooklyn, N.Y. Bishop Laughlin 54 Shamar Herron* F 6-9 247 So. Detroit, Mich. Pershing 25 Brad Hosket G 6-3 215 So. Columbus, Ohio Upper Arlington 32 Ken Johnson* C 6-11 220 Jr. Detroit, Mich. Henry Ford 12 James “Scoonie” Penn G 5-10 175 Jr. Salem, Mass. Salem/Boston College 22 Michael Redd* G 6-5 193 So. Columbus, Ohio West 40 George Reese F 6-7 220 Jr. Columbus, Ohio Independence/John A. Logan College 33 Jon Sanderson* F/G 6-7 213 So. Lexington, Ohio Lexington 23 Jason Singleton*** G/F 6-6 200 Sr. Detroit, Mich. Southgate Aquinas 21 Slobodan “Boban” Savovic G 6-5 210 Fr. Montenegro, Yugoslavia East Side (N.J.) 55 Kwadjo Steele* F 6-6 198 Jr. Dayton, Ohio Westerville North
