Sports

The future is bright

By Web Master|January 17, 2008

By ROB TATE

Assistant Sports Editor

ROMEO â€” Hall of Fame football coach Vince Lombardi once said ,”Winning is not everything, it’s the only thing.”

The correlation beteween the Oakland University men’s basketball team’s recent surge in success and its recent signing of highly talented high school players has set the tone to what should be an exciting next few years for the program.

Without the winning that has taken place at OU, the university wouldn’t be able to hold its own in recruiting against the likes of the University of Michigan and Michigan State University.

Head coach Greg Kampe, currently in his 24th season at the helm, has arguably had his best success in the last few years and he has helped lead the program to new heights.

With victories over Oral Roberts in the Mid-Con Conference championship game and a victory over Alabama A&M in the NCAA play-in game, both games broadcasted on ESPN in March of 2005.

Oakland had officially gained national recognition.

Warming Up

Oakland found itself on the biggest stage in school history. A mid-afternoon meeting with the eventual national champion North Carolina Tar Heels may have been a loss on the court, but since then has been a victory in notoriety. Oakland would no longer be confused with the city in California.

Since the 2005 NCAA tournament success, Kampe has been bringing in top-notch high school recruits at a frenzied pace.

In the first season after the trip to the NCAA tournament he brought in current stars Derick Nelson and Erik Kangas.

Kampe has since brought in highly touted players like Jonathon Jones from Okemos, Tim Williams from Pontiac Northern, Peter Bunn from Lansing Christian and Will Hudson from Verona, Wis., among others. In the past, these players may not have given Oakland University a chance.

“We got into kitchens and living rooms that we didn’t get into in the past,” Kampe said about recruiting since 2005. “Oakland has a lot to sell. So once you get in and have a chance, we can be successful.”

Tuesday night at Romeo high school featured two big pieces of Oakland’s puzzle next season. A meeting of Lake Orion’s Drew Maynard and Romeo’s Blake Cushingberry put on a display that would wet any Golden Grizzly fan’s appetite for the future.

Both players signed with Oakland, along with Jay Thames from Port Huron Northern, on Nov. 21, 2007.

All three players rank in the Top-10 of Bankhoops.com’s 2008 basketball recruit rankings for Michigan.

Maynard is a 6-foot-7 forward and he already looks like he could play the college game. Maynard earned all-state honors for Lake Orion last season as a junior.

“He’s big and strong, he can go out and make 3-pointers and he can go inside and drive to the basket. He’s a very unique player for us,” Kampe said. “He’s like a Pat McCloskey that can shoot better.”

Maynard came to OU a few years back in a camp and Kampe liked what he saw.

“He played in our team camp,” Kampe said. “I watched him play as a sophomore in our team camp and fortunately, he wanted to be close to his family and close to home and everybody wants to see him play so this was a good chance for him.”

Cushingberry is a 6-foot-4 guard, but he virtually plays every position for Romeo head coach Dale Teller, something that won’t happen when he joins OU. Like Maynard, Cushingberry was an all-state performer last season in his junior year.

“Blake has an NBA body,” Kampe said. “He is strong and physical and with a body like that can go deep and shoot it deep. He’s a kid that we think has a chance to be one of the best players in The Summit League before he is done.”

Kampe said Cushingberry’s only question mark is his foot speed, but that’s something that Kampe and his staff can work on.

On the court

As for Tuesday night’s meeting between his two future players, Kampe wanted both players to do equally well.

“I hope they both score 70 points,” Kampe said with a laugh.

They didn’t each score 70 points Tuesday night, but they combined for 62 on the night, both playing impressivly in their own ways.

In the end, Cushingberry’s Bulldog’s bite was harder than Maynard’s Dragon’s attack, as Romeo routed Lake Orion with a score of 90-64.

The start of the contest saw the anticipated matchup between the two stars of the game.

Maynard showed off his great wing-span all night, grabbing 13 boards. For a big man, he also showed tremendous range as he nailed three 3-pointers from NBA range.

The only big, edge-of -your-seat moment of the night between the two future Grizzlies took place with about 10 seconds left in the third quarter when Cushingberry stole the ball from the hands of Maynard. Cushingberry raced down the court, and was hit hard by Maynard as he went up for a lay-up.

But for the most part, it was good clean competition.

Maynard noted afterwards that he and Cushingberry have played basketball with each other since they were in sixth grade.

“Cush and I, we are like family already,” Maynard said. “We know each other like the back of our hands. We are always competitive, but even after this we are still going to be buddies.”

Cushingberry summed up their relationship the same way.

“It was all good,” Cushingberry said. “This isn’t the first time Drew and I have played against each other. I knew it was going to be a fun game.”

Based on statistics alone, Cushingberry had a more fun game than his counterpart.

Cushingberry was lights-out on his home floor, scoring 38 points.

He also proved his value from the free throw line, in front of his future head coach who was in attendance, sinking all 11 of his free throws on the night.

OU has struggled from the line thus far, shooting 69 percent as a team through 17 games this season.

Cushingberry showed a hot hand from 3-point land, burying five on the night.

“He’s got good touch,” Maynard said of Cushingberry. “He can shoot from anywhere in the half-court.”

Maynard wasn’t too shabby Tuesday night either, scoring 24 points on the night and adding 13 rebounds.

It didn’t matter what team you were cheering for; the crowd came to their feet as Maynard emphatically swatted a Bulldog shot in the second half.

Maynard collected three total blocks on the night. His blocking and rebounding will be a welcome addition to the Grizzlies squad.

“He can get up and down the court,” Cushingberry said of Maynard. “Drew and I, together, can be deadly.”

Looking ahead

The O’Rena will be ready for them come the 2008-09 season and both players are looking forward to stepping up to the next level.

“Playing for Coach Kampe is going to be a fun time,” Cushingberry said. “He is just a good guy and I bonded with him since the first time I met him.”

Maynard felt the same and he is excited for next season as well.

“I’m just looking forward to helping the team out,” Maynard said. “That’s what me and Blake are all about, putting up some W’s.”