John Shinn
Oklahoma’s success on the recruiting trail continued Wednesday with the Sooners collecting a third straight top 20 recruiting class. Wednesday’s haul on college basketball’s fall signing day is ranked No. 14 nationally by Scout.com and No. 18 by Rivals.com. The group of four is highlighted by three consensus top-100 recruits.
Houston, Texas, point guard Tommy Mason-Griffin is the biggest catch OU coach Jeff Capel landed. He’s the country’s No. 24 overall player and No. 3 point guard according to Scout.com. Mason-Griffin, who attends James Madison High School and was named the 2008 Houston Chronicle All-Greater Houston Postseason Boys’ Basketball Player of the Year, is also regarded by ESPN as the nation’s No. 37 overall player and sixth-best point guard.
Joining Mason-Griffin among OU’s November signees are top-75 forward Andrew Fitzgerald (Baltimore, Md./Brewster [N.H.] Academy), top-100 guard Steven Pledger (Chesapeake, Va./Atlantic Shores Christian School) and former Norman High and current Putnam City forward Kyle Hardrick.
“It’s a great day for our program and for the future of our program,” said Capel, who starts his third season at 7 p.m. Friday. when the Sooners face American University at Lloyd Noble Center. “We’re really excited about all four guys. We think they’re really good basketball players and, more importantly, are really good kids.”
Scout.com recruiting analyst Dave Telep gave OU’s class a high ranking because of it provides help at several positions.
“If you look at all the pieces of this class at OU, they’re all really different,” Telep said. “At the end of the day, that’s what really gives this class some pop and really gives it some strength. It’s a class made up of a diverse group of guys.”
Mason-Griffin is expected to have the most impact. Current point guards Austin Johnson and Omar Leary are both seniors this season. The 5-foot-10, 205-pound Mason-Griffin is expected to be the Sooners’ point guard of the future.
“The bigger the game, the more he rises to the occasion,” James Madison High School coach Craig Maura said. “He plays real well under pressure. His best games have been in the playoffs, so when (OU) gets to March Madness people should really see a treat.”
Fitzgerald and Hardrick also have potential to make an impact. All-American forward Blake Griffin is expected to enter the NBA draft following this season and Taylor Griffin will graduate. Fitzgerald, a 6-foot-8, 260-pound power forward, and Hardrick, a 6-8, 230-pound forward, could compete for minutes.
Fitzgerald is expected to have bigger presence right away.
“He can run and is a little better athlete than you think,” Capel said of Fitzgerald. “He has great footwork in the post, but can also shoot it. He can step away, and that’s one of the things that a lot of people don’t know about him. He primarily played on the block in AAU, but he can step away and hit from 18, 19 feet, and look good doing it.”
Hardrick, who played at Norman High the last two seasons before transferring to Putnam City over the summer, committed to OU when he was a high school freshman.
“Kyle Hardrick has basically been a part of our program since I got here. He committed very early and we’re excited to have him officially be a part of the Sooner family,” Capel said. “He gives us size and added post depth, and he’s skilled. He can pass the ball, he can shoot it to about 15 feet. We’re excited to get him here, to work with him, help him become a better basketball player and see the things he can bring to our team.”
Pledger (6-4, 190) is expected to add another 3-point shooter and perimeter scoring threat to the Sooner lineup.
“I think he’s one of the more underrated guys in the country. He’s a basketball player,” Capel said. “He can really, really shoot the ball and he has a very good feel for the game. He already has good size at 6-4 and close to 200 pounds. He just knows how to play.”
The four signees complete OU’s recruiting class. Another scholarship would open if Blake Griffin elects to leave early. The Sooners are still pursuing Keith Gallon, a 6-9, 300 pound center from Oak Hill (Va.) Academy. Gallon is ESPN’s No. 21 player in the country. He’s also considering California and Mississippi State.
John Shinn
366-3536
jshinn@normantranscript.com
