Basketball Recruiting - Commits

2010 OU Men's Basketball Commitments

Help from OU Sports Information

Cameron Clark, 6-6, 185, G/F, Sr., Sherman (Texas) HS; Rated No. 18 by ESPN.com

Clark averaged 21.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.6 steals per game last year as a junior for a 27-8 Bearcats' team that advanced to the regional quarterfinals of the Class 4A state tournament. He shot .460 from the field, .360 from 3-point territory and .720 from the free throw line. Clark also earned first-team Texas Association of Basketball Coaches all-state honors and was named the District 9-4A most valuable player.

OU Head Coach Jeff Capel:

"Cameron is an elite level athlete who has his best basketball in front of him," said Capel. "I don't think he's begun to scratch the surface of who he can become.

"Because of his athleticism, he has the ability to make some 'wow' plays. He shoots the ball very well from mid-range and he can shoot it to 3 (-point range). He also has the ability to do things off the bounce. I anticipate him being a big-time wing player for us, a guy who can be a tremendous defender and one who'll be flying around making plays all over the floor. We're very excited that he's a Sooner."


Sherman High School head coach Jeff McCullough:

"You can create a highlight film with some of the things he can do around the rim with his explosiveness," said McCullough. "For a guy his size, he has some pretty incredible handles. In fact, he's a pretty gifted passer, which a lot of people haven't been able to see yet because we don't ask him to do a lot of that."

"He's long, rangy and versatile, and at the Division I level can really probably guard anywhere from the 1 to the 4 spot. He has the physical tools with his length and the ability to get off the floor, and he also moves really well laterally and can get up and down the court. He's also just a tremendous rebounder. That's what has separated him from a lot of other guards."

T.J. Taylor, 6-3, 205, G, Sr., Denison (Texas) HS; Rated No. 71 by ESPN.com

Taylor, a left-handed senior at Denison High School, is rated by ESPN.com as the No. 71 overall player in the 2010 recruiting class.

Taylor averaged 27.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 3.0 steals per game last year for a 21-11 Denison squad that advanced to the area finals of the Class 4A state tournament. He was named a Texas Association of Basketball Coaches all-state pick each of the last two seasons, and was also his district's offensive player of the year as a sophomore and a junior.

OU Head Coach Jeff Capel

On Taylor's position:

"He's just a good guard. I think good guards can do a bunch of different things. I wouldn't pigeonhole T.J. into one spot. To me, that takes away from his strengths. I wouldn't say he's just a point and I wouldn't say he's just a two. He's a good guard. The most important thing is he's a guy who helps you win."

On Taylor's best assets:

"I think his best strength is his strength. He's versatile and is just a good guard. He has a good feel for the game as far as passing the ball and seeing things. I also think he has the chance to be a really good defender for us."

Denison HS Head Coach Jody Bass

On Taylor off the court:

"He's an awesome kid. You think about the circumstances he's faced with -- the guy who coached him since he was a freshman leaves and an old, crusty guy like me comes in. He's accepted everything we've asked him to do, he's been a leader on the floor and he plays hard all the time. He's not a selfish player at all and he's doing everything he can in the class room. He's just a hard-working kid who's fun to be around."

On if Taylor's fully recovered from his ankle injury:

"Yes, I would so say after watching him practice last night. He put on a little bit of a show."

Former Denison HS Head Coach Scott Curran

General thoughts on Taylor:

"I coached him the last three years and I think he's really special. As a player, he can do so many different things. I think the thing you'll see out of him at the next level that you might not see so much at the high school level is his court vision. He makes everyone around him look better. He can make an average player look good. He's very unselfish. He's really got the whole package -- he can shoot it, he can put it on the floor, he can pass it."

On Taylor's work ethic and demeanor:

"One of the things that makes him so special is that he's a great kid, a good-hearted kid who wants what's best for the team. He's not into individual stats or accolades. He's fun to be around and works his tail off. He's talented, but he's worked for what he's gotten. Through all his high school years, I don't think I've ever coached a game with him when he wasn't the best player on the floor."

On Taylor at Oklahoma:

"With all the resources at Oklahoma and with the coaching staff, I think he's a perfect fit. I sort of thought that from day one when they recruited him. They did such a good job and were very professional about everything. I just sort of knew that that's where he'd end up."

Tyler Neal, F, (6'7, 220), Oklahoma City (P.C. West), OK

Neal is the reigning Oklahoma Gatorade Player of the Year.  He averaged 18.2 points and 8.9 rebounds per game in helping the Patriots to a school-record 22 wins and to the Class 6A state tournament semifinals.  It was West's first state tournament appearance since 1977.

OU Coach Jeff Capel:

"Tyler's a really good player," said Capel.  "He's skilled, he's a really good athlete, he can shoot the basketball, can pass it and is a pretty good ball handler.  I think he has a big upside.  He skipped a grade when he was younger and so he just turned 17 years old.  I think there's a chance he's going to continue growing. 

"On top of having a very high basketball I.Q., he's a great kid, a really good student and comes from a great family.  He's the kind of guy we want in our program and we're excited about what he can become at OU."

As a senior, Neal shot .557 from the field, .421 from 3-point range (45-for-107) and .785 from the free throw line (95-for-121).  He added 1.4 assists, 2.0 blocks and 2.0 steals per contest.

Nick Thompson, PF, (6’9, 210), College of Easter Utah JC

Thompson, a 6-9, 210-pound sophomore who attends the College of Eastern Utah, helped his team to a third-place finish at this year's national junior college tournament in Hutchinson, Kan.  It was the school's best finish in 45 years.

Thompson averaged 8.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists (ranked second on team) in 23.6 minutes per contest for the 27-10 Golden Eagles.  He shot .556 from the field, .388 from 3-point range (19-for-49) and .688 from the free throw line.

OU Coach Jeff Capel:

"I'm really excited about Nick," said Capel.  "He's a guy we got in on late and had a chance to see at the national juco tournament.  He's a very skilled 4-man who can shoot the basketball, put it on the floor and pass it.  He's long and he's a good athlete.  I love his motor.  He's a real high-energy guy, a guy we're fortunate to get here in the late signing period.

"He's going to have to put on a little bit of weight.  He understands that when he gets here in June he'll have to work.  That's the main thing with him -- he's not afraid of work, he's not afraid to be a part of something.  He really wants to do that.  I love that he really wanted to be at the University of Oklahoma."

As a freshman in 2008-09, Thompson averaged 7.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.0 assist in 15.5 minutes a game for 25-7 CEU.  He shot .533 from the field and .692 from the foul line.

Thompson, who spent some of his childhood in Oklahoma, is from Clinton, Utah, and attended Clearfield High School.

C.J. Washington, 6’7, 210, Connors Juco, OK

Washington, a 6-7, 210-pound sophomore forward at Connors State College in Warner, Okla., was a first-team junior college All-American and led his squad to a 30-4 record and an appearance at the national junior college tournament in Hutchinson, Kan.  He recorded 25 double-doubles in his 32 games, 14 consecutively at one point.

Washington averaged 19.3 points, a school-record 13.0 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game on the season.  He was named the National Junior College Athletic Association Region II Player of the Year and was also the Region II Tournament MVP (averaged 17.7 points and 18.0 rebounds).  A native of Stringtown, Okla., Washington ranked fifth in the country in rebounds per game and 32nd in scoring.  He broke the single-game school rebounding record with 26 in the Region II Tournament semifinals against Murray State College.

As a freshman, Washington helped the Cowboys to a 28-9 record and to the NJCAA Final Four by averaging 12 points and eight rebounds.

"C.J. comes from a winning program at Connors State," said Capel.  "He's been very well coached and will provide needed frontcourt depth for us.  He rebounded at a very high level last year and he's also a guy who can shoot the basketball out to 15 feet.  C.J. should help us down low.  We're happy he signed with us."

Carl Blair, 6'2, 205, University of New Orleans (transfer)

Blair is a 6-2, 205-pound freshman point guard who averaged 9.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists per contest this season for a University of New Orleans program that is moving from Division I to Division III status.  He played in all 30 games, made 29 starts and shot .395 from the field, .333 from 3-point range (23-for-69) and .819 from the free throw line (95-for-116).  In 18 Sun Belt Conference games, he averaged 10.6 points, 4.3 boards and 3.6 assists while shooting .425 from the field, .383 from long distance (18-for-47) and .833 from the charity stripe (65-for-78).

Over UNO's final eight games, Blair averaged 13.8 points and 4.6 assists while going 11-for-27 from behind the arc (.407).  He scored in double figures in seven of those last eight contests and posted a career-high 23 points Feb. 6 against Arkansas State.

Blair became just the second player in school history to record a triple-double when he racked up 13 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists in a Dec. 5 win over Houston Baptist.  Only eight other Division I players registered a triple-double last year.

Because of UNO's transition to Division III, Blair will be eligible to play for the Sooners next season.

"Carl had a good freshman year," said Capel.  "He's a kid we looked at out of high school, where he was a big-time winner.  He led his team to a state title his senior year and then went and won at prep school.  He brings good size to the point guard position.

"It's really unfortunate what's happening at the University of New Orleans.  But because of that situation, we're getting an experienced guy who played a lot last year and had some really good games.  He will give us perimeter depth and can help stabilize the point guard position, which is what we need.  Carl is a great kid and we're excited about him."

2010 OU Women's Basketball Commitments

Help from OU Sports Information

OU women’s head basketball coach Sherri Coale announced the Class of 2010 high school seniors that will join her program next season.

Guards Aaryn Ellenberg (Las Vegas, Nev.), Morgan Hook (Lowell, Ark.) and Alexann Yancey (Dallas, Texas) and posts Nicole Griffin (Milwaukee, Wis.) and Jacqueline Jeffcoat (Dallas, Texas) signed National Letters of Intent with the University of Oklahoma Wednesday.

Oklahoma's recruiting class was ranked sixth best in the country by Blue Star Report and 17th by ESPN HoopGurlz.


Aaryn Ellenberg
5-7 | G | Las Vegas, Nev.
Bishop Gorman High School

Ellenberg, a 5-foot-7 point guard from Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, was rated a consensus top 50 player. The No. 6 point guard by Blue Star Report, Ellenberg averaged 18 points, four rebounds and three assists and steals in her junior season.

The three-time all-state selection has similar stature to current OU junior Danielle Robinson as well as a similar game.

“I can’t wait for our fans to see this little guard in action,” Coale said. “Aaryn is a lightning quick athlete who is an explosive scorer. She can break down defenders off the dribble and get to the rim in a blink of the eye, but ironically, her 3-point shot has made her famous.

“If she commits to defending, she could also become a ball handler’s worst nightmare. She is just a gifted, gifted athlete.”

Ellenberg, a varsity member since her freshman year, led Gorman to the state championship game three straight times, winning twice.


Nicole Griffin
6-6 | C | Milwaukee, Wis.
Vincent High School

At 6-6, Griffin will become the tallest player to wear a Sooner uniform when she dons the Crimson and Cream in 2010. As a junior, she averaged 17 points, 11 rebounds and seven blocks.

Rated to No. 10 center by ESPN Hoopgurlz, Griffin is no stranger to winning having led Vincent High School to three straight state titles and her AAU team, Team Wisconsin Select, to a National Junior Olympic Championship.

“Nicole is a three-time state champion, who is working on number four,” Coale said. “At 6-foot-6 she obviously gives us something we don’t have. Her length enables her to affect a lot of shots around the rim and makes her a constant threat on offense, but she has a complete skill set as well. She’s a good passer and a solid perimeter shooter.

“I expect her to develop quickly and add another element to the versatility of our post group.”


Morgan Hook
5-10 | G | Lowell, Ark.
Rogers (Ark.) High School

Hook , a 5-10 shooting guard, was the Gatorade Player of the Year in Arkansas last season and led Rogers (Ark.) High School to its first state semifinals in 25 years. Hook averaged 18 points as a junior while shooting over 50 percent from the field, including a 44-percent mark from 3-point range.

“Morgan is a perfect fit for our program,” Coale said. “She combines a versatile skill set with an outstanding basketball IQ and a relentless work ethic. She plays for a fantastic high school coach, and therefore is as well prepared as she can possibly be to make the transition to Division I basketball.

“She’s flown under the radar of national rankings because she has not played summer basketball on an all-star team, but Morgan Hook is one of the best guards in the country. She makes it look easy. She’s an excellent passer, a pure shooter, and a serious student of the game. And she’s a winner. She just finds a way to get it done.”

Rated No. 46 overall on the Collegiate Girls Basketball Report, Hook owns Rogers’ single-season records for scoring (517), field goals made (195) and assists (141) and is just 65 points and 33 assists shy of career records. Her high school jersey hangs in the Women’s College Basketball Hall of Fame’s Ring of Honor exhibit.


Jacqueline Jeffcoat
6-3 | F/C | Dallas, Texas
Plano West High School

Jeffcoat, a 6-3 post, hails from Plano West High School where she led her team, averaging 7.6 points and 6.5 rebounds. Rated the No. 4 center and 41st overall by ESPN HoopGurlz, Jeffcoat has demonstrated the ability to play both the power forward and center positions in college.

Jacqueline is the daughter of former Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Jim Jeffcoat.

“Jacqueline comes from an obvious athletic lineage,” Coale said, “and as a high school senior she has barely begun to scratch the surface of her potential. She will be a great compliment to our cadre of posts as she is rangy and explosive.

“What sold me on Jac, though, was her attention at our summer camp and her desire to learn and improve. She is absolutely starving to soak up knowledge of this game.”


Alexann Yancey
5-8 | G | Dallas, Texas
Plano West High School

Yancey, a 5-8 shooting guard, was a teammate of Jeffcoat at Plano West and the District 8-5A Offensive Player of the Year.

Also a member of the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches’ All-Region team and an all-state selection by Texas Basketball Magazine, Yancey was rated No. 159 overall by Blue Star Report.

“Alexann is a relentless worker,” Coale said. “She is the product of Sooner parents and her passion, not just for basketball but for this University, is undeniable. She is a tough, hard-nosed guard who only knows one way to play—full out. She’s fast and spunky and she will run through a wall if you ask her to. She will make us better.”

Alexann is the daughter of Mark and Sherri Yancey, who both graduated from the University of Oklahoma.

Jelena Cerina

6-5 | C | Serbia

Northeastern A&M

Cerina played two seasons at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M in Miami, Okla., the same program former Sooner stars Rosalind Ross and Maria Villaroel attended, helping the Lady Norse to a 44-19 combined record. Cerina averaged 13.8 points and 9.8 rebounds in 2009-10 and was a named to the NJCAA Region II All-Tournament First Team.

OU Coach Sherri Coale:

"Jelena is a very unique basketball player," Coale said. "She has great size, excellent instinct and a versatile skill set ... Additionally, she really has a hunger for improvement and a passion for the game that is rare. She will be a great fit.

"Oklahoma fans are going to love her."

Cerina has been lauded as an outstanding teammate, having been awarded the Dixie Woodall Inspiration Award for leadership, mentorship and motivation in February.

Cerina has earned five medals in FIBA tournaments, most recently averaging 4.5 points and 5.4 rebounds to help Serbia take bronze at the 2008 Under 20 European Championship.