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2004-2005 Oregon Ducks Revealed

By Kyle Mallory

PMall15239@aol.com

For three straight years the Oregon Ducks will put one of its players into the first round of the NBA draft.  Such a run is unprecedented in the school’s history.

Under Head Coach Ernie Kent, it has become routine.  Fan expectations, even with the loss of All-American Luke Jackson, remain high.  Kent’s expectations are even higher, as they should be.

With the best all around recruiting class in the history of Oregon basketball, Kent has reason to be excited about this year’s squad.  Early recruiting polls have the Ducks incoming 2004-2005 freshman class ranked as high as 14^th in the nation - excitement indeed.

Gone are Luke Jackson, Andre Joseph, Jay Anderson and James Davis, players who have taken the Oregon basketball program to heights never dreamed of. 

Arriving are Bryce Taylor, Chamberlain Oguchi and Marty Leunen. 

Taylor is a 6’5 shooting guard who is ranked by insiders.com as a top 50 player nationwide.  Taylor is also one of the premier three point shooters in the country and will fit perfectly in Kent’s run and gun system, where three point shooting is relied on heavily.

Another top 50 recruit is Texas swingman Chamberlain Oguchi.  At 6’5 and 200lbs. Oguchi possesses the athleticism the Ducks have sorely lacked since Fred Jones entered the NBA. 

Finally, a much needed boost in the front court will arrive in the 6’9 package of Marty Leunen.  The Oregon 4A high school player of the year in 2003 as a junior, Leunen is known around the country as a tenacious rebounder with a knack for winning. Leunen is also ranked by most prep sites-including insiders.com- as a top 50 prospect.

With three incoming players on scholarship, and four scholarships available in all, the door is open for a potential juco transfer who will be able to benefit the team immediately.

Head Coach Ernie Kent has had a knack for finding junior college players who can come in and perform right away.  Players such as Alex Scales, Robert Johnson-and most recently Andre Joseph- have paid immediate dividends upon their arrival.  In a recent interview, Kent confirmed he was indeed looking for a Juco transfer, someone in the mold of Robert Johnson.

If I could offer any advice to Kent it would be this: shoot for the stars.  David Padgett, a 6’11 post who played for the Kansas Jayhawks as a freshman last season, is looking to transfer.   Padgett is a former McDonald’s All American who can provide the kind of inside presence the Ducks need to propel them into the same league as Arizona and Stanford.  The idea may be somewhat farfetched, but to get to the pinnacle of anything, you have to dream the impossible.

The beauty of the 2004-2005 Ducks basketball squad is that it is littered with underclassmen.  It is quite likely that the Ducks will start their three incoming freshman, a junior - 6’11 Ian Crosswhite,  and a sophomore - former McDonald’s All American point guard Aaron Brooks.  Rare is the day in college basketball where teams can develop together for any length of time over one year.

After suffering through a broken wrist and missing 10 games last season, Brooks showed flashes of his brilliance at the end of last season.  Coach Kent has the track record of getting great guards and Brooks is no exception.  As soon as Brooks harnesses his speed (sometimes he is too fast), he will be a great one at Oregon.

Ian Crosswhite, the fifth starter, has improved in each of his first two seasons.  Crosswhite’s biggest problem has been consistency.  His lack of focus and desire underneath the basket has cost the Ducks in the past two years.  Crosswhite’s scoring ability has never been questioned, but his rebounding-at just over 4 per game in 2003, leaves a lot to be desired.  For the Ducks to compete, Crosswhite needs to double that output at least.

In addition, the Ducks bring back bruising 6’10’’ Mitch Platt and 7’0 red shirt freshman Ray Schaefer.  In recent years finding good big men who can rebound has been a problem for the Ducks, which has been the knock on Ernie Kent’s recruiting.  Both Platt and Schaefer look to change the title of ‘soft’ which has been thrown at the Ducks in recent years. 

Granted, these Ducks are very young and inexperienced, so patience will be vital for Coach Kent.  But, the key is to persevere through the early jitters of the first ten non-conference games and have the rookies battle tested for the start of the PAC 10 season.

The incoming talent pool coupled with the outgoing talent of the rest of the PAC 10 leave the Ducks with a great opportunity to challenge for the 2005 PAC 10 championship.

Nate Robinson of the Washington Huskies, Trevor Ariza and Dijon Thompson of UCLA, PAC 10 player of the year Josh Childress of Stanford and Andre Igoudala of Arizona have all made themselves eligible for this year’s NBA draft.

This could spell doom again for the PAC 10 as a whole, but leaves the door wide open for the Ducks. 

For Oregon to sneak through that door, Ernie Kent needs to stress two things: defense and rebounding.

Everyone who plays the Ducks knows Ernie Kent’s teams can score, but as I mentioned above the Ducks need to rebound and defend much better to compete at an elite level.  The only way to achieve this is by getting players physically stronger and recruiting potential players who have the will and desire to rebound and play aggressive defense.

The four are intertwined.  Will, desire, defense, rebounding.  You add the best incoming freshman class in the history of your school with those four traits and you will find Oregon competing atop the PAC 10.

I do see Oregon doing quite well, and I expect them to finish a very respectable third.  USC has a loaded team coming back, as does Cal.  Arizona and Stanford have lost key players, but always compete for the title.  Washington has perhaps the most talent returning, particularly if Nate Robinson rethinks his NBA entry.

But, if all the players who have declared themselves eligible for the 2004 NBA draft aren’t back next year, here is how I see it:

1. Washington.

NCAA tourney last year, Lorenzo Romar has most of his squad back, including Bobby Jones, Will Conroy and Mike Jensen.

2. Arizona. 

Some say Arizona had a down year last year when they finished third.  The cats have the talent, but inconsistency in the form of Salim Stoudamire’s leadership will hurt them again.

3. Oregon.

Oregon will rely heavily on its talented recruiting class-the best of the PAC 10- and they will deliver.

4.  Stanford. 

Key losses in the forms of Justin Davis, Josh Childress and Matt Lottich spell trouble for the Cardinal, but Coach Mike Montgomery is a master at getting his teams to the top.

5. California.

Cal has a lot of talent returning, particularly Leon Powe, but leadership remains a question mark, enough to drop them to fifth.

6. USC.

Henry Bibby is riding the hot seat in Southern Cal, and although his team is quite talented, a tulmultuous season is in store.

7. Oregon State.

Jay John has all his players back, including PAC 10 played of the year candidate David Lucas.

8. UCLA.

Ben Howland’s rebuilding program continues.  Their slot here is largely contingent on Dijon Thompson and Trevor Ariza going pro, because if they are both back, lookout.

9. Arizona State.

Poor Ike Diogu, such a great talent on such a poor team.

10.  Washington State.

Dick Bennett did a marvelous job in getting his kids to the PAC 10 tourney in his first year.  But, Marcus Moore is now gone as are the Cougars chances. 

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