JimBob
02-22-2008, 08:31 AM
Dad: Page can help at OSU
By BILL HAISTEN World Sports Writer
2/22/2008
Junior Byron Eaton has played well in recent games, but the fact remains -- the Oklahoma State basketball program desperately needs help in the backcourt.
Keiton Page, who stands a quarter-inch shy of 5-foot-10 and plays at Class 2A Pawnee High School, can provide that help as a Cowboy freshman next season, predicts his father and coach, David Page.
"I'm not talking as Keiton's dad. I'm talking as his coach," David Page said. "Even when he was a very young player, Keiton has made his teammates better. I think he'll do the same thing at Oklahoma State."
Keiton Page's numbers are outrageous. Entering Thursday night's regional winners' bracket home playoff game against Liberty, he was averaging 44.5 points per game. If he sustains that average, he will have posted the highest scoring average in Oklahoma high school basketball history, regardless of classification. And he has scored all those points in spite of having not played at all in the fourth quarter of seven games.
Having led Pawnee to a 21-2 record and the No. 1 ranking in 2A, Keiton Page also leads the state in assists (7.3 per game) and steals (6.3). David Page says his son's 3-point success rate is nearly 50 percent.
"Is Keiton strong enough to play in the Big 12? Yes. Does he handle the ball well enough? Yes. Does he make good decisions? Is he a coach on the floor? Yes," David Page said. "I definitely think Keiton has a chance to play immediately at OSU, and I think he can make a difference."
Recruiting process begins: His father, Terry Webb, was a Sooner All-American guard in 1975, but apparently it's not a given that Owasso High School offensive lineman Brandon Webb -- 6-foot-4, 300 pounds and highly regarded -- will sign with Oklahoma next year.
"In terms of answering questions and explaining the importance of the relationship with his position coach, I'll be heavily involved in Brandon's recruiting process," said Terry Webb, a Muskogee native who now works in real estate and owns the Sooner Closing and Title Company in Owasso. "But his dad won't make the decision for him. What I did at OU was my life. I will not influence Brandon in his decision.
"He may go to Oklahoma State or he may go to OU. He may go somewhere else. I'll be just as proud if he goes to Podunk University, if that's where he's most comfortable."
Brandon Webb is a junior who doesn't turn 17 until next month. It's still early in his recruiting experience, but OSU, the University of Tulsa and Texas Tech already have offered scholarships. He says he also has been contacted by OU, Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas State and Kansas. He is rated by Rivals.com as a four-star recruit and the No. 82 national prospect regardless of position.
"Without a doubt, OSU and OU will be on Brandon's final list. If possible, it would be good if he can make his decision before the start of his senior season," Terry Webb said. "He and I have talked about this. There will come a time, pretty soon, when he will get sick of the process and the phone calls and the text messages."
The OU experience: During the 1970 football season (his senior season at Muskogee High School), Terry Webb attended several OSU home games and believed he would end up signing with the Cowboys. Ultimately, he signed with the Sooners.
"My heart was set on going to OSU," explains Webb, now 54. "But OSU just didn't recruit me as hard as OU did. When we got close to signing day, an OSU coach asked me if they still had a chance. I said no."
The Oklahoma kids: Webb's OU roommate was linebacker Rod Shoate of Spiro.
"Think about all the Oklahoma guys we had at OU," Webb said. "Rod Shoate, Randy Hughes, the Selmon brothers, Steve Davis -- just a bunch of country boys from northeastern Oklahoma."
In Webb's sophomore, junior and senior seasons, the Sooners had a combined record of 32-1-1, with national championships in 1974 and 1975. Webb says his mother in Muskogee has his Sooner memorabilia, including the two national title rings.
"I've never even worn those rings," he said. "My mother has everything. She even has some old 7-Up glasses that (commemorated) the '74 team."
Domino effect: Joey Meyer, coach of the Tulsa 66ers NBA D-League team, had a profound impact on University of Tulsa basketball.
In June 1997, Meyer was forced to resign from his position as the DePaul coach.
Pat Kennedy then resigned at Florida State so that he could take the DePaul job.
Steve Robinson resigned at TU, after two seasons and two NCAA Tournament appearances, and became the new Florida State coach.
Bill Self resigned at Oral Roberts and moved to TU, and three years later the Golden Hurricane recorded 32 victories and surged to the NCAA Elite Eight.
By BILL HAISTEN World Sports Writer
2/22/2008
Junior Byron Eaton has played well in recent games, but the fact remains -- the Oklahoma State basketball program desperately needs help in the backcourt.
Keiton Page, who stands a quarter-inch shy of 5-foot-10 and plays at Class 2A Pawnee High School, can provide that help as a Cowboy freshman next season, predicts his father and coach, David Page.
"I'm not talking as Keiton's dad. I'm talking as his coach," David Page said. "Even when he was a very young player, Keiton has made his teammates better. I think he'll do the same thing at Oklahoma State."
Keiton Page's numbers are outrageous. Entering Thursday night's regional winners' bracket home playoff game against Liberty, he was averaging 44.5 points per game. If he sustains that average, he will have posted the highest scoring average in Oklahoma high school basketball history, regardless of classification. And he has scored all those points in spite of having not played at all in the fourth quarter of seven games.
Having led Pawnee to a 21-2 record and the No. 1 ranking in 2A, Keiton Page also leads the state in assists (7.3 per game) and steals (6.3). David Page says his son's 3-point success rate is nearly 50 percent.
"Is Keiton strong enough to play in the Big 12? Yes. Does he handle the ball well enough? Yes. Does he make good decisions? Is he a coach on the floor? Yes," David Page said. "I definitely think Keiton has a chance to play immediately at OSU, and I think he can make a difference."
Recruiting process begins: His father, Terry Webb, was a Sooner All-American guard in 1975, but apparently it's not a given that Owasso High School offensive lineman Brandon Webb -- 6-foot-4, 300 pounds and highly regarded -- will sign with Oklahoma next year.
"In terms of answering questions and explaining the importance of the relationship with his position coach, I'll be heavily involved in Brandon's recruiting process," said Terry Webb, a Muskogee native who now works in real estate and owns the Sooner Closing and Title Company in Owasso. "But his dad won't make the decision for him. What I did at OU was my life. I will not influence Brandon in his decision.
"He may go to Oklahoma State or he may go to OU. He may go somewhere else. I'll be just as proud if he goes to Podunk University, if that's where he's most comfortable."
Brandon Webb is a junior who doesn't turn 17 until next month. It's still early in his recruiting experience, but OSU, the University of Tulsa and Texas Tech already have offered scholarships. He says he also has been contacted by OU, Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas State and Kansas. He is rated by Rivals.com as a four-star recruit and the No. 82 national prospect regardless of position.
"Without a doubt, OSU and OU will be on Brandon's final list. If possible, it would be good if he can make his decision before the start of his senior season," Terry Webb said. "He and I have talked about this. There will come a time, pretty soon, when he will get sick of the process and the phone calls and the text messages."
The OU experience: During the 1970 football season (his senior season at Muskogee High School), Terry Webb attended several OSU home games and believed he would end up signing with the Cowboys. Ultimately, he signed with the Sooners.
"My heart was set on going to OSU," explains Webb, now 54. "But OSU just didn't recruit me as hard as OU did. When we got close to signing day, an OSU coach asked me if they still had a chance. I said no."
The Oklahoma kids: Webb's OU roommate was linebacker Rod Shoate of Spiro.
"Think about all the Oklahoma guys we had at OU," Webb said. "Rod Shoate, Randy Hughes, the Selmon brothers, Steve Davis -- just a bunch of country boys from northeastern Oklahoma."
In Webb's sophomore, junior and senior seasons, the Sooners had a combined record of 32-1-1, with national championships in 1974 and 1975. Webb says his mother in Muskogee has his Sooner memorabilia, including the two national title rings.
"I've never even worn those rings," he said. "My mother has everything. She even has some old 7-Up glasses that (commemorated) the '74 team."
Domino effect: Joey Meyer, coach of the Tulsa 66ers NBA D-League team, had a profound impact on University of Tulsa basketball.
In June 1997, Meyer was forced to resign from his position as the DePaul coach.
Pat Kennedy then resigned at Florida State so that he could take the DePaul job.
Steve Robinson resigned at TU, after two seasons and two NCAA Tournament appearances, and became the new Florida State coach.
Bill Self resigned at Oral Roberts and moved to TU, and three years later the Golden Hurricane recorded 32 victories and surged to the NCAA Elite Eight.