Sunday, March 19, 2000
Ohio State finds strength in Reese
Senior has evolved into a power at post
BY SCOTT MacGREGOR
The Cincinnati Enquirer
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — George Reese would get up early. At 6 a.m., he had to go to work.
The hot summer days began at the Columbus YMCA, where Reese would shoot baskets for a couple of hours. Then he'd head to Ohio State's Schottenstein Center, where he would lift weights with the Buckeyes' strength coach. Later, there were pickup games to be played with his Buckeyes buddies, jogging to do to stay in shape, and more baskets to shoot. It was basketball from sunup to sundown.
“I just tried to do a lot of stuff I hated doing,” Reese said.
|
OSU vs. MIAMI
|
• When: 4:40 p.m.
• Where: Gaylord Entertainment Center, Nashville, Tenn.
• TV: Ch.12,7
• Radio: WBOB-AM (1160)
• Records: Ohio State 23-6, Miami 22-10
BY THE NUMBERS
• 1-1: Ohio State's record against Big East teams this season (loss to Notre Dame, win over St.John's).
• 0-0: Miami's record against the Big Ten this season.
• 15-4: OSU's record when Michael Redd and Scoonie Penn combine for more than 40 points. They had 44 in the first round (Penn 23, Redd 21).
|
This was a typical day for Reese last summer, and the reason he has developed into one of the most potent low-post scorers in college basketball. It's also one of the reasons Ohio State has as good a shot as anyone in the NCAA Tournament to make the Final Four.
Lately, no one can stop the 6-foot-7, 240-pound senior power forward known as G-Money, the tattoo he wears on his huge left arm. He scored 19 points in Ohio State's first-round NCAA win Friday over Appalachian State, and will be a key again today as the third-seeded Buckeyes face No.6 seed Miami (Fla.) at 4:40p.m. in the South Regional's second round.
“It was killing me, but it was worth it,” Reese said of his long summer. “I'm a confident player, so I felt if I could just keep working, keep working, I'd have my day to shine.”
Ohio State's talented backcourt of Scoonie Penn and Michael Redd usually gets most of the attention, whether it plays well or not. Reese just goes about his business — which is usually deadly for the other team.
“I'm also an unselfish player, so as long as we keep winning, I'm cool with that,” Reese said.
Reese has scored 20 or more points in five games this season, including a career-high 25 twice, at Michigan and at Minnesota.
In OSU's Big Ten tournament loss to Penn State, he appeared to be the only Buckeye capable of finding the basket, scoring 22 points. And Friday, he bullied his way clear in the post to score 19 points against overmatched Appalachian State, and also had seven rebounds and eight assists as he passed out of double-teams to open shooters.
“It means a lot to have that outside-inside presence,” Redd said. “It throws defenses off, and opens things up for me and Scoonie a lot.”
Reese's combination of strength, athleticism, back-down post moves and soft jumpers has made him the third option Ohio State knew it needed when this season began.
“George deserves absolutely all of the credit,” coach Jim O'Brien said. “He's become a good mid-range shooter, which has given our offense another dimension. I think his added strength has added a dimension to his game he didn't have last year. Last year was a really big learning experience for him.”
Last season was the first at Ohio State for Reese, a Columbus native who went to Independence High School and played for two years at John Logan Junior College in Illinois. The rock-em, sock-em nature of Big Ten post play limited his offense, and he averaged just 5.5 points as the backup to senior power forward Jason Singleton.
O'Brien wanted Reese to become more of a scorer this season, so Reese worked on his game. It first paid huge dividends on Jan.6, when he scored 24 points in Ohio State's Big Ten season-opening loss at Illinois. Reese was instrumental as the Buckeyes came back from a 10-point deficit, and O'Brien was so confident in him, he allowed Reese to take OSU's final shot, which he missed and Brian Brown tipped in to force a late tie.
That was in the middle of a 13-game stretch where Reese came off the bench — he returned to the starting lineup only in the season's final weeks. But that had to do less with O'Brien's faith in Reese than his effectiveness as a reserve.
“For us to go to Reese for the last shot speaks volumes about not only how he played in that one game, but how he has come on,” O'Brien said. “From that point on, we've considered him a guy we have to get more shots for.”
Some might be surprised by Reese's improvement, but Reese's teammates are not.
“It was just a matter of time,” Penn said. “More than anything, I have to credit that to George's work ethic. He put the time in, and it's showing this year.”
Shooting stats don't dazzle Bucks
Hurricanes start experienced lineup
Tournament game coverage at Cincinnati.com/madness
Join the discussion in our College Sports forum
Sports Stories
Boards key for UC vs. Tulsa
How about those scrappy little Bearcats
Tulsa steals into spotlight
Tulsa's Shelton has UC friends
Tulsa not happy with seed, either
Tulsa's aim: keep coaching talent
UC women lose in NIT despite Slaise's 38
Women's NIT Scores - schedule
Williams questionable for Notre Dame
Reese returns from injury
Sanders, Wohlers will begin DL
Portugal first to go six
Fernandez makes big impression
Reds Game Report
