Ohio is recruiting 2013 PF prospect Antonio Campbell from Holy Cross (Covington, KY) High School. The 6-8, 225-pounder also has interest from Ball St., Butler, Dayton, Kent St., Lamar, Wake Forest, Winthrop, Wright St. and Xavier. 

Campbell and his Club Ohio coach, Nick Johnson, are scheduled to make an unofficial visit to Ohio in the next couple of weeks.

Highlights:

He reminds me of Reggie when he was a freshman, but with a jump shot. He looks a little flabby, but could be a force with a proper college conditioning program.

Averaged 19 points and 12 rebounds per game as a junior. 54% from the field. 36% from 3. 4.6 blocks per game is telling.

Xavier's resident Rivals guy, Corey Albertson, is reporting that we have offered per his Twitter account.

https://twitter.com/#!/Corey_Rivals513

Isn't Ricardo from Covington?

I noticed this, too. If you're keeping the ball high above your head, it becomes a lot harder to launch your body up for a dunk.

Campbell made an unofficial visit to Dayton yesterday. They are still evaluating him as are BG, Toledo, Kennesaw St., Minnesota, Va Tech, Wake Forest and WVU. Northern Kentucky and Tennessee-Martin have given him offers.  

6'8", strong (with a frame that can definitely ad more muscle), mobile power forward that can step out and knock down the three.  Sounds like a recipe for very successful MAC player.  Also, I love the way he hit the offensive glass and kept the ball alive.  He just kept the ball high and around the rim where only he could get it.  That is something a lot of big men don't do.

Let's hope he does not grow anymore until after we sign him and hope his AAU squad is at second rate tourneys.

Thanks for the heads up!

This is the first HS committment to the new coaching staff.  Great!

Acording to Arkley he's gonna be a Cat....great catch....so much for the "Christian only gets juco and transfers" naysayers.

C'mon, Bobcat Nation!  Amazing there has been so little response to this so far...especially from the naysayers questioning the ability of this staff to get HS players.  I think this verbal is a solid starting point for recruiting HS players.

This is a great get in my opinion.  He brings a number of intangibles to the position that simply can't be taught (mobility, activity level, range, craftiness around the basket, etc).  Campbell's legs are like tree trunks.  Get this kid in a legit strength and conditioning program and he could blow up.  

His game actually reminds me a bit of Antawn Jamison's with his range and his ability to hit an array of off balance / off rhythm  shots.  Really nice form from distance too.  He doesn't have jaw dropping athleticism, but I saw flashes in that video.  Again, that's something that a better strength and conditioning program can bring out.  I wish Antonio could have played with DJ for a couple years as his ability to pull his man out to the 3-point line will open up the lane.  Stevie Taylor will definitely benefit from Campbell's presence in a big way.  



I think in this day of college athletics, especially at the mid-major level,  it's entirely unrealistic to expect classes full of HS guys every single year.  Look at Groce's teams.  Without Bassett and Offutt, we don't beat Georgetown or make a run to the Sweet 16.  Hell, we aren't in the tourney in 2010 without Bassett and likely not in the tourney in 2012 without Offutt. 

Groce only had one year in which he didn't bring in a transfer, and that was in '09. In '08 he brought in Bassett.  In '10 he brought in Smith and Offutt.  In '11 he brought in Kadeem Green.

This year's recruiting is going to be a bit of an abnormality.  The guys that Groce had committed to Ohio were never going to stay once he went to Illinois as they had bigger offers on the table.  Normally, one of the biggest draws for a Mid-major program is that they can offer immediate playing time to players directly out of HS.  Obviously with what Ohio had returning, there would be only a select few that would have the chance to play immediately.  We needed to fill certain holes in the roster with players that were ready to play and contribute immediately.  

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/recruiting/2012/08/13/holy-cross-senior-center-antonio-campbell-has-verbally-committed-to-ohio-university/