Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
Two Oak Hill seniors made their verbal commitments on the last day of the NCAA early signing period
Keith “Tiny” Gallon, the 6-foot-8, 290-pound center from Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va., has committed to Oklahoma, choosing that school over Mississippi State. Gallon is close friends with Tommy Mason-Griffin, who will also play for Oklahoma.
“He always liked Oklahoma from the start and he wanted to wait until the last minute to make sure this was the right thing that he needed to do and if it was the decision that he wanted to make,” his AAU coach, Marlon Lowe, told Justin Young of Rivals. “He has a great relationship with the coaching staff, with coach [Jeff] Capel and coach [Oronde Taliaferro].”
Gallon almost didn’t come back to Oak Hill this year because Oak Hill coach Steve Smith was not pleased with his academic performance a year ago. But three days before the school year started, Smith sat down with Gallon, his mother, the school principal and president and set some expectations.
“It was at the point where I wasn’t going to allow him to play,” Smith said. “We had a heart to heart three days before school and we set out some things he would have to agree to. He’s pretty much done everything we’ve asked him.”
Gallon leads the team in scoring (17.8 points), rebounding (9.4) and blocks (3.2) while making 46 of 57 shots from the floor.
“He’s playing within himself,” Smith said. “He’s playing great.”
Gallon’s teammate, Lamont ‘Momo” Jones, chose Virginia Tech, according to NYCHoops.net.
The 5-foot-11 Jones, who formerly played at Rice and American Christian (Pa.), chose Va Tech over USC and Memphis.
On the court, Jones is averaging 15.2 points, 5.2 assists and 4.4 rebounds.
“He’s playing well,” Oak Hill coach Steve Smith said. “He’s doing what he needs to do for us to win and he plays on both ends of the court.
“Our point guards usually score a lot for us. Brandon [Jennings] averaged 15 points as a junior, Ty Lawson averaged 18, Rajon Rondo averaged about 18.”
Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle.
A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013.
He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.
Two Oak Hill seniors made their verbal commitments on the last day of the NCAA early signing period
Keith “Tiny” Gallon, the 6-foot-8, 290-pound center from Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va., has committed to Oklahoma, choosing that school over Mississippi State. Gallon is close friends with Tommy Mason-Griffin, who will also play for Oklahoma.
“He always liked Oklahoma from the start and he wanted to wait until the last minute to make sure this was the right thing that he needed to do and if it was the decision that he wanted to make,” his AAU coach, Marlon Lowe, told Justin Young of Rivals. “He has a great relationship with the coaching staff, with coach [Jeff] Capel and coach [Oronde Taliaferro].”
Gallon almost didn’t come back to Oak Hill this year because Oak Hill coach Steve Smith was not pleased with his academic performance a year ago. But three days before the school year started, Smith sat down with Gallon, his mother, the school principal and president and set some expectations.
“It was at the point where I wasn’t going to allow him to play,” Smith said. “We had a heart to heart three days before school and we set out some things he would have to agree to. He’s pretty much done everything we’ve asked him.”
Gallon leads the team in scoring (17.8 points), rebounding (9.4) and blocks (3.2) while making 46 of 57 shots from the floor.
“He’s playing within himself,” Smith said. “He’s playing great.”
Gallon’s teammate, Lamont ‘Momo” Jones, chose Virginia Tech, according to NYCHoops.net.
The 5-foot-11 Jones, who formerly played at Rice and American Christian (Pa.), chose Va Tech over USC and Memphis.
On the court, Jones is averaging 15.2 points, 5.2 assists and 4.4 rebounds.
“He’s playing well,” Oak Hill coach Steve Smith said. “He’s doing what he needs to do for us to win and he plays on both ends of the court.
“Our point guards usually score a lot for us. Brandon [Jennings] averaged 15 points as a junior, Ty Lawson averaged 18, Rajon Rondo averaged about 18.”
