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SoCalHoops Recruiting News

More From HoopScoop Re:
Two New USC Big Men--(Sept. 5, 2001)

Yesterday, when we posted the news about the two new USC big men commits, Jonathan Oliver (6'-11" So. F/C) and Jack Wolfinger (6'-10" So. F), both of whom will play at Ventura College, we also posted some news and insights from our friend Clark Francis at the HoopScoop. No sooner had we posted Clark's observations, we spotted another message over on BibbyBaby's USC hoops site, pointing out that Clark had apparently erred in describing Johnathan Oliver, confusing him with John Oliver who is a senior this year at West Virginia University. We noted the error, and Clark was also notified by a few other folks, and this is what he had to say:

Upon further investigation it appears that the two players - 7'0 Jonathan Oliver and 6'10 Jack Wolfinger - who verbally committed to Southern Cal over the weekend are both pretty good. As a matter of fact, they are the two best players on a Ventura (JC) CA team that will be ranked #4 nationally among junior colleges this fall by the Street & Smith Pre-Season Yearbook, as well as the consensus pre-season #1-ranked junior college team in California. Oliver is described as "a very skilled 7'0 lefty power forward/center" by his junior college coach, Greg Winslow. Winslow also tells us that Oliver played one year at Indian Hills (JC) IA and red-shirted last year at Ventura. He also says three or four NBA teams already have called to inquire about Oliver. But our New York City Editor Ron Naclerio thinks that is a little ridiculous. Naclerio, who saw Oliver in the Rucker League this summer, calls him a long lanky shot blocking athlete, but adds that he has a lot of work to do. "Down the road, he may be able to make money playing the game, but right now he wouldn't even be one of the better centers in the Pac-10," says Naclerio. "A lot will depend upon how Oliver develops physically and how hard he works." Wolfinger, who originally is from Oregon, surfaced three years ago at a prep school in New England and, then, signed with St. John's. At the time we thought he was a legitimate top 200 player nationally, but we questioned his toughness, size, and foot speed. However, it appears that he's gotten a lot better with several years to work on his game and mature. Winslow calls Wolfinger "extremely skilled out on the perimeter" and already has him penciled in at the wing forward spot. As for the other Jonathan Oliver, the one we remembered from his prep school days at Pittsfield (Maine Central Institute) ME, it appears that he is still at West Virginia, where he has had a successful career as a role player. I'm sure somebody will get on our case about this mistake in identity, but it won't be the first or the last time somebody has gotten a player confused. My favorite example occurred in the late 80's when Parade Magazine listed Lee Mayberry as a repeat player on their All-American Team. Actually that wasn't the case at all, because the Lee Mayberry who made the team in 1988 was the 6'2 point guard who had a great career at the University of Arkansas and the Lee Mayberry who made the team in 1989 was the 6'9 inside player who signed with Wyoming and never was heard from again.

Confusing, but amusing.....no?