Greg Oden's Diary -- March 23, 2006

Greg Oden’s McDonald’s All-American High School Game Diary

March 23, 2006

I think everyone who loves basketball has seen the movie “Hoosiers” and knows about the excitement created by Indiana high school basketball. I can tell you from experience the crowds are amazing for state tournament games.

We live “Hoosiers” every year in the Indiana state basketball tournament. That’s especially true this year.

We’re playing Muncie Central for the State 4A title Saturday (March 25). If you know your “Hoosiers” trivia, the movie was based on tiny Milan High upsetting big Muncie Central for the state title.

Since my high school, Lawrence North, has won two straight state titles, sportswriters and fans consider Muncie Central the little guys trying to beat the big guys.

We don’t look at it that way. We look at it as two good teams going for a state championship, and it will be a hard-fought game. Sometimes the crowds in the Indiana state basketball tournament are like a sixth man. You’ve got to keep your head in the game.

Milan beat Muncie Central back when there was only one state tournament for all schools. Now we have different classes for state titles based on the size of the school. People ask me if I like it better the old way, and I say class basketball is exciting and is all I’ve known.

But no matter what state you live in or what state title you win, a state championship is what every kid wants. You want to be able to say you’re the best in the state.

After our game at 8 p.m. Saturday, if we win my teammate, Mike Conley, and I won’t have much chance to celebrate. We have to fly out in the morning to San Diego for the McDonald’s game.

I’m looking forward to getting to San Diego. It will be another chance to meet Coach John Wooden. Don’t forget that Mr. Wooden, a chairman for the McDonald’s game, is from Indiana. I met him this year at the John Wooden Classic, a college tournament early in the season in Indianapolis.

I was star-struck when I met him. I didn’t know what to say. I just smiled and shook his hand. He’s been retired since before high school and college players and most NBA players were born, but every basetball player still knows Coach Wooden is a legend.

I’m looking forward to playing at San Diego State's Cox Arena. I played their last summer in an international junior tournament. It's a long walk up the stairs from the floor to the top -- I almost go nauseous -- but it's a nice arena.

I watched some of the NCAA games on TV at Cox Arena. I also watched San Diego State play against IU – that’s how we refer to Indiana. San Diego State’s players were very athletic.

It will be a busy week in San Diego for the players, but I’m looking forward to being around all the guys and having fun. There will be some great competition.

I’m also looking forward to going to the Ronald McDonald House on Sunday (March 26) and meeting the little kids who are receiving treatment for serious illnesses. It’s not very often you get a chance to do something like that.

I was asked about the McDonald's dunk contest on Monday night at San Diego State's Peterson Gym. I haven’t been told if I’m in the dunk contest, but someone suggested they should have me in the paint trying to block the dunks instead of letting guys fly in for acrobatic dunks. I don't know about that idea, but I know next week is a great honor for a high school basketball player.

See you next week in San Diego.

The Wildcats went wire-to-wire as the No. 1 ranked FAB 50 team and stamped itself among the legendary squads in the basketball-rich Hoosier State. As a comparison, USA Today had them No. 5 in its preseason rankings. Lawrence North became only the third state team to win three consecutive state crowns by capturing the Class 4A title with an 80-56 finals’ romp over eight-time champion Muncie Central. The other two teams were Marion from 1985-87 and Franklin from 1920-22. The win streak of 45 games ties the state mark set by the Oscar Robertson-led Indianapolis teams of 1955-56 at Crispus Attucks. The average winning margin was 20.3 points and victims included Ohio Division II champion Dayton Dunbar, 19th in the FAB 50, and defending Illinois Class AA champion Glenbrook North, No. 30 in the FAB 50. Leading North were two four-year regulars, and Ohio State recruits, who helped teams compile a 103-7 record -- Greg Oden, the 7-foot consensus National Player of Year honoree, and guard Mike Conley. Oden averaged 22 points, 10.5 rebounds and shot 74% from the floor. Conley averaged 16.5 points. Coach Jack Keefer won his fourth state title. North is the first Indiana mythical national champion since Washington of East Chicago captured the 1971 crown.