Caleb Troop

It’s been a tough year on the court for second year Bobcat women’s hoops coach Semeka Randall, but it looks like Ohio will get a big boost next year. Incoming scoring guards Erin Bailes (Huntington, W.V.) and Shavon Robinson (Canton, OH) were both named McDonald’s All-American nominees last week.

Robinson, nicknamed Shabron, is having a great season for the 18-2 Wildcats.  Canton South H.S. battles Canal Fulton Northwest tomorrow in the Division II District Playoffs.  The Wildcats are ranked 9^th in the current DII poll.  As a junior, Robinson (5-8) was Division II All-Ohio First Team and averaged 16 points, 5 rebounds, 4 steals and 4 assists per game.

Bailes is leading the way for her 14-4 Huntington H.S. team that is trying to pave its way to a fourth-straight state title game appearance.  She is averaging 16.9 ppg for the Highlanders, who are a number one seed in AAA Region in West Virginia.  Huntington opens its postseason run next Wednesday.  Bailes (6-0) plays AAU for the WV Thunder, who have three other Division I commits, including Cincinnati signee Kayla Cook and Maryland signee Whitney Bays.

-  Here’s a link to the November signing announcement for Bailes and Robinson.

-  An interesting read about College Football’s Signing Day: Click Here.

-  Belated condolences go out to the entire Schaus family after the passing of former West Virginia and Lakers coach Fred Schaus.  He has to be proud what his son, Jim, has done and will continue to do personally and professionally.

Schaus on his dad:  “He was a great example of being a person of integrity….That’s something I learned from my father.  It was very black and white when it came to that.  There was no rationalization or justifying doing something that just was not 100 percent correct.  It was either right or it was wrong.”

-  With close apologies to Kenneth van Kempen, there is not a more improved Bobcat hoops player (men or women) than Ohio junior Carolyn Barnett, who scored a career-high 29 points against Northern Illinois last week.

-  I opined before the season junior guard Tommy Freeman’s minutes might be reduced due to the influx of talent with the 09-10 recruiting class and transfer Armon Bassett.  I was wrong—the Muncie native has been doing everything for the ‘Cats this season.

-  This pretty much sums up the first year for Ohio freshman point guard D.J. Cooper:  We knew he was going to be good, but no one thought he was going to be THIS good THIS early.  Simple statement, complete truth.

-  Speaking on his weekly radio show last night, Schaus had this to say about a proposal that would cut 7.62% from Athletics in the University’s 2011 fiscal budget ($600,000):  “Everyone is being affected by it, and no one likes it, of course….Sometimes you have to take a step backwards before you can take two forward, and that is kind of what we are going through right now.  It is not ideal.”

-  Mike Case and Cheryl Reeve will be the broadcasters for Ohio-Kent State tomorrow at The Convo on Fox Sports Ohio.