Capel's Team Wins Media Game

Sept. 25, 2009

NORMAN, Okla. - Jeff Capel took a first step toward a national-coach-of-the-year honor Friday by directing his Red Team to a 56-53 victory in the third annual OU Basketball Media Game inside the Lloyd Noble Center men's practice facility. It was Capel's first win in the event.

The game got off to an ugly start as neither team scored for the first four minutes. Capel's squad took a 6-0 lead, only to watch Bryan Goodman's White Team respond with 12 straight points over a span of three minutes and 15 seconds. Goodman is OU's director of basketball operations and presided over last year's Media Game victors.

The Red Team regrouped to take a 30-25 halftime advantage behind the wizardry of The Oklahoman's David Ubben, OU's new men's hoops beat writer. Ubben, who scored 10 of his 12 points on the day in the first 20 minutes, hit a tough shot as the buzzer sounded to gave his squad the five-point halftime cushion.

Goodman hoped for a repeat of last year's victory over Capel (45-38), but on this day the White Team had trouble slowing the output of the Red Team's Jake Trotter, also of The Oklahoman. Behind Trotter, who finished with team highs of 18 points and eight rebounds, the White Team took a 53-42 lead with 3:30 remaining.

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The White squad issued a furious rally to draw within two, 55-53, with 30 seconds left and had a chance to come all the way back. A missed free throw by Trotter and a quick timeout gave the ball to the White Team, trailing 56-53 with one second to go. A brilliant play call by Goodman resulted in a wide open 3-point look for Mike Houck, OU associate director of athletics communications. Houck, who hit three treys on the day, couldn't drain a fourth at the horn, however.

"I think it was the fact I was so open," said Houck of the miss. "Still, I thought it was good all the way. Just wasn't meant to be."

Said Capel of the victory, "My dream job is to be an NBA general manager, and I did a better job of scouting before the draft today than I did last year. I think that's where this game was won. We had superior talent and that gave us a leg up from the start.

"But I give it up to the White Team for making a valiant comeback after it looked like they were sunk. We dodged a bullet at the buzzer. Plain and simple, though, the better team won."

Goodman was, for the most part, gracious in defeat.

"At times we looked like a team that had never played together," he said. "I take full responsibility for that. We have to be sharper to win games. I was pleased with our overall effort. I think in the end our lack of conditioning caught up to us. I may have to look at making some changes in our pre-season routine.

"I'll take Houck in the corner all day against anyone in the media nation, but today it didn't go."

Goodman added, "They wore us down inside a little bit and really hurt us on the offensive glass. We managed to foul out their big man early, but the game really changed when he somehow checked back in with six minutes to play. I'm not supposed to comment on officiating, but I'm not sure how you allow that."

Adding to Trotter's 18 points and Ubben's 12 for the Red Team were KWTV's Toby Rowland (eight points, six rebounds, two assists), KOCO's Kelly Crull (six points, three boards) and KFOR's Matt Reese (six points, four steals).

Houck led the White Team with game highs of 20 points and 12 boards, KOCO's Daniel Holdge supplied 11 points and five boards off the bench. KOCO sports director Mark Rodgers played his best game in three years and contributed nine points, five boards, two blocks and two steals. KOKH's Myron Patton made his Media Game debut and scored eight points.

- By OU Athletics Communications Intern Jason Bodin

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White Team: Damon Fontenot (NewsOK), Tom Gunter (KWTV), John Helsley (The Oklahoman), Daniel Holdge (KOCO), Mike Houck (OU Athletics Communications), Myron Patton (KOKH), Mark Rodgers (KOCO), Jay Upchurch (Sooner Spectator)

Red Team: David Bassity (OU Athletics Communications), Shawn Clynch (KOKH), Kelly Crull (KOCO), Guerin Emig (Tulsa World), James Hale (KREF), Matt Reese (KFOR), Toby Rowland (KWTV), Jake Trotter (The Oklahoman), David Ubben (The Oklahoman)

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