Capel Adds Newell, Ahmed to OU Recruiting Class

May 3, 2010

NORMAN, Okla. - University of Oklahoma head men's basketball coach Jeff Capel announced today the addition of two more recruits with the signing of prep players Calvin Newell and Abdi Ahmed to national letters of intent.

Newell, a 6-0, 185-pound guard from the Philadelphia, Pa., area, played at Evelyn Mack Academy in Charlotte, N.C., last year where he averaged 26.1 points per game.

"Calvin is a talented young man who we are excited to welcome into the Sooner family," said Capel. "He is known as a terrific offensive player. He is a humble kid with a good work ethic. I'm anxious for him to get here and get to work."

Newell averaged 29.4 points per game as a senior in 2008-09 at Strath Haven High School in Wallingford, Pa., and earned Class AAA first-team all-state honors. He led Strath Haven to its first state playoffs appearance in nine years.

Said Scout.com national basketball recruiting analyst Evan Daniels, "There's no question he can score. He's a guy who really kind of came on late. When I saw him in February he was very good in transition. He's got good size for the point guard spot, he's creative and can do some things. He shot the ball very well when I saw him, too. I think he's going to be a good player for Oklahoma.

"He's got good speed, he can handle the ball well and he's a good athlete. I think he can really help Oklahoma right away, especially with their need for a point guard."

Ahmed, whose full name is Abdul Sabour Ahmed, is a 6-10, 215-pound center from London, England, who attended Thomas Tallis School. Ahmed spent the last year at Canarias Basketball Academy in the Canary Islands off the northwest coast of Africa.

"Abdi is an active big man with good skills who plays extremely hard," said Capel. "He has a great work ethic and a strong desire to become a great player. He has been at the Canarias Basketball Academy, which in my opinion is the premier basketball academy in Europe.

"Abdi has improved immensely under Coach Rob Orellana over the past year. Rob and his staff run a vigorous program that I believe has prepared Abdi well for success at our level. He is a quality young man who will be an asset to our program on and off the court."

Ahmed averaged 18.0 points, 12.0 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game last year for Canarias.

Said Orellana, "In Abdi Ahmed, Oklahoma is getting a post player who is capable of shooting the ball to 19 feet and has a very good back-to-the-basket game. He is a tremendously hard worker who plays the game the right way. He is a player whose best days of basketball are ahead of him.

"It was clear to us here at the Canarias Basketball Academy that Oklahoma was the right choice for Abdi. Coach Capel's proven track record with developing big men and the opportunity of playing time added with the Oklahoma basketball tradition were all reasons for Abdi's decision."

The signing of Newell and Ahmed brings OU's 2010 class of newcomers to eight members. The pair joins fellow incoming freshmen Cameron Clark, Tyler Neal and T.J. Taylor, junior college transfers Nick Thompson and C.J. Washington, and University of New Orleans transfer Carl Blair.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Capel Adds Newell, Ahmed to OU Recruiting Class

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