 "Photo: David Heasley")
 "Photo: David Heasley")
And so it began.
The days of lawsuits, Serbian paychecks and sub-.500 seasons have disappeared like so many banners from the rafters of the Schottenstein Center.
As the 2006 version of Ohio State basketball made its entrance into the arena Wednesday night to tangle with the Division II Findlay Oilers, the problems of the past seemed a distant memory as the Thad Five took layup drills for the first time in uniform. Unfortunately for OSU coach Thad Matta, even an 80-57 exhibition victory can leave a college basktball coach looking for answers.
"I think you can see we have a long way to go," said Matta, his face considerably less fiery red than it was during a game in which the Buckeyes were out rebounded 39-30 by a team that features a starting frontcourt that runs 6'4", 6'4", 6'8". "Now we need to set a practice plan of our glowing weaknesses," he said.
The Bucks' weaknesses were glowing their brightest early in the first half as the Oilers built a quick 8-3 lead after three consecutive OSU misses from three point range. With a starting backcourt that included freshman guard Mike Conley playing alongside grizzled vets Jamar Butler and Ron Lewis, fourth-ranked OSU settled down for good after Matta peppered his Buckeye stew with fresh-faced talent off the bench.
A soaring putback by juco tranfer Othello Hunter five minutes in gave the Buckeyes their first lead of the game, and after the scrappy Oilers answered on their next posession, freshman David Lighty converted his first shot in scarlet and gray from beyond the arc.
Led by the slashing, lightning-quick attack of Conley and the downright scary athleticism of Hunter, the Bucks rolled off 14 consecutive points en route to a 43-33 halftime lead that left the highly-ranked D-II Oilers confident for the second half.
"I got an answer coming" Matta said when asked about his concern for his team's depth inside, his answer being the 18-year-old legend known as Greg Oden.
The players felt the same as the coach.
"We're gonna be a lot better team come the second half of he season," Conley said. "Especially when we get Greg back."
Despite the scripted, cliched "We need to get better" responses from both players and coach, it was clear these Buckeyes, raw as they might be at the time, are bubbling over with talent. Hunter played above the rim on a consistant basis, Lighty shadowed opponents on the defensive end, Cook showed an uncanny ability to get to the basket and create shots and Conley, at times, looked like an upperclassman.
"I think they know we've got a long way to go, which makes our job that much easier," Matta said, refering to the progress of his five fresh faces.
A long way to go to make those missing banners reappear.
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