Oke brings rebounding edge to Grizzlies
5/6/2022 10:12:00 AM | Men's Basketball
When it comes to making the move from Division II to Division I, there's no guarantee that one's skillset will translate. So, even though Montana's coaching staff was impressed by Laolu Oke's (pronounced low (like ow)-loo oh-kee) raw numbers – 14.4 points and 11.6 rebounds per game, while shooting at a 67-percent clip – there was a need to pump the breaks.
Nearly 12 rebounds per game looks good, but again, can it translate?
"It only took us a few clips of watching him to realize the talent that Laolu has, and the reason we believe he can take his game to the next level," head coach Travis DeCuire said. "You can do as many drills as you want, teach technique, but if you don't have a nose for the ball, you're just not going to get it. Laolu gets it."
DeCuire liked the forward's 6-8 frame. But even more, he liked his tenacity and grit.
He also liked that he solidified a hole the Grizzlies desperately needed to fill after ranking last in the Big Sky Conference and bottom 10 of the country for rebounding.
"You've got a team that, for two years, has been bottom of the conference in rebounding; it's been our Achilles' heel and something we struggled to recover from," DeCuire said. "So when you can get a guy who averaged double figures for rebounding, you probably should go get him."
But again, as much as DeCuire liked the idea of getting a big-bodied post player, even more, was what he learned about Oke during the recruiting process.
He liked that Oke told the Griz staff that his favorite part of his Apple Watch was that it allowed him to communicate better and never miss a phone call. He appreciated hearing from Oke's former coaches and teammates, who all raved about the type of teammate Oke is. He respected that, as much as Oke wanted to learn about what Montana could bring to him from a basketball standpoint, he was just as interested in talking with professors across campus about his education.
Oke, a Colorado native with Nigerian heritage, is expected to graduate with honors from MSU Denver later this month. He is studying business management with a focus in finance and will then pursue a master of business administration degree from Montana while using his final two season of immediate eligibility.
"He's a phenomenal young man and the feedback that we got was all positive," DeCuire said. "When you have someone who is goal-oriented, they put something in front of themselves and work hard to achieve it… That's Laolu; he's an overachiever."
Oke played three seasons at MSU Denver in Colorado and maxed out his experience there.
Over the past two seasons, he started 44 of 45 games for the Roadrunners, averaging more than 30 minutes per contest. His numbers are impressive during that span: 13.2 points per game, 11.8 rebounds, 1.7 steals, 0.69 blocks and .666 shooting.
He was a two-time All-RMAC first-team selection and earned back-to-back RMAC Defensive Player-of-the-Year honors. In 2021-22, he was named to the All-South Central Region first team, reserved for the area's top-five Division-II basketball players. He was consistent, earning an astonishing 15 RMAC Defensive Player-of-the-Week awards and setting several MSU Denver records, including rebounds in a season (337), double-doubles (18) and career rebounding average (8.9).
In 2021-22, he ranked third in all of Division II for rebounding, fourth for double-doubles and sixth for shooting percentage.
"One of the first schools to hit me up was Montana," Oke said. "They were quick on the scene."
The initial connection was through assistant coach Jay Flores, who knew one of Oke's former teammates and got a recommendation. From there, the hope was to get Oke to Missoula on a visit.
"I told myself I'd probably end up being somewhere I never thought I'd be, and I can say I never thought I'd end up in Montana," Oke said.
As many do, Oke assumed Montana, the state, wouldn't fit him. But when he got to Missoula, he was blown away.
"Honestly, when I got home I had another visit planned, and I needed something to compare Montana to, so I took it, but I kind of already had made my decision at that point.
"Montana just set the bar so high. It was a really nice campus, the facilities were amazing, the community was welcoming. Everyone wanted me to be a Grizzly and that made me want to be one, too."
His commitment to DeCuire was simple. He called his future head coach and gave him a, "Go Griz!" and DeCuire knew exactly what that meant.
"He wasn't highly recruited out of high school, and really hasn't had a lot of individual attention," DeCuire said. "In terms of his post game and the little things – the game within the game – I think there are things that are untapped with him."
Oke agrees, mentioning that he took a big step forward last year, but that he knows there's still more in his tank.
"I haven't even scratched the surface of where I can be or where I can go. I want to be the best player," he said.
As for now, though?
"I'd say Montana is getting a high-character guy who is very passionate about the game of basketball and is going to do whatever he has to do to win. I'd say I specialize in rebounding. I have a knack for going for the ball. I'm a ball hawk, a ball magnet. I'm constantly moving so the ball comes to me.
"But whatever the team needs, that's what I'm going to do. If that's rebound and score zero points, that's what I'm going to do. If that's guarding the best player, putting up double-doubles… whatever the team needs, I'll do."
That seems like a pretty good start.
Nearly 12 rebounds per game looks good, but again, can it translate?
"It only took us a few clips of watching him to realize the talent that Laolu has, and the reason we believe he can take his game to the next level," head coach Travis DeCuire said. "You can do as many drills as you want, teach technique, but if you don't have a nose for the ball, you're just not going to get it. Laolu gets it."
DeCuire liked the forward's 6-8 frame. But even more, he liked his tenacity and grit.
He also liked that he solidified a hole the Grizzlies desperately needed to fill after ranking last in the Big Sky Conference and bottom 10 of the country for rebounding.
"You've got a team that, for two years, has been bottom of the conference in rebounding; it's been our Achilles' heel and something we struggled to recover from," DeCuire said. "So when you can get a guy who averaged double figures for rebounding, you probably should go get him."
But again, as much as DeCuire liked the idea of getting a big-bodied post player, even more, was what he learned about Oke during the recruiting process.
He liked that Oke told the Griz staff that his favorite part of his Apple Watch was that it allowed him to communicate better and never miss a phone call. He appreciated hearing from Oke's former coaches and teammates, who all raved about the type of teammate Oke is. He respected that, as much as Oke wanted to learn about what Montana could bring to him from a basketball standpoint, he was just as interested in talking with professors across campus about his education.
Oke, a Colorado native with Nigerian heritage, is expected to graduate with honors from MSU Denver later this month. He is studying business management with a focus in finance and will then pursue a master of business administration degree from Montana while using his final two season of immediate eligibility.
"He's a phenomenal young man and the feedback that we got was all positive," DeCuire said. "When you have someone who is goal-oriented, they put something in front of themselves and work hard to achieve it… That's Laolu; he's an overachiever."
Oke played three seasons at MSU Denver in Colorado and maxed out his experience there.
Over the past two seasons, he started 44 of 45 games for the Roadrunners, averaging more than 30 minutes per contest. His numbers are impressive during that span: 13.2 points per game, 11.8 rebounds, 1.7 steals, 0.69 blocks and .666 shooting.
He was a two-time All-RMAC first-team selection and earned back-to-back RMAC Defensive Player-of-the-Year honors. In 2021-22, he was named to the All-South Central Region first team, reserved for the area's top-five Division-II basketball players. He was consistent, earning an astonishing 15 RMAC Defensive Player-of-the-Week awards and setting several MSU Denver records, including rebounds in a season (337), double-doubles (18) and career rebounding average (8.9).
In 2021-22, he ranked third in all of Division II for rebounding, fourth for double-doubles and sixth for shooting percentage.
Simply put, he was ready for the next level, and Montana provided him that opportunity.Congratulations to @LaoluOke who put up 14 rebounds tonight to surpass Jonathan Morse for the most boards in a single season. 298 was the record, Oke now has 305 with two games to go. @MSUDenverMBB #GetRowdy🔴🔵 pic.twitter.com/IcyNsfu3QP
— Roadrunners All-Access (@RoadrunnersTV) February 22, 2022
"One of the first schools to hit me up was Montana," Oke said. "They were quick on the scene."
The initial connection was through assistant coach Jay Flores, who knew one of Oke's former teammates and got a recommendation. From there, the hope was to get Oke to Missoula on a visit.
"I told myself I'd probably end up being somewhere I never thought I'd be, and I can say I never thought I'd end up in Montana," Oke said.
As many do, Oke assumed Montana, the state, wouldn't fit him. But when he got to Missoula, he was blown away.
"Honestly, when I got home I had another visit planned, and I needed something to compare Montana to, so I took it, but I kind of already had made my decision at that point.
"Montana just set the bar so high. It was a really nice campus, the facilities were amazing, the community was welcoming. Everyone wanted me to be a Grizzly and that made me want to be one, too."
His commitment to DeCuire was simple. He called his future head coach and gave him a, "Go Griz!" and DeCuire knew exactly what that meant.
DeCuire is excited because Oke fills a hole Montana needed closed. But he also feels like there's so much more potential in him.Go where you're wanted most, Committed! #GoGriz 🐻 pic.twitter.com/cGsQyPxgrW
— Laolu (@LaoluOke) April 16, 2022
"He wasn't highly recruited out of high school, and really hasn't had a lot of individual attention," DeCuire said. "In terms of his post game and the little things – the game within the game – I think there are things that are untapped with him."
Oke agrees, mentioning that he took a big step forward last year, but that he knows there's still more in his tank.
"I haven't even scratched the surface of where I can be or where I can go. I want to be the best player," he said.
As for now, though?
"I'd say Montana is getting a high-character guy who is very passionate about the game of basketball and is going to do whatever he has to do to win. I'd say I specialize in rebounding. I have a knack for going for the ball. I'm a ball hawk, a ball magnet. I'm constantly moving so the ball comes to me.
"But whatever the team needs, that's what I'm going to do. If that's rebound and score zero points, that's what I'm going to do. If that's guarding the best player, putting up double-doubles… whatever the team needs, I'll do."
That seems like a pretty good start.
.@LaoluOke -- a @WeAreOverland product -- has grown into a defensive force for @MSUDenverMBB, leading the Roadrunners in rebounds 💪 #9sports #GetRowdy @MSUDenverSports @OHShoopSquad
— 9NEWS Sports Denver (@9NEWSSports) January 13, 2022
FULL STORY: https://t.co/m5W6pTqwMY by @JacobRTobey pic.twitter.com/676IojviWV
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