Odum finds ideal fit at Portland St.
http://www.magicvalley.com/sports/article_310c3dfb-5869-58b6-8e34-0bb2cc0e6a6d.html
Chuck Odum found a great situation in a great location.
The College of Southern Idaho sophomore guard signed a National Letter of Intent Monday with Portland State University.
The 6-foot guard said he found great coaches and teammates at PSU, which competes in the Big Sky Conference.
“I felt like I was needed there,” he said. “It’s a league I feel comfortable in and can have a lot of success in.”
After two years in Twin Falls, the California native also found another ideal in the Vikings downtown campus. “I’m a city boy. I don’t want to go to another small town,” he said.
Odum made his recent campus visit to PSU along with his girlfriend, CSI women’s player Shauneice Samms, who also has an offer from the Vikings. Samms is deciding between PSU, Pepperdine and San Diego and is expected to make her decision this week.
While Odum hopes she joins him in Portland, he added, “I made this decision for me. It was time to make my decision.”
Odum said Portland State coach Tyler Geving and assistant coach Anthony Owens, who previously worked at Eastern Utah, told him he’ll be playing both guard spots.
“My job there will be to score, pass and play defense,” he said. “I know they recruited me to be their guy. I don’t care what position I play, I just want to win.”
Odum had a slow start to the 2009-10 season, but came on strong and finished with averages of 11.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. He scored in double figures in 16 of the last 18 games with an average of 14.8 points.
“Towards the end of the year he came on really strong for us and really made a big impression with a lot of the scouts and coaches at the games,” said Gosar.
That led to interest from numerous schools, including Creighton, where Odum made his other official visit. But head coach Dana Altman left Creighton to take the job at Oregon this week.
Odum also said he drew interest from Cal State Northridge, Cal State Fullerton, UC Riverside, Ohio University, Miami of Ohio, TCU, East Tennessee State and Eastern Washington.
Gosar agreed that Portland State, which went to the NCAA Tournament in both 2008 and 2009, is the best fit for Odum.
“I really think Chuck’s going to be able to have two really good years at Portland State,” said Gosar.
http://www.magicvalley.com/sports/article_310c3dfb-5869-58b6-8e34-0bb2cc0e6a6d.html
Chuck Odum found a great situation in a great location.
The College of Southern Idaho sophomore guard signed a National Letter of Intent Monday with Portland State University.
The 6-foot guard said he found great coaches and teammates at PSU, which competes in the Big Sky Conference.
“I felt like I was needed there,” he said. “It’s a league I feel comfortable in and can have a lot of success in.”
After two years in Twin Falls, the California native also found another ideal in the Vikings downtown campus. “I’m a city boy. I don’t want to go to another small town,” he said.
Odum made his recent campus visit to PSU along with his girlfriend, CSI women’s player Shauneice Samms, who also has an offer from the Vikings. Samms is deciding between PSU, Pepperdine and San Diego and is expected to make her decision this week.
While Odum hopes she joins him in Portland, he added, “I made this decision for me. It was time to make my decision.”
Odum said Portland State coach Tyler Geving and assistant coach Anthony Owens, who previously worked at Eastern Utah, told him he’ll be playing both guard spots.
“My job there will be to score, pass and play defense,” he said. “I know they recruited me to be their guy. I don’t care what position I play, I just want to win.”
Odum had a slow start to the 2009-10 season, but came on strong and finished with averages of 11.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. He scored in double figures in 16 of the last 18 games with an average of 14.8 points.
“Towards the end of the year he came on really strong for us and really made a big impression with a lot of the scouts and coaches at the games,” said Gosar.
That led to interest from numerous schools, including Creighton, where Odum made his other official visit. But head coach Dana Altman left Creighton to take the job at Oregon this week.
Odum also said he drew interest from Cal State Northridge, Cal State Fullerton, UC Riverside, Ohio University, Miami of Ohio, TCU, East Tennessee State and Eastern Washington.
Gosar agreed that Portland State, which went to the NCAA Tournament in both 2008 and 2009, is the best fit for Odum.
“I really think Chuck’s going to be able to have two really good years at Portland State,” said Gosar.
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